arpster

Flew Thomas Cook to Barbados in December - very pleasantly surprised...no free drinks and entertainment was limited but the flight itself was excellent ...plenty of leg-room in standard economy, food was good and the staff were great. Down the steps of the aircraft and onto the waiting minibuses on the runway and taken straight to the ship.....perfect

Just over 9 hours going over there and just over 7 coming back. Take your own entertainment (I had a Netbook loaded with films, Walkman, a book and a Sony PSP! so didnt have to bother with the in-flight stuff) and you'll be fine........enjoy your holiday

Agree completely with that. We're going on a so for 14 nights my OH will have to wear a jacket. We will conform to the dress code and we always do, and which we enjoy in moderation but if this isn't over-egging the pudding I don't know what it.

That really is far too many on a Caribbean itinerary imo...for me/us that would eventually make the evening meals a chore instead of the pleasurable dining experience that they should be....

In the Caribbean I would suggest 2 Formal/12 Smart Casual.

I'd agree with this...formal nights have a special feel to them which I always look forward to...however, too many of them tends to over-egg the pudding if you know what I mean! :)

Hi again,

Once you have checked in and got on the ship, remembering your cruise card get off again turn right and walk past the ship and there is a shopping area with some duty free booze shops. Unless your plane is very late you ill have time to do this.

This is definitely the best option - lots of choice in that shopping area, great prices too....and saves all the hassle of overloading your luggage and praying/hoping for gentle baggage handlers! :)

Love the formal nights, ball gowns and tuxedos...however I feel that P&O should lighten up and have a few more casual nights when in the Caribbean...every other night seemed to be 'shirt and jacket required'...bit of overkill considering there are 4 Black Tie nights during a 14 night cruise...

Not for nothing but why would anyone want 3 sit down wait service meals a day while on a cruise?....

Hi tartan exile, not that desperate to get online , guess I'm a habitual browser lol , think phone will stay off too, visiting east carribean islands with azura first cruise so pretty naive cheers

every island will have beach / port / bars with free-wifi....some signals stronger than others depending on where you are - but you can usually get online within a few hundred yards of wherever you dock

Hi quite correct count me as put off thanks for reply

just wait until you're in port and follow the crew to the nearest hotspot! )

Yes its available - but the 50p a minute fee might put you off...

conversely we think the seascreens are the one of the best features on Princess and P&O ships...watching a movie under a blanket while eating popcorn on a warm Caribbean night is always a treat....would love to see other cruise companies introduce them

from the thread title I pictured a toddler standing on a barstool with a bottle of Bud...

a 16 yr old has too much to drink? - well I never....(well I did but that's not for now)

That should be 'affect' not 'effect'.

Thanks for proving my point.

..and just for the record..I dont have any tattoos and I dont like football..the fact that other people do doesnt bother me or effect the enjoyment of my holiday in the slightest

There were several irritations, e.g. the main screen around the pool showing football matches; the tattooed seal colonies gathered around said screen;

precisely the type of tuppence ha'penny snobbery that makes us prefer the mix of nations and cultures on Celebrity to the pomposity of the exclusively British attitudes you find on P&O.......

well, have to say we really enjoyed our Xmas cruise - weather great (apart from Xmas day) - some lovely ports of call and DIY excursions - food on the whole excellent and met some delightful cruisemates.

BUT - if you like some privacy and peace and quiet in your stateroom and like to treat it as a haven away from the hullabaloo of the ship , then let me give this bit of advice - AVOID CABIN P336 AT ALL COSTS - after expressing our concerns pre-cruise we were assured by P&O that the room was sound proof - whoever told us this was obviously just reading from a PR customer service manual - as the truth was that the level of noise / music / singing / chatter - until midnight (and some nights well beyond) was akin to sleeping in the Atrium...noise that no amount of ear-plugs and pillows over the head could drown out.

We still had a lovely time but would have enjoyed the cruise even more had we been in a 'normal' cabin - because of its location Im actually amazed P&O have the brass neck to rent this room out - it should be a storeroom of some sort to give the rest of the corridor a buffer away from the public space of the atrium.

Anyway, im just posting this for the benefit of any future cruisers who want to know more about the cabin they've been allocated and come here either as forum members or via a google search. Again, unless you're a nite-owl / night clubber or have the unerring capacity to sleep like a log - AVOID CABIN P336 AT ALL COSTS...

