Arvia VS Brittania in the Caribbean Dec 23

[Megabear2]

Again don't forget there are two saver fare types. When discussing dining you need to see if you book Early Saver which is before final payment date or saver which is after final payment date.  Pecking order for dining choice is Select, Early Saver, Saver.

 

If you are the one in the middle they will try very hard to accommodate you.  The ones who are last minute, i.e. book from 12 weeks out are the ones who may have no choice.  

 

There's a lot of confusion about Early Saver which does give you a degree of choice and flexibility on dining and cabin location.  

 

If the OP is looking to book now for December he will be Early Saver.  Come September he will be Saver, ie no flexibility at all, just goodwill.

[zap99]

59 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

You do technically get what’s left over with a Saver, whereas with Select your dining choice is usually guaranteed, but they will let anyone change if space allows. However, we have been on a few cruises where there have been signs outside the Freedom dining MDR on the first few nights stating that Freedom dining is full and they cannot accommodate requests to change.

 

Of course, now that P&O have managed to completely mess up Freedom dining, I suspect that these signs will soon start appearing outside the Club dining room 😂 

We have been on a few P&O cruises and others recently and always Freedom dining.  Just like a restaurant in the local town centre. turning up a expecting an instant table is not reasonable. On our cruises, P&O and others, we always get seated ,sometimes with a bit of a wait, but not ' messed up ' IMHO, just a bit different to the old days.

[terrierjohn]

41 minutes ago, zap99 said:

We have been on a few P&O cruises and others recently and always Freedom dining.  Just like a restaurant in the local town centre. turning up a expecting an instant table is not reasonable. On our cruises, P&O and others, we always get seated ,sometimes with a bit of a wait, but not ' messed up ' IMHO, just a bit different to the old days.

Town centre restaurants do not set themselves up to cater for the numbers on a cruise ship, so it's not sensible to compare turning up and expecting a table to be available with cruise ship expectations.

The question we should be asking is do the new bigger ships have adequate MDR  capacity to realistically be able to satisfy the average demand every night.

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Town centre restaurants do not set themselves up to cater for the numbers on a cruise ship, so it's not sensible to compare turning up and expecting a table to be available with cruise ship expectations.

The question we should be asking is do the new bigger ships have adequate MDR  capacity to realistically be able to satisfy the average demand every night.

I don't recognise this ' messed up ' by P&O cry. We have been cruising for years, always Freedom dining.  In the past we went down and queued, or were given a pager.  Now we either join a virtual queue, or go down and join a queue and sometimes are given a pager. All pretty much the same. Some folk view all this differently to us, but we don't find waiting for a while any problem at all.

 

 

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I don't recognise this ' messed up ' by P&O cry. We have been cruising for years, always Freedom dining.  In the past we went down and queued, or were given a pager.  Now we either join a virtual queue, or go down and join a queue and sometimes are given a pager. All pretty much the same. Some folk view all this differently to us, but we don't find waiting for a while any problem at all.

 

 

We have also cruised with P&O for years using freedom dining, and can count on one hand the number of occasions we have faced a major queue pre the My Holiday app, and that app is the only difference, other than the size of the ship.

[Kittyonions]

Zap99

think you may feel differently if you experienced waits of almost 2 hours on a regular basis (as we did on Arivia on May). It became Almost impossible to gauge when to join the virtual queue , as sometimes we were called before we had ordered our pre dinner cocktail, or alternatively wait for up to 2 hours which was very frustrating.

[zap99]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

We have also cruised with P&O for years using freedom dining, and can count on one hand the number of occasions we have faced a major queue pre the My Holiday app, and that app is the only difference, other than the size of the ship.

Since the ' app' started we have had 7 P&O cruises and can't remember much of a queue for the MDR on any of them.

 

[Presto2]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I don't recognise this ' messed up ' by P&O cry. We have been cruising for years, always Freedom dining.  In the past we went down and queued, or were given a pager.  Now we either join a virtual queue, or go down and join a queue and sometimes are given a pager. All pretty much the same. Some folk view all this differently to us, but we don't find waiting for a while any problem at all.

