pete14

26 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

Our boiler is being serviced today and I have just received this message from British Gas.  We have never had this before despite having boilers serviced by British Gas for over 40 years.  We haven't had a dog since our last one died 12 years ago so I can only think that it is due to the bad publicity about some breeds of dogs.

 

Hi, your British Gas visit is due today between 8am-1pm. If you have pets, please keep them safely in another room while our engineer is at work. Track progress at https://www.britishgas.co.uk/trk

Seems very sensible to me although I am saddened that there are obviously people out there who need to be told to keep their pets in a different room from the boiler. I don’t suppose it applies to rabbits, hamsters and goldfish though.

23 minutes ago, carlanthony24 said:

What ever way you look at it the 9+ hour wait would have happened regardless if they gave communication. What ever airline you fly with they always say come at the time specified.

As any delays are likely to be approximate, giving such an estimate commits them to it. If it turns out that the delay is less severe, if every passenger is at the airport they can leave at the earlier time. 

34 minutes ago, Waju said:

Although I’ve not been on Arvia, the main difference between select and saver fares as far as dining arrangements are concerned,  is that saver fare dining time is 1st or 2nd sitting and us chosen for you by P&O whereas select fare gets freedom dining.  As Arvia is all freedom dining it doesn’t really matter!

If you visit a port that has a shuttle bus the select fare payer will use it free of charge but the saver fare payer will have to pay for it,

Although correct about Arvia, your comment about select and saver is incorrect. On ships apart from Arvia and Iona, booking Select fare gives you the choice between fixed dining on first or second sitting or freedom dining. On Saver fare, P&O allocate which you get and there is no choice. 

7 minutes ago, Bigboybaz said:

Me and my wife are booked on a cruise on Arvia in May and will be joined by 2 of our friends. So we have booked under the Select option and they have not.

 

Its our first time on a P&O cruise and are not really sure what this will mean when it comes to dining times or choices of restaurants? Or does it really make no difference at all?

 

Thanks in advance.

As Arvia is freedom dining only, I don’t suppose it makes any difference at all. 

25 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

I think the words 'bike' 'your' 'on' come to mind not necessarily in that order ! Have done as a child but past that now. Perhaps one day if we have a heat wave like 1976 !!

With global warming, you may regret that final remark.

2 hours ago, zap99 said:

DW is out for coffee with her friend...... "if I pay for the coffee I will get 2 beans. That means we get a free one next time"🤔.....I said....nothing.

We have a couple of sturdy blue reusable coffee cups that some may recognise. Take them into the purveyor of coffee that gives a bean with every cup and you get two, not one. 

15 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

If you read this Megabear just to say I am sorry to read that you were unwell towards the second week of the holidays and hope you are feeling better now. Every time I met someone from Gatwick I was fishing to see if it was you !!! 

 

We never got to use the Retreat but to be honest we made do without it and saved a lot of money in the process. We were off the ship in most ports so probably wouldn't have made use of it anyway. On sea days we retreated to our balcony that tended to have the sun anyway and then went for a swim when we felt like it.

 

Take care

Thanks for a great review. I am delighted you had such a great time and the positivity in your review is good to read. Perhaps you could try swimming in the sea in Wales to check the contrast in temperature. 

7 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

Morning all

Dry day here

Book Club this afternoon 

 

Is Anne Boleyn the author or is that her head on the floor?

25 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

On the basis that I think that I am about the only person on this forum who has tried this menu, and that was as much about being able to provide feedback on it as anything else, I don’t think it’s going to take off. Maybe it’s also telling that I haven’t ordered it again since.
 

Also, when it’s come up in conversation with other passengers, none has tried it. I wonder if the sudden big push on it is to give it one last shot before binning it. I’d put money on the fact that take up to date has been absolutely minimal. 

I tried it on Aurora and enjoyed it one night when I really didn’t fancy anything else on the menu. 

21 minutes ago, FatBoy20 said:

Soon it will be Bed & Breakfast & pay for everything else!. Dumming Down or what!.

I disagree. This extra ‘pay’ menu increases choice for those who want an occasional upgrade from the normal menu. It is not compulsory.
I agree that the menus have been slimmed down, and would prefer for it not to have happened, but that is possibly down to the need to provide both vegetarian and vegan dishes (suitable for everybody) requiring dedicated meat and fish free spaces to prepare in a galley which has limited space to provide the larger range of previous ‘meat’ option choices as well.

6 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Unfortunately not.  Currently I'm isolating - day 5 - as I have a respiratory virus which has totally knocked me for six, it's not covid thankfully but it has been totally debilitating.

Disappointing on many fronts. I hope you feel better soon.

4 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Lovely photographs.  Whilst thrilled you had a good day, I'm very cross you were caught out on the return taxi fare.  Fixed taxi fares used to operate for the airport and cruise port until mid 2022 when Dade County adopted a resolution to abolish flat rates for taxis. 

