besberry

No particular favourites, but boy do I hate their choice of vegetables! On last years world cruise it almost always seemed to consist of parsnips, courgettes or squash. It was as if they'd never heard of peas, beans or carrots. After 106 dinners I was crawling the walls. And to make matters worse, I don't like any of the three veggies that seemed to creep out of the woodwork almost daily!

The Cherries Jubilee on the other hand were great, and unlike Royal Caribbean, they still set fire to alcohol on them!

Don't bother with Jury's Inn. It's in the middle of a roundabout, the car park is a public car park underground. And they only provide a cab one way to the port, as, apparently, they don't know when you're getting off the ship! Last time, I stayed at the Grand Harbour, but didn't park the car for 106 nights! Next time I'm staying at the Novotel, which was a steal at £66 including breakfast, again no car parking.

Managed to log in to both my cruises, sing Firefox and iPad.

My problem isn't with 'Dynamic Dining' as such, I sailed NCL in January and loved Freestyle. What I don't like the sound of, is having to make reservations each night. I love My Time, I just turn up and eat, without reserving. Now it may be, when the system settles down, I will be able to do that, I don't know. Only one way to find out, and that's to try the Anthem, when she hits these shores.

Static Event...sounds great! Love when one has a strong opinion!

 

Yesterday was the day of dissapoinments, byt today we have to look at the positive parts of the "Dynamic dining". Jamie's Italian restaurant and Wonderland all looks great and very fitting to what is served. Also looks like they have hight standard details (like the new Britannia and the Solstice class) as well as being up to the standard of equivalent on land establishments.

 

Quantum will also feature a "small feel" impression when there is no super large MDR as well as a great variety of food. Well done Royal!

Jamie Italian is just another bog standard Italian restaurant. I've eaten in the one in my local mall only once, it was nothing special.

 

Hmm... Cracker Barrel.... have you seen a complete menu from the "comfort food" place yet? Something tells me it will not be like Cracker Barrel. But whatever, you've made up your mind I guess.

 

The menu's are all available on the RCI site.

It does sound a bit like Freestyle dining a la NCL. I loved it when I went on the Epic in January and I never had to book, just rolled up and ate. Not sure I like the idea of having to book every night, and if the Grande restaurant is formal every night, it seems to knock the number of 'free' choices down to three. I rarely eat in the WJ so don't suggest that! I sound like I'm whingeing, but I'm not, I'm making observations, and I will sail the Anthem, although it looks like my next booking will be on the Britannia, which really does look amazing, inside and out.

You'll always pay a premium for a brand new ship ;)

I stayed at the Pan Pacific opposite Marina Mandarin in February and can recommend this hotel. Close to MRT station and comfortable rooms.

Last year, when we called in to Singapore on a cruise, we got ripped off by a taxi cab. Learned my lesson, don't negotiate, use the meter!

In Cadiz, I took the HOHO bus, and then just wandered around. Very easy to do. Lisbon we moored very close to town and strolled up to the big square that overlooks the sea. Had a great lunch there, then took the circular tram that leaves from there, brilliant, like a Disney ride.

The three cruises I've sailed out of the UK all had kettles in the cabins. Can't speak about other ports they sail from, I'm afraid.

The problem is that on the UK cruise lines the grats are included in the price and so never exposed as extras. If the cruise price had been higher and included the DSC then it wouldn't have been an issue.

 

Not true. On P&O they add the auto tip to your cruise account. I did the world cruise on Aurora last year, which was divided into 5 sectors. At the beginning of each sector the auto tip was added to my account. The price per day was less than $12.50, though. I paid and tipped extra (if deserved). One thing about tipping and non US folk, is that most people think 10% is fine and are shocked at the imposition of 15% or more.

I did the Baltic cruise on Jewel from Harwich in June 2012. I also went on private tours during the day, but I did take the RCI Ballet tour on the first evening, you can't go to Russia and not see a ballet!! It's a great cruise and you'll love every minute of it. My photo's are here http://www.mickberry.co.uk/cruise12.htm

I've sailed both, and I have to say I prefer RCI to P&O. Food and entertainment is better and the ships seem to be kept in better repair. P&O have the edge on alcohol prices though, by a long way. Never been on the Briliance, but I did the Baltic on her sister ship (Jewel), last year and loved both the ship and the itinerary.

