P&O in 5 years time

[Eglesbrech]

We have just reached the dizzy heights of Caribbean status with P&O but it seems to have come too late for us to enjoy. We have the Christmas trip booked on Oriana this year but think this will be the end for us with P&O as we don't particularly like the idea of the larger ships coming on-line shortly.

Think it's time to save as somebody else has said previously and travel with somebody else at a more expensive price but on a smaller sized vessel. "Butlins at sea" springs to mind.

 

I used to get really annoyed when people referred to some cruises as "Butlins at Sea", (many of whom had never been to Butlins in its heyday which was actually a good holiday for the era). I do however get the sense of what people mean by it and reluctantly I am beginning to agree to a small extent given some of the things we have seen on recent cruises.

 

The constant small cuts in service and general dumbing down of various aspects of cruising now seems inevitable with the bigger ships catering for and attracting a different demographic. Things move on and so those of us who preferred the old ways have to adapt to the changes or move on as well.

 

I agree with Selbourne, there are aspects of the bigger ships I really like but others I certainly do not.

 

P&O have chosen the route they want to go, probably for sound commercial reasons and in the end we are all just numbers on a balance sheet to them (and every other big business) so if more traditional cruisers move on they will be replaced by those happy with the stack em high and cruise to nowhere very exciting cruises on offer.

 

We already cruise with other lines so compare the changed product on P&O with what others offer. P&O is now the cheapest available of those we cruise with and that is reflected in the basic end product. Augmented with select dining, the glass house etc it's still a fairly good holiday IMO but only off season so the ship is not crowded to the rafters with too many people.

 

I,ll try the new ships because I never like to dismiss things without giving them a go but will be picky about the actual voyage avoiding tender and shuttle ports wherever possible. That unfortunately limits the P&O cruises I am likely to book in future.

[Florry]

Some really great points here and I agree with many of them.

There was a thread a few years back at the time they reorganised the Carnival businesses and there was speculation then about how the brands would be differentiated and what that would mean. I think a lot of the speculation has come true as things evolve.

It’s quite clear P&O is being directed to a low base cost mass market.

We have come to realise this just isn’t for us, it’s not the size of the ship as such, but what you actually get now.

It sounds daft but our recent cruising experiences with P&O have made us need a break from cruise based holidays. We literally couldn’t wait to get off Britannia on our last Canaries cruise despite having a suite - and it’s been like that the last few times.

I think I will use P&O for short breaks 2-4 nights and just dine in speciality. I will do longer cruises with Princess and spend more time in the UK.

We are moving house this year, so by the time that’s all over maybe I will get my cruise mojo back.

P&O aren’t going to be bothered about losing customers like us, it’s not what they are aiming for in terms of their customer base. There are plenty of younger families who want budget cruises to keep P&O afloat for years to come.

 

 

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[daiB]

I definitely won't be trying the new ships. We tried Azura and just like Britboys, found it horribly crowded, lines getting back on board. So once Oriana, Aurora and Arcadia go, if they do, we will look elsewhere. We sail with Fred from time to time. I prefer P&O, but needs must.

 

 

 

Jean having cruised mainly on the larger ships for nearly three years now, being rectified this year, the only queues I have encountered have bee getting back on in Gibraltar. Not sure where all your ‘lines’ have been.

 

 

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[smj777]

The only time there normally are queues for boarding is when all the tour buses arrive back and even then just a bit of patience is all that is needed, and usually we end up chatting to somebody next to us in the line. There can be queues for the tenders, either way, but as long as you avoid the eariest/latest tenders, the same applies.

 

Ventura - lots of times.

[tom_uk]

The problem is that ever since Aurora every ship P&O has had new has been a ship design already in existence, far cheaper than having to start with a blank sheet. This means that they can only have what Is available. Looking at ships due to be built in the next 2 years worldwide they are all 100,000+ with many much more. Building a ship from scratch is very expensive and unlikely to happen.

 

A solution may be to take say Aurora out of action for 3 to 6 month and do a full revamp with new engines etc. That may be cheaper than a new build and extend the life of the ship say by 20 years.

 

Would P&O be allowed to do that.

 

I think that's a good suggestion. After all, it's what Fred. Olsen did with Black Watch and Boudicca, and they've had (and are still getting) years of good service out of them after that work. I also read somewhere that the fuel consumption dropped considerably after it was done. Of course, in their case the previous machinery was much older than in the case of Aurora, so unfortunately it is possible that there might not be many savings to be made.

