sallybunny

43 minutes ago, Pink-belle said:

I’m sorry I never went to the Spa, we were told before sailing the thermal suite/enclave would be closed, and that’s all I really use.  The reception desk was fully staffed, and the horizon full of spa talks and pamper sessions, so I guess was open for treatments.

 

the “drinks” menu was the same at all the bars I frequented.  The good news is The House still had the Peller Ice Cuvee.

It's the thermal suite I was after! Two of my favourite things not available. But it's a holiday and will be amazing no matter what! I can't wait for Sunday!

So they've kept all the very fruity sweet cocktails but none of the lovely gin cocktails. It made the Crow's Nest special. Ah well, I'll have to maybe try to adapt. 

Any news on the spa?

Is there any news on how open the spa is? Just treatments or is the steam room suite open? And what evening is the gala / celebration dinner?

No gin cocktail menu? One of the things I was most looking forward to was working my way through all my favourites in the Crow's Nest. I'll just have to print off a copy and order them anyway and hope for the best!

16 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Yes I agree but Princess Plus includes drinks package, gratuities and unlimited wi-fi. P&O have removed payment of gratuities onto onboard account but no doubt increased prices to cover cost and their drinks package alone in £39-95pppd and you have to pay extra for wi-fi. It is obviously a personal choice but I personally think Princess are one step above P&O for food and service.

I initially thought that prices would increase. I’ve cruised before and after and nothing has been increased and onboard credit was also still around the same level.  Might be different now, but it’s two years since they removed them and different times. 

13 minutes ago, joeecco said:

Everyone has different view points so at least we all get a choice with what protocols we prefer now which is great.

 

bet your children aren’t happy though, take them on an MSC one too. Else they may hold you to it 😅

They don't know I'm going so keep it quiet. But we're all booked for Iona next year! 

10 minutes ago, joeecco said:

MSC have been using this models since August last year very successfully stopping at more than 1 country in the Med. I think they’ve got it spot on. 
 

Yes they had a small amount of cases but P&O will too, every line will just like every workplace etc will. 
 

MSC have gone from to the leading cruise line since this pandemic with their approach and innovation with the air filtering etc. Whereas P&O have been very quiet about what upgrades they have done, if any, to their air systems. 

Having looked at the MSC news, it does seem they're doing a good job at keeping everyone safe on board and on excursions and being incredibly strict about sending people away. However, for me, I'm happier with the lowest possible chance of covid getting on and spreading around the ship. 

And that the kids can't come!! Midday cocktails and fine dining for me!

13 hours ago, joeecco said:

P&O execs are not going to be pleased... MSC are sailing from UK for UK guests from May 20th with short coastal sailings and then leading to 7 night sailings stopping at UK ports and multiple embarkation ports. 
 

NO vaccines required - just a negative test 72hrs prior. 
 

This is how MSC have successfully been sailing last year and right now in the Med. 

 

Everyone’s opinions differ but for me, this is far more superior to P&Os attempts of trying to have better PR but falling through the cracks. 
 

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/24593-msc-to-cruise-the-uk-from-may-20-no-vaccination-required.html

Going back a bit but for me MSC have missed the mark. Unvaccinated guests and children on board would leave me feeling very unsafe along with ports of call where people could pick up the infection. I'm more than happy with the P&O approach of being cautious and taking it all slowly and building in caveats for the ever changing nature of this situation. It's how this needs to be approached. 

Plus, it gives me an excuse for a few days away from the kids!

3 hours ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Given that everyone will be in the same position, they'll have to come up with a reasonable solution. 

And as international travel might be able to restart well before P&O do, there'll have to be some sort of system in place to prove vaccination by then. 

I really don't think it's anything to be worried about. 

You're not booking anyway are you? 

But it's not international travel so doesn't have to be internationally agreed. It just has to be something that's easy to access and difficult to forge. Forgeries will happen, but I don't think that's going to be wide spread to get onto a cruise. Especially as they haven't announced it yet so the forgers can't get busy with the printers / apps / handwritten letter from the GP/ microchip that has already been injected into all of us that have had the vaccine. 

Discussions about this have been going on for as long as Covid has been around so there are going to be some 'behind the scenes' decisions being made. P&O may or may not know have been involved with them and can't talk about it yet because a final decision hasn't been made.  I'm happy to trust that there's something in the pipe line that will be easy to deal with. 

6 hours ago, seapals2 said:

Against new variants the efficiency drops to around 85%.  This means for every hundred passengers 15 could be at risk.  Hopefully protected against serious illness but never the less will require quarantine should they become infected.  

Everyone will also need a clear test before boarding. No one will be getting on and off the ships and the initial cruises are short. All of which dramatically reduces the risk of Covid being brought and spread on board. With masks and distancing and hygiene measures I’m betting this is going to be on of the safest places to be in the summer! 

One other thing that is HUGE to me on a solo holiday is use of a spa and swimming pool. In UK hotels, it looks like these are going to be closed for most of the rest of the year with no reduction in prices or special offers to make the stay worth it. On the P&O summer cruises, it's been confirmed that the pools and spas will all be open making it an even better option for me. I might have to book, but that's fine with me and with reduced capacity there might be more space in there than normal sea days. 

32 minutes ago, cloud_nine said:

I'd really like to do one of the 3 or 4 night ones, but I imagine that Covid insurance is going to be difficult or mega expensive to obtain and for a short cruise which already looks like it will be pricey, I'm not sure that it would be worth it. 

I just had a look on www.holidayextras.com/pocruises and got a quote of £27 which includes covid cancellation, two existing conditions and proper cruise cover. I don't think that's too bad really. 

16 minutes ago, teabear said:

Me too - to all you say here - I think I may be the only person ever to get a suntan in Zeebrugge harbour in November staying on board Aurora on a 3nighter (me and the captain who laughed himself silly at my beetroot face) - just happy to watch the waves and have lots and lots of deck walks out in the fresh(soggy) air.  Setting the alarm for 07:30am

If we end up on the same ship I'll give you a socially distanced wave then we can leave each other alone for the rest of the cruise!

13 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

If you are going solo. Will you be able to mix with anyone onboard the ship? That is a big question and issue for the Cunard solo travellers. Apparently on the QM2 the talk is if you board alone you stay alone. No solo travellers meetup, no shared tables, no cc meetup, no LGBT etc etc. And that situation is appearing to be a big no for the Cunard people on here.

 

 

I'm afraid that when I go on my own I really do go on my own! I'm surrounded by family and colleagues all day every day and this is time for me to switch off and do what I like on my terms. If I had to mix with other people then I wouldn't go 🤣

I sound like a right miserable git. I do talk to people when I go but just like to have the peace and quiet. So I'm the person you see in the restaurant on a table for one with a book and I'm having just the best time. 

I'll be there with bells on! It sounds like they're taking all the precautions they can and are easing back into it all with caution. It's not going to be like a 'normal' cruise but then it might never be normal again.

I've worn masks, kept to social distancing and jumped at the chance of a vaccine. I suspect I'll have far less chance of coming into contact with someone unknowingly infected with Covid on board than going to the shops or into work or staying in hotels where they don't have the ability to screen people.

I have no problem with wearing a mask on board and social distancing. The reduced number of people will make for a nicer cruise. Plus a guaranteed balcony cabin - bliss! Yes, it's looking expensive, but all the short cruises are expensive pppn, especially as I do short cruises solo. I also rarely get off the ship on short cruises so it'll be nice to be at sea rather than in an industrial port. This is exactly what I need right now. So if you want me on Monday morning at 8:30 I'll be booking my cruise!