Cruisemeister2002

I do think it depends on what you are looking for on a cruise. Neither myself or wife are big drinkers and that would mean depending on shore or sailing days we may go to a bar if there's a football match I want to see and have one possibly two pints, my wife would maybe have a pina colada or cider or G&T. If it is a sunny day we would sit on deck, but not necessarily in direct sun. Back to the cabin late afternoon, have a drink in the cabin before going to a bar for a pre dinner drink. Sometimes we have a bottle of wine or we may take our drinks from the bar to the table. That would be it in most cases unless we went to a club with fellow passengers but if we went to the theatre we probably wouldn't have any more drinks. I/we don't find P&O boring in the least. Their cruises may not appeal to the more adventurous or those looking for climbing walls, dodgems or ice rinks. But I certainly wouldn't class myself and the missus as drinkers and sunbathers, neither of which we partake in to any extent.

I think some of the designers of ships these days hit their head on a nail ? Most of them are no longer beautiful sleek design ocean going liners, they are floating blocks of flats and all that's missing from some of the kitsch goings on is a compare saying " Hi Di Hi" we already have Virgin with "Sailors" and "Rock Stars" and that's only the passengers. Whilst not trying to be a spoil sport where has refinement and decorum gone. Not worried about singing " Rule Britannia" or flag waving, but I like serenity, nice food and drink, a good laugh and joke with fellow passengers whilst sometimes putting right the wrongs of the world. Good entertainment in the form of shows, singers, comedians and a sprinkling of Classical musicians. A good book and see some new and interesting places.

I found that a cruise I had booked was £1000 cheaper later in the year. So I phoned P&O and the answer was the same as yourself. The only way is to cancel and rebook, losing your deposit. Still worked out I saved £580 so went for it. From recollection in all my 15 cruises with P&O I only once had a refund as a cruise I had booked was cheaper. Prices I have found go up and down all the time. Cabins are available, then they are not, then they are again. This may be due to cancellations or P&O needing to get rid of certain grades of cabin. We have been upgraded a few times but in honesty can't tell the difference.

Me neither. In 17 cruises we have had two balconies and two outside. The rest have been inside cabins as we prefer to spend our money on other things rather than on a cabin where we spend little time. Sorry if you felt I singled out Cunard In all honest wasn't aware that several other lines had exclusive areas. I was aware you could book places like the "Retreat" although at £20 per head per person I'll pass on that thanks.

I would say in the main, yes. Although who knows what the future holds for P&O. Obviously they like many cruise lines will be more interested in new clients/passengers of younger years than an old fart like me and I must admit I love cruising but I do budget when onboard. For instance we take out the Ultimate Package which includes A facial or massage, 2 x specialist restaurant bookings, champagne flutes, formal photo's in a frame ( although don't know whether this will be available), Breakfast in cabin with 1/2 bottle of champagne and P&O dressing gown and slippers (Whoopee do). We also don't book many excursions as many places we have visited before or like when in New York we took a cab down the the Hudson and got a ferry across to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and then back and another cab to Macy's and it still cost 50% less than if we had done a P&O excursion and we weren't limited to time either. But then cruise lines are after passengers who like getting a few down their necks and to heck with the expense.

I really think it's an age thing and what you are looking for in a cruise. I'm not saying because anyone is of an older generation doesn't want to trip the light fantastic, but many are looking for other things. For instance we, that's me and the wife want relaxation, entertainment, drinks, eats, a bit of sightseeing, some shopping. Taking in local dining and culture. Do I won't zip lines, climbing walls, dodgems, ice rinks, flumes ? No. But I fully understand there are those that do, especially families with children. There being two reasons why we take cruises early or late in the year. Firstly neither of us have any desire to roast ourselves on a sunbed and secondly because there is less likelihood of the ship being overrun with children. We have both brought our kids up and have Grandchildren who we love, but we don't want them 24/7.

Think I'll try a rub down with a Granny then.

Seems totally absurd to me that an interconnecting cabin in not afforded the same facilities, besides who in their right minds expect children to dine in a different place to their parents. Reminds you of the Titanic where you had steerage class passengers and from what I am led to believe Cunard ships still have areas where depending on what class cabin you have will allow you to have access or not to certain areas.

The towels or the Grannies ?

I don't pay via auto pay as I personally prefer to phone P&O and make the payment. It to me has also the advantage of sorting out a few questions before the phone call and then asking them at the same time as payment. Normally if P&O have your email address they contact you with a payment reminder several days before the payment is due anyway.

Do I want the ships to be 20-40% bigger ? Er no. I want them 20-40% smaller. But then I'd probably have to depart to another probably more expensive cruise line. I often watch programs about Titanic and although by current standards her tonnage was relatively small, about 53,000 tonnes, correct me if I'm wrong. When even ships like Oriana and the still in service Aurora are 70,000 tonnes plus. I just hope we are not in another mad race to who can get to 250,000 tonnes or more.

I recently purchased 100 Carnival shares. Apparently you have to show proof of ownership at least six weeks prior to a cruise. I bought the shares through Hargreaves Lansdown and they have said they will confirm Carnival (P&O) before I cruise. It is annoying, but then how do they know without proof that you still have the shares as I had 100 some time ago made a couple of hundred on them (Could have been £500, but the wife put me off selling) and as I say have recently purchased 100 as i have a couple of cruises next year and it will be £300 onboard for an outlay of £700 and I will still have the shares and hopefully more OBC. Good luck anyway.

