Eglesbrech

Well we are off on the long journey south from Scotland, at least the weather looks good for the drive. As ever we will stay over and stop off on the journey to see or do something of interest. The plan is to get to Southampton mid day on Sunday as there is a Take That concert on later in the day and the roads and town are likely to be busy. A quiet day before embarking the ship on Monday. We are sailing to the Canary Islands, Madeira etc and have visited all the ports many times before so know them well and what we plan to do. This cruise is a departure for us. We have only ever travelled on MSC in the Yacht Club but as this was a last minute booking (to add onto another cruise in June and make the long journey worthwhile) we are trying the Aurea experience for the first time. We have travelled on Virtuosa several times so know the ship really well. As we have always stayed in the YC area in the evenings other than to visit the theatre so it will be interesting to experience something different. We are all organised for check in which was easy enough except for taking the photo. Up a bit, down a bit, chin up, chin down, closer, further away ad nasium then when it did eventually take a picture it’s was particularly ugly! The weather for the ports looks good which is always a bonus (particularly if you live in what is probably the worlds wettest country, stunningly beautiful but mainly wet). Embarkation Day 1 Very smooth embarkation, 15 minutes from car park to the ship. We booked our speciality dining whenever we boarded and I’m glad we did as the queues for this later in the day were massive. We also booked our evening theatre shows. Headed to the buffet at noon, before the crowds descended and enjoyed a really good selection of curry, pakora etc.. I’m not a fan of buffets and only went to look but the curry looked (and was) really good. We sat outside to enjoy the food and the view. We have never eaten at the main buffet before and the choice is really extensive. Much better than some other lines. I also liked the “call” buttons for drinks orders. We tried a couple of cocktails while waiting for our room to be ready and I have a new favourite. The Queens which is ginger based and would be good for seasickness, that’s my excuse to have one in the afternoon!. The drinks menus are the normal ones (after the short menus for mini cruises) but not everything is available in all of the bars even if it is on the menu. There is however a decent choice so all good. Our cases were at the cabin once it was ready. Cabin is fine, the wardrobe is a bit on the small side but perfectly adequate. We enjoyed the theatre show, though we have seen it before. The cast have good vocals and the dancers are energetic. Dinner was perfectly acceptable as well. A hot chocolate followed, then off to bed . The “Good Ship Murder” is filming onboard at the moment and they are looking for extras from current cruisers. Shirley Balis and Eddie the Eagle are joining the cruise later in the week as well.

and @DamianG Onboard now and the drinks menus are back to the full range. They don’t have everything at every bar, even if something is on the bar menu so a couple of times I have selected a drink and they don’t have it That said there is more than enough choice of quality offerings so all good😀.

The sushi restaurants on Celebrity and MSC are always packed out. Sky Princess has a speciality fish restaurant, the catch by Rudi which is also always booked out (personally I don’t rate it as I am used to really fresh, caught the same day fish). The alternative restaurants on Arvia would actually attract me to try the ship (but only during quiet season).

That’s interesting that reciprocity includes Silverseas, I was not aware of that. Must have a look to see what my Elite Plus gets me if I book with them. Thanks for posting this.

We were booked with Princess to Canada last year and had to cancel but out of interest we kept an eye on it. The prices dropped like a brick before the final payment date to the point that had I been able to travel I would have been significantly cheaper to cancel and rebook. I’m talking by thousands of pounds difference. Strangely it went up a bit again after the final payment as presumably they sold more cabins. This year may be different as cruising is very popular and the airports are likely to be a pain with the new fingerprinting etc from October. May push more towards U.K. departures.

Thank you for that, it’s very reassuring. I had written to them but had not had a response as yet but your has put my mind at ease. Life is too short to drink cheap and nasty wine!

I know nothing about the background working of a cruise ship. I would however imagine that restocking etc is not simple. While things happen in life what I find difficult to understand is why MSC were not just upfront with customers about any issues and refunded the difference between the Plus and premium if premium was simply not on offer. For all the people complaining none have yet indicated that they have been refunded in any way (unless someone knows differently).

I have taken snapshots of what the website is quoting currently re “premium cocktails and wines”. Not the way I want to have to prepare for a holiday but needs must.

That’s not on. If this is not fixed by the time I embark I will certainly be complaining.

That chimes exactly with the reports I have been reading online. Did you make a complaint while onboard and what was the response? I really won’t be happy if that’s the total wine selection. As you say, hardly “premium”.

OH decided that the seagulls were becoming annoying so he looked up a seagull calls and found one that was supposed to cause them “distress”. Outside with the iPad he put the, according to him “scare the seagulls away” noise at full blast. We ended up with every seagull in a five mile radius hovering over the house. The distress noise apparently signifies that the gull needs help so the others come flying in to assist. So we had more noisy, poopy, annoying gulls than ever!

It was the missing mocktails that were annoying me. I do drink alchol but tend to enjoy mocktails through the day, feels more like you are on holiday that musta juice of fizzy drink.

That might explain a lot of the issues being reported. Hopefully it is all sorted out before I get onboard 😀.

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.