Britannia negativity

[BarnhamDave]

Would just like to say that we have disembarked Brtitannia today from our repositional cruise (Barbados to Southampton). We have had a fantastic time! Friendly staff, great entertainment, good food, loads to do.... so please do not always believe the negative comments you may read about this ship.

Would add that we are not "1st timers" and have cruised many times with different cruise lines.

[daiB]

Would just like to say that we have disembarked Brtitannia today from our repositional cruise (Barbados to Southampton). We have had a fantastic time! Friendly staff, great entertainment, good food, loads to do.... so please do not always believe the negative comments you may read about this ship.

 

Would add that we are not "1st timers" and have cruised many times with different cruise lines.

 

 

Dave I bet you will not get as many comments as those who complain. :) .

 

You must meet all the friendly staff I meet. They save the grumpy ones for other people.

 

 

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[Johngela13]

I think it's human nature to be quick to complain but slow to compliment. It's the same in the workplace; if I criticise it might be considered constructive or negative / positive, if I compliment I am a kiss a**

 

Sad but true :(

[Keith1010]

Glad you had a wonderful time.

 

Keith

[Whitechapel girl]

So glad to hear that as we are really looking forward to our cruise in June, our first time with P&O.

[vicky2015]

I a, going on Britannia again next month and when we went last year found a lot of negativity to some people always like complaining glad you enjoyed your cruise

[balf]

Could it be that p&o have finally listened to all the negative comments posted elsewhere a and realised that they have cut back just too far.

 

Let's hope the trend continues.

 

David.

[HomelessBear]

We were on Britannia over xmas/new year and had a wonderful time. I loved the ship and although she had some "faults," there were lots more positives than negatives for me. I would go back on her in a heartbeat and hope I do again in the not too distant future.

 

My brother is going on Britannia this weekend, and I wish I was going too!

[Presto2]

Glad you had a great time. Have to admit she wasn't perfect but who and what is ??!!! A lovely ship and crew though and we too would go back in a heart beat.

:):)

[Florry]

Loved Britannia!

[Poppins74]

So glad to hear this, I'm on Britannia later in the year and I read the negative comments with a pinch of salt now. It will be my first cruise and I am SO excited, so will be making my own mind up. I don't mind having to walk for the stairs to each end of the ship because the lifts are full and there's no stairs mid ship, I'm sure I will need the exercise. Please more positive comments to get me even more excited!!!!:)

[Presto2]

So glad to hear this, I'm on Britannia later in the year and I read the negative comments with a pinch of salt now. It will be my first cruise and I am SO excited, so will be making my own mind up. I don't mind having to walk for the stairs to each end of the ship because the lifts are full and there's no stairs mid ship, I'm sure I will need the exercise. Please more positive comments to get me even more excited!!!!:)

 

I've written a very detailed review - about August last year to the Canary Islands under Presto2. Look it out. :)

 

Go and enjoy your cruise - it won't be your last !!!

[Florry]

So glad to hear this, I'm on Britannia later in the year and I read the negative comments with a pinch of salt now. It will be my first cruise and I am SO excited, so will be making my own mind up. I don't mind having to walk for the stairs to each end of the ship because the lifts are full and there's no stairs mid ship, I'm sure I will need the exercise. Please more positive comments to get me even more excited!!!!:)

 

 

The buffet was great, the head waiter made a special effort to get me egg free desserts from the galley every time he saw me (3 at a time whether I wanted one or not lol) this is the first person in the buffet on any ship that did this, so I wrote to the Captain to say how much I'd appreciated it. Being new everything was modern and gleaming [emoji94] We loved the Limelight Club and all of the speciality restaurants, it felt as if there were lots more choices. We also really like the TV as it has lots of extra viewing. The shows were enhanced by special effects so it all had a more modern and innovative feel. We were unaffected by the stairs as we had a forward cabin, and the biggest problem with the lifts was the behaviour of passengers. LOVED the water beds in the thermal suite. The retreat looked fab if you can afford it and the weather is right. Hubby loved Brodies as he likes real ales and enjoyed the beer flights. The small balconies and bathroom were adequate but tight, so I'd forget any ideas of showering together [emoji6]

[Poppins74]

Thanks Presto2 and Florry for the responses, I'm like a sponge soaking up as much info as I can!!! I've read quite a few reviews and got bits of advice about how things work so I feel as though I'm just about prepared, if I ever will be!. Like I said, I'm going with an open mind. My main concern is will there be enough to keep a 15 year old entertained whilst on the ship?!?

