UK staycation cruise details launched

[arlowood]

52 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Viking are starting from Portsmouth on 22 May for UK guests only. I guess they might be a bit more expensive.

Yep - just had an email from Viking asking us to register an interest as they are planning to offer previous Viking cruisers first dibs. We have done several river cruises and one ocean cruise with them in the past and we're holding a chunky FCC from a cancelled Alaska cruise last August.

Would be quite interested as a means of using up the FCC but it will depend on prices and the itineraries. They are all 8 night cruises round trip from Portsmouth and they are advertised as England's Scenic Shores so no ports in Ireland or Scotland by the looks of it.

[sweep2907]

£449 for 3 nights? I would expect that price for 7 nights or they'll have no hope of attracting anyone to do a UK cruise. Maybe if that is a correct price it will be all inclusive including alcohol etc. P&O usually do a 3 night cruise to Bruges and that is usually around the £250pp mark.

[FamilyCruiserUK]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

Well, if the prices do start from £449 for three nights, any solo fare is going to be way over £200 per night so I certainly won't be booking one...

 

This is why i hate sailing from the UK. just seems everything is more expensive when you compare it to   3-4 Night sailings from the US, and they even have the weather. Just feels once again us British people are ripped off. 

[zap99]

4 minutes ago, arlowood said:

Yep - just had an email from Viking asking us to register an interest as they are planning to offer previous Viking cruisers first dibs. We have done several river cruises and one ocean cruise with them in the past and we're holding a chunky FCC from a cancelled Alaska cruise last August.

Would be quite interested as a means of using up the FCC but it will depend on prices and the itineraries. They are all 8 night cruises round trip from Portsmouth and they are advertised as England's Scenic Shores so no ports in Ireland or Scotland by the looks of it.

A bit like busses. Once one starts they all follow.🤣

[jaydee6969]

9 minutes ago, sweep2907 said:

£449 for 3 nights? I would expect that price for 7 nights or they'll have no hope of attracting anyone to do a UK cruise. Maybe if that is a correct price it will be all inclusive including alcohol etc. P&O usually do a 3 night cruise to Bruges and that is usually around the £250pp mark.

We are booked on B209 for a 3 nighter to Bruges and even with my discounts have paid more than the £449 each for a grade GB balcony cabin on deck F.

Edited March 16, 2021 by jaydee6969

[zap99]

9 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

We are booked on B209 for a 3 nighter to Bruges and even with my discounts have paid more than the £449 each for a grade GB balcony cabin on deck F.

Assuming the 449 this year is for a balcony, compared to same time in 2022 that seems to be about on par

[kalos]

4 hours ago, joeecco said:

Yes the Express is reporting Britannia having 3 and 4 night sailings with 1 6 night sailing from June and Iona from August 7 with 7 night sailings.

 

only vaccinated guests still with social distancing and masks.

 

3 night Britannia sailing from 449pp. 
 

Interesting if it all becomes true.

 

24 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Already being discussed on this thread.    You have to get up early to beat Kalos!

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2773470-po-cruises-cancels-all-international-summer-sailings-adds-round-britain-cruises/

 

I was up early but I think joeecco was that mentioned the Daily Express  ?  

[davecttr]

2 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

Nope, it racist, xenophobic & filled with hate. 

.... and then some 😲

[joeecco]

Just now, kalos said:

 

I was up early but I think joeecco was that mentioned the Daily Express  ?  

It was Zap that drew my attention to it, so I did some Googling to find out. I just wish they’d stop this slow announcement trail they’re on. 

[wowzz]

17 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Assuming the 449 this year is for a balcony, compared to same time in 2022 that seems to be about on par

I'm obviously out of touch! I can't imagine paying £900 for the two of us, just for 3 nights. After all, that is only really 2 days at sea.

[majortom10]

If the prices quoted earlier on this thread are correct then all I can say P&O must be joking and anyone that pays that sort of price must have more money than sense £449 for 3 nts and £1199 for 7nts laughable they deserve not to sell any.