 

 

We've all had different experiences. We tried the virtual queue and the pager system as many times in the past. We expect to wait and always plan in a pre meal cocktail stop! Sadly the new systems didn't work so we ended up waiting almost 2 and a half hours one night, 2 hours another... both formal nights. Can't remember the last night but it was a long wait. Waiting is fine within reason and the system works. If it doesn't it is frustrating to say the least and needs sorting.

[zap99]

1 minute ago, Kittyonions said:

Zap99

think you may feel differently if you experienced waits of almost 2 hours on a regular basis (as we did on Arivia on May). It became Almost impossible to gauge when to join the virtual queue , as sometimes we were called before we had ordered our pre dinner cocktail, or alternatively wait for up to 2 hours which was very frustrating.

As you say In that situation I may feel differently, but that is something I have yet to experience.

[Kittyonions]

Then my suggestion is avoid Arvia Zap!!😉

[zap99]

10 minutes ago, Kittyonions said:

Then my suggestion is avoid Arvia Zap!!😉

You could well be right, but we will probably give it a try. We haven't experienced these issues on Britannia, Iona, or Azura, so will reserve judgement and won't be labeling the system on ships we haven't sailed on as   ' messed up '

 

 

[cruising.mark.uk]

14 minutes ago, zap99 said:

You could well be right, but we will probably give it a try. We haven't experienced these issues on Britannia, Iona, or Azura, so will reserve judgement and won't be labeling the system on ships we haven't sailed on as   ' messed up '

 

 

I'd offer a slightly different suggestion - avoid the MDR on Arvia.  It stands to reason that, with only two of them compared with 4 on Iona, demand is likely to exceed supply until and unless the mindset and expectations of more of its cruisers adjust to make them more open to the idea that they don't have to eat in a MDR.

 

On our May cruise on Arvia, we didn't use a MDR for one meal in the 14 nights.  And, the average evening wait in a queue we encountered was probably about 20 to 30 minutes (on the app or walk up), just enough time for a pre-dinner drink.  On about half the nights, we went to an up-charge restaurant, but it would have been just as easy to eat in no cost alternatives to the MDR every night.  And, unless the MDR food on Arvia has improved compared with any other P&O ship I've been on, I suspect that we ate better food in nicer surroundings virtually every evening than we would have done in the MDR.

[zap99]

3 minutes ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

I'd offer a slightly different suggestion - avoid the MDR on Arvia.  It stands to reason that, with only two of them compared with 4 on Iona, demand is likely to exceed supply until and unless the mindset and expectations of more of its cruisers adjust to make them more open to the idea that they don't have to eat in a MDR.

 

On our May cruise on Arvia, we didn't use a MDR for one meal in the 14 nights.  And, the average evening wait in a queue we encountered was probably about 20 to 30 minutes (on the app or walk up), just enough time for a pre-dinner drink.  On about half the nights, we went to an up-charge restaurant, but it would have been just as easy to eat in no cost alternatives to the MDR every night.  And, unless the MDR food on Arvia has improved compared with any other P&O ship I've been on, I suspect that we ate better food in nicer surroundings virtually every evening than we would have done in the MDR.

Thanks, that's a good suggestion.  We normally eat in the MDR less than half the time. If the first try turns into a major issue, we will do something else instead. Plenty of other options.🤣

[technoman]

In all honesty i found the food to be 100% better in the MDR on Arvia in April than on Azura last december when it was very poor and tiny portions. Im glad we booked all restaurants in MDRs and olive grove prior to boarding on Arvia but even the we could not book meals later than 6.30pm  in advance.

