Host Sharon

Ok, this thread is now going nowhere useful.

22 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

You mention repositioning, and that’s been an ongoing process with P&O for around 10 years now, I’d say, accelerating rather faster over the last 5 years, and faster still since COVID. It’s a very different animal indeed from the old pre-Carnival P&O, catering very much more for the mass market. Thomsons/TUI rather than Kuoni.

 

I’m not at all keen on two-class ships, and I can’t see it coming any time soon to P&O. Saga claim to be one class, but all superior class - maybe a bit of an exaggeration, but they’re certainly picking up quite a few defections from P&O, and I suspect that was their plan.

No, that is not an exaggeration by Saga. IMO they are easily equal to Oceania with the added benefit of being priced in £ not $, AI and all balconies where Oceania ships still have inside and ocean view.

Our Future Health sounds very much like Biobank, which I joined back in 2009. You had a day of medical screening and mental tests and periodic online questionaires. They then followed you up via your GP records.

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Appreciate that, I'm looking at the 65 night Caribbean in January 2024 instead and the trip takes in Mexico/Costa Rica/Panama and it seems to state these countries have some requirements? Correct me if I'm wrong please!

That is a lovely itinerary. I am booked on it with a friend.

43 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Appreciate that, I'm looking at the 65 night Caribbean in January 2024 instead and the trip takes in Mexico/Costa Rica/Panama and it seems to state these countries have some requirements? Correct me if I'm wrong please!

Since the yellow fever jab has to be paid for privately, I don't think there are any restrictions on having it beyond medical advice.

I suspect the main difference you would notice is the food. On all the US ships I have sailed on, the dinners have had large portions of meat and a very few vegetables hidden underneath. In the UK we like our veggies and the meat portions will be smaller. Entertainment may not be so glitzy either, but other than that, I am sure you would find them very similar.

Please don't turn this into yet another dress code thread. The OP wasn't even asking about dress code.

14 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Hi Sharon, just reread this again. Any idea what role he has and if he is due to return to the 'high seas'?

Every time we sailed with him the crew (bar none) could not say enough good things about him. It was a happy ship, with happy crew and happy passengers. 

There is a role of what is effectively 'Office Captain'. They are there to advise the various shore teams on things seagoing and operational. I believe they rotate but I'm not sure how long the stints are.

7 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Completely agree. Each generation want something different and if you don't change, you die (as a business).

 

People like to compare cursing to 25 years ago when Oriana was new to the fleet. At that time there was a very heavy sway to passengers of 65 years+. Problem is the majority of those passengers aren't alive anymore. The current generation of 65+ are known to be healthier, fitter, less formal, more geographically mobile, more IT literate. I could go on. The next generation even more so.

 

You have to adapt.

 

At the same time, P&O have changed their core focus from 65+ to multi-generational cruising. So aim at 25-65 market and pull in the under 25s and 65+ at the edges.

 

I guess what I'm saying is that in the last 25 years, P&O has shifted its focus through two generations rather than just one.

While this makes complete sense on paper, I still feel it is a risky shift in focus at this particular time with the economy as it is. On the whole it is the 65+ who are least affected by the cost of living crisis, with fully-paid-up mortgages and the time to travel, whereas the core demographic are having to cut back drastically. Time will tell.

7 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I agree with that statement entirely. Whenever we have been on a cruise where he was the Captain if there was a problem he was always there to sort it out and was seen regularly walking around the ship and always spoke and had a smile. Neil Oliver we have known since our first cruise on P&Os Aurora maiden voyage in 2000 when we were lucky to share a dinner table in MDR for majority of evenings and IMO is a fantastic Cruise Director as was and now Entertainments Manager.

On the other hand we have been lucky enough to cruise with one Captain only once and all wanted was to walk around the ship thinking how handsome he was and have all the ladies "swoon" over him and loved the sound of his own voice at the noon announcements. Not fair to name him especially at the moment as Arvia has enough problems 😉. Just hope he isnt Captain when we are on Arvia in September.

I think you are being somewhat unfair about Arvia's captain. Having had a private coffee with him on a number of cruises, I have always found him a very genuine and friendly person.

On 1/7/2023 at 6:45 PM, Presto2 said:

Seems like a lot of changes. Does anyone know if Andy Willard has retired as he seems to have disappeared 😞

I believe he is currently based in Carnival House.

Hi and welcome to Cruise Critic.

Azura normally has 2 formal nights per week. It should list them in the My Cruise/Itinerary section online if you log in.

Enjoy your cruise.

