Barnum42

Oceana is listed with an expected arrival of 12:00 tomorrow.

http://www.southamptonvts.co.uk/Live_Information/Shipping_Movements_and_Cruise_Ship_Schedule/Cruise_Ship_Schedule/

Thanks everyone for your updates in this thread.

Can't say I'm in a hurry to go to Cunard again. We sailed on Queen Victoria last year, expecting a notch up from P&O. Quite a disappointment. Main Dining Room was no better, in fact the lobster was not a patch on P&O, plus they don't have the list of standbys on the menu if there is nothing to tickle your fancy of an evening. The buffet was better (but that's no saying much), the service at the afternoon tea appalling and the Headliners company an embarrassment. Over all, not worth the extra expense (though I had snagged a bargain that was not too much more than the P&O equivalent)

We've found parkingforcruiseships.co.uk to be very good. You drop off your luggage and any passengers who do not want to walk at the terminal, then head to the short term carpark opposite the terminal, hand your keys over and they park it for you and have it back when you return. Friendly service and we found cheaper than the competition.

On 10/26/2019 at 2:26 PM, Presto2 said:

 

I would have thought that they will make a massive loss if they do as she is the only one doing the Fly / Med  cruises 2020 and they are doing Venice so am not sure what could replace her. Then again, they may have a contingency plan. Very sad if she leaves. She was our first P&O cruise ship (after a week on OV2) and we fell in love with cruising after that.

2021 listings are out, I think Ventura or Azure will be taking over the Med fly-cruise, but Oceana is still listed as operating, I think out of Southampton (I don't have the lists to hand)

After I sent an email with feedback on our last cruise (Ventura) I received a call from P&O. In which I enquired about the rumours of her being the next ship to go. Nobody at P&O has been told that's the case.

We'd hate to see her go as she's proven to be our favourite.

We've not sailed Azura, but have twice sailed Ventura, her sister ship and twice Britannia. If you know what to expect from the P&O brand and are happy with it then you'll be happy with either ship. We enjoyed both.

Personally, I prefer Ventura/Azura as it feels more like a ship than a shopping mall. They have a proper promenade - one of my simple pleasures is walking the promenade when at sea. On Britannia, what goes by the name of "Promenade" is a short track at the very top of the ship.

I'm not a huge fan of buffets as they tend to consistently disappoint, but Britannia's has more space and so tends to be less crowded.

Ventura / Azura have an adult only pool by the space. Britannia advertises an "adult pool" but when we were on there were always kids in it as they don't police it. In fact, when I asked why this was the case I was told that it's not adult only. Must be the easiest reply.

If you're a dancer, Britannia has a dance area rather than use the atrium or cabaret venue at the rear. 

That's my tuppence, but I stick with my opening statement - if you like P&O, you'll like either of the ships.

8 hours ago, brian1 said:

Said the actress to the bishop.

2 hours ago, tartanexile81 said:

The jams are La Bonne Maman now but used to be Tiptree. 

Thanks for La Bonne Maman

We suspected it was them - from the gingham lid. We bought some, but it lacked the tang I remember, so it must be a specific variant of their range.

Hopefully an easy question for someone with a better memory than I.

Somehow the toast and marmalade served for breakfast in the main dining room really hits the spot. However, I can't for the life of me remember the brand and particular variant that P&O supply? Can anyone fill in this blank?

Thanks.

We've sailed twice on Oceana, both times in a standard inside cabin and were happy with the size. She's a lovely ship with a really nice vibe.

On 7/2/2019 at 10:07 AM, majortom10 said:

Grab n Go is not designed and there for you to take food and then take it off the ship on port days. It is there for people to take food and eat at the pool area or perhaps take back to your cabin and eat on balcony. On our last cruise on Britannia in May they stopped stocking sandwiches and salads until 11am when most would be in port and only stocked hot items for breakfast to try and stop people taking food off the ship which is frowned upon by P&O.

Tea begs were not designed to be submerged in hot water, but just as a method of transporting tea. By the same token, Grab and Go is useful for grabbing something to take on a hike - I accept in some circumstances going between certain countries then other laws can come into play, and I'm not going to cross that line, but that's a whole different kettle of fish (and yes, kettles in the cabin are designed for heating water not housing fish).

As for them opening up grab and go at 11, I guess you can pop a sandwich in the cabin fridge for the following day.

I do plenty of things P&O probably frown upon, - my not drinking booze, not booking shore excursions and not eating in extra charge venues are probably causing more furrowed brows in Carnival house than where I ate a sandwich.