[AndyLovesCruises]

On 8/12/2023 at 3:38 PM, technoman said:

Hello my fellow cruisers, some of you may remember we went on Arvia earlier this year and we have never been on Brittania but are looking to go to the Caribbean in December. We like the itinerary for Britannia the first week of December but looking at some of the recent reviews re food it is putting me off. Has anyone been on her recently and have any views either way or maybe been on her in the Caribbean?. I know Megabear had issues on Arvia on a trip following mine earlier in the year but i wonder if things have improved. 

Any help or views either way may help us make a decision.

Thanks In advance

 

If you have the budget I strongly suggest and recommend RCI in the carib.  Sorry if that's a curveball but they just seem to get it right over there. I have said with them in Europe and in the Carib, (same Ship) the whole vibe was so different from one region of the world to the other, I would imagine p&o being the same here vs there.  All depends on your taste that is! 

[Megabear2]

3 hours ago, AndyLovesCruises said:

 

If you have the budget I strongly suggest and recommend RCI in the carib.  Sorry if that's a curveball but they just seem to get it right over there. I have said with them in Europe and in the Carib, (same Ship) the whole vibe was so different from one region of the world to the other, I would imagine p&o being the same here vs there.  All depends on your taste that is! 

The problem with RCI is the cruises start in the US.  P&O charter direct to Barbados including regional offerings offers bonded luggage which is a fabulous benefit.  

 

The cost is also very high and in my experience if weather conditions prevent a port call RC do not often replace the port or attempt to reorder.

 

P&O are actually very good in the Caribbean and also their excursions and tours are about half the cost of any offering on an American ship.

[Presto2]

57 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

The problem with RCI is the cruises start in the US.  P&O charter direct to Barbados including regional offerings offers bonded luggage which is a fabulous benefit.  

 

The cost is also very high and in my experience if weather conditions prevent a port call RC do not often replace the port or attempt to reorder.

 

P&O are actually very good in the Caribbean and also their excursions and tours are about half the cost of any offering on an American ship.

Agree with this. We looked at Celebrity and the flights are expensive and the itineraries nowhere near as good. To be fair, we looked at Marella too and P&O seemed a better deal compared with them too.

[carlanthony24]

At least P&O also keep you on the ship if the flight is delayed. I presume the likes of Celebrity etc don't do this and you could be lounging around the airport for how ever long.

[Presto2]

2 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

At least P&O also keep you on the ship if the flight is delayed. I presume the likes of Celebrity etc don't do this and you could be lounging around the airport for how ever long.

That's what we found with Celebrity. They can't wait to get you off the ship. We were once taken to Rome airport and dropped off 4 hours before the desk even opened with no idea where our desk was. 

I do feel that P&O take more responsibility if you have a fly / cruise package with them. 

[carlanthony24]

48 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

That's what we found with Celebrity. They can't wait to get you off the ship. We were once taken to Rome airport and dropped off 4 hours before the desk even opened with no idea where our desk was. 

I do feel that P&O take more responsibility if you have a fly / cruise package with them. 

P&O tend to also wait if you are on a scheduled flight they could leave and make arrangements to meet you at the next point but because a lot of passengers onboard that flight are also for the cruise they choose to wait. Fly cruises never had a problem with. Been delayed 8hrs out of Barbados the staff could not do enough. Even offering free drinks including beer/cider

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Presto2 said:

That's what we found with Celebrity. They can't wait to get you off the ship. We were once taken to Rome airport and dropped off 4 hours before the desk even opened with no idea where our desk was. 

I do feel that P&O take more responsibility if you have a fly / cruise package with them. 

I always found that we were well looked after on Princess flight packages. After a Caribbean cruise we were always taken to a hotel for lunch and then could either use the hotel facilities till we were coached to the airport, or taken to a nearby shopping mall for some last minute shopping, and the airport drop off was never excessively early.

[HelloKittysMum]

We are looking at booking Arvia for Christmas and NY (we did Britannia 4 years ago). There are 9 of us so am a bit worried about getting tables in MDR (we won't all eat together every night but will most nights).   The dates for Arvia work better than Britannia and as other have said when you add in cost of flights at Christmas P&O wins over HAL, RCI and others.