Frontera2

We’re travelling on the Southampton >  New York > Caribbean > New York voyage on the 19th November and are a little anxious about our likely disembarkation time when we get back to New York.

Our youngest is flying out to NY to join us for a few days before we fly home, and lands at JFK at 12:45. I’m trying to arrange a taxi to take us from the ship to our hotel in Queens so we can drop our bags off, before we make our way to the airport to meet him. Would being off the ship with our luggage by 10:30 be a reasonable expectation? 
 

We’re with you there. The sea days on the Iona are the only time we’ve ever been bored on a cruise.

Even on the single formal night on our week on Iona, it felt like a cross between a floating Wetherspoons and Butlins ( I’ve been in / to both ) and just had no style at all. 

We booked the select fare, for the reason that we wanted to choose ( request ) our dining arrangements but also because we had a preferred stateroom that we wanted.

I’ve dropped P&O an email so hopefully they’ll respond soon. 
 

We really didn’t like our experience on the Iona last year, especially the hanging around in the evening in virtual queues to try and have a table for dinner - was enough to put us off cruising. 

We made a booking this morning directly on the P&O website for a 2 week Canary Islands cruise on Ventura in June next year.

During the booking process we requested “club dining”  and early sitting and are therefore concerned that our booking confirmation actually states “Freedom dining - confirmed” as this isn’t what we booked.

Logged on to the “My P&O site” and, unlike for our upcoming Cunard trip, there’s no option to either view or change our dining preference.

We detest freedom dining, having tried it on Iona last year ( personal choice and all that ) and would rather not go at all if we can’t have club dining. 
 

Is this normal now, or likely to be a mistake by P&O ? 

Sorry you're right, I mean the 18th - we're staying in Southampton overnight on the 18th. 

My wife and I are travelling on QM2 cruise M335A leaving Southampton 18 November, TA to New York then down to the Caribbean before returning to NYC. 

A friend has booked separately but for the Transatlantic leg only. We're all in Britannia and have requested early sitting dinner. We've contacted Cunard who say that because we're on different itineraries, they can't "link" the bookings and should do this onboard.

Is this likely to be difficult to do? we're really keen on keeping our request for the early dinning and want to have the same table each night (we deplore the "open dining) concept but accept some people love it. 

Thanks in advance for any help! 

Another possibly more convenient and cheaper option is to take the short ( 10 mins max ) walk from the ship and catch the ferry ( number 73 ) for the short ride into the city. We did that and found it really convenient. 

I’ll be onboard Iona in a few weeks celebrating our wedding anniversary. Which would you say is the best speciality restaurant for a nice, intimate, meal? 

I'm sailing on QM2 across the pond tomorrow, and want to remove the auto gratuities from my account.

Do I have to do this straight away or can it be done at any time before the last night?

( That's not to say I won't tip individual crew members, I just prefer it to be my choice of amount and who to tip ) ( Although being British I find the whole concept of tipping uncomfortable )

Thanks everyone for their replies.

Visited the TA today who contacted Cunard for us. Their response (Cunard's) was interesting.. They wouldn't do anything for us on the existing booking eg an upgrade or additional OBC which I would have been happy with. What they did say to the TA which I found very surprising, was that if I had booked with Cunard directly then it's possible they may have been able to do something...

Anyway to cut a long story short, we DID cancel, after checking we'd still be able to get the flights at the same price etc. and the net result was I saved £1,000 which I'm more than happy with. Also we got a higher grade cabin as well which is a bonus. The only disadvantage was that our OBC is a lot lower, $70pp instead of $400pp but the £1,000 saving more than makes up for this.

Hi,

Last August, my wife and I booked a Transatlantic with Cunard for travel during August 2017, via a High Street travel agent.

At the time of booking the price (Cunard Fare) including the TA discount and "Upper Class" flights back with Virgin came to £5,295 for a "BZ" sheltered cabin, a price we were happy with.

However, after receiving the "upgrade on us" marketing blurb through the post, I've made the fatal mistake of looking on the Cunard website to see what the price would be today...

As it stands, the price would be £3,658 so even if we accept losing the deposit, we would be £1,025 cheaper, admittedly with less OBC.

My question is, is it worth going through the hassle of cancelling and rebooking or do I just accept the loss and curse myself for booking early?

I didn't say I didn't like the food. It was hardly haute cuisine but was enjoyable. Some of the entertainment was enjoyable too. So not sure what your point is?

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You have just proven my point.

P&O IS becoming Butlins at Sea!

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Sorry if this upsets anyone. It just seems a bit 'holiday camp' to me!

 

 

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I'm with you there. But then the whole P&O experience is a bit holiday camp.

Heard one passenger say they thought it was better than a 5* hotel, clearly they have never availed themselves of the facilities and food offered by a 5 star.

Just feels a bit downmarket. Certainly don't get that feeling on Cunard

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I agree, they are cringeworthy and embarrassing.

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And daytime activities were almost non existent - apart from quizzes and bingo

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I recently returned from N408A ( left Venice on 9 April )

In quite a few ways the entertainment was very Butlinsesque and end of pier stuff.

Victor Michael, the opera singer, was bloody awful. If you think getting a load of people to act like chavs to sing "just one cornetto" is your idea of fun then you'll be fine.

The Headliners acts were fantastic as was the comedian Ray Turner.

The Great British Sailaway party left me speechless that's all I can say

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The cabin I was originally in was D734 and have been moved to C305.

Had a conversation with a very "snooty" person from P&O yesterday. I stated that I didn't see moving from one cabin to another in the same cabin "type" as any kind of upgrade at all. After all saying midship is better is subjective as people have their different preferences.

When I was chastised again for not ticking the "no upgrade" box I explained that I'd be happy to have an upgrade to a different cabin "type" but just didn't want to move location. When booking with P&O online there's no option to select anything like this, it's either "Yes I'll accept an upgrade" or "No I Won't"

She then went on to state that upgrades cannot be refused and that we "wouldn't normally be having this conversation at al" but it's only because I'd sent it in via email.

I won't let it spoil our holiday, but it does seem a bit customer unfriendly to move people who don't want to be moved unless it's something better.

Well, the upgrade fairy has paid us another visit.

We've now been moved to cabin C305.

Hope we won't be dissapointed!

We are prepared to pay for an upgrade to a suite - when would be the best time to call P&O to get an upgrade price? Assume nearer sailing date price would come down?

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I booked the Select fare back in December so happy with what I've got.

I also find the aft end cabins a bit more "private" - other half doesn't like the sound of being overlooked

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My Wife and I are booked on Ventura N408A from Venice on the 9th April, travelling in a GC (Balcony with Shower) at the aft end of the ship.

I received an email today stating that P&O were pleased to tell me that we had been "upgraded" to a GA cabin, midship on C deck to be precise.

We actually prefer to be at the aft end of the ship, we like listening to the noise of the wash, and as the cabin dimensions etc are identical I phoned P&O and declined the upgrade and asked to be moved back to our original cabin.

The reservations agent seemed a bit snooty with this request and told me off for not selecting the "no upgrade" option at the time of booking. Although she did move us back.

Had ween been upgraded to a superior balcony or suite then I would have indeed seen this as an upgrade but I didn't see this as much of one.

Im more than happy with what I have booked and paid for, but does this mean I have now effectively destroyed any chance of getting anything better should it come up?

The latest video from P&O also shows the new livery http://youtu.be/Xx2CfYixm4Q

Hi,

The highly respected transport journalist Paul Clifton has this evening put out on Twitter that P&O cruise ships are to have a new livery.

He tweeted the attached picture.

I think it looks awful but interested to know what others think