Port visits, many now departing 9pm or later

Oh and the same for Naples. We leave at 17:00 and that also says 9pm on P&O. I would believe the Port schedule any day.

Sorry not true the ships go at the speed which is required for the voyage. Nothing at all to do with saving money.

 

 

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This is one occasion where you are probably wrong Dai, unless you are going to argue with an experienced cruise ship deck officer, check out this link.

https://www.quora.com/How-fast-are-cruise-ships

I'm afraid that, on this one Dai, you are wrong. As I have proved in my example, they can get from A to B a lot quicker than the schedules. They choose not to do so. This very point was raised in a Q&A with the captain a few years ago (when they still did them) and the answer he gave was that there was an increased focus on fuel efficiency these days for both environmental and cost efficiency reasons. So, the speed is NOT set by the time required, because they can go quicker. It is set by the time they choose to make the journey from A to B. And in going slower they save money. Fact. Of course, it can be argued that ultimately this means that we save money as a result and we do less damage to the environment than we could otherwise do, but I found out last week that to fill up Britannia from empty would cost £1.15m, so to think that they aren't very focussed on timining itineraries in order to save money here and there would be extremely naive of us.

No I am not wrong there is no point in going so fast yo arrive in a port before 7.00. You gain nothing. It is quite irrelevant how fast they can go. What is important is how fast they need to go.

There was an instruction from Carnival about cutting speeds but that was at the night of the last oil crises. That passed some time ago.

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This is one occasion where you are probably wrong Dai, unless you are going to argue with an experienced cruise ship deck officer, check out this link.

 

https://www.quora.com/How-fast-are-cruise-ships

Thank you. The commentary from the officer is almost word for word what we were told a few years ago by a P&O captain and fits exactly with the contrast we are able to make between our first P&O cruise 21 years ago and our more recent ones. It's all common sense and of course probably helps to explain why cruising was so much more expensive (in real terms) than it is today. Just look at the improvement in miles per gallon that a car achieves on a motorway if you decrease speed by just 10mph and then consider the difference in gallons per mile for a cruise ship by reducing speed by just 1 knot! With the number of ships and mileage covered across the fleet, the saving would be measured in £m's. All good businesses these days cost engineer every element of their business and as fuel is one of P&O's biggest costs there is no way that they would overlook the opportunity to save vast sums of money by going slower than they need to between ports, especially as less time ashore means spending more money on board. It's a no brainer.

Thank you. The commentary from the officer is almost word for word what we were told a few years ago by a P&O captain and fits exactly with the contrast we are able to make between our first P&O cruise 21 years ago and our more recent ones. It's all common sense and of course probably helps to explain why cruising was so much more expensive (in real terms) than it is today. Just look at the improvement in miles per gallon that a car achieves on a motorway if you decrease speed by just 10mph and then consider the difference in gallons per mile for a cruise ship by reducing speed by just 1 knot! With the number of ships and mileage covered across the fleet, the saving would be measured in £m's. All good businesses these days cost engineer every element of their business and as fuel is one of P&O's biggest costs there is no way that they would overlook the opportunity to save vast sums of money by going slower than they need to between ports, especially as less time ashore means spending more money on board. It's a no brainer.

Exactly you were told a few years ago. When there was the oil price hike. That was then this is now. The shops go at a speed that will get them to the destination on time.

That is determined by the company 2/3/4 years in advance.

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No I am not wrong there is no point in going so fast yo arrive in a port before 7.00. You gain nothing. It is quite irrelevant how fast they can go. What is important is how fast they need to go.

 

There was an instruction from Carnival about cutting speeds but that was at the night of the last oil crises. That passed some time ago.

 

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Nobody has suggested that they need to arrive anywhere before 7am. The issue is the other end of the day, when they now leave ports an hour or two earlier than they used to because they go slower between ports. And going slower costs less money. I'm not saying that's a bad thing. There are several reasons why it makes sense. But there is no way on Gods earth that they aren't still extremely focussed on reducing expenditure on fuel and will always be.

Exactly you were told a few years ago. When there was the oil price hike. That was then this is now. The shops go at a speed that will get them to the destination on time.

 

That is determined by the company 2/3/4 years in advance.

 

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So, following your logic, can you explain why times in port have not increased again if that was a temporary issue? I'd suggest it's because the lower fuel volumes that they discovered that they could use would have been locked in to their business model. If you leave a port early, the time you 'have' to get to the next port is longer than the time you would 'need' if you left later. That means you can go slower, which saves money. Simple!

Hmmmm computer glitch, well c/s told me today (as mentioned earlier) that the moon symbol definitely indicates 9pm or later departure...however "part moons" being wrongly placed must still be a possibility....i do wonder why no announcement has been made yet as this is quite an important change to port visits.:confused:

our cruise B804 shows the part moon , but cruise personalised is saying depart early evening , would folks think 9pm is early evening? More likely to be the usual departure time of 5.30pm

our cruise B804 shows the part moon , but cruise personalised is saying depart early evening , would folks think 9pm is early evening? More likely to be the usual departure time of 5.30pm

Yes, same as my cruise Personaliser Janie - the CP indicates the late afternoon departures we are increasingly seeing with P&o now but, on the main website, all but one of the ports on the same cruise have the moon sign next to them indicating a 9pm leave.

Much as I would like the opposite to be true, surely it's got to be a computer glitch and these moon signs are currenty showing (incorrectly) on far too many of the ports.

Exactly you were told a few years ago. When there was the oil price hike. That was then this is now. The shops go at a speed that will get them to the destination on time.

