Aurora Northern Lights Cruise: 12th to 28th March 2024

[terrierjohn]

On 3/29/2024 at 1:22 PM, Devon born and bred said:

Whilst I agree that the P&O system is far from perfect, until it is changed that is the system which we should all comply with. The fact some Brits love to queue is irrelevant, as Palaceman said if we all adopted the 'I will ignore the procedure' attitude it really would be chaos.

I doubt that it would be anymore chaotic than the current system. Although I understand, after our late arrival yesterday, that it's the port that dictates when embarkation of those collecting luggage can begin, which is not until all the luggage has been offloaded and stacked in the luggage hall, because they use FLT's to bring the crates into the luggage hall, and they don't want passengers in there when FLTs are still being used.

However it could be massively improved if P&O used colour coded disembarkation luggage tags, rather than the deck system they currently operate. The benefit of timed colour coding is that the hall empties chronologically, and if you wait until a few colours beyong your own, it makes it far easier to find your luggage.

On our Princess cruise last July our colour had been first called about 15 minutes before we disembarked, and our cases were very easy to identify making the disembarkation much less stressful.

[Palaceman]

7 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I doubt that it would be anymore chaotic than the current system. Although I understand, after our late arrival yesterday, that it's the port that dictates when embarkation of those collecting luggage can begin, which is not until all the luggage has been offloaded and stacked in the luggage hall, because they use FLT's to bring the crates into the luggage hall, and they don't want passengers in there when FLTs are still being used.

However it could be massively improved if P&O used colour coded disembarkation luggage tags, rather than the deck system they currently operate. The benefit of timed colour coding is that the hall empties chronologically, and if you wait until a few colours beyong your own, it makes it far easier to find your luggage.

On our Princess cruise last July our colour had been first called about 15 minutes before we disembarked, and our cases were very easy to identify making the disembarkation much less stressful.

I think you have missed the point that Devon b&b has made. Whether you think the P&O system is good or bad, it is how they do things. IMHO, the P&O system works. You are given a time and a place to congregate. Obviously the allocated time is dependent on outside factors, i.e. portside issues, but when it is safe to disembark you are invited to disembark. The cases are sorted by decks, which as I see it, is no different to having different coloured labels. It is only if people decide to ignore their disembarkation time and try to leave when it suits them that the system breaks down. Again as Devon b&b has said, if you don't like the P&O system/product, then you can always vote with your feet and cruise elsewhere.

[terrierjohn]

8 minutes ago, Palaceman said:

I think you have missed the point that Devon b&b has made. Whether you think the P&O system is good or bad, it is how they do things. IMHO, the P&O system works. You are given a time and a place to congregate. Obviously the allocated time is dependent on outside factors, i.e. portside issues, but when it is safe to disembark you are invited to disembark. The cases are sorted by decks, which as I see it, is no different to having different coloured labels. It is only if people decide to ignore their disembarkation time and try to leave when it suits them that the system breaks down. Again as Devon b&b has said, if you don't like the P&O system/product, then you can always vote with your feet and cruise elsewhere.

You do not appear to understand the effect that having timed labels has on the way the luggage hall empties from front to back, rather than the haphazard way it empties when passengers disembark by deck. This leads to the hall emptying in progression rather than passengers swarming all over creating chaos and slowing down the queues.

In addition most cruise lines using this system do not request you attend a venue, but they make regular announcements calling for the next coloured group to disembark, and strangely this seems to reduce the crowding that is always apparent with P&O.

[Palaceman]

4 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

You do not appear to understand the effect that having timed labels has on the way the luggage hall empties from front to back, rather than the haphazard way it empties when passengers disembark by deck. This leads to the hall emptying in progression rather than passengers swarming all over creating chaos and slowing down the queues.

In addition most cruise lines using this system do not request you attend a venue, but they make regular announcements calling for the next coloured group to disembark, and strangely this seems to reduce the crowding that is always apparent with P&O.

I hold my hands up, I don't understand the effect of having timed labels. But what I do understand is that after more than 15 cruises with P&O I have never had issues with their current procedure for disembarkation. But maybe that is because I adhere to their system and wait until it is my turn to disembark. As has been said before, we are all different and we all have choices. There are other cruise companies out there that may be more suitable to some people but not others.

[Slugsta]

Changing the subject completely - what was the temperature like inside the ship? On our last 2 P+O cruises, I have been quite cold. I know that Selbourne said that some places were terribly hot when they were down in the Caribbean, but I suspect that is not the same in cooler climes.

[laslomas]

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

You do not appear to understand the effect that having timed labels has on the way the luggage hall empties from front to back, rather than the haphazard way it empties when passengers disembark by deck. This leads to the hall emptying in progression rather than passengers swarming all over creating chaos and slowing down the queues.

In addition most cruise lines using this system do not request you attend a venue, but they make regular announcements calling for the next coloured group to disembark, and strangely this seems to reduce the crowding that is always apparent with P&O.

