ann141

Thank you everyone for your helpful replies- all very useful:)

I think we will self disembark. I would sooner wait at the train station than have problems looking for luggage! Usually there are no problems but on our last cruise one of our suitcases had been put in the wrong area in the baggage hall.We found it eventually but wouldn t want to risk that happening if I had a certain train to catch!

Just one more query. A couple of you mention that your luggage needs to stand out to easily identify it in the baggage hall but surely if you self disembark you carry it off yourself so don t need to look for it in the baggage hall?

Thank you for all the helpful comments. We will definately give it a try. The 9 47 train from Southampton that you mention, Tartanexile81 is our preferred train anyway as we change at Derby instead of Birmingham.:):)

Thanks Insanemagnet

That sounds encouraging!

We usually do the coach option but on this occasion the coach isn t free as it is a translantic.(A free coach will take people back to Gatwick which is fine if you drive!) We may end up taking the coach but just wondered trying the train which would be quicker.

An off peak single would cost £100 rather than £30 !! We are trying to weigh up risking an advance ticket which would get us home quicker and cost less or travelling by Cruise Connect coach.

We are doing a translantic cruise in March on Britannia and are considering travelling home by train. It is a lot cheaper to buy an advance ticket but wonder what is the earliest time one can expect to reach the rail station? (I know it isn t far but am concerened that there might be a long queue for Taxis.

Also on P and O advice page it states that you can usually self disembark fairly early. Has anyone had experience of self disembarking and will P and O give us a time slot or do we just form a queue?

What would anyone who has done similar advise a reasonable time to book an advance ticket for?

I know there is the slight possibility that if Britannia docks late then we will have wasted our ticket but am hoping this is unlikely.

Fanged Rose

We are travelling down to Southampton on Wednesday with Easvway.Have to keep an eye on our suitcases!! but as you say as Intercruises is the official partner with P and O now there shouldn t be a problem with them

We have used Intercruises (and Easveway) Cruise coaches many times and never had problems.Its great being able to hand your suitcases to the driver and next time you see them they are in your cabin! We find it far more relaxing than driving and because P and O now have a contact with Intercruises-previously with Easvway it means if there are holdups on the motorway the ship would probably wait(at least thats what I hope!!)

We are visiting Barcelona mid October. Don t really want to purchase Camp Nou tickets in advance incase the ship can t dock , we change our minds etc. Will we definitely be able to get a ticket on the day and if so are there likely to be queues?

I think inside cabins are the same size as outside.If you phone use the freephone number which is 08000523840:)

Have you tried posting about this on P and O facebook page? They don t like negative publicity!

I would ask a TA what discount they could offer for a certain grade of cabin(check the price on P and O web) and if you are happy with the price quoted ask them to phone P and O to secure a particular cabin.

For the question regarding reliable TS a I would look to see if they have won any cruise awards or use one of the big name TA s that people may have mentioned (accidently of course!!) on previous threads.

If you google Specialist Cruise Travel Agents, a list should appear! Some will advertise a discounted price but most will advertise the same price P and O state but they expect you to ask for a discount- its usually possible to get between 3 and 5 % discount. Sometimes they will offer free extras-OBC or wine etc- its up to you to decide who to go with.:)

Hope you get the cabin(S) you wanted Sharon. We are not a high enough tier yet so will have to wait a few more days!Need to book a few more cruises to reach that level.-(Wheres that brochure!)

Ann:)

We prefer to use a TA for the discount.:) The only negative is that recently when we wanted to change a cruise to a more expensive cruise, P and O charged us £100 which I was expecting but the TA charged us £50 as well for admin charges.I also like the fact that the TA phones P and O if necessary so its not our phone bill or time wasted in a phone queue!

I think its fairly easy to get to Jerez by train.:)

:):):)

Ok Thanks for that info. We will probably end up booking the horses(I m not a great fan but hubby is!)

We are planning to visit Jerez(from Cadiz) in October. We are undecided whether to just stroll round Jerez or book to see the horse show but probably wouldn t leave much time for any other sightseeing.

Thank you fionamg. We are visiting Messina on a cruise in October and as we have previously visited Mt Etna and Taormina ,we were wondering what to do-now we know!!:)

Call on their freephone number 08000523840:)

We nearly always travel by Cruise Connect or Easevway Coaches to Southampton. We just hand our luggage to the driver and next time you see it its in the cabin!

We get on at Woodall and it tends to vary where it starts from and where it picks up. Once it already had people on board and it went straight to Southampton apart from a lunch break. Other times we have stopped once or twice to pick people up- It tends to vary and you may find on the return journey it drops people off at places that it didn t stop on the way down. It all depends on supply and demand and sometimes there are people on the coach who are on a different P and O ship to you.

I too phoned this afternoon(on the freephone number) and was put through straight away.Hopefully it means they have taken on more staff and improved staff training!:)