The official reason for the lack of turndown service.

[jeanlyon]

42 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Doesn't that affect climate change? Energy use surely.

Oh yes, but only use it in the winter.

[Megabear2]

18 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Was the £734 for the room or the whole hotel!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣

Exactly. Completely mad.  It was originally £70 until an hour before and then the announcement of the concert date change and kaboom.  In fairness they aren't alone, Hilton was £890 but sold out.  Someone insane must have paid it though because every room in Wembley is booked out for that date.

[Snow Hill]

12 hours ago, gsmt47471015 said:

We have "slummed it " in a number of premier inns and as long as the room is clean (which up to now they have been) its just somewhere to sleep and shower ,the rest we can do without, however fully appreciate that everyone is different   

We are “slumming it”;in a Premier Inn this weekend, so far service from staff had been top quality, Will nip across to Sainsbury’s tomorrow to get some chocolates so we can do our own “turndown” service tomorrow evening. Will ask reception for clean towels, don’t need “shoeshiney service” as wearing trainers most of weekend, so won’t ask for one of those pad thingys. Hey Presto we have a DIY turndown service. 😂😂

[Snow Hill]

11 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

do people change their towels every day at home?  We certainly don't.

We don’t either, once a week the towels are change, there are only 2 of us in the house each has different coloured towels. If the weather is dry and preferably sunny the towels get hung on line every day, freshens them up and the sunshine kills of any lingering bugs. Both my mother and grandmother used to do this and we survived, plus will rapidly rising energy prices who can afford to wash towels etc 7 days a week. 

[twotravellersLondon]

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Doesn't that affect climate change? Energy use surely.

 Not as much as a single cruise!

[Gettingwarmer]

Everyone is talking about what they do at home. In that case why are you not doing your own cooking. This is a holiday, meant to be an upmarket holiday. If a complete service is offered on other ships P&O should be able to do the same. At least make it something that can be requested. 

[J110]

Hi all

 

we were on board Aurora 19 days May. 
speak to steward re towel arrangement.I.e where should you leave towels to be changed- sink or bath before morning clean.

room cleaned daily. Any extra towels or bath mats later in the day could be requested if needed. They did leave a trolley in the corridor - poss by mistake.

It isn’t how it used to be but that’s a bigger p and o issue and we can choose alternatives. They were also short of staff in laundry we understood.

we also did see our steward elsewhere cleaning later in the day.

was hoping staffing issues / levels would be sorted before Ventura in September so will update mid Sep.

we are probably on our last few p and o. cruises using up cruise credit.

Princess seem to have their issues resolved.🤞p and o can do the same.

[Britboys]

It does seem rather strange that the majority cruise lines are providing their normal full service but P&O still has staffing issues and service restrictions...

[Megabear2]

10 minutes ago, Britboys said:

It does seem rather strange that the majority cruise lines are providing their normal full service but P&O still has staffing issues and service restrictions...

Interestingly reports from Britannia have shown big improvement on restaurants etc.  I wonder how much impact the staff arriving at Gatwick specifically for her have had?  When I chatted to the lady who was waiting for them to get off the plane she emphasised she'd only been collecting staff for Britannia and Queen Victoria.

[J110]

When on board we did find out that many staff were due off on leave in June and July- not all were coming back. Not necessary down to p and o just after Covid many wanted to be closer to home. 
younger staff training weren’t a problem as they were eager to learn and very helpful.

those coming back though would only rejoin in Late Sept or Oct so it may be timing of contracts. 
I will update after Ventura - as several have said other lines seem to be getting things sorted - just wonder if that is down to grade of cabin and booking fare though? 

 

[Lady Meer]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:27 PM, Jill85 said:

We had turn down and towels etc with Princess in May - had a mini suite, no chocolates though.

Same for us the past 2 weeks on Caribbean Princess but not on Sky Princess in April!

[Britboys]

Apparently Princess has cancelled 11 sailings ex USA West Coast between September and November due to "Labor Challenges". Looks like it's not only P&O struggling with this issue after all...

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

Apparently Princess has cancelled 11 sailings ex USA West Coast between September and November due to "Labor Challenges". Looks like it's not only P&O struggling with this issue after all...

Sensible people never thought it was, since Carnival account for about 45% of the cruise market, any staff shortages will be shared around all their brands.

[Eglesbrech]

16 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Sensible people never thought it was, since Carnival account for about 45% of the cruise market, any staff shortages will be shared around all their brands.

 

1 hour ago, Britboys said:

Apparently Princess has cancelled 11 sailings ex USA West Coast between September and November due to "Labor Challenges". Looks like it's not only P&O struggling with this issue after all...

I think that on balance I would rather have my cruise cancelled than get onboard and find that I didn’t get what I expected and paid for.

 

While cancellations are always disappointing perhaps they are a better approach than selling “business as usual” and not delivering it eg closed restaurants, reduced services.

[Fionboard]

15 minutes ago, daiB said:

Or rubbish from you. I have been on 4 cruises in the past 8 month and I/we have seen constant extra cleaning around the ship. There reason you were given has been the same for the past year. 

 

Dai

I have been on 5 this year Dai and totally agree with you. On one cruise my steward had 3 jobs!

[Jazzytelly]

On 8/4/2022 at 12:30 PM, MX-Drew said:

We had the same service on Princess end of July in a balcony cabin.

 

We did as well in June but we told the Steward not to bother as long as we got the Patter for the next day's activities we didn't need our cabin done twice a day. There was no chocolates whether you had turn down or not. We will do the same next month , don't see the point of making them work harder if not needed. 

