Many families on 17 day cruise

[Presto2]

Hi

 

Us again thinking about next year :-)

 

Despite being not 100% convinced yet we are still drawn back to that 17 night cruise on Ventura next August. The price is good and an amazing balcony cabin available too!

Just wondering if anyone knows if many families tend to book those 17 day cruises in the Summer school holidays. The TA says not, but we just wanted to check what you all thought.

Many thanks for all of your help as ever.

 

:)

[wilson2579]

Just asked my friend who was on the Ventura 17 night cruise last summer holidays with her 2 teenage boys. She said there were lots of children and families on board.

[P&O SUE]

Still deciding Presto?! You are as bad as me!

 

I can't answer I'm afraid but if you have a balcony you can get peace and quiet on there I'm thinking aware from the hordes! Depends if you like to be near the pools I guess.

[Presto2]

Still deciding Presto?! You are as bad as me!

 

I can't answer I'm afraid but if you have a balcony you can get peace and quiet on there I'm thinking aware from the hordes! Depends if you like to be near the pools I guess.

 

On sea days we normally escape to our balcony but don't want to be stuck in a cool shaded balcony for 10 days of the cruise. Have researched a cabin that seems to have a balcony that will give us a mix of sun and shade but some days it would be nice to go up on deck. (Not near the pool though!) We could use the Retreat area but apparently that is all in the shade :-(

[Alan Flett]

I'm going on Ventura in July on a 17 night cruise and I have 2 young children. My sister is also on the cruise and has 2 young children as well. I would imagine there will be a lot of families on.

[P&O SUE]

On sea days we normally escape to our balcony but don't want to be stuck in a cool shaded balcony for 10 days of the cruise. Have researched a cabin that seems to have a balcony that will give us a mix of sun and shade but some days it would be nice to go up on deck. (Not near the pool though!) We could use the Retreat area but apparently that is all in the shade :-(

 

Is the Retreat all in the shade? I thought some beds were in the sun?

On Azura last June I was surprised how many children there were on board as it wasn't school holidays but only saw them near the pools. On the higher decks it was pretty easy to find a space.

[tartanexile81]

As i worked in education I did numerous cruises during the school holidays at different times of year. Much as I enjoyed working with children I wanted to get away from it all on a cruise and to be fair I thought the kids clubs on P&O were exceptionally well run so we didn't find the number of families on board a problem

[Thejuggler]

Is the Retreat all in the shade? I thought some beds were in the sun?

On Azura last June I was surprised how many children there were on board as it wasn't school holidays but only saw them near the pools. On the higher decks it was pretty easy to find a space.

 

June is very much school holiday time.

 

Many exams are over, some schools have two weeks at Spring Bank and Scottish schools finish in mid June for the summer break returning in early August.

[Mysticalmother]

We could use the Retreat area but apparently that is all in the shade :-(

 

I cant speak for Ventura, but on Azura it is most definately not all in the shade. What was nice was the ability to have a sunbed in the sun, then go and sit in the shade for a while and then come back to your sunbed in the sun. They only sell passes for the number of sunbeds......( or at least thats what happened on Azura last May).

[P&O SUE]

June is very much school holiday time.

 

Many exams are over, some schools have two weeks at Spring Bank and Scottish schools finish in mid June for the summer break returning in early August.

 

Point taken about Scottish school holidays but this was early June and in my area (SE England) we never have 2 weeks at Spring half term - just the last week of May. Anyway the children weren't a problem didn't see them much. I was just surprised given all the recent publicity about fines for taking children out of school.

[tartanexile81]

June is very much school holiday time.

 

Many exams are over, some schools have two weeks at Spring Bank and Scottish schools finish in mid June for the summer break returning in early August.

 

Scottish schools finish late June / beginning of July and re-start mid-August.

 

There are lots of quieter areas to sun-bathe on Azura, especially on higher decks which are away from the pools / families

[Presto2]

Scottish schools finish late June / beginning of July and re-start mid-August.

 

There are lots of quieter areas to sun-bathe on Azura, especially on higher decks which are away from the pools / families

 

Do you think they will be drawn by a 17 cruise or not? Our TA told us that most families find this too long and don't

[wilson2579]

Last week the 17 night Ventura cruise in July was selling for the same price as the Azura 14 night at the same time. I know which one I would choose.:eek:

[Presto2]

Last week the 17 night Ventura cruise in July was selling for the same price as the Azura 14 night at the same time. I know which one I would choose.:eek:

 

Does that mean that families do or do not go for a 17 day cruise whether they are in official school holidays or not> I take it that this is for 2016?

[tartanexile81]

Do you think they will be drawn by a 17 cruise or not? Our TA told us that most families find this too long and don't

 

Well we did all lengths of cruises because I always had to do school holidays. We've done 7, 10, 17, 20 and now 24, 28 and 35 days on P&O and certainly there were more children on the shorter ones but didn't notice much of a difference on the 17 dayer. We really like Azura and we think the ship itself is well geared up to adults only as well as families and if I were in your position i would 100% choose Azura. There are venues in the evening where you see no children - Blue Bar, Glass House, Malabar, Manhattan.. Like I said we were also happy that we were able to find quiet spots on deck

[tillybilly321]

Does that mean that families do or do not go for a 17 day cruise whether they are in official school holidays or not> I take it that this is for 2016?

