Ginjoli

Hi

Can anyone explain to me why P&O are advertising cabins for a cruise which sails tomorrow at ridiculously inflated prices - e.g. Balcony Cabin £1836 pp?

(for lowest cabin category)

Looks like plenty of availability on outside cabins too

Doesn't make sense to me

Thanks so much for your prompt replies and advice. Will let you know the outcome

Hi,

We had planned to book a Canary Island cruise onboard Ventura for July 2018. - normally we book around 10 months ahead and opt for Select to secure cabin and Dining arrangements of our choosing.

However, due to ongoing medical investigations we cannot obtain travel insurance to cover the condition in question until further tests completed which may take a further 8 weeks I am told.

Can anyone advise me of the likelihood of booking a late deal for this particular cruise around the beginning of June.

Many thanks

We sailed on Ventura on July 10th (fantastic cruise by the way)

Arrived at Ocean Terminal bang on our check-in time of 2.30pm but were surprised at the vast number of pax queueing at the desks - reminded me of airport check-in! - it was quite chaotic actually. The staff controlling the long queues appeared flustered and kept directing passengers from one queue to another.

Also there were hundreds of passengers awaiting their slot to check-in and some couldn't find seats.

Perhaps this is a normal occurrence at Ocean Terminal, Ventura being a much larger ship than Oriana where we sailed from Mayflower and had no holdups whatsoever and a smooth and speedy check-in process.

Many thanks for your helpful replies

Much appreciated

We are looking forward to our third P&O Cruise (on Ventura) in two weeks time and looking for advice on whether to tip (i.e. additional tips we wish to offer via envelope at end of cruise) in Sterling or Euros. On our cruises on Oriana 2015/16 we used Euros, presuming that sterling would be of little use to the crew members as on changeover day in Southampton I assume shore leave is cancelled.

However I have remembered a post re tipping for Room Service which suggested having a supply of £1 coins to leave on the tray for the cabin steward.

Would be grateful for advice on this issue

Many thanks for all the helpful advice and suggestions. - the only reason I would like to visit Playa Blanca is because it is often featured on Ch. 4 "A Place in the Sun" and looked to be one of the more attractive resorts on Lanzarote. However since reading various replies have decided to opt for a more cultural experience on the island and have noted the various suggestions.

Thankyou!

Hi,

We will be visiting Lanzarote during our Canary Island cruise in July, and would like to visit Playa

Blanca. As it isn't featured in P&Os organised shore excursions and I understand the HoHo bus service has been suspended, how easy would it be timewise to diy

Many thanks

Many thanks both of you for your helpful replies.

Have decided to stick with our pre-booked cabin on B Deck and hope we may

get a little sun on our balcony. If not, it will still be wonderful to sit out and relax and breathe in the sea air - Although this will be our 10th cruise, we haven't had a balcony for several years, so it will be such a treat for us!

We are sailing on the Ventura for the first time in July 2017 - Canary Islands itinerary- and have pre-booked Cabin B433. Since booking, have been advised by a friend to change to a cabin on C Deck as balconies bigger plus get the sun all day, whereas B Deck balconies in the shade.

Has anyone occupied cabin B433 or thereabouts and would you advise requesting a change of cabin (if in fact P&O would accommodate request)

Many thanks

Sailing on the Ventura for the first time July 2017 - Canary Islands itinerary.

I have pre-booked Cabin B433 but have now been advised by a friend that

We are due to sail on Oriana on 17th June and now have a dilemma.

One of our dear friends (who joined us in 2015 for a cruise on Oriana along with his wife and sister-in-law) sadly passed away today, which has devastated us.

The last thing I want is to be going off on a cruise in three weeks time - especially on the ship where we had such a wonderful holiday together last

summer.

Also, it is very possible that the funeral could coincide with our holiday, and

possibly won't have a date until next week.

Would you advise contacting P & O straight away to enquire whether we can

cancel and re-book for later in the year, as I doubt if our travel insurance

would cover us given the reason for cancellation.

Any help you can give me would be much appreciated

Many thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions.

As we have nearly £500 onboard credit, I shall look at full programme of

P&O shore excursions when they become available, but wait to book when

onboard, ahead of the shore presentation so hopefully our preferred

excursions will still have availability.

Final balance due middle of March, so not long to go now.

We are doing the Iberia and Canaries cruise on Oriana in June. Apart from Lisbon, we haven't visited any of the ports of call before.