Glass door on shower.
Big TV, was useful when we travelled with surly teenager.
Large buffet to better handle crowds.
Grab and Go station. Used this to stock up on sandwiches if we were going for a hike on shore  
Adult Only Quiet Pool (if they could be bothered to stop noisy kids using it)
Main Dining room on par with the other ships
The biggest plus is sadly no longer applicable - for the first couple of years, because there are so many balcony cabins, the price difference between inside and balcony was about £100 rather than the £300 on other ships. When we last looked the price difference was £300. 
 

We were in G325, I put photos up in reply number 7 on this thread: 

4 hours ago, ccpm said:

I loved Cafe Jardin for breakfast and lunch but couldn't say I liked the evening extra charge meals although I used it a lot.

We're skinflints so never went in the evening. But we really liked the ambience for breakfast and the lighter choices. I love a good fry up, but also like some variety.

8 hours ago, P&O SUE said:

 

Yes I loved that on Oceana, had a nice lunch and breakfast on a sea day there with good views over the lovely atrium. Unfortunately don't know if we'll get on her again as we don't "do" fly cruises.

Given the option of driving to Southampton and getting straight on board or, getting to the airport at 2 in the am and go through the pain of the airport and being cramped up in the fetal position for some hours, it's not much of a debate. Doubly so now that they have double the fine for going from a local airport from £50 each to £100 each. I asked P&O if the increase was courtesy of Thomas Cook Airlines or P&O. They dodged the question, which I think is all the answer we need.

We were fortunate to go on Oceana's re positioning cruise last year at Easter from Southampton to Malta, so only had to endure the flight on the way home. 

3 minutes ago, daiB said:

No it’s a one off on Oceana. Cafe Bordeaux used to do it on Aurora but this has gone. Best bet is the MDR 

That's a shame, it's one of the little things on Oceana that particularly endeared that ship to us

21 minutes ago, P-L-B said:

Sorry if I misunderstood you but the MDR Serves breakfast and lunch so no need to use buffet.

Maybe I should have added as an alternative also to MDR. Cafe Jardin had a nice lighter alternative to MDR and opened longer hours

When on Oceana, we were pleasantly surprised that the Cafe Jardin restaurant, which is one of those that comes at an extra price, serves free breakfast and lunch. This proved handy if you did not want to face the buffet scrum or wanted something light.

I can't see any equivalent on Ventura (unless you are in a "top suite" in which case you can have breakfast in the White Room)

19 hours ago, mum2boys2 said:

Was your obstructed cabin on G Deck? Thanks for info.

I believe they are all on G Deck. Just looked it up - G325. Here's some photos of and from the balcony. As I said, you won't see anything straight down, but you see everything looking straight out. 

We has an obstructed balcony on Britannia. You won't be able to look straight down as the lifeboat will be in the way. You may or may not have one of the brackets that the lifeboat hangs from in the way, but looking straight out is fine and dandy

Been on Oceana twice and loved her. There was just something nice about the atmosphere. We had inside cabins both times. There were a couple of plumbing problems that were attended to. Staff were the best on any of the P&O fleet we've sailed. MDR was on par with other ships, buffet better than all the others (but let's face it, that's not too difficult).

We actually liked the positioning of Cafe Jardin, at the top of the atrium. Free breakfasts and lunch to be had there - avoid the crowds in the buffet.

My only gripe post re-fit is that the seats in the theatre were not replaced.

We've done the walk. If you have no problems with walking a good distance then you'll be fine. As someone has already said, up La Ramlas and turn right!

We were looking to fly out to Malta from Bristol instead of Gatwick, as we did the last time. Last time the suppliment was £50 each. Some P&O rip-off bean counter has decided to double it to £100 each.

I enquired why it had doubled, was the fault of the airline? All P&O would say is that it's to do with their fluid pricing, thus avoiding the question. I asked again, they decided to ignore me instead.

When we were last on Britannia, lots of kids were in the "Adult Only" pool. On complaining to reception they told me (despite what it says in the literature) that it's not an adult only pool, just a "quiet area".

We were on last year's Southampton to Malta requisitioning cruise with an inside cabin and loved it. Oceana has full wrap around promenade and we enjoyed sitting out there on the non-smoking side reading a book and putting the money saved from a balcony into another cruise. She's a lovely ship.

Thanks for the feedback folks.

If the price difference between inside and balcony was a close as it used to be on Britannia, that could have swayed it her way, but £300+ a piece is knocking  on half the fare of a future cruise.

We've plumped for Ventura - the shows should be new, the promenade will be appreciated and as long as it's open, the adult only pool will be used - my wife is a nervous swimmer courtesy of 1970s style gym teaching methods of throwing nervous swimmers into the deep end. When on Britannia, the "adult" pool always had kids in it splashing around. When we brought it up with the front desk they claimed that despite what the literature says, it's not an adult only pool!

Now looking forward to our next cruise :)