First P&O Cruise - Possibly our last!

[jeanlyon]

Gee thanks! Never thought of myself as part of the Benidorm crowd, but then I wouldn't do a 2 night party cruise either. Must have been lucky, I have always found the service on P&O to be fantastic. I personally didn't like Azura, because for me she is too big and there were other things I wasn't keen on, but couldn't fault the food or the service.

Edited June 3, 2014 by jeanlyon

[Mysticalmother]

Never been to Benidorm myself....what on earth do you mean....? :confused:

[Tom Baker]

Gee thanks! Never thought of myself as part of the Benidorm crowd, but then I wouldn't do a 2 night party cruise either. Must have been lucky, I have always found the service on P&O to be fantastic. I personally didn't like Azura, because for me she is too big and there were other things I wasn't keen on, but couldn't fault the food or the service.

 

Sorry Jeanlyon :) I wouldn't suggest that you (or anyone else) was like a character from Benidorm, but that P&O are offering that kind of service. Slow bar service, fewer waiters, less entertainment, fewer luxuries etc, they have gone mass market and have started to provide a more budget holiday than a cruise

[Tom Baker]

Never been to Benidorm myself....what on earth do you mean....? :confused:

 

You've gone from P&O to Cunard, now you're going back to P&O ... You'll soon see for yourself, just compare the two, Lidl v Waitrose!

[frenchmartiniplease]

Sorry Jeanlyon :) I wouldn't suggest that you (or anyone else) was like a character from Benidorm, but that P&O are offering that kind of service. Slow bar service, fewer waiters, less entertainment, fewer luxuries etc, they have gone mass market and have started to provide a more budget holiday than a cruise

 

Wow! Harsh! Yes, they've cut back on a few things like all cruise lines have had to in an effort to be competitive and affordable, but I wouldn't call it a budget holiday. The bar service was plenty quick enough for me the other week. They knew what my preferred tipple was within a day. Oooh! Maybe that says to much about me. lol! More Lidl's than Waitrose!!!:eek:

 

For me it's more, weekly shop at Sainburys and bits from Waitrose!

 

I've had lovely holidays all over, from Princess, P&O, Benidorm to our annual trip to Bellagio, Las Vegas. But then, I never sweat the small stuff. Though I admit, the shirt incident would have hacked me off.:)

[davecttr]

Sorry Jeanlyon :) I wouldn't suggest that you (or anyone else) was like a character from Benidorm, but that P&O are offering that kind of service. Slow bar service, fewer waiters, less entertainment, fewer luxuries etc, they have gone mass market and have started to provide a more budget holiday than a cruise

If they hadn't gone mass market they would not have survived. Carnival has a 'posh' cruise line in Cunard and an exclusive less formal line in Seabourne. They don't want their brands chasing the same market and as Cunard has to discount fares to fill ships there is obviously not enough demand for 'traditional' cruising.

[Elviex]

We have just had an amazing two weeks on Azura. We spend three months of the year abroad in different places flying to all the destinations. Two years ago we discovered cruises. We went on the two week cruise with an open mind.. We don't go for the entertainment but we enjoy good food (Sindhu and the Glass House) and after two weeks of great people watching I made this analogy: we may all be on the same 747 flying on a twelve hour flight but we don't all sit in economy...or, we love Mallorca, but you don't have to go anywhere near Magaluf (apologies to those who love Magaluf, it is just not for us!). We had no trouble at all with service anywhere on the ship, but I did my own laundry. Each to their own!

 

 

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[daiB]

Sorry Jeanlyon :) I wouldn't suggest that you (or anyone else) was like a character from Benidorm, but that P&O are offering that kind of service. Slow bar service, fewer waiters, less entertainment, fewer luxuries etc, they have gone mass market and have started to provide a more budget holiday than a cruise

 

 

Sorry but I do not accept this at all the bar service is not slow it is the same as it always has been. Because you on one occasion could not be served does not make the service slow. There are certainly not fewer bar staff. It is interesting that on another thread someone is complaining that the staff came and asked them far too often if they wanted a drink. And now you are saying they never came at all. Sorry one of you is wrong. On Oriana and Azura and Oceana it was clear that there were plenty of staff duty. It is in the staffs own interest to get to you to serve you as they get the % built in as a tip.

 

 

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[Tom Baker]

Sorry but I do not accept this at all the bar service is not slow it is the same as it always has been. Because you on one occasion could not be served does not make the service slow. There are certainly not fewer bar staff. It is interesting that on another thread someone is complaining that the staff came and asked them far too often if they wanted a drink. And now you are saying they never came at all. Sorry one of you is wrong. On Oriana and Azura and Oceana it was clear that there were plenty of staff duty. It is in the staffs own interest to get to you to serve you as they get the % built in as a tip.

 

 

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Ah, as if by magic, P&O's No.1 cheerleader appears!

 

Dai, I can tell you that there has been a marked drop in standards throughout the P&O fleet over the last 6 Years, both in bar staff and waiters in general.

