Slugsta

Great review, I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

I always say that I don't need assistance on embarkation/disembarkation as I am fairly independent in my powerchair. I have always been on the list when they come to check that my chair has been declared though.

I so glad that you asked this question. I have been retired for years and didn't realise that I would be eligible for a BLC. My friend is still working and uses hers a lot.

A few weeks ago, it took us 2.5 hours just to get to Southampton from Poole!

We had a request to do the Feefo review after our May cruise but didn't get a post-cruise questionnaire from Cunard.

@twotravellersLondon @Eglesbrech Thank you both for your kind words. I thought you might like to know that my friends boarded Bolette today and have reported that the dining arrangements are satisfactory, so that is an excellent start.

I love the first glimpse of Salisbury cathedral from the A338. Ignore the houses and that is the same view that people have seen for many centuries.

We pre-registered with our TA and got an inside accessible cabin on QA for August 25 - accessibles tend to go fast so we were very happy to get one.

The smallest ship we have been on was the old QEII and the largest Iona. There have been pros and cons to each one but we have enjoyed them all. The smaller P+O ships are older, with fewer bells and whistles, but can get into different ports and we find it easier to get to know crew and other passengers. The bigger ships we have been on have been newer with more entertainment venues and speciality restaurants. However, the number of passengers can be a problem at busy times and the itineraries tend to be more limited. On the whole, I would far rather be on a cruise than not!

@Palaceman I'm sorry that you had such a disappointing experience and really hope that you enjoyed the rest of your cruise. Can I ask, was NY your first USA port? We are doing this cruise next year and are wondering what to expect.

When we were on Arcadia last year, I wanted coat, scarf and gloves on board much of the time!

Thanks for this! We are on the same cruise and, having read this, I checked the prices. Now £1000pp cheaper and more OBC so I cancelled and rebooked. Lost 5% deposit and had to pay 10% for the new booking but we are still well ahead financially.

The only drinks offered free of payment are water with the meal, tea and coffee afterwards. The diner is always at liberty to take a pre-purchased drink to the table, or to order one from their table steward.

That's helpful, thanks, I will pass it on.

I absolutely love my powerchair! I am able to walk short distances without, but the chair allows me to get from one end of the ship to another and still be able to enjoy myself when I get there. When I first got it, I was determined to not use it until I absolutely had to, but now I know that I am better using it right from the start so that I can conserve my energy. An added advantage is that I am more stable than other people if the sea is at all rough 🙂

Thank you, I will suggest that.

I have friends who have cruised quite a lot (with P+O) and are doing Fred for the first time soon. They booked ages ago and requested a table for 2 for dinner. My BFF suffers from a lot of anxiety and is currently starting to fret about the possibility of not being allocated such a table; she is sociable generally but cannot face dining with strangers. She is also worried about being 'made' to share a table in the buffet. It's getting to the stage where she is so worried that she is considering cancelling, even though they are well past final payment and would loose the money completely. I have suggested that they check out the dining room ASAP after boarding and talk to the Maitre D if necessary. However, I will pass on any reassurance you are able to give as they both really need this holiday!

Bearing in mind that older people are known to be the main demographic of some (if not many) cruise-lines, I can't see that offering discounts would even be considered as a norm.

Same here, we get everything else but haven't had a post-cruise questionnaire since c***d. I have a suspicion that might be because we have voiced 'concerns' on the 'first impressions' one we complete onboard. . .

We have 30 days on Arcadia in September 2024, a price reduction would be very welcome! Haven't heard anything though (nor Aurora in April 24) so it looks as if we might be out of luck.

IMO, many things that wheelchair users need, are also useful for families with buggies. Bearing in mind that young families are supposed to be the target marker for Iona and 'Our Vera' one would think that advice re which exit to use at ports etc would be generally helpful. As an aside, I do like the 'disembarkation' button in the lift which saves having to remember which deck is being used today! I am not a permanent wheelchair user but absolutely love my powerchair. I hate being dependent on my OH to decide where I go and when, especially as we often do different things during the day.

@Selbourne Thanks for the live review. I'm very glad that your fears of not being able to get a table proved unfounded. We were on Iona in February, when the ship had far fewer people on board. We did find the same issue with the lifts at times though. By the time I had wheeled to the correct one, someone had jumped in ahead of me (until/unless OH got there first!). I wouldn't be in favour of a designated lift though - partly because there aren't always enough people to justify it, but also because it is a short step from 'You have priority with this one' to 'That's yours and you can't use ours'

For us, the distance from the port to anywhere also affects how often we want to get on and off (or off and on!). A quick stroll/shuttle bus is a different matter from a long shuttle or tender transfer.

Thank you for your input. We have a long cruise on Arcadia next year and sincerely hope that the state of affairs continues as you describe it.

We did Iona, out of school holiday, earlier this year. There were fewer than 100 children onboard. There are things we like less about the ship (my husband is a bridge player and regrets the lack of a card room) but still had a very good time. We tried most of the dining venues (except for Limelight and Sindhu) and enjoyed them all. We also like Arcadia, especially being adults only. Yes, the ship is older and the cabins smaller but there is a lot to enjoy (and my hubby can indulge his bridge addiction!). For us, it about the itinerary and price rather than the ship.