New berth 46 Ocean Terminal photos

[LibraLass41]

Back today from Oriana cruise, where we sailed from the new terminal,

Here is my first album, of the 2 week old Ocean Terminal - Berth 46 for anyone interested. It was very nice, the embarkation ran smoothly - we are back to lettered boarding cards - there is a refreshment shop in the seated area.

Any questions, please ask away;

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/NewOceanTerminalBerth46May09?authkey=Gv1sRgCMmwg_iQk5nJswE#

click above link, then click 'slideshow'

[LibraLass41]

Photos from Cruise here - including some of ship and the Canaries ,

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/AuroraPartyCruiseSueV/Oriana23May2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCOqh5Ye3pN7sEQ#5342461528464515826

[stopgo]

Hope you enjoyed your cruise Sue, just need Gerry back now.

[cottonbuddas]

It was very nice, the embarkation ran smoothly - we are back to lettered boarding cards

 

I went through the day before you and (apart from dreadful traffic to get to the dock gate) everything was very slick. We moved through almost as quickly as we could walk - no queues to register, no queues for security. The only area that caused the slightest trouble was at the end of the x-ray conveyors. They finish very close to the window wall, with little room for people to pass by at the same time as somebody is waiting to collect their bags from the belt.

 

That said, it was a completely trouble-free experience, especially considering the large number of passengers involved.

[tom_uk]

Sue - many thanks for posting the Ocean Terminal pictures.

 

So what did you think of Oriana?

[supered]

I went through the day before you and (apart from dreadful traffic to get to the dock gate) everything was very slick. We moved through almost as quickly as we could walk - no queues to register, no queues for security. The only area that caused the slightest trouble was at the end of the x-ray conveyors. They finish very close to the window wall, with little room for people to pass by at the same time as somebody is waiting to collect their bags from the belt.

 

That said, it was a completely trouble-free experience, especially considering the large number of passengers involved.

Hi cottonbuddas

 

We went through Ocean Terminal on the first day it was opne on 9th May and thought the system of getting an embarkation card and then going to check in worked quite well. It meant that not everyone was getting on with the first half an hour.

 

The only issue I saw was the same as you with the position of the conveyors. It could do with another foot at least to let people pass. I guess it's too late now though. It was a very nice terminal. But the large G&T in the Explorers Bar on Oceana - right next to the gangway - was a fantastic start to the cruise :D

 

Eddie

[LibraLass41]

Cottonbudda

What time, out of interest did you arrive at Ocean Terminal?

 

I suppose that can be a deciding factor on the amount of people there... we arrived at 12.20pm and, as I say, there were many people already there. We were given a 'H' boarding card, and they were calling 'E' so had a short time to wait, about 1/2 hr I suppose. But it means you can sit down instead of stand in the queue for ages at check -in....I would guess each letter has about 100 passengers, so not too bad. As long as you don't arrive when a coach does.!:rolleyes:

 

When we drove towards the terminal drop off point, I was amazed that we were pulled in straight away, I have been in long queues in the docks sometimes to sign over car, so that bit was very efficient.

[LibraLass41]

Sue - many thanks for posting the Ocean Terminal pictures.

 

So what did you think of Oriana?

 

A very nice ship,

 

Loved the Chaplins cinema - went 3 times, saw Slumdog Millionaire, Marley and Me and the latest Bond film. This made a change after dinner from the shows, and allowed the poor tummy to digest, free from food and drink for a couple of hours!

 

Cabin - Our Steward Stanley was fantastic, no complaints there, he kept the cabin spotless, and provided us with plenty of towels and cabin biscuits :). On arrival we had a fridge that didn't work, and it took 3 days to finally get a replacement, so my pinta went off that I brought for my cabin tea and coffee (ah shame ! lol), we had a horrible rattle in the the ceiling roof space - well a few rattles really, which were rather annoying , especially at night when trying to sleep. Perhaps its because she is a elderly ship now - 14 years old - as I've never had a problem before in a balcony cabin.