Reading through the various replies to this topic my opinion for what it's worth is that those that don't cruise probably still won't cruise. Those that do cruise may over the next year or so have a very good choice as to where and with whom they travel. Me and the wife have done 17 cruises, 16 of them with P&O. Are they the best ? possibly not and my concern for the future is as a cruise line in which direction they are heading. We have seen a distinct lowering of the level of service since we started cruising in 2002. Staff in the main are polite and do their best. Our cruises have encompass many Countries from the US to Egypt, the Ukraine to Istanbul and although many thousands of pounds later when I could have had a better car or a bigger house or now a bungalow if it wasn't for the reasonable prices P&O charge for their cruises I doubt whether we would have been to a quarter of the places and met the very good crew and fellow passengers we have. As far as Iona and Arvia are concerned I hope to try both. I loved Oriana and although she's in her 20's now Aurora. I know the theme is for bigger and bigger but I'd still like to see a couple of ships join the P&O fleet of a similar size to Oriana and Aurora.

Well not being the fittest I flagged after a couple of circuits of the deck so from my point of view they are all flag ships. Good job there's a nice sunbed or cabin to have a snooze in the afternoon but I tend to make that noise like a pig and wake myself up.

Would imagine that it will be as with other flagships they grab the best staff from other ships. May be a bit more difficult as it appears from fellow shipmates on this forum that on most cruises at present some amenities aren't available because of lack of staff. It won't really pay for P&O to nick staff from other ships making them even more understaffed as the revues they receive aren't going to be pleasant reading as after all whichever ship you are sailing on you deserve the same level of service.

Great review. Thanks. We, that's me and the wife sailed on Ventura some years ago and although my slight preference is Azura as I wasn't keen on watching footie whilst trying to see through people stopping in the thoroughfare that ran through the sports lounge. Not sure if it's changed since then ? Perhaps a recent traveller could fill me in. We are due on Ventura early part of next year and can't wait as we last sailed in September 2018. I don't say I am scared to try other cruise lines as out of 17 cruises 16 have been with P&O it's just that from what I have deduced Cunard are too stuffy, Carnival and Virgin too razzamatazz, Saga too expensive, although we are considering trying them, Princess we tried and whilst entertainment excellent and the food was good unfortunately loads of fish on the menu so wife ended up with steak every night and she doesn't like baked Alaska with runny meringue. Not sure about Ambassador cruises, ships are pretty old and some of the other lines don't sail from Southampton and seeing as the wife can't fly it rules a few out.

Tried that but apparently they don't understand Morse code on ships nowadays.

Water ?

We loved Oriana and sailed on her on her last season. I have been on most of P&O ships except Arcadia and Iona. We are due to sail on Ventura and Iona next year. That will be our first cruise since 2018 as we have had one on Ventura cancelled in 2021 due to Covid and one which we cancelled due to an itinerary change in February this year which was due to call in at New Orleans, Key West, Miami and Port Canaveral but these were all dispensed with and another stop in the Azores and another Caribbean island put in place. I also understand from another writer on this forum that one or other of Belize or Roatan was also missed therefore rather more sea days than we liked. P&O did however give the option of a pretty good increase in OBC or total refund or to transfer to another cruise which is what we did.

Sorry, not meaning to say you are old. We didn't start cruising until 2002 and it was Portunas then and the way P.O.S.H. Club was spoken about by those in that club sounded like it was quite a few years earlier. Besides I am nearly 72 and sometimes feel it and sometimes don't. It was said, but some dispute this that P.O.S.H. meant Port Out Starboard Home ? Obviously the current Peninsular Club name comes from Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company or P&O as we now know it.

Our second cruise was on Sea Princess which funnily enough took the name of our first cruise ship Victoria formerly being Sea Princess. Before that it was the Kungsholm and after P&O sold it the Mona Lisa. It would have been around 2003 we sailed on the Sea Princess and I'm pretty sure you got half the number of points towards what was the Portunas Club, now the Peninsular Club as part of the Carnival group. More regular older sailors would remember the P.O.S.H. Club but this was before we started sailing.

She only on loan, you never Ona.

Never fancied a Virgin cruise. They don't go all the way.

P&O IT system as follows She Her It To be confirmed ?

Oh dear. I hope some of these thing are going to return as interaction with the crew, Steward, Bar staff and Officers was always part and parcel of a good cruise. Will miss the chocolates, not because they were so good but we saved them and took them home to the Grandchildren. The first cruise we went on with P&O was on the Victoria, a small but lovely traditional style ship rather than the block of flats ships that are built today. We went to the Canary Islands and Madeira and as we sailed into port we had a running commentary by a fella by the name of David who did a super job. I do believe that not only is the itinerary important but also those you sit with at dinner. Cruises are the whole package, itinerary, food, drink, fellow passengers, crew, ship entertainment. In order to make the holiday one to remember you need, in my humble opinion, all these to align. It's a bit like a cake, leave two of three ingredients out and you end up with something bland and inedible.