Tell me about Aurora

[Waju]

Oh and another quick point, there are some window cabins that go ‘widthways’ at the back - certainly there are on deck 11 - these can be noisy with people moving tables and chairs and you also need to keep your curtains closed.

[tring]

27 minutes ago, Waju said:

In A298 it’s a more ‘square’ cabin, so the bedroom is like a normal Aurora inside cabin but the sofa is in an alcove.  Hope that makes sense, I can picture it in my mind but it’s difficult to explain.  

 

20 minutes ago, Waju said:

A298, the door from the corridor is between the bed and the bathroom - so bed on left bathroom on right - past the bathroom is the alcove with the sofa.  The head of the bed is on the corridor wall with wardrobes/dressing table at the foot of the bed.  We’ve had drinks in there for 8 people and it was fine.

 

Hope that’s helpful and not making it more complicated!

 

Are the cabins in that location bigger than the other inside cabins?  They look as though they are, but often the deck plans are not accurate in that respect.

 

Thanks for your answer to my previous quaestion.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2023 by tring

[davecttr]

I now think you cannot have the bed of A307 in twin configuration. I will take some photos in July

[Waju]

59 minutes ago, tring said:

 

 

Are the cabins in that location bigger than the other inside cabins?  They look as though they are, but often the deck plans are not accurate in that respect.

 

Thanks for your answer to my previous quaestion.

 

 

Sorry, I don't know the answer to that, only know about A198

[Fionboard]

Strange that I have a singe balcony booked on Aurora and it has twin beds that cannot be converted to one!? 

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Fionboard said:

Strange that I have a singe balcony booked on Aurora and it has twin beds that cannot be converted to one!? 

The only notations in the brochure for the single balcony cabins are shower only, steel-fronted balcony and partly-shaded balcony...🤔

[jh1809]

21 hours ago, Britboys said:

Yes but I think there is less reliance on it. When I sailed on her last summer you could just turn up at the theatre etc without booking. They had members of the Entertainment Staff taking your cabin number.

And by Nov/Dec, when I was o9n board, with the relaxation in Covid protocols on-board, they had stopped taking your cabin number.

[jh1809]

22 hours ago, Scorpio41 said:

Have they updated Aurora inline with the newer ships? 
 

What changes since the covid lockdown?

 

Do we have the app too?

 

.

I don't think anyone has answered your first two questions yet.

 

1. There haven't been any radical changes to Aurora's fixtures and fittings in the last couple of years that come to mind. To my eyes she still looks it pretty good nick, though I'm not the most observant person.

 

2. Probably the biggest change post-Covid is that - in common with the rest of the fleet - there's no longer an evening "turn-down" of the cabins. I think that's so that the cabin stewards can be given other tasks such as waitering or cleaning in the evenings, thus saving money. When I was on her last Nov/Dec, pretty much all of the Covid restrictions had been done away with, the main exception being that there still weren't any cocktail parties - neither the captain's welcoming one for everybody nor the ones for the higher Peninsular Club tiers. I suppose those were viewed as potential "super-spreader" events.

 

3. Yes, the ship has the app. Its main use now is for booking tables in the speciality restaurants, though you can still do so by phone or by turning up at the restaurant and talking to them. I think it can be used for freedom dining in the Medina restaurant too, but as I always go for Club dining in the Alexandria restaurant I'm not au fait with that. 

[Fionboard]

18 hours ago, Britboys said:

The only notations in the brochure for the single balcony cabins are shower only, steel-fronted balcony and partly-shaded balcony...🤔

Right. Strange about the beds though!

[Denarius]

On 2/21/2023 at 3:20 PM, Scorpio41 said:

We may have had afternoon tea with that lady. 😂  

 

Cafe Bordeaux was a nice relaxing place to eat and all totally free. How times have changed.

Sadly they have, as far as P&O are concerned. Nowadays everything has to earn extra revenue to compensate for bargain basement headline fares.

The Glass House is one example. When this concept was first introduced (on Azura) it was a wine bar. It was called the Glass House because all the wines were available to purchase by the glass. As is common in wine bars, you could also get light meals. When I sailed on Azura last year I was dissappointed to find that it was now very much a restaurant with all entrances apart from one roped off, and with a reception desk at the one remaining entrance asking you to wait to be seated.