It was well laid out, we had a bath and shower, and in the deluxe balcony on Oriana you also get a atlas, binoculars, bathrobes and slippers (didn't use these) Plenty of drawer space and wardrobe space, although the safe was the smallest I have seen, with just enough room for passports and money.

 

Pools and sunbeds:( Oh dear neither policed. All the good sunbeds around the stern tiered decks and around the 3 pools were reserved with towels on a sunny day by 9.30am, so annoying when they don't even use them half the time and you are looking for a sunbed in the sun in a good position. The pools, well there are 3 on this ship, the stern ones were meant for the children, and yes they used them, so we avoided, but the children were also in the middle 2 pools and even the jacuzzis! Alone.... I was in a Jacuzzi with a friend and 2 small children under 6 came in and splashed and larked about with no parent around and no deck steward did anything about it, at one stage the child was holding his head under the water! In a Jacuzzi - yuk!!

 

Theatre -plenty of seats when we went to the 2nd performances at 10.30pm, a smaller stage than Arcadias , but good sight-lines.

 

CrowsNest As nice as any other in the fleet, but no better. Smoking on the left side, which could be smelt over 1/2 the Crows Nest.

 

Tiffanys and Al Fresco - loved both these places... quiet child-free areas most of the time, great for lunch. Tiffanys served light lunches which we enjoyed for a change from the main restaurant..We tried at all times to avoid the Conservatory at lunch time, don't care for self service rush in there. Al Fresco was ideal for breakfast where it was more relaxed and quieter than ss restaurant or main restaurant. You could have a bacon panini there, fruit, danishes and cereals, but no full cooked breakfast which was ok by us. Al Fresco was closed towards the end of the cruise when we had a Norovirus outbreak which was a shame.

 

Shops - OK, Arcadias are better.

 

Photographer - Poor, didn't like the photos offered, basics like eyes closed and bad positions on ours and many of our friends meant we just didn't buy them, which is unusal for me. Met Ed (STEWPOT) Stewart the Radio1 DJ from the 70's and 80's at the Captains Party and we had a photo taken, that was the only one I bought.

 

This cruise had 208 children on as it was a whitson cruise on a family ship.

Luckily , I had a adult only table for 8 (4 x 2 couples) on 2nd sitting and there were only a few young children in the restaurant. Although there were a few children in there eating food at 9-1030pm at night, some were behaving well some obviously tired and grizzly which upset other diners, Food good, our waiters average. We had to ask for a cheeseboard, it wasn't offered - I don't know if this was laziness, or cost cutting...never saw those little table crumbs scrapers come out once!

 

Entertainment was good. Comedian Kevin Devane, Entertainer Carlos Paul Santana (from Paper Lace/ 'Billy don't be a hero') He was excellent had standing ovations at both of his shows. He could play a electric guitar behind his back in a rock number for many minutes, could sing a complete range from Rod Stewart to Pavarotti..very good.

After dinner speaker Ed Stewpot Stewart, plus day talks on ships by Kenneth Vard - the Titanic one was very interesting!:eek:

 

We had a Norovirus outbreak it was announced by the Captain as we sailed away from Madeira -our last port, so we were confined to ship with this lurking, that was not nice, all emergency procedures were put into place, with the galley walk-thru and chocoholics buffet cancelled, and Al Frescos closed, plus public deck toilets closed for cleaning - when you wanted one! There was the usual air-con cough onboard, which I have now, not nice, starts with sore throat for 3 or 4 days and turns into a rattly cough .

 

Weather We had the best sailaway from Southampton so far, as the weather in the UK was lovely, we were in the lead, with Independence of the seas, Grand Princess and Saga Ruby behind. We then had a sunny/windy day, and then on bank holiday monday a terrible day of heavy rain in Vigo where we got well and truly soaked to the skin on our trip to Santiado de Compostela, we didn't take coats - big mistake, as the cloudy early morning which we hoped would 'burn away' in Spain turned to heavy clouds and rain all day non-stop. But as we sailed away from Vigo within a hour it was blue skies, and then we had a week of sunshine so 7 out of 9 days were good.