Would be grateful for any advice on recommended Shore Excursions -

Itinerary as follows:-

La Palma

La Gomera

Fuerteventura

Madeira

Lisbon

Do P&O offer an excursion from Puerto del Rosario on Fuerteventura to Corralejo? - if I remember from our 2015 cruise, the full programme of

excursions are not available until 12 weeks prior to sailing, when we pay our

final balance.

Many thanks in anticipation!

Hi, returned from our first P. & O cruise onboard Oriana (10 day Iberia)

on June 6th.

Apologies for delay in reporting back our observations, just been so busy with work etc etc since we got back.

Will submit a full review ASAP, but meantime am delighted to report that we absolutely loved Oriana, had a wonderful cruise with our three friends (who joined us on the Dream in 2013), and you were so right Kruzseeka, sailing from Southampton for the first time was indeed such a joy - no getting up at silly o'clock for Airport check-in, no luggage restrictions or flight delays!

I almost feel guilty expressing such enthusiasm for Oriana, as I love the Dream and hold such fond memories of our three cruises on her, but I must admit I was pleasantly surprised how much we and our friends enjoyed the new experience. - however, much to my surprise, my husband shared that although he was very impressed with Oriana, he actually preferred the Dream

- he felt the ambience on Oriana didn't match the Dream. (I felt it was pretty much the same, with really friendly crew and passengers (well, most of them -- did encounter one or two "cruise snobs" but we took no notice!!- each to his own)

Will do a full like for like constructive comparison when time permits.

Thanks so much for all your helpful and informative replies re the Lisbon Tram.

Still hoping for a cancellation for P. & O's organised excursion, but shall look at alternatives if none forthcoming.

Much appreciated.

Thank you both for your replies and helpful advice re dress code on formal nights - only 4 weeks to go and really looking forward to our first P&O cruise

Tried booking the Lisbon Tram excursion for June 3rd - Oriana Iberia itinerary at the weekend, but unfortunately already fully booked - one month prior to sailing. We (and also the three friends holidaying with us) have been wait-listed for this excursion, but wondered if anyone has had the same experience, and whether it is likely P&O will increase capacity to meet demand?

I guess it will be down to the local agents whether additional transport available.

Your comments would be welcome.

We are taking our first P&O cruise on Oriana at the end of May, and have read some differing views on dress code for formal evenings.

I am not into ballgowns or even cocktail dresses, and wonder if an elegant maxi dress would be acceptable.

Any advice you can offer would be much appreciated.

Many thanks Linda and others for your helpful advice re P&O check-in times.

Also thankyou Happy V for your offer to answer any questions about Oriana.

I think I've pretty much done my homework, but will get back to you if any

questions come to mind.

Very much looking forward to a new adventure with P & O - sailing from Southampton for the first time as always done fly cruises before. - BUT I will miss cruising on the Dream this year!!- I just love that ship and always feel so at home on her.

Ginny

Hi Linda,

Pleased to read that your recent cruise on Oceana was a success!

Like you, we are taking our first P & O cruise - on Oriana - end of May,- and have just downloaded our E-tickets with check-in at 2pm. - As we are holidaying with three friends who will be travelling independently from their home in Beaulieu, Hants, will we be able to check in together even if they are issued with a different time to arrive? - or do P & O enforce the allocated check-in times.

Your advice would be much appreciated.

Ginny

Sorry Campolady, just read your post and am so sorry to hear about your husband. You must find comfort in that your recent move, however difficult for you both, means that you are close to the medical facilities in emergencies such as this. My heart goes out to you, and pray, DV, your husband will quickly respond to treatment, and make a good recovery.

Ginny x

Just an update on our recent dealings with Thomsons.

Had a further E-mail from Thomsons Customer Contact person in Swansea who had promised to do a regular check for any cancellations on Deck 9 on the Dream Med Secrets in June. He persisted in trying to persuade me to accept an Outside Plus cabin on Deck 7, despite reminding him over and over that I wanted a cabin on Deck 9 because of my husband's health issues.

I then indicated I would have no alternative but to raise the matter with Thoms Complaints Dept.

In the meantime, friends who had joined us on the Dream in 2013, and who vowed never to cruise with Thomsons again due to a complete mix-up with special needs requirements, and failure on Thomsons behalf to even reply to their subsequent E-mail, asked if we would join them on a cruise they had just booked with P. & O. After much deliberation and a lot of 'homework', I decided to go ahead with booking a cruise on the Oriana end May/June.

But...... before actually proceeding with the booking process, I decided out of curiosity to ring Thomsons to enquire if any Outside Plus cabins available on Deck 9 on the Dream for our original planned itinerary in June.