[Selbourne]

28 minutes ago, Denarius said:

Sadly they have, as far as P&O are concerned. Nowadays everything has to earn extra revenue to compensate for bargain basement headline fares.

The Glass House is one example. When this concept was first introduced (on Azura) it was a wine bar. It was called the Glass House because all the wines were available to purchase by the glass. As is common in wine bars, you could also get light meals. When I sailed on Azura last year I was dissappointed to find that it was now very much a restaurant with all entrances apart from one roped off, and with a reception desk at the one remaining entrance asking you to wait to be seated.

I can see this from both sides though. When we were last on Britannia we wanted to have lunch in the Glass House a couple of times and had real difficulty getting a table. There were loads of people nursing one drink for a very long time whilst reading a book or just sitting down chatting without even having a drink. There are other places on the ship where they can do this.

[jh1809]

21 hours ago, jh1809 said:

I don't think anyone has answered your first two questions yet.

 

1. There haven't been any radical changes to Aurora's fixtures and fittings in the last couple of years that come to mind. To my eyes she still looks it pretty good nick, though I'm not the most observant person.

 

2. Probably the biggest change post-Covid is that - in common with the rest of the fleet - there's no longer an evening "turn-down" of the cabins. I think that's so that the cabin stewards can be given other tasks such as waitering or cleaning in the evenings, thus saving money. When I was on her last Nov/Dec, pretty much all of the Covid restrictions had been done away with, the main exception being that there still weren't any cocktail parties - neither the captain's welcoming one for everybody nor the ones for the higher Peninsular Club tiers. I suppose those were viewed as potential "super-spreader" events.

 

3. Yes, the ship has the app. Its main use now is for booking tables in the speciality restaurants, though you can still do so by phone or by turning up at the restaurant and talking to them. I think it can be used for freedom dining in the Medina restaurant too, but as I always go for Club dining in the Alexandria restaurant I'm not au fait with that. 

Oh, one other change is that there are no longer any port presentations in the theatre, though I believe there are still recording on your cabin TV. They also no longer leave leaflets for all the ports of call in your cabin.

[davecttr]

35 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I can see this from both sides though. When we were last on Britannia we wanted to have lunch in the Glass House a couple of times and had real difficulty getting a table. There were loads of people nursing one drink for a very long time whilst reading a book or just sitting down chatting without even having a drink. There are other places on the ship where they can do this.

But that was the original concept, a relaxed bar where you could get wines by the glass and other drinks too. Also a comfortable seating area. It was even better on Ventura when it was called Ramblas and you could have your Tapas at the bar, also a Spanish guitarist in the evening. Sadly a victim of the accountants.

 

At least on Iona/Arvia it is a transit area and appears to be too on Aurora although i remember 7 years ago I thought the stools on Aurora were too high and designed for people with 12 inch hips.

 

On Azura/Ventura there used to be a lounge area in the main bar but they fitted single cabins there. Worst cabin I have ever stayed it with constant squeaks and rattles when the ship was moving.They moved me after the first night. Apparently similar cabins on Cunard were not sold for some time whilst contractors slept in them to indentify and fix the problems.

[paulatsea]

53 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I can see this from both sides though. When we were last on Britannia we wanted to have lunch in the Glass House a couple of times and had real difficulty getting a table. There were loads of people nursing one drink for a very long time whilst reading a book or just sitting down chatting without even having a drink. There are other places on the ship where they can do this.

I agree - this is very annoying.
I have seen this behaviour on almost every ship  - in the buffet , crows nest , various other bars etc people spending hours just sitting and reading or talking or even asleep and we have been unable to get a seat to order something.

Seemingly oblivious to the fact that other people need a seat.

Go to bed if you want to sleep ! 

 

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, davecttr said:

But that was the original concept, a relaxed bar where you could get wines by the glass and other drinks too. Also a comfortable seating area. It was even better on Ventura when it was called Ramblas and you could have your Tapas at the bar, also a Spanish guitarist in the evening. Sadly a victim of the accountants.

