Red Leicester

The 15 drink limit a day is one not to exceed not necessarily go out and achieve. It's about what you get from the package and whether it's worth it for you. Mrs RL and me have done Pepsi cards (RIP 😭), pay as you go and a non-alcholic drinks package on our last cruise in September. We didn't keep track other than at a high level to see if it was worth doing again. On average we think we hit the £20 per day at 4 x Pepsi, Hot Choc, couple of mocktails. £20 hit and only half of our 15 drink limit. If I took Mother RL on a cruise she wouldn't have a drinks package and would pay as she went as she's a straight tea drinker. The odd J2O would be purchased with credit. Would we do it again? Yes. It was less hassle for us and we enjoyed spending the on board credit on other things instead and on the alcoholic drinks we had. We broke even. We concluded non-alcohol package suits our needs and pay as you go on alcohol. We can also save up and pay the drinks package up front over the preceding months and it's one less thing to worry about, that's another key thing for us.

I'm super jealous over this one having been on Britannia recently. Beats work in Milton Keynes today... Is it full passenger wise? Sorry if already mentioned.

I agree, what I was hinting at rather badly in a previous post. "Business casual" dress code in my office is taken as being shirt and tie, shirt, chinos, trainers, t-shirt... I'm all for a mix, those that want to do formal can with A, B and C venues being formal. X, Y and Z are informal and L, M and N are mixed formal and non-formal. My suggestion of having front of ship formal and back of the ship informal have fallen down until I become a ship designer.

I respect the dress code for the area of the ship I am in, except where I have to pass through quickly. I wouldn't dream of entering the Crows Nest on formal night in non-formal. As I choose to do non-formal I accept my movements are restricted. Being pedantic, and I'm no lawyer and health & safety expert... Smoking on the other hand is a) probably illegal inside and would be stamped on very quickly; b) a safety risk; and c) can affect someone's health. Me wearing jeans on formal night in the Crows Nest is neither. But I still wouldn't do the latter and yes I should be told to leave. I have regularly seen people turned away from onboard venues for being in the wrong attire. We had a discussion about whether drinking a non-alcoholic bottle of beer was allowed at my desk at work where alcohol is banned. Another pushing the boundaries but we concluded that was a perception thing too.

It's also formal making comments about those wanting non-formal, and the looks given on formal night. It has to work both ways. We are moving towards 50/50, albeit very very very slowly. It'll take a generation or two to shift. In my office you get those who wear suit and tie, those in business casual (from what I can gather this means no jacket nor ties) and those that tread the fine line. Officially we're business casual and that's what I adopt. There are those that get wound up about lack of ties and put in the odd dig and moan. As I've said before does a tie make me work any harder? Does it improve the quality of my work or output? No. As I was once told, don't sweat the small stuff. Likewise I couldn't care less what people are wearing, we're all on holiday, we all enjoy it differently and get our kicks and relaxation in different ways. I get some of my kicks from riding the various shuttle buses whereas some people see them as a means to a destination. I don't look down on people for dressing up and don't expect to be looked down on for dressing down. The person next to you in the lift in their dinner jacket could be your next best friend just as much as the person next to you in (dark) jeans and polo could be. If you see someone photting the shuttle bus it's probably me.

If you don't like flying then a cruise ships is a good choice. I've done four cruises to Europe and not yet visited the same port twice... yet. Won't be long. I do fly but Mrs RL is less keen for example. Flying also creates more stress for some in terms of airports, waiting etc.

Certainly a shop sold iPads and that when I was aboard last year. I don't think you will struggle. Britannia had nowhere that sold electricals of that sort which was bitter sweet for me, nowhere to browse but saved £££. Watch out for clothing that was more expensive in larger sizes, I found that and don't agree. Naturally I'm XL and found that same were more expensive than their S, M and L.

The grabbing a table and then heading to the buffet one by one may well explain why the buffet is busy, this was spoken about in another thread about the Fjords. Granted finding a table for four plus may be tricky if everyone bags a table before grabbing food but I reckon you'd be at the table longer going up one by one which adds to the problem. Enjoy your cruise JG&Lcruisingnewbies, I wouldn't worry about the crowds too much. If you go on thinking it will be bad then it probably will be. If you go on in a positive "we got this" mindset then you'll love it.

