Today's the day, there's a first time for everything, for a P&O newbie

[peteukmcr]

Planet Bar

 

But although I have been served this

 

 

I've been asked to leave because I'm wearing shorts and it's after 6pm. It would have been less embarrassing if I'd been told before my order was taken or served. I did offer to leave but was told I could stay and finish my drink.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 28, 2016 by peteukmcr

[the english lady]

Planet Bar

 

But although I have been served this

 

 

I've been asked to leave because I'm wearing shorts and it's after 6pm. It would have been less embarrassing if I'd been told before my order was taken or served. I did offer to leave but was told I could stay and finish my drink.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pete you could have taken your drink with you. We have taken drinks from bars back to the cabin in the past.

[peteukmcr]

Pete you could have taken your drink with you. We have taken drinks from bars back to the cabin in the past.

 

 

 

I was quite prepared to, no fuss from me, but they don't want me taking this special Bombay Sapphire glass away from the bar (I do have one at home already so wasn't going to steal it)! Non issue as far as I'm concerned.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[peteukmcr]

OK so here's a big admission. Despite what I consider a shambolic check in and muster process, it must be because I'm happiest on a cruise ship that I'm already looking at the Caribbean transatlantic from Barbados in March 2018 on Azura taking into consideration the deposit is only £50 pp!

 

Although I do think getting around the ship needs a little work, it doesn't 'flow' too well IMHO

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 28, 2016 by peteukmcr

[Florry]

Have a good time [emoji1360]

[bee-ess]

OK so here's a big admission. Despite what I consider a shambolic check in and muster process, it must be because I'm happiest on a cruise ship that I'm already looking at the Caribbean transatlantic from Barbados in March 2018 on Azura taking into consideration the deposit is only £50 pp!

 

Although I do think getting around the ship needs a little work, it doesn't 'flow' too well IMHO

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I'm the same as you - I spent months moaning about the new embarkation system, which was not good, not on until 4, had a rush to muster, late unpacking etc. But, from the next days onwards everything was fine and we booked another cruise while on board. Taught me a lesson, just to enjoy it !!

 

Have a great cruise.

Edited May 28, 2016 by bee-ess

[spf]

Thanks for all the posts loving reading them. We get on Monday for six days so all the info gratefully received. Who is Captain out of curiosity . Enjoy yourself.

[P&O SUE]

I'm enjoying all the posts too, especially after Pete's earlier moans about P&O! I wouldn't be keen on a 2 nighter as I've always understood them to be more "booze cruise". I have been on a 4 nighter and that was fine.

 

Glass house is our favourite place on Azura :)

[Scriv]

Our embarkation last week was excellent - we arrived at 2 50 for a 3 pm boarding and were on board at 3 02. Great :)

 

Not so good for those arriving later though as a suspicious unidentified item caused a full scale alert invloving police and sniffer dogs and evacuation of the building. Needs must though and not the fault of the emarkation system.

 

Captain was Robert Canby who was very personable and a good presence on the ship.

 

I am looking forward to being back on Azura in a few weeks time. This is the life lol

Edited May 28, 2016 by Scriv

[Mysticalmother]

Pete - what time did you actually get on board, cant see anywhere that you have told us that.

 

Next door cabin's behaviour totally unacceptable....glad to hear you have reported it.

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise...and as others have said, hang out in the Glass House, best bar on the ship - unless you are a beer drinker!

[Mr Piano]

Well done Pete for reporting smokers, I would do my nut if I could smell smoke on my balcony. Have a good time and make sure you get the ship back in one piece, we are boarding her next Sunday, getting excited now :D

[shallwe]

I'm glad you have posted Pete. You have confirmed what I have heard about short cruises.

I'll stick to 14 day(ish) cruises.

As for smoking on the balcony and loud music? No way should that be tolerated. The cruise I'd for everyone's enjoyment, not just the few.

Glad to hear you've got Captain Camby. A thoroughly nice person and very approachable.

[peteukmcr]

Well hi folks. I apologise now but although I have a Internet connection now we're close to Dover I'm not going to waste my last night reporting the diabolical dinner experiences over the past 2 nights, nor the rude staff, nor the rip offs in the bar. I'll report that when I'm back on dry land.

 

We got on board at around 2:45 pm but due to shambles at check in, departed 1 hour late. As we did from Zeebrugge.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[peteukmcr]

I'm enjoying all the posts too, especially after Pete's earlier moans about P&O! I wouldn't be keen on a 2 nighter as I've always understood them to be more "booze cruise". I have been on a 4 nighter and that was fine.

 

Glass house is our favourite place on Azura :)

 

 

 

But that's the problem, I knew it'd be a booze cruise and that doesn't bother me, what bothered me more was the way many P&O loyalists on here lambasted and insulted me because I dared call it, exactly what it has proved to be, a booze cruise.

 

Btw the Glass House looks tatty and worn, sorry but that's my experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 29, 2016 by peteukmcr

[peteukmcr]

 

Btw I did dress for black tie

Edited May 29, 2016 by peteukmcr

[Presto2]

Well hi folks. I apologise now but although I have a Internet connection now we're close to Dover I'm not going to waste my last night reporting the diabolical dinner experiences over the past 2 nights, nor the rude staff, nor the rip offs in the bar. I'll report that when I'm back on dry land.

