New ship 2022

[pisces14]

I have cruised on the smaller ships and the massive ones. As a 40 something,at this time in my life, i prefer the larger ships for one reason and it actually has nothing to do with the size. It is the amount of things to see and do whilst on-board. I totally get why the small ships are popular and I do like them especially as they can get into the smaller ports. As I get older I think I probably will like them best but on a long cruise I find I need more to keep me occupied which the big ships always win hands down. If P&O don't address this with the new ships they might as well not bother.

 

Saying that I don't understand why they can't have both size ships to suite different needs and likes.

 

If P&O carry on building bigger and bigger ships by the time you are older I'll think you'll find they won't have any smaller ships. Perhaps P&O should bear in mind that the younger passengers they are so eager to attract will all become older cruisers one day.

[Presto2]

 

 

The ships don't go up the Grand Canal....they wouldn't fit under the bridges !!!:). It's the Giudecca Canal they currently sail up![/left]

 

Ha ha, that made me laugh --- a senior moment from hubby. (Have to blame someone :'))

Now that would be a small ship hey.

Now, if someone designed a small boat and had a one man crew who sang a lot - with a large pole to steer it along the canal - they could make a fortune :p

[joro44]

I think that one has to consider the fact that P&O is now part of the largest Line in the World. As such, the USA based corporate planners view the World as sectors and have company ships in each, with discrete brand names, slightly tailored to to their local market. The two new ships are from the same outline design as those about or already, supplied to Australia, Italy, Germany, and USA. This approach is similar to that of RCI. Both lines offer brands promoting smaller ships. However, as already mentioned, larger equates to cost savings, smaller can lead to increased base prices.

Thus, if small/medium is your choice, then there are two options, either older ships that have been rebranded (Fred O etc.), or new ones (Saga, Viking etc.)

[Presto2]

Thus, if small/medium is your choice, then there are two options, either older ships that have been rebranded (Fred O etc.), or new ones (Saga, Viking etc.)

 

We can live with anything like Britannia but even she isn't a large ship anymore !

To us medium is Azura and Ventura. Britannia is small large ;-)

 

Re the cruise lines you mention ------ we would LOVE to sail on Viking, Regent, Crystal, Seabourn (oh yes) but we would have to take out a 2nd mortgage or sell the house ............ :eek:

 

Interesting that Celebrity have kept their new Edge ships to a reasonable size ....

[jeanlyon]

All part of my holiday having coffee, lunch and drinks ashore.

[Eglesbrech]

All part of my holiday having coffee, lunch and drinks ashore.

 

Definitely. There is no point in going to new places if you don't want to try new things IMO. I love finding a restaurant that the locals use and trying something I have never had before.

 

Food and drinks are a great memory tag for places.

[snaefell]

Very true,one very dear memory for us of a cruise to Norway on Crown Princess some years ago is going into a bar in Alesund(just know I've spelt that wrong!) just to have one drink on Norwegian soil,three hours & six pints later the landlord has his accordian out & he & everybody are singing along,great memories!!!

[Britboys]

Like many posters on this thread, I do understand the commercial reasons for taking P&O's fleet in this direction. On a personal level however, I rue that direction. I started cruising back in 1995 and fell in love with classic cruising. With Oriana & Aurora particularly, I do think P&O retain an element of that classic cruising. The larger the ship, the more the style changes to that of a floating hotel that bears no relation to an Ocean Liner. Additionally, it is not only size that dictates the style. I have just returned from a week on board Marella Discovery 2 in the Caribbean, which I booked for the itinerary. Whilst she is only the same size as Oriana/Aurora, she felt more like a middling 3 star hotel, with no feeling of luxury or elegance.

I expect that P&O will lose Oriana & Oceana by 2022 - Oceana possibly going first to join her sisters in P&O Australia. Whilst the UK cruise market is likely to grow over the next 4 years, it will be an enormous challenge for P&O to fill an extra 10,400 berths per cruise and it is of some concerns that they might have to go down the pile 'em high sell 'em cheap route to do so.

As someone who is mid-fifties, I hope to have quite a few cruising years left in me but I have no desire to cruise on ships carrying more than 2000 pax.

[jeanlyon]

A good post Andrew. Just what I feel. you're not on Oriana in April are you?

[Presto2]

Hi Andrew,

 

So sad about Oceana if she goes - such a stunning atrium and lovely Captain and happy crew.

