Why is everyone still cruising with P&O ?

[Yorkypete]

1 hour ago, Landon90 said:

I’ve been on 4 P&O cruises in the past year alone. I’m off on another one next month. You’re evidently doing something wrong. 

So what price are you paying because looking through our brochures and internet I cannot find any 14 nights for below £2,300(and if you include drinks etc then cruises are much more.)

[Selbourne]

18 hours ago, funinhounslow said:

Just booked for a Sep cruise - this will be our first since C***d so will be interesting to see how things have changed. 
 

I like P&O because I think their prices are “fair” - no issues with cost of cruise and prices onboard in particular drink prices and specialty restaurants can’t really be argued with. 
 

Entertainment on the whole is “good enough”. Headliners put on a decent show, and apart from the odd duffer the cover bands and comedians are usually pretty good. 
 

I understand the MDR meal quality may have slipped a little but I don’t mind the buffet in the evening especially when it’s Indian night. 
 

Also the dress code is sensible. I’m not going on Cunard again unless they stop their ridiculous insistence on a jacket in the evening. I also object to having my pants pulled down every time my partner fancies a glass of wine. 
 

After a pretty difficult few years I’m really looking forward to a break and hopefully a visit to Epicurean…

Cunard don’t require a jacket every evening. I took one as we were in grills and, to be fair, most wore them, but it is no longer a requirement, other than formal nights. 

[Landon90]

10 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

So what price are you paying because looking through our brochures and internet I cannot find any 14 nights for below £2,300(and if you include drinks etc then cruises are much more.)

A 30 second look on the P&O website - 7th July, 14 nights on Brittania, £1698 for two people in a balcony room….

 

Even cheaper if you book through certain travel agents…

 

https://www.pocruises.com/find-a-cruise/B318N/B318N

Edited May 17, 2023 by Landon90

[Megabear2]

13 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

So what price are you paying because looking through our brochures and internet I cannot find any 14 nights for below £2,300(and if you include drinks etc then cruises are much more.)

If you're prepared to take the inside saver fare virtually every 2023 14 night P&O cruise is under £1,000pp at present.  Arvia balconies, again saver, are around £1,100 to £1200pp.

 

If you're wanting different itineraries and a selection of cabins the price rises substantially.  Many don't care where they are or what room they have, then they can get terrific bargains this year.

 

Remember though it was mentioned that this year was exceptional because they planned on 70% occupancy so have the 30% bonus they can play with. No guarantee it will last and 2024 and 2025 prices are certainly substantially higher at first look.

Edited May 17, 2023 by Megabear2

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

If you're prepared to take the inside saver fare virtually every 2023 14 night P&O cruise is under £1,000pp at present.  Arvia balconies, again saver, are around £1,100 to £1200pp.

 

If you're wanting different itineraries and a selection of cabins the price rises substantially.  Many don't care where they are or what room they have, then they can get terrific bargains this year.

 

Remember though it was mentioned that this year was exceptional because they planned on 70% occupancy so have the 30% bonus they can play with. No guarantee it will last and 2024 and 2025 prices are certainly substantially higher at first look.

Just seen an offer on the sm page of the well-known agent many of us use. Arcadia, 29 August this year, 16 nights Norway & Iceland. Insides from £854, no single supplement. Really wish I hadn't booked my cruise for this year....😂

[Landon90]

5 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Just seen an offer on the sm page of the well-known agent many of us use. Arcadia, 29 August this year, 16 nights Norway & Iceland. Insides from £854, no single supplement. Really wish I hadn't booked my cruise for this year....😂

£854, then £150 free onboard spend from the shareholders benefits, now I’m tempted… 😁

 

I’m new here so would love to know which TA people are booking through. 

[Britboys]

23 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

£854, then £150 free onboard spend from the shareholders benefits, now I’m tempted… 😁

 

I’m new here so would love to know which TA people are booking through. 

If you google p&o cruises from southampton you should be okay...

[Yorkypete]

3 hours ago, Landon90 said:

A 30 second look on the P&O website - 7th July, 14 nights on Brittania, £1698 for two people in a balcony room….

 

Even cheaper if you book through certain travel agents…

 

https://www.pocruises.com/find-a-cruise/B318N/B318N

What site are you looking at? Our TA (the biggest around) shows Select balcony cabin at £1376 pp ie cost of £2752., and this is a price 'from' so could be higher for a decent grade. Obviously it may be cheaper having a saver inside cabin but our 'land' holiday has a very large sea view balcony and we can usually select.  Much cheaper...and it includes drinks which the cruise do not.

