Midsomer Madness

Good grief, some people are so common.. I'm no prude but I would most certainly have complained...just how downmarket do p&o want to go?

Our last weekender had hen parties with blow up sex toys etc wandering around the decks and corridors and all dressed like they were working at a lap dancing club.

We are on Oriana for a 3 nighter in August, wondering if we will be subject to more of the same :mad:

Their pricing is way out as well, we did Fjords on Eclipse in May this year and paid just over £900 pp for a balcony cabin with free drinks and gratuities..same cruise in same balcony cabin next year is £1500 pp with free drinks and $100 OBC. Way overpriced for 8 nights!

That's a bit of a harsh opinion, IMO of course.

We have no option but to book very early, on launch preferably, since my wife requires an accessible cabin, but I have no problem with others taking advantage of cheaper saver deals. In addition if after all select fare passengers have chosen their preference of cabin, dining etc, there are opportunities for saver fare passengers to switch cabin or dining, then good luck to them. We would certainly be doing the same if we were able to.

I'm just quoting what it says in brochures and t&c's etc. However there are huge differences in the prices of select v early saver/saver fares so people who book select and pay a higher price are quite right to feel miffed when someon comes along, pays half the price, and then wants to move to a better cabin...if people are that fussy they should pay the select price.

We had an early saver on Oriana last year and were above the cinema, and yes we heard quite a lot of noise whilst the films were on, did we request a move? Of course not we just got on with it and I always pack earplugs now after a very noisy air con unit so am prepared!

If you book an early saver or a saver fare and then don't like where your cabin is, I'm afraid I say tough...people pay a lot more money to select their cabins under select fares so why should those who book later and get a cheaper fare be able to,pick and choose? It may sound harsh but I get fed up with p&o giving into passenegrs demands all the time when it should stick to its own terms and conditions. The amount of people who opt for a free upgrade and then complain they don't want the cabin because it's not in a convenient position etc really annoys me..they go moaning back to p&o who then give in and either put them back where they originally were or offer then another cabin..

Merely my opinion of course!

Favorite drinks? I will be missing the Molecular Bar (& especially the Tanned Russian and the Indulgence). We're hoping to find a few new favorites at the World Class Bar ~ also hoping maybe they expand the menu to add a few more options before our August cruises.

My two favourites were El Don Julio and Celebrity No 10. The most popular, apparently, is the Strawberry one, but I wasn't that taken myself!

The bullet infusion one has to be pre ordered as takes 15 minutes to infuse apparently. Never tried that one as was too impatient!

We had the premium drinks package and also paid $3 dollars extra for the top priced ones on the Eclipse last week..

Loved the bar, the drinks and the staff..spent a lot of time here on our cruise last week!

My husband usually wears a tie on Cunard but that's because I tell him too ;) a lot of men do wear a tie but by no means all, a jacket though us a must.

Whilst their drinks on cunard are more expensive, their spirits are almost double measures and if ordered with coke, lemonade or tonic the mixer is included in the price.

I love cunard and would choose them over p&o every time, but they don't do the Caribbean like p&o do!

I tend to wear evening trousers and sparkly tops or cocktail style dresses on the informal evenings.

I'm surprised you are familiar with Ann Summers.

Full of surprises me :D:p;)

Perhaps it depends if you were in a cabin near to them Dai!

what can i say.

dont like the chav and common references, as we all cannot really judge each other.

 

as for the blow up willy thingy.

Are they supplied by P&O or does one bring their own ?

just asking.

 

your best bud

I judged because the that's exactly how they behaved..shouting and swearing, hardly dressed and with an assortment of things from Ann Summers..so drunk they couldn't stand up, falling over in Harlequins, barging into people...as I said common and chavvy!

We could definitely out drink and out spend what they do! However we have standards and know how to behave.

I agree they make a lot of money but a lot of land based holiday companies do not allow these sort of same sex gatherings anymore....perhaps p&o should follow suit...it does give the company a bad name and reputation

We had exactly the same on a weekender last year on Oriana...people need to start complaining about the amount of hen parties they allow...most are loud, chavvy and common...

We are on Azura on 23rd December as well...we pre-registered direct with p&o As wanted to ensure we got booked...glad we did..we got second sitting confirmed and that was my one worry as we don't like freedom dining and fIrst sitting is too early for us.. We fly from Gatwick and understand flights are only now available from Manchester and birmingham...all inside cabins sold out on Friday!

Lots of new ports of call for us and my only worry now is the US immigration and having to stand around for hours with bad knees!

We also didn't want to take the risk so upgraded yesterday, we will use our OBC for alternative dining instead!

Unfortunately we will have to be up bright & early each port day especially St Thomas as the American immigration insist on us showing our faces, This is the reason most itineries don't visit there.

It would appear that there are very few cabins left because of the new itinery?

Surely once you have done US immigration once for your cruise you don't have to do it at every stop? That doesn't make sense to me at all

Cabin grades change from year to year..when I phoned to preregister for a cruise next year I gave them an inside grade and they said that grade is now an obstructed outside! Therefore deck plans are are often out of date in earlier brochures

Sometimes they change over mid cruise...I kniw Leon was on our Azura cruise and then half way through he went over to QM2 and we got some promoted chap who was pretty useless!

We did 2 weeks on Azura in March around the Caribbean, we last sailed on Azura in 2013. We had a fabulous time, the ship was great and we couldn't understwnd why people have been moaning about her looking tired. She carries over 3000 passengers, she is bound to have a little wear and tear but nothing which caused us any concern. We had fantastic waiters on club dining and our cabin steward was brilliant..all the staff we met were chatty and happy, but we find if you make an effort with them, they do the same with you.

We were booked on Britannia next March but transferred it to another Azura Caribbean cruise whilst on board.

The food was good (we avoid the buffet though) we found the wine waiters not being there actually improved the wine service (not sure it's the same on freedom dining thiugh), the only things which disappointed us was the outside entertainment in the evenings, there was very little of it and thr musicians in board were pretty averaged with the exception of Nexus who were great.

No problem here in recommending Azura to anyone! Then again we found the same on Oriana last year, we had a great time but my goodness the moaners!

Hubby took his mask, snorkel and fins in his case last month and I took my mask and snorkel..didn't find it made much difference to the weight allowance...I would always prefer to use my own...with all the norovirus etc around at that time of year it's not worth the risk!

Unless you get the muppet on Azura who calls himself the loyalty manager who was insistent it was only for those who are ex military, despite my telling him it says different on the website and we have had it awarded to the first two passengers in the cabin on every cruise..he advised me that this was obviously an error as he had done loads of these and knows what he's talking about..I told him to leave it off and I would sort it when I got home,,half an hour later official confirmation email from p&o pings through showing military credit on both passengers account..next day note from loyalty manager saying he had awarded this himself as he is so generous, or words to that effect. Que my return home and complaint to head office about how their loyalty manager is clueless and also a bit of a fibber!

If you have been awarded military credit before IT should pull through automatically for future bookings when you make them, but it's always worth mentioning it when you book.

Wow so the azura is on a month cruise over xmas - which only leaves Brittannia - which might not fit in with school hols - gutted!

It is also down as a 14 nighter flying into New Orleans and disemarkaing in Barbados which may fit in better with school holidays

When you take your proof of service to the reception desk on p&o ships, they look at you like you have two heads and say 'why are you showing me that, the benefit is already on your account'..suspect cunard will be the same. They are clueless!