 

A lovely ship, would sail on her again if the price and cruise was what we wanted.

[tom_uk]

Sue

 

You said this with regard to the Crows Nest:

Smoking on the left side, which could be smelt over 1/2 the Crows Nest.

 

I'm quite surprised by that - I had assumed that Oriana, like Ventura, was fully smoke-free inside. However, checking the relevant page on P&O site I see it says (for Oriana, Aurora & Arcadia):-

"Smoking will be allowed on cabin balconies, in one designated public room and on certain areas of the open decks."

 

So I guess the Crows Nest is the 'one designated room'. Is it the same on Arcadia, do you know?

[LibraLass41]

I can't remember being aware of smoking in the Arcadia CrowsNest, but if you were on the wrong half of Orianas CN you certainly were aware of the smoke.

[cottonbuddas]

Cottonbudda

What time, out of interest did you arrive at Ocean Terminal?

 

Our major problem wasn't on the dock side, it was trying to get to the dock gate through Southampton. We came off the M271 (all my road numbers are rubbish, but if you know Southampton it might make sense to you) and onto the A34 (or 35?) about 12.30. Drove through quite well on an inside lane then came across standing traffic in the outside lane. Passed them by and then saw a roadsign that said we had to turn right for dock gates 4-10 (???), so we should have been in the queue in the outside lane too ...... but it started at least half a mile before the sign. Anyway, a kind person let us in and we turned right into what looked like the dock estate. Then we began to crawl, past the shops, past the hotels, past IKEA and got to the dock gate at almost 2pm.

 

After that, everything else seemed quite speedy :D Only about 15 minutes down to the parking area where we lined up with six rows of ten cars ahead of us. Took about 20 minutes and then we were called forward to unload. At this point there were ten rows of ten cars waiting behind us. I was out of that car like a greyhound from a trap, I'd had the last two hours to sort myself and hand baggage out! Cases through hole in wall, and we were off. Straight upstairs, collected Alphabet Card, walked up the room. Put my bag down and just had time to say "I wonder where I've put the passports", when our letter was called and we zigzagged behind about five families/groups almost straight up to a desk. Done in a few minutes and then up to security, about 10 people ahead of me. Through in no time and a bit of a shuffle up the ramps behind those people who seem incapable of moving faster than a snail unless they have spotted an empty lunchtime table in the Waterside (when they magically throw away their crutches and sprint for the chairs). It was a very smooth operation with lots of "helpers" available to ask questions of should it have been necessary.

 

Later in the week I spoke to a few people who had been well behind me in the traffic jam and had actually phoned the ship to say they were ready to panic because they might not make it in time. Luckily traffic must have cleared enough to let them through.

 

My advice would definitely be to get to Southampton as early as you possibly can - you might have to sit in a traffic jam for a couple of hours :(

 

My main question is - "What idiot town planner gave permission for IKEA to build where they did?" Ikea causes enough problems when it's in an out-of-town motorway location but to put one at Soton docks beggars belief :eek:

 

_

[LibraLass41]

I agree about Ikea being built right by the docks, maddness!

 

I was worried about arrival, as we were.....

a. Arriving on a bank holiday weekend - Saturday

b. New terminal to find and it is still in its trial period

c. Ikea built on the main road into docks

d. 4 ships sailing away the same time, including 'the biggest ship in the world' Independence, and also Grand Princess, us and Saga Ruby.

 

BUT, we had no problems atall. Drove straight to new dock gate 4, Ocean Terminal - i had good directions from someone on the pando site, drove straight up to the entrance where CPS staff were waiting for us - no queues here, signed over car, porter took luggage straight away. In the waiting area for less than 1/2hr then boarded.:)

[Gerrym]

Hope you enjoyed your cruise Sue, just need Gerry back now.

 

 

 

Your wish is granted Mrs. StropGo.

 

 

:D

[lancashire_cruisers]

Hi Gerry

 

How was the Solstice? I'm going on the Equinox for an overnight visit in July and really looking forward to it.