 

That is determined by the company 2/3/4 years in advance.

 

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Dai, there is no mention in the link I gave that ship speed reductions were limited to only the high oil price period, I highlight the relevant paragraph below, this makes it clear that cruise itineraries are arranged to optimise fuel cost savings.

We plan to sail the safest yet most efficient route, taking into account the distance from port to port, currents or weather systems that may help or slow us, and any other operational requirements including tours and loading of the ships stores. As ships have several smaller generators to power the propulsion, we will plan to sail at an efficient load on as few generators as possible, rather than having all the generators running at a low load.

This is presumably why some Canary and Caribbean ports could now have 9:00pm departures and still cruise slowly to the next port, but is also possibly why P&O (and maybe all Carnival brands) seem to have more sea days on exactly the same itineraries as the Royal Caribbean ships.

Hmmmm computer glitch, well c/s told me today (as mentioned earlier) that the moon symbol definitely indicates 9pm or later departure...however "part moons" being wrongly placed must still be a possibility....i do wonder why no announcement has been made yet as this is quite an important change to port visits.:confused:

Your spot on Barrie, the website (and therefore I suspect most of c/s who will presumably take this info as read too until told otherwise) now definitely shows a large number of port departures much later than normal/evenings. As you say, it's important info so announcements would be made surely?

Yes, same as my cruise Personaliser Janie - the CP indicates the late afternoon departures we are increasingly seeing with P&o now but, on the main website, all but one of the ports on the same cruise have the moon sign next to them indicating a 9pm leave.

 

Much as I would like the opposite to be true, surely it's got to be a computer glitch and these moon signs are currenty showing (incorrectly) on far too many of the ports.

Dennis, I think the half moon signs are for early evening which is presumably 5:30 - 6:00pm, the full moon signs are late evening probably around 9:00pm. If you expand the port info it gives you the old style departure info.

Why not just publish the times like other cruiselines do.

Dennis, I think the half moon signs are for early evening which is presumably 5:30 - 6:00pm, the full moon signs are late evening probably around 9:00pm. If you expand the port info it gives you the old style departure info.

Hi john, yes that's how it used to work I know, but I now have a crescent moon sign which, when clicked on, says ship will leave at 9pm or later. Cruise Personaliser says the original/usual timings which I suspect the port timetables will also confirm.

I have not seen a full moon sign yet. I have two overnights on Adonia and those are showing correctly. The quarter moon shows on all the other ports, not even a half moon. I think the IT department needs a smack.

Even Gibraltar is showing a moon and I know we are leaving at 1400 according to Gib Cruise ship schedule.

Why not just publish the times like other cruiselines do.

Exactly :rolleyes:

I have not seen a full moon sign yet. I have two overnights on Adonia and those are showing correctly. The quarter moon shows on all the other ports, not even a half moon. I think the IT department needs a smack.

The full moon sign seems to have disappeared, the only two signs I can see now are a crescent moon (when clicked on says 9pm leave or later) and a Sun sign (when clicked on confirms overnight stay). Or, no sign at all (e.g. Lisbon) which presumably means normal late afternoon/early evening departure?

Bet when said slap has been delivered to IT dept, most of the signs will disappear again without any explanation or suggestion anything went wrong.

I would suggest that it is highly unlikely that they would have done this move to late departures because it would have a major impact on shipboard revenues. 5pm to 9pm are peak times for bar revenue. It would also interfere with dinner (particularly set dining times). I suspect that the 'work experience' IT student has been fiddling with the website.

and I suspect you are right!

I would suggest that it is highly unlikely that they would have done this move to late departures because it would have a major impact on shipboard revenues. 5pm to 9pm are peak times for bar revenue. It would also interfere with dinner (particularly set dining times). I suspect that the 'work experience' IT student has been fiddling with the website.

It begs the question then why are the moon signs appearing and then backed up by customer services as being correct?

I have noticed on my Cruise personaliser on my xmas markets cruise an excursion called:

A Winter’s Night In Hamburg

Can anyone who has done the cruise before advise if this is a new excursion or if it has been on there previously?:)

Just been perusing again and found this on the website...we will soon know the answer::)

15 Aug 2017-Sep 1st

VENTURA: Round-trip cruise from Southampton, Cruise itinerary : 7 ports

• Southampton
  
• Palma
  
• Athens CRESCENT MOON
  
• Rhodes CRESCENT MOON
  
• Mykonos
  
• Katakolon
  
• Messina Strait CRESCENT MOON
  
• Messina Strait
  
• Gibraltar
  
• Southampton
  

I have noticed this moon on the website and thought it was good and, then like many of you, started to notice there does seem too many of them! on my recent cruise we left Bilbao at 9,30pm and it was great not to rush about in the day and know you had plenty of time to get back to the ship!

Also we had an overnight in Amsterdam last October and a 8pm departure in le Harve - great in the MDR as we got into Freedom dining with no waiting at all :)

I would suggest that it is highly unlikely that they would have done this move to late departures because it would have a major impact on shipboard revenues. 5pm to 9pm are peak times for bar revenue. It would also interfere with dinner (particularly set dining times). I suspect that the 'work experience' IT student has been fiddling with the website.

That really made me laugh!

I would suggest that it is highly unlikely that they would have done this move to late departures because it would have a major impact on shipboard revenues. 5pm to 9pm are peak times for bar revenue. It would also interfere with dinner (particularly set dining times). I suspect that the 'work experience' IT student has been fiddling with the website.

They can have as many late nights as they like people will always come back to the ship for dinner.

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