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Cannot understand the negatives about Britannia


lynnek
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I have no problems any cruise line or ship having sailaway parties on deck it is everybody's choice to whether they attend or not what I do find cringeworthy is the persistence on P&O to play the theme from the Dambusters. When I last attended one we were berthed next to an Aida ship and the entertainment officer when the tune was being played shouted lets show the Germans on Aida who won the war. Cringeworthy and very embarrassing.

 

Then you have the good old british knees up. Has it never occurred to them that the vast majority of passengers are not cockneys. Of course they are catering to their passengers opinions.

 

This may or may not have happened. They were playing the Dambusters March to annoy the germans on MeinSchiff parked next door. Meanwhile the germans were lining the rails waving towels :D

 

Moral of the story, the germans have a sense of humour and the british should start living in the 21st century :eek:

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I have thought similar for some time. Perhaps 3, a welcome, a farewell and perhaps a black and white night in the middle.

 

On the other hand of course I am entirely happy with 2 Formal Nights a week. On a practical basis, who wants to pack a Dinner Suit to only wear it once or twice during a cruise?

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I don't disagree, other than the Caribbean where 4 nights seem too many.

 

We have 5 on our 17 night cruise in August to the Eastern Med. Just glad we are going from Southampton ;-)

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Well, back on track for the original thread.

 

Have just returned from a fabulous week on Britannia. I don't think we are alone in saying that it has been an excellent week visiting the Iberian Coast. The weather was beautiful, but it was good to go back to Britannia after a 2 year break. Will be posting a full review covering the 'hot topics' like embarkation, the aft cabins (noise and soot!), formal nights and the new food menu.

Anyway, 2 very happy cruisers today --- well, happy with the ship and P&O, but not so happy to be home !

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Just a few comments on our Britannia cruise, although it was two years ago.

We liked the decor of the ship, smart and modern. Although the balcony was very small, it did mean lovely sea views from the bed. Liked the big tv!

However, we really missed a promenade deck.

The real down point for us was the staff. Our cabin steward was lovely, and friendly, and there were some charming people working in the buffet. However I saw numerous instances of serving staff deliberately avoiding would-be customers in the lounges, unfriendly behaviour and a general impression that looking after the passengers was beneath their dignity. I've never encountered this on other cruise lines, and I'm fairly certain it wasn't something I'd done, being by nature, polite, respectful and very grateful to have someone bringing me my food and drink. It was our second P and O cruise, the first being on the Oriana, where on one occasion in the MDR, the waiter almost threw my menu at me.

It has definitely put me off sailing with P and O again, especially having gone back to the superior service experience on Princess, Celebrity and NCL.

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Well, back on track for the original thread.

 

Have just returned from a fabulous week on Britannia. I don't think we are alone in saying that it has been an excellent week visiting the Iberian Coast. The weather was beautiful, but it was good to go back to Britannia after a 2 year break. Will be posting a full review covering the 'hot topics' like embarkation, the aft cabins (noise and soot!), formal nights and the new food menu.

Anyway, 2 very happy cruisers today --- well, happy with the ship and P&O, but not so happy to be home !

 

Glad to hear that you had a good cruise. There appears to be a long delay in reviews getting posted. I wrote one last week on our recent cruise on Aurora and it's still not published. Any info in the meantime on how you found the aft cabins would be much appreciated. We have a booking for an F deck aft corner wrap suite and are concerned about noise disturbance from the Live Lounge, even though we are 2 levels up from it, as reviews to date have been contradictory.

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Just a few comments on our Britannia cruise, although it was two years ago.

We liked the decor of the ship, smart and modern. Although the balcony was very small, it did mean lovely sea views from the bed. Liked the big tv!

However, we really missed a promenade deck.

The real down point for us was the staff. Our cabin steward was lovely, and friendly, and there were some charming people working in the buffet. However I saw numerous instances of serving staff deliberately avoiding would-be customers in the lounges, unfriendly behaviour and a general impression that looking after the passengers was beneath their dignity. I've never encountered this on other cruise lines, and I'm fairly certain it wasn't something I'd done, being by nature, polite, respectful and very grateful to have someone bringing me my food and drink. It was our second P and O cruise, the first being on the Oriana, where on one occasion in the MDR, the waiter almost threw my menu at me.

It has definitely put me off sailing with P and O again, especially having gone back to the superior service experience on Princess, Celebrity and NCL.

I think you will find it different now. They used too many new staff in her first few months and they didn't seem to be able to cope. We were on her in Sept 2015 and they were back to normal (as it were) then.

