galeforce9

1 hour ago, margbem said:

Any UK cruisers received this?

No we haven’t.  Was wondering the same 

23 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I must say, I have never needed any.  There are hooks on the wall for a jacket, otherwise the wardrobe.

Never done the Arctic cruise then 🤣

6 hours ago, Queen of DaNile said:

We are on the original CT to Las Palmas segment so losing four ports is a deal breaker for me.

Me too. It was actually 8 ports and 5 countries when I looked.  So cancelled 

33 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

I have received no notification of this from Seabourn.  Just rung the travel agent and they have a letter that doesn’t offer a refund or cancellation option but has completely different start and end points and dates different by weeks with 8 ports dropped (northbound leg).  

Sorry.  Misadvised.  I now have the letter and a refund is an option. 

I have received no notification of this from Seabourn.  Just rung the travel agent and they have a letter that doesn’t offer a refund or cancellation option but has completely different start and end points and dates different by weeks with 8 ports dropped (northbound leg).  

This significantly affects the second leg cape town up.  Eight ports and five countries which made the second leg interesting are now pinched for the first.  More sea days. I believe the Cape Town start point is now different days too (edit one week later) but have yet to check.  Will be looking for reimbursement and compensation of costs for flights etc. Of course I have full sympathy for the situation Seabourn are facing and for all those guests on the first leg and round trip.  However, this was a special trip with significant time off work and I am not prepared to pay handsomely for what is now a shortened, repositioning cruise on the northward bound option.  

Kindly posted by @Safarigirl

3 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Something I have been meaning to mention is that a few days into the Northern Lights cruise both my wife and I developed ankle rashes that didn’t half itch at night.  Of all the cruises we have been on this has never happened before.  Antihistamine tablets helped a bit, then we saw an empty packet of antihistamines outside another cabin and wondered whether there were other sufferers.  It went as soon as we got home.

So did we and our family members in another cabin on another deck.  We put it down to wool socks irritation but ….

18 minutes ago, Slugsta said:

Changing the subject completely - what was the temperature like inside the ship? On our last 2 P+O cruises, I have been quite cold. I know that Selbourne said that some places were terribly hot when they were down in the Caribbean, but I suspect that is not the same in cooler climes.

Too hot for me much of the time but then I wear appropriate layered clothing for the Arctic outdoors (with outdoor layers removed) in the day.   Many did not and just wore t shirts and pullovers.  They treated it like any other cruise and complained about cooler areas when the cold got in during port visits.  

12 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

Something else I didn’t mention about the entertainment director was that on the last evening when the Headliners had completed an excellent show culminating in a Les Mis tribute and standing ovation, he said we’ll all get a questionnaire and he was touting for 10s for the entertainment department as we all want to keep our jobs, including me, he said!  I personally found this totally naff.

As did the captain in his last lunchtime address. Again, naff 

I’ve seen various reportings of a Carnival update in terms of likely impact of rerouted sailings on its profitability measures.  It now mentions that sailings possibly through 2024 and possibly into early 2025 will be impacted but that nothing is decided yet.  So, same old question but if anyone gets an inside track on the latest thinking with regard to Sojourn’s round Africa sailing Nov 24 to Feb 25 I’d be grateful if they could post here.  I realise decisions will most likely be late in the day but I would like time to plan an alternative journey and get decent flights.   

3 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

On our cruise ironically we thought the same as you as that were so many loud southerners, but on one night in the Epicurean there was one party from the North who were so loud the whole restaurant revolved around them. It seemed to be people from all over the UK. What is wrong with people? Do they not have manners or think of others ?????

 

Agree!   Regional accents are irrelevant to the underlying issue, which is entirely dependent on the individuals’ lack of good manners!!

The pilot did board at Margate.  The captain mentioned it in his announcement in the early evening 

1 hour ago, RJChatsworth said:

We are just back from Aurora’s 16-night cruise to the Northern Lights, our second attempt to see them.  We failed on Hurtigruten one January a few years ago.  I wouldn’t call this time a success, but we did see them as we sailed away from Tromso, so we can cross them off our bucket list.  I think other passengers saw them then and at other times.  The lights appeared very briefly and it was more by luck than judgement to see them.  In our case the Bridge made an announcement after 1am, we raced to the balcony, and just above the horizon we saw some grey wispy cloud that didn’t look like cloud.  Through the camera lens it was green.

 

Now a few reflective comments on the cruise.  I couldn’t possibly replicate Selbourne’s recent 65-nighter blog.  I’ll write as I found things without meaning to offend!  I’ll say that now before writing anything.  Also, we have been on many P&O cruises but moved to Cunard when we felt that P&0 was changing and not for the better. Therefore some of my comments might be of comparison without consideration of ‘you only get what you pay for’. We do go back to P&O from time-to-time to see what’s different.

 

Why on embarkation day did we have to wait until about 1.45pm to get in the cabin, yet on the final day we were turfed out of the cabin at 8am and sent to an overcrowded Curzon Theatre where passengers had to resort to sitting on the floor in the corridors.  The best they could offer was a departure time of between 8.50am and 9.30am.  Here we go!  On Cunard you can access your cabin immediately on embarkation which is from about 12.15 and on disembarkation day you can stay in your cabin until your 10-minute time slot and then leave without any announcements being made.  Why the difference between the two Carnival lines?

