March Caribbean transatlantic back to Southampton

[WATB]

Hi everyone, anyone done this cruise ? Could you share your experience please. I'm interested in booking but have to convince the other half so any info would be much appreciated :)

 

I'm guessing the weather turns cold once you leave Madiera or should I expect that even before then ? Are the sea days hard to handle or is there lots going on onboard ?

[reemab1]

Hi

 

Never done it but we are booked on it for our 'first' cruise!! Not a lot of help I know but I am actually looking forward to some relaxing sea days!! Talking to experienced cruisers it appears that boredom is not a problem.

 

Hope to see you on board.

 

Cheers Barbara

[Flynnboy]

What is the cruise number you are looking at? If it helps a thread already exists for a Transatlantic on the 14th March onboard The Azura

[soobs]

Hi we are looking at the 14 night Carrribean trip thing another 7 nights back to Southampton is a bit much and worried about the bar bill at the end but never say never

 

will be interested in any info you get - cannot find the other thread flynnboy mentions maybe a link could be added

[Movietone]

This is a very personal opinion but we did this on Oriana a couple years ago.

If you are committed cruisers then the sea days and nights might be attractive to you but if it is a Caribbean holiday you want then this not the cruise for you. The island hopping part is lovely but the return can seem interminable, with rapid deterioration in weather and sea conditions.

It has taken me a lot of effort to persuade my partner to cruise again and she will only do it now if we fly in and out of the Caribbean.

[soobs]

thanks Movietone you have just made our minds up for us. Although we loved the Cunard TA we did find the first few days long days when we could'nt go outside so as we are doing a Cariribean cruise for the pootling of and on different islands the deterioration in the weather may take thew edge off the reason we are doing this cruise.

 

One thing sorted 101 to go

[capasamari]

We have twice done the west-bound transatlantic in the autumn and found the sea days a good chance to wind down.

 

We had the advantage that we were sailing towards the sunset so had fantastic evenings on deck and the weather was improving daily.

 

We then had the excitement of our first sight of the Caribbean islands, several days island-hopping and just a flight home.

 

Carol x

[soobs]

Yes maybe going out from Southampton to the Carribean would be okay but on hindsight the other way I think it would take the edge off what will be out main holiday this year would rather get home and think was what a great time we had then a good time in the Carribean but the 7 day trip home seamed endless.

 

maybe that trip will be for anther time once we have done our first proper cruise

[Flynnboy]

Hi Soobs, Sorry if I misled you, go to the Roll Call page for the Azura, look for the 14th March and you will find all the comments on there, we fly out from Manchester on the 21st March to Barbados to do the crossing back to Southampton:):)

[capasamari]

One year we flew to Barbados, joined Arcadia, cruised round the beautiful Caribbean islands with their blue skies, turquoise seas and sunshine then sailed up the brown Mississippi to New Orleans where it poured with rain and the temperature dropped by 20c overnight.

 

It was a real anti-climax and we said at the time we should have done the cruise the other way round, as the next set of passengers onboard did.

 

Carol x

[reemab1]

whoops hope we havent made a mistake!! I think that we will enjoy ourselves whatever - and just think of the number of souvenirs we can bring back with no weight limit to worry about!!:rolleyes:

[capasamari]

You can stock up on all that lovely rum!

 

I certainly don't want to spoil your cruise but forewarned is forearmed.

 

Carol x

[Midsomer Madness]

We have done the TA back to the uk for the past 2 years and had fabulous weather past Tenerife, only really the last 2 days that it was not sunbathing weather! The sea was like a millpond on both occasions. The only problem is you only see 4 of the Caribbean islands ands its 4 consecutive port days so its quite tiring after a long flight but you get the sea days after to relax... Friends of ours had not such good weather coming back on different ships so at different times.. We would definitely do another but this year are doing the 14 night round Caribbean fly in fly home for a change.. If you book a balcony go for a starboard one sailing back to uk then you get the sun all day.

