Other Cruise Lines

I have only cruised 4 times twice with OV and twice with Thomsons.

I have enjoyed all 4 cruises, but may now look to move on to another line (not sure yet).

With this in mind can anyone recommend, something which is deemed to be the next step, what I mean by this is a little more glitzy but without being stuffy or too formal.

I would like to know which lines don't add all the extra tips and charges to everything (like 15%) on every drink. So I'm guessing this would be another British Cruiseline, I know P&O are British, but are there any others.

I really don't know whether I am ready to take the plunge and upgrade a little as I really loved the friendliness on Thomson, but I just wish the ships were just a little nicer.

I felt that even the Ocean Village (original ship) ha that little bit more of a wow factor with the Atrium and the pool area being much nicer to look at.

Help me out here as I don't want to venture too far out of my comfort zone.

All advice welcomed and appreciated.

Lorraine

Look at P&O we have cruised with them a number of times we have allways found them very good .Our first 2 cruises where with Thomson and loved them but wanted more from the ship so tried P&O and enjoyed that we have over the years tried other companies some ok some not ,we are trying Thomson again this year but the ships are just not glitzy enough for me even though i know we will have a fab holiday and the people are so friendly, but to be honest they are on P&O aswell .:)

Which of the P&O ships are the least formal?

Which of the P&O ships are the least formal?

Not sure but Aurora has 4 formal, 4 semi-formal (suits or jacket) and 6 smart casual in a 14-nighter. Not wild about it - but at a good price to go to Iceland we've booked! (It's actually several £100s better than the Thomson equivalent although to be fair that's a month later so prices tend to be higher and it is the P&O Getaway fares so goodness knows where we'll end up - but I'll let you know also about the level of formality and how we like it or not! :rolleyes:)

I'll be very interested in hearing the replies as I am thinking exactly the same way as you. There are some lovely itineraries on other ships, but I'm worried how different they will be from our tried & trusted Thomson cruises.

Not sure but Aurora has 4 formal, 4 semi-formal (suits or jacket) and 6 smart casual in a 14-nighter. Not wild about it - but at a good price to go to Iceland we've booked! (It's actually several £100s better than the Thomson equivalent although to be fair that's a month later so prices tend to be higher and it is the P&O Getaway fares so goodness knows where we'll end up - but I'll let you know also about the level of formality and how we like it or not! :rolleyes:)

Better hit the sales, Kruzseeka :D

I wonder if they will keep to the same amount of formal nights on their ship in the Med?

Better hit the sales, Kruzseeka :D

 

I wonder if they will keep to the same amount of formal nights on their ship in the Med?

Yes ..................... enjoying the prospect although I've always liked to get reasonably dressed up for dinner so think I've probably got enough of the type of outfits which will pass for semi-formal too (some eBay bargains included! ;)) ......not that DH needs to know that!!!! :D:D

However I have got two long dresses whihc haven't been worn for some time and are being taken to a dressmaker this week!!!!!! :eek::eek:

Yes ..................... enjoying the prospect although I've always liked to get reasonably dressed up for dinner so think I've probably got enough of the type of outfits which will pass for semi-formal too (some eBay bargains included! ;)) ......not that DH needs to know that!!!! :D:D

 

However I have got two long dresses whihc haven't been worn for some time and are being taken to a dressmaker this week!!!!!! :eek::eek:

To be taken in, of course :D

kruzseeka,

sorry to impose on dressing for dinner thing :rolleyes:

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However I have got two long dresses whihc haven't been worn for some time and are being taken to a dressmaker this week!!!!!!

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what does it matter what you look like on the outside if on the inside you are a kind person?;)

Stevie

kruzseeka,

 

sorry to impose on dressing for dinner thing :rolleyes:

 

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However I have got two long dresses whihc haven't been worn for some time and are being taken to a dressmaker this week!!!!!!

 

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what does it matter what you look like on the outside if on the inside you are a kind person?;)

Stevie

Well I see your kindly made point stevie but as my Mum used to say 'You don't want to look like a sack of tatties!' !!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: I'm doing my best!! :rolleyes:

To be taken in, of course :D

I wish! :D:D

Well I see your kindly made point stevie but as my Mum used to say 'You don't want to look like a sack of tatties!' !!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: I'm doing my best!! :rolleyes:

tatties are my favourites:D

Stevie

Well I see your kindly made point stevie but as my Mum used to say 'You don't want to look like a sack of tatties!' !!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: I'm doing my best!! :rolleyes:

I haven't heard that one for a long time :D:D

.... can anyone recommend, something which is deemed to be the next step, what I mean by this is a little more glitzy but without being stuffy or too formal.