 

We had a luxury balcony cabin which was a bit tired. There was some rust patches on the balcony.   It’s time we stopped having to climb over the bath to access the shower. I was not sure about not having a nightly turndown service to start with but having got used to it I preferred the idea.  We didn’t have to tidy up before dinner!  The public areas were all well appointed and I like the layout of the ship except for having to walk through the bar on one floor. Raffles was good for coffee.

 

I concur with what everyone said about MDR dining in Selbourne’s posts. It was pretty poor and bland. There aren’t the choices there used to be. I once said to the waiter, ‘Is that a starter?’ ‘No’ he said, ‘It’s a main.’  He went and got a second.  The choice of cheese was poor and no cheese trolley these days.  You didn’t even get a wafer with an ice cream. And no treats with coffee except on special occasions. The service was good however, in and out in 40 minutes whether you liked it or not.  Another downside was there are only 24 tables for two, I was told, in each MDR and everyone was after them for breakfast and lunch.  We went to The Glass House, Sindhu and The Beach House, twice to each, and found them to be very good.  The food in Horizon with more choice seemed better than the MDR at times.  There were three evening dress occasions which were largely adhered to in the MDR but when you went to the theatre the opposite was true, scruffy jeans and I even saw shorts.  On Cunard you are supposed to be disbarred in the theatre if you don’t dress up but that generally doesn’t work.

 

Perhaps they have a plan to run down the MDR’s so no-one goes and they can convert them to upmarket restaurants you pay extra for!

 

There were a lot of northerners on this cruise.  I don’t mind that because I was brought up in Penrith, Cumbria.  But why are a small number so loud?  They don’t seem to be able to talk quietly as if attention seeking.  They seem to be oblivious to others or give them no consideration. You could see the heads turn in Raffles.  It really is a put off which I haven’t come across on other lines. Is this a requirement for levelling up?

 

The Headliners provided about 8 shows over the 16 nights.  I suppose we benefited because they had to provide so many for the 65-nighter.  They were generally excellent although one of the singers screeched a bit.

 

Simon Love was the Captain and was communicative and spoke well at the two on-board parties.  I wouldn’t say the same about the entertainment director.  He lacked charisma and wasn’t funny.  At a Q&A with the Captain in Curzon’s, he interrupted and talked over him.  Then he got up twice and went over to the audience to have a dialogue with them leaving the Captain sitting there. The Captain thought Aurora probably had another 7 to 10 years in her which drew applause at a separate party.  Haven’t I heard that before and then someone comes along with a cash offer which is too good to turn down!  Fortunately the entertainment director didn’t appear all the time.

 

I overheard a remark that made me smile that P&O Cruises should be dubbed P&O Basic.

 

Apart from the MDR and the cabins requiring some tlc there was much to enjoy, even the snow on the mountains.

Interesting comment about northerners. We felt just the reverse.  

Definitely one on Aurora sept 23

Thank you for all your reports.  I hope you are back cruising and reporting soon to keep us all entertained    

13 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I’ve just looked at my photos - Cafe Jardin 😁

If I’m on a drinks package and want to enjoy a drink in my cabin, can I go to a bar and take it back there?  

3 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

Seabourn terminated its contract with Tiffany last year.

Poor

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Thank you Selbourne 😁

Can anyone who is on Aurora now please send a copy of the bar opening times please? Thank you 

2 hours ago, Fionboard said:

I am on her in a couple of weeks to the Arctic, so heating is more important for me!  Am also on the May Baltic one, which was unseasonably hot last year! Hope they sort this out. 

I am too but hate a warm cabin. On the last March Northern Lights cruise I did on Aurora in 2020, the cabin temperature was unbearable at night.  On the coolest setting it was 26 C.   I had them out four times to no avail.   It’s more than likely you will be dressed for the outside on a cold weather cruise, so it’s even worse. I hasten to add I’ve been on twice since in autumn and it was fine.  I fear though they will ramp the heating up in advance of the colder air as they usually do and it’s awful. 

1 hour ago, david63 said:

It has been widely available in Tesco, and other supermarkets, for years - long before P&O started stocking it.

I hate jam shed!  But everyone had their own preferences! 

On 1/7/2024 at 3:41 PM, Yorkieaboard said:

Hi Margaret 

 

Beverley, a gorgeous part of Gods County! We are currently exiled over the border and living in Bakewell 😂

Thanks for the feedback and of course the tip!

 

Sean

You’ve seen the light and come to Derbyshire.  My better half is a yorkieabroad and yorkieaboard.   Greetings from Chesterfield.  

47 minutes ago, Denarius said:

This wine is a single vineyard offering from Villa Maria. A bit more upmarket than their standard Sauvignon Blanc, it is currently on sale in the UK for £17.99 a bottle (Majestic) So at £47 a bottle you are talking of a mark up of around £30 a bottle on UK prices. A nice little earner for P&O!

2-3 times mark up is standard. They are a business