[Eglesbrech]

Jean having cruised mainly on the larger ships for nearly three years now, being rectified this year, the only queues I have encountered have bee getting back on in Gibraltar. Not sure where all your ‘lines’ have been.

 

 

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I don't know where Jean has experienced this but in our last few cruises the worst examples we have seen have been shuttle and tender queues. You will recall the lengthy wait at La Rochelle in July last year Dai both for the bus back then getting through the passport check.

 

The very worst one we had recently was for a tender back at Monaco. Almost an hour standing in the blazing sun, there were people virtually collapsing in the heat. The staff of the Viking cruise ship (which was smaller and had no lengthy ques by the way) felt so sorry for the P&O passengers they came along the queue with cups of water!

 

And yes Gib is bad as is St Peter Port (if you actually get in in the first place). There were also lengthy ques at Zebrugge.

 

I know this will not bother some people but it annoys me.

[insanemagnet]

The very worst one we had recently was for a tender back at Monaco. Almost an hour standing in the blazing sun, there were people virtually collapsing in the heat.

 

In situations like this I just find a bar nearby and sit in the shade with a beer until the queue disappears.

 

Yes I know they plead that everyone can't fit in the last tender, but they create the problem by creating the queue by failing to anticipate demand and running more tenders.

[daiB]

I don't know where Jean has experienced this but in our last few cruises the worst examples we have seen have been shuttle and tender queues. You will recall the lengthy wait at La Rochelle in July last year Dai both for the bus back then getting through the passport check.

 

 

 

The very worst one we had recently was for a tender back at Monaco. Almost an hour standing in the blazing sun, there were people virtually collapsing in the heat. The staff of the Viking cruise ship (which was smaller and had no lengthy ques by the way) felt so sorry for the P&O passengers they came along the queue with cups of water!

 

 

 

And yes Gib is bad as is St Peter Port (if you actually get in in the first place). There were also lengthy ques at Zebrugge.

 

 

 

I know this will not bother some people but it annoys me.

 

 

 

I recall La Rochelle where the queue was long but caused mainly by the lack of coaches and heavy traffic, not the ship. We had the same problem when there on Aurora a number of years ago. This is in contrast to Funchal last month when there were plenty of coaches and no queues.

 

 

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[Eglesbrech]

I recall La Rochelle where the queue was long but caused mainly by the lack of coaches and heavy traffic, not the ship. We had the same problem when there on Aurora a number of years ago. This is in contrast to Funchal last month when there were plenty of coaches and no queues.

 

 

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The traffic did not look too bad when we came back and I can't comment on the number of buses as I don't know how many they out on, all I know is that more people trying to get back to the ship means longer queues.

[Eglesbrech]

In situations like this I just find a bar nearby and sit in the shade with a beer until the queue disappears.

 

Yes I know they plead that everyone can't fit in the last tender, but they create the problem by creating the queue by failing to anticipate demand and running more tenders.

 

Yes that's exactly what we did as when we first went back to the tender area the queue was long. Paid for an overpriced glass of wine and watched them constructing the stands for the Grand Prix.

 

When we went back to the dock - the queues were even longer!

 

I agree re increasing tenders and better planning.

 

We had done a morning trip so we got off early for that then had the PM to DIY. Apparently it took hours for people to get off then the same on the way back, there were a lot of angry guests looking enviously at the baby Viking ship next to us.

[NoFlyGuy]

Last year we were tendered at Parintins on the Amazon whilst on an Oriana cruise. There was a line to get back on a tender in the afternoon but, there was equally a line for the smaller Fred Olsen ship also anchored on the river. Personally I am more worried about price / destinations than I am about size of ship when I book a cruise.

[Presto2]

 

. Apparently it took hours for people to get off then the same on the way back, there were a lot of angry guests looking enviously at the baby Viking ship next to us.

 

To be fair to P&O we have to remember how much the Viking cruise cost in comparison to the P&O one?

 

Similarly, if there is a long queue just go and have a drink in the shade somewhere close. If you are nearby and waiting they aren't going to leave you behind!

 

In Guernsey we once saw the queue and went for a wander and watched from a distance. When the queue was shorter we took our chance and got on the ship .......

[Eglesbrech]

To be fair to P&O we have to remember how much the Viking cruise cost in comparison to the P&O one?

 

Similarly, if there is a long queue just go and have a drink in the shade somewhere close. If you are nearby and waiting they aren't going to leave you behind!

 

In Guernsey we once saw the queue and went for a wander and watched from a distance. When the queue was shorter we took our chance and got on the ship .......

