daiB

At the moment just after the final fare has to be paid ie under 90 days seems to be best. However as things settle down you may find that the ships get filled up and the late deals disappear. This was certainly the case for a number of years pre pandemic. However if you have children the tactics are different as child places go very quickly. And late deals are very rare. Also there are certain cruises which are very popular, generally on smaller ships with one off itineraries.

Well it matters quite a lot because you booked at an expensive time when you look at the booking window. Booking when you did is not early even though it may be a year before. Booking early to get the best price is on day one of booking. We have booked on day one for the past 18 years and for 95% of our cruises this has never been beaten. The price you pay varies as to when you book. It is controlled by an algorithm which is linked to supply and demand. They know how many cabins they need to book at any one time in the 2 year window. If sales are above the expected then th price rises if below then it falls. You may have booked the cruise at the peak time and therefore it is often inevitable that at some point the price will fall. So you either book one day one or within a few weeks of it or you book late. Book in the middle and you end up in your position. Ps. I have to book on day one as I need an adapted cabin. Gan Canny Dai

On tipping, now the genie is out I think it would be very difficult to get it back in again. You could get to the position where the majority of the passengers would take the tips off. Not a situation P&O would want.

My experience of the VQ is that i did not refresh the app and had missed the call from the restaurant. I suspect that some of the long waits are down to that. After that was explained to me we never waited more than 10 mins. If fact hardly time to get a drink.

But it just moves the queue to 5.30 instead of 6.00

Should but don’t always. The present one sends out a revised invoice the one we used before, nothing. As long as I get it from Carnival I am happy. I have always got it on the cruise.

Personally I am not keen on drinks packages of any kind. I certainly do not want to go back to paying for tips at the end of a cruise. As long as there’s is not a massive price hike to accommodate drinks, tips, wifi, cabin choice and dining choice I am happy to stay as we are.

I am interested in how you come to the conclusion that P&O have lost control of freedom dining? That was not the case on Iona. The photos of long queues on Arvia from what I have gleaned are all the same photo. It is the queue for the MDR before it opens at 5.30. We have seen these on other ships at the start of the evening meal in freedom. The reason. Many people want fixed dining and first sitting therefore they turn early dining on freedom into first sitting. Resulting in no spaces in the dining room until they have been served. So no freedom if you go at 6.30 to 7.00. So should they go back to club dining in at least one restaurant? Certainly we went to the MDR about 7 times on Iona in our 3 weeks and apart from the first night it worked well

Did you book on day one or sometime later?

If P&O are putting on a bus they will advertise it in the Horizon

Friends have applied on line and got their new passport back inside 1 week. I am sure that the time needed on your passport is 6 months extra.

Well on Aurora at Christmas there was a member of staff at breakfast going round with a trolly serving hot drinks. Don’t know about afternoon tea as we never went to the buffet then. Never saw them on Iona but we tended not to go to the buffet as there were other places to go.

My experience of buffets on Ventura, Aurora and Iona has been far from that described above. In each case there have been the staff withe the yellow aprons helping. Usually I only have to appear in the servers and they come and help.They did not have them in the quays, but a simple please brought someone out to help. In all cases the would also go and get a drink for me, In my experience the help I have received has been exceptional. For those who do not know I am a scooter user.

Well I must be now in the older group now after cruising 22 years and we both simply loved Iona, all aspects. Arvia is for everyone. If it were not P&O would go out of business as the younger element do not have the time or money to cruise in the winter months.

I can confirm after being on Iona for 2 cruises last month, this is not our experience at all. You say the queue was before the doors opened at 5.30. This is not due to the booking system it is due to passengers wanting first sitting, which of course they can’t have. It has been happening on all cruises we have been on since “Freedom Dining” started. Staff I find to be very polite and helpful especially when you treat them with respect.

Given up cruises going on cruises of less than 15 nights so all of ours are either long ie 35 nights on Ventura or back to backs. Just means less traveling to Southampton and less hotels needed.

Not your lucky day either as we are doing a back to back. 🙂 Gan Canny Dai

Might have done a few years ago, however they are cracking down on people arriving very early for their boarding time. People are reporting having to queue standing outside for a long time. Therefore I would say unlikely. If you ask P&O the standard reply is all board at the later time. It is different I think with people in the same cabin.

Just a thought I could help you there, I could drink it for Dave. 😇

Oopps

Andy No but it is the one we are on 🙂 See you on board Gan Canny Dai

In that case you are saved we are on the 30th.

Em she is not 30 years old she is about 15 years old came into service around 2008/9. If you line wines then just buy as you go. Glass house has a good selection.

Dave I think your luck has just ran out again, we are on this cruise. 🙂 We may bump into each other. Gan Canny Dai

John the comment started with a review of a 35 night cruise and as I said before on the first night you do not know but after the 3/4th night you can do something about it. Being on a 35 night cruise and complaining when you get home just sounds daft to me. A constant theme with me is if you have a problem on a ship get it sorted on t he ship.