 

 

In answer to your question, yes families will do 17 night cruises. We certainly have. As someone else has mentioned, there is sometimes very little difference in price from a 14 night. There is also the fact that all cruises to the Greek islands which are non flying are 17 nights, so if that's a destination you want to go then 17 nights it is !

 

Any family ship is going to have a great number of children aboard during the holidays as the majority of parents are abiding by the new rules regarding time off during term time.

[Presto2]

In answer to your question, yes families will do 17 night cruises. We certainly have. As someone else has mentioned, there is sometimes very little difference in price from a 14 night. There is also the fact that all cruises to the Greek islands which are non flying are 17 nights, so if that's a destination you want to go then 17 nights it is !

 

Any family ship is going to have a great number of children aboard during the holidays as the majority of parents are abiding by the new rules regarding time off during term time.

 

Thanks for that - am not anti children :) and have done all other cruises on family ships in August so know what to expect. I was just curious after the TA said that families don't tend to book the longer cruises and thought that it may mean that there is more chance to find a space on deck on those sea days :-)

 

Still undecided today about which one to go for next year - have never been so uncertain about which one to go for !!!! Southampton, fly / cruise or now we have confused matters even more by seeing a great cruise on Celebrity will all of the places we want to see covered. That's put a spanner in the works :D:D:D

[P&O SUE]

Presto - I feel your pain! I really can't decide and have been looking at Princess and RCI too just for a change, My problem is I can't agree my holiday with work until October so really can't decide what 2 weeks to put in for!

Have seen a good P&O one in May and I reckon I would be safe to book it as I shouldn't have difficulty in getting those weeks off - but on the other hand I'd almost decided to go non -P&O next year but the cruise I had my eye on has just gone up in the last few days! :eek:

[Presto2]

Presto - I feel your pain! I really can't decide and have been looking at Princess and RCI too just for a change, My problem is I can't agree my holiday with work until October so really can't decide what 2 weeks to put in for!

Have seen a good P&O one in May and I reckon I would be safe to book it as I shouldn't have difficulty in getting those weeks off - but on the other hand I'd almost decided to go non -P&O next year but the cruise I had my eye on has just gone up in the last few days! :eek:

 

Very close to a decision ... we may be having a change in 2017 ..... 11 nights on the Reflection and organising flights and hotel in Rome ourselves for 3 nights. Coming out about the same as oceana or ventura if we take into account free drinks and obc etc etc etc. This isn't a criticism of P&O just thought it would be a change and the itinerary does all of the places we want to revisit in one cruise: Rhodes, Santorini, Sicily and Corinth. Whatever paid for lovely Oceana yesterday for this August :-)))

[P&O SUE]

Very close to a decision ... we may be having a change in 2017 ..... 11 nights on the Reflection and organising flights and hotel in Rome ourselves for 3 nights. Coming out about the same as oceana or ventura if we take into account free drinks and obc etc etc etc. This isn't a criticism of P&O just thought it would be a change and the itinerary does all of the places we want to revisit in one cruise: Rhodes, Santorini, Sicily and Corinth. Whatever paid for lovely Oceana yesterday for this August :-)))

 

Ooh exciting! :D

[Presto2]

Ooh exciting! :D

 

That's why we are booking it - because we are feeling excited about it!

 

As I said, this is not a criticism of P&O (or us defecting) but I think a change will be good for a year and then P&O the year after. Just researching this one has led us to a fab cabin on Ventura so that is something we will definitely look out for in the future.

 

Thanks everyone for your help

[tartanexile81]

That's why we are booking it - because we are feeling excited about it!

 

As I said, this is not a criticism of P&O (or us defecting) but I think a change will be good for a year and then P&O the year after. Just researching this one has led us to a fab cabin on Ventura so that is something we will definitely look out for in the future.

 

Thanks everyone for your help

 

We do different lines as well but tend to come back to P&O although our recent cruise on Oceana did, sadly, leave us with some doubts. I'm sure you'll love Reflection We've been on Equinox, her sister ship, and the ships are beautiful and there is lots to recommend Celebrity. They don't offer enough cruises from Southampton unfortunately and I don't fly and also the ships tend to be quieter in the evenings and we do enjoy our socialising on P&O. Having said that, we'd be more than happy to cruise with them again

[Presto2]

We do different lines as well but tend to come back to P&O although our recent cruise on Oceana did, sadly, leave us with some doubts. I'm sure you'll love Reflection We've been on Equinox, her sister ship, and the ships are beautiful and there is lots to recommend Celebrity. They don't offer enough cruises from Southampton unfortunately and I don't fly and also the ships tend to be quieter in the evenings and we do enjoy our socialising on P&O. Having said that, we'd be more than happy to cruise with them again

 

Hi, have done the Silhouette 3 times in the past but have been with P&O more recently. I know that Celebrity has changed quite a bit since we were last on the ship so it will be interesting to see what it is like. Whatever, we will continue to look at P&O as well. Can't believe we are booking another cruise than we had planned. Had been so excited about Oceana going to the Eastern Med more but am worried that being on her 4 times in a row may make it seem a bit 'samey' and the Reflection itinerary is just what we wanted.

Will probably do Oceana the year after ... nothing like planning ahead :D:D

[Ardennais]

We were on a 17 night cruise in the school holiday last summer. There were lots of families with children on it apart from our own.

[GLYNAGP]

Well we have Booked a 7 night cruise on Ventura in August because we are taking our 8 year old Grandchild on holiday and we looked at a week at Butlins half board with him and for not much more money we've got a week on Ventura full board. So with that in mind I think we can expect plenty of children