Winter 2024/25 on sale dates

[Megabear2]

Just had an advance singles brochure from a leading t/a. One of the "big" announcements is a 35 night Iona Caribbean no fly cruise on 11 January 2025.  How do you think that one will sell to the presumably older demographic with the time for this type of voyage?  

 

Interestingly on a single cabin basis it's cheaper than the two January and February 35 nighters on Ventura.

[bobstheboy]

41 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Just had an advance singles brochure from a leading t/a. One of the "big" announcements is a 35 night Iona Caribbean no fly cruise on 11 January 2025.  How do you think that one will sell to the presumably older demographic with the time for this type of voyage?  

 

Interestingly on a single cabin basis it's cheaper than the two January and February 35 nighters on Ventura.

Interesting. I don't think Iona is suitable for a long, hot weather cruise because of the enclosed Sky Dome. It would be too crowded on the open decks IMO.

[jaydee6969]

30 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

Interesting. I don't think Iona is suitable for a long, hot weather cruise because of the enclosed Sky Dome. It would be too crowded on the open decks IMO.

 

And yet Arvia, the sister ship with a sliding roof over the pool is destined for sunnier climates.  Similar open deck space, possibly less with the extra outside activities.

[Port out]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Just had an advance singles brochure from a leading t/a. One of the "big" announcements is a 35 night Iona Caribbean no fly cruise on 11 January 2025.  How do you think that one will sell to the presumably older demographic with the time for this type of voyage?  

 

Interestingly on a single cabin basis it's cheaper than the two January and February 35 nighters on Ventura.

Have you got any other dates for Iona's winter programme

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, Port out said:

Have you got any other dates for Iona's winter programme

No, sorry.  Only the longer cruises as these are my main interest so the agent only sends me those.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, bobstheboy said:

Interesting. I don't think Iona is suitable for a long, hot weather cruise because of the enclosed Sky Dome. It would be too crowded on the open decks IMO.

On Iona at present and we think she has far more than double the open deck spaces than Ventura does, and the sunbeds are very well spaced out as well.I think she will be ideally suited for a 35 night round trip Caribbean cruise. We might have to think about this one ourselves.

[Port out]

20 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

No, sorry.  Only the longer cruises as these are my main interest so the agent only sends me those.

Thanks, hopefully not too long to wait now😁

Edited October 17, 2022 by Port out

[kersh]

44 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

No, sorry.  Only the longer cruises as these are my main interest so the agent only sends me those.

do you know what Aurora is doing at the same time? 

[Megabear2]

7 minutes ago, kersh said:

do you know what Aurora is doing at the same time? 

South America adventure 65 nights leaving 6 January 2025

Edited October 17, 2022 by Megabear2

[wowzz]

Interesting to read the latest update from the CEO of the TA that many of us use.

He states that sales have slowed over recent weeks, (and this was before the current debacle). 

I wonder if the looming power cost increases are starting to have an impact ?   

[kersh]

11 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

South America adventure 65 nights leaving 6 January 2025

Well we won’t want to that again.  We did it in 2018, had it booked for 2021 which was cancelled and are booked on it for 2023 virtually same itinerary as 2018. Only booked it again as Garry missed quite a few ports due to illness.  

[kersh]

On 9/22/2022 at 10:52 AM, molecrochip said:

Officially 20th October.

Have you seen any itineraries yet for 2025? 

[sweep2907]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

No, sorry.  Only the longer cruises as these are my main interest so the agent only sends me those.

What is the date Iona sails on the 35 nighter? 

[Son of Bare]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

Thanks. Interesting comparison. 

To update you on this, we paid 4399 ea at launch for an EF (not ED as previously said) grade deluxe balcony on an early saver fare.

We then were given 100 ea obs just before the balance became due.

However today we have been allocated our cabin and have received an upgrade to an EA grade.

So the currently advertised nearest equivalent cabin, an EB grade cabin midships is 5969 with an obs of 560 for a select price.

And the current saver fare for mid-aft/mid-fore EB/EC is 3969.

N

We book direct with PO so I'm unsure how these prices stack up against those currently offered by TA.

Edited October 17, 2022 by Son of Bare
Incorrect data

[cruisefan2012]

Megabear

 

when does the brochure you received run too? I was on a call with a lovely P&O staff member and they believed it would include Summer 2025........

 

What ship is doing Iceland? and when ?!

 

Thanks x

[Megabear2]

11 hours ago, cruisefan2012 said:

Megabear

 

when does the brochure you received run too? I was on a call with a lovely P&O staff member and they believed it would include Summer 2025........