 

We got on board at around 2:45 pm but due to shambles at check in, departed 1 hour late. As we did from Zeebrugge.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Oh dear - sounds like you've had a great time ... not :(

[daiB]

But that's the problem, I knew it'd be a booze cruise and that doesn't bother me, what bothered me more was the way many P&O loyalists on here lambasted and insulted me because I dared call it, exactly what it has proved to be, a booze cruise.

 

Btw the Glass House looks tatty and worn, sorry but that's my experience.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

Well that would not have been me as I know that a 2/3 night cruise over the weekend will be full of stag/hen parties. Well perhaps not exactly full but there will be a few. Well there could be a lot.

 

Not for me on account it's too far to travel for shuck a short cruise. Now if I lived in Southampton.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[the english lady]

 

Btw I did dress for black tie

 

I say Pete you do look very dashing!

[P&O SUE]

Sorry to hear you are having problems Pete. I can honestly say I have never met any rude staff on Azura and the Glasshouse was certainly not tatty back in June :confused:

[Scriv]

It wasn't tatty last week either...... nor did we encounter any rude staff anywhere.

[peteukmcr]

Sorry to hear you are having problems Pete. I can honestly say I have never met any rude staff on Azura and the Glasshouse was certainly not tatty back in June :confused:

 

 

 

No major problems but my view is that some staff (Meridian door host and 1 member of staff on reception were rude and very dismissive).

 

Apologies, the Glass House isn't tatty, got confused, but the chairs in the Planet Bar definitely are.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[peteukmcr]

It wasn't tatty last week either...... nor did we encounter any rude staff anywhere.

 

 

 

Well unfortunately I did. One really needs not to be in a public facing role IMHO.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Scriv]

I'm glad you didn't find the Glass House tatty 'co I was in it for disembarkation on Saturday morning, so would have seriously worried about what the cleaners had done to it in a short space of time, lol.

 

I had no experience of the Meridian Restaurant as I never went there - not sure I even walked past it, actually. I must have a look on the Deckplans to see where it was - [I]and I never had cause to speak with Reception either, so can't compare notes on that one at all.

 

Did you get to Bruges?

Edited May 30, 2016 by Scriv

[peteukmcr]

I'm glad you didn't find the Glass House tatty 'co I was in it for disembarkation on Saturday morning, so would have seriously worried about what the cleaners had done to it in a short space of time, lol.

 

I had no experience of the Meridian Restaurant as I never went there - not sure I even walked past it, actually. I must have a look on the Deckplans to see where it was - [I]and I never had cause to speak with Reception either, so can't compare notes on that one at all.

 

Did you get to Bruges?

 

 

 

Yes we got to Bruges. We got the free shuttle to Blankenburg and then the 9:42 train to Bruges for €5 return.

 

Good morning stroll around and canal trip €8 each) and caught the 13:05 back to Blankenburg.

 

So glad we did as there was an issue on the trains later (rumours ranged from a walk out by train drivers to someone throwing themselves on the tracks causing all trains to be stopped). Whatever the issue people were stranded in Bruges and so some caught taxis back to the ship and P&O sent coaches to Bruges railway station to assist.

 

As a result departure was delayed and by then unfortunately there were heavy rain showers which may have put a dampener on the 'Great British Sail Away'.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Edited May 30, 2016 by peteukmcr

[peteukmcr]

With regard to dining, I'll provide a more detailed review when I get back home. Reviews of food quality are very subjective and what one person thinks is good, another will think is bad. Overall I had no major complaints over the food (except the eggs just laid out in the buffet for breakfast were stone cold) and in general could be considered a little better than I expected from reading reports on here. I thought the Marco Pierre White gala dinner to be very good.

 

The 'grab and go' on the pool deck near the Grill was a great idea and the desserts in there were excellent. It's a good idea wrapping the burgers has this helps keep them from drying out.

 

We didn't have time, nor the inclination on such a short sailing to spend extra on Sindhu, Glass House and the Epicurean to be honest as the cover charge for 4 would amount to nearly 30% of one persons cruise fare!

 

However, we did consider it due to the shambles that was 'Freedom' dining. It was an utter mess and this is where I found one of the door hosts at the Meridian restaurant to be extremely rude. The first evening we went for dinner at 8:30 to be told that there would be at least a 50 - 60 minute wait. I asked why and was told rather abruptly that it was the guests fault for turning up late! I asked what time the buffet closed in case we decided to eat there and was told 9:30 and that they had to keep the Meridian open to make sure every in was served if we decided to wait. When our party hesitated and was in the process of deciding what to do, he asked 'Do you want this or not?' as he thrust a pager at me. Obviously frazzled by the shambles, but he didn't need to take it out on me. 40 minutes later after trying to get into Sindhu (full apparently despite empty tables clearly evident) our pager buzzed and we were seated.

 

Concerned that we wouldn't be able to see the late show, we hoped for a fairly rapid service. The staff were running around like anything and were obviously stressed. So much so, there was no social interaction between us and them as it was all about taking the orders and serving the food.

 

They did a great job despite the circumstances and although what we chose was OK, there was a very limited choice on the menu.

 

Going to board our flight home, so more later.....

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited May 30, 2016 by peteukmcr