Host Sharon

On 12/23/2022 at 11:59 AM, jeanlyon said:

I noticed that Fred has got rid of the Braemar which was a lovely ship.  They now have Borealis and Bolette.

and Balmoral

Merry Christmas to you all and here's to a Happy & Healthy New Year full of cruises.

P&O are not the only line cancelling Baltic cruises as Saga have too, but in both cases it is only around half the cruises that have been cancelled so I am sure it down to over capacity. If it wasn't safe they would have cancelled all Baltic cruises. I sailed there last August, choosing the itinerary because it never did have St Petersburg on it. Have been there, I wanted to explore other ports and there are so many other wonderful ports in the Baltic to visit - Visby, Bornholm, Copenhagen, Skagen, Saaremaa, Tallinn, Riga, Helsinki, Kemi, Gothenborg, Stockholm, Gdansk and, I am sure, more. It is a beautiful part of the world. 

Arvia is exactly the same size as Iona, so not sure why people are saying she looks so huge - except that she is 🙂

Since I should have been on her right now in the warmth of the Canaries, I will not be watching from under my blanket, with hot water bottle and coffee 🙂

1 hour ago, 9265359 said:

Yes still using it. I started back in 1995 when Microsoft gave away a free copy on the free disks one of the computer magazines to promote Windows 95.

 

Now I am running the free ‘sunset’ edition they gave away before closing it down. It still works well with Windows 11.

 

There are several online applications that use the Open Banking protocol, but they are  nowhere near as good.

 

Moneydance is the closest PC software to Microsoft Money, but it is American so not perfectly compatible with the UK.

 

Because they didn’t make any money selling them!
 

They had to do regional versions to cope with differences for the various localities they were sold (e.g. ISAs for the UK) and also with the constant changes to rules and regulations, and the tiny number of people buying, then it wasn’t worth it.

Actually Quicken still exists in the US, but it's a monthly fee version which I hate. One reason I won't upgrade to MS365.   https://www.quicken.com/

16 hours ago, BrianI said:

I have been using it for around 20 years and still using it. It is an excellent program for keeping track of accounts and investments.

If anyone knows of an up to date program that does everything that Money does I would like to know.

Brian

I'm still using Quicken. I love it and would be lost without it. No idea why these programmes aren't still available.

You cannot post that cruise lines are lying without clear evidence. It is potentially libellous.

On 12/13/2022 at 7:35 PM, majortom10 said:

You cannot dock at South Queensferry you always tender in under Forth Road bridge. We have done 5 British Isles cruises with Princess and have always tendered into South Queensferry.

 

Last time there we docked at Rosyth and caught the train from Inverkeithing.

2 hours ago, Chrish2 said:

Overnight in Liverpool ... do you think they are considering embarking passengers in Liverpool?

 

It's unappealing for passengers who see Liverpool as something you can do on a day trip to instead travel all the way to Southampton just to spend two days down the road from home.

 

Itinerary of B315N for anyone curious

1	Southampton, UK	9 Jun 2023
3	Liverpool, United KingdomOvernight	11 Jun 2023	Early Morning
4	Liverpool, United Kingdom	12 Jun 2023		Early Evening
7	Greenock, United Kingdom	15 Jun 2023	Early Morning	Early Evening
10	Kirkwall, United Kingdom	18 Jun 2023	Early Morning	Early Evening
11	Invergordon, United Kingdom	19 Jun 2023	Early Morning	Early Evening
13	South Queensferry, EdinburghTender	21 Jun 2023	Early Morning	Early Evening
15	Southampton, UK	23 Jun 2023

I've really enjoyed two or three round Britain cruises but that itinerary - no way! Wonder why they are tendering at Endinburgh too? I suppose the berths are already booked.

She will probably stay there for more fitting out and storing before final trials and hand-over.

39 minutes ago, happy v said:

We are on this one. We've been to Faroe a few times and as it's very small wouldn't have had much to do there. Never been to Liverpool. It doesn't look overly exciting but I might 'ferry across the Mersey!'

I'm now saving up for the excursions as I am at £777 and 5 ports we have never visited aren't on yet. 

The HoHo bus is good. It will get you to both cathedrals, the Cavern Club and China Town. 

Hotel General Manager is a relatively recent title. They used to be Executive Pursers.

