laslomas

Just now, Snow Hill said:

I think we have moved on somewhat since the Victorian era, I quite like the “No Black Tie Black Tie Night”  look as I find ties to constraining I own very few now, I gave most of mine to a local charity shop. 😬

I agree - just think that it needs to be described correctly. After all, a dress code of Black Tie, has a meaning.

P&O should definitely rename it to something else if that photo is how they see it. 'Black Tie' is an actual dress code that has requirements. It was actually created in the Victorian era as a more relaxed evening dress not requiring a tail coat for dinner. If anyone receives an invite to an event with the dress code as 'Black Tie' it does not mean turn up as the gentleman shown in the photo above!!

I am not saying you cannot go to dinner on a P&O ship dressed like that - but just don't call it 'Black Tie'.

On 1/1/2024 at 1:57 PM, holidaylover10 said:

Thank you for the replies. I think I am at the point of booking. Have read a few negative reviews but that seems to be quite common with all cruise lines these days. Friends have said I won't like P&O after sailing Celebrity for many years but I am open to trying new lines. We have booked  Cunard's Queen Anne for summer 2025.

I have been following this thread with interest - although it has drifted a bit from the original question. After 25+ years of cruising and approximately 80% of them on board Celebrity ships, I have booked my first P&O cruise. Some of the reviews have been a bit worrying but I am determined to enjoy my time on Arvia. I know it will be different. One of the reasons for not choosing Celebrity this time is the cost which I find well above anything I have previously paid. There were never very many children on Celebrity sailings out of the main holiday times, so I chose mid April to miss Easter by a couple of weeks, so will see how that works out. I also wonder about the fact it will be mainly UK cruisers on board, I have not had that before so it will all be different.  But hopefully fun finding out 😊 

Possibly changing the start and end dates of cruises on one of the big ships to midweek would relieve a bit of the stress to deal with so many passengers over two days.? But with the schedules already being available up to Spring 2026 I can't see that would be simple.

11 minutes ago, Charles4515 said:

OP is assuming that skin color or multiracial was the reason. I don't see proof of that. 

Not proof, but why were the other children travelling with them not asked whether they were adopted too??? 

11 hours ago, enjoysailing said:

Out of interest, is there any rule as to the age that children can be left to wander around ships on their own, unaccompanied by adults? 

This is something I have wondered about too. Basically I think once a child is alone on a ship, out of their cabin, it is the same as being out of home, alone, on land. There are parks (lido deck), shops and bars, and do you allow your 10 year old, or 14 year old to roam in those places when not on board ship? Sometimes at 10pm.? 

Someone mentioned stranger danger too.

I am not anti-kids, just interested. 

There is quite a long discussion on the Celebrity Cruises forum about whether there should be .no phone zones'. Specifically to stop the loud phone conversations, Facetiming, and watching videos and other content without using headphones. A bit like thinking back to the old days of smoking indoors and the discussions on having no smoking areas. I know P&O want everyone to use  smart phones for their App / webpage, so it may not happen. But sounds a good idea to me. 

1 hour ago, david63 said:

And do as Princess do and arrange the baggage by disembarkation group rather than by deck. That way you do not have passengers wandering up and down the entire baggage hall trying to locate their "lost" case.

This is the way Celebrity do it too. So the hall gradually empties from one end and it works really well.

24 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

If you join virtual queue for a restaurant once you are informed your table is ready you then have 15 minutes or the table is released. Understandable as if they didn't do it that way there would be a lot of empty tables and many not being able to join virtual queue. We were on Iona in March joined virtual queue for MDR and by the time we had got the lift and made our way to restaurant we were informed table was ready and had no issues at all.

Sorry, thanks, I understand that. It was not what I was asking. I probably didn't explain very well.

If I book the theatre or any other venue and then get delayed stuck in a long virtual queue for my meal, will my theatre booking stand if I arrive just in time or a little late? Or will it have been given to someone else?

6 hours ago, sddsddean said:

Agreed. I don't know what I want to do tomorrow, let alone 3 weeks time!! In the old days, we used to just wander into the theatre and stay near the back. If you liked the show you stayed; if you didn't, you could slip out without disturbing anyone. All this 'planning' makes the cruise seem more like Butlins at sea than a nice relaxing 'do what you want' holiday. With that said, we are on the Iona on the 16th for Xmas and all theatres are booked...though we might not go to them all!!