 

She is a stunning ship, but she does seem to attract a different clientele to the other ships, ie. passengers not liking wearing Black Tie, which is a great shame as this is one of the highlights of a cruise on P&O. There are so few cruise lines that actually have any such dress codes nowadays and one of joys is seeing a ship full of ladies in long dresses and gentlemen in Black Tie! 😊

 

Sent from my Sony Z1 Compact.

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Glad to hear that you had a good cruise. There appears to be a long delay in reviews getting posted. I wrote one last week on our recent cruise on Aurora and it's still not published. Any info in the meantime on how you found the aft cabins would be much appreciated. We have a booking for an F deck aft corner wrap suite and are concerned about noise disturbance from the Live Lounge, even though we are 2 levels up from it, as reviews to date have been contradictory.

 

Hi, we were in F729 (sigh, to be there now) and the Ventura Suite (F730 / 31 we think) was to our left. We also had the chance to watch the folks enjoying the wrap round cabin on the deck below *G deck below the Ventura Suite)

 

All we can do is to compare with our last stay in August 2015 in the same cabin.

 

We thought that the noise level from the Live Lounge was far less - they certainly did not rehearse at full blast in the day and we could hardly hear them at all in the evening. Just a faint noise a very slight vibration for the bass. We asked the couple we had seen on the G deck wrap round suite about the noise and they said that they hadn't heard anything at all and from where we were they certainly appeared to love the extra space and chance to dine on the balcony.

 

We did experience some soot though - probably more than on our first cruise. Having said that the cabin steward hosed it down twice a day (poor man) -- I'd say that there were about 40 very small specks on the balcony this morning from overnight. Some days were better than others. We did enjoy a day on the balcony and weren't affected at all and didn't look like of one of the 101 Dalmatians when we came inside :-)

 

We just loved the peace and quiet at the back - couldn't believe that anyone else was on the ship and slept like logs. The sunsets from the back were amazing. The cabin steward, Jose, was brilliant - one of the best ever.

 

We did feel some judder from the engines at times, but that is normal for any ship at the back when docking and we got used to it.

 

From where we were, the wrap round balcony looked amazing and we loved our cruise. Would we book it again - in a heart beat - soot or no soot.

 

Which cabin have you booked?

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I think you will find it different now. They used too many new staff in her first few months and they didn't seem to be able to cope. We were on her in Sept 2015 and they were back to normal (as it were) then.

 

She is a stunning ship, but she does seem to attract a different clientele to the other ships, ie. passengers not liking wearing Black Tie, which is a great shame as this is one of the highlights of a cruise on P&O. There are so few cruise lines that actually have any such dress codes nowadays and one of joys is seeing a ship full of ladies in long dresses and gentlemen in Black Tie! 😊

 

Sent from my Sony Z1 Compact.

 

Everyone looked stunning last week - almost all of the 3,500 of us ;-)

Agree about service - it was far better this time on some areas than when we sailed in 2015.

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Hi, we were in F729 (sigh, to be there now) and the Ventura Suite (F730 / 31 we think) was to our left. We also had the chance to watch the folks enjoying the wrap round cabin on the deck below *G deck below the Ventura Suite)

 

All we can do is to compare with our last stay in August 2015 in the same cabin.

 

We thought that the noise level from the Live Lounge was far less - they certainly did not rehearse at full blast in the day and we could hardly hear them at all in the evening. Just a faint noise a very slight vibration for the bass. We asked the couple we had seen on the G deck wrap round suite about the noise and they said that they hadn't heard anything at all and from where we were they certainly appeared to love the extra space and chance to dine on the balcony.

 

We did experience some soot though - probably more than on our first cruise. Having said that the cabin steward hosed it down twice a day (poor man) -- I'd say that there were about 40 very small specks on the balcony this morning from overnight. Some days were better than others. We did enjoy a day on the balcony and weren't affected at all and didn't look like of one of the 101 Dalmatians when we came inside :-)

 

We just loved the peace and quiet at the back - couldn't believe that anyone else was on the ship and slept like logs. The sunsets from the back were amazing. The cabin steward, Jose, was brilliant - one of the best ever.

 

We did feel some judder from the engines at times, but that is normal for any ship at the back when docking and we got used to it.

 

From where we were, the wrap round balcony looked amazing and we loved our cruise. Would we book it again - in a heart beat - soot or no soot.

 

Which cabin have you booked?

 

Thanks. That's really helpful. We are on the opposite side to you (Port) but would hope that the noise from the Live Lounge shouldn't be any worse there. I can live with vibration when docking. Do I take it that it wasn't a problem at other times? We have booked Suite F730 and the adjacent balcony cabin F728 for our daughters. We have the added worry of cigarette smells (and potential noise) from the smoking area outside the Live Lounge, but all starboard suites were taken when we booked (other than G deck which we wouldn't risk). We met a couple on Aurora last week who stayed in an aft corner suite on C deck on Britannia last year and said that they would never book one again due to the soot problem. It was less about the soot and more about unannounced cleaning of their balcony, which they found obtrusive - especially if they weren't dressed! I'm less worried about that as we tend to wake early and we don't sunbathe, but I'm not sure what our daughters will make of it! I shall be glad when this cruise comes. I've been worrying about these issues for a year and it's costing me a small fortune, so the stakes are high!

