Carnival Cruise Line to Absorb P&O Australia

[Mycruiseobsession]

Okay I can't help myself and have begun researching what happened when P&O UK counting towards Princess was withdrawn.

 

So far I have confirmed that a letter will be sent.

 

When the letter was sent to them there were disagreeing interpretations of what the cut off date meant.

 

 

Some interpreted this as "sailed by" 12 December 2017 others "booked by."

 

I haven't been able to find in writing any clarification officially from Princess whether their clause 1) definition of the word booked means "booked" or "sailed"

 

Until I do, I am interpreting Booked as Booked.

 

For example - Princess' current double credit offer specifically  states the word sail.

 

"For a limited time only! Purchase Princess Plus® or Princess Premier® at least two days before you sail, between August 1 through December 1, 2024"

 

I also have found across CC and other brand forums that anomalies occured.

 

There was also an important factor, that if you hadn't  ever travelled on Princess prior to the change you wouldn't have any past P&O cruises count and you would start at the beginning for Captain's Circle, however some people mentioned that due to a supposedly technical  bug, they had theirs counted even though they had never travelled on Princess while others  did not.

 

Example of the UK discussions on Cruise Critic:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/topic/2478561-pampo-cruise-credits-will-no-longer-count-towards-princess-captain’s-circle-status-for/

 

So until I get a letter from Princess/Carnival informing me that only cruises  sailed/ travelled before the March 2025 takeover count, I am still going to be optimistic and hope that it will be that booked cruises will still count just as they are showing on my Captain's Circle today.

 

**I wouldn't  put a wager on it though! 😂

[ceeceeDee]

Things have gone very quiet on the P&O Australia forum. I suspect the cruislings are all curled up in a ball of misery at P&O's demise. Or else they are all jamming in some last cruises on Dora and the gang and are too busy to post. 🤔

[Sparky74]

I was recently reminded that on Carnival bacon is only available every second morning at breakfast in the buffet. 
I wonder if that will be the case on the Encounter and Adventure going forward. 🤔

[Mycruiseobsession]

13 minutes ago, Sparky74 said:

I was recently reminded that on Carnival bacon is only available every second morning at breakfast in the buffet. 
I wonder if that will be the case on the Encounter and Adventure going forward. 🤔

 

Really?! Oh my! Hubby and son would not like that!

 

Carnival appears to have some random oddities!

[Mycruiseobsession]

1 hour ago, ceeceeDee said:

Things have gone very quiet on the P&O Australia forum. I suspect the cruislings are all curled up in a ball of misery at P&O's demise. Or else they are all jamming in some last cruises on Dora and the gang and are too busy to post. 🤔

 

Is that on cruise critic or do you mean on those social media ones like fakebook?

 

[cruiser3775]

26 minutes ago, Sparky74 said:

I was recently reminded that on Carnival bacon is only available every second morning at breakfast in the buffet. 

Yes, I discovered that last time I went on Splendor. The breakfast servery had a large range of cooked breakfast foods, to which you could help yourself in any amount, except for bacon, which was grudgingly delivered a half rasher at a time by a server.  I'm not too keen on US style bacon, cooked extra crispy, in any case.   I did think, in general, that Splendor's buffet had a really good range of foods on offer for breakfast.

[Sparky74]

26 minutes ago, Sparky74 said:

I was recently reminded that on Carnival bacon is only available every second morning at breakfast in the buffet. 
I wonder if that will be the case on the Encounter and Adventure going forward. 🤔

 

12 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

 

Really?! Oh my! Hubby and son would not like that!

 

Carnival appears to have some random oddities!

Bacon is, however, available for breakfast every morning in the MDR apparently. Go figure. 🤷‍♂️

Last time I was on Carnival they wanted me to make a booking for breakfast at the MDR but I refuse to carry my phone around on a cruise. For me, one of the (many) things I enjoy about cruising is disconnecting and getting away from screens. I stood my ground and just turned up for breakfast each morning and told them they could book me in. DW thinks I can be a bit bloody minded at times… 🤔

[Aus Traveller]

1 minute ago, Sparky74 said:

 

Bacon is, however, available for breakfast every morning in the MDR apparently. Go figure. 🤷‍♂️

Last time I was on Carnival they wanted me to make a booking for breakfast at the MDR but I refuse to carry my phone around on a cruise. For me, one of the (many) things I enjoy about cruising is disconnecting and getting away from screens. I stood my ground and just turned up for breakfast each morning and told them they could book me in. DW thinks I can be a bit bloody minded at times… 🤔

We will just be turning up at the dining room for breakfast - no booking in. I am prepared to pre-book dinner times. We don't carry our phone around the ship with us.

