Baltic benefits

[Eddie99]

Our cruise in the new year will be our one and only at Baltic level loyalty.  We (just) hang on to points earned pre-C but will lose the benefit for any future cruises, as we plan on simply one winter trip per year

 

So - to make the most of it, what should I start anticipating?

What is the earliest likely boarding time?

What then? - Lunch?  Served or buffet?

A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise?  Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy?

We plan to self-disembark, so I guess we’ll miss out on choosing a disembarkation time

Anything else I should know, other than the standard stuff I can research on the P&O website?

 

Thanks in advance

[david63]

6 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

What is the earliest likely boarding time?

Assuming embarkation from Southampton - around 12:00

6 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

What then? - Lunch?  Served or buffet?

Depends on ship - some are sit down meals and some are buffet - but that could all change by the time you board.

7 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise?  Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy?

Greedy😉

10 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

Anything else I should know,

50% off laundry - and don't forget the slippers😄

 

https://www.pocruises.com/peninsular-club/baltic-tier

[solentsam]

we too have just gone Baltic and our cruise in 2 weeks time so we have been given a 12:00 boarding time. before when Caribbean it was around 13:00.

 

have a great cruise.😀

[gsmt47471015]

Am I correct in understanding the 50% laundry discount only applies when all obc has been used ?

[gsmt47471015]

Just now, gsmt47471015 said:

Am I correct in understanding the 50% laundry discount only applies when all obc has been used ?

Also no slippers on our last cruise in June😒

[Eddie99]

12 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

Also no slippers on our last cruise in June😒

Whaaat? 🙃

That must be grounds for cancellation 🤣

[kalos]

1 minute ago, Eddie99 said:

Whaaat? 🙃

That must be grounds for cancellation 🤣

 

With Cunard  we had reached the dizzy heights of "First timers "

We got robes ,slippers and a nice bottle of plonk chilling in the fridge .

[swanseaboy]

This is my first cruise ‘Baltic’ tier. They have a different mid cruise loyalty lunch for Baltic and Ligurian - I’m assuming the food is different but who knows?! You only get to go to the Baltic lunch - not the Caribbean one as well. 
 

I got slippers too 🤗 woo hoo 😂

Edited October 15, 2023 by swanseaboy

[Selbourne]

18 hours ago, Eddie99 said:

Our cruise in the new year will be our one and only at Baltic level loyalty.  We (just) hang on to points earned pre-C but will lose the benefit for any future cruises, as we plan on simply one winter trip per year

 

So - to make the most of it, what should I start anticipating?

What is the earliest likely boarding time?

What then? - Lunch?  Served or buffet?

A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise?  Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy?

We plan to self-disembark, so I guess we’ll miss out on choosing a disembarkation time

Anything else I should know, other than the standard stuff I can research on the P&O website?

 

Thanks in advance

We will move to Baltic (having only recently become Caribbean) after our long winter cruise. As far as I can tell, the additional benefits over Caribbean are negligible and, as you say, seem to be restricted to a different lunch, laundry discount and a slightly earlier boarding time. I say ‘slightly’ earlier because since becoming Caribbean we have had boarding times of 1215 and 1230. We will almost certainly lose our Baltic status after the qualifying 3 years, but the main benefits seem to kick in at Caribbean (priority boarding, 10% discount and a nice lunch), so it won’t be a concern!

[davecttr]

I should reach Baltic tier next January but not bothered about it. I already get priority boarding with times of 12.00 to 12.30 and just turn up at 12 ish and get waved straight through to check in. What I would like is having my cabin ready. I don't use the ships laundry and the Baltic lunch is formal dress  (On Arcadia) so I won't be going to that.

[gsmt47471015]

7 hours ago, swanseaboy said:

This is my first cruise ‘Baltic’ tier. They have a different mid cruise loyalty lunch for Baltic and Ligurian - I’m assuming the food is different but who knows?! You only get to go to the Baltic lunch - not the Caribbean one as well. 
 

