Sanjam cruisers

Hi Weliketo cruise

As far as I remember the duty free shops at Barbados port closes at 5.00pm,but you can pick purchase drinks etc at the first port of call.

Hi Crafty Sue

If my memory serves me well you board via deck 5 and walk past the coffee shop, E deck would then be three decks above you and depending where your cabin is you would make your way forrad or aft,even numbers are on the port(left) and odd on the starboard(right) low number starting at the forrad end of the ship ie E102 getting higher as you get the aft end E730 therefore your cabin number will give you an idea where your cabin is if you have not seen a deck plan.While the ship is large it is easy to navigate after the first day.

Hi Crafty Sue the Beachouse is part if the self service buffet during the day and the area on the starboard side(right) becomes a waiter service diner at night,the fillet steak cooked on lava rock and the seafood sizzler are my personal favourites. Do not overlook the Glasshouse they also do meals at a small surcharge on some cruises they do a taster night restricted to about 12 couples where you are served four courses with a different glass of wine to accompany each and the restaurant manager/wine expert will explain why he picked each wine for each course etc.These nights are normally oversubscribed so if you are interested ask at the Glasshouse when you board.I developed a taste for Pellar Sparkling wine (Canadian Ice Wine) after attending on The Azura.

Hope you have a great cruise.

Hi Moray Firth Cruiser

Just for interest sake where are you flying from to Barbados,we always cruise at that time of the year but our TA has told us that the only flight from Glasgow for Britannia is 01/01/2016.

Hi Redrobbo,

P&O offer both club dining open over two seatings 6.30pm and 8.30pm in addition they also offer freedom dining between 6.30pm and9.30pm in the main dining rooms.Both Azura and Ventura have three main dining rooms two of which were allocated for club dining and one for freedom I believe that due to the popularity of freedom dining this is now changed to two of the dining rooms being allocated to freedom. in addition to the main dining rooms you can also dine in the buffet part of which on each ship is changed into a waiter service restaurant in the evening but with open seating(no booking) and a small surcharge for a small number of dishes, eg fillet steak cooked on lava rock, the Glasshouse also serves meals at a small surcharge and are rather tasty.You can also make use of the speciality restaurants which you can book and also charge a supplement. A queue always forms outside the main dining rooms at opening time but soon dimishes,in the freedom dining there can be a demand for tables for two and therefore you will be given a pager to let you know when a table is available ( longest wait I have had 20min), the same applies at the waiter service section of buffet as they have a limited number of tables. On a fourteen night cruise there are normally four formal nights and 99% of passengers adhere to it with a large number of the men wearing dinner suits or tuxedos and you cannot access the main dining rooms, speciality restaurants and some bars unless properly attired,Prices in the bars are on par with a good town centre British pub approx £3.50 pint, £2.75 a spirt but the cans of mixer are expensive.Wine prices are very good both for a bottle and by the glass, in the Glasshouse Wine Bar you can buy wine flights ( 3 different glasses to sample) at a resonable cost.P&O also allow you to bring alcohol including spirits onto the ship for consumption in your cabin although you can obtain a bottle for your cabin from room service eg Litre of Bombay Sapphire £26.00. My wife and I have cruised with P&O a number of times and have never had a bad cruise, we have never experienced some of the horror stories described on this and other forums but there again we do not go looking for things to complain about. If we have a problem we have it attended to at the time on board ship. We have cruised on board Arcadia,Oceana,Azura and Ventura all different in their own way but we do like Azura and Ventura. I hope you enjoy any cruise you may take with P&O.

Hi Roseknitter, thought these two addresses might be useful to you,as I said before it may be cheaper to book a local Greenock taxi to come up to Glasgow and pick you up that would be a good hire for them.A Glasgow taxi to Greenock will cost a fortune.

Inverclyde Taxis

http://www.inverclydetaxis.co.uk/

All taxis fully licensed and regulated by Inverclyde Council; The very latest technology ... Competitive fares; Disembarking at Greenock's Ocean Terminal?

Greenock Taxi Firms. Find Taxis in Greenock - The Taxi Register

http://www.taxiregister.com/greenock

The Greenock Taxi Register is your local resource for finding taxi firms, transfer services and taxi companies in Greenock .

Best of luck.

