Host Sharon

37 minutes ago, Denarius said:

I found it most curious given that elsewhere I have read it suggested that the new ships were taking custom from P&O and Cunard. Only thing I can think of is that people who started cruising with Saga when they bought their first ships have continued sailing with them into older age and in doing so have pushed up the average. It is I think also true that Winter cruises tend to attract an older age group than Summer ones; see my earlier post. The average age on my Baltic cruise in August was probably 10 years younger than on my Canary Islands one in March.

As regards entertainment, my experience so far has not been a surfeit of music from the 50s and 60s but a preponderence of show tunes and classical music to the detriment of pop and rock of all eras. But maybe that is what middle England likes and I am in a minority in preferring more of the latter.

I'm not sure that is true about those who cruised on the old Saga ships pushing up the average age. The one moan I continually hear from that cohort on forums etc is that the new ships are too big and too expensive now all cabins are balcony ones.

On 2/26/2023 at 10:04 AM, Windsurfboy said:

There's a wide range on Saga.  On our Eastern Mediterranean which was the cancelled black sea cruise replacement . Only 500 passengers,  still had 25 entrants into charity 10k run for Ukraine. Didn't feel anything like OAP home. Everybody talked to one another. 

 

Food,  service, top quality. 

I was on same cruise. If people are worried about everyone being aged and immobile, Saga will soon carry a fleet of electric bicycles for you to borrow.

On 2/7/2023 at 10:25 AM, Harry Peterson said:

Thanks. I was wondering about that. We always had an aft suite with P&O, mainly for the extra space and breakfasts in the Epicurean, but suites with Saga look extraordinarily expensive, presumably because there are fewer of them.

 

I’m not at all sure we’d be prepared to spend that much, but a regular balcony might well do with Saga. Included dining options look rather better, and the other included extras would be good, but the overall ambience, I’m advised by friends, is much better. 

A  good compromise would be a deluxe cabin. Slightly larger cabin, bigger balcony and walk-in wardrobe. Probably equal to a P&O mini-suite.

Works for me. Maybe your phone. 

Please keep this thread to food & dining etc. Dress code has its own thread. Thanks. 

On 2/22/2023 at 2:31 PM, Bill Y said:

Interesting, this sounds alarmist, but what does it actually mean?

 

Is it just a lighter less polluting but more expensive fuel oil that must be used as in the North Sea and the Fjords?  Even oil burning cruise ships are allowed in Antarctica’s waters. I did not know until mentioned by Moley that P&O’s much trumpeted LPG ships could run on oil. They kept that quiet.

 

https://www.gard.no/web/updates/content/29212584/regional-sulphur-emission-limits-at-a-glance

Ships are not allowed to burn heavy fuel oil in Antarctica. When I went there with HAL, Zaandam had dual fuel tanks and had to switch to a lighter oil for the five or so days we were in Antarctic waters. There is also a limit on pax numbers.

19 hours ago, happy v said:

You are right. I have just re read it, and it does only apply to travel companies. Thanks I thought it was everything 

I  was just about to ask where you read that about restaurants. Thought I was going mad!!

On 2/16/2023 at 1:18 PM, Valfan said:

Was it easy to find possible travel insurance companies/policies for a world cruise? I've noticed, when searching for cover for sort of "ordinary" length cruises, that they cover mainly 30-31 days, and I think one company mentioned 45 or so. But none went up to anything like 99 nights.  Thanks

It took some time but I found at least three companies. You have to phone, don't try online. Then you pruchase 'extensions' of cover. Staysure & Insure&Go were two I can remember.

14 minutes ago, cruiseruth49 said:

I have two more random questions.

 

1.If only one of us has the paid for internet can we still phone and text each other using the ships free internet?

 

2. We only drink water, is this readily available from free machines around the ship? What about in restaurants, can we ask for a glass of water without being charged or would we have to buy bottled water? Does anyone know if the water from machines taste okay, I remember years ago on cruises it didn't taste nice.

 

Thanks

 

 

 

There is no free ship's internet so no, you cannot phone each other but you can share internet so could use Messenger, but it will cost.

All still water is free. Fill up a water bottle in your cabin, or around the ship. Ship's water tastes better chilled, so I fill a bottle in the evening and leave it in the cabin fridge overnight.

I had 4001 on one cruise and it was horrendous on one night. The corridor past these cabins lead to a crew area and there was a party into the very small hours. I don't mind the party per se but the constant letting the door slam and the noise through it when opened drove me mad. Otherwise, the cabin was great.

I know the Bay has this reputation but seriously, in nearly 50 crossings I have had maybe 3-4 that were rough, and even then I have had it worse in the Med. You truly cannot compare a 30 ft yacht with Arvia. If you are concerned book a cabin central in the ship and low down. 

