Holly24

Hi,

I had a single balcony last year and loved it. I would take the upgrade for the wardrobe space and double bed. The only negative I had on the single balconys is they are under a pool deck and the sun loungers first thing in the morning scraped as the staff moved them and cleaned. They have good floor space just about enough storage for a two week cruise.

Have a wonderful time whichever you decide.

H

Hi,

if you are sailing out and flying back I wouldn't bother unless we're talking about huge amounts of excess.

Luggage coming back is bonded, it's collected from outside your cabin late evening on your last day and you will not see it again until the baggage reclaim at your destination airport.

If it's going to be a little over coming back as in under a Kgish it isn't usually a problem.

Flying out 23kg can be increased by phoning a couple of days before hand.

Please remember though other people have to pick up your bags to get them on trolleys and to your cabin and over 23kg can be too heavy to lift.

Happy travels, h

Hi, we had a 12+ hour delay going to Barbados from Gatwick several trips back, we were treated appallingly with no info. On return I contacted both Thomas cook and PO, both refused to acknowledge my complaint until the second and third letters. Both basically shrugged and said tough.

Fast forward 2 years and there was a piece on money saving expert with all the info and letters needed to complain.

As I'm a scrapbooker and had kept all travel docs, boarding passes and info in a scrapbook I could provide all info and ended up with 300ish compensation from Thomas cook for the delay and 150 obc on next cruise as they admitted they could have dealt with my complaint better.

Look at money saving expert website, it's got lots of info and travel stuff.

Good luck.

H

Hi,

l think mine was L225 Feb of last year in Caribbean.

It was one of the best cabins I have had and would book it again in a heart beat. More than enough room for one, people have commented the balconys are smaller than Ventura and Azura, if they are I didn't notice it. I was worried it would be too high up for me but it was perfect. I would say I found it a little noisy first thing in the morning from the pool area above. You could hear the deck hand moving the loungers around.

I had little niggles about the cabin, the absence of a bed side table but there is a convenient little round table as you walk in the door and I dragged it around to use at night.

There is an oblong towel rail on the back of the bathroom door with hard metal square corners and as the wardrobes are the other side the door doesn't push back fully and I kept banging my upper leg on it, however a quick chat with reception who said it can't be moved, to which my reply was that's fine I can by a screw driver at the next port it's only a couple of hidden screws and a Allen key and remove it myself, funny thing the rail was gone the next day.

The wardrobe isn't the biggest but again that's not something to let spoil your trip.

Yes the absence of a central stair is an annoyance but it's not the end of the world.

As for dining after using club for years I switched to freedom, it meant I could join nice people or if all the company I wanted was a good book that was fine too I won't go back to club.

The entertainment gang are fab, it's one thing I love about PO they look out for solo travellers.

Hope this helps. H

Hi,

It is a case of wait and see, details can be anything from now until a few months before you travel. We did Brit this year in Carib on a Thompson Dreamliner from Birmingham and it was one of the best flights we've had. We're doing azura Carib in Feb 2018 too, seat booking is open roughly 6 weeks before, excursions were 6 months before cruise. I would say just keep an eye on your personaliser. There have been scheduled flights before, BA & Virgin, there maybe extra charges, or possibly just because the charters are full, I'm not sure which. The downside of these is having to cart your own luggage from carousel and watch weight on return journey as their not bonded.

H

Hi,

US $ widely accepted in Carib. If you are offered change for example 50 cents or $1 in eastern Carib $ refuse, it's a scam. The exchange rate between USD and ECD differs and can differ island to island. Take plenty of small denomination notes and you'll be fine.

It's what's I'm taking on Britannia next week and the same as I have taken before.

Have a lovely time. H

Hi,

I always keep mini toiletries for the last night morning and use spa for a quick clean up before leaving ship then leave them there, unless on excursion then I use wet wipes and a little bottle of hand sanitiser.

You still have to go through security screening at Barbados airport so please don't do as a lady did jan 2012 and argue with the security guard when she condensates bottles of expensive perfume and the entire contents of a large make up bag. I have to be honest I did have a chuckle when the lady in question yelled no at loosing her lipgloss.

But I did feel sorry for the gentleman with her who had a bottle of what looked to be whiskey removed from his bag.

