molecrochip

Yes - weather related.

Merry Christmas everyone. Looking forward to another wonderful year at sea.

I could argue adults only venues but I do take your point. But there is the question @Selbourne, should P&O be operating two different pricing structures? And if yes, how do you suddenly introduce a premium pricing structure onto say Ventura when up until a point it’s been operating on a standard family based pricing structure?

P&O are not struggling to fill their ships. Running at 98% capacity, I believe. Deep discounting is winding down although some good deals this spring. If you take Ventura or Azura onto those longer itineraries, why do they need to ban kids. The few that are on there will get lost in the number of adults. You’re suggesting that as people get older they will switch to smaller ships to replace those gone before. I’d suggest that if you like, say, Britannia, why would you switch? Agree that Aurora/Acadia’s ultimate demise will likely be the end of the old P&O. I don’t expect Princess to replace Island Princess either in due course. Carnival must certainly have looked at the numbers. This is an option, but I’d have them in school holidays too - to offer the mix. That said, I go back to my earlier comments about why need them? P&O have been less aggressive with such offers since the Pandemic however do note some schools start as late as October.

In most cases.

What remedial work are you expecting? The ships are maintained daily.

Grand class can transit the Panama Canal including Azura/Ventura.

Ventura is a grand class ship. Grand Princess, the first, debuted in 1998! 2 years before Aurora and 7 years before Arcadia.

Both ships are due dry docks across the next 18 months. Aside from the usual engineering works, P&O have already announced significant investment on the hotel side, so rooms, lounges, passenger facilities etc. in monetary terms even if not the detail. This is on top of the new furniture delivered this year. Looking ahead, the spend is focused on keeping the ships with P&O until they are 30+. Due to the pandemic, we can expect the ships to hang around longer than maybe they previously wood have. Please also bear in mind that Arcadia is only 3 years older than Ventura, and no one is writing her off yet! Finally, my overarching caveat, ANY ship could be sold at ANY time if someone offered the right price.

Hello everybody To confirm that following the successful commissioning of Aurora, the entire P&O fleet is now offering internet via the Starlink system.

Those crew who were with the company pre-Iona tend to prefer to avoid the two largest ships. I sense that this is now being reflected in rotations. Iona and Arvia tend to now be having lots of reoccurring crew who are new since the pandemic. Some are on their third long rotation so get it now! Customer service is improving slowly across the fleet with more still to be done. Yes - menus and dining room food still need work.

Have you not seen Avenue 5?

If it’s Winter 2025/6 launch then it finishes tomorrow. if it’s for summer 3025, then it’s already finished.

Unless its changed, Christmas Day, Boxing Day and NYE tend to show as separate venues under dining. e.g. Epicurean - Xmas Day. This is because the supplement/menu is different.

The cabins are the same size floor space wise. Cot should still sit at end of bed without issue. TV & vanity behind the picture.

Phone up P&O, make sure they have reserved you a cot, and tell them that you want Queen beds. Computer should say yes. As long as its not fixed beds, it's operator area.

Open wardrobe area is good for storing buggy.

This will be the layout. Cot can go by the window.

It’s a 7.5% discount (rounded). Likely the majority of their commission on the cruise itself, so no profit here. However, likely to help push the agent up the loyalty/sales scheme. Most cruise lines offer some kind of sales multiplier incentive scheme separate to commission being paid.

This was a Covid cleaning procedure not usual Southampton procedure. Nothing to do with zeroing passengers but instead fogging the ship. Customers with mobility needs were given somewhere particular to wait which was fogged before and after.

Seat reservations not mandatory. The charges are in line with the industry. If you’ve paid £400, that suggests you’ve not picked preferred seating rather than the cheaper standard seating.

You can now get Costa Coffee at any open bar. Thus change was made to reduce the queues are the one outlet on deck 6 of the atrium.

Iona has a good size library however it didn’t have many books earlier this year. Someone who has sailed her more recently may be able to expand.

There are some rooms which only show as twins if booked for three people however if the booking has been noted, and it’s safe to configure then it will be configured as desired.

P&O do provide port information, just not in paper form. One of your pre-cruise emails will have had the link to download the document to your phone/tablet/laptop. It should be available on the myholiday website soon too. https://www.pocruisesguides.com