Anyone been onboard Azura since the restart?

[MX-Drew]

1 hour ago, DS_Dean said:

As other poster indicated above, Sindhu is closed

P&O manage to fly thousands of passengers in and out every week but can't fly crew once every six months!

Pull the other one!

[Orianababes]

4 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

P&O manage to fly thousands of passengers in and out every week but can't fly crew once every six months!

Pull the other one!

What about those staff on Arcadia. They’re available to be spread around the fleet!

[davecttr]

There is a topic on the Cunard forum about people being bumped off cruise. to cut a long story short it is down to crew shortages or more specifically a problem with flying in crew with the appropriate certificates etc.

 

Like other businesses they let a lot of staff go and maybe they can't get them to come back!

[MX-Drew]

@DS_Dean Are you onboard now?

If so what is like getting served for drinks at the bars?

Do you think the drinks prices for gin & tonic and cocktails etc changed much?

[MX-Drew]

6 minutes ago, davecttr said:

There is a topic on the Cunard forum about people being bumped off cruise. to cut a long story short it is down to crew shortages or more specifically a problem with flying in crew with the appropriate certificates etc.

 

Like other businesses they let a lot of staff go and maybe they can't get them to come back!

So Carnival can't help organise the certificates or get crew elsewhere?

Also if it is a certificate issue why blame airlines?

I don't believe a word to be honest.

 

To be brutally honest I would be happier to be bumped from the cruise rather than be sold a cruise that does not give the experience I paid for. 

 

This will be my second cruise this year with P&O and the first on Iona left a very bad taste in my mouth and if this does the same it will be good bye to P&O and possibly cruising altogether. 

[Cruisemeister2002]

Whilst passengers are expected to jump through hoops to satisfy cruise lines criteria for sailing it does seem, judging by what people are saying on this forum, that P&O in particular are not as they claim making cruising the wonderful experience it was prior to the pandemic. I fully appreciate their problems, but if you are going to charge the same price for lesser service and then be expected to pay for things that were free, such as breakfast in your cabin, then it is not acceptable. I, like many haven't had a holiday since 2018 due to Covid disruption and also itinerary changes on a cruise we were due to go on in February which was unacceptable to us. Therefore when I take my next cruise I would like to feel that it will be worthwhile. We will no doubt make the best of it, but would hope that this will be enhance by the staff and crew onboard. 

[DS_Dean]

56 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

@DS_Dean Are you onboard now?

If so what is like getting served for drinks at the bars?

Do you think the drinks prices for gin & tonic and cocktails etc changed much?

Yes an on board right now.

 

The drink prices seem to have gone up slightly. Shop prices seem alot more.

 

Getting served is ok but you can't sit at bar stalls directly and they prefer table service. Not much drink service at buffet though. 

 

No swim towels in cabin. No evening turn down. 

 

Beach House menu changed.

 

Masks indoors. Puts me off spending time in casino.

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by DS_Dean

[MX-Drew]

25 minutes ago, DS_Dean said:

Yes an on board right now.

 

The drink prices seem to have gone up slightly. Shop prices seem alot more.

 

Getting served is ok but you can't sit at bar stalls directly and they prefer table service. Not much drink service at buffet though. 

 

No swim towels in cabin. No evening turn down. 

 

Beach House menu changed.

 

Masks indoors. Puts me off spending time in casino.

 

@DS_Deanthanks for the information.

You say drinks have gone up slightly, are there many cocktails and gin and tonic available under £6.95 limit?

Hope you're still enjoying the cruise.

[pennib]

We were on over Christmas and New Year and the pool towels had been removed from cabins to storage shelves by the pools. We thought this was an improvement especially as you could take as many as you liked.

[Waju]

59 minutes ago, pennib said:

We were on over Christmas and New Year and the pool towels had been removed from cabins to storage shelves by the pools. We thought this was an improvement especially as you could take as many as you liked.

We like this system too, saves having to carry them to the sunbeds!

