Megabear2

Two questions here! I can't see the 2025 Aurora South America/Amazon cruise on the P&O site, any idea where it's hiding? My husband wants to see a wild polar bear(!!) and apparently one or two P&O cruises may offer the opportunity. Anyone got an idea which itineraries I should be looking at please? Thank you.

Have fun. Looking forward to hearing from you. Fingers crossed for a nice easy uneventful crossing.

Most likely because anyone getting a result from a complaint is made to sign a non disclosure agreement.

Zap what time do you like to dine, please? We need a table for 2 relatively early, around 6.15 to 6.30, for medical reasons. Never had a problem before but getting a bit nervous with all this talk of not getting in for ages.

Perhaps these are the new Cunard passengers ... they frequently hold afternoon tea dances on their ships.

I must admit I love transatlantic crossings, mainly using QM2 as my bus home after visiting friends in the US. I also have enjoyed a couple of RCI repositioning cruises on Allure from Barcelona as she took the southern route but only stopped in Malaga, again as a bus to Florida to visit friends. My question on how Iona would fair is because I understand her deck spaces are more limited and her dome stays closed. I've not sailed her personally. Just had friends repositioning on NCL's latest offering the Prima. Slightly different as she went via Iceland and Canada with the hurricane affecting them. However their complaint was how much was unusable in the rough weather as inside facilities are over crowded when the open sections onto the promenade equivalent were closed. Canaries weather although reasonable is not guaranteed to be perfect in January so could Iona encounter this sort of problem? As I say I don't know her so was looking for general opinion on the idea. I'm not a huge fan of Ventura so was thinking this might be an offering I can consider.

My husband likes the lectures and generally on Britannia at least we have been well served even post pandemic. My only gripe on "entertainment" applies to all the cruise lines I've sailed on and that's spa and shops masquerading with so called free events which are in fact just hard sell.

Aurora 21.12.2024 R425 16 nights Canaries

The photo that caught my eye was the chocolate buffet which was Azamara Pursuit 2019 so presumably just before the pandemic.

Seems it's not just P&O modernising, just read this article from a far younger man than me! The Times they are a changing. https://cruise.blog/2022/10/nostalgic-cruise-traditions-being-phased-out

Baltic 19.12 10 nights

If you look at the two 22 night ones they are cruise only. The straight returns do have flights but they use Barbados. There are quite a few of the Arvia Antigua ones cruise only at this stage.

To be truthful I've not looked at them! I noticed the flights aren't available on the 2023 ones and moved on.

Its March in 2023 and strangely does include Key West. I've been looking at February and March cruises the past few days - assuming the insurance issue eases.

As a matter of interest how much more was it for 2023, I see you said prices too high for you?

Isn't this itinerary normally repeated October time? To be honest everything I've seen on all itineraries is a repeat. The Britannia and Arvia fly cruises are identical to this year and next. I'd forgotten about Iona gas supply but assumedly Arvia needs the same and her itineraries don't repeat Tenerife.

I assume that's gone due to the ship ban and reduced access.

Beat me to it! Very stingy and two calls at Tenerife. Ventura cruises look far better itineraries

10 ports on Iona - balcony starts at £4699 (presumably you know where!) 13 ports on Ventura Caribbean- balcony starts at £4799 Ventura has more unusual ports. Iona looks like Britannia's normal 15 night itinerary with two Tenerife stops in and out. Unless you just want to be at sea seems a disappointing itinerary to me.

I'm very glad you had a great time. You're right, I had a great laugh about the strikes, they seem to be following me as when I arrived back in UK from Italy there was one here as well. For anyone planning on using Cinque Terre express it runs peak season only which I recall was end of March to end October. The other half hourly Trenitalia trains run all year.

The brochure covers September 2024 to April 2025. I now have a second one and it is the same dates. Pages of Canary Islands and Caribbean fly cruises, 12 Arcadia cruises including the world, 7 Aurora including Amazon, 15 Iona including the 35 night Caribbean and 9 Ventura including two 35 night jobs. Nothing different anywhere ...

South America adventure 65 nights leaving 6 January 2025

No, sorry. Only the longer cruises as these are my main interest so the agent only sends me those.

I've just been looking at these. Prices have dropped considerably. My 16 December booking which I booked on launch day has until this weekend remained steady. However my grade cabin is £1,000 cheaper today with £650 obc compared to my £620. Cant do anything about it but I'm not very happy. If you are looking at the 22 day Arvia be aware because there is no flight with it as they are sold out. I wanted to book the return option of that one in March but again no flights. I've noticed a few are cruise only - im looking at February and March options.

Just had an advance singles brochure from a leading t/a. One of the "big" announcements is a 35 night Iona Caribbean no fly cruise on 11 January 2025. How do you think that one will sell to the presumably older demographic with the time for this type of voyage? Interestingly on a single cabin basis it's cheaper than the two January and February 35 nighters on Ventura.