Hen party hell

[Lynnewob]

You're lucky, on our 10 April Ventura 2 night trip, there were 25 hen nights and 1 stag night on board. :eek:

 

I think you have got away lightly.

[Josy1953]

Perhaps the problem lies with the fact that there are 2 night cruises at the weekend, a lot of these young ladies probably work. If all of the short cruises were 3 or 4 nights at the weekend there would be less hen parties as it would be more difficult for many of them to get 2 or 3 days off work as opposed to just a Monday or Friday.

 

I have never done a 2 nights but we did try a 3 nights 3 years ago on Ventura to give a 4 year old boy a little treat and there was no problem and we will be doing 3 nights again at the end of May on Azura to give his 4 year old sister a treat so we are hoping that it will be the same again.

[Midsomer Madness]

what can i say.

dont like the chav and common references, as we all cannot really judge each other.

 

as for the blow up willy thingy.

Are they supplied by P&O or does one bring their own ?

just asking.

 

your best bud

 

I judged because the that's exactly how they behaved..shouting and swearing, hardly dressed and with an assortment of things from Ann Summers..so drunk they couldn't stand up, falling over in Harlequins, barging into people...as I said common and chavvy!

[gosport11]

Tut Tut would never have happened on the Canberra

Was the blow up in dress code, if not how dare they allow it in the dining room :):)

[themanwithahat]

Too a point it's harmless fun but there must be at least 10 hen parties on. As for the bar bills being high, I doubt it as they seem to have permanent litre bottles of vodka in there hands, and as for the running up and down the corridors at 3.30am! Just thought p and o were better than that. Definitely a third and final p and o cruise. 'For people who don't do cruises!'

 

Sounds tough. I think they do drink a lot though ; Fred Olsen normally charges £10 pppn for AI , for the short cruises its £39 pppn....

[themanwithahat]

I have never done a 2 nights but we did try a 3 nights 3 years ago on Ventura to give a 4 year old boy a little treat and there was no problem and we will be doing 3 nights again at the end of May on Azura to give his 4 year old sister a treat so we are hoping that it will be the same again.

 

Our first cruise was a four nighter and it wasn't noticeably different to any subsequent ones. I think it's the really short ones that are the problem. I suspect (cynic mode) that for the cost of a four nighter they clue they can get a week in a cheap AI in Spain or something for the same money.

[the english lady]

Our first cruise was a four nighter and it wasn't noticeably different to any subsequent ones. I think it's the really short ones that are the problem. I suspect (cynic mode) that for the cost of a four nighter they clue they can get a week in a cheap AI in Spain or something for the same money.

 

I think it is the 2 nighters that are the problem, especially if they are w/end ones.

Doesn't really matter how much they do/do not spend behind the bar...and I am still intrigued. By the ltr bottle of vodka...it is the damage being done to the brand.

Think of a ll those places in the med that became the place to go for cheap drinks and bad behaviour.

They realised the damage being done to the towns/bars was far outweighing what money may be spent there.

No body wants to stop people having fun, but you do reach the point where their fun spoils things for other people.

We have done a 3 nighter in the past, and there were hens on board, but they used it as an excuse to really go to town on the formal night. They were all having their pictures taken looking fantastic.

No bad behaviour. Just everyone enjoying themselves.

[john watson]

 

as for the blow up willy thingy.

Are they supplied by P&O or does one bring their own ?

just asking.

 

your best bud

 

These are available from guest services; they may be purchased using your on board account; with the standard Portunus discount structure. Not many of the higher level people buy them at the higher discounts but I can see why. They come standard; for self inflation or deluxe which are delivered to your cabin inflated with helium. If you go for helium a radio controlled pack is available; very expensive and almost nobody gets that add on. This enables the user to control the flight of the zeppelin round the MDR unobtrusively above peoples heads.

 

Thank you for asking.

 

Regards John.

Edited April 26, 2015 by john watson

[daiB]

Well all I can say is this seems to have been a bit of a let down as the 5/6 reports I have just read of this cruise do not mention anything ..blown up. Very disappointing.

 

Perhaps the problem was not as ..large..as first intimated.

 

:) :) :)

[Midsomer Madness]

Perhaps it depends if you were in a cabin near to them Dai!

[Mynki]

I'm really pleased I read this thread. We were considering P&O, my mind is now very much made up.

[wilson2579]

We were in the same corridor as hens on Oriana last year and I thought Oh no, as we were the 2nd cabin and everyone else had to pass it but we didn't hear a thing after we went to bed and I don't believe they were in bed before us;)

[SeaSickGill]

Heyho it must be me being fussy, maybe that's how we expect everyone to behave now and that's the type of crowd P&O want to attract. To me I'd saved hard for a decent cabin, plus a single cabin and was expecting it to be a pleasant 3 night break. I just won't do it again. I might try Blackpool

[wilson2579]

Heyho it must be me being fussy, maybe that's how we expect everyone to behave now and that's the type of crowd P&O want to attract. To me I'd saved hard for a decent cabin, plus a single cabin and was expecting it to be a pleasant 3 night break. I just won't do it again. I might try Blackpool

 

Maybe you were just unlucky if you kept seeing them and maybe they were a more rowdy than the ones we have come across.

