Host Sharon

I just wish P&O would be straight and explain how many of these 'temporary because of covid' cuts are going to be permanent, because I suspect most, if not all of them, will be. Happy to be proven wrong.

No issues at all with Saga but on my cruise with them in May a Restaurant Manager told me they had 'picked up' a lot of crew from the now defunct Dream Cruises. They knew the actual job well but were paired up with experienced crew to 'learn the Saga way'. Saga do treat their crew very well, even continuing to pay their children's school fees throughout the pandemic.

Also if you book on launch Saga are around 35% less than the price quoted above, and all-balcony but I appreciate some people don’t want the extras. Personally I now prefer fewer cruises of better quality and I have lost confidence in P&O to deliver on that score. Also the increasing discounting appears to be attracting some rather dodgy people if Britannia’s recent cruise is anything to go by.

But all inclusive - insurance, transport, drinks, excursions, wifi, all restaurants ...

At least Aurora has proper bathroom cabinets too. I hate those open shelves where everything is on show and falls off in rough seas.

Maybe but I am the same, although I have been seduced by the balconies on Saga. All my future P&O cruises however are on Aurora as she is now the only P&O ship I consider.

So that's why there is a roof over the bar 🙂

They were assessed in the terminal by ship's medical staff and either turned away, allowed to board freely or allowed to board but quarantined n their cabin for a couple of days. The difference is that Norovirus is shortlived.

I assume you booked a saver fare? In which case this is the risk you accept on booking. If you refuse it is regarded as you cancelling the cruise. I am afraid loyalty cuts so ice and sailing with other Carnival brands doesn't count at all.

As I had FCC, a friend and I booked the Aurora Grand Voyage. I see our basic outside cabin has already gone up by £604.

Normally, with bookings opened yesterday for the next tranche of cruises up to 2025, there is a post filled with discussion over which cruises have been booked and the pros and cons of particular cabins. This time - nothing, zilch! Is that telling of the direction P&O is taking with its new ships and increased capacity or of the uncertainties of the cruise industry in general?

Also double check the price. I am hearing rumours it has increased but the website is showing the old price.

Ah! Of course I see all the hidden/removed posts so my numbering is different! Didn't think of that.

I'll let posts 228 and 230 stand in this instance but please do not discuss Princess on this P&O board as they will be deleted. P&O and Princess are different and do not necessarily have the idential T&C so is irrelevant here. Thanks.

For comparison, Saga allocate a specific crew member to anyone registering for assistance. At muster, you wait in your cabin until he/she comes to collect you and they stay with you and see you back to your cabin. This arrangement means you can use the lifts at muster (obviously not in a real emergency) and you know who is responible for you.

Wow! Admittedly my heating isn't on yet but my smart meter shows under £2 per day and I'm at home all day.

Personally I believe reserving your lounger is only valid when going for a swim or toilet break. Going to lunch is leaving the deck and and so freeing up the lounger, unless you just go to pick up food from the lido buffet or grab and go etc, and bring it back to the lounger to eat.

If you log onto your P&O account it will say when the FCC has to be used by. Weirdly mine is broken down into 3 separate amounts with different expiry dates from 2024 - 2027.

Actually none of your scenarios are quite accurate. Booked a cabin for about £2000 pp with OBC (which was enhanced by £150 later). Prices reduced last week by nearly half. Got refund of around £600, part in cash and part in FCC. Cruise cancelled. Got revised new cost of cruise plus10% back all in FCC - no cash refund. Offered identical cruise but over Christmas for more than the original cost of the maiden. My case though is further complicated because we paid in part for this cruise with FCC from the cancelled Iona maiden!

This is true as I was on that one. However, Saga automatically booked us on the new maiden dates first and then phoned everyone to check that was OK or give a refund. We also got a FCC in addition and an enhanced drinks package.

I'm not sure what cost has to do with how appropriate an item of clothing is. It was the same when jeans were not allowed in the evenings and people said theirs were designer jeans and cost more than other people's evening gowns. The dress code is very clearly laid out in the brochure and on the web site, although the new definition of 'Comfy casual wear' is particularly confusing.

That is what I got because we already had the other refund last week.

It was temporarily withdrawn from sale which is why it shows sold out. Yes it was my ta that is contacting P&O and P&O are not budging on price. To further add insult, even though that higher price is a select fare, you can’t choose your cabin. P&O will allocate them which was the final straw to me as my original cabin was chosen to be near lifts

Just been offered a like for like cabin on the 23rd December Christmas cruise, same itinerary, same 14 days, just £986 extra, plus Christmas Day in the Bay of Biscay. Decided no thanks.

Looking at Fred and Saga right now. At least when Saga delayed Adventure’s maiden, everyone was automatically booked for the new date, unless they didn’t want to, and we got 15% fcc.