[scruffts2007]

this will be first p & o but 4th transatlantic, much prefer the sea days as the

ships are magnificent but when its a cruise eg 7 days - 7 ports of call ..off -on, off - on. off - on...you never get to enjoy the ship or get to know other passengers

 

never had a problem with the weather in the Atlantic , once we hit a hurricane but that was in the med just off the south of france

[tuppence]

We've done 4 islands and then sailed back and had a good time but this time as we love the Caribbean the three week cruise suited us perfectly! We are on Ventura and can't wait! I don't mind an eight hour flight out to Barbados but I simply hate the overnight flight back so this suits me perfectly! Also it might be a bit chilly on the last few days but hopefully Spring will be just around the corner:)

[reemab1]

cheers - so looking fotward to the break ! Thanks for your thoughts.

[WATB]

Thanks for your comments everyone, its interesting to hear both sides of the coin.

 

I like the sound of 14 days in the Caribbean and then 7 days sail back, the sail back is broken up with stop in Madeira so perhaps not so bad. I'd need to give loads of notice to get that length of time off work, anyone know if they do this cruise every year or is that just a one off ?

[Midsomer Madness]

The TA are usually 14 nights, it's different this yer because they are doing the figure of eight I think it reverts back to the usual for next year but you would need to check the website or brochure.

[PJ's]

Thanks for your comments everyone, its interesting to hear both sides of the coin.

 

I like the sound of 14 days in the Caribbean and then 7 days sail back, the sail back is broken up with stop in Madeira so perhaps not so bad. I'd need to give loads of notice to get that length of time off work, anyone know if they do this cruise every year or is that just a one off ?

 

The sail back is not with a stop in Madeira but at Ponta Delgada, Azores. According to their brochure for 2013/14 Azura transatlantic is 21/03/14 for 2weeks with a stop at Ponta Delgada and Ventura date is 14/03/14, also with a stop at Ponta Delgada - but this could change!!!!

I think that Azura was not supposed to be in the Caribbean this year, but they changed that as well and soooooo glad they did. Can't wait until 14/03/13 for our 21 nighter back to Southampton.

[annieuk]

Hi carolpj, we are on this one too and we can't wait! It's really not that long. I'm so pleased to be sailing back to Southampton and not have to have that overnight flight back to Gatwick landing at around 4.30am! Maybe we'll meet up on board.

 

Carole

[PJ's]

I totally agree with you about the overnight flight back to UK - so glad we don't have to do it this time. We are flying out from Manchester on 14/03/13 with Thomson and still patiently waiting for the seat booker to be available so we can book seats for the outward journey - check every day but no luck so far. Do P&O advise when the seat booker will be available or is it better to check every day and maybe hit lucky.

[Midsomer Madness]

They should advise you but I would check every day...I received an email, but my friend whose booking is linked with ours, never received one...ours said it would open on xx date for baltic/ligurian (sp) passengers and then for the other tiers 2 days later. I logged in on the day it opened for baltic etc and was able to book our seats without a problem, despite only being in Atlantic tier...my friend did the same.

 

Hope you get great weather coming back across the Atlantic like we did last year.

[Host Sharon]

I recently did a round-trip S'ton to S'ton to Caribban and loved it. The first lot of sea days were perfect to wind down, get to know people and enjoy the sunshine, then the island hopping part, then the sea days to relax on the way home. Can't wait to do it again.

[supergran]

We have just returned from the Christmas/ New Year cruise on Aurora which was Southampton to Caribbean and back to Southampton, 22 nights in all. We loved the sea days as a chance to sit in the sun and relax with a good book, although there was plenty to do to keep busy. We called at Vigo, where it was raining but warm,then Madeira, by which time it had warmed up considerably. Next was Barbados, Antigua, Tortola and T Martin. All beach days and swimming in the sea. We were supposed to call at the Azores on the return journey but diverted to Madeira as we had a seriously ill passenger. The weather was cooler after we left Madeira but we still managed to sunbathe even on Saturday before arriving in Southampton on Monday. You should be even luckier in March with the weather.

[Butterfly Dreams]

Hi we are also booked on this cruise, flying out of Manchester on 14th March. We have sailed on the Oriana transatlantic both ways, but we travelled in September/October. The weather was good weather and managed to sit out every day. Not sure what the weather will be like in March, but I hoping it will be good. We really enjoy the sea days as it gives us time to really explore the ship, watch a film or two, read and relax as well as catching up on the sunbathing.

 

I am looking forward to sailing on the Azura as we have never sailed on her before.

 

Excited

 

:cool: