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Dinglebert

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  1. I did message marella and they are saying its a software issue. Probably same issue that makes the specialty dining not bookable at the moment. They did send me a blank one so if not fixed I'll be doing it myself. The queue at airport will be a pain if very few have passes.
  2. There appears to be an issue with the tickets. Try to download but its just cycling around.
  3. Ariva is far too big a ship for me. I don't enjoy the floating holiday camp type ship with didgem cars and water slides., balcony cabins facing inwards to view other people on their balcony cabins. Last year we did P+O Azura and Marella Ex2 and D2 It was our first P+O post pandemic and in our opinion a lot of things had gone downhill. We were not the only ones as the complaints were frequent. They were all basic and perhaps petty but its part of what makes a cruise. Less staff on board. The turndown was removed as the cabin staff were having to wait tables in the evening. Frankly they were not very good at it. I lot of mistakes, meals arriving well after one another etc. There were shortages of basic food items. No orange juice one morning. Certain cereals just not there. Butter felt it was being rationed. If there were 6 of you at the dinner table then you got 5 portions of butter. The menu choices in the MDR had halved from what was available pre pandemic. We bought the Captains Wine package of 6 bottles of wine. It was only after we bought it that it became clear that many of the selections were not available (usually the expensive ones). The entertainment was still great and the ship was good. However we won't be back to P+O unless there are imprvements in what is offered to guests and probably new destinations. I do think using the massive ships to do the Norway run is a mistake. Yes Marella ships are looking a bit tired but I can't fault the MDR food or the staff.
  4. i have ordered two beers on one occasion. It was allowed but I could see the barman struggle with it. I ordered two bottles as what I wanted was a pint but the kegs were out. That said there is beer in the buffet in large ice containers and there is no-one to stop you taking what you want. You can take drinks to your room no issues. Most of the fridges are gone in Discover 2. Some of the balconys still have them. The speciality dining for the steak restaurant is around £30.
  5. Very true. We asked them to stop after a few days. The water is warm and it just takes up space. Now if only we had a fridge. Wish they had never removed them.
  6. I have searched and indeed searched. At the end of the day I know it’s my ultimate choice but I can’t work out if premier is worth it and would welcome opinions. The price difference for our 12 night Baltic cruise is £324 for the cabin or £162 each. I know the plus works for us. Don’t know it premier does. Drinks. Looking at what I can see online there are not that many drinks above the $15 mark. As a whisky drinker there are some very premium whiskies above the limit which I would enjoy. OH likes her cocktails but I’m not seeing a large amount over the $15 and there seems to be lots available. We enjoy a nice sparkling and the Champagne is over the threshold but Prosecco is available. However am I using an outdated price list. Latest I can find is early 2023. if we had premier we would enjoy the speciality dining. Not sure we w oh ld be using the deserts that frequently. Unsure also about the casual dining as it’s our first Princess cruise. Do they Aksumite do these at lunch on sea days? The photo but would be good. E have tended in the past not to take cruise photos as have always found them too dear. Are there a lot of photographers around. Have had very different recent experiences with different lines. RCI they were everywhere to the degree of almost annoyingly not being able to have dinner without a photographer sat next to you. Marella were ok, Pando could see a photographer when you actually wanted one. the seats for the shows I’m not sure about. Are these at the front so you can walk in at last minute? I do like the thought about not being concerned what drink we get or wanting photos etc. Equally like the idea of having £32; to spend on excursions any experiences welcome
  7. Completely disagree. I have had some cracking deals on Sonos, Ninja Kitchen. Prices could come close to being matched elsewhere.
  8. I phoned this morning at exactly 8.30. Now have a 15 minute wait. which has turned into 30 so far.
  9. I have emailed them twice well over a week ago with a simple question. No response at all.
  10. I have tried searching for this both here and on the web and while it brings up a list of hotels when you actually investigate none of them actually do a shuttle. My logistics for next year are all a bit off. Flying in from Edinburgh the day before the flight lands at 9.15 pm so I really just need a bed for the night. Yes I know I could get a taxi but was just looking to see if there were any shuttles available.
  11. I have a cruise which has now been moved three times due to covid/cancer and death! I am no longer convinced that we want to do this particular cruise. I know I can move it as long at what I move it to costs at least the same. I am thinking I want something we fly to rather than Southampton. Nothing is really jumping out at me for next July. However I would be interested in say I week cruising and a week on shore but cannot find that on PandO site. Is this something they offer?
  12. Just back two days ago from Explorer 2, the adult only one. We had two more booked one this October and one next October. I booked Explorer 2 for next April yesterday. I was unsure about Marella before our first one. Thinking it would be all football tops and drink. Its anything but. The meals in dining areas are good. The buffet is average. the speciality restuarants are superb. The dining club 7 course menu with wine matching was a three hour experience and worth every penny of the £45 it cost. Crew seem friendlier than on our last PandO. The entertainment tream were excellent. On our last PandO the cutbacks were noticable. Far less choice in the restaurants, shortages of some foods (butter was rationed). No such issues with Marella. Its now my first port of call when looking for a cruise. yes the ships are older but they are also smaller and friendlier. Personally I don't like the big ships. They may have extras like dodgem cars and ice rinks but they also have thousands more people and not enough space for everyone to sit.
  13. For many different not great reasons last week I have had to move my P+O cruise which was tomorrow to next year at the same time. We are now in a position to book a cruise again this year and I have plumped for Explorer 2 on the 13th of July. A number of reasons for booking this cruise in that it will be going to a couple of places we have not been before as well as some we have. This the adult only was the biggest selling point though! We were in Trieste in April on another cruise and while we very much enjoyed a nice Easter Sunday relaxing at a restaurant we decided we would like to do the trip to Venice this time. Of course after booking and getting access to the excursions its sold out. Do they ever make more available or would there be a chance of availibility which we are on board?
  14. It will never be cheaper on the ship. If they did that no-one would ever buy it before they went.
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