daiB

2 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Lovely day out today. Light breakfast before an interesting tour round a distillery and a few really interesting drams. Then a country drive and tasty high tea.

 

Do you have high tea elsewhere in the U.K. or is it a Scottish thing? Afternoon tea is sandwiches, savouries, scones and cakes. High tea is later in the day and a hot dish like fish, steak pie, Mac cheese etc with lots of toast, tea, cream scones and cakes.

No I agree with you. What you describe is high tea, well that’s what we called it  the NE. However ‘it was  something you went out for and had in a cafe. Afternoon tea is afternoon tea and not High Tea. But we do have a lot of Scotch ancestry in our family. I am sure cafes in Newcastle in the 50’s/60’s served High Tea.

Interesting, our insurers sad that they would carry on insuring us but we had to have someone check on our house once a week and they would have to adjust the price …….. down as accidental damage inside the house would not be needed. The next time I rang they just said OK carry on.

10 hours ago, Josy1953 said:

We only have one cruise booked on P&O at the moment and that is on Aurora so Sindhu being closed isn't a problem for us but I would be annoyed if we were going on Ventura because the option of alternative restaurants to the MDR is important because we want to eat in smaller quieter locations sometimes.  It is changes like this that have lead to us going with other lines.  P&O must have good reasons for making this sort of decision but I hope that it is a permanent closure.

Josy, Aurora has a Sindhu. 

2 hours ago, Malcolm142 said:

Thanks for all the replies.

I never did find the interactive one from P&O

It’s in your CP under each cruise.

36 minutes ago, Bobblehat71 said:

Just off Azura and bar service generally was very poor throughout the ship. 

Brodies was particularly bad and they would often refuse to serve you at the bar which meant you had to wait for one of the very few waiters to get served.

Service around the pools was completely non existent and queues at the bars huge.

Service in the MDR also felt rushed.

The general feeling was that they are massively understaffed in all areas. I've cruised with 3 other lines in the last 12 months and although they will have had the same staffing issues you never really noticed. I think P&O's cost cutting may have gone a little too far.

 

All bars on all ships will ask you to place your order with a waiter. I have not seen any understaffing at busy times. I take notice of what is going on around me and will count the number of staff. On Ventura in Jan. In the Metropolis I saw 6 waiters before dinner, second sitting all very aware of customers needing to be served. In the glasshouse again 6 with a further 2 just for food.

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

Our ' Spoons' doesn't have formal nights and has gingham table cloths, but not for afternoon tea. Spoons is getting like Butlins on high street, not posh like that P&O.

Spoons with table cloths????? You must live in a posh area. We have spooned all over the place and never had it so posh.

19 minutes ago, TigerB said:

As @Gettingwarmer writes, on Arvia the only MDR with tablecloths is Zenith.  I think the bean counters may have thought that making Meridian resemble a 'Spoons would be more appealing to some of the guests.😉

Only they have the tablecloths as they use them on formal nights. So not saving that much.

5 minutes ago, sandancer said:

It’s all confusing but it seems to me that if you are taking a mobility scooter you have to book a fully accessible cabin. I’m not saying that is definitely the case, only my take on it. 

You are correct and it is now the same for electric wheelchairs pf any type.

It certainly would appear that the Evac chair conformation is no longer being shown on line. I have read many reports of this over many platforms. As above it will be shown on your P&O invoice at the top of your itinerary. My advice is to print out that part of your invoice.

2 hours ago, annieuk said:

Thank you Dai for the information about scooters on excursions.  I remember taking a scooter on a shuttle bus while we were in Hamburg.  I'm not sure that it's possible to discover which ports have shuttle buses in advance but at least I know that it may be possible to use one when it's available.  I can get onto a coach without any problem, it's walking for more than short distances I have problems with.  

If you let me have the ports you are going to I will try to let you know which have shuttles.

On 8/26/2024 at 5:47 PM, annieuk said:

Thank you Dai, I was hoping you might see the posting as I remember a lot of your information being very helpful in the past.  I have in fact booked a B deck suite on Arcadia.  May I ask you something else, I've been looking at the Shore Excursions and it seems that although some excursions are marked 'Accessible' they will only allow a wheelchair on board a mini bus or coach.  Each one seems to be saying that scooters are not allowed.  In the past I have taken a scooter on a Shuttle bus, is this not allowed either now?  This is a Northern European and Scandinavian cruise.  If this is the case then I assume that any excursion I book must be a private one, although the website does say that more accessible excursions will be available once on board, although it doesn't make it clear if this includes being able to take a scooter.  My sister-in-law is accompanying me on this cruise and I'm encouraging her to book any excursion that she wishes and not to worry about me.  I just love being on board the ship and this will be wonderful to be back on board after the death of my husband back in 2020.  I hope I can get ashore in some ports even if it means I can't go further afield.  My sister-in-law hasn't been on a cruise before and she's hoping that if she enjoys it, which I'm sure she will, she can encourage her husband to try cruising, although as a dinghy and big boat sailor he has the same thoughts of cruise ships as had my husband, until he tried one and was then hooked.  I can get around without the scooter, I don't need it in the cabin, but I can't walk long distances. I'll be grateful for any advice you can offer.  

Sorry I missed this, I have found that in Europe there are generally accessible coaches/buses. I have not been on many excursions but they have all accommodated my scooter. However you have to be able to get on the coach yourself. Accessible trips generally do not take scooters but shuttle buses generally do. I have not been stopped. Come back if you want more.

2 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

We filled the form in last November Dai and ticked that we needed a evac chair with the relevant weight. We had no way of knowing that the form was the old one and was no longer valid. The email even said that if we’d completed it previously we didn’t need to do it again. It was only by me phoning the TA due to the publicised problems that I discovered that this was incorrect and we did actually need to do it again. This was Cunard, but the email and the system is identical to those issues reported above re P&O.
 

At least in the case of P&O you can see if an evac chair has been allocated by clicking on the first day of the cruise calendar in the cruise Personaliser. For some reason, even though it’s the same IT system, Cunard bookings don’t show this, but thankfully the booking confirmation does. 

I dont think it was an old one. I am on holiday now so all my paperwork is at home so I can’t check the dates. The last one I filled in was 24/4/24 and I think it was the same as the ones in Nov 23.

Just now, TigerB said:

 

That is correct, the on-board questionnaire referred to has been in place for a few months, and it has not changed.

However, the policy regarding mobility devices has changed. As per post #12, powered wheelchairs and mobility scooters are now classified in the same group, and users of them must now be in booked into a fully accessible cabin.

The emails that some, including us, have received advises of the new policy, and requests that a questionnaire be resubmitted where applicable, indicating a change of mobility device. 

Yes my reply was for Selbourne who should be OK. You on the other hand seem to be badly affected.

3 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

My email from Cunard said that John, but when I phoned our TA (I think you use the same one) they said that the one we had previously completed had been superseded by a newer form and, as such, Cunard had it down as us not having completed the questionnaire at all. Hence my comments earlier that the email is incorrect. 

The new form has been in place for some months i Have filled this in for our cruises. I have an evack chair booked for each one with an invoice from the company indicating that. If you have filled a form asking about the weight of the user for the evac chair then you should be up to date. 

7 hours ago, Advanced Diver said:

I seem to remember it was anything but "nominal". I can't remember to be fair but it was either £45 or even £60 for a single spin session. Yoga is going to be similar I expect.

I suspect if it was that amount we would have heard about it by now. Is that not that cost of a series of sessions.

27 minutes ago, annieuk said:

