Will&Hel

My understanding and checking the UK Gov website is the days count from entering the Schengen area to the day you leave that area no matter where you enter from. From UK Gov "Your total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days. It does not matter how many countries you visit. The 180-day period keeps ‘rolling’."

23kg per item has always been the case for health and safety of crew- you can take as many cases as you wish from Southampton. One litre per adult at embarkation has also always been the case but the restriction at ports of call  has not enforced post Covid in our experience 

4 hours ago, LetsSailAway said:

One correction -- they gave me 50% off the WiFi package for my troubles.  Not free but still very generous, I thought.  

my bad

On 2/20/2023 at 2:34 AM, shuyak said:

Following - same situation as @Belle Belle and are considering the Norway itinerary for March, 2024.

 

Is it correct that one needs to call P&O to book?  Are there other options to hopefully receive better pricing and/or perks than book direct?

 

Will also follow the insurance thread.

 

Thanks.

 

Posted some info on your other post in Uk Cruisers

33 minutes ago, John Bull said:

 

Well at least that avoids expensive phone calls. 🙂

The OP needs to check whether US or UK terms & conditions apply, cos I don't know.

Ditto with things like service charges - I recall a SE Asia cruise with now-defunct UK-based Voyages of Discovery where we met up with American passengers. No service charges for us, which was normal - but they had a daily charge added.

 

JB 🙂

our US friend sailed with us on Iona last month- UK Ts&Cs, no service charges, got the same on board credit as us including her Carnival shares obc, could manage the cruise on the web after she had booked through the US agent booking speciality restaurants, excursion etc - she was unable to pre-book WiFI but when she went to guest services onboard they apologised and gave her free wifi for the 14 days. She has posted comment on this thread. She has now booked Arcadia with a little help from us as we can look at availability of cabins (she booked Select) which she then passed to the US agent

1 hour ago, John Bull said:

 

We can book on-line with UK agents or cruise lines, but we always do it by phone. 

It builds a rapport for any up-coming complications, it helps to avoid pitfalls, they can help with updates, cabin availability etc, and we can often get freebie upgrades and perks.

 

P&O's over-complicated pricing may be the reason that you can't book on-line from the USA.

Here's an explanation of their three price-levels, although you're probably aware of them

https://www.pocruises.com/our-prices-explained

There are big differences between the "Saver" fares and the "Select" or "Early Saver" fares, we've only ever booked P&O on the "saver" fare because we can sail anytime and if one cruise sells-out early we just wait for another one.

Differences between "Select" and "Early Saver" fares are usually pretty-well negated by the "select" freebies.

"Saver" fares are only available from a few months before sailing and may not be offered for cruises which sell particularly-well. This is an example of where a cruise-specialist TA's inside knowledge of booking levels can give an indication of whether waiting for a "saver" fare makes sense

 

We live just down the road for their Southampton sailings and their cruises in the Caribbean and the Med. are inclusive of flights from the UK on their chartered aircraft (therefore a late booking doesn't ramp up the flight cost), but for you the savings on a late-booked cruise can be negated by late-booked trans-Atlantic flights.

 

Booking in the UK gives you more legal rights than booking US ships from the US, but there's one major disadvantage -  In the US  if you change your mind you can cancel before final-payment day and be refunded your deposit (which to me makes a nonsense of paying a deposit in the first place, but that's a different topic for discussion 🙄) . But in the UK your deposit is forfeit from the moment it's paid.

I'm presuming that your rights and obligations are the same as ours if you book via a UK agent, I don't know the situation if you book direct with P&O.

 

JB 🙂

 

 

Good info JB but unfortunately US residents cannot book direct with P&O nor use a UK TA agent they have to use a P&O agent in the USA at P&O Americas  

Our friend from Ft Lauderdale has just cruised with us on Iona 14 nights Southampton to Madeira, Canary Islands, Spain and Portugal Lisbon overnight and really enjoyed the experience - quite difficult to book as US citizens cannot book direct but need to go through a TA . She has just booked to sail Norway including Lofoton Island on Arcadia (adult only ship) in 2024.

6 hours ago, swansea_lad said:

Anyone sailed with Carnival from Dover?

 

Yes what do you want to know

When we last sailed from Dover we stayed one night in the Best Western Hotel and parked there for the 9 days on a Stay and Park Package

4G Cell coverage is pretty good in Dover . The Best Western Dover Marina Hotel is excellent short taxi ride to cruise check in and free wifi- it get booked very quickly.

42 minutes ago, CCFC said:

There is one USA P&O travel agent but every time I post its name some mod comes and deletes it despite it being approved by P&O as they don't take US bookings direct.

Yes that is what I recall- it use to be on the P&O website

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Sorry, I know I sound like a broken record,  but have you tried contacting a TA? 

