End of Great British Sailaway ?

[bee-ess]

...... or tabloid rubbish - can anyone been recently confirm this

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7847075/British-holidaymakers-slam-P-O-Cruises.html

[Harry Peterson]

5 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

...... or tabloid rubbish - can anyone been recently confirm this

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7847075/British-holidaymakers-slam-P-O-Cruises.html

Probably true, but still tabloid rubbish. The people concerned seem unaware that P&O is American owned, but that’s no surprise.

 

These sailaways were always jingoistic, anachronistic events, guaranteed to offend, so good riddance.

[bee-ess]

2 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Probably true, but still tabloid rubbish. The people concerned seem unaware that P&O is American owned, but that’s no surprise.

 

These sailaways were always jingoistic, anachronistic events, guaranteed to offend, so good riddance.

I would be happy to see it go just not sure it is true

[Son of Anarchy]

On Ventura recently, at the Capt's interview, he said that this was part of Pando's commitment to reducing the use of one time plastics.  

 

Probably more of a coincidence.

 

OH likes the GB sailaway, but I prefer to find somewhere quiet and take in the views.

[uk338]

I've always thought they were a bit strange, as if i'd stumbled into enrichment time at a nursing home. Each to their own.

 

 

[groovechick]

I can take or leave the sailaways, Great British or otherwise, but my daughter loves them, so we always fit in at least one per cruise if we can. To my recollection songs like Sailing, the Proclaimers "500 miles" and "Delilah" have always been included, in addition to Jersusalem and Land of Hope and Glory. Storm in a teacup.  

[AndyMichelle]

Just off Ventura, the sail away is alive and well. 

Not really our thing, but happened to wander through the atrium whilst it was on and thoroughly enjoyed it. 

It was great to see passengers of all ages singing along to Bucks Fizz etc. 

Plenty still enjoy it, but the ship is big enough to avoid it if you like. 

Andy 

[AndyMichelle]

9 minutes ago, uk338 said:

I've always thought they were a bit strange, as if i'd stumbled into enrichment time at a nursing home. Each to their own.

 

 

It is a bit like that😂😂

But I do enjoy seeing people enjoy themselves, so long may it continue whilst passengers have a good time. 

Andy 

[Angel57]

To get rid of the flag waving is a very good idea as it’s rather naff and not good environmentally. But, I cannot see why the sing-a-long shouldn’t continue. After all there are plenty of places you can go to avoid and it does usually only last an hour. But tbh, not fussed either way.

[terrierjohn]

GBS is definitely akin to Marmite, some dislike its jingoism, some the patriotic songs others the dated 60s pop songs, while others object to the more modern songs.

Just goes to show that you can't please everyone, but whilst enough people enjoy them then the Great British Sailaway should remain, but maybe without plastic flag waving.

[Itsbeentoolong]

I love them...paper flags in future?

[pete14]

Happy with the decision to get rid (if that is true). It always seemed uncomfortable to be in a port located in another country that has welcomed us to visit and leaving in a noise of jingoistic patriotism. Our international reputation may not be as great as many of our citizens seem to believe and this sailaway may continue to chip away at it. Perhaps we should show greater respect to the port hosting our ships as many others do. 
I read this report on the Sun online. Lazy journalism, insulting to those who don’t like the GBS (snowflake is used in a derogatory fashion) and with a library picture of Oriana complete with yellow funnel!

[Presto2]

Well, we're with the 'we generally enjoy the GBS' gang and usually go to one during a cruise. If we don't feel like it we just avoid it and stay in the cabin or elsewhere. It will be sad to see it go (if it is going) - there was something quirky about it that always made us smile. Loved the flag waving too .....Just wonder what will next to go now. Have only been on P&O since 2010 and it is sad to see just how many things we enjoyed have 'disappeared'.  

(If we can't have the GBS then can we have the band back at the pier in Southampton please? Don't care what they play ...)

 

 

[amfc_lenny]

Hoping it is gone for good, so embarrassing and cringeworthy. I do wonder what the poor people in the ports think!!! 
 

as you can tell we avoid it like the plague, but still have to suffer the noise of it. Good riddance gbs.

[minsterman]

Yes, the "old fashioned" Great British sailaway seems to have disappeared. What was previously a fun and and enjoyable party is now just a boring sing song that's no different to any of the other events held on the ship. 

 

We'd loved it before, but on Britannia this time it was very disappointing. 

[DamianG]

We used to enjoy them but haven't been to one since our 2015 Britannia cruise (August school holidays) where the central pool area was overcrowded and the PA system far too loud. Since then we can take it or leave it but don't begrudge them to those who do enjoy the show.

The one thing thing that struck me about the article was that the couple were "outraged". Really? I wouldn't have thought it was worth getting so worked up about.

[wowzz]

It seems to me that for a while there has been a disconnect between  P&O trying to market their cruises as aspirational ,[Rob Brydon], whereas in reality the experience was somewhat less than the advertising promised. The sail away was the most obvious example of this disconnect.

