What is P&O like for 2 young children

[Coopergaz]

Good evening all

 

I have just joined the forum as I am looking for as much information as possible before booking a cruise for 2016. Just now we have it down to Brittania on the med or RCI for a trip to the Baltics.

 

P&O is in the front just now however I have a few questions if anybody can help re the cruise and the facilities:

 

We will be looking at the inside room, will it be very cramped with 2 adults and 2 kids 2 & 6?

If it is cramped what would be the most suitable room to upgrade to?

The kids clubs look brilliant, do you pay for the kids to go into them daily?

P&O look more geared for younger children and RCI for teens, would ha be a fair assumption?

Has anybody booked from Scotland and got the bus down, again how was it with kids and how long did it take?

 

Thanks for all the help in advance and any other tips are welcome!

[john watson]

There are a very wide selection of cabins on Britannia. If you are looking at "inside" cabins clearly you need one which is a four berth. However they do an inside which is called "larger Inside with shower" so that is an obvious move up. If budget is an issue; i.e. we do not want to go for a suite! then smaller upgrades would be to look at "balcony obstructed view with shower and a sofa" apparently these cabins are two foot longer but I do not know if they come as a four berth. Typically if you have four in a cabin the double bed has to be set out as two singles. Young children on upper berths can be a thing to avoid. If you go for a "Superior Deluxe Balcony with Bath/Shower" You can probably all sleep at ground level. This is the set up on Ventura and I think it will be like that on Britannia.

 

Children's Clubs are free of all charges. You register; first day is best, then turn up when you like during opening hours. The splits are 2-4, 5-8, 9-12 who all need signing in/out by parents etc. and 13 - 17 who wander in/out as they wish. There is also a Night Nursery (also free) for 6 mths to 4 years. This operates from 18.00 to 2am, yes 2am! last admission 11pm.

 

The club hours vary a lot and are geared up for port/sea days as are the breakfast restaurants early opening times.

 

Regards John

Edited September 28, 2015 by john watson

[SuzyPaulB]

Hi and welcome!

Have not been on Britannia yet, so can't comment on the particulars of individual cabins. However, have had inside, outside obstructed views, outside, balcony and superior deluxe balcony on some of the rest of the fleet, with 2 adults sharing with 2 children, and can say that the newer ships are less cramped in our experience, whichever grade you choose. For example, there is no difference between an outside obstructed and inside on Ventura and Azura, but an outside on Oriana, when she was a family ship, was a little cramped but still an amazing cruise!

With regards to your age question, my two were certainly very into the clubs when they were younger, as they have got older we have chosen to cruise with Thomson as my children aren't worried about clubs as much and we all want sunshine.

Saying that, I would book another P & O cruise tomorrow if pennies allowed more than one cruise!

We have looked at RCI, but have been put off by additional costs incurred onboard.

Happy browsing,

Suzy

[groovechick]

We will be looking at the inside room, will it be very cramped with 2 adults and 2 kids 2 & 6?

If it is cramped what would be the most suitable room to upgrade to?

Thanks for all the help in advance and any other tips are welcome!

 

We had an inside cabin with 2 teenagers and managed fine. You can request extra guard rails to be put on the pullman berths if there are young children using them. They do have some rails, but a contributor on here said his young child managed to wriggle down the bed and out of the end where there wasn't a rail.

 

I have seen a review on here where a family had an obstructed view balcony cabin on Britannia, with the sofa bed, and they said that when this was in use it was impossible to move round the cabin. Might be worth looking for that review and factoring it in to your planning.

 

Good luck!

[BrianI]

You are correct in assuming that P&O are better for younger children and RCI, with rock climbing walls and skating rink etc, are better for older children.

P&O do a childrens tea at 5pm and they can return to the childrens club after. If you take this option, then it leaves you free for the evening. Alternatively, your children can dine with you in the main restaurant or self service if you wish.

 

You should register your children in the clubs when you get on board. You will be given a programme of activities. Your children can go in and out of the clubs whenever they want. The younger ones have to be signed in and out by a parent. There is no extra charge for the childrens club.

 

Further information can be found here.

http://www.pocruises.com/taking-the-kids/

 

Brian

[the english lady]

Just to add if you do go upwards any cabin with a settee that converts to a sofa would probably be best. Everyone is then at ground level.

Would you be moving around your cabin much when the sofa bed is made up, probably no more so than if you had 2 upper and 2 lower berths.

Having done a Baltics cruise and a Med one...Baltics is more city ports of call, and probably not a lot of interest to young children. Med well that is where families tend to head, so to my mind a better bet.

P and O do seem to have it in spades for young children, everyone always says how much they young children loved the clubs.

If it were me I would go for pando.