Adonia - prices??

A 26 night Eastern Med on Adonia in 2011 is £2968 for the cheapest cabin. A 24 night US/Canada on Aurora is £2493. That's a massive difference. Even a 34 nighter to the Caribbean on Oriana is only £2890.

Wonder why Adonia is so expensive?

There may be two reasons, I suspect:

a) as smaller ships they may just be more expensive ships to run, per passenger;

b) all of the former R ships have been used in fairly upmarket and expensive ways. Azamara, for example, charge more than Celebrity. I believe also that 'higher than typical' prices have been charged on the Princess R ships as well. So I think that P&O believe that 'the market price' for a cruise on one of these ships is higher than on a typical ship.

Some of the price comparisons might be less skewed in other cabin categories. How do balcony cabins compare between Adonia, Aurora and Oriana? I wouldn't be surprised if a balcony cabin on Oriana might cost as much as on Adonia - there aren't many such cabins on Oriana.

Tom, you could well be right. I didn't look at balconies, mainly because I think they are a waste of money. We tend not to spend any time in our cabin. I would rather be up on deck.

... and it's even worse for the single cruiser, really expensive 5* cruising on par so I have read.

Jeanlyon

Good job we all have different tastes. We would not entertain a cabin without a balcony. Somewhere where the seating is not reserved by a towel, no screaming kids, background music or smokers!

A great place for breakfast or lunch, or a drink at sundown.

Richard

Richard, in general, we don't travel where there are kids, I've never had a problem so far (Artemis) in finding a sunbed, and not been bothered by background music or smoke? However, this could change this September when we go on Azura! LOL

Breakfast and lunch in your cabin?? For me half the fun is eating in the restaurants and meeting other people, but yes, it's a good job we're all different.

Ah, but perhaps Jean, Richard has a suite and is served by a butler at a nice table in his cabin...:D

I agree with his comments though, I always have a balcony...have you had a balcony cabin Jean?

Interesting, I was looking at Adonia myself, I think they can probably get away with a premium because its new to P&O and people like me think "I would like to try the new ship out".

We had a balcony for the first time on our cruise to the Caribbean, it was very nice but it was not the be all and end all, for the amount of time we actually spent on it, it was an expensive upgrade. I am like the earlier poster I like meeting people in the restaurants and being on deck near the pool. On Ventura their is an adults only pool, so no kids and there was no smoke it was wonderful.

I would have a balcony again on a long cruise but might not bother on shorter holidays. Everyone is different, for me I wish I had more time to go on cruises, I am trying to fit a weekender in somewhere but as I am working almost 7 days a week at the moment its like getting a square peg in a round hole.

Chris

Hi Sue, no, not had a balcony, but visited a friend who had one. There was nothing about it which would make me pay that sort of premium. Yes of course it's nice to go out on the balcony in the early morning, but actually I would rather go for a walk round the deck. I couldn't justify the money for a balcony.

Only looked briefly but hasn't Adonia got quite a few balconies? ships like Oriana & OV had few balconies & that caused them to be too expensive. I reckon it cost quite a bit to run a ship whatever size & with fewer people that may be why it is expensive.

could be they've added a premium price for the novelty value of a smaller ship and smaller less frequented ports?

It doesn't bother us too much - it's our holiday and we want to do those ports

Only looked briefly but hasn't Adonia got quite a few balconies? ships like Oriana & OV had few balconies & that caused them to be too expensive. I reckon it cost quite a bit to run a ship whatever size & with fewer people that may be why it is expensive.

My understanding having cruised the Med and Caribbean, is that its far more expensive to dock in European ports than the Caribbean that is what makes the fly cruises so cheap to the Caribbean in comparison to the Med.

(Source) Captain of a Princess ship (who will not be disclosed). Who thought the Med was overrated and was made for (I use his words) Yank cruisers.

On his cruise line

Am I wrong?

Heat over history you choose (my words!)

Take Care

Carl

Well the Yanks love the Med, because it's unusual for them and the Caribbean is so much closer. But the Caribbean, although I have enjoyed it a number of times is very samey. Heat, beach, etc. The Med is different in each country. I like both.

