Arcadia - Any ideas what she's up to?

[molecrochip]

Lots of rumours about both adults only ships. No smoke without fire… hmm.

 

What I will say is that sold doesn’t mean immediately going. If sold at all!

 

Branding issues may also play a factor in the final reckoning.

Edited May 20, 2022 by molecrochip

[grapau27]

15 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Lots of rumours about both adults only ships. No smoke without fire… hmm.

 

What I will say is that sold doesn’t mean immediately going. If sold at all!

 

Branding issues may also play a factor in the final reckoning.

I saw Arcadia this morning at Newcastle and her paintwork and the whole ship looked immaculate from the outside.

When Oceana was here before she was sold she looked uncared for.

Graham 

[Denarius]

12 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Lots of rumours about both adults only ships. No smoke without fire… hmm.

 

What I will say is that sold doesn’t mean immediately going. If sold at all!

 

Branding issues may also play a factor in the final reckoning.

An enigmatic post which I fear will do little to stem the rumours.

But one with which I personally agree.

I believe that both Arcadia and Aurora will leave the P&O fleet in the next few years and that they will not be replaced, putting an end to its adult only operations and leaving it free to concentrate on the family market. But Arcadia is a modern design and a close cousin of Queens Elizabeth and Victoria and some Holland America ships, so could well be transferred within the Carnival group instead of being sold. Leaving Aurora as the sole adult only ship until a buyer is found.

[Bazrat]

Interesting to read people's view's about Arcadia leaving the fleet, it must be one hell of a smoke screen by P&O to be advertising holidays on her for next couple of years, but if you say it often enough it's bound to come true eventually

[Son of Anarchy]

If they do sell Arcadia in the not too distant future, no doubt there will be another round of refunds or FCCs to administer....

 

We used FCCs from several cruises for our 2024 worldie, so we will either end up with yet more FCC unless we go for the refund.  Oh well, Aurora in 2025?  No aft balconies, so it will be an inside.  Dependant on inflation, a decent saving for us. 

 

Would rather have the balcony on Arcadia though.

[jeanlyon]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

Interesting to read people's view's about Arcadia leaving the fleet, it must be one hell of a smoke screen by P&O to be advertising holidays on her for next couple of years, but if you say it often enough it's bound to come true eventually

That's what they always do, sell cruises up to 2 years in the future and then cancel at the drop of a hat.  Adonia and Oriana to name 2.  I was booked on both with another cruise the following year.  All cancelled.

[yorkshirephil]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

 it must be one hell of a smoke screen by P&O to be advertising holidays on her for next couple of years

But to be fair it is something that P&O are good at.

[jeanlyon]

Interestingly she is due back into Southampton on June 1st according to Port Schedule.  But it does say TBA

Edited May 20, 2022 by jeanlyon

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

Interestingly she is due back into Southampton on June 1st according to Port Schedule.  But it does say TBA

I think the TBA is in reference to expected timings Jean.

[Britboys]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Lots of rumours about both adults only ships. No smoke without fire… hmm.

 

What I will say is that sold doesn’t mean immediately going. If sold at all!

 

Branding issues may also play a factor in the final reckoning.

Your posts are always very welcome but I must say this one has left me scratching my head...

[yorkshirephil]

4 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Your posts are always very welcome but I must say this one has left me scratching my head...

Smoke and mirrors Andrew, we have a cruise booked on Arcadia November and I can't say that I will be either pleased or disappointed if she leaves the fleet. There will be other opportunities whether it be P&O or not. 

[Pine Man]

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

We used FCCs from several cruises for our 2024 worldie, so we will either end up with yet more FCC unless we go for the refund.

Is it not the case that once a FCC always a FCC, or should you reasonably expect to get a cash refund for a cancelled cruise paid for with FCCs?

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

That's what they always do, sell cruises up to 2 years in the future and then cancel at the drop of a hat.  Adonia and Oriana to name 2.  I was booked on both with another cruise the following year.  All cancelled.

But you cant really expect any cruise ship operator to give advance notice of any sale, its just not practical business sense, and deleterious to their cash flow

[yorkshirephil]

15 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But you cant really expect any cruise ship operator to give advance notice of any sale, its just not practical business sense, and deleterious to their cash flow

Not necessarily John, I remember going on the penultimate Thompsons Spirit cruise, the Spirit was leaving the fleet, she had a lot of fans who wanted one last cruise as they knew she was going. Similar thing with an old Fred ship. 

[Son of Anarchy]

27 minutes ago, Pine Man said:

Is it not the case that once a FCC always a FCC, or should you reasonably expect to get a cash refund for a cancelled cruise paid for with FCCs?

Not too sure.  But I don't think its unreasonable to be refunded the cash element, ie the cash paid without the 25% enhancement.  But then when have P&O consistently behaved reasonably?

[yorkshirephil]

26 minutes ago, Pine Man said:

Is it not the case that once a FCC always a FCC, or should you reasonably expect to get a cash refund for a cancelled cruise paid for with FCCs?

This could be an interesting one, an FCC is always an FCC once used against a future cruise. This is the case with our upcoming Arcadia cruise. We sat on our FCC for almost 2 years before the right cruise came along, we felt we were helping the cause by leaving the money with P&O. If Arcadia is sold depending on whether we have paid the balance we will expect a refund of all monies accepting that we would lose the 25% bonus on the FCC. It also depends on what the sweetener is from P&O and whether it suits our needs. Ultimately Arcadia will go, we all know that, we just don't know when. As a bit of a gambling man I think we will be OK for November, if not then there will be alternatives, with or without P&O or a ship. It would be nice to know in advance and if the ship were to be sold after we have paid the balance that will move P&O further down the pecking list when looking at future holidays, probablly one place above Butlins and one below Maplins.

[Fionboard]

Ambassador will do well with the adults only brigade if  both go.

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, yorkshirephil said:

But to be fair it is something that P&O are good at.

But P&O are not the only ones we cruised on Caronia with Cunard many years ago and we found out whilst onboard that she had already been sold to Saga and had been leased back to Cunard to enavle them to complete some cruises.

[Pine Man]

'But then when have P&O consistently behaved reasonably?'

 

Having posed the question it would be nice to know what happened to others who have either had their cruise cancelled by P&O or chosen to cancel and accept a cash refund due to significant changes.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Pine Man

[majortom10]

2 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Ambassador will do well with the adults only brigade if  both go.

and they are also in the market for further ships to expand their fleet.

[yorkshirephil]

1 minute ago, Fionboard said:

Ambassador will do well with the adults only brigade if  both go.

I think so too, especially as they have some nice long itineraries that were very popular in the days of CMV. We have already booked a last minute cruise to Greenland in June and have seen a couple we fancy for the future.

[purplesea]

46 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Ambassador will do well with the adults only brigade if  both go.

I have just watched an online presentation for the cruise line. It was mainly promoting Ambition as she is sailing out of Falmouth in September and October next year and I must say I was very impressed. If I didn't already have a cruise booked for then I would be making a booking.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Pine Man said:

Is it not the case that once a FCC always a FCC, or should you reasonably expect to get a cash refund for a cancelled cruise paid for with FCCs?

Their T&Cs say that a FCC is not  ATOL/ABTA protected until it's a firm booking. So from that I assume that all bookings, however made, are protected.

[Adawn47]

5 hours ago, Britboys said:

Your posts are always very welcome but I must say this one has left me scratching my head...

I think it's known as 'sitting on the fence'.

Avril

[Adawn47]

4 hours ago, majortom10 said:

and they are also in the market for further ships to expand their fleet.

I hope they use more ports too, as Tilbury is difficult for us.

Avril