Other than that I am sure we will have a brilliant time, I am already planning where I want to go next! :)

[Presto2]

Thanks Presto2 and Florry for the responses, I'm like a sponge soaking up as much info as I can!!! I've read quite a few reviews and got bits of advice about how things work so I feel as though I'm just about prepared, if I ever will be!. Like I said, I'm going with an open mind. My main concern is will there be enough to keep a 15 year old entertained whilst on the ship?!?

Other than that I am sure we will have a brilliant time, I am already planning where I want to go next! :)

 

Me too - chilling out researching for 2017. All part of the experience.

Any questions please ask. :)

[P&O SUE]

Thanks Presto2 and Florry for the responses, I'm like a sponge soaking up as much info as I can!!! I've read quite a few reviews and got bits of advice about how things work so I feel as though I'm just about prepared, if I ever will be!. Like I said, I'm going with an open mind. My main concern is will there be enough to keep a 15 year old entertained whilst on the ship?!?

Other than that I am sure we will have a brilliant time, I am already planning where I want to go next! :)

 

We only started cruising after our son stopped coming on holiday with us but everyone I speak to says their children have a great time on the ship so hopefully your 15 old will too!

[DolphinWatcher]

Thanks Presto2 and Florry for the responses, I'm like a sponge soaking up as much info as I can!!! I've read quite a few reviews and got bits of advice about how things work so I feel as though I'm just about prepared, if I ever will be!. Like I said, I'm going with an open mind. My main concern is will there be enough to keep a 15 year old entertained whilst on the ship?!?

Other than that I am sure we will have a brilliant time, I am already planning where I want to go next! :)

 

Don't worry. You will barely see the 15 year old as the kids clubs are great. I threatened mine with a land holiday next year and nearly got thrown overboard!

Britannia is a lovely ship, would go on her again tomorrow if I could. Have a lovely cruise.

[Solent Richard]

Would just like to say that we have disembarked Brtitannia today from our repositional cruise (Barbados to Southampton). We have had a fantastic time! Friendly staff, great entertainment, good food, loads to do.... so please do not always believe the negative comments you may read about this ship.

Would add that we are not "1st timers" and have cruised many times with different cruise lines.

 

Dave I bet you will not get as many comments as those who complain. :) .

 

You must meet all the friendly staff I meet. They save the grumpy ones for other people.

 

 

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Glad you had a great time Dave, sounds very similar to my experience.

 

Are we easy to please?...Or maybe just go with the intention of enjoying ourselves.

 

And yes, DaiB, it's a funny old world when it centres on the difference between positive and negative comments.

Edited March 26, 2016 by Solent Richard

[daiB]

Glad you had a great time Dave, sounds very similar to my experience.

 

Are we easy to please?...Or maybe just go with the intention of enjoying ourselves.

 

And yes, DaiB, it's a funny old world when it centres on the difference between positive and negative comments.

 

 

Now are you positive about that. :)

 

 

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[Florry]

Thanks Presto2 and Florry for the responses, I'm like a sponge soaking up as much info as I can!!! I've read quite a few reviews and got bits of advice about how things work so I feel as though I'm just about prepared, if I ever will be!. Like I said, I'm going with an open mind. My main concern is will there be enough to keep a 15 year old entertained whilst on the ship?!?

