New Year Cruise

[AndyMichelle]

Hi all, 

We haven't sailed at New Year before and wonder how it works. 

Our CP says we leave Hamburg in the evening. 

Does this mean we will not see any fireworks as we will be at sea?

Any advice on how the celebrations work will be much appreciated. 

Many thanks, 

Andy

 

[kerryincork]

Hello Andy I am on the same cruise.

 

I have never been on a new years cruise either and am looking forward to hear the replies from your post.

[grapau27]

32 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Hi all, 

We haven't sailed at New Year before and wonder how it works. 

Our CP says we leave Hamburg in the evening. 

Does this mean we will not see any fireworks as we will be at sea?

Any advice on how the celebrations work will be much appreciated. 

Many thanks, 

Andy

 

We have done 2 New year's cruises on Ventura.

The first in 2015 it was too windy to get into Amsterdam so we just sailed around the channel.

The second time in 2016 we got into Amsterdam and stayed overnight.

We stayed on the ship and there was a big new year's party in the Atrium.

We sat in Red Bar for an hour either side of midnight and missed the fireworks.

Priority for tables for 2 in Freedom dining in Cinnamon restaurant was given to select bookings and early bookers so we were lucky.

There was Christmas trees all over the ship and beautiful garlands down the Bannister's in the Atrium.

There was a Piper at midnight.

You will have a fantastic time.

 

[candm220510]

We were on this cruise last year. I think we left Hamburg around 1am NYD. We saw the fireworks over Hamburg and some were let off very close to the ship - not sure if P&O organised these ones??

 

[AndyMichelle]

11 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We have done 2 New year's cruises on Ventura.

The first in 2015 it was too windy to get into Amsterdam so we just sailed around the channel.

The second time in 2016 we got into Amsterdam and stayed overnight.

We stayed on the ship and there was a big new year's party in the Atrium.

We sat in Red Bar for an hour either side of midnight and missed the fireworks.

Priority for tables for 2 in Freedom dining in Cinnamon restaurant was given to select bookings and early bookers so we were lucky.

There was Christmas trees all over the ship and beautiful garlands down the Bannister's in the Atrium.

There was a Piper at midnight.

You will have a fantastic time.

 

Thank you Graham. 

I sort of assumed we would be overnight in port but we sail 'evening'. 

I am sure we will have a great time. 

Dining doesn't bother us as we are very easy about sharing tables etc, but we are planning on trying the select restaurants as much as possible. 

Thanks again, 

Andy

[AndyMichelle]

14 minutes ago, candm220510 said:

We were on this cruise last year. I think we left Hamburg around 1am NYD. We saw the fireworks over Hamburg and some were let off very close to the ship - not sure if P&O organised these ones??

 

Thank you, that is exactly what we are hoping for but were  worried we would sail too early. 

Andy

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Thank you Graham. 

I sort of assumed we would be overnight in port but we sail 'evening'. 

I am sure we will have a great time. 

Dining doesn't bother us as we are very easy about sharing tables etc, but we are planning on trying the select restaurants as much as possible. 

Thanks again, 

Andy

You are welcome Andy.

Pauline couldn't get New Years Eve off work otherwise we would have been joining you.

In 2016 we booked Epicurean for New year's Day night because at first they didn't open bookings for New year's Eve.

A couple of months later they opened bookings for New year's Eve in the speciality restaurants presumably after they filled the other nights and we booked Epicurean for New Year's Eve too.

 

 

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

You are welcome Andy.

Pauline couldn't get New Years Eve off work otherwise we would have been joining you.

In 2016 we booked Epicurean for New year's Day night because at first they didn't open bookings for New year's Eve.

A couple of months later they opened bookings for New year's Eve in the speciality restaurants presumably after they filled the other nights and we booked Epicurean for New Year's Eve too.

 

 

Oh what a shame, it would have been lovely to toast your health with you both at New Year. 

We will have a drink for you in your absence😊

We keep missing out on the select restaurants as end up on good tables with nice people on club dining so have chosen freedom dining this time and will make the most of the speciality restaurants. 

Andy

[grapau27]

34 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Oh what a shame, it would have been lovely to toast your health with you both at New Year. 

We will have a drink for you in your absence😊

We keep missing out on the select restaurants as end up on good tables with nice people on club dining so have chosen freedom dining this time and will make the most of the speciality restaurants. 

Andy

Cheers Andy.

We booked Epicurean on the cruise planner for 2016 because on the ship in 2015 the speciality restaurants were full.

Edited September 18, 2019 by grapau27

[AndyMichelle]

15 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Cheers Andy.

We booked Epicurean on the cruise planner for 2016 because on the ship in 2015 the speciality restaurants were full.

Just been out around West Quay drumming up some funds... 😊😊😊

Andy

[grapau27]

7 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just been out around West Quay drumming up some funds... 😊😊😊

Andy

Like it.

 

[kenhem]

I keep hoping they will reinstate the New Year's cruise to the Canaries,  the one that used to leave Southampton on 28 / 29 December. But it's a few years since P&O did one of these so it looks like that ship has sailed, or not as is the case. Much better to spend New Year's eve somewhere warm so you could be out on deck or on your balcony watching the firework display, and a bonus if that was in Madeira. Plus it meant you can spend Xmas with the family at home.