I have just booked a cruise on Arcadia next year and I will need to use a mobility scooter in order to embark and disembark the ship.  I will need, on occasion, to use it round the ship. If for example, in an evening I want to go for a drink before dinner, go to the restaurant and then go to the theatre for the show, which is at the other end of the ship from the restaurant, I would find it difficult to walk that distance.  I can walk a certain amount but can't stand for a long period.  However, I do not need an accessible cabin, nor do I need to use the scooter in the cabin.  According to P&O's new rules I do need an accessible cabin.  I am fortunate in being able to book a suite or mini suite and have been able to book a suitable suite and can take the scooter with me.  I had hoped to book an aft suite which in the past I had with my husband, prior to the need for a scooter.  However, the aft suites on Arcadia are apparently not suitable for taking a mobility scooter. I don't know about suites on the other ships. My scooter is an Efoldi Lite which is one of the lightest scooters available and folds down like a suitcase on wheels.  So I could easily have taken it into the aft suite but rules are rules so that was not allowed.  Had I not been able to book a suite or mini suite I would have taken up an accessible cabin that I don't need.  I chose this cruise on Arcadia really because there were still Evacuation Chairs available.  I had a list of nine cruises I was interested in but there were only two cruises with chairs available.  I will admit I was limiting  the ships to Aurora or Arcadia so probably other ships still had availability.  In the past I have had a scooter in an aft suite on Ventura and only last year in a mini suite on Aurora without any need for an evacuation chair but since then rules have changed.  So in the future I'm assuming things won't be as easy and in order to get the cruise I want I assume I would need to book early, as indeed I used to do when sailing with my husband.  I will have to look at other cruise lines in future but at the moment I'm very pleased to have a cruise booked once again.  Prior to 2020 I had completed over 30 cruises with P&O.  I will look at Saga but they have similar rules as far as accessible cabins if a passenger needs to use a scooter round the ship, if they only need it ashore then it's not a problem as they will store the scooter and it will only be given back when the passenger is going ashore.  Things are certainly changing as for those of us who find as we get older we need some assistance.  

Have you looked at the suites or mini-suites on B deck on the sides of the ship. They are all big enough for scooters. I have used them a number of times. The stern suites have a sharp turn going into the cabin making it difficult.

Gan Canny

Dai

39 minutes ago, a1psx said:

Thanks, previous cruises were with TUI so we stayed on board until our flight so unsure how it worked with P&O

That of course would be a fly cruise not from Southampton. Breakfast is finished just after 9 and the ship is usually cleared by 9.30 to 10.00. 

16 hours ago, david63 said:

No - you just have have proof of ownership about six weeks pre cruise.

 

No - P&O do not deal in shares.

 

It varies dependant on the cruise length - off the top of my head it ranges from £75 for one week to £150 for over 14 nights.

You can buy them through a stockbroker or through your bank

You get £30 or £60 or £150 . Thats less than a week, 7 to 13 days and 14 days ad above

42 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

By that measure why would the fact that you have been on “many cruises as you can see” count. I was simply following your lead.

 

Your  word is “moan”, mine would be discernment. 

If you had read the thread you would know that the word moan is no mine I was replying to the OP. But of course like many times before I am taken out of context.

2 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

Yes it is just you Dai, you are absolutely correct in that. 

 

I have also been on many cruises, probably many more than you and with numerous different cruise lines.  I have to say I have enjoyed all of them all (except the one with the fire).
 

I can however still make fair comparisons between both the offerings  from different lines and the offerings between past and present cruises on the same line (taking due cognisance of price differentials between past and present).

 

How on earth has the fact that you have been on more cruise lines effect the fact that i don't complain about my cruises. Sorry the word is moan. Why on earth would anyone moan about not getting a pillow chocolate. Or any of the minor moans we here.

20 hours ago, AlexMcSpot said:

I am so glad we are newbie's, only two so far, Arcadia and Arvia. Both different experiences and we thoroughly enjoyed both cruises. It is all new to us and have had little that has irked us. I guess a few more cruises and we will be moaning along with every one else. 😉

I have been on many cruises as you can see. I have no moans about any ship or cruise. But that is just me.

45 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Somebody else used it before me. They wanted to know about the welcome lunch for top tier suite guests. Not bothered really it's only lunch.

Only a lunch!!!!! B******* the lunch. 🙂 3/4 glasses of wine just starts the cruise well.

Having been on Britannia, Iona and Arvia for 8 cruises in the last 18 months i can confirm that  the service on these three ships has been exceptional.  

4 hours ago, jaypo63 said:

Sorry to be a pest but where do suite passengers go for their embarkation lunch? It used to be Sindhu but we've read nothing that tells us. Thank you 

The higher tier/suite lunch on our last few Ventura cruises has been in the Bay Tree MDR.

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

We have mainly cruised with P&O since 2011, but all our cruises from then until 2018 are counting towards our Elite status on Princess. I hope you're not being short changed Dai.

No we got our P&O cruises on Princess cos we is elite. Black card and all that. No it is the princess cruises not counting on P&O I am talking about. That finished many years ago.