I always feel like it is a family on there and have been told by many crew members that they love being on the ship and the senior management. That can't be said for all ships ....

 

As some one who is vertically challenged I have to agree that 'small is beautiful' !

 

PS Hubby is definitely NOT vertically challenged and he agrees with me ----------- he has no choice ;-)

[Britboys]

A good post Andrew. Just what I feel. you're not on Oriana in April are you?

 

Sadly not Jean - it would be lovely to catch up with you on a cruise again. No reason for it but I am not sailing P&O much at present. I am on CMV's Marco Polo in May to Iceland - wanted to do a voyage on the old girl before she is taken out of service! Then have a land and cruise tour to Alaska booked for next year on Coral Princess. I will have to hope for a lottery or Premium Bonds windfall and then I can book another Oriana trip :D.

[Britboys]

Hi Andrew,

 

So sad about Oceana if she goes - such a stunning atrium and lovely Captain and happy crew.

I always feel like it is a family on there and have been told by many crew members that they love being on the ship and the senior management. That can't be said for all ships ....

 

As some one who is vertically challenged I have to agree that 'small is beautiful' !

 

PS Hubby is definitely NOT vertically challenged and he agrees with me ----------- he has no choice ;-)

 

Of course, my thoughts may be proved completely wrong - I don't have any 'insider info' :D. Oceana has quite a dedicated army of fans but whilst I have been on her, I don't 'feel the love'. Nothing wrong or bad with her but she doesn't quite work for me somehow. She is number 4 in the P&O fleet for me - after Oriana, Aurora & Arcadia.

[pisces14]

Of course, my thoughts may be proved completely wrong - I don't have any 'insider info' :D. Oceana has quite a dedicated army of fans but whilst I have been on her, I don't 'feel the love'. Nothing wrong or bad with her but she doesn't quite work for me somehow. She is number 4 in the P&O fleet for me - after Oriana, Aurora & Arcadia.

 

I'm glad it's not just me I don't understand the appeal of the Oceana at all. Aurora is my favourite followed by the Oriana.

[daiB]

I'm glad it's not just me I don't understand the appeal of the Oceana at all. Aurora is my favourite followed by the Oriana.

 

 

 

Our favourite is Oriana as that is the ship we will sail on this year. After that our favourite will be Ventura and then it will be Britannia. Then back to Ventura.

 

Our favourite ship is the one we are on next or at the time.

 

 

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[davecttr]

I see Carnival will be having more competition in the luxury market, apparently MSC are to announce the construction of four 700 passenger luxury ships.

[Britboys]

Blimey - MSC are expanding at a rapid rate! It is a surprising turn because the luxury market has also expanded hugely over the last few years. Bit of a gamble for them.

[Presto2]

If we say that Oceana was our first REAL cruise and that we had the band playing on the dock side, our first formal nights, our first prom deck, our first Champagne Fountain, the first Chef's parade and yes, the first Great British Sailaway. The list is endless. It was just such an AMAZING experience we will never, never, ever forget

 

And she has the BEST atrium of any ship - P&O / Celebrity / RCI we have ever seen.

 

Our first love I suppose ;-)

 

Does that explain it to those of you Oceana cynics out there why we love her ? :p :)

[pisces14]

If we say that Oceana was our first REAL cruise and that we had the band playing on the dock side, our first formal nights, our first prom deck, our first Champagne Fountain, the first Chef's parade and yes, the first Great British Sailaway. The list is endless. It was just such an AMAZING experience we will never, never, ever forget

 

And she has the BEST atrium of any ship - P&O / Celebrity / RCI we have ever seen.

 

Our first love I suppose ;-)

 

Does that explain it to those of you Oceana cynics out there why we love her ? :p :)

 

I do understand that we are all different and enjoy our cruises in our own way. I found the Oceana noisy, everywhere there seemed to be Spa talks, quizzes or bowling on the Wii. There was nowhere peaceful to sit on a sea day, Magnums being ridiculously small. I missed having a Crow's nest to sit in. The ship itself I found dirty and the refit was badly needed then (2016). I also found it very unstable, it really wasn't suitable for crossing the Atlantic. It's a sunclass ship and is better suited to being based in the Med. I know I would have enjoyed my cruise so much more if I'd been on the Aurora.:halo:

[Presto2]