[jeanlyon]

2 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

If the prices quoted earlier on this thread are correct then all I can say P&O must be joking and anyone that pays that sort of price must have more money than sense £449 for 3 nts and £1199 for 7nts laughable they deserve not to sell any.

Agree.  But none of these cruises are on the website, so how are people booking?

Edited March 16, 2021 by jeanlyon

[jaydee6969]

1 minute ago, jeanlyon said:

Agree.  But none of these cruises are on the website, so how are people booking?

 

Nobody has said they have booked, purely speculation on a now redacted newspaper article.

 

[jeanlyon]

You said further back you had booked 3 nights to Bruges and paid £449 for a balcony?  B209

Edited March 16, 2021 by jeanlyon

[Britboys]

53 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

 

This is why i hate sailing from the UK. just seems everything is more expensive when you compare it to   3-4 Night sailings from the US, and they even have the weather. Just feels once again us British people are ripped off. 

Just a fact of life. The USA has a much larger population and so a much bigger consumer market, consequently lower prices for most things.

[jeanlyon]

2 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

You said further back you had booked 3 nights to Bruges and paid £449 for a balcony?  B209

Ah, for 2022.  Sorry.

[jaydee6969]

3 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Somebody above said they had booked 3 nights to Bruges and paid £449 for a balcony?

 

That was me, but you missed the B209 part which is for a 2022 cruise. And I paid more than £449 even with discounts.

 

Seen your edit - no problem.

 

 

Edited March 16, 2021 by jaydee6969
clarify

[majortom10]

3 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Somebody above said they had booked 3 nights to Bruges and paid £449 for a balcony?

I think that is for 2022.

 

[zap99]

22 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

If the prices quoted earlier on this thread are correct then all I can say P&O must be joking and anyone that pays that sort of price must have more money than sense £449 for 3 nts and £1199 for 7nts laughable they deserve not to sell any.

Again,assuming this is for a balcony 1200 for 7 nights isn't too crazy. Celebrity, Royal and NCL are not that much different. If its for an inside then very high. Our Iona cruise to Norway at the end of August this year in a balcony was about that.

 

Just checked. 1191

Edited March 16, 2021 by zap99

[wowzz]

I suppose that those of us who think that these prices are high, need to remember that we are talking about August, so peak season. I've never considered cruising in August, so have no point of reference.

[Cathygh]

24 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

If the prices quoted earlier on this thread are correct then all I can say P&O must be joking and anyone that pays that sort of price must have more money than sense £449 for 3 nts and £1199 for 7nts laughable they deserve not to sell any.

Those prices are too high for us, unless it includes specialty dining and excursions ( when they are eventually allowed to visit ports)

[zap99]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I suppose that those of us who think that these prices are high, need to remember that we are talking about August, so peak season. I've never considered cruising in August, so have no point of reference.

We avoid the ones that say skool olidays.

[Cathygh]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I suppose that those of us who think that these prices are high, need to remember that we are talking about August, so peak season. I've never considered cruising in August, so have no point of reference.

I have cruised in August. Norwegian Fjords in top grade balcony on Aurora for £800, upgraded to a suite for an extra £200 just before we sailed. This was just before Aurora became adult only. Also in 2015 1 week on Queen Victoria, fly cruise from Venice to Athens for a week £1050 for a mid grade balcony. Both booked as late deals though

Cathy

[crazy cat lady 83]

That 7 night amount is similar to what we are paying per person next year for the Britannia in the summer holidays to the med!

[Selbourne]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I suppose that those of us who think that these prices are high, need to remember that we are talking about August, so peak season. I've never considered cruising in August, so have no point of reference.

True, but it’s around the UK (so not ‘hot’, especially at sea), no ports and in school holidays, which for those of us who avoid family ships in school holidays is a big turn off. If those prices for a balcony cabin turn out to be true then I agree with the majority of posters that the prices are excessive, but equally if there are possibly enough people prepared to pay it then you can’t blame them for chancing their arm. Time will tell. We certainly wouldn’t be prepared to pay anything like that, given all the limitations that these cruises entail and would consider it to be very poor value, but I guess that those who have to holiday when the schools are off will take a different view, as will those who are keen to get back on a cruise ship ASAP regardless of cost.