2019/20 cruises

I might not have an allocated cabin but I got the cruise I wanted at a price I`m happy with !!

I get my cabin number and booking reference number next week

Guess we’ll all look towards 2020/21 then to see what itinerary takes Azura, Aurora and Arcadia to Sydney.

I worry that it’s a one way trip for Azura, especially with Golden Princess making the transfer to P&O Australia.

That's incorrect. I have pre registered and my booking is 100% guaranteed. What's not guaranteed is my cabin location. I have booked the cheapest grade inside for Xmas/New Year cruise. I can see they have already stopped taking pre registrations on that grade for direct bookings. Last time I did this I was firstly allocated the highest grade inside, before getting a free balcony upgrade 6 months before departure. I have no expectations of a balcony upgrade this time though - just got lucky.

 

In fact I suspect it's better not be in upper tiers. They get their choice of cabins and first ones to sell are usually least and most expensive, so those of us willing to go pot luck at pre registration probably end up with something higher then we paid for.

I wouldn't be happy with that. The actual location of the suite/cabin is crucial to us, and for P&O to expect a financial commitment from the customer without their giving any guarantee of an actual suite/cabin seems incredible.

I am well aware how it works having pre registered for many cruises in the past. Pre registering with a TA you can do exactly the same but tell them what cabins you want and if they are not available dont book it. By booking direct with P&O you cannot tell them cabin numbers only cabin grade and they can put you in anyone anywhere on the ship as long as in the chosen cabin grade. So what is the point of booking direct with P&O when you cant choose any cabins only grades and you can be put in a cabin that is not suitable and also by booking through TA it is cheaper than booking direct with P&O. But the biggest point of all is no booking is guaranteed especially if you are not Caribbean Tier or above until bookings open 21st March hoping that all decent cabins in the grade chosen have not been taken by higher tiers on 19th March.

You can pre register with a TA but they cannot pre register you with P&O. They will try to make your booking for you when booking opens but it is possible that specific cabins you require will have already been allocated to those who have pre registered with P&O.

I wouldn't be happy with that. The actual location of the suite/cabin is crucial to us, and for P&O to expect a financial commitment from the customer without their giving any guarantee of an actual suite/cabin seems incredible.

Each to their own. It makes no difference to me. I’m happy with the price I’ve paid and I’m happy to take the gamble of where I end up being located. I obviously live life on the wild side. I even stay in hotels without knowing which room I’ll be allocated.

You can pre register with a TA but they cannot pre register you with P&O. They will try to make your booking for you when booking opens but it is possible that specific cabins you require will have already been allocated to those who have pre registered with P&O.

Sorry that is wrong. TA’s get first call on all cabins on day one of booking. P&O will know how many cabins they want and will release the others to TA’s.

Eg. They have 20 cabins in category X. They have bookings for 10. They will offer 10 to TA’s who will pick the cabins they want. They have an hour to book them. After that they take the 10 they have bookings for.

We always book with a TA. We have never not got the exact cabin we wanted.

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You can pre register with a TA but they cannot pre register you with P&O. They will try to make your booking for you when booking opens but it is possible that specific cabins you require will have already been allocated to those who have pre registered with P&O.

My understanding from my TA is that they get access to the booking system about 30-60 minutes before P&O staff start their working day, which gives TA customers the best chance of being allocated the best cabins within a grade.

Fred Olsen have just released their cruises for late 2019 & early 2020. As well as the Caribbean, they have an interesting range of cruises of different lengths between Australia/New Zealand/Far East/Sri Lanka/India/Middle East & Med. They are quite a different product to P&O but some of the itineraries are very tempting.

Andrew, agree, bujt expensive compared to P&O

Very disappointed with the Christmas offerings. I have done 2 Christmas cruises in the Med with P&O and they were great

Now from Southampton it’s the Canaries - I don’t have enough holidays to do a transatlantic nor do I want to go to Oslo / Hamburg / Amsterdam in the middle of winter

I am not a fan of the Canaries and would not care if I never returned to any of them

Very disappointed with the Christmas offerings. I have done 2 Christmas cruises in the Med with P&O and they were great

Now from Southampton it’s the Canaries - I don’t have enough holidays to do a transatlantic nor do I want to go to Oslo / Hamburg / Amsterdam in the middle of winter

I am not a fan of the Canaries and would not care if I never returned to any of them

I imagine that P&O choose the Canaries over the Med in Dec/Jan is for the same reason that most other European cruise lines do, the weather is far better, and for most people a winter cruise is to get away from the cold and wet conditions in the UK.

I imagine that P&O choose the Canaries over the Med in Dec/Jan is for the same reason that most other European cruise lines do, the weather is far better, and for most people a winter cruise is to get away from the cold and wet conditions in the UK.

Christmas and New Year cruises have always gone to the Canaries and Madeira as far as I know. Certainly for the past 8/9 years. As terrierjohn says there is no advantage in going to the Med as good weather is not guaranteed.

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Christmas and New Year cruises have always gone to the Canaries and Madeira as far as I know. Certainly for the past 8/9 years. As terrierjohn says there is no advantage in going to the Med as good weather is not guaranteed.

 

 

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There have been at least 2 eastern Med Xmas/New Year cruises in recent years as I was on one of them. we had glorious weather and I will never forget being in Bethlehem so close to Xmas. We all sang Silent Night in the grotto under the Church of the Nativity.

There have been at least 2 eastern Med Xmas/New Year cruises in recent years as I was on one of them. we had glorious weather and I will never forget being in Bethlehem so close to Xmas. We all sang Silent Night in the grotto under the Church of the Nativity.

Sharon

I was on one of those cruises too

Then the following year it was Arcadia to the West Med. I remember being in Cadiz either the 23rd or 24th of December

We were lucky both years - t shirt weather.

I don’t cruise for the sun but suspect I am in a minority

Sadly, I also feel the selection is very uninspiring. I have been following a blog of someone doing the long South American cruise aboard Aurora recently and was quite taken by it but none of the ships are doing that in 2020. The only choice for longer cruises is the Arcadia World Cruise or the Caribbean round-trip. Nothing to float my boat I am afraid.

Queen Victoria is doing one though.

We are booked now N001 with the cabin we asked for. Happy Days. Panama canal here we come

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