Keep to P&O!!!

[UK family]

Hi all

Just dropping by to my now favourite area of CC - the P&O bit!! I hadn't quite realised just how fond of her we were...until our cruise recently (got home on Christmas Eve from our first (and last)cruise onboard Crown Princess. It's not until you try something different that you realise what you had was good!

If you are tempted to try Princess, take a peep at my review (and apologies in advance for the lack of paragraphs and general standard of English...I was hurried, ok?!) - it may make you think about what we really like about P&O cruises. I am fully aware that no cruise company does everything right all of the time.. however, I can now say that after twenty something cruises with P&O, plus one with Royal Caribbean and one with Princess - P&O get the 5 Gold * star rating in "Britishness"...and I never thought I would say that!!

 

I just really hope that P&O can keep on what they are doing - no more changes PLEASE P&O....keep your silver service, keep your Britishness!There are lots of other small things I could mention, it's hard to define.but those of you who are P&O fans will understand I am sure!

 

So, if you have a cruise booked with P&O - enjoy every moment of your anticipation, it is well worth it. ...For us, we have another 3 week cruise booked with Princess for the summer, however as of next week we shall be cancelling it - after our bad experience with Princess it will be a break from cruising for us for a little while, then it will be back with P&O! ...If there are any marketing exec's out there from P&O take heed "We've tried the rest...and gone back to the best"!! - Any discounts/cheques for future cruises gratefully accepted!!

Take care all and happy cruising!:)

[Knitting Queen]

That's good to know as we have one booked with them in July on Artimis going up to Greenland, Iceland and Norway so will treasure every minute of the cruise. Thanks for your comment, it has made us think we have done the right thing booking with P&O.

[UK family]

That's good to know as we have one booked with them in July on Artimis going up to Greenland, Iceland and Norway so will treasure every minute of the cruise. Thanks for your comment, it has made us think we have done the right thing booking with P&O.

 

 

You're most welcome! How lovely to be going up to Greenland etc - it is supposed to be beautiful. Maybe some food for thought for a "coming back" cruise in a year or so! - Enjoy!

[Glenndale]

Hi,

I've just been reading your review and now understand why you feel never again as far as Princess is concerned.

Your back to back changeover day sounds exactly like the one we experienced on the Explorer of the Seas a couple of years ago.

It was horrendous and as you say a complete waste of a day, to add insult to injury newly arriving passengers were being embarked before we were!:mad:

We would never visit the Caribbean again on an American ship - however we have had some really good experiences in the Med and Baltic with Princess, RCI and Celebrity.

It's a pity you are cancelling your Med cruise as I think it would be a much improved experience over your Caribbean cruise, but better safe than sorry, if you know that P&O will deliver then stick with them.

We travelled to the Caribbean on Arcadia last month but in spite of high hopes the ship was a bit of a disappointment, so looks like that will be our last Caribbean cruise!

Good luck with your next cruise and have a Happy New Year..

[Spaceman]

I wholeheartedly agree. I cruised on Golden Princess ex Southampton in August. I was disappointed. Whether it ws the atmosphere, the ships layout, the crew attitude, very impersonal, I did not find Princess an experience to consider repeating.

Apart from Cabin space, the food, was certainly no better than P&O.

I did actually mention this to my travel agent last week when booking P&O for November.

Similarly why go on Sea Princess and have to pay in Dollars for the on board spend, given that Sea Princess is Southampton home ported or fed by flights ex UK, the UK£ could easily be used.

And finally being asked to pay 3% ( which I did not ) to have my on board spend converted into UK£ was the final straw ( or laugh from Princess ).

Mind you our American Cousins were totaly ripped off by being charged 50US each trip for transfers to Heathrow or Gatwick.

[soraya]

Hi, I tend to cruise with whoever offers the best combination of destinations and price at the time I want to go. I cruised on Golden Princess round the UK a few years ago and overall enjoyed it but didn't like the Anytime Dining (our experience mirrored your review) or the dollar conversions, but the ship was nice and the crew and fellow cruisers great.

I would never ever take a Carribean cruise with an American line having read horror stories about having luggage taken off the ship to be identified by American immigration and my DH travelled to the States a lot on business but now stays in Aberdeen and gets the Americans to come to him because of the awfulness of long immigation queues. It's worth knowing that San Juan essentially is the US as far as immigration is concerned so all the hassles go with it.

 

I have cruised with HAL to St Petersburg and loved it. I may try Celebrity in the Med, but never in the Carribean.

 

But the main thing is - who could beat P&O's Barbados operation. Wish they'd stop using Monarch though!