I do understand that we are all different and enjoy our cruises in our own way. I found the Oceana noisy, everywhere there seemed to be Spa talks, quizzes or bowling on the Wii. There was nowhere peaceful to sit on a sea day, Magnums being ridiculously small. I missed having a Crow's nest to sit in. The ship itself I found dirty and the refit was badly needed then (2016). I also found it very unstable, it really wasn't suitable for crossing the Atlantic. It's a sunclass ship and is better suited to being based in the Med. I know I would have enjoyed my cruise so much more if I'd been on the Aurora.:halo:

 

Have to say, on a sea day we tend to enjoy the balcony where it is much quieter and then wander up to the adults only bar area at the back once it has quietened down. We have to go in the school holidays so I suppose we expect it to be pretty busy on any ship.

 

We've only ever done the Med. on Oceana and the last time we sailed on her we met up with Aurora and she looked a really nice similar sized ship. I think we would be happy on her as well.

[Britboys]

If we say that Oceana was our first REAL cruise and that we had the band playing on the dock side, our first formal nights, our first prom deck, our first Champagne Fountain, the first Chef's parade and yes, the first Great British Sailaway. The list is endless. It was just such an AMAZING experience we will never, never, ever forget

 

And she has the BEST atrium of any ship - P&O / Celebrity / RCI we have ever seen.

 

Our first love I suppose ;-)

 

Does that explain it to those of you Oceana cynics out there why we love her ? :p :)

 

Not bothered about having an atrium or a Champagne Fountain (not sure how long P&O did that for - it was always a Princess thing). The other things you mention were always a feature of all P&O cruises. I do still miss the band not being there at sailaway. I am not cynical about Oceana - just prefer the style of other ships. She does have very good open deck areas for warm-weather crusing.

[Presto2]

Not bothered about having an atrium or a Champagne Fountain (not sure how long P&O did that for - it was always a Princess thing). The other things you mention were always a feature of all P&O cruises. I do still miss the band not being there at sailaway. I am not cynical about Oceana - just prefer the style of other ships. She does have very good open deck areas for warm-weather crusing.

 

What I was trying to say, but I don't think I've done a very good job of, is that we were on Oceana for our very first cruise - the first time we experienced all of the cruise things we now take for granted. I always think we have a soft spot for her for that reason.

 

The reference to being cynical was meant to be a bit tongue in cheek and not a criticism so apologies if that's how it came across. :)

[majortom10]

Always think the first ship you cruise on always has a soft spot to most people. Oceana has good open deck areas because she was designed and built for 7day Caribbean cruises for the American market by Princess and that is also why she has a glitzy atrium. Had good cruises on Oceana but to be honest not one of our favourites found that whatever deck you were on in the atrium you could hear noise from all other decks so you could not get away from the noise and find a quiet place.

[Selbourne]

Not bothered about having an atrium or a Champagne Fountain (not sure how long P&O did that for - it was always a Princess thing). The other things you mention were always a feature of all P&O cruises. I do still miss the band not being there at sailaway. I am not cynical about Oceana - just prefer the style of other ships. She does have very good open deck areas for warm-weather crusing.

 

Yes I miss the band as well. On our first cruise (Oriana 1996) we had a full military band who gave a really stirring performance before we all threw our coloured streamers from the promenade deck. What a sense of occasion that was. Never forgotten it.

 

The streamers had gone by our 2nd cruise ten years later, but a much scaled down band was still in evidence. Over the following years, that dwindled to less than a handful of amateurs who managed a few (mostly in tune) numbers but then even that died.

 

 

Quite often nowadays, we find that, by the time we have returned our life jackets to the cabin after muster, the ship has departed, so we miss any sense of theatre of the initial sailaway. Great shame.

 

 

In 14 P&O cruises I recall just one champagne fountain and I’m pretty sure it was on Oceana.

[Presto2]

 

 

In 14 P&O cruises I recall just one champagne fountain and I’m pretty sure it was on Oceana.

 

Yes, at last, someone believes me! I remember on another thread people arguing that it didn't happen. :)

[Denarius]

Yes, at last, someone believes me! I remember on another thread people arguing that it didn't happen. :)

It certainly did. Indeed, I remember one occasion when the ship made a sudden movement during its construction and it collapsed leaving the atrium floor awash with champagne and broken glasses. It was repeated sucessfully the following evening.