[Sparky74]

1 minute ago, cruiser3775 said:

Yes, I discovered that last time I went on Splendor. The breakfast servery had a large range of cooked breakfast foods, to which you could help yourself in any amount, except for bacon, which was grudgingly delivered a half rasher at a time by a server.  I'm not too keen on US style bacon, cooked extra crispy, in any case.   I did think, in general, that Splendor's buffet had a really good range of foods on offer for breakfast.

I tend to got to the MDR for breakfast. I ask for a shared table and enjoy conversation. It’s much more civilised having someone bring breakfast to me. And I eat less than I would at the buffet. 
DW is a late riser and will wander up to the buffet fir her own breakfast when she’s up. 

[Mycruiseobsession]

On 7/1/2024 at 4:22 PM, CDaze71 said:

I'm not booking one of the new Carnival (ex P&O) cruises until I've heard from JH on whether it'll be a Carnival product or not. From what I have heard it will not be and still up charges for everything. However if I hear they do bring the Carnival product, I'll book on Encounter. 

Buy two, get two free will be a thing going bye byes along with P&O. And prices will go up for sure. 

 

 

Well praise be the lord cruise promotion team we have a Buy 2 and get 2 free sale just released on P&O au that includes the operated by carnival ones!!

 

 

Buy 2, Get 2 is back!

 

Buy 2 adult fares and the 3rd and 4th guests in the room (adult or child) travel FREE!*

 

Unpack just once, connect with your loved ones and begin your holiday the moment you step onboard.

 

How to redeem this offer?

Our website displays a per person fare which is the total room price (for the 1st and 2nd guests only) divided by the total number of guests in the room.

Please select your cruise, departure date and the number of guests in your room.

Select your room type (Interior, Oceanview, Balcony, Mini-Suite, or Suite) and select the Go Fare.

The offer will be automatically applied in the booking summary displaying that you are ONLY paying for 1st and 2nd guests in the room and that the 3rd and 4th guests are free^.

 

 

Hop to it, sale ends Monday 29th July 2024.

 

*T&C’s apply.

Edited July 17 by Mycruiseobsession

[cruiser3775]

31 minutes ago, Sparky74 said:

DW is a late riser and will wander up to the buffet fir her own breakfast when she’s up. 

Me, too. I did appreciate that there was a good breakfast style brunch in the Gold Pearl restaurant on sea days, and it went until noon. Great for those of us who lie in bed in the morning, reading books and looking at the waves.

Edited July 17 by cruiser3775

[Mycruiseobsession]

2 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

DW is a late riser and will wander up to the buffet fir her own breakfast when she’s up

 

We are the same except Hubby and I are the opposite. He is the sleep in type.

 

I loathe the buffets in the morning, all I want is someone to come pour me coffee and bring me food without the lines and the drama.

[Sparky74]

1 minute ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

 

We are the same except Hubby and I are the opposite. He is the sleep in type.

 

I loathe the buffets in the morning, all I want is someone to come pour me coffee and bring me food without the lines and the drama.

One of my other issues is that I can talk the leg off an iron pot. It’s nice to have someone to chat to at breakfast. 

[Sparky74]

Surely they won’t do alternate day bacon AND charge for Eggs Benedict. 😱

[arxcards]

14 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

I was recently reminded that on Carnival bacon is only available every second morning at breakfast in the buffet. 
I wonder if that will be the case on the Encounter and Adventure going forward. 🤔

It is, however, available each morning in the dining room, as was eggs benny. Encounter & Adventure will be slowly Carnivalised.

[arxcards]

15 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

Things have gone very quiet on the P&O Australia forum. I suspect the cruislings are all curled up in a ball of misery at P&O's demise. Or else they are all jamming in some last cruises on Dora and the gang and are too busy to post. 🤔

Once upon a time, the P&O Australia board was the general Aussie board prior to this one existing. CC eventually relented and started this AU/NZ board, and the P&O one has been pretty docile ever since.

