majortom10

That is the down side of Princess Americans like to show off their loyalty. Me being a true Brit and don't want to flaunt my Elite status as soon as we get given our Medallion at the port I take it off the lanyard and put Medallion in pocket. I also don't like how they put your loyalty status on the panel outside your cabin.

Don't think it has anything to do with Europe or where you are in the World as internet is satellite. Think it is more how good the company is that Princess use for this service and whether they can provide.

On our first cruise on QE2 in 1997 midnight buffet was a lavish affair and also was held on many cruise lines but things have changed since then and very few, if any at all hold them now.

Well that has never happened the years we have been cruising with Princess has always had late night food available at International Cafe.

You say you have cruised with Princess a lot well we are Elite and have never known food service 24hrs in the buffet. The buffet has always closed after evening meal and any food service available after that is either room service or International Cafe which is available 24hrs.

Sorry this might upset some but when are P&O going to stop treating their loyal cruisers with utter contempt. Their actions on cancelling Aurora on 5th July so late and having done similar cancellations over other cruises at such a late stage over these last few years is abysmal and they dont deserve the loyalty they get.

Sorry but that is so patronising, snobbish and incorrect to say that about clientele on P&O. We have done over 30+ cruises on P&O and we dont have tattoos, wear bling and get hammered around the pool and neither do many others and to tar everyone with the same brush is totally wrong. As an example having done over 50+ cruises with Cunard/P&O/Princess have only ever seen really bad behaviour once where a waiter and passenger ended up fighting one lunchtime in the buffet restaurant and that was on the QE2. So to say such a statement is so wrong and so far off the truth.

Having cruised on all 3 ships I dont think you can say which is the best it is down to personal choice and everyone is right and nobody wrong. For us personally QM2 is our favourite because we love roundtrip TAs but dont know if this would change in the event we did an actual cruise on her. With reference to QV/QE cannot honestly say that there is much difference except for decor which doesnt impact on us on a cruise and the staff on both have been excellent and cannot say one is better than the other.

Ignore that comment. If you compare like for like say in a balcony stateroom on Cunard and P&O having cruised many times with P&O since 2000 and Cunard since 1997 yes Cunard is better but at a price you pay for. Also consider Cunard/P&O come under the umbrella of Carnival UK and having the same backroom staff in Southampton and IT department so they are closer than many know or imagine. Onboard nobody can deny that Cunard is better but you pay a lot more for the former and to say they are as far apart as Claridge's and Butlins is way off the mark.

Whilst I dont disagree with you saying that the internet was slower and issues with losing time, I dont see how the new internet policy of 50% off any internet package however fast or unlimited is to me as an Elite member of loyalty club. Currently on cruises I purchase Princess Plus which includes unlimited internet, grats and drinks package and do not get any discount being an Elite member. So would not need to buy any extra packages and get 50% off that price when I have unlimited internet with Princess Plus. So because I do not need to purchase internet and do not get 50% reduction on something it is a benefit I will never use so is a loss to me personally.

Our erroneous charges appeared whilst onboard during the cruise and once Cunard were informed the extra charges were cancelled but we were never given apology of why the charges appeared. I have often thought since if I had no noticed these charges would Cunard have noticed, I very much doubt it. Also how many people have been charged extra either onboard or after the cruise and either not noticed or too small amount to worry about chasing refund.

no need to buy internet packages with having Princess Plus so my Elite Loyalty benefits get less and less that they are virtually useless now.

Sorry Sir did not realise it was an English Language lesson 🥱

You cannot internet is part of Princess Plus and you only get 50% discount on separate packages purchased. Therefore if you purchase Princess Plus it is another Elite benefit that is lost.

Sorry if you cannot read more than 3 paragraphs.

Whatever you dont ask for more.

The whole Peninsular Club loyalty club is a bit of a joke at the moment. Been trying to get them sort out my preferences on my account so receive mail. Didnt receive calendar last Christmas contacted P&O and said they would send me one and sort out my mail preferences. Received Calendar but never received any Moments magazines contacted P&O by PM on their Facebook page repeatedly and they said they would sort it and put a Moments magazine in the post. Still not received anything contacted them again and they have passed the buck and gave me loyalty e-mail and told to contact them which I did and they havent even acknowledged receipt never mind responding to e-mail. That is what P&O calls loyalty but I have said for a long time P&O expect you to be loyal to them but they dont return the loyalty. I really believe that senior management believe that however bad they treat people they will still sail with P&O and sadly I think they are correct as people always find an excuse to stick with them even though they know deep down they are not the best. I have heard them all British food onboard, Sterling currency, cheap booze compared to American lines every excuse available and that is why P&O treat their customers with contempt because they know they will still sail with them and they will never improve.

When we got off Emerald at Ocean Terminal on 14th June there were cubicles set up with staff wearing PPE at one side of the baggage hall so I assumed this is where those wanting tests prior to boarding were sent to have them done.

Never even enquired because having Princess Plus we already had included internet. Another Elite benefit that is now useless unless you dont have Princess Plus and even then it is poorer because you now have to pay for something that was free before.

At $60pp I would seriously consider finding somewhere cheaper at home prior to going down to Southampton or somewhere in Southampton.

We watched the video whilst sitting having a drink by the pool and then went to Muster area and had our Medallion bleeped. We had green ticks on both Medallion App to say we had done both. Next day we had a letter saying we hadnt completed the embarkation muster process when we had so just put it in the bin. Never heard nothing else so came to one conclusion that Princess currently dont have a clue what they are doing and this was confirmed by the end of the cruise.

If programme for Arvia started in Spring 2021 then it is only just over 12 months ago and not bookings started 2yrs ago as you stated. If it was 2yrs ago when bookings started that would mean Spring 2020 when it clearly wasn't that early.

Think you are a bit wide of the mark saying bookings for Arvia started at least 2 yrs ago.

The Princess Patter stated that Crown Grill was open every night for the whole of our cruise but it wasnt and they never mentioned Sabatini's at all even though it was open on some nights.

P&O are not the only cruise line having supply and crewing problems. We recently cruised on Emerald Princess and was plainly obvious from the minute we got on the ship that they were short staffed and were having supply problems with many drinks not available from day one. They also had issues with regards to speciality restaurants Crown Grill and Sabatini's opening usually both open every day but they were never open together it was either one or the other and Planks and Steamers both remained closed for the whole duration. Those that are stating it is only a P&O problem and their intent to cheapen the brand or race to the bottom of the barrel are being rather silly making these statements as a lot of companies, not only cruise companies, are struggling to employ staff and supply issues.