Live Report B225

[walkingdude]

On 10/22/2022 at 7:54 AM, Megabear2 said:

A big mark up on the thermal suite sessions from last year - was £25 a session. Do y9u know if when you book The Retreat you still get a thermal pass included?   Are there any changes in the serenity pool area - there was talk earlier in the year that the "shaded" structures with four beds would become a type of cabana area with upgraded sunbeds as they are on some Princess ships and would be charged for.  The Caribbean cruises were mentioned as the introductory ones.

 

 

MegaBear2, it looks like the “cabanas” around the Serenity Pool are filled on a first-come-first-served basis

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, walkingdude said:

MegaBear2, it looks like the “cabanas” around the Serenity Pool are filled on a first-come-first-served basis

Thanks Dude.  I take it the weather's improved for you now.

 

Are the "lids" still open or have they put the promised canvas type covers on some? It was the latter which was apparently going to make them payable.  

 

As my OH is on deck at 6.00am every morning for his daily mile swim before the crowds I'm sure by the time I join him he'll be happily ensconced doing his work emails.  Sometimes it's great living with a fitness freak who gets up at 5.00am even on holiday!

[walkingdude]

53 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Thanks Dude.  I take it the weather's improved for you now.

 

Are the "lids" still open or have they put the promised canvas type covers on some? It was the latter which was apparently going to make them payable.  

 

As my OH is on deck at 6.00am every morning for his daily mile swim before the crowds I'm sure by the time I join him he'll be happily ensconced doing his work emails.  Sometimes it's great living with a fitness freak who gets up at 5.00am even on holiday!

The weather has improved dramatically. Lovely and sunny and hot, with calm waters. 
There are no lids over the cabanas - all open

[walkingdude]

Obviously, now full of sunbathing pax

[walkingdude]

[wowzz]

Are the Cabanas free ?

Awful position if you have to pay for them .

[GSPG]

On 10/21/2022 at 4:00 PM, Holidayfun141 said:

Looking forward to seeing how your cruise compares to our last 2.

On Ventura in September, very quick checks and questions as to our Health, seemed to not be enough. No Masks worn by most passengers, I arrived home with COVID.

Came off Brittania today, again the checks done before we boarded were not very good we had all the paperwork but nobody wanted to see any of it. No masks again even in queues and the Theatre, lots of coughing and we arrived home and my husband has Covid.
I feel that testing should come back for all cruises , the staff still all wore masks.

so I’m interested to see how your cruise is now all have been pre tested. I do hope you have a lovely cruise. 

Sorry, but we have to get used to this thing now.

[Megabear2]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Are the Cabanas free ?

Awful position if you have to pay for them .

This is what we are trying to ascertain! They've always been free but on my cruise personaliser for December they are showing as a little extra.  You will no doubt have seen the amendments on Regal where they were tarted up this year and made chargeable so wanted to see what the Serenity little extra is.  Regals cabanas are now very plush and expensive.

 

In Walkingdude's photo I spy one white covered frame that certainly wasn't there last time I sailed on Britannia.  Further investigation needed ...

[happy v]

They are the cabanas in the adult only area and are free.

[Red Leicester]

10 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

This is not good news!  According to my booking I can book dining on 2 December for my Christmas cruise.  We are hoping to do the special Epicurean Epicurean Christmas dinner on Christmas day as we have on all our previous holiday cruises.  Hopefully as that is not a "normal" booking they will sort it out so all can try to book.  There are a lot of flights arriving at different times on 16 and 17 December and it would be extremely unfair if early arrivals get to snap up all reservations on the cruise.

Surely the only fair way is to open booking at noon on a day when no one else can book on that cruise or to open up once everyone is on board to give everyone a fair go at bagging one of these restaurants.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Red Leicester said:

Surely the only fair way is to open booking at noon on a day when no one else can book on that cruise or to open up once everyone is on board to give everyone a fair go at bagging one of these restaurants.

I would agree but the ship is effectively two voyages with regional flights from all over on two days.  For instance I'm on the second Gatwick flight having moved from the early one to be able to book premium seats.

 

If I recall there's usually a Glasgow flight which comes in last and those people get in around 9.30pm.  The only way it would work is if all select venues are split into two sections, one for the 16th and one for the 17th but even then everyone would be booking very late in the night after a 9 hour flight.

 

This will be our 10th one of these, 7 of which have been over Christmas.  The online booking, pay in advance has always given everyone a fair chance in the past.  We have had cancellation and moved bookings before by P&O.  This new aspect of some being able to book if they're fortunate to be early is very much a curved ball.  The Epicurean is particularly an important part of our cruise along with a couple of Limelight Club visits and to be honest the way I feel about P&Os current treatment of their passengers could become make or break for our other bookings with them.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

This is what we are trying to ascertain! They've always been free but on my cruise personaliser for December they are showing as a little extra.  You will no doubt have seen the amendments on Regal where they were tarted up this year and made chargeable so wanted to see what the Serenity little extra is.  Regals cabanas are now very plush and expensive.

