coralsmum

Can I just clarify something regarding preregistering? Do you have to pay a deposit before you know which cabin you can have? If so, what happens if the offered cabin is not what you are prepared to accept? I am assuming I use a TA and not go directly to P & O. Thanks, Sue.

Well that's interesting about the wine package Arlowood. Certainly P&O used to give loyalty discount but then stopped saying the packages were already reduced so you couldn't also have your loyalty disount. Maybe they have reconsidered.

Sorry but P&O stopped loyalty discount on wine packages a year or two back.

That was meant to say midnight on the day before you are due to leave the ship.

Yes you can leave the ship and return later. Your card is not cancelled but your final bill stops at midnight (I think). Any further spend is still on your card but will appear on a separate bill. Also you can shower in the spa area where towels are provided - not very private but does freshen you up.

Hi, we recently did 'Seville on your own' and the coach drops you in Calle la Rabida which is about 1km (or just over half a mile) form the Cathedral and the entrance to the Alcazar. Calle la Rabida is a one way street which runs parallel to Ave de Maria Luisa. You could use a taxi but we didn't see any hanging around the drop off point so you may need help from the guide on the coach to contact one. There is also a tram you could catch from Calle San Fernando - just one stop to the Cathedral area - which would roughly halve the distance you would have to walk. (Look on Google map). Buses run across the top of Calle la Rabida but I'm not sure which route they take. It also depends what you plan to do there because the Cathedral and Alcazar require more walking. Some of the narrow streets around the Cathedral also had slightly uneven cobbled areas.

However, I must admit we were a little disappointed with the trip as we found that the queues to get into places were really long and there wasn't enough time to see both the Cathderal and the Alcazar. The Cathedral doesn't open until 11am and we were waiting in the queue for over half an hour for admission. I would certainly try to book tickets on line, but I must admit I didn't find it easy to do and wasn't successful. With walking difficulties you would obviously find timings even tighter, and the trip from Cadiz is 90 minutes each way.

If you do decide to give it a try make sure you take some form of ID with you if you are of State Pension age, as you can get reduced price entry tickets.

Hope that helps, Sue.

Does this previous post help? Sue

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2393521

Hi, if you look here

http://m.cruisett.com/p/Italy/233-Genoa/September_2016/

and click on Oceana it will give you the times and dates for the ports. It is usually fairly accurate and, as you can see, Oceana seems to be in until 20.00. You should therefore have time to go ashore but may find that you need to be back earlier than 20.00 for muster stations. Hope you enjoy your cruise, we are going in October :) Sue

Hi, as stated in the title we are flying from Manchester and are with Thomson. So thanks for the replies I think we will provide our own food. Sue

Hi, next month we have an early morning flight to Venice and I was wondering if you are given any food during the flight? I know you can buy food and drink on the plane but would probably take our own food if none is provided. Thanks, Sue

Hi, if you check your cruise here it does imply there will be one formal night.

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/life-on-board/dress_code_all

Hi, yes there is an Italian themed restaurant but it is made from part of the buffet area in an evening. I don't think you can pre-book it although it carries a small cover charge. Sindhu is the one you can pre-book so that is probably the reason why it is the only one showing. Sue.

Hi, just to clarify things - we have recently returned from our cruise which included Athens and we went across the road to the stop in front of the DHL building. However the route seems to have been changed and it now stops on the same side of the road as the cruise terminal, so the instructions given are correct. Sue

Yes they do, and the 'Father' engine was causing the problem so they changed to the 'Son'. During the interview with the captain he explained why switching caused more vibration but I'm affraid I couldn't repeat what he said as I didn't really understand it! However, my point was that Oriana was not running on just one engine. Also the generator was meant to be loaded for our cruise, but as it was very windy in Soton on the day we boarded it had to be postponed until the next cruise. Sue

Sorry but I really must contradict this. Oriana has four engines and the captain stated that number one engine was playing up so would be out of action. That left three engines still capable of operating, she was not running on one engine only. The fault was sorted in a couple of days and, apart from some increased vibration, passengers would not have been aware there was any difference. Yes, I was on the ship too. Sue

Hi, thanks for all the replies and good information. Thanks for all the links syesmar - I had already seen some of the posts but not all. The link to timetables etc is very useful. I think we will try for the express bus if we can get off the ship early enough, so thanks again to everyone for your help. Sue

Thanks for your reply. I had realised there were buses connecting the cruise port with the metro station but heard some people found they didn't run frequently. Hopefully someone will be able to give their experience on the express bus too. Thanks again, Sue.

Hi, our ship is due to dock at 07.00 on a Monday and we are wondering which from of transport to use to get into Athens. The express bus is convenient for the cruise port, but will it get snarled up in traffic? The alternative means a 20minute or so walk to the metro station but then a straight run into Athens. Anyone with any advice as to which would be the quickest route as we are hoping to get to the Acropolis before 8am. Thanks, Sue.

Thank you so much for all your replies - very helpful. Soon be off on our cruise and can't wait to see Istanbul. Thanks again, Sue.

Hi, I know where to get the tram and how to pay for it by buying a jeton. I just wondered if you should by jetons for the return journey when you buy them for the outward journey, or do you have to buy the return journey just before you take the tram back? Thanks, Sue

Advice we were given to avoid pick pockets and bag snatchers:

If you go on the tram keep backpacks in front of you not on your back.

If standing at the roadside - waiting for a bus or tram - keep any bags/cameras on the opposite side of you from the road.

Just a couple of points but I hope they help, Sue

Hi, I read this on the Topkapi web site

Please, do not take photo inside the exhibition halls in which contains/displays objects for avoid interrupting other visitors' tour and avoid harm objects with flashlight

Not the best English I admit but I thought it meant no photos at all! Anyway thank you for all your replies they have been a great help. Sue

I have read that you are not allowed to take photos in Topkapi Palace, but I want to know if they make you leave cameras at the entrance like they do for St Mark's in Venice? Not sure I want to leave a valuable camera. Thanks, Sue

Hi, I had heard Rick Steve's was good but we are not very technical and don't have anything to download it to! Presto2 was the audio guide you used obtained from the entrance to Ephesus? P&O offer a trip where you go aroung on your own with the audio guide so that is basically what we want information about. We fancy being able to take more time at some sections but don't want to miss the Terrace Houses nor have an audio guide that is hard to use or understand. Thanks to you both, Sue.

Hi, I originally posted this on the Ports forum but have had no response. Has anyone used one of the audio guides you can hire from the entrance at Ephesus? If so was it a good way to tour the site? Does it include details for the Terrace Houses? Thanks, Sue.