I've got a few questions......

[andymac67]

Hi All,I need to ask a few questions,some may seem silly but as this is our first cruise,I just want to be sure that we are well clued up.

We are going on Britannia to the Canary isles at the end of September for our silver wedding anniversary.

 

1)It says on my cruise personaliser that there are 4 black tie nights,do we need to attend all of them or can we suit ourselves?

2)we have learned on here that we can take alchohol on board with us,is there a limit as to how much we can take?

3)How long before we go will the excursions appear on my personaliser and is it worth booking them before we go?

4)with regards to taking toiletries on board,do they need to be 100ml or less the same as when you fly?

5) I take quite alot of medication and I fill up a 2 week pill organiser box,will i be able to take this with me or will i need to show them in their original boxes?,and would it be worth having a letter from my Gp as 1 of them is a controlled drug?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Andy

[Nikkipink]

Hi All,I need to ask a few questions,some may seem silly but as this is our first cruise,I just want to be sure that we are well clued up.

We are going on Britannia to the Canary isles at the end of September for our silver wedding anniversary.

 

1)It says on my cruise personaliser that there are 4 black tie nights,do we need to attend all of them or can we suit ourselves?

 

You can go to all four or any number of them, or none. If you are not wearing formal dress on these nights you will be limited as to where you can eat and drink as the main dining rooms and some bars are for passengers in formal wear only.

 

2)we have learned on here that we can take alchohol on board with us,is there a limit as to how much we can take?

 

Not really, they say "reasonable amounts" and people take on a few bottles of wine, spirits or a wine box, mixers, cans, etc in carry on luggage and you can top up by buying ashore.

 

3)How long before we go will the excursions appear on my personaliser and is it worth booking them before we go?

 

Usually 12 weeks before.

 

4)with regards to taking toiletries on board,do they need to be 100ml or less the same as when you fly?

 

No - any size in hand luggage or packed in your cases.

 

5) I take quite alot of medication and I fill up a 2 week pill organiser box,will i be able to take this with me or will i need to show them in their original boxes?,and would it be worth having a letter from my Gp as 1 of them is a controlled drug?

 

I travel with people who have various medication with them in their hand luggage (including controlled drugs) and never have they been stopped or asked about any of the tablets or amounts or for prescriptions, etc.

 

Hope this helps. Enjoy your cruise - been on Britannia twice and love the ship.

[Mysticalmother]

Answering Q4.... (as the others have been well answered!)

 

P & O told me when I asked that they will usually be on 90 days before your sailing date...but for popular cruise destinations like yours, they may be on there earlier. You can get an idea of what they may be by looking at this link...(scroll down a bit, choose Canary Islands and then the ports you are going to).Typical excursions should be showing.

 

http://www.pocruises.com/going-ashore/

 

Is it worth booking them before you go? well , that depends! If there is a "must do" excursion for you, then yes,do book it beforehand as they can (and sometimes do) sell out before the ship sails. If you are undecided, then it may be better to wait until on board, go to the Port talk and decide then. A deciding factor may be whether you have any On board credit or not. If you book in advance you pay up front, but if you book on board you can use your OBC if you have any.

 

It is not compulsory to do an excursion though! You may prefer to explore on your own, and this can be a more satisfying - and cheaper - way of visiting places. There will probably be lots of people advising against excursions, (mainly due to cost) but for a first time cruiser ships excursions do provide a security blanket in as much as they will get you back to the ship on time.....or the ship will wait. If you go off on your own, the ship will not wait for you if late back.

 

So, its up to you really! But whatever you decide, enjoy your first cruise , and be prepared to get hooked!

[ann141]

As already stated for question 2, there is no rule stopping you bringing a reasonable amount of alcohol and/or soft drinks on board but these must be consumed in the cabin. Enjoy your first cruise!:)

[Host Sharon]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

 

With regard to excursions - the other variable is do you have on board credit to spend in which case you may want to wait until you are on board to book and use the credit.

 

With regard to meds, I always carry a copy of my prescription with me just in case! If you needed medical attention for any reason, this could be invaluable.

 

Formal nights are not "gone to", they just are. If you choose not to dress up then you will be restricted as to where you can eat and drink. You don't however have to go the whole hog of long dress and tux. A dark suit and cocktail dress will be fine.

 

Have a great cruise. I doubt it will be your last ;)

Edited May 17, 2016 by Host Sharon

[Pink-belle]

Good answers to your questions, I hope you enjoy your cruise.

 

Just to add, when travelling with a controlled drug you always need documentation. On Short trips a doctors letter will suffice. I would check with your pharmacist, depending on your medication and dose, a copy of the prescription, may be enough.

[stocktonmackem]

Regarding your 2 week pill box, I would also take extras just in case you get held up for some reason and are late getting back.

[Solent Richard]

Hi All,I need to ask a few questions,some may seem silly but as this is our first cruise,I just want to be sure that we are well clued up.

We are going on Britannia to the Canary isles at the end of September for our silver wedding anniversary.

 

1)It says on my cruise personaliser that there are 4 black tie nights,do we need to attend all of them or can we suit ourselves?

2)we have learned on here that we can take alchohol on board with us,is there a limit as to how much we can take?

3)How long before we go will the excursions appear on my personaliser and is it worth booking them before we go?

4)with regards to taking toiletries on board,do they need to be 100ml or less the same as when you fly?

5) I take quite alot of medication and I fill up a 2 week pill organiser box,will i be able to take this with me or will i need to show them in their original boxes?,and would it be worth having a letter from my Gp as 1 of them is a controlled drug?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Andy

 

Hi Andy.

 

You seem to have got most answers.

 

I know it was a year ago but you may like to look at this review I wrote on my experience on Britannia...

 

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/03/30/britannia-the-maiden-cruise/

 

It should give you an insight into how it all looks and works.

 

My best advice is that as soon as bookings open bag at least one evening in The Limelight Club...