[AndyMichelle]

32 minutes ago, kenhem said:

I keep hoping they will reinstate the New Year's cruise to the Canaries,  the one that used to leave Southampton on 28 / 29 December. But it's a few years since P&O did one of these so it looks like that ship has sailed, or not as is the case. Much better to spend New Year's eve somewhere warm so you could be out on deck or on your balcony watching the firework display, and a bonus if that was in Madeira. Plus it meant you can spend Xmas with the family at home.

We always make a fuss about Christmas but do very little New Year, so this year we decided to have a crack at a cruise. 

Not sure I would choose the Canaries for New Year though, I rather like the idea of wrapping up warm to watch the fireworks. 

Andy

[kenhem]

30 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

We always make a fuss about Christmas but do very little New Year, so this year we decided to have a crack at a cruise. 

Not sure I would choose the Canaries for New Year though, I rather like the idea of wrapping up warm to watch the fireworks. 

Andy

I'm sure no matter where you are on a cruise on New Year's eve it will be a good time. We're considering doing the one next year on Ventura, likewise New Year is also a quiet time for us at home.

[AndyMichelle]

7 minutes ago, kenhem said:

I'm sure no matter where you are on a cruise on New Year's eve it will be a good time. We're considering doing the one next year on Ventura, likewise New Year is also a quiet time for us at home.

It's Ventura we are going on, I will let you know how it goes. 

Andy

[Stokie33]

With thanks to Andys directions we've now been on Britannia since just after midday waiting to go to zeebrugge. 

Now for the next dilemma this has given us an idea for new year 2020 but would like to do Hamburg but Ventura goes to Amsterdam that year. Has anyone been on Arcadia or would you think new year on an adult only ship will be one big drinking session

[AndyMichelle]

2 hours ago, Stokie33 said:

With thanks to Andys directions we've now been on Britannia since just after midday waiting to go to zeebrugge. 

Now for the next dilemma this has given us an idea for new year 2020 but would like to do Hamburg but Ventura goes to Amsterdam that year. Has anyone been on Arcadia or would you think new year on an adult only ship will be one big drinking session

Glad you got on board safely. 

My father in law is on board too, have a fantastic time. 

Hamburg was the big draw for us for New Year and if it was Arcadia or nothing we would still go. Being New Year, I don't think it would make too much difference whether it is an adult only ship or not, I am sure you will still have a fantastic time. 

Andy

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Glad you got on board safely. 

My father in law is on board too, have a fantastic time. 

Hamburg was the big draw for us for New Year and if it was Arcadia or nothing we would still go. Being New Year, I don't think it would make too much difference whether it is an adult only ship or not, I am sure you will still have a fantastic time. 

Andy

I would only go if it was Arcadia. 

[AndyMichelle]

7 hours ago, wowzz said:

I would only go if it was Arcadia. 

Nothing against Arcadia, I was just responding to a question of whether it would effectively be a 'booze cruise' at New Year being adult only. 

Any other time of the year, I too would probably choose Arcadia over Ventura. 

Andy

[Old_tilly_billy]

We too are trying a New Year cruise found this about arrival and departure times for Hamburg 

[AndyMichelle]

7 minutes ago, Old_tilly_billy said:

We too are trying a New Year cruise found this about arrival and departure times for Hamburg 

Excellent, thank you. 

We were hoping to be in port at midnight. 

Andy 

[leesam]

We have done the New Years cruise a couple of times now in Hamburg and if I remember rightly most of the shops close really early as the German people love to start celebrating at lunch time onwards!!

(just in case shopping was on the agenda)

 

[AndyMichelle]

17 minutes ago, leesam said:

We have done the New Years cruise a couple of times now in Hamburg and if I remember rightly most of the shops close really early as the German people love to start celebrating at lunch time onwards!!

(just in case shopping was on the agenda)

 

Thank you. 

We plan to get out in the morning but I will start celebrating with the Germans from lunchtime😊

Andy

[Twogaterz]

This will be my first time on a P&O cruise (Ventura) plus the first without my husband who died in the summer. I’m bringing my disabled adult son as he loves a party and we went to a great ‘do’ last new year with his late father.  Is there usually  a gala dinner on New Year’s Eve as well as a party? There’s nothing in the info online about the format but the adverts for Christmas and New Year suggest lots of celebration and fun. The P&O sales lady said the pool with the retractable cover would be operational & presumably heated (with cover over!) so can anyone confirm this? I hope it is as swimming /jacuzzis are  favourite activities for my son. 

Edited October 19, 2019 by Twogaterz

[AndyMichelle]

7 hours ago, Twogaterz said:

This will be my first time on a P&O cruise (Ventura) plus the first without my husband who died in the summer. I’m bringing my disabled adult son as he loves a party and we went to a great ‘do’ last new year with his late father.  Is there usually  a gala dinner on New Year’s Eve as well as a party? There’s nothing in the info online about the format but the adverts for Christmas and New Year suggest lots of celebration and fun. The P&O sales lady said the pool with the retractable cover would be operational & presumably heated (with cover over!) so can anyone confirm this? I hope it is as swimming /jacuzzis are  favourite activities for my son. 

So sorry for your loss, bless you. 

Formal night is definitely New Year's Eve. 

I am expecting it to be a party atmosphere, not usually our thing but being New Year we are looking forward to joining in the frivolity.. 

Look out for me on the dance floor, I will be the one who looks like he is dancing to a different song to everybody else. 😊

As for the pool, I am not sure, but the hot tubs have always been open on the winter cruises we have done before, so hopefully the same this time. 

Have a fantastic time, see you aboard. 

Andy