mike x ftc

We were on Marella Explorer earlier this year and we thought she was lovely, she is smaller than Ventura and doesn't have the large atrium but the bars and spaces like the coffee shop are modern and well fitted out. The cabins are, like Ventura's, are a bit older but she was built for Celebrity and you can just tell she is a 'quality' ship that was very well built. Personally we now prefer Marella to P&O, their whole experience is just friendlier and better. We'd love to share a taxi with you but unfortunately we can't make this one!! I hope you book and enjoy.

We watched Jamie's review at the weekend and thought it was very good, very balanced and honest. I think it is poor that P&O are acknowledging staffing issues as he said they sent him an email and yet they are still packing the ships to capacity - it is unfair on passengers and the staff, they will just become exhausted. It would have been interesting to know what sort of times he was going to the main dining room in the morning and evening.

I bet it was 20 years ago on one of their old old ships! The newer Marella ships are really good, I think their overall product is now better than P&O. Although saying that I'm on Arcadia for Christmas this year following the cancellation of Aurora's last year. Christmas on a ship is lovely.

Hi, does anyone know if P&O still have the separate vegetarian menu?? I've read a lot recently about reduced menus. They used to give vegetarian guests a veggie menu the day before along with the next days main menu to make their selection. Is this still a thing?? We're on Arcadia in December and just getting a bit concerned about lack of choices. Thanks

Thanks for the review, very useful. I think it's sad that cutbacks are so visible such as the reduced menu, lack of rotation of the menu's, no evening turn down etc etc, I can't see them ever returning to be honest, I think this is the start of P&O running down their old ships before they get rid of them. We were on Marella in May and they were firing on all cylinders, in my view Marella's newer (to them) ships are far superior to P&O's older ships. P&O just seem to throw everything at the new shiny ships and abandon their older ones along with their loyal customers who appreciate more modest ships.

Thanks for that, we are on her for Christmas and have been getting a bit concerned having read some of the other threads about her when she first returned.

There have always been dining problems on Arcadia and long queues, they added all the extra cabins with no thought as to the impact on dining. These days there are just more issues to add into the mix!!

We are supposed to be doing her Christmas cruise but we are concerned about Arvia coming along in November - where on earth are they going to get enough staff for that?? Not Arcadia I hope, we were booked for last Christmas on Aurora, surely they can't can cancel us again??!!

Why bother replying if you have no idea what the OP is referring to??!!

We were on the 1st April cruise, it's just so disappointing and annoying! We only last week booked all our flights for this with an extended stay in Vancouver. After all the Covid cancellations over the last couple of years we were really looking forward to this - very frustrating, they didn't even have the decency to offer a reason.

It could be anything but generally should be ok, we have done the Canaries a few times and it has been fine but it is usually a bit rocky up to and from Madeira, you seem to get more swell around there.