 

My proof ... I have over 100 nights on board across 10 cruises to prove it. I have now voted with my feet over the last 18 months and spent 40 nights on Carnivals other brands and can assure you that P&O is the worst Carnival Band out there, and I sailed Ocean Village.

 

I recall you stating nearly 3 years ago that Ventura wouldn't replace OV and OV2 as the Bargain Bucket cruise line that Ocean Village was and that they wouldn't place OV (sorry) Ventura in the Med. Low and behold you were wrong!

 

I refer to my previous comment to msyticalmother (I think) who has gone from P&O to Cunard and is now returning to P&O this month. I will wait with baited breath to see what SHE thinks upon her return.

[daiB]

Ah, as if by magic, P&O's No.1 cheerleader appears!

 

Dai, I can tell you that there has been a marked drop in standards throughout the P&O fleet over the last 6 Years, both in bar staff and waiters in general.

 

My proof ... I have over 100 nights on board across 10 cruises to prove it. I have now voted with my feet over the last 18 months and spent 40 nights on Carnivals other brands and can assure you that P&O is the worst Carnival Band out there, and I sailed Ocean Village.

 

I recall you stating nearly 3 years ago that Ventura wouldn't replace OV and OV2 as the Bargain Bucket cruise line that Ocean Village was and that they wouldn't place OV (sorry) Ventura in the Med. Low and behold you were wrong!

 

I refer to my previous comment to msyticalmother (I think) who has gone from P&O to Cunard and is now returning to P&O this month. I will wait with baited breath to see what SHE thinks upon her return.

 

 

Well I have had as many nights and as many cruises and I think you are wrong.

 

With regard to Ventura. Well as is being proved toe company have been wrong with that decision. They cannot fill the ship and people do not like the Wednesday changeover. They are having to change for next year. It was a bad decision. They should stick to their core market. Ex UK.

 

 

 

 

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[Tom Baker]

I was just like you Dai, Thomsons were my first cruise line, loved them. Someone sat at Dinner one evening and said teh Emerald was "like a barge compared to the Spirit"

 

They were right!

 

I tried Ocean Village and it was a better overall product compared to Thomson. When OV went by the wayside I moved to P&O and stuck with them for years until standards started to drop.

 

I tried RCCI, then Costa, and while not keen on either the standards and ships were better then I sailed on Carnival and realised that Carnival UK were taking the P!55. Lobster and Fillet steaks on Carnival in the MDR and not just tails and sirloin and the GOOD stilton, not the stuff P&O hide in the cupboard until someone asks for it. Princess is a step up from Carnival.

 

Just try another "superior" brand Dai, even Cunard (It's still British (sort of)) and you'll see the difference. I did ... There's a world out there!

[davecttr]

Well I have had as many nights and as many cruises and I think you are wrong.

 

With regard to Ventura. Well as is being proved toe company have been wrong with that decision. They cannot fill the ship and people do not like the Wednesday changeover. They are having to change for next year. It was a bad decision. They should stick to their core market. Ex UK.

 

 

 

 

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Come on Dai, that is stretching the truth a bit. I would have not expected them to fill the ship on the first season of a new venture. In any case, they can't fill lots of the Southampton based ships without discounting. You can't say fly cruises have failed after only 3 months of operation, after 3 years, yes, but not 3 months. They are changing ships next year because Ventura is too large to sail into Venice and Oceana is the most suitable of the smaller ships for the job. I suspect that if the large ship ban in Venice hadn't happened Oceana would be P&O Australia bound and only one HAL ship would be transferring not two.

 

I agree with you about the waiter service and found no problem on Ventura last month except the awful service in Tazzine coffee bar. The ship did not look empty to me but we had less than 20 children aboard so maybe numbers were down. When the school hols start -eek :eek:

 

The itinery is excellent, especially for first time cruisers which is the target audience. I think Venice is restrictive as a turn around port and staff aboard agreed with me. Basing the ship in Corfu or, like OV, in Crete would give the opportunity for more variety in itineries.

[daiB]

I was just like you Dai, Thomsons were my first cruise line, loved them. Someone sat at Dinner one evening and said teh Emerald was "like a barge compared to the Spirit"

 

They were right!

 

I tried Ocean Village and it was a better overall product compared to Thomson. When OV went by the wayside I moved to P&O and stuck with them for years until standards started to drop.

 

I tried RCCI, then Costa, and while not keen on either the standards and ships were better then I sailed on Carnival and realised that Carnival UK were taking the P!55. Lobster and Fillet steaks on Carnival in the MDR and not just tails and sirloin and the GOOD stilton, not the stuff P&O hide in the cupboard until someone asks for it. Princess is a step up from Carnival.

 

Just try another "superior" brand Dai, even Cunard (It's still British (sort of)) and you'll see the difference. I did ... There's a world out there!

 

 

Why should I change when I like what I have? If I found that the product was not to my liking why would I cruise so much with them. You do what you want.

