Megabear2

Swim with turtles is a popular half day, gets back around 12.30. We have taken the two Farewell tours which end at the airport, only downside to this is if there are flight delays. Last year we did the Copacabana beach club, took our stuff with us and hired a locker and then showered and changed there. Basically any of the P&O excursions which arrive back around midday are pretty safe to book.

Food poisoning is a very serious issue. It is also something other passengers would have experienced if it was from food consumed and served onboard and unless investigated a source cannot be blamed. On a ship with 3,000 people if the food poisoning was as a result of something prepared and served onboard it is highly unlikely that P&O would have only one case. It is extremely difficult to not accept responsibility faced with many passengers with the same complaint. In July this year following a land based Kefalonian holiday my husband was seriously ill with food poisoning. The difference here was over 150 people were struck down and the source was undeniable. Unfortunately if it is not reported it is impossible to trace the source and therefore cannot be confirmed as even having come from the ship.

Each. Still a bargain with everything paid for. There's even some obc and a couple of select dinners. The 13 night one via Aruba is £3049 for the balcony, again AI. We looked at a Marella one too, fly cruise but that was over £4,000 each with PE and premium drinks.

Yes, on Edge herself. I'm hoping my OH likes it, it's a bit different to what he knows. He's just had me booking us another 28 day Cunard fly cruise for September 2025 while the £99 flight offer is on. I'm not sure what's come over him!

Was that a deluxe balcony fare? We originally had an Arvia Christmas cruise booked on launch overlooked large balcony at £7100 no PE. I cancelled in May and we have Beyond booked over Christmas 13 nights for nearly £1,000 less. The Arvia deposit moved to a deluxe PE flight Britannia January cruise but that is still just over £7100 but I'm using my last FCC and a refund from my disastrous Arvia cruise towards that one.

Hope so, I'm on her at Christmas before our jaunt on Britannia in January!

Is that the Grand Cayman 14 night one or the 13 night Barbados route one by any chance? There have been some good prices on the Iceman site for those two itineraries.

Did you report the food poisoning and if so what did P&O say/do? Assumedly you were not alone if it was caused by the food onboard and clearly would have been a major health issue needing their action. I'm sorry it sounds like an all round bad experience. I wish you a speedy recovery.

My favourite was the electrical engineer on QM2 in 2019 on the world voyage. He was on his last voyage on her and transferring to Azura for his next contract so was very happy to sign the tab for the drinks. He was completely teetotal as he was always on call but the remaining 9 of us on the table were plied with so much wine and liqueurs and brandy I had to go straight to bed after leaving the dining room. My head was grateful the next day was at sea.

Warm and sunny as promised, some cloud cover just appearing overhead but no sign of any rain. Heading to the bbq next door at 2.00pm and thankfully the veggie kebabs are now an organic salmon fillet courtesy of my husband going to Waitrose as they opened. The city centre here is a total mess due to roadworks and alterations to the river so unless you go to the supermarkets at 7.00am you risk an hour getting out once you're in. It is currently 24 degrees here but once the sun goes I guess it will drop, certainly chilly last night while sitting up to book our plane seats. Hoping the weather lasts as we are visiting clients in Brighton Monday and I'm only needed for an hour so planning a long walk and look around while the OH does his stuff, anything to stop me eating!

On longer cruises as a solo on Cunard I've quite often had the invite to dine on a table with crew - probably to make up the numbers! As a result I normally get sat next to any officer who hasn't got their family with them and those conversations have always been extremely interesting and informative.

That will be the system dealing with the early morning bookers. Not everyone stays up overnight. You're looking at a big number of full aircraft so thousands of passengers involved.

Right, I understand. I though you were looking at window seats A B and C. Normally the middle three seats are not available to couples to prebook as the seat plan looks at the passenger profile, ie family groups, singles, couples etc. Generally you should be able to prebook seats A and B where available, or the opposite side H and J. The next option will be C and D or F and G which are across the aisle. If none of these work you may be better being allocated at the airport - arrive exactly as the gate opens the 3 hours before the flight. We have never been split but do frequently get given the seats in the aisles.

Yes but at that time there were new ships on order. After 2025 there are no ships in the pipeline so "getting rid" of anything would mean shrinking one of the brand's fleets.

As your OH is tall you'll be better off in row 4. The plane narrows at the front and space is accordingly restricted together with head height. The narrowing of the plane is also one of the reasons you get A and C, it's to keep the plane with all middle seats with the same numbering as in economy. The needing maintenance message simply occurs when the system goes into overload, it's a very normal message on that section of the planner as the processor cannot cope.

Unfortunately P&O consider two seats across the aisle as seats together. How full is the cabin looking at this time? If you go row by row you may find a row which will allow a middle and window.

The system is set to make passengers in pairs to either book the window and middle or two aisles. Are the seats in the middle row showing booked where you are looking, ie all 3 filled?

Well done. Yes safely sorted too, bit earlier than you at 12.36am. We also,got our first choice 6A and 6C for the double window.

Can't help there, but I'll raise you a Smurf on MSC Divina ...

I open multiple windows on laptops and tablet. You can open as many as you can handle. Tonight will be interesting, when I did my friend's one the other day it went straight in, no queue but then sat, bit like buying a concert ticket. Good luck, I'll let you know how I do as well!!

Cruise ship wildlife ... Celebrity Edge and Allure of the Seas Oh did someone mention belly flops???

Chilly start here, bit disappointing as the projected temperature today is 22°, we live in hope as the sun has just come out. Funny how I feel cold as soon as 1 October comes along, I'm sure its psychosomatic! Today's the first day I've been hungry since this healthy Wiltshire thing started. Scrambled egg with a meagre slice of pave plus Greek yoghurt with a few blueberries and raspberries hasn't really cut it with a 1500m swim I'm afraid. Will have to get on with it but fighting like mad not to go on a splurge with my OH's bread and cereals! Worse than that the neighbours are planning a bbq tomorrow and my proposed veggie kebabs sound extremely miserable compared with the rib eye steaks they're planning.

I've only two more P&O's booked at this stage mainly based on the repeat itineraries. Previously I'd happily go on four or five a year but would pick itineraries with a little variety. For instance I've grown tired of absolutely everything going to Cadiz and Barcelona, previously these could be La Coruna or Vigo just for variety, and now we get the port cuts. 14 night cruises with 6 ports simply don't appeal as much. I notice even the Caribbean cruises from next year are losing a port, no more St Kitts for Britannia or La Romana for Arvia. This removal of ports is not exclusively P&O either. The Cunard voyages also have suffered this. Last week in the US press the CEO of RC could be read saying they want to keep people onboard using the ships as the destination. This seems to be now a general idea across other brands. I currently have 6 Cunard cruises booked over the next 2 years and 2 on P&O. I will hope for something interesting in the new releases. Although a little disappointed with the itineraries both lines still have a selection of decent fly cruises.

Did you complete a form for disability requirements? Unfortunately there are very strict rules on these motorised wheelchairs and you should have been told at the time of booking (did you book direct or via a travel agent) that you would need an accessible cabin for one. No excuse for the rudeness but unfortunately the agent is correct you cannot take one of these unless you are in an accessible cabin.

Hildyard Road, SW6. I didn't come from there but I flat shared with four friends from age 17 to 20. The Harwood Arms, think it's still there but haven't been for ages. Used to get surprise pop acts, last one I saw there was Steve Winwood in 1978.