Great British Sailaway

[Sanjam cruisers]

No one is forced by P&O to attend the GBS, no one is forced by P&O to buy overpriced cocktails( Which are not overpriced in relation to my local clubs), it lasts for 40 minutes to 1 hour out of a 14 night cruise. Going by my own attendance over 16 P&O cruises and videos of cruisesI have not been on it is an event enjoyed by a large number of passengers. But hey we will get P&O to stop it as a few killjoys don't like it. Well I do not like classical music, jazz, tribute acts, magicians but I do not ask P&O or other cruise lines to stop them just because I do not like them I just don't go to see them.

[richleeds]

Well I do not like classical music, jazz, tribute acts, magicians but I do not ask P&O or other cruise lines to stop them just because I do not like them I just don't go to see them.

 

 

If we stopped all the above, the theatre would be dark most nights.

 

 

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[Scriv]

No one is forced by P&O to attend the GBS, no one is forced by P&O to buy overpriced cocktails( Which are not overpriced in relation to my local clubs).

 

 

Quite!

[indiana123]

The sailaway is quite a unique event in that it is not something we can do often in our lives., (Apart from people who cruise very regularly).

 

Not everyone has a chance to experience it and its just a great bit of fun that lasts under an hour.

 

So go ahead and really enjoy the sailaway, feel special on your special holiday and sing patriotic songs to your hearts content along with all the other fun people. Its just one special event of the holiday. :)

[wilson2579]

I love the sailaways and the fun of them.:cool:

[Cruizann]

HI all, anybody know where they usually have the GBS in the Caribbean, or do they alternate it depending on which other ships are in.

 

Thanks,

Rick.

 

Yes they do. We were on a Holland america ship the Noordam in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos on January 18, 2015 and as the Azura moved away from the dock we watched many many people waving their union jacks and singing Rule Brittania and Land of Hope and Glory, Scotland the Brave and even as the ship was disappearing into the distance we could still hear voices singing. My husband and I were born in England, met at uni in Ontario Canada and fell in love. We have enjoyed many holidays in England (London and North Yorkshire, Robin Hood's Bay) and Scotland (Edinburgh, and the borders). As we listened to the songs and watched the flags waving I felt proud of my english, scottish heritage. We are thinking of a short P and O cruise from Southampton this spring.

[Fjord4Fun]

Yes they do. We were on a Holland america ship the Noordam in Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos on January 18, 2015 and as the Azura moved away from the dock we watched many many people waving their union jacks and singing Rule Brittania and Land of Hope and Glory, Scotland the Brave and even as the ship was disappearing into the distance we could still hear voices singing. My husband and I were born in England, met at uni in Ontario Canada and fell in love. We have enjoyed many holidays in England (London and North Yorkshire, Robin Hood's Bay) and Scotland (Edinburgh, and the borders). As we listened to the songs and watched the flags waving I felt proud of my english, scottish heritage. We are thinking of a short P and O cruise from Southampton this spring.

 

That sounds absolutely appalling and gut-wrenchingly embarrassing. I just can't imagine anything quite so naff. Please don't tell me they play bingo and have knobbly knees contests too.

[Presto2]

That sounds absolutely appalling and gut-wrenchingly embarrassing. I just can't imagine anything quite so naff. Please don't tell me they play bingo and have knobbly knees contests too.

 

Even if they were why worry. They were having fun.

If it doesn't suit you then just avoid it.

[NSWP]

In my opinion ALL pax should be directed by the Capitano to attend the Great British Sailaways, we love 'em. Attendance should be compulsory just like Emergency Drill.

 

Rule Britannia.

[soobs]

We stumbled across the GBS on our 3rd cruise and love it cannot believe we missed the first 3, as said it's only an hour and you can avoid it if you don't like it. We don't like bingo so avoid it but other's love it. One size doesn't fit all!!!!

 

It's a holiday after all are we not supposed to enjoy it!!

[gadabout60]

I like to be on deck for some sailaways to enjoy the views and the sailaways can be mildly amusing - but I really hate the anti-German mentality. Playing the Dambusters when passing a German ship is just ignorant

[Alybaly]

In answer to Great british sail away songs, I,m Scottish and don't know a soul who doesn't know all the words to Flower of Scotland. It's our national anthem and is played at the start of football matches, sporting events etc.

 

 

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[Fjord4Fun]

I like to be on deck for some sailaways to enjoy the views and the sailaways can be mildly amusing - but I really hate the anti-German mentality. Playing the Dambusters when passing a German ship is just ignorant

 

Quite! Seems to sum up the mentality of the organisers and (some of the) attendees. Lowest common denominator and all that. Hadn't realised that P&O was trying to attract the UKIP/BNP element.

[Sanjam cruisers]

Some people may not like the Sailaway and Great British Sailaways but others do including some passengers on ships docked alongside P&O ships as this post from another lines message board indicates.

"

I wish P&O would send Britannia to the U.S. for some cruises. Aboard the Noordam in January, we shared a pier with Azura at Grand Turk. She sailed before we did and, as a witness to her sailaway party, it exceeded anything I have seen before. I think P&O might find an interested group of guests on this side of the pond if they were to re-think their scheduling and itineraries." Perhaps we BRITISH take ourselves too seriously a need to "Chill Out" as our friends across the pond practice.