Hi Roseknitter,you will be unable to get back to Greenock by train as the last train to Greenock from Glasgow Central leaves at 2350 long before you arrive back in Glasgow from Edinburgh.It may be worthwhile googling Greenock Taxi Companies or contact http://www.inverclydetouristgroup.co.uk/, who are the local tourist group who provide information to cruise passengers calling at Greenock,through them you may be able to book a Greenock taxi to come up and meet you at Glasgow Central Station to take you back to ship as this will be cheaper than using a Glasgow Taxi who are expensive especially at that time of night.Hope you manage to arrange transport and do enjoy your visit to Scotland.

Having read all comments on this thread I thought to myself Nothing ventured nothing gained,and I e-mailed P&O regarding my February 2015 cruise which I had booked in 2013.I have now recieved a very satisfactory answer from P&O customer services to my advantage.I am more than happy with their customer service and the prompt manner in which they have dealt with my enquiry .

Hi Rob no problem take it you know the Houston area just for your info on a 14 night Caribbean P&O normally have 4 formal nights and the rest are smart casual ie no jacket required but you are better going onto their website because the dress code is slightly different on Spme of the ships where on some nights a smart jacket is required but no tie.Hope you are not affected by the bush fires that are affecting parts of Australia just now in your heat wave.I have family in Adelaide area and my neighbours brother lives in Melbourne we,my mate and his wife are just back having spent The festive season in Melbourne,Sydney and a coastal resort called Mallallumba ( spelling may be wrong ), we scots get everywhere.Anything else I can help you with just post either on this forum or the P&O UK I check each daily.

Jim

Hi druzinski try googling Scottish tour companies and it will throw up a few possibilities I have never used them but I have seen a company called Rabbies tours which are listed out and about.Hope you are successful the two distilleries nearest to Greenock are Auchentoshan about a 30 minute drive away up River and on the opposite side from Greenock and Glengoyne near to the village of Killearn and about 1 hour to 1hour 30 minutes away from Greenock.

Unfortunately there are no car hire companies in Greenock the nearest are situated at Glasgow Airport which is about 30minutes away from Greenock and again all the companies are ao the Internet just google car hire in the Paisley area.

Hope this info is of use and have a great cruise I do hope you enjoy your call at Greenock,if you get nice weather it is a rather scenic port to sail into/away from.

Hi Sundowners

My wife and I have cruised twice on Arcadia albeit some years ago when she first came Into service and on both occasions we had a great time.Arcadia like all P&O UK ships are specifically aimed at the UK market and therefore the food and the entertainment are very British and do not have the international flavour of the companies which cater for international clients.On the formal nights you will find that 99% of passengers will comply with the formal dress code ie men will be in Dinner suits/Tuxedos and the ladies will be glammed up,if you do not wish to dress formally you will have to dine in the self service buffet on the formal nights as the main dining room and some of the bars will be closed to you.In your cabin you will find tea/coffee facilities which are replenished on a daily basis by your cabin steward,you also have a fridge and your cabin steward will provide ice and lemon if requested.P&O allow you to take alcohol including spirits aboard for cabin use,their daily gratuities are approx £3.50 per passenger per day and are deducted automatically from your on board account although I believe you can approach passenger services to cancel auto gratuities if you wish to tip personally.The on board currency is the British Pound and there is no extra 15% added to drinks etc? Shipboard excursions like all cruise lines are on the expensive side but obviously offer safeguards such as the ship will wait for you if you are late in getting back to the ship etc. We cruise annually to the Caribbean with P&O and never had a bad cruise,if as other posters have advised you go onto the P&O forum you will read some negative reports on P&O, as I have said I have never had a bad cruise although I have seen minor signs of cost cutting but not enough to stop me cruising with P&O.I hope this info is of use to you and I wish you and your wife a very happy and enjoyable cruise.

This is not new there has been a flight supplement added to the flights to the Caribbean from Glasgow for the last two years,starting at £50 last year and this year and increasing to £80 for next February's cruise.It may be the case that there supplements and also the costs for prebooking seats on the aircraft are imposed by the airlines and not by P&O.They are costs that I now incorporate into the overall costing for any cruise I am considering.