[bayofbiscay]

Been cruising P&O since 1976 and would never travel with anyone else.They have everything that we need and have lots of friends (crew)who we stay in touch with all the time.

Just recently returned from our third in a row New Yers fireworks in Madeira aboard Oriana.Very good refit and Lords is much better now it is larger.Oriana Rhodes still has to get going properly as they cant handle more than 24 persons at a time,but its worth trying out.

 

Keith & Marion

 

www.carryoncruising.com

[loobylouuk]

Hi i have read your comments on how good PO are and am thinking of booking on Oceana. We cruised Sea Princess last year and loved it........however that was our first big ship cruise and i have nothing to compare it to.

Does anyone have any menus that they can post or tell me where i can view some.

Thanks

Lou

[Pemcorgimum]

Just booked Oceana for May this year from Southampton and really looking forward to it as lots of my friends rave about P&O.

 

Unlike some people here I have been on fantastic cruises with an American cruise line-Royal Caribbean and this will be my first on P&O.

 

Glenndale- sorry you had problems with your Backtoback. We had a faultless backtoback experience on Mariner last August- back on the ship and had it to ourselves for over an hour. Fortunately I have never had the experience of luggage being taken off a ship for immigration in the US or major problems with immigration.

 

Flew into Tampa last April and I suspect the immigration agent thought I was looking for an American husband as he asked weird questions as to why as I was travelling alone and was only spending one day there before cruising back on a transatlantic. ;) But then in Miami in July I had a lovely guy who was even encouraging me to move to the USA to teach as they were desperate for language teachers.

[Glenndale]

Hi,

Maybe my letter to RCL expessing my dissatisfaction encouraged them to improve - although UK-family had the same problems.

I've nothing against American ships per se, and RCL cannot be held totally responsible for US immigration procedures, I just felt that as back to back cruisers we should have been 'processed' before they started embarking new cruisers.

Our luggage wasn't taken off the ship, we just spent all morning hanging around reception waiting to be called and then had to disembark, go thru all the fingerprinting / iris scanning rigmarole before we had to join another queue to reboard - it was diabolical.

American back to back cruisers suffered the same fate, so it wasn't just aimed at us Brits.

Like you, we've had some great cruises with RCL, Celebrity and Princess so will be happy to use them again - this side of the 'pond'!

Enjoy the Britishness of P&O and also the hastle free embarkation at Southampton.

It's nice not to have to worry about luggage weights and cramped flights.

Have a great cruise.:D

[Pemcorgimum]

We had to get off too and go through immigration again but it took less than 2 minutes. My niece who has a US passport had to do the same( without the fingerprinting/ photo part) We were escorted off by the concierge. Don't know why him but he was so efficient. Maybe Port Canaveral has a better system.

 

Looking forward to having unlimited luggage ;) - have two UK port cruises this year- Jewel of the seas from Harwich in August too. The Americans have to travel this time and all I have to do is pick them up from Heathrow- hope there will be room in the car after I load it with all my bags:D

 

Thanks for the good wishes for the cruise- I know I will love it as I just love cruising. I'll post back with a review afterwards!!

 

Laura

[Shogun]

Hi UK family,

 

traveling via US is a real pain, however it is the shape of things to come, it is only a matter of time before we have those levels of customs and checks every where.

 

Last year in Venice, our plane was searched by armed troops, on the air bridge we had armed troops and a selected number of folk were pulled out of boarding and searched.

 

Even at Southampton airport flying to Edinburgh, passport folk were pulling folk out and rechecking details on lap tops etc. They had a single armed police woman with them.

 

As for San Jaun I have done back to back there, we did our home work so got our cruise cards the day before, then went off early on a tour when we came back went to a Princess rep, who took us round the lines of new folks, up to a US customs bloke told them we were returning passengers and straight on to the ship via the crew gangway. OK if we had not called the Princess rep over we could have waited for an hour.

 

Was in St Thomas just a few weeks ago no problem was called at 8.30am to Passport checking within 10 minutes had pass for going ashore and was in a taxi heading for the beech by 9.00am.

 

Was very impressed with the way Princess had things set up different dinning rooms for US and Canada and the rest to another, again split into different lines depending on paper work.

 

As for food Sea Princess is more set up for British Tastes however have never had a problem with the food.

 

Any time dinning takes a bit of working out however if you follow the rules it works if you do not then very long waits.

