Windsurfboy

Firstly ,If this MD favoured US passengers , multiple reasons, but the fact that the US tipping culture encompasses tipping the MD not only waiters, is what springs to mind. Some may say cynical . As I've said before, the best service is always in those countries and hotels that dont expect a tip. Or those hotels that make it clear that, we are a team , service above and beyond what you should expect, individual members of staff do not expect tips . Secondly, I don't think there is a Q5 ghetto in QG. Standard sized rooms Q5 and Q6 make up 85% of QG. There are not that many Q1 to Q4. Q4 and above have paid well over the odds so I don't begrudge them a bit of pampering. In the same way all of QG expects more attention than Brittania.

I can't believe they'd do this. Crazy. It is clearly breaking every child protection rule to separate a 9 year old from parents. I presume you will all go at 12.15. Clearly there is something seriously wrong with P&O IT if it can't recognise a family travelling in one cabin.

The most important thing is not how early you are given but that you can turn up at allotted time and not have to queue

One would have thought if you are told to turn up at 12.00, you should be able to check in and security should be open .

...... Paul Ludlow has been practising for since joining P&O ...... (Peter Principle promoted to level of incompetence now updated by Dilbert principle promoted because of incompetence )

Changing subject slightly. Given that Iona rarely boards before1pm why are P&O giving 12.00 boarding times to Suites and Liguirian. This doesn't seem to match promise to "wisk suites straight on board" . Given also I think I saw on another thread that P&O have closed hospitality lounge in terminal. Molechip any insight from P&O

This is something I can't understand, surely P&O know you are Carribean and should put right boarding time on pass. Logically Caribbean should just mean you board after , Suites, Baltic and Liguirian and before everyone else. Theoretically this could be 12.00 if very few of above, but it could Theoretically be later than 13.00 if 2000 Liguirian members all decided to be on same cruise. If P&O gave everyone a meaningful time then they could smooth flow of arrivals and speed up embarkation.

I'd thought 12.00 was earliest boarding time, if they have earlier times then that's different. Anyone given earlier time?

Just read Selbourne's question about Iona boarding and CPS , in his new thread. His question confirms that Carribean are given 12pm arrival times, along with Baltic, Liguirian, Suites and mini suites. Giving this amount of people the same early arrival time seems a recipe for chaos and queues to get it, even if no one else turns up early

Excluding shops and excursions the only thing left is really premium wine. The Saga included wine is fine. But you can upgrade wine , it's very reasonable price. You pay roughly the same as in a wine merchants in UK. Not the mark up on most other lines. There is a recent thread on Saga CC forum, with drinks menu prices. In general don't expect price match to kick in, for example on my forthcoming Caribean cruise which must be a bit of a slow seller. They have introduced guarantee fares at £6712, compared with current select at £7607 (15% discount to "full fare"). However at launch 35% off (£5817) was still cheaper than guarantee fare. No one who bought select fare benefits from price promise as guarantee is on different terms. Saga don't ever seem to undercut initial launch fares even when they introduce last minute offers e.g guarantee. Don't want to upset loyal customers who pre register and book early. My refund which was cash not OBC, was due to a general drop in price, due to some savings, not specified, but likely a reduction in fuel surcharge.

I recieved £300 back from Saga 2 months ago following a reduction in prices across the board for our forthcoming cruise. This might of been unusual. OBC is far better than nothing

Have you used your Butler to reserve any speciality restaurants. Could they get you in.? Thanks

Saga have a price drop guarantee. Early buyers are always cheapest so it's not all UK cruise lines

Saga make it clear that tips are not necessary. Going above and beyond is actually what service is about. As long as Saga pays it's staff well there should be no need to tip. If you think that is not the case then why cruise with a bad employer.

