Introduce a new Loyalty Tier

[Britboys]

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Iona has a big one of those.👍

Which, from what I have seen on video reviews, is mostly enclosed by high glass screens and liberally populated with sun loungers and jacuzzis... No thanks, not my idea of a good Promenade Deck. I'm sure there are many really good things about Iona but I absolutely know she isn't for me.

[jeanlyon]

Andrew agree.  Nothing like the lovely Prom deck on Aurora.  It's wide enough to keep away from the cigarettes too!  LOL

[Cynthia Darch]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

How much did you pay for a cruise 25 years ago ?

On a fly 14 night cruise on Victoria to the Med in November 1994 we paid £2535pp for us in porthole cabin, actually 2 portholes. Prices ranged from £1799pp for the lowest grade 2 berth cabin (an upper and lower berth) to £4170pp for a suite, again no balcony. Taking into account inflation over these years the cost was quite a bit more in todays money. 

[Cynthia Darch]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

In the old days, streamers were longer and trumpets louder. When I was a lad party poppers popped much better than nowadays...P&O cutbacks to blame IMHO.🤣

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Cynthia Darch said:

On a fly 14 night cruise on Victoria to the Med in November 1994 we paid £2535pp for us in porthole cabin, actually 2 portholes

So, today,  that would equate to around £6500. 

For that sort of price, you could easily find a cruise that would give you the 1994 quality you are looking for.

[jeanlyon]

In 2007, we paid £2344 each for an outside cabin in Artemis - 25 nights.

 

In 2008, we paid £2009 each for an outside cabin on Artemis - 26 nights

 

In 2009 we paid £1724 each for an inside cabin on Azura - 16 nights.

[david63]

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

P&O cutbacks to blame

Not really cutbacks.

 

Streamers and poppers were stopped several years ago for environmental reasons - too many streamers polluting the sea. You could possibly argue that there should be biodegradable streamers.

 

As I understand it bands were not stopped as a cutback but it became impractical. In the days of the bands P&O had two/three ships with usually only one sailing at a weekend - no problem getting a band one ship/one band. Today P&O have seven ships many of then sailing midweek with quite often several on the same day. As the bands that were used were not full time professional bands then there just is not the availability of the bands these days - and then without a band the streamers become irrelevant.

[Cynthia Darch]

21 minutes ago, wowzz said:

So, today,  that would equate to around £6500. 

For that sort of price, you could easily find a cruise that would give you the 1994 quality you are looking for.

Seriously looking at Saga

[jeanlyon]

22 minutes ago, Cynthia Darch said:

Seriously looking at Saga

At over £200 per night, there is no way we would pay that.

[jeanlyon]

You can't just write off all P&O's passengers.  We have met some lovely people and some awful ones.  That;s normal, no matter how much you pay.

[Fionboard]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

At over £200 per night, there is no way we would pay that.

Try cruising solo on Arcadia and Aurora with a balcony. Inside cabin in October nearly £4000, all other cabins sold out. 

[Fionboard]

I have seen bad behaviour occasionally on all the ships, and on Cunard, Celebrity, etc. You cannot blame it on the cost of the cruise. People who pay cheap prices should not be Insulted. Cruising is for everyone. 

[Denarius]

3 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Try cruising solo on Arcadia and Aurora with a balcony. Inside cabin in October nearly £4000, all other cabins sold out. 

How long is that for? If it is for 14 nights it sounds excessive for an inside cabin. I have just booked a single balcony cabin on a 14 night 2024 cruise on Spirit of Adventure for £4600, all inclusive.

[Fionboard]

12 minutes ago, Denarius said:

How long is that for? If it is for 14 nights it sounds excessive for an inside cabin. I have just booked a single balcony cabin on a 14 night 2024 cruise on Spirit of Adventure for £4600, all inclusive.

19 nights. Not many Greek islands cruises from Southampton so very popular, and Aurora too. 

[jeanlyon]

Except they have now cancelled Rhodes and exchanged it for Messina.  So a nnoyed.

 

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Fionboard said:

19 nights. Not many Greek islands cruises from Southampton so very popular, and Aurora too. 

Sounds like you should switch to Saga, given the prices quoted by Denarius. 

