Eglesbrech

Not just some, they apparently removed all of the higher price cocktails so most of the ones which would require the premium package between £9 and £14 vanished. People have actually posted photos of the menus which were on offer and they are very, very basic. Yes they were saying that some branded drinks were not available either, particularly liquors were in short supply as was speciality hot chocolate. We’re your friends on a longer cruise? If so it may indicate that this was a just “short cruise” issue. Yes the packages are still on the cruise personaliser and the website unchanged. That’s why people are so unhappy as they didn’t get what they paid for, allegedly.

People have posted menus which applied to everyone even if they had paid for a Premium package. They are also reporting that they could not make any requests for anything off this very minimal bar menu. Many have made formal complaints while onboard (someone has posted an acknowledgment of this). It is being reported that all of the premium cocktails, most of the mocktails and the better wines were taken off, so they paid a lot extra to get very basic drinks. If they are reducing the choice of drinks on shorter cruises then they apparently didn’t tell the paying passengers. Some on the current 5 day cruise are reporting that some of the normal menus are back in a couple of the bars but that seems to be a result of numerous complaints. This is all second hand information however. Im onboard before you so will report back.

No and no. We got a loyalty match to 10,000 but have subsequently added the same again in points and there s nothing more. And yes only benefits per cabin, not per person.

Me too. I visited mum every day to cook, clean, change dressings and keep her company, managed to keep her safe, happy and comfortable until she passed. As you say good memories. I don’t know about you but small things remind me of my parents. My dad made my wooden chopping board and mum bought me a special cooking knife for Christmas one year decades ago. I use both every single day and they remind me of them both.

Yes the Italian Church.

Yes Orcadians tend to prefer Scappa (as do I). Not that I would knock Highland Park which also has some great drams but more commercial. You have had a busy day and seen most of the best places of interest by the looks.

Ps @Megabear2 are you now a supporter of the uppies or the doonies ? Let’s see how good your tour guide was😀

@Megabear2 we love Orkney. Skara Brae is up there with the Pyramids in my humble opinion. Did you try some Scappa, better then Highland Park. Looks like the weather is behaving better as well. Enjoy your cruise.

Just for information our “local” eg miles away M&S food hall has started selling pretty decent 1.5 litre wine bags. Perfect to meet the new rules for drinks on P&O.

I always wondered what that mark was called. I have never studied Spanish (it extends to please, thank you, ordering drinks or food and where is the toilet!)

As you are in Yacht Club you can embark when you like. It’s usually starts around 10am (but check the ship arrived on time or there could be a delay). Look out for the small blue gazebo outside at the from of the terminal. They will fast track you through embarkation, then a butler will escort you up to the YC area. That time does however seem very late.

According to what I’m reading (with the caveat that it could be completely wrong) the drinks menus we have all seen in the past for Virtuosa are no longer on offer. People are contacting their TAs to complain because those onboard for the last short cruise and those who embarked today are saying the choice is dreadful. They are at reception complaining about it day 1 as they feel premium is no longer worth the additional cost as the “premium” element has gone. This is all second hand information from FB and could be utter rubbish but there are so many comments that I thought I’d ask on here.

That’s great in terms of getting a table. Just for general information if you book in advance then you get a healthy discount off the food. Booking onboard makes it more expensive.

I have been reading some negative feedback in other places about the lack of “premium” drinks. The discussion is around many past offerings disappearing from the menus. According to the reports a number of the more expensive cocktails have gone from menus and the wine choices all favour the plus package $€£limits. There are (allegedly) so few above the plus limit people are questioning if premium is worth while now. Anyone who has sailed recently have any thoughts on this? We always have premium and have been able to drink decent champagne by the glass and have the choice of some pretty good wines. Has anything changed?

Actually, just as a point of interest, it can and does happen on the more expensive lines as well. Hebridean Princess was chartered for the late Queens birthday and all the normal passengers kicked off just like any other charter. It’s very wrong but then from the other side passengers can book 2 years out and hold a cabin, then cancel just before the final payment. I’ve been on the receiving end of a charter cancellation so sympathise with the OP.

It’s really unfortunate when it happens to you but as others have said it happens on most cruise lines, so it’s not exclusive to MSC. Its actually worse when they cancel just half the ship and you find yourself on a cruise half full of a single interest group who take over. I hope you find something else suitable for you.

Glad you managed to have a nice day and just sorry the weather was so poor for you today. Enjoy the rest of the cruise, it sounds wonderful. Where did you go shopping?

Best wishes for mother, baby and expectant great Grandmother (love his name). Enjoy lunch.

And then again they could be perfectly healthy and also scrupulously hygienic.

When I was I’ll last year (for clarity on Fred not P&O). I cleaned everything myself in addition to the hard work put in by the cabin steward. I was scrupulous about that and my own personal hygiene. Consequently my husband was fine.

Exactly. I had noro last year but my husband (who has the constitution of an ox) was perfectly well throughout. Add to that the possibility that it would be difficult to legally justify the confinement of a perfectly healthy person? While it is sensible and necessary to confine someone with an active infection and regulations provide for this, I very much doubt they allow the confinement of someone perfectly healthy. I will stand corrected if someone knows otherwise.

It’s much nicer to be able to just walk into the theatre when the notion takes you on Aurora. I have to say that the freedom dining was not well organised and pagers were being issued every evening with sometimes lengthy waits. We moved to fixed dining which was excellent by comparison and improved our holiday as “freedom” was the freedom to hang about with a pager which only works in the areas near the restaurant so only a couple of the bars.

My one is called “a knife”😀 Looks smart though.

Glad to be of service. I hope they enjoy the concert. We saw Take That before they were famous as an unknown opening act.

If you are foodies then you may want to try this if you go to Madeira. https://www.madeirafoodonfoot.com/ we have done several of their events over the years and they are most enjoyable.