I have read this thread and others in a similar vein on this and other cruise sites with some interest. Both my father and brother served in the Merchant Navy and as a teenager I was desperate for a sea going career but as I was never that great with mathematics it was not to be and I followed a different career path.As a result while on board ship I always speak to the crew which can be very interesting,while they may not be well paid by UK standards they are by their own standards a chef I spoke to at the Pizzaria earned more aboard ship than he did in a five star hotel at home in Goa,while on ship he paid no lodgings,no food bills so in fact the majority of has pay went home, the company paid his travel costs to and from the ship and he got his share of tips, and as long as his work place assessments were up to company standard he would always be offered a further contract.You only have to look at the number and increasing size of current cruise ships are the companies finding it difficult to get new crews.There are a constant queue of applicants at the crewing agencies looking for places and as such the cruise companies can set a high standard in those they recruit for their vacancies. Many contributers to this and other forums who have cruised many times with the same line often remark how they have recognized crew members from previous cruises some time after a number of years surely if the life was that hard or bad there would be a constant stream of new crew members.Two years ago our waiter in the main dining room had been with the line for 17 years.And yes I leave my auto tips on and if I get good service I leave an additional thank you,no one ever tipped me in my occupation but I did not work in a service industry and I do appreciate the ships crew do on the whole work long hard hours and through their efforts I can have a great holiday.

Happy cruising to all and long may it last.

Have to agree about Neil Oliver an excellent cruise director who seems to pass on his enthusiasm to the rest of his team,he certainly leads from the front and very approachable when walking about the ship always has the time to speak to passengers.

I also like the sailaways in particular the Great British Sailaway when alongside other ships is excellent and I have never experienced a bad reaction from their passengers just the opposite in fact, it is only an hour or so out of a fourteen night cruise if you don't like it no one is forcing you to attend.There are activities I don't enjoy on the ship I therefore avoid them but I would not ask the shipping line to stop them because they are not my cup of tea, live and let live life is far to short.

Happy cruising to you all,next for my better half and I,Ventura 28/02/14.

Hi Ballerina girl.

It is a "Tortola Bus" which is a large colourful American pick up truck fitted with an approx 20 person covered but open at the sides wooden body containing bench seats.The fare the last time I was there was I believe $12 each way per person and takes approx 30 minutes and they basically shuttle back and forth all day. If you intend going try and go early as the beach gets busy if there are more than one ship in.Have you been to Tortola before.

Hi Aliwyg I would not bother taking Barbados dollars $US will be fine but take small denominations up to and including $20s, we have been to the Caribbean numerous times and have never had problems with cash.If they try to give me local coins I just let them keep them,and I have always received my change in $US. If you are unsure what currency you are being charged just ask.

Have a great cruise.

Hi again Stef this address did not paste into my last message.

Enterprise Car Hire, Van Hire: 47, ST ANDREWS CRESCENT ...

http://www.enterprise.co.uk/car_rental/deeplinkmap.do?gpbr=SC63&bid...

Areas Serviced. Paisley, Linwood, Foxbar, Bishopton, Erskine, Kilmacolm, Johnstone, Langbank, Greenock, Gourock, , Beith, Largs, Skelmorlie, Port Glasgow, ...

Jim

Hi Stef. If you wish to try for a hire car search for hire car companies in the Paisley area this will include companies who are situated at Glasgow Airport, I have listed some of the better known ones below.I spoke to the Tontine Hotel in Greenock who stated that they have not had Avis Hire Cars at their premises for some time,but he did say that in the past Avis had operated a booth at Clydeport Cruise Terminal when the bigger ships called so it might be worth trying them be e-mail.

Paisley - Car Hire Paisley with Thrifty Car and Van rental UK

http://www.thrifty.co.uk/car-hire/paisley.htm

Car Hire or Van Rental at Paisley. Great UK deals with Thrifty Car Rental.

Car Hire Paisley Cheap - Car Rental Sixt

http://www.sixt.co.uk/car-hire/united-kingdom/paisley

Cheap Car Hire in Paisley, United Kingdom. ✓ Get a great deal on a rent a car in Paisley. Travel Paisley in a car hire today!

Car, Van and Minibus Rental Hire in Paisley, Johnstone, Renfrew ...

http://www.seedhill.co.uk/car-rental.html

Seedhill Service Station offer competitive rates on car, van and minibus rental. We are located in Paisley, Johnstone, Renfrew, Barrhead. Contact: 0141 887 ...

