P&O Cruisers - What are things like where YOU are?

[brian1]

4 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I remember saying very similar about DisneyLand being OK for kids but not really for adults. But when Pauline and I had a final day in Orlando with nothing planned, we decided to try MGM studios, so you know how long ago this was. We were bowled over by the whole experience, and vowed to  keep an open mind about all things holiday and enternment in future. However we still chose a W Coast US touring holiday because it only had 2 days in Vegas, as opposed to 3 days, then had such a good time we wished we had chosen the longer stay.

Maybe we are both just big kids.

Loved Vegas for the hotel themed lobbies and buffets.Not a gambler,lol.

[grapau27]

42 minutes ago, peteukmcr said:

We've sailed Brilliance twice and Serenade too. Only need to get on Radiance to complete the set!

We did a Baltic's cruise out of Copenhagen in May 2015 on Serenade and also need to get on Radiance to complete the set.

[Adawn47]

4 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Pauline had a few goes on the Carousel and she loved it.

Central Park has the Park Cafe during the day for snacks and 3 speciality restaurants and a wine bar and Trellis bar at night time.

Most of the activities we don't use but lots of people do and seem to love it.

P&O with their new big ships and selling Oceana see this as the  way forward as do most lines who are disposing of the older,smaller and less profitable ships.

There are still behind the scenes tours of the galley,bridge and theatre,wine tasting,Bingo,dance classes,line dancing,daily films shown,cooking lessons, Karaoke,Art Auctions and many other activities for us older passengers to participate in.

Peace and quiet, relaxation, no meals to cook and a chance to explore ashore is the only thing we look for in a cruise Graham. We'd need another holiday to recuperate from the cruise if we participated in that lot.😵

Avril

[brian1]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

Not all RC ships are all glitz and glamour. We were on Jewel of the seas from Rome in 2019. It is a smallish ship. About 40% of the guests were from the Amish community on a tour of Religious sites in Europe. They didn't party much, but seemed to have an enjoyable experience.

My Mrs loves their gergins.

[grapau27]

25 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Peace and quiet, relaxation, no meals to cook and a chance to explore ashore is the only thing we look for in a cruise Graham. We'd need another holiday to recuperate from the cruise if we participated in that lot.😵

Avril

On previous cruises I have always used the gym and we do chill out most of the time in the shade.

Pauline will read a book and we always get off the ship in every port as that is a big attraction for us.

We do like the bigger selection of shops,bars and restaurants on the bigger ships.

Our balcony is well used as we always get a hot room service breakfast and sit outside for some time with a coffee and hot chocolate before bed.

Graham.

Edited May 18, 2021 by grapau27

[Beckett]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Pleased for you Sue.

We are taking our Sarah out for a meal tomorrow and we will all be hugging each other.

Sadly both our parents are no longer with us which affects Pauline badly.

 

Mixed emotions Graham. It will be lovely to see your Sarah and have real hugs but so sad not to have any parents with you. Have a lovely meal together and raise a few glasses to your mams and dads.  Best wishes to you and Pauline. Jane.x

[grapau27]

2 minutes ago, Beckett said:

Mixed emotions Graham. It will be lovely to see your Sarah and have real hugs but so sad not to have any parents with you. Have a lovely meal together and raise a few glasses to your mams and dads.  Best wishes to you and Pauline. Jane.x

Thank you for your best wishes and nice words Jane.

Graham x.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, grapau27 said:

Hi Wowzz.

I said smaller ships were Less profitable not that they are not profitable.

A lot of the cruiselines profits are onboard sales and if you have 6000 passengers as opposed to 1000 passengers on board it is easy to see why the mega ships are mega profitable compared to the smaller ships.

FWIW I love all cruise ships large or small.

Graham.

 

But the RoI is the same, so the bigger ships are not more profitable than smaller ones.

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

small ships will never compete with the new giant cruise ships.

But, as I just said, in RoI terms they will.

[wowzz]

2 hours ago, Presto2 said:

We love both P&O and Celebrity. Have to say our last cruise was on Celebrity EDGE (have I said this before? Sorry) She is definitely the most amazing ship we have ever sailed on. Classy, and just stunning. Gave their new Infinite veranda cabins a miss and had an amazing aft cabin. No bells and whistles, just classy and ...... amazing.