 

Simon

I agree with what you say about 'the old days' it was much simpler then. Easier to visit and leave the theatre as you please. You say you have booked all theatres, but may not go to them. I understand that booking everything gives you the choice on the day, a chance to be spontaneous. I wish P&O would come up with a different system, like maybe opening up booking 24 or 48 hours before the event. It would stop the need to book just to cover all options. And there would be fewer 'no shows'.

57 minutes ago, Jazzytelly said:

We always tip the Cabin Steward and the waiter and assistant waiter. All the crew do such a great job and when you think if you visit a restaurant at home you would tip 10% for the meal , taking into account the number of meals you would have on a cruise tipping each person £20, £30 or £40 for the whole cruise is a good deal. 

But would you tip extra in the restaurant at home if the tip had already been included in the bill?

Many people, me included, tip in restaurants, but something amazing needs to have taken place for me to tip twice.

12 hours ago, The Med said:

This is what is concerning me about this huge ship, certainly more than double the amount of passengers on any ship that we have booked on previously.

 

If you have to book everything in advance, it does take away the relaxation of a holiday and the spontaneity.

 

We quite often like to decide on a whim what we want to do, where we want to eat and what we want to see.

 

I’m not sure that all this forward planning and trying to decide in advance what we might feel like doing on a certain point in the future in conducive to a relaxing holiday.

 

Well it’s booked now so it is what it is. 

This is how I am thinking at the moment. I like a bit of spontaneity, especially on holiday. So many factors can change what you want to do each day.

I wonder after reading about the necessity to make bookings ahead of time, how many people book things to make sure they have something to do each evening, and then make a decision on the night? Would there be many no shows? Also if you are stuck in a virtual queue waiting to eat, can you then turn up late to your booked venue, or would you be denied? 

3 hours ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

For the first time in many, many years this is what I see on the Celebrity website and I'm not sure it will change anytime soon.   High prices, E-class ships, a new definition of Always Included and the lack of longer itineraries have caused me to look else to send my vacation time.  I suspect there are many other cruisers in the same situation.

 

Maybe the new CEO will change the situation.

 

 

Yes, I am the same. For me I find the prices have risen so much, alongside the E class now sailing from Southampton, and I really want an 'outside' balcony. I don't mind a fly cruise but Celebrity seem to be way higher priced, even without including drinks or gratuities (I don't care about wifi). So I also have 0 upcoming cruises on Celebrity for the first time in 10+ years   😣

I check on this website for times in port.

Cruise Timetables | Cruise Schedules | Cruise Ship Schedules

It is also useful for finding out which other ships are also in port with you. They have arrival and departure times, but not sure how far in advance they are showing. Plus, of course, they can always be changed "for operational reasons".

1 hour ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I always what was the cultural norm at the time. When they suggested an amount and provided an envelope for handing to the steward/waiter, I did that. When gratuities were added to the onboard account, I paid by that method. When P&O said that tips were no longer required, I took them at their word and didn’t give it a second thought.

 

 

This is exactly the way I deal with tipping. I follow the guidelines for the cruise I am on. Certainly removes the worry about getting it right or wrong.

Plus, as already stated, the constant begging for top marks toward the end of a cruise with some cruise lines can become really annoying. I would not tip extra to anyone simply doing their job. Now and again there are those that go out of their way to smooth things out so then I would. 

It's all a personal choice after all. 

29 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said:

A lot of North Americans can sail out of there own country to reach the Caribbean, admittedly usually on seven day cruises but longer ones are available for them

But, due to the size of North America, huge numbers of those cruisers fly to their embarkation port. So, why not fly a bit further to Barbados to embark if they are flying anyway. I just think if P&O promoted cruises more in US it could relieve the necessity to get 5000+ passengers there from the UK for each sailing.

just a little aside, that came to mind after reading this thread. Maybe P&O should advertise their Caribbean cruises more widely in the U.S.  If they had more customers flying in from North America it would be easier to source enough planes for those coming from UK.

I have not been on a P&O Caribbean cruise, but have been with other cruise lines. The bulk of the passengers were from North America. They like the Caribbean. 

I don't think I would want to sail without having the use of a balcony. I am guessing that if you have an inside cabin you will not want to spend hours during the day sat in it, in the artificial light and air-con. On a cruise with several sea days if you want to get outside you need somewhere to sit, or lie down and relax.

I have read quite a bit about people who think they can 'reserve' a sunbed for the day, and I don't want to get up at silly o'clock on my holiday to be sure of being able to relax outside. I fully expect I would make several circuits of the open decks to find 2 sunbeds together. So I make the choice to have my own outside space. 

