Summer 26

[Lee Jones Jnr]

On 4/16/2024 at 9:05 AM, david63 said:

Why does there have to be so much secrecy around the release of a new season's cruises?

 

There is this ability to pre register (if you can ever get through on the phone - yes I know you can use a TA but I choose not to) but the cruises are only just available and then there is no way of knowing the price other than for an inside cabin!!

It’s just marketing innit.

Keeps people engaged and eager to book.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

23 hours ago, showingdiva said:

Congratulations to everyone who has been tempted by a new itinerary or ports and registered.

 

2026 isn't that far away.  I fully understand why some cannot commit that far in advance for a number of reasons.   For me, it's a bit of carpe diem.   Something to look forward to and enjoy the thought of planning for.

 

P&O, I will come back to you at some point.  Honestly.   But MSC's Mr Paradiso does keep returning my lovely white ghost to me every summer .....   

 

 

(That is literally the opposite of Carpe Diem)

[Lee Jones Jnr]

23 hours ago, daiB said:

Well we have pre booked for 4 cruises, 3 on Iona and 1 on Aurora. The prices ate getting cheaper. The Iona cruises are £57pppn cheaper than our first cruise in 2001 on Aurora in a better cabin, even Aurora is £30pppn cheaper.

Happy days.

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

P&O getting cheaper when everything else in the world is rising in cost is giving me the fear. The market they are targeting is changing and I feel like I might not be in it anymore.

[showingdiva]

2 minutes ago, Lee Jones Jnr said:

(That is literally the opposite of Carpe Diem)

 

Oooohh ... keyboard warrior.

 

I'm recovering from eye surgery.   Not much I type makes too much sense at the moment.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

3 hours ago, showingdiva said:

 

Oooohh ... keyboard warrior.

 

I'm recovering from eye surgery.   Not much I type makes too much sense at the moment.

Including this I feel.

I certainly don’t feel like a ‘keyboard warrior’ and the comment wasn’t intended to be anything other than a wee light hearted one.

[Lee Jones Jnr]

2 hours ago, daiB said:

Just wait a few months and you will find the prices are much more to your liking. Expensive.

Expensive and higher cost are not the same thing.

P&O are changing the type of line that they are.

I’m not suggesting that they are doing the wrong thing, they are a business and must do what they think is best. 
I must do the same so will likely be cruising with other lines more and P&O less.

I am certain they both they and I will survive.

[Barbadossunshine]

The Azura A623A for 11th June 2026-25th June 2026. The Itinerary on this one looks really good only 3 sea days. The price flying from Glasgow with standard balcony coming to £5,454.00. And even a sea view standard at £4,626.00. Still to factor in drinks, specialty restaurants and trips cost. Will keep an eye on this one but will not hold my breath as airport of choice is Glasgow for flight. 

Edited April 17 by Barbadossunshine

[bbtablet]

On 4/16/2024 at 8:00 PM, jh1809 said:

I couldn't resist booking Aurora's 24-day Med cruise in Sep-Oct 2026. Quite a few intriguing ports that I've not been to before. 

Another plus for this cruise, given the red-hot temps in the Med in recent summers (too hot for us in July and August), by the time this cruise goes it might well be nice and hot but not unbearable.

[jh1809]

24 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

Another plus for this cruise, given the red-hot temps in the Med in recent summers (too hot for us in July and August), by the time this cruise goes it might well be nice and hot but not unbearable.

Agreed. I don't like it too hot, and wouldn't go to the Med any time between late May and mid September.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, bbtablet said:

Another plus for this cruise, given the red-hot temps in the Med in recent summers (too hot for us in July and August), by the time this cruise goes it might well be nice and hot but not unbearable.

End September early October is traditionally the rainy season in the Med. Although global warming might have changed that.

[tring]

7 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

End September early October is traditionally the rainy season in the Med. Although global warming might have changed that.

 

Can get storms at times, but have had a number of hols at that time and most of the time it has been nice warm weather.  We have had storms on about three hols, but only one of about a day in a two week hol.  Weather gods do tend to have a mind of their own though. 

 

We tend to avoid the bob at that time of year though,  admittedly that can often be bad then, but in the Med we have done well, unless we have just been lucky.  We have had worse weather at the end of Oct and into November though.