Lorraine

We really like the smaller ships of the Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet... Apart from our first foray on NCL with the Jade which seemed to have a very impersonal atmosphere aboard & frankly the food, especially in the buffet was not up to scratch... However since then we have been on the NCL Star & NCL Sun & found them both to be very nice friendly ships. They definitely have more "WOW" factor than any Thomson craft. You get to pick your cabin number when you book, the room safe is included in the price, there is free room service, where your morning coffee, juice & cereals can be delivered at a time of your choosing, you can pay your tips in advance at a discount & you can get deals on a soda card & buckets of beer (An ice bucket with 5 bottles for the price of four) ... The biggest draw for us though is that NCL ships are about as informal about dress code as it's possible to be. Jeans & a shirt will just about get you into all the restaurants, & there are usually around a dozen plus of them to choose from... That's where the disadvantages start, most of the restaurants carry a cover charge, & even when you pay tips in advance you feel obligated to give a couple of dollars to the room service man each time he calls, & of course to your cabin steward, & yes the bar bills for unfathomable reasons carry an additional 15% service charge. And the BIG disadvantage is that they are US Dollar ships, & £s to $s isn't so good at the moment... Oh the other bit of good news is that if you spend enough in the casino, they will give you all your drinks for free, but that's a very expensive form of AI. :D ... Bring back Ocean Village.

This might help....a bit??

A few notes taken from my own collection of cruise lines/ships infos/snippets

rough guide to cruise lines daily surcharges (tips)

p&o £3.10 per day added to account

Fred £4 per day

Carnival $11.50

Hal $11.50

Royal Caribbean $11.65

Celebrity $11.50

Oceana $14.50

Cunard £6.82 or £8.06 depending on cabin grade

Princess $10.50

msc amounts vary per cruise

however, this charge can be altered at the start or cancelled altogether in favour of tipping the staff personally

some also charge a further 15% service charge on drinks/spa treatments etc

regent, crystal, seabourne, saga, silversea, thomsons, island cruises, voyages of discovery, hurtigruten all have tips included in the fare

rough guide to main cruise lines

carnival: cruising for those with a low boredom threshold, emphasis on fun activities, ultra casual

celebrity: all american cruise experience aimed at families and mature couples, well maintained ships, lots of antiques and artwork, high staff to guest ratio

cunard: extremely civilised cruising experience, formal dress codes, lots of grand ocean liner traditions, international passengers, much wood panelling

azmara: country club experience, european style service, smaller ships

Fred Olsen: british cruise experience aimed at over 65's, themed cruises such as gardening or Scottish country dancing, many ex UK itineraries

hal: aimed at family groups, has a private island in bahamas, well maintained ships with much attention to detail

p&o traditional british cruising experience, some child free ships, bistro style food, non glitzy

Princess: mainstream American cruise experience with a fleet of ships, floating resort experience, and smart casual interpreted as jeans tracksuits and trainers

RCI: great for families, lively cruise experience, shopping malls, rock, climbing walls, lots of sports, great for active types

Voyages of discovery: value for money cruises aimed at British market, some expedition style cruises

We really like the smaller ships of the Norwegian Cruise Line Fleet... Apart from our first foray on NCL with the Jade which seemed to have a very impersonal atmosphere aboard & frankly the food, especially in the buffet was not up to scratch... However since then we have been on the NCL Star & NCL Sun & found them both to be very nice friendly ships. They definitely have more "WOW" factor than any Thomson craft. You get to pick your cabin number when you book, the room safe is included in the price, there is free room service, where your morning coffee, juice & cereals can be delivered at a time of your choosing, you can pay your tips in advance at a discount & you can get deals on a soda card & buckets of beer (An ice bucket with 5 bottles for the price of four) ... The biggest draw for us though is that NCL ships are about as informal about dress code as it's possible to be. Jeans & a shirt will just about get you into all the restaurants, & there are usually around a dozen plus of them to choose from... That's where the disadvantages start, most of the restaurants carry a cover charge, & even when you pay tips in advance you feel obligated to give a couple of dollars to the room service man each time he calls, & of course to your cabin steward, & yes the bar bills for unfathomable reasons carry an additional 15% service charge. And the BIG disadvantage is that they are US Dollar ships, & £s to $s isn't so good at the moment... Oh the other bit of good news is that if you spend enough in the casino, they will give you all your drinks for free, but that's a very expensive form of AI. :D ... Bring back Ocean Village.

I was just looking at NCL. Eastern Med 7 night cruise, inside cabin with flights for £900 per person in June 2014. Not a bad price, Thomson usually charge more for a similar cruise. Not keen on the look of their larger, latest ship (Epic I think looks rather repulsive! :eek:) but they're smaller vessels look quite nice. Might have a serious look at NCL.

We also fancied trying a newer ship, so we went on the P and O Ventura to the Caribbean..it was massive compared to a Thomson ship, the cabin was comfier and we liked the alternative dining venues.