[Dermotsgirl]

I must admit, I liked having the pool towels in the cabin, so I could use it on the chairs on the balcony 

[MX-Drew]

1 minute ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I must admit, I liked having the pool towels in the cabin, so I could use it on the chairs on the balcony 

Is there anything stopping you taking to the cabin from the pool deck?

[Dermotsgirl]

4 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

Is there anything stopping you taking to the cabin from the pool deck?

It was just a comment. 

[MX-Drew]

3 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

It was just a comment. 

And that was a genuine question, I wanted to know if anything stops someone taking a pool towel to their cabin.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I must admit, I liked having the pool towels in the cabin, so I could use it on the chairs on the balcony 

Presumably there is nothing to stop you taking them back to your cabin?

[Megabear2]

6 hours ago, MX-Drew said:

So Carnival can't help organise the certificates or get crew elsewhere?

Also if it is a certificate issue why blame airlines?

I don't believe a word to be honest.

I tend to believe there is a problem for all the cruise lines. Celebrity and RCI passengers are complaining about staff shortages and poor service compared with before the pandemic.

 

It is not inconceivable that having either been stranded for months and months on ships or having their contracts ended and being unceremoniously dispatched home has made many previously employed staff unwilling to commit to new long contracts on ships.  Unfortunately the cruise lines may no longer have a deep pool of previously employed staff as they may well have new careers.  Airline and airport staff shortages are occurring for the same reason - anyone laid off two years ago is now no doubt in a new position in a different field.  If the pool of labour has shrunk there will be little any cruise line can do until it is refilled if at all.

[Waju]

33 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

And that was a genuine question, I wanted to know if anything stops someone taking a pool towel to their cabin.

No, you can as many as you need - either to your sunbed or back to your balcony.

[Waju]

26 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Presumably there is nothing to stop you taking them back to your cabin?

terrierjohn, see my answer to MX-Drew (sorry I can't find how to multi quote 🙂)

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, Waju said:

terrierjohn, see my answer to MX-Drew (sorry I can't find how to multi quote 🙂)

You press the little + at the side of the quote button, rather than the quote button, once you have +'d all the posts you want you press the pop up box.

Edited May 13, 2022 by terrierjohn

[kalos]

deleted

Edited May 14, 2022 by kalos

[DS_Dean]

Face mask wearing has been mixed on board. Captain just had to broadcast into all Cabins having a moan about guests not wearing them.

They are apparently required sitting down as well, so only exclusion is when actually having a drink or food.

 

Passengers who are not wearing them are aggrieved because advertised mask policy before booking is not the reality on board. 

 

Think P&O need to do better. Some people don't want to be here with all this full on mask wearing. Me included, albeit I am wearing mask per guidance although I did not realise until now it is required when sitting down.

 

 

 

 

Edited May 14, 2022 by DS_Dean

[zap99]

20 hours ago, MX-Drew said:

And that was a genuine question, I wanted to know if anything stops someone taking a pool towel to their cabin.

Or sitting on the bath towel.🤣

[MX-Drew]

53 minutes ago, DS_Dean said:

Face mask wearing has been mixed on board. Captain just had to broadcast into all Cabins having a moan about guests not wearing them.

They are apparently required sitting down as well, so only exclusion is when actually having a drink or food.

 

Passengers who are not wearing them are aggrieved because advertised mask policy before booking is not the reality on board. 

 

Think P&O need to do better. Some people don't want to be here with all this full on mask wearing. Me included, albeit I am wearing mask per guidance although I did not realise until now it is required when sitting down.

 

 

 

 

I strongly believe (and will be contacting P&O) that this is not the experience we booked and paid for. It is time they cancel the cruise or offer compensation as it is now too close to the day we go to be able to move the booking.

[Fionboard]

Re towels. Take your own microfibre beach towel. Light, small and dries quickly. Wonder how many people leave their wet, heavy blue towels on the beach?

[bbtablet]

On 5/12/2022 at 12:23 PM, DS_Dean said:

Looks like it is required. Very disappointing. 😞

 

 

The second sentence above under Lift Use seems to imply that no-one is ever to go in a lift!