 

For any time to work, if you do not have a table booked do not go down at standard times like 8.00pm pick odd times. On formal nights you must have a table booked or you will wait. If there is a line tell the girl in front that you do not mind a shared table for 6 and you will get straight through. If you want a table for two then book it and make sure you go to the correct side of the doorway one line will be for non booked the side with no line will be the booked table side.

 

I would say that most people who like P&O will have a nice cruise with Princess but it is not P&O nor do I want it to be I what P&O to do things there way and Princess to do things there own way.

 

As to the problem with electric power on board again the Sea Princess has UK style sockets so no problem but I could have told you that for the rest of the fleet you would have problems as the voltage is to low for heated items.

 

Princess are not perfect I cancelled a cruise with them because I was un happy about a cruise I had taken with them however we agreed terms, and I have taken two since with two more booked. However the only cruise line that I refused to accept my cabin on was Cunard and I wanted moved or I was leaving the ship I got another cabin, that does not mean Cunard is a bad cruise line or they have the worest cabins it was just on that day things went wrong I am happy to cruise with Cunard.

 

 

yours Shogun

[UK family]

Hi all

It's interesting hearing all the various comments, both positive and negative of course.

I wish we could be brave and not cancel our three weeker on Sea Princess in the summer as we are set to lose a substantial amount on deposits (still working out the least painful option, but, I know, our fault!). We felt so sure we would have liked Princess to the point of booking two at the same time, but as many of you know we just felt like fish out of water on our December cruise onboard the Crown, and it put us off to the point of cancelling our July one. Hence the loss in deposits.. I know many many of us on here and on P&O's CC site really enjoy Princess, and that the Sea maybe far more geared up for us Brits, but somehow just can't bring ourselves to part with a large amount of dosh when we are not in the right frame of mind! Sounds daft I know!

I would be really interested in what other people interpretations are of what makes "British" cruising. I have been trying to explain this on the boards (and yes, I know I leave myself wide open for some extreme comments back in return, but, hey, I like a lively discussion!). So what makes a British cruise, British?

Maybe the decor? food? ambience? itinery (days at sea)? day time activities? babysitting night nurse? adults only?

Come on! let's define what we mean by a British cruise, then maybe our American cousins can begin to understand us (not sure about that though!). Cheers:)

[Pemcorgimum]

UK family-It does not sound daft when you say you are not in the right frame of mind for Princess. I had the same dilemma this week. I had bookeda singles cruise on Athena from Harwich for May and then read some really bad reviews( some good too I know) which really put me off going.

 

So that's when I decided losing 100 pounds was worth it for piece of mind.Ido appreciate that as a family your losses of deposit are going to be much worse than that.

 

As for your question about what constitutes a British cruise _ i'll let you know after May LOL.

 

Laura

[Shogun]

Hi There UK,

 

I am sorry but did you say that you were booked on the Sea Princess,

 

if you check the Princess chat room you will find that many folk do not like the Sea why because it is to British it is the only ship in the fleet set up for British tastes, Shows food yip the full English breakfast is there for you if you want it. It even has UK sockets in the cabin. Another reson folk do not like it is on most Princess cruises 50% or more will be US folk while on the Sea 75% will be UK.

 

If you do not like Princess then cancel but I would not cancel a cruise on The Sea Princess if the only reason is its not British enough etc you can still see the P & O logo on her under the white paint.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Welshgal]

Hi all.

Only found this site last night by chance.

I have only cruised P&O before (with one Fred Olsen & also Ocean Village). My next booked cruise is Oriana to check out how her refit went. I was on Oriana twice last year, Europe & Caribbean and have booked Arcadia(Panama Canal) too.

I have managed to avoid fly cruises so far but would appreciate any comments on them + Princess.

 

I was looking into Sun Princess joining in Seattle for Alaska - but am wary of the immigration processes and also have to pay what I consider over the odds as a single traveller. I have done 'female share' with P&O before very successfully but Princess don't seem to allow it.

Has anyone in the UK just booked the cruise and found their own flights & transfers?

I'd appreciate any comments on Sun Princess to help me make my mind up as I am really a confirmed P&O person.

 

Does anyone have access to a Princess Captains Circle Quarterly magazine? Is it posted on the net? Is it like the Portunnus mag with info on which Captain will be incharge?

[Shogun]

Hi Welshgal,

 

Pop over to the Princess board and you will get info you need, was on Sun a few weeks ago very nice ship, very good crew, you will find a couple of live posts mine is still there "Shogun live from the Sun" you will also find one from the same cruise about the cruise from hell, we had an engine problem an were late into port three days by an hour or two until parts were flown to us. I did my own air stuff again you will find info. If you have any questions just ask and I will try to help.