1 hour ago, carlanthony24 said:

How do you know the dates of each one? Currently booked on A326P. People have been saying they have confirmed for 2023 but no date is set. Azura only went dry dock in 2021 normally every 5 years they go. Which would make it 2026 for her next one. I feel it would make more sense to do the dry dock after this cruise since they have three days in Tenerife and could head up to Cadiz for it.

The poster works for P&O.

18 hours ago, Denarius said:

I agree with all that you write. I went there too, possibly on the same cruise (S of D?). The ship was fairly full and many of those onboard (myself included) had booked it specifically because St Petersburg was never on the itinerary. I had a great time and would like to go back in 2024.

We were indeed on the same cruise and, like you, booked for the unusual itinerary.

4 hours ago, CRUISENSNOOZE said:

So do we!. We have a cruise booked on Aurora for 2025..R501.

Me too.

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

As with all our cruises, the choice was based solely upon the itinerary and not the ship. Our only exception to that has been with Arcadia. She has some great itineraries, but is the only P&O ship that we didn’t like, so we won’t book her again. 
 

Whilst we might be described as ‘traditional cruisers’, we aren’t in the group that only likes the small ships. Having been on all the P&O ships bar Iona (which we rectify next year) our two favourites are Aurora and Britannia. We have experienced our best cruise itineraries on Aurora, but the cabins, restaurants and general facilities are far better on Britannia. Also, with my wife being a full time wheelchair user, the newer the ship the better the accessibility features (cabins and public areas). 
 

I have detected some negativity to Queen Anne on the Cunard board, but we won’t have the knowledge of the ‘old’ Cunard to compare it to. It’s also Ventura size, so about half the passenger numbers that we are likely to experience on Iona next August, so a very different beast. It’s also extremely expensive compared to P&O (the cruise we have booked certainly is), so I think it will, by definition, attract a different market segment to that which P&O is now actively targeting. Finally, by paying to upgrade to Britannia Club and dining in a smaller restaurant with extra menu items to the MDR and special touches, it will hopefully feel a little bit special. But we shall see! If it’s not worth the money we won’t return!

That is why I love Saga so much. As a rollator user, the ships are easy access with automatic deck doors but Artemis in size.  Haven’t yet found a suitable itinerary on QA to try her.

14 minutes ago, Goosebear Mum said:

Me too, Aurora is our favourite ship 🙂  We’ve already started investigating alternative cruise lines for when P&O (finally) get rid of her and go over only to the big ships 😞  

If you don't wish to fly the options are limited. Fred Olsen and Saga are the only choices really. I love Saga but they are more expensive as all inclusive. Fine if you use the extras (like transport and wifi) and usually book a balcony cabin but not so much if you don't. It's been a while since I sailed with FO but I have a long one booked on Bolette next year so it will be intersting to compare.

Well I have 3 future cruises booked on her so I sincerely hope she stays a while longer. 

It has been announced Arvia willl named in a beachside ceremony in Barbados on 16 March 2023. 

4 hours ago, Angel57 said:

When was she due to go in for that Sharon?

Not sure. My friend mentioned it yesterday and said that there would be a 16 night Northern Lights cruise added instead.

1 hour ago, Goosebear Mum said:

I wonder what will happen re: our Aurora R307 in May?   For Aurora, there are a lot of empty cabins, which is highly unusual.  I think the lack of Russia/St P on the agenda has put off a lot of the foreign bookings 
 

Which leads to another question - why has Aurora’s dry docking been cancelled?

13 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

i can totally understand it.  It's just not safe in the Baltic.  Russia has a piece of land there.  Anything couldl happen.

Why is it not safe? Has there been a single incident this year involving tourists or cruise ships? Other lines are still sailing there, including the ultra-cautious Saga.

Having spent 3 weeks in the Baltic and Gulf of Bothnia last August, I felt totally safe. There are lots of other interesting ports in lieu of St Pete's - Riga, Tallinn, Skagen, Goteborg, Kemi, Ronne, Visby etc. and the weather was perfect. Would happily go back next year. Perhaps there are just too many Baltic cruises to fill them all. What would cause me not to book however, is the probablity the cruise would be cancelled and thus it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

I'm locking this thread as it hs nothing to do with P&O UK. I'll leave the responses visible however.