P&O Britannia Questions

[klaw0306]

Hi, we have a 15 night cruise booked on P&O's Britannia in March.  We've cruised many times before but this is the first time with P&O and have a few questions:

• Is the Casino cash only or can you use a card?
• Is there a 24 hour laundry/dry cleaners onboard?
• I assume you can order a bottle of wine in the restaurants? What price do they start from?
• Can you buy English cigarettes/newspapers onboard?
• What's the cost of the WIFI?
• I assume it's best to take some USD$ would $500 be enough?.....I know it's difficult to answer but a rough idea would be appreciated.
• We're told that there is no smoking on balconies, how many smoking areas are there?
• Is there a kettle in the cabin or is it a coffee machine?
• I assume that you have to pay for snacks and nibbles in the bars?

Thanks in advance

Kevin

[Host Sharon]

Welcome Klaw0306. It would help to know to where you are travelling as to whether you need $US ?

Casino is card operated, The complimentary diy lauderettes are not open 24/7. Usually about 8am - 8pm, or you can send clothes to the ship's laundry at a cost. Wine varies in cost - there is a list on the P&O website. You can only buy English cigarettes in the duty free shop so will not get them until the final day (at least I believe that is so as I don't smoke). Newspapers are only available on board on disembarkation day (in the UK). There are two smoking areas on deck - one on the promenade deck, one on the top deck. Kettle in all cabins, coffee machine as well in suites. Snacks and nibbles are free with pre-dinner drinks, otherwise, you sign for them and the cost will be added to your bill. I am sure others will be able to answer your queries in more detail soon.

[Zombatar]

As all of Britannia's cruises in March are to the Caribbean it would be a good idea to include US dollars for shore excursions. P&O price everything in UK pounds but no cash changes hands until the end of the cruise if you choose to pay by cash, we don't as we always put in on a card.

 

Hope this helps and enjoy your cruise.

 

Peter

[davecttr]

When I was on Britannia you could buy casino chips at the gaming tables using cash, also there is no promenade deck as such just some very large balcony like 'shelves'. This is the reason why my first Britannia cruise was also my last. Plus I got norovirus.

[welshy74]

Bottles of wine can be purchased in the MDR and the prices are fairly reasonable starting from around £19 a bottle. 
all cabins have kettles 

British brand cigarettes can be purchased in the duty free shop, not aware of any English only brands. 
yes there are laundry rooms onboard but when I sailed Britannia this summer they were all closed for covid protocol.  Think they might have reopened now.  
there are numerous wifi packages starting from around £8 a day for a very limited connection.  
As for cash, only you could know how much you need to bring.  Personally I use my CC card for all purchases.  If the cash is for tipping on board then it’s best to use pounds, which is the ship’s currency.  

[cosytoes]

Hi Kevin, are you on Britannia 11/12 march? 

[wowzz]

14 hours ago, klaw0306 said:

Can you buy English cigarettes/newspapers onboard?

Sorry, but how do you expect to buy the Daily Express (other papers are available) in the middle of the Atlantic ?

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

Sorry, but how do you expect to buy the Daily Express (other papers are available) in the middle of the Atlantic ?

There is, or used to be pre covid, a free new sheet printed daily with a brief summary of the UK news, and most importantly football results, just in case Sky Sports news is not available on the TV.

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

There is, or used to be pre covid, a free new sheet printed daily with a brief summary of the UK news, and most importantly football results, just in case Sky Sports news is not available on the TV.

Agreed  - a synopsis of news and sports. Unfortunately it didn't show how Colchester United were doing in their rise to European dominance! 

But not exactly a newspaper. 

Edited January 30, 2022 by wowzz

[zoe sproodle]

Further to Sharon’s post earlier, you can take duty free cigarettes away from the shop when you buy them, it’s alcohol that you can’t collect until the end of the cruise. That’s unless they’ve changed the rules since October. You also used to be able to buy individual packs in some of the bars, although the choice was limited to a couple of brands.

[klaw0306]

On 1/30/2022 at 9:39 PM, cosytoes said:

Hi Kevin, are you on Britannia 11/12 march? 

Yep 🙂

[klaw0306]

On 1/30/2022 at 11:02 PM, wowzz said:

Sorry, but how do you expect to buy the Daily Express (other papers are available) in the middle of the Atlantic ?

I was thinking more of when at ports newspapers are taken on board, they may be a day of two old but hey! Also, I've been on ships that print an A4 or A3 sheet with UK news.

[terrierjohn]

20 minutes ago, klaw0306 said:

I was thinking more of when at ports newspapers are taken on board, they may be a day of two old but hey! Also, I've been on ships that print an A4 or A3 sheet with UK news.

When in port you wont need a 2 day old paper, most holiday destinations now print UK newspapers locally, and they are generally available in the terminal shopping area.

