Jo and Rob

Hi Jenny,

We are on the same cruise as you. We too are looking to be DIY and hoping to be able to wander around the towns. Geiranger has a Fjord Centre we will probably visit. Tromso the cable car which is a taxi ride away. Bergen has a great fish market, there's a trolley train and a funicular with views of the city and walks.

Stavanger is right in the town and the Petroleum Museum is worth a visit. Flam railway trip is excellent but not sure what we will do this year. We plan to hire a car in Lofoten islands so Rob can get some good pictures.

We are on Sapphire Princess on 30th August so it is Jekteviksterminalen 2 for the port. Does the free shuttle drop you off at the park with the Bandstand? That's where we've been dropped off before. I don't remember walking from the dock gates.

We've visited twice before and have done the tourist train and the funicular. We are wondering what to do this time. Last time we went canoeing at the top of the funicular which was free so we may do that again. Is there anything you would recommend that we do?

Have you told your bank you are going abroad?

 

 

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Tesco don’t want to know. They say they assume we holiday abroad. Just dyed my hair and wearing a face mask. I hope the post lady doesn’t come!!

Everyone seems super-organised on these threads, love the idea of a cruise drawer, packing lists/spreadsheets and now I’m just going to photograph our passports. This will be our first proper cruise so we have a lot to learn, I’m hoping it will be the first cruise of many. This time next week we should be on Britannia in Barbados :)

 

Jaywader - can I just ask what are the magnets for?

 

Thanks

Julie

I wonder if we are on the same flight. I've had to take off my luggage labels and put new ones on as our guarantee cabin has changed! No wonder they say leave the printing off documents until just before you sail.

Just got my nails done. I’ve gone for a holiday colour I just need an tan to go with it! Last meds should be ready Monday. It’s getting close!

Photocopies of your passports. Easier to carry round with you and useful as id

You've reminded me I usually take a photo on my phone. Thank you

This is off the P and O website

 

https://ask.pocruises.com/help/PO/fleet/metal_balcony

Thanks Netchells

I have searched on Facebook and it is steel fronted but has double the size of normal balcony :)

Do you have a link?

I was going from your photo, but if it’s glass fronted I’d say that’s a result. The extra balcony space will be a godsend, as will a sofa. Though not perfect due to the lack of a promenade deck and midship stairs (the latter to be resolved at the first refit), the Select dining venues are superb, with the best Epicurean, Sindhu and Beach House in the fleet IMO and the added benefit of the Limelight Club. We like the modern and good quality cabin facilities (those in the rest of the fleet are looking dated now) and like the overall ambiance of the ship. I would be happy with that cabin. Enjoy.

Thank you. I don't think it is glass fronted. I've found a picture of Britannia rather than Royal Princess. The balcony looks huge!

https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=firefox-b&dcr=0&biw=1280&bih=677&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=nUygWrLmL8bNgAbD_YG4BA&q=britannia+ship&oq=britannia+&gs_l=psy-ab.1.1.0i67k1l6j0l2j0i67k1l2.3918.3918.0.6295.1.1.0.0.0.0.63.63.1.1.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.62....0.CuYRyelnP48#imgrc=c_9F1xxfzvXlgM:

Last week we were on A deck aft. Today we are on G deck forwawrd. Fortunately I checked my cruise personaliser as my luggage labels have the wrong cabin!!

The good news is that it is an upgrade, much larger balcony and sofa but it just goes to show don't print your documents too early and keep checking the cruise personaliser! We sail next week. Hopefully there won't be any more changes.

It’s obstructed in that the balcony front is steel rather than glass, so you won’t have much of a view unless standing. However, you will have a deeper (and more usable) balcony than the terribly shallow ones elsewhere. We have stayed in forward suites a few times on Britannia and really liked them, much more so than the aft ones. You will experience noise in that cabin an hour or so prior to arrival in ports as they prepare the ropes and / or anchor, but that never bothers us as we enjoy watching port arrivals.

I found that it is rated GF which is an upgrade in that we now have a sofa. Looking at pictures of Britannia it looks like the balcony is open and not covered. Perhaps there will be a chance of some sun even though we are port side.

I found this.

https://www.icruise.com/c/cabin-list.php?WMPHShipCode=615

Apparently it isn't obstructed. Anyone had any experience of a bulkhead cabin?

Our guarantee cabin has changed from A deck to G deck. It seems to have a large balcony but looks like it is cut out of the ship! Is it obstructed? Our cabin number is G108 which looks like the pointy bit at the front of the ship. Any information would be really appreciated.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=tablet-android-samsung&hl=en-GB&tbm=isch&q=royal+princess+balcony&chips=q:royal+princess+balcony,g_2:obstructed&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwijiZL_iNvZAhXKe8AKHcARDZcQ4lYIKCgA&biw=1280&bih=677&dpr=1#imgrc=bBGA0pLkv3zAWM:

I've packed and weighed my case (taken the dresses back out so they don't get creased). I've printed my e-ticket from the personaliser and from my TA. Luggage labels on. Currency ready. Fact sheets about destinations printed. Copies of excursion details printed. Dartford Tunnel prepaid. Nails booked Friday but that's it.

How do you spend the week running up to your cruise. What have I forgotten?