A happy - and peaceful - New Year to one and all :cool:

you paid an extra £500 so that you could sit together?..:confused:

Great OP....we are relatively experienced cruisers but the moaning culture is why we never bother with the forums - unless its just to get some very specific information and quick advice.

We're sailing on Azura on Saturday on the Xmas Caribbean cruise - it will be our 16th cruise and I have to say Ive loved every one of them - for different reasons and some more than others - but ive never not enjoyed any of them..and ive certainly never felt the need to post an endless parade of woe-is-me moans when we've returned.......good thing is we've become fairly adept at spotting the potential whiners when we board ..which is great cos you know who to avoid for the next 2 weeks :)

Happy Xmas and enjoy your trip!

I had a P deck cabin midships on Azura last April. When the weather got rough coming back through Biscay it was really stable down there. My only worry was waves splashing up against the window! But it was fine.

Thanks Clodia......P336 is right next to the Java cafe (you can actually see the door of the cabin from various the shots of the atrium!)..was worrying that this might be too intrusive...but flipped the idea on its head now and instead going to think of it as a giant luxurious sitting area for the cabin! :)

We never heard any noise apart from dis-embarkation day, the luggage gets taken off starting about 4 am and boy does that make a racket as it comes off one deck below.

Hmmm....bit concerned about that!....but hopefully the proximity to the atrium etc for the duration of the cruise will make up for it .....

Thanks for the replies guys ....very pleased to have unobstructed view cabin as when we booked it was at the obstructed view rate :) ....been looking more closely at the layout and it does seem quite a good spot in terms of access to the main public areas - and it seems P336 is the cabin right next to the Java Cafe....at least my husband wont have far to go for the morning coffees! :)

Hi - booked getaway fare for Xmas cruise on Azura and just been allocated P336 ...anyone have any experience of this deck / cabin?...obstructed view etc?....cant really make anything out from the deck plans!

many thanks

cath

Hi All :)

 

Sure this has been discussed many times before but I was wondering if anyone had used this company?

 

http://www.stressfreeairportparking.com/quote

 

They seem a lot cheaper than CPS but are they any good/reliable?

 

Any help would be much appreciated :)

Just used them for the Azura cruise....excellent....meet them/drop off car in the shortstay carpark - couple of hundred yards or so from the ship....give them a bell as your getting off and the car's there waiting for you...they give you 3 quid to get through the barrier and you're on your way...polite, efficient...will certainly use them again

I think the Internet rates are outrageous when you consider how painfully slowwwww the service is...(not just on X, but on all lines)...it feels like surfing the web on a dodgy 14kbs modem 15 years ago...and paying through the teeth for the privilege. I think the American expression 'nickel and dimed' perfectly sums it up.

.....opposite is the Southport Raw Bar - good atmosphere but to be honest the sight of Dolphin on the menu put us off eating there.

 

 

 

The ``dolphin'' on the menu is actually a mahi mahi fillet. Mahi mahi is a dolphin fish.

 

Dianne

was hoping that was the case....was too jetlagged to realise :)

Stayed at the HIlton Marina for 1 night pre-cruise and 3 nights post-cruise just last week and have to say we were a little disappointed in the lack of nearby eating places/bars etc.....Bimini Boatyard is the closest - approx a 10 min walk away - just head to the Walgreens and take a right.

fortunately If you venture further up 17th street you have lots of options. Adjacent to the Winn Dixie store is the Quarterdeck - good cheap beer and food and they show English Premier League..huge bonus for any Brits missing some real football ;) :).....opposite is the Southport Raw Bar - good atmosphere but to be honest the sight of Dolphin on the menu put us off eating there. Just over the road from the Raw Bar is a wonderful little Boston seafood place - Kelly's Landing - loved it in there, so friendly and they do the best Clam Chowder and Key Lime pie....

from there, if you head toward the Harbour shops, look out for the 17th Street Grill (on the right as you enter the shopping area) Their burgers have been voted the best in South Florida - and were indeed absolutely delicious and cheap into the bargain, a must visit IMO.

The irony is the Hilton Marina also has a good little pool bar that serves decent food - unfortunately it never seems to be open...very puzzling move by management to keep it closed - particularly as on the nights we stayed there were dozens of hotel guests milling around the reception/pool area looking for a casual affordable place to eat...maybe they want to force everyone into the expensive China Grill?