 

 

 

[pete14]

The cruise to view the eclipse in Iceland in August 2026 which we had pre registered for is now confirmed with our cabin. The suite allocated to us was absolutely fine but I have changed it to one with a much bigger wrap-around aft balcony a deck lower on Arcadia. Happy days. 😊

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, pete14 said:

The cruise to view the eclipse in Iceland in August 2026 which we had pre registered for is now confirmed with our cabin. The suite allocated to us was absolutely fine but I have changed it to one with a much bigger wrap-around aft balcony a deck lower on Arcadia. Happy days. 😊

We had B165 on Arcadia (a corner one with wrap around balcony) and the balcony was great, as it was part shaded and part open, so usable in all conditions. We viewed one on another deck and the balcony was entirely covered, so made the suite very dark and it was like looking out through a tunnel. This wasn’t apparent on the deck plan. Just thought I’d flag this whilst you still have options. 

[pete14]

26 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

We had B165 on Arcadia (a corner one with wrap around balcony) and the balcony was great, as it was part shaded and part open, so usable in all conditions. We viewed one on another deck and the balcony was entirely covered, so made the suite very dark and it was like looking out through a tunnel. This wasn’t apparent on the deck plan. Just thought I’d flag this whilst you still have options. 

Thanks for your observation. We are on D deck which might be the ones you are talking about because the balcony is not overlooked according to the deck plan. Personally, I don’t see this as an issue although of course some might. Space and fresh air are more important to us. 

[lancashire_cruisers]

First choice of cabin on Arvia secured and paid for by 9am! 😀

[daiB]

All of our cruises confirmed and deposits paid

Aurora

Iona

Iona

Iona

 

Happy days

 

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

 

[majortom10]

Currently on Arvia and booked onboard at 9-30am ( 8-30am UK time) for a cruise on Arvia in April 2026.

[Bin man]

Hi Majortom 10 did you get anything extra and what deposit was it ?On her in 4 weeks holding on for anything extra hopefully 

[sandancer]

Anxiously awaiting a response from our TA. I’ve looked online and already there are lots and lots of cabins greyed out on the deck plan on our chosen cruise. Fingers and everything else crossed. 

[DamianG]

We've booked G626 & G627 - back to back cruises on Iona during the main school holidays.

 

We've booked an ED grade deluxe balcony cabin which has worked out around £135 pppn. Considering that this is a fairly unique aft cabin during the peak school holidays we are quite pleased with the price and very excited about the back to back aspect allowing us to stay onboard on changeover day (I'll have the launderette to myself for one thing 😆).

 

Presumably we will get double perks too, such as upper tier embarkation lunch, sailaway drinks etc?

 

We are looking forward to revisiting Norway for the first time in years, Cherbourg which is new to us, and Northern Spain which we love. 

Edited April 24 by DamianG

[showingdiva]

1 hour ago, DamianG said:

 

We are looking forward to revisiting Norway for the first time in years, Cherbourg which is new to us, and Northern Spain which we love. 

 

I loved Cherbourg.   Nice walk into the city (15 mins or so).   Lovely park and marina, the submarine Le Redoubtable, aquarium and museum and restaurant / cafe in La Cite de la Mer next to the cruise terminal (which in itself is architecturally really interesting).

[Presto2]

7 hours ago, sandancer said:

Anxiously awaiting a response from our TA. I’ve looked online and already there are lots and lots of cabins greyed out on the deck plan on our chosen cruise. Fingers and everything else crossed. 

What annoys me is when you try to book a cabin for a 14 night med cruise and it says the cabin isn't available. You then check the 2 weeks as 2 7 night cruises and it is available. In the past we have had to phone PO and ask them to release cabins for a 2 week cruise ... its a real pain.

[sandancer]

Fortunately in this instance our great TA was able to get us a cabin which is exactly as we had requested. We gave her a choice of 4 and we are very happy with the one we have been allocated. 

[cruisefan2012]

I got what I wanted today !! 

 

Happy Days !!

[Rupert2251]

4 hours ago, cruisefan2012 said:

I got what I wanted today !! 

 

Happy Days !!

Snap! Now its just a waiting game 😁