 

I always get excellent service and what they provide suits me. Recently I have noticed that the people who love having a go at the company are being overwhelmed by those who are having a great time.

 

I have nothing against other companies and have never tried to put anybody off. No other company can give me what I want and need so I stick with P&O.

 

I would be quite happy to try another superior brand but none of them cruise from Southampton on a regular basis. I am talking of Silversea, Seabourn or Regent or the like.

 

 

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[majortom10]

I was just like you Dai, Thomsons were my first cruise line, loved them. Someone sat at Dinner one evening and said teh Emerald was "like a barge compared to the Spirit"

 

They were right!

 

I tried Ocean Village and it was a better overall product compared to Thomson. When OV went by the wayside I moved to P&O and stuck with them for years until standards started to drop.

 

I tried RCCI, then Costa, and while not keen on either the standards and ships were better then I sailed on Carnival and realised that Carnival UK were taking the P!55. Lobster and Fillet steaks on Carnival in the MDR and not just tails and sirloin and the GOOD stilton, not the stuff P&O hide in the cupboard until someone asks for it. Princess is a step up from Carnival.

 

Just try another "superior" brand Dai, even Cunard (It's still British (sort of)) and you'll see the difference. I did ... There's a world out there!

 

I agree done over 20+ cruises with P&O since 2000 and always thought they were fantastic then booked a last minute deal 3 yrs ago with Princess and have since realised after another 3 cruises with Princess how superior they are to P&O unfortunately too many Brits are frightened to try another cruiseline and come out with all sorts of excuses to stay with P&O.

Edited June 3, 2014 by majortom10

[Elviex]

I'm with Dai here...we would love to try Crystal or Silverseas but we like to travel to other places on a regular basis and so those lines are too expensive for us. We like what we have seen so far on P&O and as Dai says, out of Southampton on a regular basis is important to us. We have three cruises lined up and will see how those go.

 

 

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[tjwa]

They are changing ships next year because Ventura is too large to sail into Venice and Oceana is the most suitable of the smaller ships for the job.

 

They are changing ships because they can't fill a 3,000+ ship and neither can they fill ships sailing R/T from Southampton.:eek:

[daiB]

They are changing ships because they can't fill a 3,000+ ship and neither can they fill ships sailing R/T from Southampton.:eek:

 

 

Well they are doing better out of Southampton. They would not have to stick to having a season of cruises like a bus. Same cruise every 2 weeks.

 

 

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[dgs1956]

It gets wearing reading posts from those that constantly knock P&O. Personally I also always get excellent service, enjoy the food, the entertainment etc etc etc. Maybe you reap what you sow.

[Tom Baker]

Maybe you reap what you sow.

 

I do and I'm glad I have :p

[davecttr]

They are changing ships because they can't fill a 3,000+ ship and neither can they fill ships sailing R/T from Southampton.:eek:

It would not matter if they could fill a 3000+ ship, they still could not sail it into Venice.

[davecttr]

Well they are doing better out of Southampton. They would not have to stick to having a season of cruises like a bus. Same cruise every 2 weeks.

 

 

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How do you know? Are you party to the passenger statistics? I don't think so :rolleyes:

[daiB]

How do you know? Are you party to the passenger statistics? I don't think so :rolleyes:

 

 

On the basis the better deals are on Ventura

 

 

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[Host Sharon]

You just cannot compare a two night cruise with a two week cruise. I did a two-nighter last year on Royal Princess and, based on that experience, would never travel with Princess ever again. They are a different animal altogether. The crew don't bother so much because they won't have time to get to know you and your likes and dislikes. ON P&O last January, one bar steward consistently slipped off to another bar every night when he saw me, for me because he knew I didn't like to very hot "nibbles" they served so got me different ones. That is service.

[Mysticalmother]

You've gone from P&O to Cunard, now you're going back to P&O ... You'll soon see for yourself, just compare the two, Lidl v Waitrose!

 

:eek:...we were booked on Silversea to the Black Sea until the Ukrainian situation forced us to cancel last month! Lidl v Harrods....:D ?

 

It's interesting though, if you look on the Silversea and Cunard boards similar themes emerge that these lines are "going downmarket" too. There was certainly evidence of that on my last Cunard cruise, not that it made any difference to the enjoyment of my holiday. Maybe my waistline didn't expand quite as much as usual?:D

 

Despite all that has been said, I am off on Azura in 4 days time, and I am sure I will enjoy my holiday, come what may. It will be different to Cunard, but I am not going to be paying Cunard prices for drinks, tips and base cabin cost, so my expectations are , I hope, realistic.

 

I will as promised, write a review on my return, for anyone who is interested in reading it!

 

Must go and start the packing.....!

[Elviex]

I agree with mystical mother...go and enjoy Azura like we did! Overall a great experience. If anyone wants some detailed comments about our two weeks on her in May please ask! Happy to oblige.

 

 

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