Totally agree. My last several cruises have been on Celebrity. The system is as you state. No need to have a gathering point to wait. The baggage is loaded into place in the baggage hall by time. In fact with this method there is no benefit to 'jump the queue' and disembark early as your luggage will not be there. Never had a problem with this. I hate being asked to congregate in a certain venue that is not big enough for the passengers, and nowhere to sit.

[galeforce9]

18 minutes ago, Slugsta said:

Changing the subject completely - what was the temperature like inside the ship? On our last 2 P+O cruises, I have been quite cold. I know that Selbourne said that some places were terribly hot when they were down in the Caribbean, but I suspect that is not the same in cooler climes.

Too hot for me much of the time but then I wear appropriate layered clothing for the Arctic outdoors (with outdoor layers removed) in the day.   Many did not and just wore t shirts and pullovers.  They treated it like any other cruise and complained about cooler areas when the cold got in during port visits.  

Edited March 31 by galeforce9

[Fionboard]

On 3/31/2024 at 9:57 AM, terrierjohn said:

I doubt that it would be anymore chaotic than the current system. Although I understand, after our late arrival yesterday, that it's the port that dictates when embarkation of those collecting luggage can begin, which is not until all the luggage has been offloaded and stacked in the luggage hall, because they use FLT's to bring the crates into the luggage hall, and they don't want passengers in there when FLTs are still being used.

However it could be massively improved if P&O used colour coded disembarkation luggage tags, rather than the deck system they currently operate. The benefit of timed colour coding is that the hall empties chronologically, and if you wait until a few colours beyong your own, it makes it far easier to find your luggage.

On our Princess cruise last July our colour had been first called about 15 minutes before we disembarked, and our cases were very easy to identify making the disembarkation much less stressful.

 

13 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Too hot for me much of the time but then I wear appropriate layered clothing for the Arctic outdoors (with outdoor layers removed) in the day.   Many did not and just wore t shirts and pullovers.  They treated it like any other cruise and complained about cooler areas when the cold got in during port visits.  

 

13 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Too hot for me much of the time but then I wear appropriate layered clothing for the Arctic outdoors (with outdoor layers removed) in the day.   Many did not and just wore t shirts and pullovers.  They treated it like any other cruise and complained about cooler areas when the cold got in during port visits.  

Many areas on Aurora were extremely cold during port visits, particularly overnighters. My cabin was cozy but corridor outside was freezing as I was two decks above the gangway opening. But only to be expected when in the Arctic in Winter! 

[LondonLad60]

" It is only if people decide to ignore their disembarkation time and try to leave when it suits them that the system breaks down. Again as Devon b&b has said, if you don't like the P&O system/product, then you can always vote with your feet and cruise elsewhere."

 

Exactly. The last time I was on Arcadia, (autumn 2019) disembarkation was shambolic. My wife and I are in the Ligurian tier of the peninsula club, which (supposedly) gave us priority disembarkation. We got to our allocated venue just before the allocated time, and there were numerous passengers congregating in lift areas and corridors despite having been asked not to in a letter that had been sent to all cabins a few days previously. Whilst waiting in the venue I heard at least two couples boasting that they never go to their allocated venue - they simply wait near the exit and as soon as people start leaving they join in. Judging by the near stampede that ensued when disembarkation started there must have been many other passengers with the same mindset. That wasn't the main reason that my wife and I turned our backs on P&O; it was just one on a list of contributing factors.

[RJChatsworth]

Fionboard - agree with you.  Even sailing away north of Norway (the furthest north Aurora had ever been) in all the snow squalls our cabin was beautifully warm but on other occasions very cold, particularly in port.   We were on deck 10.  I couldn’t get over the numbers in short sleeves and shorts.  They must have thought they had booked a Caribbean cruise and wouldn’t give in!  Far more in numbers, however, we’re wearing heavy jumpers and overcoats in the MDR.  The poor waiters were dressed as normal but their superiors in the restaurants were wearing P&O crew anoraks.

[RJChatsworth]

Something I have been meaning to mention is that a few days into the Northern Lights cruise both my wife and I developed ankle rashes that didn’t half itch at night.  Of all the cruises we have been on this has never happened before.  Antihistamine tablets helped a bit, then we saw an empty packet of antihistamines outside another cabin and wondered whether there were other sufferers.  It went as soon as we got home.

[Slugsta]

Thanks for the comments about temperature onboard. We are going down to the Med. so I hope it will be the 'Goldilocks area'!

[galeforce9]

3 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Something I have been meaning to mention is that a few days into the Northern Lights cruise both my wife and I developed ankle rashes that didn’t half itch at night.  Of all the cruises we have been on this has never happened before.  Antihistamine tablets helped a bit, then we saw an empty packet of antihistamines outside another cabin and wondered whether there were other sufferers.  It went as soon as we got home.

So did we and our family members in another cabin on another deck.  We put it down to wool socks irritation but ….

Edited April 1 by galeforce9