What do you LOVE about P&O?

[silversurf]

I have been on one RCCL to the Caribbean, one P and O mini cruise and P and O to the Fjords.

I don't want flow riders, climbing walls, ice skating rinks, massive gratuities, taxes plus gratuities on drinks or any of the other hype that the dollar ships provide, just a comfortable ship with good food and service at a reasonable price without the OTT. So it's P and O for me.

[majortom10]

I have been on one RCCL to the Caribbean, one P and O mini cruise and P and O to the Fjords.

I don't want flow riders, climbing walls, ice skating rinks, massive gratuities, taxes plus gratuities on drinks or any of the other hype that the dollar ships provide, just a comfortable ship with good food and service at a reasonable price without the OTT. So it's P and O for me.

 

Wouldnt call £7pppd approx massive gratuities compared to £3-95pppd that P&O charge and there is not a tax AND gratuities on drinks just 15% service charge. Can only speak for Princess but there is no other hype only IMO better food and service and better cruise experience than P&O and that is from somebody who has done 20+ cruises with P&O since 2000.

Edited June 18, 2014 by majortom10

[frenchmartiniplease]

We have avoided P&O in the past because of all the negativity that surrounds the whole of the fleet, so it was with slight trepidation that we have booked a cruise on the Oriana which sails in just under 2 weeks time :D. Why did we book it; the itinerary, the date and, to be honest, the price all fitted what we were looking for and after a year of illness I desperately feel the need to have a holiday.

 

Having done that, I am still alarmed at all the negativity so it was with great relief and a lot of pleasure to be able to read a thread that is filled with honesty (I hope!) and positivity.

 

I may wear glasses, but they are not rose-tinted and I appreciate that nothing is perfect and everyone is different; eg DH loves rice pudding, me I could throw up just looking at it, but please people don't spoil this thread. If you have something negative to say, post it on another thread and allow me and others a chance to fill our glasses to the top and not half-full.

Yep, pretty sure we've given honest comments on what we love about P&O.

Having cruised with P&O and Princess I've found, that for me, both have something that the other does slightly better. I would enjoy a cruise on either.

As you said, the date, itinerary and price took you to P&O this time.

Have a lovely holiday and all the best for your health.

[starryuk]

Love P&O.

 

When trying to book my first cruise it was the tea making facilities in the cabin which sealed the deal for me!

 

I enjoy the service,

the people,

the dining,

the dress code,

the relaxed sea days,

the classes/activities/talks on board,

the daily cryptic crossword on reception desk

boarding in Southampton (wish they still had band and tickertape)

the familiarity with the system

etc etc etc

[majortom10]

Tickertape hasnt been stopped at Southampton as a cost saving but by the port authority due to the enviromental damage if you can imaging there is nearly a cruise ship if not more leaving Southampton every day with different cruise companies and if they all threw tickertape the damage and problems with clearing the mess would be enormous and costly.

[Presto2]

Tickertape hasnt been stopped at Southampton as a cost saving but by the port authority due to the enviromental damage if you can imaging there is nearly a cruise ship if not more leaving Southampton every day with different cruise companies and if they all threw tickertape the damage and problems with clearing the mess would be enormous and costly.

 

Tickertape and a band -- loved the band. Now have to make so with

hubby with paper and comb and cocktail !

 

The atmosphere leaving Southampton is always special :)

[fue-fue]

We don't usually go to the sailaways, we're rather closet flag wavers, but one in particular sticks in the mind.

We were docked in Tortola on Oceana, our second island after a transatlantic crossing. Backed in next to us was Artemis. I THINK it was their first island after the same crossing. It was Artemis last season in the Caribbean before leaving P&O.

No other ships were there other than Sea Princess moored way out in the bay.

As it wasn't possible to offend any other nationals, everyone let rip with the flagwaving and singing.

 

The ships 'talked', and a strangely quiet and deserted Artemis slowly pulled away.

Then we saw that the whole of the back of Artemis was full of banners and passengers who broke into Land of Hope and Glory. It was just like the 'Proms'. Really quite emotional . As we watched her through the dusk drawing level with Sea Princess ( who's camera flashes were going like crazy), we could hear the Artemis passengers singing, 'We're all going on a Summer Holiday'. HaHa!!! It was Brilliant!!!

 

We were on Artemis, it was our 1st ever cruise & brilliant!!!