[Jennizor]

5 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

What site are you looking at? Our TA (the biggest around) shows Select balcony cabin at £1376 pp ie cost of £2752., and this is a price 'from' so could be higher for a decent grade. Obviously it may be cheaper having a saver inside cabin but our 'land' holiday has a very large sea view balcony and we can usually select.  Much cheaper...and it includes drinks which the cruise do not.

I am not sure why you are so obsessed with decisions other people have made regarding their cruises. We are all entitled to make our own decisions (as you are). We have been on lots of cruises (Princess and P & O). Some have been brilliant, some slightly less so but never had a bad one. At the end of the day you pay your money and take your choice. We have three more booked, two this year and one next. The next one is in 8 weeks and we are really looking forward to it. My glass is half full, not half empty.

[Presto2]

I'm usually a real 'glass half empty' sort of a person, but am really looking forward to our cruise on Britannia. Will reply on here when we get home 😉

[Landon90]

39 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

What site are you looking at? Our TA (the biggest around) shows Select balcony cabin at £1376 pp ie cost of £2752., and this is a price 'from' so could be higher for a decent grade. Obviously it may be cheaper having a saver inside cabin but our 'land' holiday has a very large sea view balcony and we can usually select.  Much cheaper...and it includes drinks which the cruise do not.

Click the link I added, £1698 for two adults in a balcony room. 
 

Why have you suddenly gone to ‘select’ bookings to try and justify your one sided point. 
 

£1698 for two adults for two weeks on a balcony room, if they don’t drink alcohol or won’t spend £600 on booze it’s cheaper than your ‘land holiday’. 
 

I take some gin on with me to have while I’m getting ready and have a few beers throughout the cruise, no more than £100-£150 worth. 
 

Clutching at straws. 

[kalos]

24 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

I am not sure why you are so obsessed with decisions other people have made regarding their cruises. We are all entitled to make our own decisions (as you are). We have been on lots of cruises (Princess and P & O). Some have been brilliant, some slightly less so but never had a bad one. At the end of the day you pay your money and take your choice. We have three more booked, two this year and one next. The next one is in 8 weeks and we are really looking forward to it. My glass is half full, not half empty.

 

16 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

I'm usually a real 'glass half empty' sort of a person, but am really looking forward to our cruise on Britannia. Will reply on here when we get home 😉

Make sure you do ,enjoy 🙂

[Presto2]

29 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

I am not sure why you are so obsessed with decisions other people have made regarding their cruises. We are all entitled to make our own decisions (as you are). We have been on lots of cruises (Princess and P & O). Some have been brilliant, some slightly less so but never had a bad one. At the end of the day you pay your money and take your choice. We have three more booked, two this year and one next. The next one is in 8 weeks and we are really looking forward to it. My glass is half full, not half empty.

We had a cruise on Celebrity once and it wasn't brilliant ----- and we paid a lot for it. 

I hate to say this (NOT) but two of THE best cruises we have had have been on P&O OCEANA and she was cheap and cheerful. Memories make a cruise, not necessarily cruise line or the price you paid ...

[AndyMichelle]

36 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

I'm usually a real 'glass half empty' sort of a person, but am really looking forward to our cruise on Britannia. Will reply on here when we get home 😉

Looking forward to your report, you are our guinea pigs😂🐷  We are on Britannia end of June. 

Andy 

[Selbourne]

We are doing our first post Covid P&O cruise in July on Britannia. We have 3 further P&O cruises booked over the next 10 months - one on Iona and two on Ventura. Based on all the reviews over the past year, we are anticipating that there may be some issues that are not to our liking, but we have reduced the maximum price that we are prepared to pay in order to reflect this. With four cruises across 3 different ships, we will be able to form our own opinions on the ‘new P&O’. Hopefully we will be pleasantly surprised. 
 

By contrast, we recently enjoyed our first Cunard cruise and didn’t experience a single one of the issues that are frequently reported on P&O ships these days. As a result, we now have two 2024 cruises booked with them. We are also keen to try Saga. 
 

I am hoping that we will still find the P&O experience to be satisfactory for ‘filler’ holidays at the right price, which can be blended with Cunard and possibly Saga cruises for more special holidays. If, however, we come to the reluctant decision after 27 years with P&O that they are no longer for us, I would stop contributing to this forum. Maybe it’s just me, but if you’ve decided that you will never use a company again it seems pretty pointless to keep banging on about it and telling everyone else that they have made a bad decision 🤔

[Presto2]

12 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Looking forward to your report, you are our guinea pigs😂🐷  We are on Britannia end of June. 