 

At least on Iona/Arvia it is a transit area and appears to be too on Aurora although i remember 7 years ago I thought the stools on Aurora were too high and designed for people with 12 inch hips.

 

On Azura/Ventura there used to be a lounge area in the main bar but they fitted single cabins there. Worst cabin I have ever stayed it with constant squeaks and rattles when the ship was moving.They moved me after the first night. Apparently similar cabins on Cunard were not sold for some time whilst contractors slept in them to indentify and fix the problems.

It's not really a transit area on Aurora. The main 'passageway' through the ship runs to one side of the Glass House. You can't walk through the tables & chairs just to go along the ship. On Aurora, that area has always been a restaurant as opposed to a bar. There are a few tables & chairs for drinks only beside the passageway.

[galeforce9]

54 minutes ago, Britboys said:

It's not really a transit area on Aurora. The main 'passageway' through the ship runs to one side of the Glass House. You can't walk through the tables & chairs just to go along the ship. On Aurora, that area has always been a restaurant as opposed to a bar. There are a few tables & chairs for drinks only beside the passageway.

You can on one side.  There is a row of tables for two the other side of the corridor plus access to spiral steps down to champions    However, much is private as you have said. 

[mercury7289]

4 hours ago, Britboys said:

It's not really a transit area on Aurora. The main 'passageway' through the ship runs to one side of the Glass House. You can't walk through the tables & chairs just to go along the ship. On Aurora, that area has always been a restaurant as opposed to a bar. There are a few tables & chairs for drinks only beside the passageway.

Looking forward to R307,first time since Arcadia December 2019 5th time on board.

 

[Britboys]

8 hours ago, mercury7289 said:

Looking forward to R307,first time since Arcadia December 2019 5th time on board.

 

I too am taking my fifth cruise aboard her this summer. Notched up 6 on Oriana and hope I'll be able to do the same on Aurora.

[Waju]

4 hours ago, Britboys said:

I too am taking my fifth cruise aboard her this summer. Notched up 6 on Oriana and hope I'll be able to do the same on Aurora.

Only my 4th cruise on my favourite ship but total nights on her so far is 175 😊

 

[Port out]

Anyone had an Inside cabin amidships on B deck, it's the only cabin available for the October Med cruise, a picture would be amazing, but a description would be welcome.

[davecttr]

29 minutes ago, Port out said:

Anyone had an Inside cabin amidships on B deck, it's the only cabin available for the October Med cruise, a picture would be amazing, but a description would be welcome.

There are videos available online. Search for P&O Aurora inside cabin videos.

 

Top of the list was one from last year of cabin C191 which I think is a standard layout. It is by Ken Goes Cruising and is 5.34 minutes long.

[Britboys]

4 hours ago, Port out said:

Anyone had an Inside cabin amidships on B deck, it's the only cabin available for the October Med cruise, a picture would be amazing, but a description would be welcome.

Depends which cabin. There are both standard and larger insides in that location - plus one on that on the deckplan looks a little smaller than standard...

[binman2]

With having to cancel our Aurora cruise due to forth coming prostate op Anybody wants a good inside cabin see its back on sail Cruise no R314 £3078 Exactly same price as opening day so if your quick select price good large cabin easy for restaurant/ buffet and rear deck good luck but be quick 

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, binman2 said:

With having to cancel our Aurora cruise due to forth coming prostate op Anybody wants a good inside cabin see its back on sail Cruise no R314 £3078 Exactly same price as opening day so if your quick select price good large cabin easy for restaurant/ buffet and rear deck good luck but be quick 

Have you long to wait for the op? hopefully sooner rather than later.

[binman2]

Well was told 4 to 5 weeks but after taking it all in,,things are moving saw consultant Wednesday just gone and said they would be discussing case would be contacted again today or Monday had call this afternoon another appointment  Tuesday so should find out then when they will fit me in at castlehill  Cottingham Hull .This all started 12 months ago with the colitis ,and theybpicked up rising PSA levels which have been monitored last 10 /12 months .Colitis seems to have sorted it self out but onto the next thing as we get older