amajaa

We were on one of the last cruises on Oriana (or it might have been Oceana. ) and I kept saying when we walked around the deck I wish they would sell the lovely wooden benches off that had the life belts in . They had the name of the ship on the front. 

45 minutes ago, alpha whiskey said:

Just to put a stick in an ants nest....how long do we think it'll be before the buffet and MDR disappear completely on cruise ships? 

I've not sailed on Virgin, but don't believe they have them.

What do they have instead then? You have to eat somewhere 

2 hours ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

You do

 

But like I say if all slots are booked just head there and see if they can get you in

 

We did and was no problem at all

Silly question but some people must be managing to book otherwise it wouldn’t be booked up so how are they managing I wonder? 

Do you have to wait until you board to book the 710 Club as on Iona we never managed to get a slot at all the whole 2 weeks.

Is anyone else finding their booking for entertainment is open 15 days before the cruise but when you try and click into some of the choices it just keeps going round and round and never goes into it. I have however managed to book for 4 evenings but the other 2 showing it won’t go into. 

2 hours ago, Bill & Ben said:

I think just once but it was very good.  We both had the beef wellington and enjoyed it.  

Since I posted the question we have been on Iona and yes you can book for both formal nights. We went to the first one but cancelled the second and just went to the MDR.

9 hours ago, tring said:

 

We will be Caribbean before our August/September cruises and I looked up the perks a couple of days ago.  Baltic and Ligurian levels mention the embarkation lunch, but Caribbean does not but I thought people have mentioned that on here for Caribbean.

 

Perhaps a recent change?

 

I believe the embarkation time will vary for Caribbean depending how many high level members are on the cruise, so the smaller ships and longer cruises will have later boarding times.

 

I just looked up the Loyalty Tiers and it’s still saying Welcome Reception for Caribbean on the P & O links I went into 

On our next cruise we will finally be Caribbean but we have a boarding time of 4 o’clock. It says on their literature that boarding times take into account your loyalty status. Our boarding passes say Caribbean but also says 4 o’clock. Do we go earlier and say we have priority boarding or will we have to wait? We won’t even make it to our first loyalty welcome onboard lunch. 
 

Editing to say it still says on loyalty page that Caribbean get priority boarding.

10 hours ago, Bourdieu said:

I thought breakfast in the main dining rooms was disappointing owing to the very limited menu. Surprisingly, I much preferred the buffet. Perhaps it depends what time you go for breakfast (around 9.15am for me) but it never seemed overly busy and there was no problem finding a table.

I’ve never found the MDRs a limited menu for breakfast. You can mix and match any of the items on the list plus can also ask for an omelette which I notice isn’t listed. 

We have always used Parking4cruises if we haven’t got free parking with the cruise. Have used them for about 10 years now without a problem, found them originally by all the many recommendations online. 

21 hours ago, Bill Y said:

Can't  you go on the wait list now? There used to be an orange box to click for that.

 

If they get enough interest they will put on an extra coach and guide, obviously that does not work if if the limit is venue/train capacity. While I can't remember doing it on P&O but we have been successful on HAL and Princess.

 

I was just going to say the same. We have been on a wait list with P & O before and always managed to get on. That was before Covid though

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

First time I've heard that rumour... Arcadia yes, Aurora yes but not heard Ventura suggested...?

I think it was suggested on the site that cannot be named when it was being referred to as the creaking ship. Hopefully it was another of those many untrue rumours and won’t be going. 

Perhaps the rumours about Ventura being the next to go by have some truth in them then. I hope not we are booked on her next summer.

This is a question for anyone in the UK , when you put your phone numbers in ( home and mobile) I have only just noticed, after 3 medallion cruises lol, that it says +1. It then says to put your country code in but it won’t let me put +44

There was an LGBTQ meet-up on Iona every day on our last cruise I noticed from reading the Horizon . We were walking past the meet up a few times and there always seemed to be lots in there.

I am not sure if one of the passengers has to arrange , ask at reception when you board. The bigger the ship the more attending obviously. Although I do think that gay people especially couples do tend to cruise a lot possibly because there never seems to be any prejudice on cruises. I’m not gay but have met loads of lovely gay couples.

It doesn’t always come up on the day they say. Try the next day a few times. Some could also pop up anytime before the cruise. 
if not book it all or any missing days as soon as you get onboard. We did even before we ate 🤣

They were all good but possibly we preferred the two smaller ones. I do think people’s opinions differ as to when they went and how many other tables their waiter is serving at the same time. So it can differ greatly in the same dining room from one day to the next. Even from the same table from one day to the next.

16 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Each of your bookings should have a reference number which is six digits made up of letters or letters and numbers, if you go to the P&O login you would then use the number to access your cruises, here is a link: https://my.pocruises.com/mycruise/login

 

 

That’s your booking reference, the OP was referring to their account number which is in fact your P & O Loyalty number.

Ours is on our booking confirmation under the info about the cruise as below:- on the same lines on the opposite side of the page is the pricing info.

Title / Last Name:

First / Middle Name:

Age at Sailing:
My Account Number:

If you haven’t got your P & O booking confirmation and only your confirmation from your TA you need to ask your TA for it. If the account number isn’t on your booking confirmation then query with your TA or P&O if you booked direct, but as suggested it might be you haven’t yet qualified for the Peninsular Club as haven’t yet sailed for 15 days. You have to have actually sailed and not just booked to qualify, but certainly query it.

41 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Send some credit my way!!

 

Lol

 

Can you change currency at guest services with OBC?

I don’t think you can but I would also be interested if someone does know the answer to this as we have loads to use on the next cruise and also never eat in speciality restaurants or use spa. We do not really want to do any excursions but might have to 

10 hours ago, Sea Green said:

Always 3 months or less for UK brands. Think its to ensure you don't sell the shares as soon as you get the OBC 

We have had our OBC added for Arcadia in December a few weeks ago. Previously for Princess we had the OBC added a long time in advance, last year we had one added a year before the cruise, so this is new to us.

Just sent off for my OBC and had an email back saying you can’t apply before 3 months of sailing. Well we have never had that before and have had OBC added up to a year in advance. Reading on other social media it seems to be hit and miss, sone people have had the same email others have just got it applied months in advance and many have reapplied straight away and then had it added. It seems to be whoever actioned your email as to whether you get it or not. Very strange

What are others experiences

9 hours ago, Ardennais said:

We’ve never been in a queue with CPS. Always quick and efficient. 

I think the bigger the ship the more likely to have queues, like the OP we have only ever had a queue for Britannia so also expecting ones for Arvia 

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

We quite enjoy sailaways and prefer DJ's or a band like pulse to Brass bands.

yes pulse were playing 

On 3/13/2023 at 3:09 PM, Leomins said:

There used to be some awful sail away parties where songs like Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory were sung along with the waving of plastic Union Jacks. It used to make me cringe, especially when sailing in the Caribbean, it felt to me as if we were rejecting the locals’ hospitality.

They stopped due to Covid and now the flags have gone due to single use plastics.

There were more modern songs played as well and the entertainment crew used to dance by the pools, did they not have any sail away parties on your cruise?

On Ventura in November they had sailaways still. No Union Flags etc but modern songs and the entertainment crew dancing and the entertainment manager going round the top decks asking if anyone’s birthdays, anniversaries etc

The only reason we pick select is because I can’t eat late and don’t want to get late sitting.
This, of course no longer matters on Arvia and Iona. so only book select on those if the price is only a little bit different.