 

Almost said she was better than Oceana but couldn't force myself to type it ..... 😞

One day we hope to do the same - it just shows that you can have class without needing the fripperies.

[terrierjohn]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

But, as I just said, in RoI terms they will.

I have very little financial training, but one thing I do know, if the profitability of the little ships equalled the big ships, then the bean counters at both Carnival and RCI would be singing a different tune.

 

[terrierjohn]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

One day we hope to do the same - it just shows that you can have class without needing the fripperies.

You don't consider that magic carpet that runs up and down the side of the Edge class a frippery then?

[zap99]

41 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

On previous cruises I have always used the gym and we do chill out most of the time in the shade.

Pauline will read a book and we always get off the ship in every port as that is a big attraction for us.

We do like the bigger selection of shops,bars and restaurants on the bigger ships.

Our balcony is well used as we always get a hot room service breakfast and sit outside for some time with a coffee and hot chocolate before bed.

Graham.

The thing I don't like on the bigger RC ships is the blooming Michael Kors shop.Thank goodness you can't use OBC in it.🤫

[wowzz]

7 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I have very little financial training, but one thing I do know, if the profitability of the little ships equalled the big ships, then the bean counters at both Carnival and RCI would be singing a different tune.

 

If you put in a cap-ex request, you need to justify your request, and RoI is probably top of the list from an accountancy point of view.  

So, I build a new ship for $500m, and return a profit of $50m a year, and you build a new ship for $750m and return a profit of $60m a year, guess who is the most successful! 

[wowzz]

11 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

You don't consider that magic carpet that runs up and down the side of the Edge class a frippery then?

Well, at least it's not a blooming string quartet playing the "Four Seasons" ad infinitum in the equivalent of Bluewater on Sea! 

[Snow Hill]

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

The thing I don't like on the bigger RC ships is the blooming Michael Kors shop.Thank goodness you can't use OBC in it.🤫

Whoever Michael Kors is I wish he would stop spamming my inbox. 😬

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Whoever Michael Kors is I wish he would stop spamming my inbox. 😬

That sounds like a line from a Carry On film!

[terrierjohn]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

If you put in a cap-ex request, you need to justify your request, and RoI is probably top of the list from an accountancy point of view.  

So, I build a new ship for $500m, and return a profit of $50m a year, and you build a new ship for $750m and return a profit of $60m a year, guess who is the most successful! 

But we don't know the cruise line figures, and I maintain that the big 3 cruise lines will have enough data to prove that big ships make a better return than little ships, or they would change their new build strategy.

[brian1]

I always have a crusty Rol with my full English.But having some bloke count my beans out is crossing the line.

[grapau27]

9 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I have very little financial training, but one thing I do know, if the profitability of the little ships equalled the big ships, then the bean counters at both Carnival and RCI would be singing a different tune.

 

I Agree.

[bobstheboy]

Good morning.

 

A lovely sunny morning, better forecast today so hopeful. Lunch in a nice restaurant, I hope I remember my table manners, it's been so long since I ate out in company ! A visit to our local nursery after, hopefully we are past the danger of frost, but who knows ?

 

Stay safe.

 

[peteukmcr]

Good morning all, and for 1 day this week I think Manchester didn't have rain! nothing yesterday despite the forecasts and nothing overnight. So still having to water the new lawn turf! 

[Eddie99]

Hey Bob!

We’re lunching out too, though still outside - 1. because I love eating outside when the weather allows and 2. because I’d still rather not be indoors with others for a prolonged period of time ... and I’m not necking that bottle of wine quickly.  Relax and savour the experience.  I hope I remember how to use a knife & fork 😀

 

Before that we’ll get in a long walk.  It’s nice to have a shower-free day forecast.  Fingers crossed it’s accurate

 

The BBC forecast is predicting an end to the rain from Monday, with dry weather right up to 1 June.  Hooray!

[brian1]

42 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I Agree.

As long as they bring home the bacon and don't make a hash of it.

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

But we don't know the cruise line figures, and I maintain that the big 3 cruise lines will have enough data to prove that big ships make a better return than little ships, or they would change their new build strategy.

+1.

Cruiselines say most of their profit is onboard sales.

If you have 6000 passengers on an Oasis class ship compared to 1000-2000 passengers on a smaller ship I can understand why nearly all the new builds are larger ships as do the cruiselines themselves.