Hi...we will be on board Azura when the " new season" cruises are released. I have always understood that if you book on board....and receive the given perks...that you can then transfer the booking to your TA and receive their perks/discount too.Have I misunderstood because the two main High St Travel shops have both said that it can be transferred but do not give any extra or is it local/online agencies who offer extra discount?

 

If no extra is given why would you give up direct control of your booking or am I missing something? :confused::confused:

When we have booked on board it has counted as the deposit so you pay a really low deposit for your cruise. You get OBC and the booking is transferred back to your agent. Our agent gave us an even better deal when we got home improving on the on board promotion so it was win win for us.

One really annoying thing about P&O is that you have to personally sign them in and out for club unless they are in the oldest group. Most cruise lines offer a permission slip option where they can sign themselves back in if they want and you can impose whatever restrictions you want if you don't want them to have that independence.

What this means is that you will feel rushed at dinner to go back up to kids club to sign in and then back down again for the theatre which is too small and fills up quickly. They say no saving seats but it makes sense if one of you heads for the theatre to get seats while the other rushes across the ship.

On the positive side the staff are really good. All of them have proper qualifications they even have teachers in the clubs during the holidays who want to earn some extra cash and see the world!

There are daily programmes which will be delivered to your cabin the night before. They have sport, art and crafts, gaming machines and dancing.

You can hire Segways and bikes. Unfortunately Norwegian law means children are not allowed on Segways. We have a 13 and 16year old who would have loved it.

Just googled it and got different info. Do you need a visa for UK citizen cruising Caribbean not touching mainland USA [going fro UK back to UK]

 

Thanks

 

Fergus

If you are going to most islands then no visa is required. For example St Lucia, St Kitts, Antigua, Barbados, Dominica, British Virgin Islands, St Maarten, but if you went to an American island then I think you would, like the US Virgin Islands for example.

Hi Jo, we booked our first Britannia cruise (in fact first ever cruise) in June last year for October this year:o

Been so excited about it and found your videos on YouTube ages ago, have watched numerous times and even have made our families watch them to show them what we will be sailing on. Thanksfor doing such a great job with them, have a fantastic transatlantic cruise.

Thank you Bartswife. Have a fantastic cruise on Britannia in October.

Personally I would book a cheap hotel (Travelodge? ) the night before, or a hotel/parking option, to avoid getting up at silly o'clock.

 

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I totally agree. It takes all the stress away and often includes a parking option which is comparable with the long stay parking prices meaning you stay nearly for free. We are flying from Gatwick to Barbados to board Britannia in a fortnight and have booked a premier Inn with valet parking.

Someone will remind me what it’s called but the food in the coffee place is free - people don’t always realise that.

 

 

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Unless it has changed it is only free if you buy a coffee. :(

any thoughts on which is better? largest ship we have been on is Celebrity Eclipse and we loved it, not sure if Britannia will be too big for us though?

I would definitely go on Azura because the balconies are bigger and with the fjords you spend a lot of time on the balcony. Both ships are big although Britannia is bigger the public areas are taken up with a lot of pay for venues like the Limelight club and the spa on Britannia is on deck 5 and huge!

Britannia's theatre is too small for the capacity of guests compared with Azura.

I love Britannia and sailing on her in two weeks but for the fjords I'd go for Azura every time.

Hi

 

We are UK ex-pats, living in Alberta, Canada for fourteen years now. Aged mid 50's & young(ish !) in outlook.

 

We've cruised previously mainly with Celebrity, but also Cunard, RCL, & a single time each on Crystal & Princess (Ruby - 2011).

 

Having just retired, we're looking at the possibility of cruising from Singapore to Southampton in March/April 2019. At the moment, we're booked to travel the 37 night route with Sapphire Princess, but have also noticed that Arcadia is making a similar sailing around the same time, with the additional option of boarding at Hong Kong.

 

We've never cruised with P & O and would welcome any thoughts as to how the two lines measure up against each other.

 

We know that P & O will have a heavy British influence, (which is fine, as that is where we come from !), but we're wondering how the demographics, entertainment & food quality etc. compare.

 

Any input/views would be much appreciated.

 

Many thanks.

 

Harry & Deanna

P&O is more formal. Jacket is required on formal nights in public areas including the Main Dining Room. No jacket means a meal in the buffet. P&O tend to do more formal nights. Four on a fortnight cruise as opposed to 3 with Princess. Tips are cheaper with P&O and some extras like shuttle buses are included. Drinks are cheaper on P&O but Princess do offer drinks packages. Sapphire Princess has an indoor pool (with a retractable roof) and the International café which serves complementary pastries, salads, deserts and sandwiches depending on the time of day.

Both lines open the Main dining room on port days. (Princess even on embarkation day!)

Both lines offer good food in the dining room.

P&O has tea and coffee making facilities. I can't remember if Princess just does this out of Southampton.

Sapphire Princess is a bigger ship with Movies under the stars. A family ship but with a long cruise I wouldn't expect to see many children and both have kids clubs so you hardly see the children anyway.

Hope this helps

Excellent and informative video. We are on Britannia for the first time next month and really appreciate the insight.

Thanks Dave

We are off to the Fjords in August and can't wait. We are going up to the Arctic Circle so are expecting some cooler temperatures! Hopefully the sun will shine. We have been so lucky on our previous two cruises to Norway, Bergen has been in beautiful sunshine both visits.