[Gettingwarmer]

2 hours ago, Jazzytelly said:

, don't see the point of making them work harder if not needed. 

But if needed it should be ok to request it. 

[Cpt Pugwash]

Lets be Honest  folks does it really matter if your bed sheets are not turned down before you get in it. Would refuse to use a Cruise Company again if they didn't or a Good hotel cause they didn't.?

[Trevor Fountain]

4 hours ago, Cpt Pugwash said:

Lets be Honest  folks does it really matter if your bed sheets are not turned down before you get in it. Would refuse to use a Cruise Company again if they didn't or a Good hotel cause they didn't.?

They used to have stewards that stood in the corridor near the cabins. You would press a button and the steward would come to your service. They would make you a snack and bring tea and coffee, all free.

If you left your shoes visible in the cabin your steward would polish them, without being asked. He would assist with your bow tie on formal nights. This has long gone.

The food in the restaurants really was first class including starter, sorbet, main, sweet, cheese and biscuits, coffee.

A waiter would always be close to hand, no need to ask for a second bread roll, it would be offered after he noticed you'd finished your previous one, and never did I have an empty glass of water.This has long gone.

Who would ever have dreamt of paying a supplement to dine in a speciality restaurant, where the product is still inferior (imo) to what it was back in the day.

Midnight buffet? Long gone.

Theme nights such as Race Night, Black and White Night, Casino Night. Long gone.

A proper daily entertainment program, organised by fantastic cruise directors and entertainment staff. Long gone.

I could go on.

So in answer to your question, no it doesn't matter if my bed sheets are not turned down before I get in it, but it is just another example of the watered down product that they still call cruising.

Alas there will be many who cruise today who have absolutely no idea what traditional cruising was like.

Though it's fair to say that the fare reflects the changes, and now a lot more people can afford to 'cruise'.

I shouldn't complain, there's always Butlins.

 

[Britboys]

4 hours ago, Cpt Pugwash said:

Lets be Honest  folks does it really matter if your bed sheets are not turned down before you get in it. Would refuse to use a Cruise Company again if they didn't or a Good hotel cause they didn't.?

No, of course it doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things. When you have had something for so long however, you miss it when it's gone. I know I am lucky to be able to cruise and I know it is very much a 'first world' problem...

[Britboys]

5 minutes ago, Trevor Fountain said:

They used to have stewards that stood in the corridor near the cabins. You would press a button and the steward would come to your service. They would make you a snack and bring tea and coffee, all free.

If you left your shoes visible in the cabin your steward would polish them, without being asked. He would assist with your bow tie on formal nights. This has long gone.

The food in the restaurants really was first class including starter, sorbet, main, sweet, cheese and biscuits, coffee.

A waiter would always be close to hand, no need to ask for a second bread roll, it would be offered after he noticed you'd finished your previous one, and never did I have an empty glass of water.This has long gone.

Who would ever have dreamt of paying a supplement to dine in a speciality restaurant, where the product is still inferior (imo) to what it was back in the day.

Midnight buffet? Long gone.

Theme nights such as Race Night, Black and White Night, Casino Night. Long gone.

A proper daily entertainment program, organised by fantastic cruise directors and entertainment staff. Long gone.

I could go on.

So in answer to your question, no it doesn't matter if my bed sheets are not turned down before I get in it, but it is just another example of the watered down product that they still call cruising.

Alas there will be many who cruise today who have absolutely no idea what traditional cruising was like.

Though it's fair to say that the fare reflects the changes, and now a lot more people can afford to 'cruise'.

I shouldn't complain, there's always Butlins.

 

I guess a similar experience is still available (at a price) on lines such as Regent, Silversea and Viking. I think P&O still had a reasonable balance between price and experience 5 -10 years ago but have now been very firmly taken down the route of mass-market, almost budget cruising. I recall quite a number of the things you mention from my first P&O cruise in 1997. The P&O experience is very much a holiday hotel at sea now.

I do fear that many of the niceties of cruising will have completely disappeared post Covid...

[Trevor Fountain]

1 minute ago, Britboys said:

I guess a similar experience is still available (at a price) on lines such as Regent, Silversea and Viking. I think P&O still had a reasonable balance between price and experience 5 -10 years ago but have now been very firmly taken down the route of mass-market, almost budget cruising. I recall quite a number of the things you mention from my first P&O cruise in 1997. The P&O experience is very much a holiday hotel at sea now.

I do fear that many of the niceties of cruising will have completely disappeared post Covid...

You are of course correct about the upper market lines.The problem for me is I don't fly, and that limits my choice. I like everybody else just has to accept that things have changed. nobody forces me to cruise. I just miss what it was I guess. 

[Jill85]

I miss how it was! 

[Eglesbrech]

7 hours ago, Trevor Fountain said:

You are of course correct about the upper market lines.The problem for me is I don't fly, and that limits my choice. I like everybody else just has to accept that things have changed. nobody forces me to cruise. I just miss what it was I guess. 

I miss what it was as well, I know the world moves on but in terms of cruising it’s not an improvement imo.
 

I have been exploring other lines as for me things are being watered down just too much and I don’t mind paying a bit more.
 

MSC is wintering from Southampton so no flying and while the main ship doesn’t appeal, the Yacht Club does. 

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

If you miss the old standards and don't mind  the old higher prices in real terms,  and want no flying,  try Saga