They were under the impression they were going straight to the lounge and airplane and had not realised they had to go through security.

Safe travels everyone. H

Hi soobs

I'm on about 8 Caribbean cruises with po using both carriers on occasion I've upgraded to premium for leg room but not always and can honestly say there is no difference to between them. I cannot comment on the Dreamliner I'm hoping my flight out in jan will be on one.

Thomas Cook and Thomson both bog standard chartered flights, yes premium is nicer more room, drinks, entertainment, more luggage allowance etc but economy is ok, shame the little touches have gone like the drinks.

Hay

Hi,

Don't forget if flying, the best tip is to buy toiletries at the airport and put in hand luggage after it has been weighed. I saved tonnes of room and weight doing that on my last trip. Bottles of shampoo, conditioner, suntan lotion etc weigh a fair bit and most airports have a boots these days.

H

Hi,

It's easy with a little cleaver packing.

For example on Carib fly cruises the lovely scarf pashmina to keep warm doubles as a sarong. In stead of traveling in jeans and a tunic style top I wear jeans and a cap sleeve sundress. You don't need a swimsuit and matching sarong for every day, mix and match two pieces and a small bottle of hand wash, stuff dries very quickly.

You don't need different outfits for every evening, no one will notice if you wear a dress twice, their all doing the same, and chances are if anyone is a Mrs bucket your never going to see them again anyway.

Mix and match accessories shoes and bags, and I agree about kindles and kindle apps for iPads, I can now read anything I want without lugging loads of books with me. In stead of expensive waterproof and heavy covers for them a re sealable sandwich bag works just as well.

Put out everything you think you want to take, then take away half, put that with essentials in you case, if you have spare weight then look at the remaining.

Remember to have fun, and you will never be far from a shop if you have forgotten something.

H

Hi,

which ports are you calling at?

Can I also recomend local busses at Aruba to get to Palm and eagle beach are easy to use, and the taxi on Tortola to cane garden bay very good, they've always been on time to pick us back up too. Barbados local taxis are very good and we use the boatyard as they have an arangement with the local taxis to take you back, and the facilities there are fab.

The only thing I would say is Jamaica if you are going to diy do your research on the company or do po trip.

There are pros and cons to both, the main one being if on a ship tour and you are late back the ship will still be there, if your diy and late back the ship as a rule will not be there and you will have to either hope the pilot boat will take you out or make your way to the next port of call at your own expense. This expense will not be covered by your insurance as your own fault. I do not speak from experience but from the experience of a work colleague, who had to apologise to the captin for being late and we're lucky the pilot boat would take them.

There are many ports that have very good services that can be diy and even just a wander around the local town safely, St Kitts is one, and has a lovely museum run by a lady from Nottingham that's an easy walk from the terminal.

St Lucia's changing you need to be a little more careful walking outside the terminal, it's not as easy going as it used to be.

Tortola is very easy to walk around the town the people are lovely and friendly.

Grenada is ok but like everywhere else common sense is needed.

Dominica has just been hit by a terrible hurricane and loss of life and the people have little enough as it is, and the infrastructure there was not great as it was. So what it will be like now is anyone's guess, but I hope po don't drop it as tourist dollar main source of income and the people are lovely and the island is very beautiful.

Either way have a fab time.

H

Given the terrible devastation caused this week by hurricane and the tragic loss of life, does anyone have any info from po as to whether they will use Dominica for up coming Caribbean cruise season?

Cheers h

Hi,

In sept 2014 I stayed in F328 it was the second cabin down from reception and backed on to the bar. It was the best single cabin I have stayed in. I was not aware of any noise from the bar at all, if any noise complaint it was the cabin next door. They were a young couple of whom I heared everything down too "you do understand this is a holiday thing I have a girlfriend back home!"

And before anyone gets on a soap box, yes it was a single cabin and po were aware there were two people in there and only one life jacket.

It's a great sized cabin, the ones on the outside have much less room but the added benefit of a window.

The beds are closer to 3/4 size and much more roomier than a standard single, bathroom is standard and the wardrobe arangement was opposite side of the room. There is tons of storage in these cabins, more than in the standard balcony for 2.

