Yorkypete

Just now, terrierjohn said:

DID you not read Moleys post, capacity is measured against lower berths  so any 3 or 4 berth cabins that are full will push the number of passengers beyond 100% capacity.

 

 

 

The old maxim..100% is a maximum..full. This must linclude any cabins berths etc. it does not matter what they are. If one berth is available then they are not 100% full. They cannot ever be 103% full as that is overloaded.

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Who is overbooking? I don’t believe that’s happening in the U.K.

 

if you’re talking about selling cruises to 103% of capacity then that’s a different thing.

!00% is full. If they sell to 103% then they are overbooking by 3% are they not?

14 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

I go into town a couple of times a month, never visit bank branch as no need to as I have been banking online for the last 10+ years, why would I need to visit?

 

My wife’s bank has no physical branches, so none to visit. 

14 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

I go into town a couple of times a month, never visit bank branch as no need to as I have been banking online for the last 10+ years, why would I need to visit?

 

My wife’s bank has no physical branches, so none to visit. 

So how would you pay cash into your account?We have one branch where we could do it…six miles away in a town centre with no parking. Where we are in a small town in the USA there are 3 banks!

Brilliant here. Fifth day of 90* plus….but we are at the virtual centre of the USA! Food fantastic, accommodation great and just relaxing. No stress.

1 hour ago, Cloudyrain said:

 It is a select price. We don’t really drink much, so AI is not really an issue. Plus we have a selection of entertainment and childcare facilities. The drive including the petrol and parking is about £100, which admittedly is double the cost of a taxi to and from the airport, but we would also spend on food for 3 in the airport and on the plane and have to contend with a flight at often awkward times and deal with airports/airplanes (yuck). 
 

plus our price is for 3, not 2; and AI in a 4* hotel is no way comparable to the options on a cruise. 

If that was a select price let me know which ship as I would book it possibly! My taxi (ie shuttles) are private and all in my pricing. No bad flight times (10am out, 1.30 return) We have entertainment each evening and childcare in the hotel ( plus free keep fit classes). We would not need food in the airport and just a drink for the 3 hour flight (2 hrs less than our travel time to Southampton). Much more amenable.

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Sounds like Malta is Marmite then! Only went once in 1983 so no idea personally. Had hoped maybe a cruise calling there one day, who knows!

Unfortunately for one day you would not even see 1% of the historic sites and what the country has to offer.

4 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Last did hotel holiday in Malta in 2008. So dirty and run down. Maybe cleaned it up a bit by now with EU money. 

So are many of the Spanish resorts  Gibralter is worse than most.

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

We take our holidays about a third cruises. About a third flyaway, about a third uk and the rest avoiding Malta.

4 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

Only so much of Malta you can take better to be visited by ship.

Obviously no culture vultures here then. Malta has more history than any place visited by cruise ships (except Valletta of course).

6 hours ago, kalos said:

 So really like for like your hotel view looking out to sea is boring ??

 

May I suggest a holiday in Switzerland they also have nice 4* hotels 🙂

Have been there. Lovely.  My sea view is not boring. I was told it was repetative and I said I found looking at sea all day boring, if my view was deemed as such.

6 hours ago, Landon90 said:

I’ve quoted prices and backed them up with links and dates. You’ve quoted prices with absolutely nothing to support them. 
 

Much prefer a lovely well priced cruise ship stopping at multiple ports, great entertainment, food and fun, with no airports and flying to deal with, than an overpriced stay at repetitive Maltas Mysterious Hotel.

I realise you need everything doing for you but instead of calling it Malta Mysterious Hotel, try looking them up...Phonecia, San Antonio, Dilmen, Qawra Palace just to name a few.. I have quoted prices which you can check . I resent the implication that I am making them up just because you have been proven wrong with your prices. Goodbye.

3 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

It’s such a shame you’ve got such a hate for a company that you’ll throw out all these prices for random holidays supposedly with the same daily entertainment without providing dates locations hotel name etc (unlike myself). Enjoy your expensive repetitive mysterious holiday in Malta. 
 

For those looking for some great deals, stopping at various locations for you to explore, great entertainment with comedians and singers (and the odd celebrity), great food and lots to do, I highly recommend a P&O cruise. 🙂

Sorry, but finally, to quote a price shows a hate for P&O..where does that come from. I could reverse the statement. You love P&O so much that nothing can compare to a floating resort .(with repetative ports most of which I have already explored) . Bye.

48 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

Loving this morning's entertainment Pete , trying to keep up here !

 

A quick question .. Can you just remind us of how many cruises you had to take before 

you realised the cruises you paid for were boring ?

Also do you think the same could happen to this hidden gem that's in Malta ?🤔

 With respect I did not say the cruises were boring. I was replying to a post which said hotel seaviews were repetative...just as views on sea days are repetative. I have not counted the number of cruises taken but have been on many lines, fav ship being the Indy. Cruises must number in their 30s. In Malta there is so much to do and the culture and history are never boring. Sea trips, trips to Sicily etc are entertaining.  My only point is that quoting like for like then the land based holiday for a fortnight is cheaper than a cruise of similar length. I am glad you are 'entertained'.