The recent mail shots I have received from P&O seem to be pushing the aspirational nature even further - gin making classes, exotic onshore 'experiences' etc. I can't say therefore that I would be surprised if the GBS is to be consigned to history. P&O may lose some 'beer money' but that would be a small price to pay if they can improve the image of their cruises, and perhaps start to attract higher worth cruisers.

[kalos]

Another non story in my opinion .

The sail away's will continue ,the people will still stand with their drinks, glass held high 

(minus the plastic flag of course) wailing in any key tone they like, some old Tom Jones or 

Rod Stewart song , happy in the fact " they are sailing" and they have a drink.

 

Years ago ships would cast off with brass bands playing whilst streamers in their hundreds

were cast over the side of the ship.... No more its gone the ships owners stopped it.

When I took up cruising the ships we used would put on a Broadway style show seven nights a week

and a play in the afternoon ..... No more its gone the ships owners stopped it.

I'm sure a lot of us remember those midnight suppers... .... No more its gone the ships owners stopped it.

 

When they stop or change something , someone is always unhappy  but in the end they carry on sailing 

until the next change comes along .Some will say it's our British tradition they are changing ,maybe, but then 

lets ask ourselves why people put Christmas tree's up in their homes mid November and strip them down on

Boxing day ? When did that become a tradition of ours ,well some of us .

Change will always happen but given the chance we still go cruising regardless of some changes .

 

 

[terrierjohn]

20 minutes ago, wowzz said:

 P&O may lose some 'beer money' but that would be a small price to pay if they can improve the image of their cruises, and perhaps start to attract higher worth cruisers.

I am not sure what cruises you go on wowzz, maybe fly cruises which we no longer do, but on Southampton 12/14 night cruises I have never felt that they lacked "higher worth cruisers", whoever they might be. There always seem to be a broad spectrum of passengers, many very wealthy, whilst others may need to count the pennies. But very rarely have we encountered anyone who we would not be happy to share an MDR table with, or indeed a GBS.

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I am not sure what cruises you go on wowzz, maybe fly cruises which we no longer do, but on Southampton 12/14 night cruises I have never felt that they lacked "higher worth cruisers", whoever they might be. There always seem to be a broad spectrum of passengers, many very wealthy, whilst others may need to count the pennies. But very rarely have we encountered anyone who we would not be happy to share an MDR table with, or indeed a GBS.

Well said John. 

There was a real mix of passengers on Ventura for New Year as you would expect, but we met some lovely people. 

I am sure there were some not so nice, but we never encountered them. 

Andy 

[wowzz]

Perhaps I could have expressed myself better. Whilst the majority of P&O pax are indeed lovely people, there may be many more lovely potential P&O cruisers out there, that at present prefer to cruise with other lines. These are the ones that P&O need to attract.

[AndyMichelle]

1 hour ago, Presto2 said:

Well, we're with the 'we generally enjoy the GBS' gang and usually go to one during a cruise. If we don't feel like it we just avoid it and stay in the cabin or elsewhere. It will be sad to see it go (if it is going) - there was something quirky about it that always made us smile. Loved the flag waving too .....Just wonder what will next to go now. Have only been on P&O since 2010 and it is sad to see just how many things we enjoyed have 'disappeared'.  

(If we can't have the GBS then can we have the band back at the pier in Southampton please? Don't care what they play ...)

 

 

With regards to what will go next, I think they are pretty obvious. 

The chefs/galley parade has gone and so have dedicated wine waiters in the MDR, and the Captains welcome party will surely be next, along with club dining and twice daily cabin service. 

Rumours abound all the time, but some are now starting to materialise... 

Andy 

 

 

[Josy1953]

We have not been to a GBS for a number of years now because we were on the Ventura leaving Lisbon and the cruise director was encouraging the passengers to make Nazi salutes as we passed a German ship.  Until then we had usually attended the sailaway from the final port but on this occasion found it embarrassing.

I wrote to P&O when we got back to express my opinion and got a letter apologising for upsetting me but saying that many passengers consider the GBS to be the highlight of their cruise. 

We now simply sit on the balcony and enjoy a quiet drink and let those who like the GBS enjoy it. We all have different views and I think that those of us who don't like it should just stay away from it.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Josy1953

[kenhem]

37 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

With regards to what will go next, I think they are pretty obvious. 

The chefs/galley parade has gone and so have dedicated wine waiters in the MDR, and the Captains welcome party will surely be next, along with club dining and twice daily cabin service. 

Rumours abound all the time, but some are now starting to materialise... 

Andy 

 

 

Is the no MDR wine waiter a recent thing as we had them on Arcadia in November?

[AndyMichelle]

28 minutes ago, kenhem said:

Is the no MDR wine waiter a recent thing as we had them on Arcadia in November?

None this week on Ventura, but there was on Oceana in November. 

Maybe another trial, but our food waiters took the bar orders on the ipads. 

Andy