Fionboard

Iona twice. Second time only because it was so cheap! As a solo cruiser I hate freedom dining or dining alone. Queues everywhere. Crowded - awful pinch point between theatre/pub to atrium - bad design. Atrium like an airport terminal. No atmosphere. Arvia probably much the same! I am considerably older than you and have probably done many more cruises than you. Have tried all size ships. Love Britannia and Ventura. Try cruising solo and you will get my drift! Different experience.

Annoying isn't it. My Arcadia Baltic last year was half the price at sail date than I paid! Nothing you can do. Just the way it is!

Different generations, different views!

Got off Aurora two weeks ago and back on her today. She is still as nice as she used to be with lots of new carpet, furniture, TV's, etc. I still find her the most friendly of the ships. Size does matter! Sorry, but I cannot stand the new ships. Just not my style.

Boarding Aurora this morning. No stress. You only need to see the problems with air, road, train and ferry travel this weekend to understand why we still love cruising, Have tried Cunard and not noticed much difference from P&O except the price! Am happy to cruise 6 or 7 times a year with P&O on the small ships in a balcony cabin and pay the premium. Each to their own.

If you book saver and get first sitting you should have no problem changing to second or freedom once on board. Just visit the MDR when you board and ask. They usually try to be accommodating.

The hotel manager summed up the problems on the new ships at the Peninsular lunch on Iona. She said "the reason we have to have pre booking for everything is because the venues on the ship are not big enough for the number of people wanting to use them" . Enough said!

Not tender. Have been there three times. Port and island pretty run down in general, but the beaches are lovely. Club Med is good for the day ( or another beach hotel) if you are not on an excursion. Not interested in DinP excursion but have heard it is not good.

But I always want a balcony. Not so many on these ships so I have been unable to book some cruises I wanted. Never would consider an inside so just have to pay the premium.

Arcadia and Aurora for me. Adults only. Expensive but often sold out as very popular still!

So glad I only cruise on the smaller ships!

Boarding pass has loyalty level on it. Cruise cards are outside cabin door when ready. They do not have loyalty level on.

If you are talking about the embarkation lunch you just turn up. Ask where it is being held when you go to register at your muster station.

Terrible noise on Iona last year. Did not sleep for three nights. Big queues at reception complaining about it. Seems Arvia has the same problem!

Also, don't forget if you are going away for a long spell you may have to inform your home insurer.

Thank you. May try that if I want to do a cruise outside Europe before my next scan (which is not due until January next year!) Meanwhile I have four cruises in Europe booked for this year to keep me going!

I cannot get insurance for worldwide travel due to mild liver damage. Am quoted premiums in the £2000 range! Annual Europe only is about £400! Annoying thing is that I do not know if I have it as two scans showed different results! It is on my record though so have to declare it. Wonder if it is possible to get insurance which excludes certain conditions? I often wonder how many people travel with insurance for which they have not declared conditions. I would not dream of doing this though, too risky!

I must admit that on Iona I found the food to be lower standard than on the small ships. Maybe because of the difference in cruise prices? Iona cruise was a third of what I pay for Aurora and Arcadia! You get what you pay for, it seems.

I find the food on the small ships about the same as it was pre covid. Quite sufficient for me. I only use the dining room so cannot comment on the standard of the buffet. Miss the prawn cocktail and fruit salad though!

It is a fair walk to the beach but all flat.

Valencia. Yellow bus takes you to port gates. From there you can walk to the sea front (very nice) but to city centre it's a long way. Depends on where you want to go.

Why can't they have one dining room with fixed dining like the other ships. It is obviously wanted and would solve some of the problems!

Would rather have a day in Malaga than half a day in Gibraltar.

Just back from Norway and took no currency. Only place you could not use a card was on the bus in Tromso, but I bought my ticket with a card in a shop.

Loyalty tier is on the boarding pass.