 

In December this year a taxi from the cruise port to the Lincoln Mall was just under $27.00 so your first fare was spot on. The minimum fare for air and sea ports is $15 and metered. If the meter shows a number greater than $15.00, then the greater number shown on the meter has to be paid.  My guess is the hotel called what are known as airport taxis as these do operate a fixed fare regime outside the Metro Dade County metered rates.  Like most US citizens Miami residents are firmly glued to their IPhones and use them for Uber and Lyfts calls.  As a result "normal" taxis are pretty scarce on the ground except in the business district so I'm guessing the hotel receptionist called the number kept for taking guests to the airport or Port.

 

Floridians are encouraged to nominate a dedicated texter on group nights out, so slavishly devoted to their IPhones have they become!  I find the signs on the highways very amusing where they repeatedly mention the dangers of texting and driving rather thank drink driving or tiredness.  Because of their rights it would be impossible to introduce a system of bans or points for text drivers and these warnings are the best the authorities can do on that front.

 

Incidentally 70% of Miami's population have Spanish as their first language.

 

Do you have plans for Key West?  I note your comment that Lady S would have hated Bayside.  Key West is very loud and crowded particularly as the day goes on - its known in particular for its drink and music exuberance and being home to a lot of Parrotheads.  There are some great places to visit but if excess crowds and noise may be a problem it may be best to go ashore fairly early.  I believe the Hemingway Museum complete with 6 toed cats has accessibility but only to one floor.  Duval Street will be busy particularly at all times.

 

Thanks for the continued great updates.

Megabear - I seem to recall that you have been in the Caribbean on Britannia, a cruise that coincided with a few others from these boards. I just wondered whether any of you were able to identify each other. 

Another good reason to book directly with P&O and cut out the middleman who needs to impose charges to increase turnover. It also means that if an issue like this arises, you can speak directly to P&O, rather than allowing somebody else to negotiate on your behalf.

19 minutes ago, kalos said:

@Adawn47

 

Hope  Frank is doing ok with his diet adjustment .

If he's owt like me and likes a dab of  brown sauce on his sarnies ?

Here's one I use but around here only Tesco stock it     

Reduced salt and sugar has it’s benefits but what irritates me is the predominant green colour which implies it is the healthy pure food option when it is likely to be highly processed and full of additives.

Regarding your request to move table in the evening, is Cleopatra still onboard in the Head Waiter team? We found her to be excellent in November and I am sure she would try to help you out quickly.

Again on Aurora two months ago, we had the small box of chocolates, box of White Company lotions which we brought home and drinkable champagne in the fridge. I agree that the canapés are no loss, probably more as a wastage issue than anything else.

6 hours ago, mhurley142 said:

Thanks for your comments.

When was this experience you encountered on Aurora? 

Was staff training or their processes for managing medical/special diets addressed by anyone at P&O Cruises on the ship or by head office? 

 

This was November 2023. I have no idea whether any extra training was done on the ship immediately but I am confident that Head Office will have set something in motion by now.

My wife contacted the executive team at P&O about the failure to address her dietary needs properly on Aurora and she received a reply that was apologetic, and at least suggested that they took it seriously and would be dealing with it with the head chef onboard. My guess is, and it is only a guess, that the chef responsible for dietary needs has been retrained or moved to another part of the galley. At least, that is action that I think should have been taken. 

4 hours ago, Mollag said:

You didn’t happen to leave a 42D bra as well did you a passenger on another forum found one hidden in their cabin 🤦‍♂️😂

Not mine I’m afraid. I don’t tend to need to wear one of any size. 

There was a turndown service in our suite on Aurora a couple of months ago. I am not too sure why it appears to be so important to you.

30 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Other than the one on our door, no 😂 

Perhaps it is the one we left behind in November.

Have a great cruise. Free drinks package must have been a huge shock that only a few drinks will help you to recover from. 

I share peoples’ thoughts about the on the beach adverts and wonder whether they did any research on the demographic of the families they appear to be aimed at. I just hope there are few similar actual families and that I manage to steer clear of them. I certainly wouldn’t use the company to handle any booking for me. 

25 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

A very good evening😊

A very good result from today's procedure and Frank is back home where he belongs. After 15 days of worry he has had his bp tablets and his statin removed, and 1 added. Believe it or not, an iron tablet. He had another echo scan and they have decided against the need for a heart tablet, however regular gentle exercise which is no problem as he's always active,  a  low salt diet, moderate fluids, an echo scan in 6 months and yearly after that. We cannot believe how close we came to losing him and to come home with only an iron tablet.

Avril xx

 

I want to thank all the wonderful people who have sent me best wishes and prayers via Av. She has read me every one and I am overwhelmed by the kindness, help and advice from people we have never met. I am grateful for all the support you gave Av because I know it kept her going when things got a bit 'hairy' 

You're a great bunch.

Frank

Great news for you both. Even though we have never met, I feel so pleased and relieved for you both.

6 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Have a great cruise Presto's.

Bon Voyage!