Jennizor

I have an M&S credit card and pay it off every month. I use it for the majority of all purchases and accumulate M&S points which I spend on either M & S food or clothes. I get vouchers quarterly and my last lot were worth £57. My recent bill was £5200 which included paying the balance for our Iona cruise in July. 

5 hours ago, Vampiress88 said:

What time do all the important people (top tier peninsular) board the ship usually?

You are just as important as the top tier people Vamps. They have just done more cruises than you. You are a breath of air on this site, that makes you important to me.

1 hour ago, P&O SUE said:

I’m just jealous of you all who are bored of the same old ports! I’ve never been on a Med cruise and can’t see when I will be able to go on one at the moment after having three cancelled due to you know what.

 

As for eating ashore, why shouldn’t people if they want to? That’s why some places don’t want cruise ships because many people don’t spend anything in the ports.

 

I don’t eat huge meals though, if we have a decent lunch in port we’ll only eat something small back on the ship.

I also agree with you Sue. We have done quite a few repeat port visits and mostly still enjoy them. We have a lazy breakfast then go ashore when we want (we don’t do many excursions as we have been on most before). We have a leisurely stroll around the port, look at the shops and occasionally buy something. We then try to find a bar with a view and people watch having a couple of drinks. Only occasionally do we have lunch in port. We are not big eaters these days and are quite happy with a salad in one of the MDRs. It wouldn’t do if we were all the same would it?

2 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Nonsense... We always share by choice and want everyone of our dining companions to enjoy their meal their way. If they want 6 courses and we don't, so be it... 

We also choose late sitting, so nobody has to rush away. This adds to the social element, which we love. 

We have never had any issues regarding this on numerous cruises. 

Andy 

We should go on the same cruise Andy you just seem to enjoy exactly the same evening as we do. We have recently tried other alternatives on Iona but whilst we enjoyed them we also had a lot of shared tables in the MDR which were generally brilliant. You can always tell a good table when the waiters are clearing up around you at the end of the evening and you are all still chatting.

13 hours ago, Selbourne said:

I was extremely interested to read your review majortom10, as I know that you have had similar concerns to me about P&Os direction of travel. I also know that you prefer Cunard, which we are trying for the first time next year. Your positive comments also helped to reassure me about our forthcoming Iona cruise. The areas where you made constructive criticism are entirely consistent with quite a few other reviews that I have now read and, as a result, we have revised our plans for our Iona cruise. We usually use the MDR quite a bit but will probably restrict it to breakfast and the  one formal night (we don’t like the idea of Chefs Table). Lunches and other dinners will now most likely be in the speciality restaurants. One of those was likely to be the Beach House but, again, based on the feedback of yourself and others, we may give that a miss now. 

We were a bit apprehensive about The Chefs Table as it part of the buffet restaurant but decided to give a go. It was sectioned of from the rest of the buffet and it just felt like a small restaurant. Everything was laid out meticulously and the menu was varied and interesting. We completely enjoyed the whole experience and will try it again on our July Iona cruise.

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

If they ever have awards for best poster on here - I'm voting for you!!

 

Everything you post makes me smile!!

 

Lol

Me too, I love your posts Vampiress.

You should both be able to book excursions before you sail through your cruise personaliser. I think they will be there to book now, if not keeping checking.

Brilliant review Dai and I could visualise a lot of your cruise as we were on Iona Feb/Mar. I was a bit wary of trying a bigger ship but we really enjoyed it. So much so we have booked Iona for the Fjords in July and transatlantic next March on Arvia, flying out to Barbados and sailing back to Southampton. We haven’t abandoned the rest of the fleet, we are on Azura at Christmas and will happily sail on Britannia for the right destinations.

Thanks again your review it was a lovely read and it brought back memories of our recent cruise.

1 minute ago, Yorkypete said:

I would hate to see any go but all the lines seem to think gigantic is better so my cruising days will be over.

 

That’s a shame. We started cruising on smaller ships - Oriana our first on P &O, then moved on to larger ones, Arcadia, Ventura, Britannia and Azura. We then moved up again to Iona this year and are booked on Arvia next year. All our cruises provided different experiences and that’s what we love. You never get bored!

15 minutes ago, FamilyCruiserUK said:

Have got arvia booked for aug with the family. Just a quick question for those in the know.

 

Are the swimming pools fresh or salt water?

When are shows and resturants available to book?

 

As for the show/food bookings we just sailed on MSC Virtuosa and you cannot book shows till the day before..so in evening shows would pop up and you book. The speciality shows and main reaturant you have to go to a desk and they can book the date and time you want. The following days planner is not available till the evening before. Annoying as i like to plan ahead (military here) lol.

When were on Iona Feb/March we could book speciality dining and some entertainment two weeks before. It was very easy and hopefully it is the same on Arvia.

14 minutes ago, tring said:

 

I believe you are right, some cruises do, but the person I quoted said their 7 night cruise was doing, "Stavanger, Alesund, Olden and Haugesand and cruise-by Innvikfjord and Nordfjord on two other days".  So four ports and the fjords mentioned were in the fjord system sailed along to get to/from Olden.  That person will be disappointed to learn they will be spending a day at sea each end of the cruise, which of course we would all have expected as a ship cannot get to Norway overnight.  The itineraries do clearly mention the dates though, so P&O are quite clear on what to expect.

 

I won’t be disappointed as we have done a similar cruise before and I am aware of the sea day at each end of the cruise. I was just responding to a previous poster who said we were only going to Stavanger and Alesund.