You don't say which ship you are sailing on, but your query belongs on the Roll Calls page so I will lock this thread.

I am another of the dying breed. My first cruise was on Vistaford (26,000grt) and then I progressed to Oriana and Aurora. My favourite P&O ship was Artemis with 1200 pax. Two show lounges and one restaurant plus a couple of bars. She was perfect with so much deck space. It was easy to meet people and befriend them. I choose cruises by itinerary but ship comes a close second. I have tried the big ships on the basis I couldn't say I hated them unless I tried them, but 2 days was enough. They don't feel like ships, just shopping malls and hotels - floating resorts. If I want a resort then that is what I would book. I want to feel I am at sea. But it isn't only the cruise lines fault. Society has changed and there is the rise of the 'me' generation as in ' I've paid for my holiday, I'll do what I like'. I am fortunate to be able to afford some Saga cruises, by cutting down the number of times I cruise and by booking as early as possible. I can't answer for Fred Olsen as it is a long time since I cruised with them, but Saga is pretty close to how cruising used to be and I love them. With P&O I will only consider Aurora and possibly Arcadia. When they go, my time with P&O ends. I may try Ambassador but Tilbury is a complete pain to get to, and am waiting for them to start cruises from Bristol.

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

Does any cruise line still send out labels  ?

Yes - Saga and Fred Olsen. 

Welcome to Cruise Critic Gem. Regarding Sagaris' comment about DIY ashore, if you are sailing on your own I would suggest you book tours in the Caribbean unless you buddy up with other solo passengers or pre-book private tours before you sail.

Can anyone on the Iona Xmas cruise confirm that some passengers turned up to Christmas dinner in the MDR in pyjamas, albeit Christmas ones?  It is what I am hearing. More to the point, they were allowed in.

On 12/29/2022 at 10:49 PM, carlanthony24 said:

Ambience cruise was cancelled when people were in dinner. Lifeboat issue

But that wasn't because they were selling her. Mechanical/safety issues are different.

28 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I was also wondering this for someone I know who does not have a mobile phone at all!

I believe you can just turn up, but may have to wait, or ask reception to book. Even on Aurora, we had to use the app to book entertainment, but it only applies to freedom dining, not fixed sittings. Given the target demographic for Iona and Arvia, I would imagine they all have smart phones.

Sorry you had a poor cruise. I suspect this was the first cruise that Iona has sailed at full capacity, hence those cruising earlier in the year didn't have any problems. They do appear to have major staffing issues, particularly on the two biggest ships. As others have said, I always take my copy of Horizon ashore, which has several useful phone numbers in it, and always pack any bottles in hand luggage, although I only take them home off the ship, not on board at the start. The Netherlands celebrate Christmas at the beginning of December (Black Peter brings gifts on 5th) so any Xmas markets there will be over by later December. From experience, the main Xmas market in Hamburg, opposite the Rathaus, is huge, amazing and always jam-packed with people - hardly P&O's fault. 

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

Are the American Diner and the relocated Olive Grove free restaurants? If not the MDR capacity has been reduced. I guess they want to increase the onboard spend at the same time as adding more dining options.

It may be included in your fare (rather than free) but to me the American Diner looks like a works canteen and certainly not somewhere I would wish to eat Christmas dinner.

Passengers’ Christmas Day ‘ruined’ on P&O cruise | News | The Times

I know we only tend to hear about poor experiences as happy passengers don't post so often but this does not reflect well for P&O.

Passengers’ Christmas Day ‘ruined’ on P&O cruise | News | The Times

Ace2542 says no US ships have entered Russian waters - well of course not since they are not permitted to due to sanctions. However, it hasn't stopped many US and other cruise ships sailing the Baltic in 2022 - on my 3 week cruise there in August I saw Sirena, Sea Cloud Spirit, Marina, Clio, Poesia, Norwegian Dawn, Grandiosa and Arcadia along with us on Spirit of Discovery.

On 12/26/2022 at 6:40 PM, oAlgo said:

Thanks for the answers!!

I´ll ask reception as soon as I get on board and will book the Glass house and Beach house for some of the formal nights if I can get away with DJ and smart jeans or chinos, and will probably book the Epicurean for the 2 nights I will wear a suit.
On my last cruise on Azura the black tie night was a total chaos in one of the MDR´s, felt really stupid to have to dress up for a bad dinning experience.

I really wouldn't bother packing a DJ if you are going to wear it with jeans or chinos. Smart casual nights don't require a jacket to be worn and a suit would be fine for formal nights.