41 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

It’s not cheaper than a cruise is it, we’ve already covered this and I’ve provided links but you continue to add on extras like ‘select’. 
 

For someone who doesn’t drink much (like myself) and isn’t bothered where their balcony is on the ship, a cruise is cheaper. I do not choose select and do not need it. 
 

How about sharing with us some links of this mysterious hotel you love so much?

 

At least with a cruise you can experience different locations, something new, unlike your expensive and repetitive Malta holiday that costs more than a P&O cruise. 

As you well know I have compared like for like which you do not. My Malta holidays have never cost more than cruises and never will if you include everything. The hotel is not mysterious as I named it many moons ago. I have not added on 'extras' like you say...just compared it fairly. If I exclude all the  so called extras the cost comes down to around £1500.  I cannot continue this with someone who cannot admit that many land holidays are much cheaper than cruises . Thank you for the interesting points you make, though incorrect.

6 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

Same view everyday, repetitive, you have to fly, more expensive than a cruise. No thanks. 

Cheaper than a cruise if you include select etc. Same view on a ship on sea days...sea, water, sea, water. Boring.How many cruises are just over £2000 for everything? None for 2 weeks for two people.

9 hours ago, Cloudyrain said:

Lanzarote, 4* Full Board hotel: £2000

 

7 nights Iona in a balcony on the Fjords: £1700 (plus £240 OBC, so effectively £1460).

 

No comparison.

 

Although I’m one of the rare bread who cruised P&O 10 years ago and vowed never to return, and actually one trip just pre-Covid, and a couple post-Covid,  they have won me around to the point that we will have done 4 in just over 12 months because of how much better they are now than then.

 

For us everything has improved about P&O over that time. I’m not a cheerleader, I still think the buffet is the worst at sea and the hot tubs should be renamed cold-tubs, but it makes up such a small part of the overall holiday that it doesn’t really matter. 

 

 

Malta, 4* all inclusive, sea view large balcony, all transfers and entertainment inc flights for two weeks £2,200....no comparison. I'll bet your Iona balcony does not include select fare and drinks plus all costs getting there inc private transport!

25 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Sorry for delay guys

 

Anyway here's a summary (more detail and photos to come)

 

I was unfair in advance to Angela Hartnett. We went for lunch to Hartnett and Holder at Limewood in Lyndhurst before boarding our cruise in Southampton. I predicted it would be good not great. It was great. Way better than Rick Steins dinner the night before which itself was good.

 

Stunning place. Superb lunch and cocktails. But very expensive. Lunch cocktails and one glass of wine came to 250 pounds for 2!!!

 

You could spend the night there but seriously expensive rooms. Albeit totally idyllic and very special place.

 

But anyone looking for a special meal before boarding the cruise Its an amazing place in The New Forest. 

 

We then drove to West quay Premier inn multi storey as someone on here recommended. No pre booking parked easily. 5 pounds per night there.

 

3 mins taxi from there to the terminal. We decided to walk as we were going to be early and we like walking. The cases have wheels.

Took us 20 minutes to walk it. 

 

Handed the cases in. Joined the early queue at 3.30pm (we were due at 4pm). There wasn't any other queue we could see. 

 

Took us 30 mins to check in and be on the ship in a constantly moving queue. 25 staff on the actual check in desks. About 8 security belts I would say. Smooth and easy. 

 

On the ship went to muster we literally passed it on way to room as its the atrium for us. 

 

In the room first thing I did was book 710 Club!!!

 

What do we say on here - forewarned is forearmed!!

 

Lol

 

I was expecting1 it to be full based on previous experience and being a late boarder  but I've bagged 3 nights at 7pm. So that's a pleasant surprise. Could have had 4 but already had epicurean booked that other night for 6pm.

 

I'm a fast eater but not that fast!!!! Lol

 

Gareth Gates is Limelight all week. All fully booked before I got on. But last  night was Ray Quinn and I've heard good stuff about him being great entertainer as well as singer so booked that. Being honest we prefer the sound of him to Gareth. No disrespect Gareth.

 

Highlight yesterday was going to Bodies (which ive never done before) but I had to because my team who I have season tickets before were playing for survival v Arsenal live at 5.30pm

 

What a start to the holiday - we shocked the world and beat Arsenal and I'm watching Premier League next season. I will be on a high all week now.

 

After that we went to Headliners at 8.30pm

 

 We arrived at 8.21pm. Girl was checking people in.

 

1 guy in front of us when we arrived  without a booking. She told him you will need to use the app from now on but I can get you in now.

 

So he was happy we checked in. Plenty of seats despite this being the 8.30pm show and the first show that night due to boarding. 

 

I've taken pics of the lack of queues and the amount of seats still available at 8.21pm. No prob with queues for that. I'm mad we went 9 mins early!! Lol

 

Will go later in future!!