Time is the key factor in Saga price earlier the better. I understand why you want to test them out first very sensible. If answer is yes and you want to book, you won't get any better terms on board than on land at that exact moment in time. However if you wait till you get back prices may have gone up. If you are not looking till a few years ahead the advice above to preregister is best. Pre registered guests are contacted on first registered first talked too system. So again first in queue gets best offer, so no harm in doing it on board. The key to cheaper with Saga is earlier

Looking at price Amazara are more often cheaper than Saga. As to bubble and squeak, I've had it at Michelin star restaurants. However what you may be referring to is Saga having a one dish as what they call simple fare on the menu each night. After 3 weeks , one night I had a simple macaroni cheese for a change. Saga furniture is modern simple, by one of the top designers. Saga ships are certainly much more spacious, much better passenger space ratio.

I see Azamara and Oceana as actually downmarket to Saga , based on their cheapest cabins being cheaper than Saga, and their much smaller passenger space ratios. They are more casual and don't have formal nights. Viking is a bit more up market and again is smart casual , but no formal nights Seabourn, Silversea, Regent at the most up markeyhave the same dress code as Saga and formal nights. No cruise line insists on Jackets on non Formal nights. All in all, there seems to be very little correlation between up and down market and dress code. Except that the party lines are very casual. Yet Tui is relatively cheap , and Virgin expensive

Because you said people who want to wear jeans and shorts for BREAKFAST , should go on NCL or MSC. Where as I believe they should be wellcomed on Saga. Having a stricter dress code for BREAKFAST would be completely wrong and really harm Saga.

By the more up market , more expensive lines, presume you must mean Seabourn, Silversea and Regent. They have identical dress codes to Saga at night including formal nights. Their codes are not more relaxed than Saga , maybe more lax in enforcement. Even the very small ships, e.g. Noble Caledonia and Ponant don't allow shorts and T shirt at night. So Saga is not significantly different to more expensive lines. Let's hope Saga stays as it is.

I completely disagree, as someone who would be very happily wear a tuxedo most nights, I am a strong believer in proper dress at dinner and in the evening. However shorts and T shirt at breakfast or lunch are completely acceptable not only by the Saga dress code , but also by most passengers. If Saga banned these then there would be a rush for other lines. A shirt and tie at breakfast went out 50 years ago, and rightly so.

On ours they were purely panoramic, which means 2 to 3 hours in coach couple of photo stops and a loo break, coaches were pretty full. We gave them a miss after second , which promised some walking but it was purely coach. If this type of excursion is your thing fine. If not then Saga's attitude is go on paid trip or do it yourself. This is the only part of a Saga cruise that for us let's it down. I 're iterate , everything else on Saga cruise is excellent

Good idea in theory, not sure it's having any affect

No cruise ships. But if you go 50 miles upstream to the Chobe a tributary of the Zambezi you can go on a houseboat. Had the pleasure of seeing elephants swimming across using trunks as snorkels , with the matriarchs acting as guards keeping crocs away from baby elephants.

It's not for me , just thought it coincidence this was published at same times as this thread.

You will perhaps remember before covid a thread that pointed out for the the Germans Cunard were not allowed to automatically add gratuities, they had to put a letter in their cabin inviting them if they wanted to subscribe to automatic gratuities. I forget the exact wording, it was a nicely written invitation to use this method to ensure all the staff were included. I commented on the thread that I thought it wrong that us Brits were forced to opt out. Not that I ever did. So on my next cruise to South Africa just before covid, I went to Pursers office opted out but asked for the nice German letter to opt back in just to make a point of principle. They understood but didn't have the invitation letter to hand said they find it. They did find it a few days later and I opted back in, my argument was with Cunard not the hard working staff. This took a few days before we opted back in for whole trip In the meantime we'd opted for a table of 6, we were on one of the fixed big tables for 8, but ended up with only 4 , two lovely ladies. This massive table didn't work so I asked Maitre D (QG) if the 4 of us could move to a table of 4. He said something like I'll try to make space, but might mean moving people along one and then mumbled someting like they've paid their tips. So the Maitre D knows who opts out.