[arxcards]

13 hours ago, Aus Traveller said:

We will just be turning up at the dining room for breakfast - no booking in. I am prepared to pre-book dinner times. We don't carry our phone around the ship with us.

Will work if you are there early or be prepared for a 5 to 10 min wait till they assign you a table. The app worked really well for breakfast. It isn't a pre-booking, and only opens for booking 10 mins before the dining room starts service. When ready to leave the cabin, we opened the app and booked in, and by the time we reached the dining room, our table had been assigned - showed the table number and walk straight through.

[Aus Traveller]

1 hour ago, arxcards said:

Will work if you are there early or be prepared for a 5 to 10 min wait till they assign you a table. The app worked really well for breakfast. It isn't a pre-booking, and only opens for booking 10 mins before the dining room starts service. When ready to leave the cabin, we opened the app and booked in, and by the time we reached the dining room, our table had been assigned - showed the table number and walk straight through.

Even though I don't want to, I might have to use our phone with an app.☹️

[arxcards]

37 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Even though I don't want to, I might have to use our phone with an app.☹️

Yes, the sad part of it, but it works efficiently that way. I am not sure how they support shared tables, whether you can walk-up and ask, as the app is just geared to checking in your party. Once we make it to the table, the phones go away, having already checked-out the menu in the cabin. They will deliver printed menus if you ask. I have given feedback that I can live with checking the menu on my phone at breakfast & lunch but insist on proper menus at dinner.

 

BTW, their shakshuka is very nice.

[ceeceeDee]

16 hours ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

 

Is that on cruise critic or do you mean on those social media ones like fakebook?

 

Cruise Critic P&O Australia forum.

[arxcards]

2 minutes ago, ceeceeDee said:

Cruise Critic P&O Australia forum.

Yes, for those that didn't realise:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com.au/forum/332-pampo-cruises-australia/

 

 

[ceeceeDee]

14 hours ago, Sparky74 said:

One of my other issues is that I can talk the leg off an iron pot. It’s nice to have someone to chat to at breakfast. 

You'd do well with my hubby who can hold a meaningful conversation with a lamp post.😆

[Mycruiseobsession]

Just now, ceeceeDee said:

You'd do well with my hubby who can hold a meaningful conversation with a lamp post.😆

 

Ok so I can apparently talk under water or until the cows come home! 🤣 

 

I get up early and do the shared breakfast tables too. I gues we are a type!

 

However, one morning I couldn't  believe the sheer rudeness of these woman at my table. They spoke to the waiter like I would imagine people did with slaves. I have never been so quiet in my life! 

 

I did make sure to thank the waiter and tell them they were doing a great job!

[ceeceeDee]

9 minutes ago, Mycruiseobsession said:

 

Ok so I can apparently talk under water or until the cows come home! 🤣 

 

I get up early and do the shared breakfast tables too. I gues we are a type!

 

However, one morning I couldn't  believe the sheer rudeness of these woman at my table. They spoke to the waiter like I would imagine people did with slaves. I have never been so quiet in my life! 

 

I did make sure to thank the waiter and tell them they were doing a great job!

That scenario really makes my blood boil. I can't abide rude behaviour. Just where do these type of people get off? (hopefully at the next port and then missing the re-board time so they get left behind!). I used to work in the service industry many moons ago and people like that really drag you down when you are just trying to earn an honest buck to the best of your ability. It's very hard to keep the pleasant smile pasted on your face when all you really want to do is rip these people a new one. How would they feel if they had to endure this type of abuse in their own workplace? The sheer entitlement is mind blowing.

[Mycruiseobsession]

21 minutes ago, ceeceeDee said:

That scenario really makes my blood boil. I can't abide rude behaviour. Just where do these type of people get off? (hopefully at the next port and then missing the re-board time so they get left behind!). I used to work in the service industry many moons ago and people like that really drag you down when you are just trying to earn an honest buck to the best of your ability. It's very hard to keep the pleasant smile pasted on your face when all you really want to do is rip these people a new one. How would they feel if they had to endure this type of abuse in their own workplace? The sheer entitlement is mind blowing.

 

Yes exactly and I didn't  bother to say anything  to them because  I know their type. I just purposely lead by example and made an effort to show kindness and appreciation to the poor staff.