 

After that rushed to the buffet before it closed at 9.30pm. (We were still full from lunch earlier on)

 

Had really good lamb shoulder roast with mash and green beans. No other veg there. But what I had was really nice and just what I needed.

 

Then had 2 sticky puddings!

 

No problems with queues at all or getting seats

 

Can't remember what the wife had. Crab fish cakes I think?

 

As we left we passed creme brulees -which I love but hadn't seen before and never seen on Arvia either

 

And realised we were passing the late buffet!

 

Small area so more busy than buffet but still no queues and no problem for tables. 

 

I thought I'm not  sure this brulee can be good?

 

But tried one and was so good I took another back to the room. Better than Rick Steins the other night

 

Got to rush. Celebrating tonight. We are  going smart casual to the buffet and then to the cinema tonight

 

Did 2 great talks today. More details later and pics

 

Speak soon guys!

 

So far so good and so far no queues.

 

And the room isn't noisy. So all very good so far on Iona!!  

 

I've got some good tips though for others to come soon!!!

 

 

 

 

 

Glad everything is 100% perfect. Wish I could afford that amount for a meal. We spend that every fortnight! on food.

It would seem that P&O are getting worse.. Am I being negative? Yes because in recent posts about problems there is little positive.

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I hope Leeds encounter the real West Ham today, the one that made last season one of their best ever. As an HTFC fan I want to be playing against Leeds next season.

Being contraversial (again) football is played by kids who complain if anyone touches them and fall over when anyone is near them. I would call it a little girls game.

43 minutes ago, DS_Dean said:

P&O is changing and heading more down market I think, particularly in terms of service.

A bit more Ryan Air "take it or leave it" kind of customer experience. Like with noisy cabins and generally useless organisation of shuttles, queues on board and barely functional app.  I think P&O know about these things but they don't really have the committment to sort them out as that's not really where the brand is positioned.

 

But the price reflects this to an extent. Cost per night is so much better than hotel holidays and the entertainment and food is mostly really good.

 

On the point of the app, we know Princess have a much better system with medallion and yet despite that being already available Carnival UK put out this crap app for P&O UK.

I think I saw somewhere this is being reversed though and hopefully p&o will get the Princess system soon.

Hotel holidays abroad, like for like, are  cheaper than  cruise cabins especially if you have chosen select cabins with balcony and a drinks package! Our usual 4* hotel includes air fare, sea view. drinks, great food and private transfers for £2,200 for 14 nights and guaranteed good weather (with plenty to do + entertainment and a casino within a couple of hundred yards.) Unbeatable.

3 hours ago, kalos said:

Yes it does seem to be a nice evening ,very pleasant .

For those of you, who love rugby .....

A rugby player turns up at A&E with a dislocated shoulder in right pain .

A doctor and a couple of burly nurses are trying to wrestle it back into place and

the rugby player is yelling, letting them know how uncomfortable the entire procedure is.in

no uncertain terms .

After a while a passing matron walking by leans in and says "Really, sir, calm down now

There's a young lady having a baby just down the corridor and she's not making as much fuss as this."

"Well, try pushing it back in again and see what she says then yells the rugby player  ".🤣🤣

 

Have a lovely evening everyone 🙂

 

Nice one. Another: the difference between a rugby player and a footballer: A footballer spends 80mins pretending he is injured... a rugby player spends 80mins pretending he isn't! I once played 30 mins with a fractured collarbone. A Hull player recently had a dislocated shoulder put back in and played on. A real professional.

17 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

That's pretty standard practice though with the coaches.  I've spoken to a lot here who went to the Mayflower to wait as their coaches had staggered timed. With the two big ships the

1 1/2 hour window to check the coach passengers in is tight according the guy who assisted me last week.  Ours was a good day, every coach and person were on time and we finished boarding 20 minutes early apparently. He told me a bad day is when traffic problems break up the staggering and then everything is impacted which is why the coaches aim for 60-90 minutes before their time.

Things must be changing as before(last year) we arrived by coach and went straight  into the terminal.  We had one stop on the way and the driver said we were on time each of the three trips we made. We were unaware of any set timing window. It must be getting busier or the system is breaking down

Going on Iona in March we also had a queue...about 1hr before reaching the desks . Before that our coach was sent to another terminal and held in a large hanger with about 15 other coaches. We had no information and were there about 45 mins before allowed to the terminal. Only explanation we were given was that it was'busy' with over 25 coaches due!

Sitting out and lovely warm weather. Been shopping for holiday stuff, watched Leeds get beaten by Wigan and out for dinner shortly (local inn).Nice day.

3 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

Gastroenteritis onboard. It has been a problem for a little while I believe, it has been mentioned in many comments and reviews. 

Probably if Villefranche new of the problem they refused the boat berthing. It is norovirus rather than gastroenteritis.

2 hours ago, Splice the mainbrace said:

When did this take place? I didn’t think that people tested for covid now. 

September last year.