 

I'll go now before I get shouted at for going 'off topic'!

 

Debbie:)

[Gerrym]

Hiya Debbie, hope to do a review over the weekend.

 

 

 

I reckon you will be gobsmacked you lucky thing.

 

 

Anyway, sorry for going off topic Mrs. Stropgo.

 

 

 

Gerry

[LibraLass41]

Debbie

I am going on Equinox too, but for a 2n cruise ' a VIP shakedown pre-maiden cruise' on 27th July, looking forward to seeing this ship as it will be the same class design as the Eclipse which will be sailing from Southampton next year.

I will be taking photos and writing a review - :)

[lancashire_cruisers]

We're on her just before you on the 25th July. Hopefully I'll be taking lots of pictures too but if Gerry is right I might just be wandering around with my mouth open!

 

I quite fancy going on Eclipse next year but with a 35 nighter on Oriana and an Azura Canaries already booked for next year I'm not sure whether I'll have either the cash or annual leave to go on a third.:eek:

 

Incidentally we should have been on your recent Oriana cruise but changed it for the Feb 2010 one instead. I read your blog on the 'other' site and really wished we were there.

 

Oh no I'm really in trouble for going off topic now:D

 

Debbie:)

[LibraLass41]

Debbie

I have nothing booked yet for 2010, want to see Celebrity before I make a decision... I priced up

a Med cruise early Sept 2010 balcony

Celebrity Eclipse £1350pp

 

PandO Arcadia £2000pp !

 

£1300 PER COUPLE CHEAPER ON CELEBRITY and they are 5*

[stopgo]

Debbie

I am going on Equinox too, but for a 2n cruise ' a VIP shakedown pre-maiden cruise' on 27th July, looking forward to seeing this ship as it will be the same class design as the Eclipse which will be sailing from Southampton next year.

I will be taking photos and writing a review - :)

What on earth is a VIP shakedown cruise ?

[LibraLass41]

Its a trial cruise, on a new ship before the Maiden cruise,(shakedown) which' VIP's' are invited to try out the facilities,bar, restaurant, cabins and cruise experience before the paying passengers go on the Maiden.

This happens on all new ships, we can't have the paying passengers on the maiden cruise being the guinea pigs can we! There will be travel agents, and people from the cruise industry onboard, and I'm :Dhoping much champagne and good entertainment to enjoy.

 

People who book maiden cruises may think they are first on that ship and to sleep in that cabin, but they may not be...

[stopgo]

So in other words a freebee.

[lancashire_cruisers]

People who book maiden cruises may think they are first on that ship and to sleep in that cabin, but they may not be...

 

No I will be:D:D:D

 

Debbie:)

[LibraLass41]

haha Debbie, and I'll be next for 2nights!

[lancashire_cruisers]

I shall think of you whilst I'm luxuriating on the Equinox admiring the view of IKEA.

 

Living in Lancashire means it's normally not worth the effort to travel to Southampton for a ship visit but the overnight stay does make it worthwhile.

 

A nice treat before our first non-P&O cruise on Jewel of the Seas a month later.

 

Debbie:)

[SueFrankuk]

Just a few questions re the new terminal, we have cruised twice from Southampton and on a bank holiday and have always had a smooth journey, this is our first P&O cruise having been 10 times with Princess, I have contacted P&O and been given the postcode SO14 3QN, is this OK.

reading cottonbuds report is there a problem finding the right gate, will my sat nav find it?

As a newbie we are not planning to arrive until after 2pm as we have read the cabins are not available until then, can you let me know if shampoo/conditioner are standard in the cabins we are on D deck if that makes a difference, also is the spirits in cabin offer i have seen on recent posts still available, Princess stopped this and wonder if it is stilL available with P&o

Looking forward to our cruise with Ventura next week, also booked the South Pacific in November on the Pacific Princess, I will have to get my daughter to organise my cruise info.

Where did barbecue summer go!!!!

Sue