I agree with you Dave. We generally go for a table for 6 fixed dining (obviously not or Iona or Arvia). We have had some great table companions. On one of our Caribbean cruises we had a lovely couple from Preston and the other from Leeds. The Leeds couple talked about themselves all the time and how much money they had and how many cruises they had done, constantly reminding us that they were Ligurian. The wife quite often came down drunk and seldom ate anything. She was once drunk in the Blue Bar, sitting on a bar stool and slipping all the time. Her husband was nowhere to be seen, the poor waiters did not know what to do with her. She didn’t arrive at dinner that night. 

2 hours ago, Yorkypete said:

It would seem in many peoples opinion. If you notice Ant and Decs only talent seems to be embarassing members of the public/audience/competitors and celebrities. This apparently appeals to the lower classes. I don't have a favourite as I don't watch  TV except quiz night on a monday on BBC2. Of the older generation I liked Joan Rivers ,George Carlin, Bill Hicks, Deff Leppard etc. All old timers but the best. Also South Park.

I can’t believe in this day and age people are still using phrases like ‘lower classes’. I suppose you will think I am lower class. I was brought up in a council house, my mum used to clean for a local councillor, my dad worked on the shop floor at De Haviland, none of which I am ashamed or embarrassed about. I went to a very good local grammar school and had a good career, as has my husband (another one brought up in a council house). As a result we both have good pensions that allow us to cruise regularly. Not bad for the ‘lower class’.

12 hours ago, Yorkypete said:

The main problem is that Iona only goes to Alesund and Stavanger, both of which I have been to several times. Boring now. The others are probably interesting if P&O were going there.

 

We are on Iona in July for a week and we stop at Stavanger, Alesund, Olden and Haugesand and cruise-by Innvikfjord and Nordfjord on two other days. 

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Always enjoy going back to La Coruna and Cadiz.  Just wander about, have a couple of drinks.  Back in December we did the transfer from Cadiz to Seville.  Lots of OBC to spend, and never been to Seville before.  Might go there again later this month, see how the OBC is going once on board.  Barcelona again this month as well, an overnight stay this time though.  Booked to go to a flamenco show in the evening.  Same venue that P & O use, but almost £25 pp cheaper doing it independantly.

We went to Seville from Cadiz on our Iona Feb/March cruise. I have never been to such a beautiful city. It was a 2 and a half hour journey but well worth it. We are now thinking about having a few days there later in the year.

Sorry about the picture below, it just appeared and I can’t get rid of it!

39 minutes ago, chrissie p said:

Hi. We're travelling on the Brittania on the 5th May. Has anyone discovered who is on at the Limelight Club yet please? If I need to be patient for a little while longer, any info of who is on in April would be great just to give me a feel for the type of act that may be on.  💃 🎤 

Many thanks 

Chris

We were on Iona Feb/March. We went to the Limelight Club both weeks. First week was Ray Quinn was on. He was excellent and got a standing ovation at the end of the night. The second week was Joel Harper Jackson, who I think is a West End theatre star. He wasn’t as good as Ray Quinn but very enjoyable. We always go to the Limelight Club and have never had a bad performer. On previous cruises, Chester Hawks, Gareth Gates and Cheryl Baker were also very good. Sorry, l can’t bring to mind any of the others (it’s my age you know).

We only found out who was on a week or so before booking opened, two weeks before the cruise.

We were on Iona Feb/March and had no problem with the Coral MDR. Certainly the menu is not as extensive as it used to be but there was some differences every evening. The quality was generally fine and the portion sizes suited us. We never booked just went to the restaurant between 8.00 and 8.30 and got in immediately most nights. We did intersperse it with specialty dining which was excellent .

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Are they down to just one act per cruise now? When we were last on Britannia (pre Covid) there were at least 2 different acts rotating. May have even been 3. 

When we were on Iona in Feb/March. We had Ray Quinn the first week and Joel Harper Jackson the second week. As I have said before Ray Quinn was brilliant, Joel was also very good but didn’t engage with the audience as much as Ray. 

33 minutes ago, LouCD said:

It’s Ray Quinn on our 15th April Iona sailing 

We saw Ray Quinn on Iona in late Feb. He was brilliant, it was a great evening and he got a standing ovation at the end of his performance.

That would be great. Quite a way off though. Xx

On 4/6/2023 at 8:06 AM, Peanut006 said:

I am on countdown already, we are on Arvia TA March 2024

 

Michelle

Michelle

After thinking about it last night we have decided to book Arvia, doing the 16 nights.

l booked through our usual TA and got a discount. I forgot about the coach but have just e-mailed them about it. We may be on the same coach. 
 

We are on Iona in July and Azura for Christmas plus a land based holiday to Madeira in September so lots to look forward to.

I am going to book the cruise tomorrow through our usual TA and will book the coach then.

32 minutes ago, TigerB said:

 

They provide complimentary coach travel from Southampton to the airport from which you flew, if that is any good to you.

 

Thanks TigerB, that’s good to know.

We are considering flying out to the Caribbean in March 24 to join Britannia. We have cruised the Caribbean several times, flying both ways. This time we will be sailing home to Southampton. Do P & O provide any port to home travel options or do we just sort this out ourselves?

3 hours ago, glennbtn said:

Here on Iona now

 

the quays are fantastic. Horizon does not have the same selection as it used to and no themed nights either. I would also say the quality was down since covid. 
 

freedom dining is a nightmare if you have not got a booking and enter the virtual queue. You can loose you place if you let your screen go off. The old fashioned pager system worked much better. 

I am very surprised things have changed in a matter of weeks. We were on Iona 18 Feb to 4th March. I booked speciality dining for four nights before we sailed, Limelight Club twice, Sindhu and Chefs Table). For the other 10 nights we just went to either the MDRs, the Glasshouse or Olive Grove. Didn’t book in advance just turned up between 8 - 8.30 and got a table straight away. We shared in the MDRs mostly but were offered a table for two if we wanted one. We are on Iona again in July and hope we get the same experience.