[cruising.mark.uk]

I've not seen them on P&O (but I've never asked), but it is possible to get daily printed newspapers on cruise ships on the day they are published.  For instance, you can have one free per day (hanging on your door by the time you wake up in the morning) if you are on MSC in the Yacht Club and can pay (about $5 / 5E per paper,  I think) to have them outside the Yacht Club and on some other lines.  This is the provider and you receive them printed in broadsheet or tabloid size in black and white and without the adverts, but otherwise pretty much the same as what you'd get from a newsagent.

 

https://about.pressreader.com/cruises-ferries/

 

OP - it might be worth asking P&O if they can offer this.

[Bazrat]

8 hours ago, klaw0306 said:

I was thinking more of when at ports newspapers are taken on board, they may be a day of two old but hey! Also, I've been on ships that print an A4 or A3 sheet with UK news.

They do print a newspaper just like you say A3 size, either on the pool deck or next to guest services, not a lot in it but considering you have BBC on the TV in your cabin not a lot of point in it

[Fionboard]

Never seen newspapers on board except on disembarkation day but this has stopped now as well. Because of covid!!!

[Cruiser Bruiser]

3 hours ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

I've not seen them on P&O (but I've never asked), but it is possible to get daily printed newspapers on cruise ships on the day they are published.  For instance, you can have one free per day (hanging on your door by the time you wake up in the morning) if you are on MSC in the Yacht Club and can pay (about $5 / 5E per paper,  I think) to have them outside the Yacht Club and on some other lines.  This is the provider and you receive them printed in broadsheet or tabloid size in black and white and without the adverts, but otherwise pretty much the same as what you'd get from a newsagent.

 

https://about.pressreader.com/cruises-ferries/

 

OP - it might be worth asking P&O if they can offer this.

I sailed on MSC Meraviglia in their Yacht Club last month, and they offered this product as a perk. One could select from ~20 papers from across the globe. The reprint was spectacular, like an old fashioned broadsheet, but with a glued edge on the left. I wish all cruise lines would offer this product.

[majortom10]

27 minutes ago, Cruiser Bruiser said:

I sailed on MSC Meraviglia in their Yacht Club last month, and they offered this product as a perk. One could select from ~20 papers from across the globe. The reprint was spectacular, like an old fashioned broadsheet, but with a glued edge on the left. I wish all cruise lines would offer this product.

P&O certainly dont offer this only their own daily printed newssheet.

[MX-Drew]

On 2/1/2022 at 8:20 PM, Cruiser Bruiser said:

I sailed on MSC Meraviglia in their Yacht Club last month, and they offered this product as a perk. One could select from ~20 papers from across the globe. The reprint was spectacular, like an old fashioned broadsheet, but with a glued edge on the left. I wish all cruise lines would offer this product.

I don't understand this obsession with newspapers. You're on holiday, relax and catch up when you get home.

If I could I would bother with a phone but I need it for work and the other (better) half says we need to stay in touch with the kids. Does she think they will forget who we are?

[Fionboard]

35 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

I don't understand this obsession with newspapers. You're on holiday, relax and catch up when you get home.

If I could I would bother with a phone but I need it for work and the other (better) half says we need to stay in touch with the kids. Does she think they will forget who we are?

Agree entirely. No good news in them anyway. News is on TV all day if you want to hear it!

[majortom10]

I always read the free newssheet provided by P&O but wouldnt worry if it was discontinued. On the other hand before pandemic mobile phone was put in safe on embarkation and left there until disembarkation. Each to there own.

[Cruiser Bruiser]

On 2/3/2022 at 7:35 AM, MX-Drew said:

I don't understand this obsession with newspapers. You're on holiday, relax and catch up when you get home.

If I could I would bother with a phone but I need it for work and the other (better) half says we need to stay in touch with the kids. Does she think they will forget who we are?

 

On 2/3/2022 at 8:15 AM, Fionboard said:

Agree entirely. No good news in them anyway. News is on TV all day if you want to hear it!

Fortunately, you don't have to understand the preference for some light reading, which I greatly prefer to sitting in my stateroom watching TV. As I generally travel alone, it's nice to have something to browse between courses, especially at breakfast or lunch, or while lounging by the pool. It's always better to have options.

[MX-Drew]

20 minutes ago, Cruiser Bruiser said:

 

Fortunately, you don't have to understand the preference for some light reading, which I greatly prefer to sitting in my stateroom watching TV. As I generally travel alone, it's nice to have something to browse between courses, especially at breakfast or lunch, or while lounging by the pool. It's always better to have options.

Fair enough but a newspaper is not “light reading” to me. 😁

[wowzz]

6 hours ago, Cruiser Bruiser said:

 

Fortunately, you don't have to understand the preference for some light reading, which I greatly prefer to sitting in my stateroom watching TV. As I generally travel alone, it's nice to have something to browse between courses, especially at breakfast or lunch, or while lounging by the pool. It's always better to have options.

How about a Kindle ?

[klaw0306]

Thanks for all the replies.  Another question...sounds stupid but is the buffet restaurant self service?  A few years ago we went on a cruise where there was a breakout of Nova virus and the buffet went from self service to being served by the crew, just wondered in the light of Covid whether they did this and it hasn't changed back to self service.