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Thanks. That's really helpful. We are on the opposite side to you (Port) but would hope that the noise from the Live Lounge shouldn't be any worse there. I can live with vibration when docking. Do I take it that it wasn't a problem at other times? We have booked Suite F730 and the adjacent balcony cabin F728 for our daughters. We have the added worry of cigarette smells (and potential noise) from the smoking area outside the Live Lounge, but all starboard suites were taken when we booked (other than G deck which we wouldn't risk). We met a couple on Aurora last week who stayed in an aft corner suite on C deck on Britannia last year and said that they would never book one again due to the soot problem. It was less about the soot and more about unannounced cleaning of their balcony, which they found obtrusive - especially if they weren't dressed! I'm less worried about that as we tend to wake early and we don't sunbathe, but I'm not sure what our daughters will make of it! I shall be glad when this cruise comes. I've been worrying about these issues for a year and it's costing me a small fortune, so the stakes are high!

 

Hi, our Cabin Steward hosed ours down when he did the cabin - i.e. when we were not there! In 2015 I remember they sometimes picked a time! If Jose in F729 can do it they all can --- then again, he may be your cabin steward and he is just brilliant! When do you sail as he is there now for months?

 

There was some vibration at other times, but we found this on the Celebrity Silhouette in an aft cabin 3 times so it isn't something new for aft cabins.

 

I am sure that you will all have a great time - there is truth in all complaints re noise and soot but it really was not a big deal for us. If you are expecting some minor issues then you will be ok.

Are the cabins perfect? No.

Is the ship perfect? No.

Are there some positive and some negatives re the cabins? Yes.

 

Did we experience all? Yes

Did we have a fabulous time? YOU BET !!!

 

Any more questions just ask

 

:)

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  • 2 weeks later...

We are diehard Celebrity fans booked for the first time on Britannia 16 July sailing. We fancied sailing from Southampton and the itinerary looks good. As we booked a guarantee balcony we haven't got an allocation yet, we are looking forward to it.

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We are diehard Celebrity fans booked for the first time on Britannia 16 July sailing. We fancied sailing from Southampton and the itinerary looks good. As we booked a guarantee balcony we haven't got an allocation yet, we are looking forward to it.

 

You will find P&O very different from Celebrity, but Britannia is beautiful and if you go knowing that it is different - and happy to just go with the flow - you will have a great time. :) If you enjoy a drink you'll find that you will save a fortune :-)

 

Any questions just ask.

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Thanks Presto! We usually get a drinks package on Celebrity. We have done quite a few cruises on Cunard in QG but after last year won't be bothering going back with them. I don't suppose the membership points transfer from Cunard to P&O do they?

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Thanks Presto! We usually get a drinks package on Celebrity. We have done quite a few cruises on Cunard in QG but after last year won't be bothering going back with them. I don't suppose the membership points transfer from Cunard to P&O do they?

 

 

 

Sorry no and not the other way either.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

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Thanks Presto! We usually get a drinks package on Celebrity. We have done quite a few cruises on Cunard in QG but after last year won't be bothering going back with them. I don't suppose the membership points transfer from Cunard to P&O do they?

 

No drinks packages as the ones on Celebrity but you can bring on as much alcohol as you like at any port to use in your cabin. We take a box of wine on and am sure that others take spirits on to have in their cabin. Wine by the bottle is sooooo much cheaper and no extra 18%. I.e about £18 in the restaurant.

 

The speciality dining is good on P&O and FAR cheaper than on Celebrity. The Epicurean is good, as is the Beach House and Sindhu. In effect, all are good and good value. E.g I think we paid £28 each extra for the Epicurean (most expensive) when we would expect to pay about $50 / 60 each for Muranos.

 

No transfer for Cunard - sorry.

 

I do hope you enjoy P&O. It really is different, but we love both cruise lines as they are different and each have strengths and areas to develop. We have booked Celebrity for next August, just to show you that we are not particularly biased :-)

 

Just to note - the formal nights tend to be more formal on P&O - we love that though, and going from Southampton means you take as much luggage as you like :-)

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I have seen you over on the "c" board as well! We will be taking some erm aperitifs onboard but the prices sound good to indulge ourselves in the speciality dining with accompanying wines! Hoping the entertainment is good we ar real night owls

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