 

What ship is doing Iceland? and when ?!

 

Thanks x

The brochure covers September 2024 to April 2025.  I now have a second one and it is the same dates.

 

Pages of Canary Islands and Caribbean fly cruises, 12 Arcadia cruises including the world, 7 Aurora including Amazon,  15 Iona including the 35 night Caribbean and 9 Ventura including two 35 night jobs.

 

Nothing different anywhere ...

[Dermotsgirl]

23 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Just had an advance singles brochure from a leading t/a. One of the "big" announcements is a 35 night Iona Caribbean no fly cruise on 11 January 2025.  How do you think that one will sell to the presumably older demographic with the time for this type of voyage?  

 

Interestingly on a single cabin basis it's cheaper than the two January and February 35 nighters on Ventura.

We did a 35 nighter on Oceana in 2016 and really enjoyed it. We had spoken about doing another one, perhaps on Ventura, as there were more eating options on a bigger ship.

 

in a different world, I would have no doubt sailed on Iona by now, so, if I had liked her,  this 35 night cruise would probably have been of interest 

 

 

[Megabear2]

11 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

We did a 35 nighter on Oceana in 2016 and really enjoyed it. We had spoken about doing another one, perhaps on Ventura, as there were more eating options on a bigger ship.

 

in a different world, I would have no doubt sailed on Iona by now, so, if I had liked her,  this 35 night cruise would probably have been of interest 

 

 

10 ports on Iona - balcony starts at £4699 (presumably you know where!)

13 ports on Ventura Caribbean- balcony starts at £4799

 

 Ventura has more unusual ports. Iona looks like Britannia's normal 15 night itinerary with two Tenerife stops in and out. Unless you just want to be at sea seems a disappointing itinerary to me.

 

[Dermotsgirl]

43 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

10 ports on Iona - balcony starts at £4699 (presumably you know where!)

13 ports on Ventura Caribbean- balcony starts at £4799

 

 Ventura has more unusual ports. Iona looks like Britannia's normal 15 night itinerary with two Tenerife stops in and out. Unless you just want to be at sea seems a disappointing itinerary to me.

 

Itinerary is important too - when we did the Oceana Cruise, it had the USA ports of New Orleans, Miami, the port for the Kennedy Space Centre and Charleston, which, to my mind,  is more interesting than purely Caribbean ports 

[yorkshirephil]

58 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

We did a 35 nighter on Oceana in 2016 and really enjoyed it. We had spoken about doing another one, perhaps on Ventura, as there were more eating options on a bigger ship.

 

in a different world, I would have no doubt sailed on Iona by now, so, if I had liked her,  this 35 night cruise would probably have been of interest 

 

 

 We love the longer cruises to the Caribbean in winter and usually alternate between the Caribbean and Caribbean/USA, we should have sailed on Iona but the big C ruined that but would love to do a Caribbean on her so will be checking out prices once we get the details and then decide whether to book at launch or wait until nearer the time

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

10 ports on Iona - balcony starts at £4699 (presumably you know where!)

13 ports on Ventura Caribbean- balcony starts at £4799

 

 Ventura has more unusual ports. Iona looks like Britannia's normal 15 night itinerary with two Tenerife stops in and out. Unless you just want to be at sea seems a disappointing itinerary to me.

 

What are Iona's ports on this 35 nighter MB2 10 Caribbean ports seems very stingy for a 35 nighter, is she doing some 2 night stays?

[jaydee6969]

38 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

What are Iona's ports on this 35 nighter MB2 10 Caribbean ports seems very stingy for a 35 nighter, is she doing some 2 night stays?

 

Got the booklet through the post today.

 

G501 - 11 Jan 2025 - Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados (overnight), St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, Tenerife, La Coruna.

 

[daveoc]

6 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

Got the booklet through the post today.

 

G501 - 11 Jan 2025 - Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados (overnight), St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, Tenerife, La Coruna.

 

So, more sea days than on the Ventura equivalent.

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

Got the booklet through the post today.

 

G501 - 11 Jan 2025 - Tenerife, Tortola, Barbados (overnight), St Lucia, Grenada, Antigua, St Kitts, St Maarten, Tenerife, La Coruna.

 

That's a lot of sea days for very few ports  !

[yorkshirephil]

Just now, wowzz said:

That's a lot of sea days for very few ports  !

It is but lots of retired people do these cruises for the weather and don't get off the ship, especially when hard of walking. We don't always get off at some islands and it is surprising how many people are around the decks. Just look how many people went on staycation cruises during the height of COVID.