[Skovgaard]

I love everything from start to finish

Sailings to and from Southampton, no need to fly if you do not want to = no weight limit

My free 2 glasses of fizz at sailaway [OG does not drink wine]

Reading my daily paper on what will be on the next day and highlighting where I will be and when

The many various clubs and activities to choose from

The deal of the day in the shops, I need my daily fix of retail therapy

The food so much to choose ,from table service to help yourself

The whole staff always wanting to please and make your holiday special

The choice of ports, P&O just need to sort their pricing better, but still excellent value for money

I love dressing up so enjoy all the different dress codes

It is rare I go to the cinema on land but I have been and seen a few films at the cinema on board, and it is free

The Entertainment, I have a choice to go and see if it appeals to me

Going to the salon for a manicure or to have my hair done

I feel so very special with P&O so much so I purchased shares

Thank you P&O from a loyal sailor

It is easy to criticise but harder to praise

:)

Edited June 20, 2014 by Skovgaard

[Corfe Mixture]

We used to sail exclusively with P&O, mostly on fly cruises, but gave up four years ago for reasons which I won't go into in detail (given the title of this thread) and won't affect most people, but which related to their apparent indifference to the reasonable long haul travel expectations of passengers prepared to pay for the best cabins. (I stress that by 'reasonable expectation', I was NOT expecting something for nothing)

 

However, what I do miss is the camaraderie of the P&O clientele which is notably less superficial than on lines with a predominantly US customer based, where we find that the regular customers seem to have a need to open conversations with a treatise on how many cruises they have done and how long they have been at the highest level in the loyalty scheme. Yawn!!

 

One day we may come back, when we change from winter cruisers to summer cruisers.

 

Corfe Mixture

(aka Grenville to the many friends we made during our P&O cruising days)

[Presto2]

It is easy to criticise but harder to praise

:)

 

Too true - and a special thanks to everyone who has posted their positive comments re P&O. After the football we all need something to smile about ;)

[Turbofun]

Late deals, last one a late January 2014 Ventura Caribbean fly cruise from an airport only seventy miles away. Balcony cabin on C deck.

Just a great holiday, we did a mix of ship's excursions, local ones we'd booked online and some just taken once ashore.

Table companions at dinner always interesting to talk to, staff in our restaurant on anytime great and helping us with our vegetarian diet.

For the price we paid we have no complaints, try doing the iternary booking as solo travellers.

Btw, we actually enjoy the dressing for Formal Nights.

The cruise lines are actually spoiling us in terms of how they can take us to so many places in such a relatively short time.

[Clodia]

I too love P&O

 

Friendly ships

Comfortable cabins and public rooms: I too don't need flo riders, ice rinks and climbing walls, just comfortable places to sit and see a film, have a drink or watch the sea.

Ability to bring drink onboard to have in my cabin when it suits me; this is important. I don't like being treated like a naughty child smuggling a bottle of brandy or gin onboard! Anyway, I buy the mixers from P&O! And I spend plenty in the bars and restaurants.

Tea and coffee, again to have in cabin when it suits me. Different varieties of tea provided with your preferences met by the stewards

Horizon magazine; always something to do, or you can do nothing. The printing error howlers are a scream!

Good food; I don't think I've ever had a bad meal and some have been magnificent. I don't know what some people expect!

Lots of choice.

Shows by enthusiastic young performers who are a pleasure to watch!

The formal nights; I just love to dress up and to see everyone in their finery. The one cruise I had other than with P&O let me down on all these fronts, though I DID succeed in smuggling gin and brandy onboard for in cabin consumption, one up to me!

I've never really bothered with the dollar ships though i suspect Fred would also suit me, and Cunard.

[AchileLauro]

I'm surprised at the number of contributors that have mentioned how they welcome having the ability to make tea in their cabins or to take alcohol on board. I've never understood why drinking in your bedroom should have such an appeal to anyone. If I want a drink I quite like getting up and going to get one. Ah well we're all different I suppose.

 

I do wish that P&O would be a bit more adventurous though. A climbing wall would certainly appeal to me, and I wouldn't mind trying a wave rider either though I doubt that I would be much good at it. I was looking forward to trying the scalextrix and the circus apparatus on Ventura that was advertised so much when the ship was first launched, but by the time we cruised on the ship both had vanished.

[kevinyork]

I'm surprised at the number of contributors that have mentioned how they welcome having the ability to make tea in their cabins or to take alcohol on board. I've never understood why drinking in your bedroom should have such an appeal to anyone. If I want a drink I quite like getting up and going to get one. Ah well we're all different I suppose.

