DamianG

10:45am boarding time, fantastic! Happy anniversary and happy cruising. Love that forward view window space by the way.

I've just paid £129.96 with P4C for the "Standard Meet & Greet" (including cancellation option and vehicle spray down) parking service for our 14 night Arvia cruise in August. There are usually discount codes available if you shop around.

This is a great example. We switched to P4C after waiting nearly an hour to park with CPS before boarding Britannia back in 2015. The longest delay we have had with P4C was around 10 minutes when I arrived at the same time as another driver.

Thank goodness, that's great news! We also have multiple names for our Teddy - Tedster (just like you), TeddyG, Ted Ted.... Our Teddy was so tired and subdued when we got home from Wales yesterday (3.5 hour drive for 140 miles) but he is back on form today.

Last day in Gwynned, Cymer Abbey, Afon Mawddach riverside walk and Barmouth. This mini break has been such a refreshing change away from the city. The dogs have loved it as well and were absolutely shattered last night. IMG_3007.MOV

Reminds me of a phone call we got in the cabin once after we’d already gone to bed. ”Hello madam, did you order laminate?” ”Pardon, laminate?” Yes madam, this is room service, did you order laminate?” ”Laminate?” ”Yes madam, LEM-ON-ADE?”

Thanks, Google let me down, maybe it got its information from Wikipedia!

Sister-in-law's Huntaway dog Vala (which I understand is Welsh for "Chosen") and fantastic tapas in Dolgellau last night.

Today we are staying around Brithdir before heading down the road into Dolgellau this evening for tapas. We’ve had a good walk in the countryside this morning but someone disgraced himself by deciding to have a roll in some sheep droppings. (There’s a photo below just in case any of you are wondering whether it was me or TeddyG).

Our Teddy sends his best wishes, glad to hear there’s been some improvement. Also glad you’re sticking around as a lot of us have enjoyed your virtual support and not least your company on here over the last few years. I think it’s safe to say that “new” P&O isn’t going to be for everyone but that doesn’t mean we no longer listen to anyone who is unlikely to sail with them anymore. We still have experiences to share & I personally enjoy hearing all the different viewpoints regardless of whether the subject is P&O, another cruise line or air fryers! Best regards (especially to Teddy).

We are back at my sister in laws in lovely Gwynedd for a few days. The long drive has already been worth it with a day out at Black Rock Sands (near Porthmadog) today. Now enjoying the last of the sunshine with a local brew. IMG_2970.MOV

Best of luck with this Harry, if I was in the same position as you there's no way I would let it lie. I've recently been heavily "negotiating" with MSC over our Voyagers Club level for next year's cruise. To cut a long story short they match existing statuses for passengers who haven't sailed with them before and they had a brief promotion whereby they would elevate this to the next level if you booked a cruise by the end of March. We fulfilled the terms and conditions but it's taken the best part of 3 months for me to finally get the level promised to us by a member of their customer services staff when we made the booking. I was given different information throughout the correspondence and contact process but got there in the end. We have been on other cruise lines years ago but this is the first time since becoming parents that we've found a cruise on a similar budget to what P&O offer in the main summer holidays. That's for 2024 though and we are now counting down to Arvia in August.

This is a preview of P&O’s new food mall instead of The Quays on their next mega ship (all chargeable of course). 😉

My work colleague who was onboard last week went to the 710 Club several times and on each occasion just showed up at the last minute to ask if there was any space (and was always accommodated). We didn’t have any issues using the app when onboard last year and the longest wait we had for any MDR was around 10 minutes. I honestly believe that most of the reported delays and queues for the MDRs on Iona and Arvia are due to the demand for tables for two in the first couple of hours after opening.

Even after so many cruises out of Southampton I never tire of looking for the sites as we sail down the Solent. This year we have an aft cabin so will be able to see the best of both sides.

Our boy won't want too many fizzy drinks but as @Britboys called him on my blog last year he is a right "tea wallah" so would likely have several cups a day from Vistas (which we could get for him from our unlimited allowance).

This is how we are thinking too but the other way round for the least “port intensive” cruise we’ve ever been on (6 ports in 2 weeks). With a teenage son as well we are currently swaying towards taking the Classic Package.

All a question of taste but there is nothing on the Deluxe Package that will entice us to pay the extra for it either. As much as I think P&O is better than most when it comes to fair drink prices I do find it disappointing that they serve Cante Prosecco (currently £8 a bottle in Sainsburys) when there are so many alternatives available. I’d love to see a nice Cremant de Bourgogne for example.

No need for apologies, I think I made a mistake with the Classic Drinks Package cost as I thought that £44.95 was the (already) discounted price online. It would help if I could make a dummy purchase but it's not yet available for our cruise.

10% is my current Peninsular Club discount for onboard purchases (so any purchase using my own money gets this discount). There is a built in 10% discount on the prepay price then any Peninsular Club discount is also taken off (even if you pay in advance - hence the extra 10% on the first calculation).

It will be different for everyone but for us in advance the Classic Package will be £44.95 x 2 x 14 - 10% = £1,132.74. Onboard it would be £49.95 x 2 x 14 = £1398.60 - £120 OBC = £1278.60 - 10% = £1150.74. Not much in it but our low OBC from an early booking makes a difference.

This looks similar (14.110 one deck up):

If you buy in advance there is a 10% discount, then the reduced total is discounted further with whichever Peninsular Club discount you are entitled to. I completely understand your dilemma as we too were considering a package partially using OBC but the advance booking discounts still work out cheaper. We have also calculated that even delaying buying the package onboard but on day 2 (thus saving one day's cost) does not work out cheaper either. Seems to me that they have pitched it at a point where the majority who wish to purchase it will do so in advance rather than onboard.

When we were onboard last year Brodie’s was far too loud for us even on a sea day afternoon when it was half empty. The TV screens blaring out a basketball match were the main reason for the noise. However, a work colleague who was recently onboard loved it for the atmosphere whilst watching a Champions League match. Each to their own. I’d also agree with ICF’s thoughts on The Quays which suited us more than the buffet, and the Atrium being noisy though I would say that was in the evenings whereas we found it a pleasant pace to sit in the daytime.

Someone has created a PDF (attached) which we have extracted from a social media site. I can't vouch for its accuracy and apparently some errors have already been noted as follows: Frappes are Deluxe Package only Cosmopolitan/Negroni are included in both the Classic and Deluxe Packages. Raspberry Brulee Cocktail in in the Deluxe Package only. Fuller's London Pride Classic is included in both the Classic and Deluxe Packages. 2023 P&O Drink Package Summary.pdf