malchancock

Thanks for all the info people, appreciated.

Think I'm going to keep looking for good independent (within budget!) tour for the moment but also keep an eye on the cruise personaliser to see if the P&O option is getting full. I'm not one to gamble at the last minute but also hate paying over price.

Perhaps the extra 5lrs of alcohol I'm planning to smuggle on board will ease the pain LOL:evilsmile::') but knowing my luck the worlds best sniffer dog will be on duty boarding day !!!!

Regards

Hi :)

I know that the cheapest way to do shore excursions is to book yourself & not through P&O BUT in Sept we're going to Naples, We want to do Vesuvius & Pompeii but P&O only do Vesuvius & Herculaneum. If we cant find a tour that suits us before we go if we book the P&O option on board will it be any cheaper at all than booking before we leave the UK ?

Not so. Just because many people say it doesn’t make it correct! If the name written on the side of the ship said ‘The Aurora’ then you would refer to it as ‘The Aurora’. If the name says ‘Aurora’ (as it does) then you call it ‘Aurora’ or you might refer to it as ‘the cruise ship Aurora’, but not ‘The Aurora’. Just as, if your name is Fred, you don’t expect people to refer to you as ‘The Fred’. No idea what the correct terminology is in the US but that’s the correct use of the English language in the U.K.

As there are currently 3 " Aurora" ships registered with that name according to ship finder perhaps you might be better refering to the P&O vessel as "THE P&O vessel Aurora" just so people don't get mistaken ?!!

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Just looked at my personalizer for our cruise beginning of Sept & excursions are now available 😀 so obviously a bit hit n miss when they become available.

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She's only a few weeks away from here scheduled refit so whatever the underlying issue is I'm sure it will be properly fixed in a few weeks time in dry dock.

What time do P&O UK ships get into Southampton? P&O UK is not very good with giving times. We need to catch transport to Heathrow. Our plane is not going till late, but we need to pre-book for the National Express Bus. Thanks

Rosie

Cruisett web site pretty good for info on what time a ship is due in port.

No it is not OTT at all, it is quite normal to expect ships to be out of service for essential maintenance. It all boils down to incompetent management at P&O not having the presence of mind to plan for such maintenance in advance.

 

It costs cruise lines a lot more in revenue to pull a ship out of service and cancel a cruise or two than it would cost to actually plan the maintenance schedule in advance. All they have to do is have more communication with the engineers and appropriate workers as to the most suitable timetable for maintenance schedules.

I wonder if you've ever had an appliance at home break down or a car have a flat tyre or car breakdown unexpectedly and said incompident management​ ?? !!!

No one can ever plan for every unforseen factor in life especially ships that are in use 24/7. I just wonder what the true cost to P&O for this will be financially for someone not looking into a crystal ball.

Does anyone think that P&O will amend this policy, I agree that 2-3 nighters are/have become booze cruises & need sorting, but this is like hitting a wart with a sledge hammer. I think most normal length cruises avoid the hen party groups.

Why not have a ban on all alcohol brought on board for the short length cruises but allow checked reasonable amount allowed on board for the normal length trips ???

As for tipping !!!! I can see some people tipping extra to cabin stewards to get them to smuggle extra booze on board.

Or of course get the mobility scooter brigade on smuggling runs !!!

Malc

Simple fact is that Britannia is too big for some fjord ports passenger number wise and also berth size. A lot easier for the port harbor master to accept 1 mid sized ship in berth & 1 other at anchor than for a small port to be clogged up by a super ship. Can you just imagine one of the RCI Oasis class ships in Olden with Britannia berthed in the harbor !!!!

These bigger class vessels​ are nice but the smaller ports just can't handle the sizes.

Did a Fjord cruise the other year on Arcadia. Between Olden & Flam I would personally recommend Flam better. The scenic railway up into the mountains was the highlight of the cruise for me.

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I'm just looking at booking a cruise for next year. I know which ship & when I want to go. I've seen the price on the P&O web & I'm getting a price from travel agent (s).

But I'll hold on a bit before booking as all big holiday companies and agents tend to have bonus offers ie extra on board credit or discount price near 'black Friday' and Xmas. Any additional OBC I think is a discount in price.

Hi just wondering from people that have used the cruiseconnect coach service this year what it had been like?

Getting picked up from Sheffield 4th Sept 08:30 ,don't know where it would start from or call off at on the way down . First time of using the coach service.

Yes if that's what your entitled to by your loyalty tier.

Followed by the words " Don't you know who I am "

Well we managed to get to 17 posts this time before the moaners & groaners started again :rolleyes: Will someone please tell me the more important question WHO has the best pillow chocs ???:D

I feel another hijacking by the usual moaners!!!!

AIS also showing Britannia at the moment heading up the Nth sea !!! Either the winds are bad or glitch !!!!

Mr P

I thought you were suggesting that I bring a tub of Tesco Sea salt into the MDR each night ! :-0 lol

Mr P ,it isn't that important so please don't miss read my post .

Thanks for for everyone else's info, just that I prefere sea salt over 'normal 'salt & just wondered if it was aavailable & yes I always taste before adding.

Hi this may sound a silly question but !!.

Does anyone know what type of salt is served in MDR?. I prefere for various reasons Sea salt over normal table salt. I know that normal table salt is slightly cheaper than sea salt so I'll assume that is what is used normaly on board. But does anyone know if Sea salt is available in MDR's???.

Regards

Malc

Posted from P&O

P&O Cruises

..

Oceana's arrival into Southampton on Monday will be delayed due to a technical issue. We are awaiting a confirmed time for her arrival and then passengers from the current cruise can disembark. We will keep everyone updated but at the moment we do not have a confirmed boarding time for those guests joining the ship and therefore would ask you to delay your arrival until you hear from us again. We are sorry for this delay and will keep you updated via text message

Can just imagine the even worse outcry if Cunard painted the flag on the bow !!

Question,if you had a plane flight with a departure time of 17.00 would you expect to be able to get on the plane at 13.00 of course not, so why when a ship has departure time of 17.00 do some people expect its their right to get on the ship when they like???

Thanks for all the reply's so far folks appreciated .

Although 7 months away for us yet I'm thinking of train up & down with a few photos & a quick possible refreshment at the top before getting the same train down the hill. I'll check the Flaam railway web site out in a few months time to compare prices but I would well expect P&O to charge a 'LITTLE' overhead !!! for the organised tour. As for the idea of cycling back down I'd probably a candidate for the ships medi facility at the end :eek:

Hi all

We're on the Arcadia to Norway in Sept.

Just a quick question regards the Flaam Railway.

We're planning to do the Flaam railway on our own (& not through P&O, saves a couple of pence !!!) When we get to Myrdal at the top is there anything worth staying an hr or so before returning down to the ship or is it a straight up straight down trip?

Thanks in advance

Malcolm

Hi all just booked for the Acadia trip to the Fjords in Sept.

In the past we've always driven down from Yorkshire in the car the day before & stayed overnight. This time however were using the P&O /Intercruises coach service instead. Anyone ever had any problems with this? what's it like?

Regards

Malcolm