 

 

 

I do wish that P&O would be a bit more adventurous though. A climbing wall would certainly appeal to me, and I wouldn't mind trying a wave rider either though I doubt that I would be much good at it. I was looking forward to trying the scalextrix and the circus apparatus on Ventura that was advertised so much when the ship was first launched, but by the time we cruised on the ship both had vanished.

 

 

Luckily, Royal Caribbean are ready to meet your needs. If all cruise lines were the same things would be pretty boring.

 

 

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[Presto2]

Luckily, Royal Caribbean are ready to meet your needs. If all cruise lines were the same things would be pretty boring.

 

 

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Totally agree - there is a cruise line out there for everyone BUT none is perfect, so it is a case of finding the one that mainly suits your needs.

 

We've said many times that if we could sail on the Celebrity Silhouette and the itinerary she had, but she was owned by P&O we'd be in cruise heaven. :)

 

Perhaps that's a new thread ---- ;)

[daiB]

Luckily, Royal Caribbean are ready to meet your needs. If all cruise lines were the same things would be pretty boring.

 

 

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For once we are in full agreement, Kevin. If you want claiming walls and flow riders then P&O is certainly not for you.

 

 

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[AchileLauro]

Why - in the past P&O have claimed to have family friendly ships but are you suggesting that they are now only concentrating on the grey market?

[daiB]

Why - in the past P&O have claimed to have family friendly ships but are you suggesting that they are now only concentrating on the grey market?

 

 

How can I be doing that I am only stating facts. They do not have climbing frames and flow riders. You have inferred that not having them is concentrating on the grey market. Quite a leap I would have thought.

 

 

 

 

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[AchileLauro]

The provision of childrens clubs and their associated facilities is something that P&O did particularly well in the past. If you need proof of this you only needed to look at the facilities on Aurora and Oriana (now sadly gone). It used to be a struggle to get my daughters out of the clubs even for just a few hours as they absolutely loved them. Unfortunately the childrens facilities on Oceana didn't quite match up, and those on Ventura failed to interest my kids and were massively oversubscribed at times with disinterested and bored kids.

Perhaps P&O have taken their eye off the ball slightly in this area in recent times and need to come up to date a bit, particularly in the area of activities that can be shared by children and their parents. Hence my question about them now possibly concentrating more on the grey market.

[Presto2]

Perhaps P&O have taken their eye off the ball slightly in this area in recent times and need to come up to date a bit, particularly in the area of activities that can be shared by children and their parents. Hence my question about them now possibly concentrating more on the grey market.

 

As a couple who don't have children, but are still (though grey in parts) very active and up for a challenge. we still do not want the 'stuff' that RCI IOS had to offer. We do ski holidays in February, and believe me, they can be as risky as any flow rider but it just isn't us on a cruise. You don't have to be dead from the neck up if you have some grey bits ;)

 

As we said before, there is a cruise line out there that mainly suits everyone. in the same way that there are a variety of hotels. Have a look and pick what suits you.

 

Now back to the thread - what do YOU LOVE about P&O? :)

[groovechick]

I'd read this thread before and not posted because basically, it's all been said already, but something occurred to me this morning: I love the fact that P&O has an on-board shop that actually sells the essentials you might run out of, or have forgotten to pack, such as toothpaste, aspirin, sun lotion, etc. The RCI shop that was supposed to sell useful items was basically just another souvenir shop.

 

Someone mentioned behind-the-scenes tours: we did a tour of the bridge on our first-ever cruise on Canberra and thoroughly enjoyed it. When the BTS tour was mentioned on Azura last year, we thought "Wow yes!", then "Goodness, no!" at the news it would cost £75 per person! At half the price we might have considered it, but felt that £300 for four of us was really outrageous.

 

It's an awful long wait to our next cruise in December 2015. Have to come on the forum to get my fix! ;)

[richleeds]

The entertainment in the theatre/clubs, the lack of service charges and no restrictions bringing your own wine/spirits onboard.

[soobs]

I love the fact we can take a bottle of gin on board not to sit and drink in my bed room but to have a drink while getting ready for evening meal and to sit on the balcony and enjoy.

 

As said we are all different and have different likes and dislikes this is a real plus for me.

 

One big bonus for me would be sailings from Liverpool I would never be at home

[sunnybrian]

One big bonus for me would be sailings from Liverpool I would never be at home

Yes same here A short ride to the cruise terminal instead of a 6 hour drive to Sohampton You never know it may happen!

[Presto2]

One big bonus for me would be sailings from Liverpool I would never be at home

Yes same here A short ride to the cruise terminal instead of a 6 hour drive to Sohampton You never know it may happen!

 

Same here from Stoke on Trent. :)