Andy 

Not sure if that is good or bad !! We are going and taking a friend on her first cruise. Will be interesting to see what she thinks 

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Yorkypete said:

What site are you looking at? Our TA (the biggest around) shows Select balcony cabin at £1376 pp ie cost of £2752., and this is a price 'from' so could be higher for a decent grade. Obviously it may be cheaper having a saver inside cabin but our 'land' holiday has a very large sea view balcony and we can usually select.  Much cheaper...and it includes drinks which the cruise do not.

You really draw the short straw don't you?. I'm sure we can understand why you will never, ever cruise again.🤔

[zap99]

44 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

Click the link I added, £1698 for two adults in a balcony room. 
 

Why have you suddenly gone to ‘select’ bookings to try and justify your one sided point. 
 

£1698 for two adults for two weeks on a balcony room, if they don’t drink alcohol or won’t spend £600 on booze it’s cheaper than your ‘land holiday’. 
 

I take some gin on with me to have while I’m getting ready and have a few beers throughout the cruise, no more than £100-£150 worth. 
 

Clutching at straws. 

We are off to majorca in a few weeks. 7 nights AI, sea view about £1,000 for 2. BA flights paid for with points. Also taken 2 Azura cruises this year and have a Britannia later in the year. Several UK hotels as well. Choice is important. Tedious rubbishing of P&O  gets a bit.......Tedious.

[Landon90]

4 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We are off to majorca in a few weeks. 7 nights AI, sea view about £1,000 for 2. BA flights paid for with points. Also taken 2 Azura cruises this year and have a Britannia later in the year. Several UK hotels as well. Choice is important. Tedious rubbishing of P&O  gets a bit.......Tedious.

I flew out to Mallorca last summer, stayed at the Pollentia Resort Hotel. All inclusive and was fairly priced, only downside was mosquitos. Adult only area though with a nice pool. Used Avios to book business flights from T5 Heathrow. 
 

Agreed, choice is important. 

[zap99]

3 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

I flew out to Mallorca last summer, stayed at the Pollentia Resort Hotel. All inclusive and was fairly priced, only downside was mosquitos. Adult only area though with a nice pool. Used Avios to book business flights from T5 Heathrow. 
 

Agreed, choice is important. 

We're flying from Heathrow. Off to South of France in September from Heathrow. A couple from Gatwick as well. Need to rebuild the Avios.🤣

[Landon90]

1 minute ago, zap99 said:

We're flying from Heathrow. Off to South of France in September from Heathrow. A couple from Gatwick as well. Need to rebuild the Avios.🤣

Head for Points is one of my favourite sites - keeps my Avios balance up. 😁

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, Landon90 said:

Head for Points is one of my favourite sites - keeps my Avios balance up. 😁

I do a few online surveys. I get a few extra points I can use for Avios and Accor loyalty schemes.

[Lucysnan]

We have booked our first cruise at the end of June to the Norwegian Fjords on Britannia and were so excited and looking forward to it, but now, having read all the posts recently, we are extremely worried and not so sure we have done the right thing booking this cruise as everything seems so negative.

[Megabear2]

I've just read all this with great interest after being bitten on the rear end by the cheap fare fly.  In no way taking sides but I followed the link out of interest and the saver fare is currently at £1698 and is a fully obstructed balcony while the clear one is £1958.  The select fare would take it to £3084 with £480 obc.

 

Knowing Britannia very well the obstructed balconies are as described fully obstructed and of course they are very narrow so you might as well be inside.

 

I also note that most of these extremely reduced fares are on what I would call "cold weather" itineraries and we go back to what I said many months ago, all the cruise lines are offering a vast number of cruises up that way from the UK so there may well be an over supply.

 

Up until two weeks ago (not been checking since as I've been away) the average difference between a saver and select fare balcony has been hovering around the £1,000 to £1,200 mark.

[Megabear2]

1 minute ago, Lucysnan said:

We have booked our first cruise at the end of June to the Norwegian Fjords on Britannia and were so excited and looking forward to it, but now, having read all the posts recently, we are extremely worried and not so sure we have done the right thing booking this cruise as everything seems so negative.

Please don't be put off.  Everyone has their own opinions and a lot are comparing things from years ago. Britannia is a lovely ship, one of my favourites.  I'm sure you will have a great time.