I am not sure I would suggest anyone to go on a new cruise line for a long voyage eg a world or half a world. It must be better to try the line on a short cruise first to see if, you, like it.

P&O was a new line to me before I did the world cruise.

Im possibly going out on a limb here but having had 5 P&O cruises I would imagine very few US cruisers would be happy with P&O. The whole ship, entertainment and food is created for an almost wholly British clientelle. On our 5 cruises weve never encountered an American passenger (and just a couple of Aussies on a Baltic cruise). Having experienced Celebrity and RCI, both of whom I consider have a superior product to P&O, Im not really sure P&O is for US cruisers. You certainly would be in a minority and perhaps the only US passengers on board.

 

Our neighbours are very experienced cruisers and progressed from P&O to Princess and consider princess superior despite many of their ships being from the same structural design. As an example P&O Azura and Ventura are based on the Princess Grand Class of ships however P&O added an extra deck so they have 400 more passengers than their Princess sister ships.

 

Dont want to sound negative but also dont want you spending your cruise dollars on something that may not be for you.

I was on the Aurora world cruise earlier this year, and we had about 25 (I think) different nationalities on board as passengers, including Americans. They all seemed to enjoy it and the Britishness of P&O. I've sailed RCI & Celebrity and I'm about to try Norwegian. My preference is American, but I'm sailing on Aurora again in 2015 on another grand voyage. So I'd say, give a try, it's not as glitzy as the American lines that I've been on. some of the food could be improved, but it's a great experience.

What about a barrel of John Smiths - would that go in the bathroom?

Stick the missus in the bathroom and use her side of the bed for the barrel!!

On my cruise in January I took on two wine boxes, a litre of Bombay Sapphire and 12 tonics. In New Zealand I brought on another box of wine! Mind you this was on a world cruise, I'd probably only take on a bottle (or two) of wine for a fortnight! And, in case you're asking, yes I did drink the lot and I helped sink the wine we won in the quizzes too :)

It's been open of every RCCL ship we've cruised on recently and there's no additional charge. Much better than going to the buffet! :)

 

LuLu

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It was still chokka on the Adventure in September. I managed to find a seat, but only just. Having said that, it was still better than going up to the Windjammer.

Just curious as to how many days at sea you had? I'm guessing probably somewhere between 7 and 10. But what do you do to occupy your time on such a long cruise with lots of days at sea. I have always thought about a TA, but the fear of bordem is haunting me. Thanks in advance.

I did a 106 day cruise earlier this year and I loved it so much I've got a 105 day one booked for 2015! Sea days are great! On my last cruise, I did lots of quizzes and on the ship I was on some quiz prizes were bottles of wine, wayyy better than a lousy pen or key ring :)

I loved my fjords cruise. I'd repeat it again in a heartbeat. The scenery was spectacular, the weather great, and it was all so unexpected, somehow. I didn't realise how far into the fjords the ships sail.

I bought the (old) premium package online before my cruise on Adventure last September. Then decided that as it was fairly port intensive, to cancel. So I did and got the refund. When I boarded the ship they were doing a buy 12 pay 9 promotion. So I bought it on board and saved 25%. I'd have been royally hacked off if I'd paid full price beforehand. Worth every penny BTW.

Thanks for this review, I'll be doing the self same itinerary in January. As a solo traveller, I would say, that if I was sitting at a table for six, on my own, I'd be more than happy for people to come and use it too. Especially as there would be five empty seats! By the same token, I'd probably ask if I could use one of the empty spaces, if I saw a couple sat at a four or six top.

Train direct from Harwich to Liverpool Street in London and then a tube transfer to Paddington to catch the Heathrow Express train.

 

I have done the journey and live quite close to Harwich in Essex.

 

Osfan

Heathrow Connect train is slightly slower and wayyyy cheaper.

I guess I meant relatively, compared to MSC even the American lines seem orderly!

Not on RCI. If they're in a scooter then they have the right to simply charge into the lift, regardless of current occupants or any semblance of a queue!