The tl;dr is the title — Can we get a relaxed couples cruise out of P&O Adventure, or should we cancel for something else?
For all the gory details… I’m having second thoughts on a cruise we booked this winter (which is Jun-Aug here in Aus). I need help making a decision, cause we can still cancel, and I’m worried we’re doing this wrong.
So, my wife and I are on a super tight budget, and have been saving up to do something nice for a special anniversary.
What we want out of a cruise: rest from our busy lives, a beautiful place to stay, the chance to eat out three times a day at nice venues and have good conversation (just the two of us), maybe a spa treatment for my wife. Something low hassle, all included, for a good price, where neither of us have to cook/clean.
We’re not keen on feeling crowded — our job and our home life are both very people-intensive (we have a very big family). We don’t want to party, and probably don’t want to dress up in costume for something. We don’t have discretionary income to throw at hidden costs and extras. We don’t gamble, and we drink very little. We like a good broadway show, but nothing raunchy / “adult”. If there were an old-school place to dance on board — like actual couples dance — that would be a plus, but not essential.
The cruise we booked, we’re not psyched about the location. We just want a chance to relax. I will say though, the water slide on Adventure is something we’d want to try.
Now, we booked the cruise last winter, before I looked into Aussie cruising much. My wife has been on a few cruises in Europe years ago, on small lines, which she loved. I’ve been on one — but I hated it. I was used to backpacking, and the port stops were so short it felt like a joke to say we were seeing a place. But the port stops aren’t what we want out of this cruise, so that’s no longer a concern. I just want the next adventure to be a good one.
Anyway, I’m wondering if the P&O Adventure is the wrong fit for what we want to do. Since booking, I’ve discovered the Celebrity Edge class ships, and that looks like more what we’re after - centred on fine dining in a beautiful setting. Trouble is, because of work, our best travel dates are winter (Jun-Aug) with Oct-Nov possible — and our budget is very tight. So P&O looks like the most practical option.
Can we get what we want out of a P&O cruise — carve out a relaxed, couples cruise?
Or should we swap to something shore based for this anniversary and save up even more for the next major anniversary, aiming for a spot on Celebrity. (There’s a beautiful NZ cruise I wish we could make work if the dates weren’t Jan-Apr).