Slugsta

That is a very good result and I'm sure it will make things a bit better for you :)

Could you explain why they should get special treatment?

If they are being assisted by a member of staff, that person needs to get through as quickly as they can, in order to get back to help someone else.

If something incurs a fee, you will be asked to sign for it. You won't suddenly find unexpected items on your bill.

We are not allowed to recommend travel agents on this site, I'm afraid.

I'm glad it's not just me who thinks that these biscuits aren't as nice as they used to be! The chocolate is nothing to get excited about either - but I don't really like the milk stuff anyway.

We were on Azura over Christmas 2012 and had a lovely trip. She is a beautiful ship although her size can make for some crowded areas at times. We have cruised with P+O a few times now, as well as Princess, FO and Cunard, and are on Azura again next autumn - we looked at all the options available but Azura ticked all the boxes for us.

I feel for you Smoking Tiger! I am terrified of the sssss things and it does impact on where I chose to holiday. I hope that you have a great time with nary a glimpse of a hissing sid.

This is really helpful, thank you! We will be in Corfu in Sept 14 as part of a med/adriatic cruise. My mobility is limited and I find sitting very painful, so many of the cruise line excursions are a 'no go' for me. Hiring a car for a day sounds great and my hubby will drive confidently, I'm glad to hear that it is not expensive compared with a ship's excursion.

If the OP had an issue why would he wait a year to write a letter?

Yes, I wondered that too!

It seems that the actual drill varies considerably between cruise lines. I have cruised with 4 different lines, all leaving from Southampton UK, and on each occasion the drill was held in one of the public rooms, not outside on deck. We did not go anywhere near the lifeboats, let alone practice getting into them (which one poster seems to expect).

If legislation allows this much variation in the procedure, then it does not seem beyond reason that certain cruisers might be allowed to attend some sort of 'drill' in their own cabin, or a different public room, and still comply with legislation.

Bearing in mind that passengers could be anywhere on board, possibly a long way from their own cabin and muster station, it seems to me that any advantage gained from being in the 'correct' place would be minimal anyway.

I am unable to advise re accessible hotels. However, I do want to warn you that the tube, particularly in central London, is not very friendly towards people in wheelchairs and scooters. Please bear this in mind when planning sightseeing activities.

Our son is now grown up and left home. We just had the one, I am not a natural 'earth mother'.

One thing that I find very difficult to tolerate is noise. The higher the pitch, the worse I find it. I don't have music or the TV volume up high and I wear ear-plugs if I go to the cinema. Exposure to noise doesn't 'de sensitize' me, it just gives me a stonking headache.

We try not to cruise on dates, ships, itineraries that would be expected to have a lot (or any) children. However, we did travel on Azura at Christmas last year. We have taken only 6 cruises, only one of these on an adult only ship. Even I cannot pretend that children have caused many problems on the cruises I have taken - probably fewer than I would expect on a similar land-based trip.

However, apart from things already mentioned, the one thing that drives me absolutely mad is having my seat kicked by the person behind me - usually a child swinging his/her legs. The constant knocking is not only aggravating, it also causes me actual physical pain. It is not a harmless childhood foible!

I certainly got good value from the unlimited soft drink package when we were on a princess cruise, I much prefer it to the one offered by P+O which gives a set number of soft drinks at a somewhat reduced cost.

As BeagleOne says, the London tube really is not set up for people with mobility problems. Some stations have no lifts and trying to get a rollator up an escalator sounds positively scary!

You also need to remember that, from what you have said, you will still have one bad knee to contend with however well the surgery goes. Your non-operated knee will be taking extra pressure in the post-op period and might well object to extra walking around museums etc.

I will you well with your surgery and hope that you are soon running around pain-free.

Guys, I understand that you have issues with one particular poster, but please try and think how other people might react to reading this thread.

I have had a chronic pain problem for 3 years and do not user a wheelchair much (when not cruising). After reading your comments about a person not really being able to comment on disability if they 'only' spent 6 months using a chair, it makes me wonder whether I will be considered 'disabled enough' to participate in this part of the site :confused:

We have only done Princess once. I had read so much about the pasta Alfredo and the sweet soufflés that I just had to try them. I'm afraid that I was disappointed with both :(. Like some others here, I found the pasta gloopy and thought that the soufflés were too eggy - perhaps we just got a chef who didn't do these dishes too well. We certainly didn't go hungry though!

As no cash changes hands onboard you will be given a credit-card type thing. This acts as a key to your cabin and you also hand this over every time you buy or use anything that has to be paid for. You will also be asked to sign a copy of the receipt if you pay for anything - so there is no way that charges will appear unexpectedly.

I have read that it is Cunard too :( We have fewer options available as I can only depart from Southampton UK.

I know that P+O, and maybe others, are now saying that passengers needing a mobility scooter will only be accommodated in an accessible cabin.

To my mind this is a retrograde step as it means that people who might otherwise manage in an 'ordinary' cabin will be forced to take an accessible one in order to use their scooter.

Is Leon still on Arcadia ?, a legend that bloke, does a great sailaway with his staff, much better than Princess the P&O Sailaways. A real 'knees up.'

 

Rule Britannia, Land of Hope and Glory, Jerusalem and all that, great stuff.

IIRC he was on Azura at Christmas but I don't know whether he has moved since.

Thank you for your prompt reply Biaria. We have only just booked this cruise so I have lots to do in a short time, you have made things much easier :)

Hi, this thread is so long that I am afraid I cannot read all of it. I am sure that you have been asked this question lots of times but I will impose on your good nature and ask again :).

We will be in Funchal on P+O Azura on 19th December. I am not able to sit on tour coaches or busses in comfort so we will DIY as much as possible. Is there lots to see and do in Funchal itself? I have seen your comment about getting a shuttlebus or taxi to the cablecar. Mr Slugsta would prefer to stay away from the main shops, we enjoy history and nature.

Many thanks.