AndyMichelle

From memory, I would go with the higher number (405) as further down, lifeboats and the mechanisms that go with them start to appear. Good luck, Andy

As it was you Jean that started this thread and raised awareness, inadvertently encouraging people to partake, I suggest we all collect them and send them down to you... They will look great floating around the harbour😂 Andy

We have stayed in G407 (next door) and have booked it again for the end of this month. There are no real obstructions, lovely clear views out to sea. Mid ship, low down, sofa, all the things that make it attractive. We don't recall any noticeable noise at all? 2 other things to consider though. As mentioned previously, It is above a smoking area. We are non smokers but it didn't cause us any issues. They have also been used as quarantine cabins, so if there is another wave of you know what, we run the risk of being moved without consultation. We booked it for a second time as we wanted to recreate as close as possible our previous fantastic cruise from 2018. Andy

Same here Dai, set dining as freedom sounds like a faff for some nowadays... Andy

Does that mean we can just rock up at the theatre on Britannia like the good ole days? Andy

We had tears when Michelle found out... 😊 Although it was mentioned as available when the new drinks packages were launched, so maybe there is a slither of hope... She doesn't drink gin, so could be a cheap cruise😂 Andy

This is very frustrating, but not a new thing and definitely not exclusive to Iona... We seemed to often be chasing my Peroni and Michelle's raspberry creme brulee around the ship, and they were very rarely served at the same bar... But, we learnt quickly to compromise, either drink something else in our favourite bar or settle on a bar with our drinks. Sometimes you just have to roll with the punches... Andy

Why does it seem that you cannot express an opinion on this forum, good or bad, without someone challenging you because it doesn't match their experiences... I appreciate the positive and negative reviews as it enables me to hopefully make a balanced decision. Please keep sharing your experiences, that is what this forum should be for... Andy

Just catch the bus Zap.. 😂

We used to think like that until we booked a cheap saver fare and had to share. We then chose to share for a while. We have met some amazing people who have become friends and been fortunate enough to not encounter the grumpy ones. Our next cruise though, we have requested a table for two on club dining as we want a bit of 'us' time, but wouldn't hesitate to share again, especially on freedom dining. I accept it's not for everyone, it's your holiday, it's important to enjoy it your way. Andy

Wow, great pics. Britannia looking beautiful. Very jealous. Andy

I always smile when Britannia gets referred to as a small ship... It's not that long ago we had the cries of 'not for me, she is far too big'... Andy

Go with an open mind, don't expect perfection and I'm sure you will have a great time. Andy

We like to be smart on cruise evenings, like many others. I always wear trousers, shirt and often blazer, smart casual to me is 'take your tie off'... You will see plenty of people who don't follow the same standards, that's fine, it's their holiday, but doesn't mean we have to follow. You will definitely not stand out, especially on Arcadia. Have a great time. Andy

Blimey Cathy... It shouldn't be that difficult to get some dinner, I feel for you. Andy

No beef Wellington!! That's it, final straw, I'm cancelling... 😂 Actually, Marco is on our cruise, I will be having a word... Andy

Our daughters friend from uni was a photographer on one of our cruises. They seem to take graduates at the completion of their degrees, effectively their first full time job. Most of the ones we have encountered have been good. Andy

Aah yes, just checked our booking confirmation. It does say the time is confirmed, just the table size to be confirmed. Thank you. Andy

My understanding is, even with select fare, that you can request your preference, but it is not guaranteed and will be confirmed on board? Please correct me if this is wrong. Andy

I saw this as well. From memory, previously the earlier you booked, the better seat you got. Again, not sure why they had to change something that wasn't broken... They have created a reason to queue when it didn't seem necessary. Andy

Oh that looks good. We have been on a diet for 6 months to try to get into our cruise clothes, so thanks for teasing us😂 Andy

I believe the money was refunded, the obc was an extra in way of an apology. Andy

Very well summed up. The problem for us is, preparing for our first cruise since before lock down, everything sounds so different it is quite scary. The big worry is will this new experience suit us? I don't really recall having to queue much for anything before. Everything seemed relaxed and smooth. It's great that everything seems to go smoothly for you, but you do seem to be in a minority with what is reported, although I am aware people are more likely to complain than praise. The stories of apps crashing, long waits for dinner, long queues for shuttle buses etc all seem to take away from the relatively stress free experiences we had previously. We will go with an open mind and hope our experience is more like yours than many others. Andy

Perfectly put... Lots of changes seem pretty pointless to me. With the exception of a New Year cruise on Ventura, I don't remember having to queue much anywhere, especially for your dinner, on many previous cruises with P&O. I accept the 2 larger ships have different requirements, but, still... Andy

Was only passing on information gained from elsewhere that I thought people boarding may have been interested in... The fact remains, there were 2 large queues at that time, gladly it seems one moved fairly quickly.. I would say 'whoops, I got it wrong' if I truly believed I had.. Andy