We've also tried the P and O Oriana, an older,smaller ship; it was very like being on a Thomson ship, except adults only.

P and O gratuities aren't massive and their drinks prices are on par with Thomsons,but no AI.

My conclusion; a very similar experience to Thomsons but...give me P and O ships and everything else Thomsons!

I was just looking at NCL. Eastern Med 7 night cruise, inside cabin with flights for £900 per person in June 2014. Not a bad price, Thomson usually charge more for a similar cruise. Not keen on the look of their larger, latest ship (Epic I think looks rather repulsive! :eek:) but they're smaller vessels look quite nice. Might have a serious look at NCL.

Stevio opinion of the NCL Jade corresponds to mine - not been on the smaller ships though but one thing I would also mention is that the entertainment was very poor imo as compared with Thomson - at least their shows were.

Thanks for sharing that, Geomagot.

It is useful to have a framework to help with where to look. Just reading that has helped me to eliminate some straight away.

I have saved this (and the one you did for me earlier on the excursions) for future reference as I am one of those who said wait and see.

Which of the P&O ships are the least formal?

I can't say for sure but the info is on there web site, we have been on Arcadia which went onto be OV and a few times on Oceania my fav ship and I wear the same cloths that I wear on other ships and indeed will wear on Majesty ,my husband just takes the same but will probably wear his dinner suit 3 times on other cruise lines as opposed to twice on Majesty but its the same if you don't want to dress up go t o buffet they are not stuffy about dress we found on NCL some years ago they seemed to be very stuffy on dress code but did not like that company at all .Think Fred Olson are keen on formal nights and have just read that Cunard are going less formal ,I think with Ventura going to med based she will be far less formal and I believe that's a lovely ship.:)

Stevio opinion of the NCL Jade corresponds to mine - not been on the smaller ships though but one thing I would also mention is that the entertainment was very poor imo as compared with Thomson - at least their shows were.

I had forgotten about the entertainment. Yes I found the Jade as with other NCL ships had massive professional theatres & some rubbish acts... When NCL do the Med, they have a mixture of Spanish, German, USA & Brit etc, passengers on board & they try to gear the entertainment to a similar international theme, so things like comedians are out & various traditional dance & dodgy magic acts are in... But at least their casinos are more Vegas than Thomson's Southend. ;)

But at least their casinos are more Vegas than Thomson's Southend. ;)

hurrah....this sounds great...right up my street:cool::cool:

But at least their casinos are more Vegas than Thomson's Southend.

hurrah....this sounds great...right up my street:cool::cool:

Yes the well appointed casinos are a big draw for myself & Mrs Stevio , even though we normally stick to the slots... They issue you a casino card that automatically keeps track of your slot play or is added to by one of the pit bosses for the tables. These card points can be redeemed for more free play at the end of the cruise, meals in cover charge restaurants, etc. & the higher rollers get free drinks in the casino. In the late evening a free buffet is opened in the casino (they do not want you to stop playing for food) & they do things like after your first cruise with them they e-mail each cruiser a happy birthday promotion with $50 of free slot play if you book within the next 3 months... I also saw signs up that said you could have up to $2000 of interest free credit per day charged to the room, & to ask if you wanted more, bit frightening really.... What we liked about it is that if you wished you could play a 1 cent line on some slots... On Thomson's the minimum bet is about 25p. So a lot more fun in a casino for less dosh on an NCL ship.

Oh warning to anyone thinking of booking NCL for the casino, the Pride of America does not have one, its on permanent Hawaii cruises, & gambling is banned in their waters. :eek:

Which of the P&O ships are the least formal?

Year round Ventura and in summer Oceana, confusing eh!

Ventura has 2 evening dress codes, black tie and evening casual with 2 black tie per week. The black tie code applies to the mdr, cover charge restaurants and 2 bars, everywhere else evening casual is welcome.

In winter Oceana has 3 dress codes including the useless smart-jacket required evenings ( no tie) however in summer she just has 2 codes like Ventura. She is the most informal ship in summer because the black tie evenings only apply to the mdr, Cafe Jardin cover charge restaurant and Magnums bar. Thet leaves 6 other inside bars welcoming evening casual plus the theatre, show lounge, casino etc etc.

Check out P&O's new Ventura fly cruises to the med for summer 2014. The prices look very keen, at least for solo cruisers. At the moment it looks as if i will be booking a 14 nighter for next summer at what i suspect will be hundreds cheaper than Thomson. You get a free cabin booking, free safe and room service, fridge and free biccies and sweets as welll, oh! and a flower :D:D

Great list Geo, thanks for that.

I think the reason that most of us like the British lines is that most of the guests will be Brits, we had problems with rude and ignorant Spaniards and Italians on NCL. Plus, all the announcements in other languages get on your nerves.

Dave, where have you found next summer's prices for P&O?