Ardennais

I never experienced stress on a cruise before the app! We have a general idea of what we want to do, but not a detailed schedule as we’re on holiday, not at work. We like to settle ourselves in the theatre 20-30 minutes before a show, have a chat with our neighbours or read the Kindle. No stress. On the busy February half term Iona cruise, the theatre was quite full 15 minutes before the start of the show, and had we been our family group of 7, we wouldn’t have been able to sit together. That of course is not a deal breaker, but it’s nicer. You evidently like to pre-plan, which works for you. We are a bit more laid back and don’t really get stressed about anything on holiday.

Looks good and sounds good. Many thanks.

£10 a day x 7 = £70 a week. The OP doesn’t need any lectures about appropriate drinks for a 6 month old child. The question is solely related to P&O and their confusing rules.

I think you must have separate accounts under My Account for past cruising history. That account is different to My P&O Cruises which is for upcoming cruises, cruise personaliser etc. My husband and I have a separate My Account with our individual profiles.

I have enjoyed reading your review. Many thanks,

We found our standard balcony cabin on Ventura very comfortable when we did a 35 night cruise. Our standard balcony cabin on Iona was light and airy, but very cramped - very little room at the foot of the bed and very difficult to use the wardrobe as it opened towards my side of the bed. No drawers or a proper bedside cabinet either. I don’t think a long cruise would be as comfortable on Iona.

These are the dinner menus from some of the other evenings on that cruise.

I’ve found some menus from August 2012 - 8 or 9 nights to the Fjords on Oceana. I think the Welcome Dinner is the same as the one posted above. The menu also had a stylish cover!

With additional bars, restaurants, etc, they would need to staff these venues. I wonder whether that would mean taking staff from other areas and stretching their staffing even further.

We found the food very good on Iona in Feb but sadly very poor on Britannia in April. Meant to add - service poor on Iona but good on Britannia! Very inconsistent,

Takes you within a 2 minute walk from the town hall.

Yes there are, included with Select fare. They scan your card anyway, and if Saver, I think they charge you a few pounds. No need for cash.

‘Well-made’ is the key! I’ll try most things as long as they’re well-made. Nothing wrong with steak and kidney pudding if it’s well-made and hot. You can’t compare the roasts in the MDR with anything we can get around here on a Sunday. As someone said above, MDR roast equates to a thin slice or two of meat, probably green beans, some carrot lookalike and potatoes by some fancy name which aren’t terribly good. Whereas our favourite haunts on a Sunday serve delicious roasts, with locally sourced meat and a fantastic selection of veg and other bits and pieces. All served piping hot.

Ha! That wouldn’t bother me actually. I’m not a foodie. I’m quite happy to eat basic food but cooked properly, with a bit of variety every now and then. That was our main disappointment on Britannia in April - insipid, tasteless veg, plain salads and worse than anything, lukewarm food.

I remember a very interesting talk of his about Operation Anthropoid - the assassination of Heydrich,

When I was teaching, the pupils who had 100% attendance every term were usually farming children.

Josy - I can only echo what everyone else has said. How desperately sad for all of you.

We did Northern Europe on Iona in February (Rotterdam, Hamburg and Zebrugge) and have booked Iona again for the Fjords next year. On the February cruise, the crew were preparing for 27 successive weeks to the Fjords and were trying out their new mitts one evening in the open air bar. They told us that they didn’t really like the Fjords as it was too cold for them! Iona has done well this year if she’s been able to fill 27 successive weeks to the Fjords. Personally, we liked Iona but after we do the Fjords next year, I won’t be wanting to go there for a while yet. Her other cruises seem to be longer ones to the Canaries, so it’s a shame that she isn’t able to do a few other 7 nighters with some variety,

P&O (and probably other cruiselines too) tend to over-promise in their marketing. It’s like the Jane McDonald programmes which give the impression that all the activities are included in the basic price.

It’s possible to argue that, I would agree, apart from the fact that they’re not adequately staffed for when they are full. If they were, there wouldn’t be a problem. I feel strongly about this because it’s only fairly recently that I’ve been able to sail outside the school holidays (after teaching for 33 years). I still feel for those who haven’t got the choice, and understand their frustrations, unlike many on here!

I personally can’t imagine using towels for a whole week before washing them. As I’ve said before, we have a good reason for washing ours after every shower.

Yes. I think I interpreted your response as meaning no non-alcoholic at all!

We’ve often had non-alcoholic drinks served. Also sometimes walk in with a drink purchased before dinner,

We’ve discussed this before. The issue should have been considered during the planning stage. They’re getting away with offering an inferior product at inflated prices during school holidays. So the only advocating I would do is to suggest that they, at managerial level, think of ways of better deploying their staff during the peak periods.

Yes Zap, I’m well aware of that being in the hospitality business myself. Which is why we provide additional treats for our guests in peak periods - they’ve paid more. Cruiselines seem to do the opposite - you pay more in peak periods but often have to put up with an inferior product.