Camberley

We at least got over a week of notice about replacing Marseille with Toulon (our next stop in 2 days). It looks like everything is accessible from the port after the "short" boat ride from where Britannia sails into.....here's hoping.

Like I said, you might have to look hard for it

I certainly get that analogy. But then, I am sure P&O wouldn't really be upset to be considered tacky or holiday camp-ish, and if going more for the family market, well......It's got a lot of opportunity for very tacky things if you like that sort of thing - and being on board at the mo it is clear many folk do! And fair play to them if they like that. But away from the naffness - and there are plenty of ways to avoid those (ugh those still-horrendous sail-aways: yes, we've had those) - it has still got an element of sophistication. Ok, you might have to look hard for it, but it's there.

Currently on Britannia and now ALL speciality restaurants are open. Had most of our eve meals between them so far. The only one shut for food the first few days was the Glass House but that too is now open. And them being open makes SUCH a difference given the MDR food is still barely more than functional and still as if designed for the most undiscerning of palates.

So nice to be back on what is my personal favourite ship. Not sure how full she actually is but she really doesn't seem packed at any rate (whichv s nice).. She's looking in need of TLC in places but she is still lovely. The best news for us is the speciality restaurants are in fact open (apart from The Glasshouse not serving food this time, but fair enough). A huge plus for us, esp. given their closure on others: and both Epicurean and Sindhu remain outstanding.

agree, but I suspect that the forum is such a minuscule part in the grand scheme of things. I can think of many folk I know who work in the industry but pay the forums no heed at all, and even most of the fellow cruisers I have met have been unaware of the forums.

After a dodgy agent years ago - which early put me off travelling - I swapped to another and now always use them. I have found my TA to be SO many times better than booking and dealing with P&O directly, who I have found to be barely competent in terms of effective contact and clear info. A good TA is a real god-send

Yes a strict timetable and total rigour on the holiday makes me want to curl up or hide. Despite a few things loosely mapped out before hand, spontaneity is indeed a real treat - perhaps even a luxury? - for us. I’ve the attention span of a gnat with many of those “me me me”-type blogs: with few exceptions, I rarely get a sense of them actually enjoying their holiday or living in the moment at the expense of having to take certain shots and write about every little thing.

Yes they usually retake the photo at the terminal: sadly I rarely get the soft focus shot I politely request! It is always impressive seeing how ultra organised some folk are with labelled wallet files per item of paper needed etc…not to mention spotting who in the party is “the boss”! We tend to just turn up with a battered folder with the stuff in. And screenshots on our camera roll of everything - just in case! But each time we cruise, adopting a super organised file approach is on our “must do next time” list: one day we will!

Credit to the staff on board who, I have found - and certainly the past year - to be exceptional.

A refreshing breeze today - so welcome! And enjoying delicious bao with crispy hoisin pork croquettes, pickled veg and chilli mayo in the garden. Ok, the cooking and eating are partly displacement activities from finishing the packing for Sunday, but hey ho!

Oh I love watching a new ship being built and she is looking fab. There is something very awe-inspiring about the whole process

Interesting. Well it removes that uncertain pre-embarkation stage that really soured the start of a holiday until the neg result came through. Although, there is now even more reliance on everyone being truthful - but of course the former “evidence” could have been faked. But I think it’s a good move forward. And I would like to think most people are honest at heart..(what government? 😇). We’re on Britannia on Sunday and as we’ve already bought our tests we will still bring a copy of the certificate - just in case P and O move the goalposts again. Or, given their IT “skills”, in case they send one of their mass emails at the 11th hour saying the previous was an error 🤣🤣

We had one on a short Britannia cruise last autumn but not sure if there will be on all shorter cruises. However, it should show up when you login to your cruise personaliser if there is one. Yes, a smart jacket and tie are absolutely fine. The main thing is to feel comfortable.

Yes

I tend to just take a suit jacket, a couple of ties and shirt to go with whatever trousers I choose to wear on the night. I have done DJ and bow tie but no longer as it’s not as of there is even a hint of those evenings being any more special than normally. Besides, the smart suit approach is comfier for me!

Another Randox vote here. Used them many times now and they have been great each time. So simple and very quick to get everything back. There was a lot of negative fuss online about them a while back but I suspect a lot of that was folk not actually being able to do what they should do properly! (“You stuck it where, Doris?”) I did have Lloyds Pharmacy also booked for our next cruise but we’re cancelling that on the day. Or we might just not turn up and not tell them, given they cancelled my neighbour’s testing and my cousin’s testing the other week without even telling them until they turned up at the “scheduled” time!

Too too true

I rang P&O direct this morning to check for our Britannia cruise at the end of the month. And to clarify the state closure with the specialty restaurants, plus a few others things. And a few other things - well, once I got through I would make it worth it! What seemed like years later - and into a new future where Carnival shares are enticing and deck chair hoggers are instantly thrown overboard - they were very helpful and clarified my confusion over various emails including a few vague ones, about extra OBC and the like.

Hoping it does go ahead and smoothly, and that P&O don’t do one of their last-minute tricks. Have a great cruise.

I don’t mind the formal nights - actually quite like them from time to time - but with all the other cutbacks and arguably misleading advertising, these currently come off a little like diversionary tactics! They don’t cut it in terms of making things feel special.

On my last 3 cruises - since they returned last year - there was no “black and white” at all on any of the formal nights.

Absolutely. Clear, honest communication is worth a lot - not least, for me, if I am to continue to be loyal towards P&O. But boy do they make it hard. I get how challenging things are and how things can change etc, but I’ve yet to see they have much capacity for clarity and transparency. The tendency for them to throw out vague “spin” in their responses is staggering.

For my late July cruise, it has been saying enquire on board for months - as my previous two cruises did. Then close to sailing it changes to allow booking online. As for my July trip, who knows. If it transpires the speciality restaurants are cancelled - and P&O have not been up front so far - then given their normal fayre is not always good enough (we find it adequate/functional but not at all special), I will be cancelling my P&O cruises booked for the next two years and go elsewhere: those speciality restaurants have always been the food highlight of the cruises - meals to look forward to! Now that might well be my cutting of nose to spite my face, but it would be one key thing that nudges me to use another company.

For me, the buffet is perfectly adequate quality-wise - and I often find there is more pleasure to be had in the buffet than the MDRs. But even with stunning locations on a cruise and all those exciting experiences, the speciality restaurants on board - meals to look forward to rather than tolerate - can make a good holiday so much more special.