I was gobsmacked to be told that yes there were two cabins still available - surprise surprise....... 9038 and 9040, the very cabins I had been told were unavailable to book!!!

I consulted my hubby as to what he wanted to do, and to my surprise he said let's go for the P.& O cruise, Thomsons have messed us around enough.

So, despite my fond attachment to the Dream, we are looking forward to a new adventure with P & O in 2015. - will be interesting to compare like for like with Thomsons, who I feel have let us down badly, and sadly don't seem to care.

Thanks for your responses and comments.

To be honest I found Thomsons attempts at explanations a trifle condescending and confusing. When I asked for the umpteenth time if the cabins in question had been allocated or pre-booked and they replied no, I asked why then was it not physically possible for them to allocate them to us.- their reply was that they weren't available on the system! - funny that as they clearly were available when I made the booking. That was when I asked the question was it possible that these cabins might be allocated on arrival to passengers who had not paid the £42 fee, and they confirmed that yes this was correct, that somebody may have requested an Outside Plus on Deck 9, although not guaranteed.

Thomsons Customer Care Manager also bamboozled me by stating that because the T.A. had been informed by the Pre-booking service that these cabins were available, then went ahead with the booking, because they weren't apparently available on the system, they had to process the booking as Outside Plus 3p which we didn't qualify for!! Doh... the booking was for an Outside Plus for 2 adults, and they had already confirmed that 9038 and 9040 were 2 berth cabins.

Sadly this experience has left a bad taste in my mouth - I won't shoot myself in the foot by vowing not to cruise with Thomsons again as I love the Dream, and gather from numerous reviews that their other ships are excellent too - helped in no small measure by the wonderful crew.

Shall just wait and see if any suitable cabins become available.

Would welcome any comments on my recent experience with Thomsons:-

 

After deliberating for some time re booking Colourful Coasts on Majesty for mid-April 2015, we decided against it for several reasons.

 

Instead, we opted to book the Dream's new Western Med itinerary, Mediterannean Secrets, sailing in June. Because my husband has health issues, I firstly contacted the Pre-booked Cabin service to enquire if any Outside Plus cabins available on Promenade Deck 9. We have occupied this category for the past three years, chosen because of the easy access for my husband to the Lido Restaurant and Deck, and also the Promenade Deck, without negotiating stairs. (as you will know, the lifts on the Dream are notoriously slow, and when they do appear, are more often than not full to capacity.) I was informed that two such cabins (2 Berth) were still available - 9038 and 9040.

 

I therefore then phoned Thoms reservation number, and was diverted to a Branch in Southampton. Before completing the booking process, the agent contacted the Pre-booked cabin service to confirm if these cabins still available, which fortunately they were. I selected 9038, and the agent proceeded with my booking, taking a deposit of £467 (which included £42 to book the cabin and £25 fee to match the online price.) As I was booking a Cruise and Stay holiday, I also paid £56 extra for a superior room at the Santa Lucia in Palmanova.

Imagine my disbelief when half an hour later, I had a phone call from the T.A. in Southampton to inform me a mistake had been made, and neither cabins were available. I had a heated discussion with the agent as to how the error could have occurred, and apparently although the Pre-booking service had confirmed both to myself and the agent that 9038 and 9040 were available,

because of Thomsons booking procedure, these cabins were not available to pre-book, but would in fact eventually be allocated to passengers who had not

opted to pay the £42 fee, but had indicated when booking Deck7/9 Outside Plus category that they would prefer a cabin on Deck 9 - How unfair is that!!

I was so angry that I contacted the Pre-booking service again, and demanded to speak to the Manager, who turned out to be Thomsons Custumer Care Manager. Without going into detail re our conversation, he confirmed what the T.A had told me, and said he could only apologise for the error, and offered to waive the £42 fee if I accepted a cabin on Deck 7. I again explained that this deck was unsuitable for my husband, and re-iterated the reasons for booking a cabin on Deck 9.

Anyway, the end result was that he stated he had looked at all the loopholes in an attempt to secure me the cabin or Deck of my choice, to no avail. He has, to his credit, confirmed he will take a personal interest in my case, and look out for a cancellation if one should occur, and keep me informed by E-mail.

To add insult to injury, it took three phone calls and a whole week to have my deposit refunded. In fact during one conversation with the T.A. in Southampton, she stated I may have to visit the Branch in person for the refund to be activated!!! (I live in Bournemouth).

Apologies for the long rant, at least I've got it off my chest!!!

P.S. Sorry for previous unfinished post, must have inadvertently hit the send button too early