[molecrochip]

9 hours ago, david63 said:

Not really cutbacks.

 

Streamers and poppers were stopped several years ago for environmental reasons - too many streamers polluting the sea. You could possibly argue that there should be biodegradable streamers.

 

As I understand it bands were not stopped as a cutback but it became impractical. In the days of the bands P&O had two/three ships with usually only one sailing at a weekend - no problem getting a band one ship/one band. Today P&O have seven ships many of then sailing midweek with quite often several on the same day. As the bands that were used were not full time professional bands then there just is not the availability of the bands these days - and then without a band the streamers become irrelevant.

Completely agree. Also large numbers of people just weren't bothered.

 

A real effort is now made for world cruises to book bands - as it generally suits the clientele.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, molecrochip said:

as it generally suits the clientele.

Nice comment !

[Fionboard]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

Sounds like you should switch to Saga, given the prices quoted by Denarius. 

Would not pay that much for a 14 nighter. Paid just over £4000 for balcony on Arcadia in July. 19 nights, plus £480 obc. Better value and from Southampton.

[Host Sharon]

17 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Would not pay that much for a 14 nighter. Paid just over £4000 for balcony on Arcadia in July. 19 nights, plus £480 obc. Better value and from Southampton.

Not necessarily when you add up extra costs of insurance, transport, drinks, speciality restaurants, wifi, speciality coffees, icecream, 24hr room service, larger cabin and excursions. 

[Fionboard]

6 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Not necessarily when you add up extra costs of insurance, transport, drinks, speciality restaurants, wifi, speciality coffees, icecream, 24hr room service, larger cabin and excursions. 

I don't need speciality restaurants, WiFi, room service, coffee, ice cream, etc. P&O balcony cabins are quite big enough for me on my own. Obc pays mostly for my drinks and occasional excursion then 10% off. So these extras are not worth the additional cost for me. Saga small ships do look nice though. Maybe in future.

[wowzz]

Just now, Fionboard said:

Saga small ships do look nice though

I think that's the point. 

Much of the price premium is due to the fact that you are sailing on a small ship with less than 1000 pax.

It all depends on how much an individual is prepared to pay for that type of bespoke cruising compared to mass market cruises.

[kevboy]

I think introducing a new tier would be a wonderful idea, based not upon the number of nights aboard but the amount one spends with P&O   I know lots of people who cruise 2 or 3 times a year but spend very little on the cost of the cruise by having the cheapest inside cabins and spending nothing over the bars or on excursions. I also know many people who spend a great deal on suites. deluxe cabins. excursions, drinks, restaurants etc. I have a friend who buys 4 balcony cabins each cruise for the whole family but is only awarded 15 nights credit towards the peninsular club tiers.

This cannot be right. The tier system is supposed to recognise and reward valued customers. But if one passenger spends 5 times more another one the same cruises, which one of them is the most valuable customer ??    I expect a great deal of debate to kick off now !!!!!!!

[Happy afloat]

2 hours ago, kevboy said:

I think introducing a new tier would be a wonderful idea, based not upon the number of nights aboard but the amount one spends with P&O   I know lots of people who cruise 2 or 3 times a year but spend very little on the cost of the cruise by having the cheapest inside cabins and spending nothing over the bars or on excursions. I also know many people who spend a great deal on suites. deluxe cabins. excursions, drinks, restaurants etc. I have a friend who buys 4 balcony cabins each cruise for the whole family but is only awarded 15 nights credit towards the peninsular club tiers.

This cannot be right. The tier system is supposed to recognise and reward valued customers. But if one passenger spends 5 times more another one the same cruises, which one of them is the most valuable customer ??    I expect a great deal of debate to kick off now !!!!!!!

 So should he be regarded as a more valued customer than someone who books an inside cabin two or three times a year, spending, say 5 or 6 weeks a year onboard?

With less obc and thus a bigger bill at the end possibly?

[tring]

On 3/26/2023 at 8:04 PM, jeanlyon said:

Except they have now cancelled Rhodes and exchanged it for Messina.  So a nnoyed.

 

 

When we were on Azura in October we did did not make Rhodes because it was a bit too windy to dock.  No ports replaced that call, just another sea day.  Hence I would feel happier going to any port were we are more likely to actually dock.