Yes they have but cannot find a TA in the US who deals with P&O- I recall reading the name of a TA in North America who does but cannot now find it. I have suggested using a UK TA bit they wish to pay in US Dollars

We have a friend who lives in Florida and wishes to join us on Iona in 2023- does anyone know how they can book from the USA. Unlike Cunard and Princess P&O do not have an international website. Tried contacting P&O but they are not answering their phones or replying to e-mails

13 hours ago, 80sGal said:

Definitely going to look into the BW in Dover!  Thanks.  Do you have any suggestions for a night or 2 in London pre-cruise?  

 it depends on your budget. We have lived in London and don't really know the hotel scene - since moving from London I have returned for work and have three suggestions The Strand Palace in The Strand, H10 at Waterloo and Holiday Inn Express at Southwark. Give booking.com a search 

On 8/17/2021 at 12:40 PM, s.mac said:

To all you knowledgeable P&O cruisers,

We have just booked the cruise around the Canaries and Portugal leaving Southampton on 13th November on the Iona. We are seasoned cruises but only once before with P&O. We would have liked a suite or deluxe balcony grade of cabin but there are NONE available 🤔. Is this just chance, or do P&O release cabins closer to the departure date? This is not something I have encountered before. Your thoughts would be appreciated.

We have been successful twice with being "waitlisted " for a suite with P&O

On 8/15/2021 at 10:04 AM, NaomiW said:

Ok, well obviously that is different to how it has always worked in the past for suite guests. But then the entire reason for my original question was just to to find out if other people who had suites in the first sailing could give me an idea of timings so I could plan my travel down as I realize things arent 'normal' at the moment.. Honestly, I have only posted questions this forum a couple of times to get advice and both times you have been really quite rude..

We have a Suite sailing on 5th Sep and our arrival time is 11:45- that is arrival at the drive through testing centre. On arrival at Ocean Ligurean and suite get priority boarding

34 minutes ago, Fishgirl01 said:

Has anyone heard if their are going to be any guest speakers on the Iona summer cruises, and who they might be.  Princess cruises have released the program with some interesting speakers.

I got the e-mail from Princess so I have messaged P&O and ask them the question but don't expect an answer as even in normal times its not easy to find out which entertainers/lecturers are onboard. We nearly went with Princess

We have also sailed Carnival from Dover to the Baltic - boarding is very quick. 

We have cruised this route many times from UK- the  day out of Le Havre across the Bay of Biscay could be a little rough it get the big Atlantic swell- having said that we have also had it like a mill pond. When you get south of the bay then the temperature will rise and the sea tends to be calm. Your first stop Le Havre I would recommend the trip to Paris or perhaps the Normandy Landing beaches. Porto is excellent visit sampling port wine, Lisbon you can do on your own and is stunning - I would recommend a Tut Tut tour or the tram (google them), Seville is also easy on your own, Cartagena is an easy walk in to town- excellent roman amphitheatre and traditional tapas bar but go off the tourist track to the back streets.  In Dover we would recommend the Best Western Hotel- it books up quickly!! easy transfer to cruise port, nice bar and food. Be careful of your transfer from Heathrow its takes a good 3 hours to get to Dover. You will need Pounds sterling in UK and Euros in France, Span and Portugal Credit Cards are widely taken and safe. When in Rome use the Metro it is very easy and cheap but watch for pickpockets- any other questions come back to me.

On 2/20/2021 at 1:35 AM, DANCING GRANDMOMMY said:

Please give me all the info I would ever want to know about the Havana Cabana Cabins. Why do I want to pay $800 more for it than a regular balcony. Pros and con please. I am looking a the Panorama. I understand that I should book portside to avoid smoke from smoking section on the starboard outdoor Plaza. I appreciate all other words of advise.

Stayed in Havana on Vista 3 times, Horizon 3 times and Panorama twice- it really is the best area on the Vista Class ships. No problem getting a chair or lounger by the pool and it was never crowded even on sea days. Panorama has a nice touch with buttons near the loungers and hot tubs you press and the bar waiter comes to you. They also served pots of fresh chilled fruit in the afternoon.When they first sailed on Vista in the Med the area was opened to other guests from 4:30pm, this then changed to 7pm and in 2019 all Vista Class ships changed to exclusive to Havana guest 24 hours. With regard to smoking area it is on Deck 5 starboard side but all the way forward so is no where near Havana cabins. See picture below. 

The port side is better as there is a door through to the bar from the Cabin corridor on the port side - on the stbd side cabins there is a storeroom which is crew only -but people do use it but it is a heavy crew door.

Apart from the first time we had Havana on Vista in the Mediterranean we have never experience issues with people walking past the Cabanas. 

15 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I think it depends on the sailing. That's what cruise critic says.

 

Honestly, I was at dinner at this time or getting ready for dinner so I didn't pay attention. 

that info is incorrect it is 7pm

15 hours ago, sanmarcosman said:

Is it 5pm or 7pm? I've read both on here. 

It is 7pm, it was 5 pm on the first few sailings in the Med on Vista then it was changed

P&O have released pictures and deck plans for its Excellence Class, same as Carnival mega ship, ship Iona which debuts in May 2020- they are already taking bookings- we are booked for Sep 2020

https://www.pocruises.com/cruise-ships/iona/