[FiggyWig]

We are new to P&O, with our 1st mini-cruise being a 4 nighter to on Oceana. I hadn't realised quite what a 'DO' the P&O Sailaway is until I looked on You Tube - Having previously cruised with Celebrity, NCL & Thomson and never experienced anything like the P&O goings on.

 

Whilst I can imagine it all on the Pool Decks in the Summer months - what do they do while sailing away from a cold and miserable Southampton in March... that is assuming they still do said GBS on such a short cruise. ? And is this all piped music or the resident band ? And people mention over priced cocktails, so I'm guessing there are no freebies ??

 

Another question...I take it the only have the one sailaway - i.e when leaving the home port - and not from each and every port :eek:

 

Can't help thinking I will prefer to be one of the by-standers looking on with a glass of Bubbly in hand... unless of course they do hand out copious amounts of 'on the house' cocktails... in which case I might just end up singing along with the best of them:D

 

Fig

[Presto2]

We are new to P&O, with our 1st mini-cruise being a 4 nighter to on Oceana. I hadn't realised quite what a 'DO' the P&O Sailaway is until I looked on You Tube - Having previously cruised with Celebrity, NCL & Thomson and never experienced anything like the P&O goings on.

 

Whilst I can imagine it all on the Pool Decks in the Summer months - what do they do while sailing away from a cold and miserable Southampton in March... that is assuming they still do said GBS on such a short cruise. ? And is this all piped music or the resident band ? And people mention over priced cocktails, so I'm guessing there are no freebies ??

 

Another question...I take it the only have the one sailaway - i.e when leaving the home port - and not from each and every port :eek:

 

Can't help thinking I will prefer to be one of the by-standers looking on with a glass of Bubbly in hand... unless of course they do hand out copious amounts of 'on the house' cocktails... in which case I might just end up singing along with the best of them:D

 

Fig

 

In April last year they the GBS on the first day as we left Southampton on a cold, wet day! Had to buy the cocktails though...

[Scriv]

In cold damp November on our 2 night cruise, the Sailaways were in the Crows Nest - a normal Sailaway outward from Southampton and the Great British Sailaway homeward bound from Zeebrugge. GBS means lots of singing and flagwaving.

We walked around the deck with our glass of champagne (£7.50) and waved goodbye to Southampton - but on the way home sat in the Crows Nest and enjoyed our cocktails before dinner. Choose the cheaper cocktails or the special of the day if you want to keep the cost down.

Edited February 23, 2015 by Scriv

[Sanjam cruisers]

Ho Figgywig

There is a Sailaway from every port however there is only one GBS per cruise, while the ship is in the Caribbean the GBS is normally held near the end of the cruise. And despite what some have said on here they do not wait until a Geman ship is in port to play the "Dambusters" theme it is played as part of a song "Pianoman"

While not everyone's choice of entertainment it is in my opinion a harmless 45 minutes out of a 14 night cruise which both my wife and our cruise friends all enjoy.

[Presto2]

While not everyone's choice of entertainment it is in my opinion a harmless 45 minutes out of a 14 night cruise which both my wife and our cruise friends all enjoy.

 

And us --- ironically when we were on the IOS on a 4 day mini cruise from Southampton they had their version of the Great British Sailaway as part of the evening entertainment. This was not a UK cruise line but an American one trying to do a GBS. It was interesting - but still fun (sort of)

[Sanjam cruisers]

Hi Presto

I have been lucky enough to have been able to cruise since 2005, I know when I board the ship not everything will suit me. If I wanted everything to meet my standards I would cruise unaccompanied on a luxury yacht, that I cannot afford and do not wish to do.

A modern cruise ship caters for most passengers, we all have lines/ships which meet our particular needs. However there seem to be people who continually try to get lines who do not meet their needs or wants to change to suit them and to be polite it P****s me off.

Stick to what you like.

[Presto2]

Hi Presto

I have been lucky enough to have been able to cruise since 2005, I know when I board the ship not everything will suit me. If I wanted everything to meet my standards I would cruise unaccompanied on a luxury yacht, that I cannot afford and do not wish to do.

A modern cruise ship caters for most passengers, we all have lines/ships which meet our particular needs. However there seem to be people who continually try to get lines who do not meet their needs or wants to change to suit them and to be polite it P****s me off.

Stick to what you like.

 

We always say that the passengers should adapt to the cruise line and not the other way around ----- i.e. do your homework, know what you're buying and don't moan if it isn't exactly what you want or the cruise style doesn't revolve around your particular likes / dislikes. Simple --------------- if only :rolleyes:

[Slugsta]

A Scottish tune that I can't remember the name of that's like a jig, sort of - der, der de de dun de de :D

 

 

Scotland the Brave?

 

I usually enjoy the GBS (depending on the weather and my energy levels), it's only once a cruise and it's easy enough to avoid if you don't want to join in.

[Host Sharon]

Scotland the Brave?

 

I usually enjoy the GBS (depending on the weather and my energy levels), it's only once a cruise and it's easy enough to avoid if you don't want to join in.

 

It is usually the Proclaimers One Hundred Miles, in my experience anyway.

[richleeds]

It is usually the Proclaimers One Hundred Miles, in my experience anyway.

 

Correct.

[jeanlyon]

They don't do anything sailing away from Southampton any more. There used to be a band on the quay.