 

In Walkingdude's photo I spy one white covered frame that certainly wasn't there last time I sailed on Britannia.  Further investigation needed ...

Exactly -  the Britannia ones look like unfinished garden sheds, and aren't even next to the pool.  No way that I would pay to lie there. 

In contrast,  the Regal ones are quite sophisticated. Plus, of course,  there is always  the the Sanctuary . Does Britannia have the equivalent ?

[Megabear2]

7 hours ago, wowzz said:

Exactly -  the Britannia ones look like unfinished garden sheds, and aren't even next to the pool.  No way that I would pay to lie there. 

In contrast,  the Regal ones are quite sophisticated. Plus, of course,  there is always  the the Sanctuary . Does Britannia have the equivalent ?

Britannia has the Retreat of course but if these Sanctuary beds are not converted nothing else.  I assume you travelled on Regal before this year and are therefore aware that she had "unfinished garden sheds " identical to the Britannia ones until this year.  The plush pink and striped ones onboard her are chargeable at a minimum $50 a day - on seadays the price rise.   I used the area on my staycation last year and all beds there were free.  In July the whole pool area that was in sun was unavailable to non fee paying people with a large reduction in the number of free beds accordingly.  As a result it was not a very welcoming area and as most free beds were in the shade under used as a result.

 

This drive towards paid cabanas offering upmarket drinks and food as paid Extras seems to be creeping in since Celebrity and NCL introduced them.

 

Incidentally on bad positioning those on Celebrity Edge take the prize!  They edge the back of the pool terrace - there is only one pool useable by non suite guests - and face outward towards the sea.  However you are actually facing a busy walk through area and cannot actually see the ocean.  You pay $150 a day for the privilege although a bottle of spirit or champagne is included along with some beers and soft drinks and a meal.  However if you want to swim you have to go on a hike to the pool.

[Bazrat]

Hiya folks we have the normal crowd on board who are to posh to wash or use sanitiser before going into the venues, surprises me that some actually dodge the crew holding the stuff.

yesterday was hot so most people was outside, we went to the beach house last night great food and service pictures to follow, the Jolly olly beer in the glass house is rather tasty, for some unknown reason the beloved keeps on thinking we are going to eat there when I pop in for a pint.

[Bazrat]

Epicurean 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 27, 2022 by Bazrat

[Bazrat]

Beach House

[walkingdude]

15 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

This is what we are trying to ascertain! They've always been free but on my cruise personaliser for December they are showing as a little extra.  You will no doubt have seen the amendments on Regal where they were tarted up this year and made chargeable so wanted to see what the Serenity little extra is.  Regals cabanas are now very plush and expensive.

 

In Walkingdude's photo I spy one white covered frame that certainly wasn't there last time I sailed on Britannia.  Further investigation needed ...

There are 2 of these. First-come-first-served

[walkingdude]

Epicurean last night. It was the final night of Menu 2 (copy of menu below).

We had the Smoked Salmon (10/10), Duck Leg (9/10) and the Tomato Tastings (7.5/10) for starters.

We had the Dover Sole (9/10), the Lobster (9.5/10), the Sirloin (10/10), and the Cote De Boeuf (9/10).

All were presented very well, all were very good quality, cooked to perfection.

Menu 1 starts from tonight for the remainder of the cruise 

 

[walkingdude]

Menu 2

[walkingdude]

Menu 1

[walkingdude]

Still no signs of anything untoward on Deck 8, and no areas restricted, from what I have seen 

[Camberley]

Ah my favourite restaurant onboard by a long shot: usually half of our evening meals when onboard are spent in Epicurean. And their snow crab cocktail is one of my very favourite starters ever. I make it at home every now and then as a particular treat. 

[Harry Peterson]

6 minutes ago, walkingdude said:

Epicurean last night. It was the final night of Menu 2 (copy of menu below).

We had the Smoked Salmon (10/10), Duck Leg (9/10) and the Tomato Tastings (7.5/10) for starters.

We had the Dover Sole (9/10), the Lobster (9.5/10), the Sirloin (10/10), and the Cote De Boeuf (9/10).

All were presented very well, all were very good quality, cooked to perfection.

Menu 1 starts from tonight for the remainder of the cruise 

 

Good to see that the Epicurean’s as good as ever - it was always one of the greatest pleasures of cruising for us.

[walkingdude]

Back in Epicurean next week to try the other menu

[walkingdude]

2 hours ago, Bazrat said:

Hiya folks we have the normal crowd on board who are to posh to wash or use sanitiser before going into the venues, surprises me that some actually dodge the crew holding the stuff.

We’ve noticed that, too. We accept the sanitiser every time from the crew, and we each carry our own pocket-sized dispenser. It is unbelievable how some people behave