I wish it wasn't like this. Open deck space that used to be available when wanted is a thing of the past. Extra passenger accommodation decks on ships and hundreds, or thousands more vying for their access to the sun is something that we have to accept, but the positive for some is the cheaper prices.

But I would still choose one cruise with a balcony cabin to two in inside cabins. Horses for courses.

25 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

It’s now showing the deals - on my iPad! Doesn’t show on my desktop using Edge for some reason!  Very strange. 
 

Tried again n my desktop. Doesn’t show with Edge but works ok with Chrome! 

Possibly you need to clear cookies on Edge. Worth a try seeing as you know the offers are there on iPad,

38 minutes ago, English Tim said:

Interesting that the social media page cannot be named, yet on that page cruise critic roll calls are often referred to.

Just trying not to get into trouble 🤣

There are some quite positive reviews on the Social media page that shall not be named. Including pictures of some food etc. 

34 minutes ago, david63 said:

 

We then have a possible scenario where somebody books a cruise 18 months or more out and then finds that by the time the cruise comes around that they need a walking stick but there are no crew available to assist them so they have to cancel and P&O will not refund the deposit.

 

This is exactly what I have been thinking.

For example, a fit and healthy person books a cruise. Two weeks before the cruise they suffer a small injury that requires occasional use of a walking stick now and again, for a week or two. Presumably they then have to inform P&O to update their previous 'on board needs' statement to include the use of a walking stick. This person does not require any assistance from staff on board in the case of emergency but could be denied boarding as they declared occasional use of a walking stick. This would include loss of money paid for the cruise. I am sure the health insurance would not cover anything like this.

So we need a crystal ball, or we need to state the use of a stick - just in case!!

57 minutes ago, FangedRose said:

I'm sorry if I'm missing something. But, surely a walking stick is a mobility aid? Even if it is not needed all the time?  It's been a long time since they were a fashion accessory. It is sod's law that the day an emergency occurs is the very same day the walking stick (aid) is needed and the staff need to be aware and put the logistics in place.

It all seems to be very vague, and a bit of a minefield. I have had the email, and so far am ignoring it until I am sure whether I need to complete it. My cruise is not until April 2024, so plenty of time for requirements to change.

 I wonder if turning up at embarkation with a walking stick umbrella would cause a commotion if you had not said you were bringing one 🤔

I also think for some people a walking stick, or cane, is a fashion accessory. Try telling Chris Eubank that his fashionable walking stick is actually a mobility aid.

I am thinking of going without the alcoholic package and charging drinks to my onboard account on my upcoming P&O cruise. For my last several cruises which were on Celebrity I had the package so nothing to think about. Prior to that when ordering without a package there was a little chitty to sign for every purchase, so easy to keep a check on it.

How is it dealt with on P&O without a package? Is it just a swipe of the card? Is the onboard account itemised with all drinks purchased, and a note of the venue? Is it easy enough to order varying priced drinks for 2 or 3 people and handing over their cards?

Thanks for any input. 

Tui, as do many other airlines, increase their fleet in busy periods by leasing planes from other companies. My daughter is crew on Tui based from Gatwick, and this summer she completed extra training due to being on different planes, to fly for 5 months on Avion Express. They were still Tui flights, with Tui crew and catering etc. Tui also used this company in 2022 to increase their number of planes available. She did say that passengers were surprised to see a plain white plane, but after that everything was fine.

I realise this may be different to what is happening with Maleth, but it seems to be quite common. So even when booking direct with Tui, you could end up on planes from leasing airlines. BA have also been using Avion Express planes out of Gatwick.

I think the problem with what has happened this P&O Caribbean season is due to the lack of Premium Economy, and possible P&O should have been aware of this to enable correct information to be provided. But with fly-cruises being booked so far in advance, currently up to April 2026, how can that work? Who knows what the situation will be in 3 years time. Flights are usually only available for booking 11 months in advance, so it's all guesswork really.

I think it should be mandatory for any company to start by showing the base rate for whatever is being sold during a 'sale' promotion. On the Celebrity website the first time you actually get to see the base price of a cabin is after making a dummy booking.

I just did a dummy booking on an infinite veranda for an 11 night cruise from Southampton. It seems the base rate for this is £4674 pp. I am sure I have never seen their prices advertised as this high. I believe they decide the price they want to charge and then work backwards to the base price they invent for their current promotion. It will be a completely different base rate in the next 'amazing offer'.

I remember when they had brochures with the prices included.

Yes, I agree they think we are idiots!!

I have just checked this cruise on the US website and the base rate is $7199. Shocking - not sure how they do their exchange rate!!!