Paisley Car Hire - Europcar

http://www.europcar.co.uk › Europcar Worldwide › United Kingdom Car Hire

Book Paisley car hire with Europcar online and save money. Find out where you can collect your car hire vehicle in Paisley with Europcar.

If you are unable to source a car please do not hesitate to contact me rather than have your visit to Scotland spoiled.I do not know if you have visited this area before but here is some information for you. The area you wish to visit is approx 1 hour drive from cruise terminal however there is only 1 main road out of Greenock the A8 onto the M8 Motorway this road can be very busy during the morning and evening peak periods traffic. On the A8 in particular can be slowed up by traffic accidents and/roadworks.There are a couple of routes you can use to access the area you wish to visit.One route is by using the motorway system (A8 -M8-M80-M9- A84)and the other by slower A class Roads. If you wish any help or info don't hesitate to get in touch.I see that you stay not that very far from Cologne I had a most enjoyable visit there on my motorcycle in 1990.I hope you enjoy your visit to our beautiful country.

Hi lindyloo200 the Lido deck balcony cabins are just as good as elsewhere, we were in L247 two years there are only drawers in the bedside cabinets two per side in a normal standard cabin,however there are plenty of shelves for storage purposes.L deck cabins are handy for the pools and the spa area the only drawback is you can get some noise in the morning when the deck crew are arranging the sun beds etc,it did not put us off as we are in L231 on Ventura at the end of February.

Have an enjoyable cruise.

Hi Stef, I can't find any car hire available in Greenock there is not a demand for it. Both my wife and I Are retired and I am definitely not a hiker but I we would be quite happy to take you to the Trossachs during your day in Greenock depending on how many are in your party.I am not looking for payment for my time as I am not a tour guide but only a fellow cruiser, a contribution for the fuel would be acceptable. My e-mail is jim@sanjam.net if you wish to contact me.

Hi Suds, if you want to go to Millport you will have to go to Largs which is approx 30-40 minute bus trip from Greenock, I think it would be rather expensive to take a taxi.There is no direct train from Greenock to Largs without having to change trains at Paisley Gilmour Street (a rather convulsed route for someone not local). Please be aware that the ferry across to Millport can be cancelled at short notice if there are high winds and you would not like to be stranded, even in the British a summer the firth Of Clyde can be subject to winds. You do not say on your post when you are calling at Greenock, the railway station is approx 20 minute walk from the cruise terminal and there are about 3 trains an hour into Glasgow which takes about 30 minutes it is not a journey I do so my timings may not be exact. Greenock itself has a long industrial history with shipbuilding,sugar refining and during WW 2 was a major port in the Battle of the Atlantic although not as well known as Liverpool. I do hope you enjoy your visit I have no doubt you will be made to feel most welcome.

Hi Jazzer I don't know what your tipple is, but if you are partial to dark navy rum visit the Pussers pub on the Main Street on Tortola you can try a Painkiller Cocktail in the bar, they will ask you 1,2,3 etc shots this relates to how many measures you want in it. They have a shop at the rear of the bar where you can buy the rum, a bottle costs a minimum of £25 in the UK and costs $15 in Tortola,the 15 year old is about £50 in the UK $20 in Tortola.

Have a great cruise.

Hi Windsor 26 I would certainly not "flame" you, we are all entitled to our opinion,things have obviously changed since you last cruised with P&O UK, perhaps for the better. My wife and I have cruised with them since 2005 always in the Caribbean and have enjoyed all our cruises in fact we will be on board Ventura 28/02/14 for another 14 nighter. We have family in Adelaide and our intention eventually is to visit them and also incorporate a cruise from Australia into the holiday. Do enjoy any future cruises you may be planning.

Hi Saltypeer, I have to agree it is all down to the Cruise a Director. I always look forward to a P&O cruise where Neil Oliver is the CD, I would love to have a quarter of that mans energy and he certainly knows how to handle an audience,he is always about the decks and is quite happy to chat to passengers ,unlike Hughie Taylor who I have named the " Invisable Man"'normally a disembodied voice on a public address system heard but rarely seen.

Happy future cruising to you.

Hi Windsor26, I assume you are speaking about P&O Australia Ships as P&O UK do not have separate dining for those in more expensive cabins.As far as I am aware On P&O UK those passengers occupying suites may if they wish have their breakfast in one of the speciality dining venues such as "Seventeen" for example all other meals can be taken in the Main Dining Room, Buffet etc.