 

yours Shogun

[Pemcorgimum]

Welshgal-Hello and welcome to cruise critic boards. You will find so much information here and you will get addicted like lots of us.

 

You must do the Alaskan cruise- went two years ago on the Serenade from Vancouver so if the US immigration puts you off then why not take one of the ships from Vancouver?- Canadian immigration is very easy.

 

I always do my own flights and transfers- taxis usually and in Vancouver my brother got us a limo!!

 

L

[Welshgal]

Hi to Shogun & lauraam - thanks for your swift replies.

You're so right, this is getting addicitve. I've read the reviews for the Sun and also for P&O now too. I love the Oriana and was intrigued by the reviews for Arcadia and may now do a quick cruise before my longer one on her to check it out.

For Princess I think its got to be the destinations & then I started looking at HAL for Alaska too.... overload of info for now!

Any idea who the new Capain & Staff Captain are on the Sun?

 

Welshgal

[Shogun]

Hi Welshgal

 

Thinking about flights most folk head for London, but have a look at Glasgow Edinburgh eg £99 to Canada, from Zoom who fly direct.

 

 

yours Shogun

[Bar-fly]

Hi All

We have sailed on Sun Princess and found it a very nice ship and the standards are every bit as good as P&O, we are now booked on Sea Princess for the first cruise of this year and looking forwards to it, as a rule of thumb it seems to me the larger the ship the poorer the experience whoever the ship belongs to, we found that out last November when we sailed on Arcadia which was very disappointing, the only big ship that I have sailed on that I can recommend is Celebrity's Millenium which is first class.

[UK family]

Hi All

We have sailed on Sun Princess and found it a very nice ship and the standards are every bit as good as P&O, we are now booked on Sea Princess for the first cruise of this year and looking forwards to it, as a rule of thumb it seems to me the larger the ship the poorer the experience whoever the ship belongs to, we found that out last November when we sailed on Arcadia which was very disappointing, the only big ship that I have sailed on that I can recommend is Celebrity's Millenium which is first class.

Interesting point Fellowcraft re the "bigger the ship, poorer the experience" . I think we are fast coming to that conclusion. I am not convinced the new Ventura (is that the right name for the newP&O ship??) can continue with P&O's service etc (which I know is sometimes debatable anyway) Can't help feeling that maybe everything (meaning service/experience etc) will be "watered down".

Somehow the smaller ships (and I know the Oriana looked enormous to everyone when she was launched!) can continue to offer a more intimate experience I feel. Would love to be able to afford to go with Seabourne or Hebridien one day... I can dream can't I?!:) ...But then of course the smaller ships don't have those fabulous stabilizer things do they? Oh dear!

[Pemcorgimum]

as a rule of thumb it seems to me the larger the ship the poorer the experience whoever the ship belongs to, we found that out last November when we sailed on Arcadia which was very disappointing, the only big ship that I have sailed on that I can recommend is Celebrity's Millenium which is first class.

 

Can also recommend Mariner for the Seas- had a wonderful back to back cruise last Summer- ( and you can only get Freedom of the seas bigger than that.) ;)

 

Laura

[Bar-fly]

Hi UK Family

 

Ventura, Hmmm dose'nt have a P&O sounding name dose it? but it will grow on us, especially if its a nice ship, although I'm not too sure if the new ship will be a success, I do like big ships what I don't like is the roumoured 3.000+ pax.

It seems to me that P&O being owned by the Carnival Corporation are going down the American route of pile it high and sell it cheap!! you only have to look at the big Atlantic ferry QM2 to see how the very big ships are being discounted.

 

I think when the bubble has burst and everyone has had enough of big brash American style holiday camp type ships and gone on to other things, we will still be sailing nice and sidately, on a lovely mid sized ships like Oceana Oriana and sea Princess.

I hope so!!

[UK family]

Hi UK Family

 

Ventura, Hmmm dose'nt have a P&O sounding name dose it? but it will grow on us, especially if its a nice ship, although I'm not too sure if the new ship will be a success, I do like big ships what I don't like is the roumoured 3.000+ pax.

It seems to me that P&O being owned by the Carnival Corporation are going down the American route of pile it high and sell it cheap!! you only have to look at the big Atlantic ferry QM2 to see how the very big ships are being discounted.

 

I think when the bubble has burst and everyone has had enough of big brash American style holiday camp type ships and gone on to other things, we will still be sailing nice and sidately, on a lovely mid sized ships like Oceana Oriana and sea Princess.

I hope so!!

Sounds great!:)