[jugula]

I judged because the that's exactly how they behaved..shouting and swearing, hardly dressed and with an assortment of things from Ann Summers..so drunk they couldn't stand up, falling over in Harlequins, barging into people...as I said common and chavvy!

 

I'm surprised you are familiar with Ann Summers.

[daiB]

Perhaps it depends if you were in a cabin near to them Dai!

 

 

Amanda did you read my post carefully. Perhaps it needs more smilies.

 

 

To be serious.

 

The other reports I have read have not mentioned this and everyone has had a great time. I do think there should be a bit of balance.

[Scriv]

On my 2 nighter on Aurora last November there was a Hen group. On Formal Night they were based in their own room off the Crow's Nest and they seemed a really fun bunch. Yes there was hilarity but no one seemed at all upset by them. They did not impinge on anyone else's enjoyment and in fact made a lot of people smile.

 

I thought having their own room was a brilliant idea for everyone concerned.

Edited April 27, 2015 by Scriv

[the english lady]

On my 2 nighter on Aurora last November there was a Hen group. On Formal Night they were based in their own room off the Crow's Nest and they seemed a really fun bunch. Yes there was hilarity but no one seemed at all upset by them. They did not impinge on anyone else's enjoyment and in fact made a lot of people smile.

 

I thought having their own room was a brilliant idea for everyone concerned.

 

Which is what it should be like.

No one wants to say you must have no fun at all, but the brand P and O are trying to sell is upmarket , smart , sophisticated , for the grown ups and fun for the kids.

I do think ones view of this sort of behaviour would be coloured as to whether your cabin was near theirs or not. I doubt very much you would get slamming of doors at 3am and running up and down the corridor anywhere near the suites etc.

I think this thread may put some people off p and o. I would say to them try a 7 day cruise instead. Puts it out of the price bracket of the hens etc and it gives you a much better idea of what cruising is about, ref service etc.

[Midsomer Madness]

I'm surprised you are familiar with Ann Summers.

 

Full of surprises me :D:p;)

[Blue Elephant]

What's wrong with that? I take mine everywhere :-)

 

Is that your hen you are speaking of? I guess some people just have to have free range eggs whereever they go!

Edited April 27, 2015 by Blue Elephant
fix typos

[AchileLauro]

You're lucky, on our 10 April Ventura 2 night trip, there were 25 hen nights and 1 stag night on board. :eek:

 

I think you have got away lightly.

 

Lucky Stags. :)

 

As for blow up willies - aren't they all? :o

 

Seriously though while I personally would have liked the idea of my stag party being on a cruise ship I would hope that my behaviour and that of my friends would not be such so as cause annoyance and embarrassment to others outside our group. I am afraid its probably a reflection of what has become "normal" in many towns and cities these days.

I don't think P&O should totally ban stag and hen parties but perhaps they should lay down the law a bit and insist on a hefty good behaviour bond for large single party groups on these short cruises.

Edited April 27, 2015 by AchileLauro

[kruzseeka]

Lucky Stags. :)

 

As for blow up willies - aren't they all? :o

 

Seriously though while I personally would have liked the idea of my stag party being on a cruise ship I would hope that my behaviour and that of my friends would not be such so as cause annoyance and embarrassment to others outside our group. I am afraid its probably a reflection of what has become "normal" in many towns and cities these days.

I don't think P&O should totally ban stag and hen parties but perhaps they should lay down the law a bit and insist on a hefty good behaviour bond for large single party groups on these short cruises.

 

And that's the important issue imo.

We did a 4-day mid-week trip last year and there were a few hen parties on board. They weren't a really a problem except they were very noisy - you certainly knew when they were in the vicinity. They certainly changed the atmosphere in the Crow's Nest when they arrived - at what point does that affect others' enjoyment of the space, for example to have a conversation with friends, or appreciate the resident band?

And to what extent can that be managed/curbed? As I think that is very difficult and the will may not be there to do so, I would definitely avoid weekend mini cruises and would probably not do such a short cruise again.

[P&O Lynn Knickers]

I'm really pleased I read this thread. We were considering P&O, my mind is now very much made up.

 

 

I hope you have a great time then.

 

 

 

.

Edited April 27, 2015 by P&O Lynn Knickers
Lynn is great fun

[bluemug]

Sounds like harmless fun. Better than being on a floating nursing home full of coffin dodgers who queue jump and rush into lifts before those inside can get out!

 

Getting old is a privilege which only a few of us are granted

[wilson2579]

And that's the important issue imo.

We did a 4-day mid-week trip last year and there were a few hen parties on board. They weren't a really a problem except they were very noisy - you certainly knew when they were in the vicinity. They certainly changed the atmosphere in the Crow's Nest when they arrived - at what point does that affect others' enjoyment of the space, for example to have a conversation with friends, or appreciate the resident band?

And to what extent can that be managed/curbed? As I think that is very difficult and the will may not be there to do so, I would definitely avoid weekend mini cruises and would probably not do such a short cruise again.

 

The Crow's nest is probably somewhere I wouldn't want to see or hear them but apart from there I wouldn't mind.