 

Yes I agree that the Viking ship would have cost more but is that any reason to treat passengers like cattle? On this particular occasion that is exactly how it felt.

 

I don't often get really angry but in that particular day I did as there were a lot of older buddies who were really suffering from the heat and from standing for so long in a dock area with no shade. I ended up giving out sunscreen to those around us in the queue as they were frying - being Scottish I always carry an umbrella and ended up using it as a parasol.

 

Our posts must have crossed as I already explained that we did go for a drink - the queue was longer!

[Presto2]

Yes I agree that the Viking ship would have cost more but is that any reason to treat passengers like cattle? On this particular occasion that is exactly how it felt.

 

I don't often get really angry but in that particular day I did as there were a lot of older buddies who were really suffering from the heat and from standing for so long in a dock area with no shade. I ended up giving out sunscreen to those around us in the queue as they were frying - being Scottish I always carry an umbrella and ended up using it as a parasol.

 

Our posts must have crossed as I already explained that we did go for a drink - the queue was longer!

 

I suppose it was one of those situations where you had to be there to see how bad it was. Those moments when someone on the ship thinks above and beyond and perhaps does something to help the passengers --- perhaps cold flannels and drinks would have helped.

 

Difficult to comment if you weren't there I suppose

[the english lady]

The problem is the die hard Pando cruisers will be doing just that,,dying..or getting too old to get insurance to cruise. Pando have to plan ahead. the decision good or bad was to go for the larger ships. I also think with the 2 new ones ..2020 and 2022 ,there will be no dress code..They will have to appeal to families and I fear the dress code is something that will go. Our largest to date is Arcadia ..which we love.just large enough to have choice of eating venues ,but not to big. We have just come back off Balmoral (fred olsen). Their alternative dining (there seemed to be only one) was £20 per head..too much for us. Would we go to them full time if Pando got rid of Arcadia..not sure.. but certain all the other lines with our size ships will be much more expensive.

[jeanlyon]

Jean having cruised mainly on the larger ships for nearly three years now, being rectified this year, the only queues I have encountered have bee getting back on in Gibraltar. Not sure where all your ‘lines’ have been.

 

 

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Dai, I stood in line for 45 minutes in 90 degrees to get back on Azura and that was not a tender port. Also, just recently was in Malta and there was an MSC behemoth in port. The queue for their passengers was half a mile long!

[daiB]

Dai, I stood in line for 45 minutes in 90 degrees to get back on Azura and that was not a tender port. Also, just recently was in Malta and there was an MSC behemoth in port. The queue for their passengers was half a mile long!

 

 

 

Which port was that?

 

 

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[kevinyork]

We’ve done the Oasis Class with 6,500 passengers on RCI. No problem with disembarking or embarking.

 

 

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[Eglesbrech]

We’ve done the Oasis Class with 6,500 passengers on RCI. No problem with disembarking or embarking.

 

 

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Yes our experience is that RCI are usually very efficient for embarkation etc even on the bigger ships.

[Denarius]

You miss my point the follow on order would have to be a Carnival brand.

 

 

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But Carnival own Seabourn, and built Seabourn Encore, circa 40000 tonnes, 600 passengers, in 2016. A sister ship Seabourn Ovation is due this year. So Carnival have the basic small ship design should they care to use it for P&O. But I am sure that they will not as it is pretty obvious that their business model for P&O is ever bigger ships. I would expect Oriana, Aurora and Oceana to go after the introduction of the two new megaships leaving Arcadia as the sole mid size ship.

Edited February 7, 2018 by Denarius

[daiB]

But Carnival own Seabourn, and built Seabourn Encore, circa 40000 tonnes, 600 passengers, in 2016. A sister ship Seabourn Ovation is due this year. So Carnival have the basic small ship design should they care to use it for P&O. But I am sure that they will not as it is pretty obvious that their business model for P&O is ever bigger ships. I would expect Oriana, Aurora and Oceana to go after the introduction of the two new megaships leaving Arcadia as the sole mid size ship.

 

 

 

Your right, that would do very well. Now just pop the suggestion in the post as a new Oriana, followed by a new Aurora.

 

 

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[brian1]

I feel the same way. There's also the point that the bigger ships are going to be more limited in their itineraries. As well as needing to tender at more ports, they aren't going to be able to use the Panama Canal and, in the case of the two new mega-ships, I wonder if they will fit through the Suez Canal either.

Hopefully,they should fit in the new locks,although more expensive.