How is booking for several nights in advance fair for all? I'd be livid if people are booking five or six nights in advance and then only putting in an appearance for one.

Please do let us know the outcome.

My view on anything is if you don't ask you don't get.

I do have a bugbear with things being pre-booked way ahead of the cruise meaning some don't even get a look in. Even more annoying when people book and don't turn up. I did 14 nights on Iona plus one extra for Storm Arwyn and it was that last day we managed to book the Olive Grove as we weren't expected to be on. Fully booked bar that. Best meal on board though in my opinion, though I'm no foodie. Yet walk up to any pre-booked venue on the night and they can maybe slot you in due to no-shows. I agree with the put your deposit down and be prepared to lose it if you no-show*. This isn't cruise specific either, had similar things at Center Parcs when things sell out, excursions if you book you holiday relatively late, could argue the bookers fault for leaving it late, Tesco slots for Christmas Eve (never had one) and any form of Xbox One X / Playstation 5. * - obvious exceptions for emergencies etc etc

I do agree that around 98% of all people I meet are indeed lovely. It's the 2% that cause you 99% of your grief, if you choose to take it as grief. Water off a ducks back to me, wearing specs in an early 90s Nottingham comprehensive sorted that one and I just leave people to their chuntering! I would say 98% / 2% is similar to life in general. I don't smoke though so can't join in with the gossip!

If it helps then certainly the balcony next to mine on C-deck has their barrier open to the one further along to double the balcony size on the Baltic B222 cruise a couple of weeks back. No idea why, never saw them out there. But the barrier was defo open for sure.

On our recent cruise to Copenhagen I really wanted to get the train over the Oresund bridge to Malmo. I had an afternoon to do it but we just docked that little bit too far out with half hour bus shuttle and I'd also read about passport checks etc on the train itself. I also considered the risk of delays, train failures, signal failures, fatalities etc and decided against it. When I ventured out in the afternoon I didn't take my passport so I didn't feel tempted. I poked my head into the station and a look at the departure boards showed some cancellations. Would I have been okay? We'll never know! I do know had anything gone wrong I'd had got a lot of grief. Had we done an overnight stay in port I'd have been over it. Risk vs reward. The risk for this was just too much. The reward? The bridge isn't going anywhere and I've been told I can go back on my own to do it.

Seen many in the buffet in black tie and the Beach House. No issues observed from formal / non formal parties.

I know how these sorts of forums work. I used to post on another to do with railways and that's the same. People asked questions, I posted fact, got told it was wrong by eight people who then fought with themselves. I never answered. Had they asked how I knew it was as I'd actually done the work they were asking about. I gave up posting. Unfortunately some of us are new to cruising and new to this forum, there will always be new people and always asking some of the same questions and some may have new opinions or thoughts. Dress code is an interesting one as it doesn't bother me but seems to really get to some people. What I wear doesn't change what my food, drink or holiday is like but does with others and I'm curious as to why.

Not debating, discussing! I am genuinely interested. We are all different and individual. And I haven't assumed anything about age of anyone on here, nor how many cruises etc.

I'm no cruise ship designer. I've done Oriana, Arcadia, Iona and Britannia. Many reasons I pick P&O. It suits my needs, expectations and has holidays to places I want to tick off. Fellow passengers (in the main) are my kind of people and I can keep myself to myself. And I can wear what I want.

New designs! You get my point though I hope.

A fairer compromise would be to have at least one eating and drinking venue that is black tie and one that isn't. Front of the ship black tie, back of the ship isn't that sort of thing. No mans land in the middle where those who want to mix can. Those who don't like to see non-formal can avoid non-formal areas.

I can live with the steward invading my room just once in the day and fresh towels as and when.

I still don't understand turndown!

I think as soon as you have to pack something for just once it becomes a what's-the-point. Why I stopped packing the suit altogether.

I wouldn't consider wine waiters and turn downs basic necessities, are they really? Similar to someone complaining there was no pillow concierge on board a non P&O ship. I don't think the latter was said in jest either. May be my upbringing but I didn't really understand what turn down gave me other than a chocolate and someone invading my cabin.