I haven't been to the Caribbean yet, and to be honest I'm not sure how much I'd enjoy a whole 14 nights cruising there. What attracts rather more, perhaps, would be a holiday to Florida + a 7 night cruise ex-Miami or Fort Lauderdale, with Princess or Celebrity; perhaps 14 nights for the whole thing. There are a few places I'd like to visit in Florida before the cruise.

As regards the Med, I love it. I do enjoy the mixture of history and deeply seductive climate/architecture/lifestyle. Well, OK, the climate isn't always deeply seductive, though at the end of this winter I'm looking forward to our Ventura cruise.

The W Med is beautiful, but I think the E Med is stunning. When I stop working I'm going to take some savings and go island-hopping in the Aegean for as long as the money lasts. It'll be the exact opposite of cruising; no plans, low-grade accommodation, very functional ships, and above all traveling very lightly, but I'm going to love it. I've visited a few of the honey-pot islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes) + a few shore destinations (e.g. Athens & Kusadasi) and I've always felt that I'd love to see some islands that didn't have a megaliner parked outside the harbour. But I greatly enjoyed the visits to even these destinations; sailing away from Mykonos or Santorini has always been more of a wrench than leaving Naples, say.

The W Med is beautiful, but I think the E Med is stunning. When I stop working I'm going to take some savings and go island-hopping in the Aegean for as long as the money lasts. It'll be the exact opposite of cruising; no plans, low-grade accommodation, very functional ships, and above all traveling very lightly, but I'm going to love it. I've visited a few of the honey-pot islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes) + a few shore destinations (e.g. Athens & Kusadasi) and I've always felt that I'd love to see some islands that didn't have a megaliner parked outside the harbour. But I greatly enjoyed the visits to even these destinations; sailing away from Mykonos or Santorini has always been more of a wrench than leaving Naples, say.

I agree, one of my favourite cruises, out of 20, was on Easyjet 2 years ago. Paros, Syros, Kalyminos, Mykonos and Kos. Didn't see the sailaways as they were in the early hours of the morning. It was great to go ashore and not think about the time, we didn't need a watch. I have a vague plan to island hop as well, not sure if it will ever happen though.

... really expensive 5* cruising on par so I have read.

If you think that cruises on all the former R class vessel are of similar standard you're sadly mistaken. We cruised the South Pacific on Pacific Princess (I'd give it overall a 3*+) and sailed around South American on Oceania's Insignia (5*) - the difference was like chalk and cheese (only similarity was the decor). It amazing what non-Carnival Corp companies do with their ships. :D

Small ships are generally more expensive, few people seem realise that Artemis is more expensive when compared to the larger P & O ships on very similar itineraries. But with regard to the prices on Adonia, P & O have lost the plot, as the food, service, overall cruise standards will be the same as on their other ships.

Back in 2005 we paid £5800 for a 14 night fly cruise to the Med. on the same ship with Swan Hellenic (Minerva II ) That price included a balcony cabin, all excursions, tips for ships staff and tour guides and complimentary wine with dinner on the two formal nights. A 12 night Med. fly cruise on Pacific Princess in 2007 only cost us £3600 for a balcony cabin. Both cruises were booked in advance and not late deals.

Whilst I appreciate that prices have increased over the years and the exchange rate with the Euro has changed drastically I doubt I shall be making any early bookings on Adonia. I like the R Class ships but there are at least five others out there sailing with other cruise lines, probably giving better value for money

A 26 night Eastern Med on Adonia in 2011 is £2968 for the cheapest cabin. A 24 night US/Canada on Aurora is £2493. That's a massive difference. Even a 34 nighter to the Caribbean on Oriana is only £2890.

Wonder why Adonia is so expensive?

Sorry, don't get it, how is it a massive difference?

The Adonia cruise is £114 per night. The Aurora cruise is £103 per night.

A difference I would agree, but a massive difference?

I suppose 'massive' is a subjective term.

Cheers

Gerry

Might there not be another reason. Artemis may have had such a large loyal following which P&O anticipate will transfer to Adonia thereby enabling them to keep the prices up.

Actually Artemis was quite cheap - 26 nights Black Sea cruise was £1808, OK it was 2008, but last year our 25 nighter to Egypt and round the Med also on Artemis was £2007. These prices are each person, so yes I do think that £1000 is a massive difference.