I got slippers too 🤗 woo hoo 😂

Our last cruise had twelve people at the Baltic/Ligurian lunch ,credit where its due,  the food and choice of wine were very good, the only stipulation to dress code is smart casual , so not a problem for us , I suspect there will be more than twelve on our next cruise in January, assuming there is one 

[Eddie99]

Thanks for the replies everyone 

I agree that the additional benefits, over Caribbean level, are pretty skimpy.  At least it means I won’t be bereft if I never get them again

 

btw - don’t you love the expression Going Baltic? Sounds quite explosive 🤣

[tring]

9 hours ago, swanseaboy said:

This is my first cruise ‘Baltic’ tier. They have a different mid cruise loyalty lunch for Baltic and Ligurian - I’m assuming the food is different but who knows?! You only get to go to the Baltic lunch - not the Caribbean one as well. 
 

I got slippers too 🤗 woo hoo 😂

 

On our recent Aurora cruise we were told by a future cruise/loyalty rep that the food is different for the Baltic lunch, though must say the Caribbean lunch menu was excellent and cooked to perfection. 

 

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

I should reach Baltic tier next January but not bothered about it. I already get priority boarding with times of 12.00 to 12.30 and just turn up at 12 ish and get waved straight through to check in. What I would like is having my cabin ready. I don't use the ships laundry and the Baltic lunch is formal dress  (On Arcadia) so I won't be going to that.

 

 

For our recent Aurora cruise the Caribbean lunch dress code was smart casual and we did not see anyone wandering about in formal dress on the day the Baltic/Ligurian lunch took place.  

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by tring

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

We will move to Baltic (having only recently become Caribbean) after our long winter cruise. As far as I can tell, the additional benefits over Caribbean are negligible and, as you say, seem to be restricted to a different lunch, laundry discount and a slightly earlier boarding time. I say ‘slightly’ earlier because since becoming Caribbean we have had boarding times of 1215 and 1230. We will almost certainly lose our Baltic status after the qualifying 3 years, but the main benefits seem to kick in at Caribbean (priority boarding, 10% discount and a nice lunch), so it won’t be a concern!

I imagine we will lose Baltic next year, and I doubt we will get it back even though we do have two 35 nighters booked for future years.

[swanseaboy]

Although I do like telling people, ‘I’m Baltic’ 🥶 while shivering 😂🤣

[zap99]

23 hours ago, kalos said:

 

With Cunard  we had reached the dizzy heights of "First timers "

We got robes ,slippers and a nice bottle of plonk chilling in the fridge .

We had slippers on our last Azura cruise. They didn't leave the wardrobe ( we did ). Cheap and nasty things. £1.99 on ebay.

[zap99]

10 minutes ago, swanseaboy said:

Although I do like telling people, ‘I’m Baltic’ 🥶 while shivering 😂🤣

Arctic is higher up than Baltic, but with less scum floating on it.

[kalos]

26 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Arctic is higher up than Baltic, but with less scum floating on it.

Try telling the Baltics no early boarding, you could find they are elevated to Ballistic level.😉

[davecttr]

1 hour ago, zap99 said:

We had slippers on our last Azura cruise. They didn't leave the wardrobe ( we did ). Cheap and nasty things. £1.99 on ebay.

I keep the bags they come in, very useful for packing small loose items

[Fionboard]

On 10/15/2023 at 1:43 PM, gsmt47471015 said:

Am I correct in understanding the 50% laundry discount only applies when all obc has been used ?

No. I had some done on current Arcadia cruise before my OBC ran out and still got 50% discount. 

[gsmt47471015]

22 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

No. I had some done on current Arcadia cruise before my OBC ran out and still got 50% discount. 

Interesting ,we didn't on our recent Azura cruise😡,That will be something to confirm when we board in January , absolutely no point e mailing before we go as still awaiting answers to two queries submitted over three months ago and fed up of having to go to executive correspondence😒  

[Fionboard]

Just now, gsmt47471015 said:

Interesting ,we didn't on our recent Azura cruise😡,That will be something to confirm when we board in January , absolutely no point e mailing before we go as still awaiting answers to two queries submitted over three months ago and fed up of having to go to executive correspondence😒  

They originally charged me full price but after querying it at Reception 50% refunded.

[gsmt47471015]

Thanks for the information, after a few days a call to reception is looking likely