 

Other than that I am sure we will have a brilliant time, I am already planning where I want to go next! :)

 

 

Did you know the 'teens' have their own deck area, from memory it's quite private with jacuzzis. I don't have kids but at that age on a ship parents would be the last thing on my mind [emoji23]

[Poppins74]

Did you know the 'teens' have their own deck area, from memory it's quite private with jacuzzis. I don't have kids but at that age on a ship parents would be the last thing on my mind [emoji23]

 

There doesn't seem to be much info about what goes on in the teen deck (maybe the teens want to keep it that way) but it would help to know so I can put my son's mind at ease that there will be things for him to do. He's generally a good mixer and easy going so I'm sure he will be okay.

[jetset763]

Did you know the 'teens' have their own deck area, from memory it's quite private with jacuzzis. I don't have kids but at that age on a ship parents would be the last thing on my mind [emoji23]

 

There is a small square pool at the aft of the ship for teens - no Jacuzzis. On our last cruise (last week) the whole area (and sunset bar) was covered in soot and smoke from the engines. The area is only for teens in the school holidays, it was open to everyone on our cruise. The smoking area has also been placed directly below the teen area too in Sunset Bar (and it stinks!!) - not sure what P&O were thinking.

Edited March 27, 2016 by jetset763

[mcloaked]

So glad to hear this, I'm on Britannia later in the year and I read the negative comments with a pinch of salt now. It will be my first cruise and I am SO excited, so will be making my own mind up. I don't mind having to walk for the stairs to each end of the ship because the lifts are full and there's no stairs mid ship, I'm sure I will need the exercise. Please more positive comments to get me even more excited!!!!:)

 

Actually there are some stairs midship - it's just that they are mainly on the levels that access the atrium area. However I understand that the level of whingeing about the midships staircase issue has led P&O to plan for adding other levels to the public midship staircases on its next refit in a few years time. Of course that will reduce the ship's company access to their own central stairs once that is done!

 

The ship is lovely and most people we talked to on the recent repositioning cruise back to Southampton were very happy with the ship, food and entertainment. We did sit on one table at dinner with one woman who spent the entire meal bemoaning everything about Britannia and comparing it to the other ships she had been on over the past 25 years - some people seem to spend their lives grumbling so they never seem to enjoy anything!

 

The Crystal Room was heavily oversubscribed for ballroom dancing both in the evenings and during dance classes in the daytime and if anything the central atrium would actually work much better as a central dance entertainment centre and with ballroom dancing in there if the central area was converted to a dance floor would bring a lot more custom to the bars and eateries around the edge of the atrium. Each evening the bar in the Crystal Room was doing a non-stop trade in drinks all evening and the dancing was pretty much continous till we left late each night!

 

There are many positives about the ship - you can choose between the central pool on deck if you like music and quizzes but you can also get to the quieter pools if you want peace and serenity! You can choose from the standard sit down meals with waiter service or the buffet or pay a bit more for the speciality restaurants. The theatre is very popular so don't leave it too late getting in for a seat - overall it's a lovely ship and in rougher seas it still only moves around much less than smaller ships - so not a problem unless you happen to be stepping the dance floor just as the ship changes its level a bit!

 

Concerning the stairs - it only takes a minute or two to walk the entire length of the ship to get to another staircase - so unless you have a major mobility problem it's easy to get to a staircase wherever you are on board!

 

Enjoy it

Edited March 28, 2016 by mcloaked

[jetset763]

The quicker people understand that each liner is different and some people like others more will make life so much easier. Some people love Britannia and some people hate it. It's up to the individual to see if they like it or not. We didn't enjoy her time on her but that certainly doesn't mean others didn't love it. I'm sure some people have hated some ships we have loved! It's just all down to individual taste. There is nothing at all wrong with moaning about things, when you pay so much money for something you have certain expectations.

 

 

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Edited March 28, 2016 by jetset763

[davecttr]

I read elsewhere that someone had an illicit peek at the central stairs and reported that they are already carpeted :confused:

 

edit - here it is

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/showthread.php?p=49118384

Edited March 28, 2016 by davecttr