It may depend on the cruise and what's going on in the bar, I can only speak for my experience, and for me it was a great cabin.

I hope you have a fab time.

X h

Hi,

I'm used to the to system on Ventura and Azura, and surprised Britannia is not the same, how different is the tv system? Can you book room service for breakfast?

Many thanks

H

The only limitation on this is the room service menu and the fact that you'll be eating on lap trays rather than sat at a table, unless your in a suite and have the room.

There are three course meals on room service if you use a little imagination and are not expecting the same as the MDR.

A little imagination, battery operated frameless candles, pate and crackers for starters, they used to do a nice spaghetti bols on oceana's room service and apple pie for dessert, even cheese and crackers to go with the port I keep by the tea and coffee supplies.

The room service menus are more extensive than the sample one on the website. I agree with the previous posting about breakfast, I really enjoy sailing into Tortola in the Carib in the morning with a continental breakfast, peace quiet and fresh brewed coffee.

The only thing I will say is instead of ordering champagne breakfast, take your own champagne and just order room service continental breakfast.

Have a lovely time. X h

Before you are allowed off ship when docking in Barbados you may have to attend a mandatory immigration thingy, to have passports stamped, po run this like clockwork and are very organised, but they can take anything from 20 min to an hour.

All of the details will be delivered to you cabin a couple of days before in the return flight envelope with all of the details you will need.

Have a wonderful time.

Hi Jane

I've cruised solo with po for 10 years and the supplements have been anything from 45% to 100% depending on cruise and cabin grade if you have to book single occupancy in a cabin for 2 pax. There are solo cabins on some ships I think it's ventura Azura and Brit. I have traveled in a solo inside on Ventura 7 nights Italy and that was around 1500 a solo balcony on Brit for two week Caribbean is around 3000 which is only 300-500 less than I have paid for a standard balcony single occ on oceana, vent before she had the single rooms put in.

You may need to take into account po's fluid pricing system and closer to sailing prices maybe higher and solo cabins usually sell out within the first month of the cruise being open to purchase.

For example my balcony on Brit I was lucky to get on first day of booking and the others were purchased within a week, that was April 2014 and I don't sail for another 7 months.

I know it's expensive but worth it.

Po also have a fab ents team who go out of their way to get to know solo passengers, even when their travelling with others so not technically solo, and I've always found their coffee get togethers good for information gathering. It's the ents teams fault I now always go to the boatyard in Barbados, they recommended it, and I always end up dragging others with me. In for a penny....

I hope you have a fab time what ever you decide. Any questions just ask.

X h

Hi Elmbird,

I'm glad you have asked as I didn't think that far in advance just presumed as I've always enjoyed this service it would be carried onto Britt. One of my favourite things about cruising is sitting on my own balcony first thing in the morning with a continental breakfast and coffee.

Hol

Thank you all for your comments and info. I'm joining a group of friends on board and we all decided to try a new ship. I will keep an open mind. The photos and videos I've seen make me think that the single balcony cabins are quite spacious. It's for two weeks and not the end of the world if you don't like a ship, you just book a different one next time. As long as there is cold beer, warm sunshine, good food and more importantly good company it's all good.

I'll be in the bar!

Cheers Hols

Hi

Can anyone give information on the amount of storage on board in cabin please. From the pictures I have seen there seems to be a lot less storage space in the cabins, I haven't seen any bedside cabinets in the single balconys, but maybe the person who designed it doesn't wear glasses or worry about where they put them. How much space does the (to me) pointless mirror on the dressing table take up (I prefer to see all of my face when applying makeup). I have a single balcony cabin booked for the Caribbean and from pic I've seen I think I should have booked Azura.

Many thanks

H

Hi, when flying out of Barbados depending upon P&o charter or schedule flight you may have to participate in the immigration checks first thing in the morning before they let anyone ashore, and double check flight times. We have done a few of these sailings and Barbados traffic can be tricky sometimes to get to the airport, one year it took us 45 mins to get to the airport and another year it took well over an hour. They also vary the waiting times at the airport depending upon the traffic, anything from an hour to two and a half. And if you are on a scheduled flight this may be different again. I don't want to be a scaremonger I'm sure you'll look into all this. I hope you have a wonderful time. H