You would do bettr to post this in the P&O UK forum I think. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/22-po-cruises-uk/

When I was looking for cover for a 3 month world cruise, I found quotes for the same cover and declared medical conditions varied by up to £1000.

Since luggage is unrestricted - one solution might be to take your own folding lounger 🙂

It was a perfectly legitimate question. I live near Bristol and always now get a taxi to Southampton. There is no way I could cope with cruise luggage on my own on the train, especially since assistance is unreliable, and can no longer drive longer distances. Had it been a different date I would have accepted.

I would suggest Longstrider posts this on the roll call for the cruise however.

2 hours ago, Bagpuss said:

Thank you very much. Do you know if children can wear shorts/trainers in the restaurant?

From the P&O website - 

Children are of course welcome in all of our restaurants, but we also offer a special children’s tea every night featuring all the food that children will enjoy (for babies we offer a selection of baby food on request). We offer a range of healthy options, including fresh fruit and vegetarian dishes. These are all served in our informal buffet restaurants so children can be casually dressed whenever they eat there. If children are going to be with you in the evening in the more formal restaurants and theatre, then our Evening Casual dress code applies, although denim isn’t allowed on our Black Tie evenings. We do ensure some of the bars and public rooms on board are exclusive to adults.

If anyone wishes to refresh themselves on the guidelines they signed up to when joining Cruise Critic they can be read here https://boards.cruisecritic.com/guidelines/

Afternoon tea is back in the MDR. 

On 1/26/2023 at 11:11 AM, zap99 said:

Plenty of restaurants have QR codes on the table instead of menu's. I prefer that to some sticky old piece of card. 

Indeed they do, and had my friend been on her own in Riga recently they would have lost business as she doesn't have a reader app. Luckily we were together at that point so I had to tell her what was on offer. It's all very well appealing to Generation X and  or whatever it is, as long as you realise you may lose others at the other end of the demographic.

In 2011, on Oceana, I did a 28 night cruise which included 2 days in Haifa. I managed to see Jerusalem, Galilee, Capernum, Nazareth, Bethlehem and Yardenit on the R. Jordan, all in those two days. We also had lunch in a kibbutz. The cruise included Kusadasi but didn't get up to Istanbul. 

On 9/11/2022 at 12:50 PM, Gettingwarmer said:

What ship were you on that berthed at Syracuse? I don’t think it can take large ships. When we were on Celebrity Constellation we were due to stop at Catania but there was no room so we went to Syracuse but we had to tender. The steps at the dockside were  very difficult. 

Spirit of Adventure. It seems quite a long dockside, although not sure of depth. I would think Aurora or Arcadia could berth. Photo is view from ship. 

23 hours ago, tring said:

 

Regards my relatives in Canada, I seem to remember them saying they had worldwide medical cover from their "normal" health insurance connected with my brorher's former employers (he was an academic in. Canadian University), though I understand he has a particularly good health insurance policy.  They have relied in that for travel abroad, though am not sure they ever bothered with cancellation insurance.

 

I  am wondering if your standard healthcare insurance may be of some use and also be taken as part of the requirement by P&O.  Perhaps worth looking closely at your policy and asking P&O about that. 

 

It certainly sounds like a problem, though insurance does become a problem for UK nationals as they get older, depending upon specific health conditions they may develop.  Cost of insurance can at times equal the cost of the holiday, or perhaps exceed it, so can become a limiting factor on travel.

 

 

 

But would that cover helicopter evacuation if required?  Surely there must be some US insurance companies that provide travel insurance that meets the P&O requirements. Most, if not all, UK ones do.

You have never needed to book any lunchtime eating venue.

Sounds like the old Mr & Mrs on TV. 

https://travelweekly.co.uk/news/tourism/interactive-gameshow-to-launch-on-new-po-cruises-ship

2 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

The speciality restaurants offer a confirmed booking at a set time, the app doesn't.  The two new ships are only just beginning to sail at full capacity after the pandemic cut it. P&O are therefore beginners in handling this unlike say RC who've had this 6,000 plus passenger ships sailing for years now.  It's interesting no other line appears to be going all freedom on ships of this size. There are a few of this class around the world now but it seems only these two are having problems in this area.

When I travelled on Harmony and Anthem they had, what they called, dynamic dining. It was an absolute nightmare and I lost the will to live trying to book dining venues at home. Two main problems - I was travelling with a friend who lives 100 miles away but only one passenger could log in at a time. The second issue was trying to line up times for dining with times for entertainment so they didn't clash. In the end we had to change all our pre-booked dining times if we wanted to see the big shows. It was soon abandoned.