Summer 2025

[Mad4WDW]

1 minute ago, yorkshirephil said:

They usually do two 35 night cruises in Jan and Feb, one tends to do more Caribbean with some Central America the other does USA and Caribbean. These are our favourites even though we tend to do one every year and a lot of repeat ports however what a way to spend five winter weeks. There are also the occasional 28 nights and we did 40 nights on Arcadia last November. Brilliant for us retired wrinklies.

Yeah Ive saw a few 35 night ones but with the sailings from Southampton there were so many more sea days than the 28 day Azura one we did that flew into Barbados.

[Megabear2]

Are Arcadia's single cabins gold plated?  Just priced the April Med one and been quoted a starting price of £2949 inside and £5179 balcony.  Single occupancy double inside is from £1729 saver or £2079 select while deluxe balcony is from £3079 saver £3699 select.

 

This echoes Cunard when I booked for January 2025, all single cabins nearly £2,500 dearer than single occupancy of double.

[jeanlyon]

14 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Are Arcadia's single cabins gold plated?  Just priced the April Med one and been quoted a starting price of £2949 inside and £5179 balcony.  Single occupancy double inside is from £1729 saver or £2079 select while deluxe balcony is from £3079 saver £3699 select.

 

This echoes Cunard when I booked for January 2025, all single cabins nearly £2,500 dearer than single occupancy of double.

Yes, we found that when booking for our single friend.  Much cheaper to take single occupancy of a twin cabin.

[Dermotsgirl]

I've glanced through the offerings, and I'm strangely drawn to the  Aurora British Isles cruise in 2025, as there are some ports we have not visited.

 

But I wouldn't even consider booking so far in advance ( not like I did prior to 2020). 

[Denarius]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

Yes, we found that when booking for our single friend.  Much cheaper to take single occupancy of a twin cabin.

This sort of thing happens when machines take over. The algorithm probably recognises that demand for single cabins is high so bumps up the price accordingly. But no one has programmed it to compare the price with that of single occupancy of a twin, which logically should cost more because of the increased space, so it doesn't. And the result is illogical pricing.

[P&O SUE]

4 hours ago, SarahHben said:

I have been looking at two Med cruises in August 2025:

Britannia goes to Cadiz, Mallorca, Cagliari, Ibiza, Cartagena & Gibraltar.

Arvia goes to La Caruna, Malaga, Alicante, Toulon, Barcelona & Cadiz.

 

The only port we will have been to before then is Cadiz, we're going there this summer on Ventura.

 

I think the Britannia itinerary is appealing to me more.

I know you want August but it will be very hot and busy. Would love to go on Britannia to the Med but not in August. Unfortunately Britannia is only going late July and August. However I’ve had two cruises cancelled to Malaga and Barcelona both places I really want to go so I like the look of the Arvia one in Sept/Oct as we can get both ports done in one cruise!

[P&O SUE]

6 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

You do have to laugh.  Just looked at that Arcadia cruise and Motril appears to be in West Africa on the map!!

On the maps I was looking at it appears the ship is crossing land to get to Malaga from La Coruna! 

Edited April 19, 2023 by P&O SUE

[daiB]

OK we are sorted for 2025. Arvia back to back in July/August and Britannia in September/October.

 

Happy Days

 

Gan Canny

 

Dai

 

 

[SarahHben]

23 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I know you want August but it will be very hot and busy. Would love to go on Britannia to the Med but not in August. Unfortunately Britannia is only going late July and August. However I’ve had two cruises cancelled to Malaga and Barcelona both places I really want to go so I like the look of the Arvia one in Sept/Oct as we can get both ports done in one cruise!

Our Grandson will at school by then and our daughter works term times anyway, so we're very limited with dates as I provide their childcare 😏

 

Mum & Dad are going to the Med on Arvia this September, I think It's a slightly different itinerary though, I know they're going to La Spezia, Marseilles and Barcelona

[P&O SUE]

5 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

Our Grandson will at school by then and our daughter works term times anyway, so we're very limited with dates as I provide their childcare 😏

 

Mum & Dad are going to the Med on Arvia this September, I think It's a slightly different itinerary though, I know they're going to La Spezia, Marseilles and Barcelona

Yes I understand that. I want to visit the Alhambra from Malaga, wouldn’t fancy that in August heat.
Our grandson is starting school in September, they were very pleased to hear they’ve got their first choice, the same place he goes to for nursery!

[SarahHben]

Just now, P&O SUE said:

Yes I understand that. I want to visit the Alhambra from Malaga, wouldn’t fancy that in August heat.
Our grandson is starting school in September, they were very pleased to hear they’ve got their first choice, the same place he goes to for nursery!

Oh goodness, those years have flown by haven't they! Our little lad had his first starter session at our school's nursery class today!

[Megabear2]

Well here's a tale of woe!  Just spoke to P&O re the Aurora June cruise calling at lots of nice Italian ports - the website offered me an outside cabin for £2980 but kept reverting to 0 guests in 1 cabin.  Ahh says the nice man, you can't book that one yet only the single cabins, it may change when they go on general sale.

 

Is this normal, the single balcony he offered me was £4,004 with £70 obc which seems an awful lot - I have a single outside on a QE fly cruise in September this year for £2501 so £4,000+ seems ridiculous.  

[showingdiva]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Are Arcadia's single cabins gold plated?  Just priced the April Med one and been quoted a starting price of £2949 inside and £5179 balcony.  Single occupancy double inside is from £1729 saver or £2079 select while deluxe balcony is from £3079 saver £3699 select.

 

This echoes Cunard when I booked for January 2025, all single cabins nearly £2,500 dearer than single occupancy of double.

 

The solo Arcadia cruise I did was expensive in a single occupancy balcony cabin.   However, as it's a special cabin to me, I took a deep breath and accepted the cost (and would again).

 

QM2's KC single cabins with the double large portholes are lovely though.   Really spacious, and still my favourite over booking single occupancy.

 

However ... I originally booked an Iona extended balcony cabin - at release - which is departing next week.  Only £40 OBC at the time.   Cost £1,340 including single supplement  (the cost of this cruise subsequently doubled and almost trebled at one point).   However, just after booking, I fell in love with MSC Virtuosa, so cancelled the Iona cruise and booked a single occupancy, extended balcony cabin (with drink package) for £875.   To almost exactly the same ports.

[happy v]

There are a few itineraries which interest me. Best for a few years 

[Megabear2]

17 minutes ago, showingdiva said:

 

The solo Arcadia cruise I did was expensive in a single occupancy balcony cabin.   However, as it's a special cabin to me, I took a deep breath and accepted the cost (and would again).

 

QM2's KC single cabins with the double large portholes are lovely though.   Really spacious, and still my favourite over booking single occupancy.

 

However ... I originally booked an Iona extended balcony cabin - at release - which is departing next week.  Only £40 OBC at the time.   Cost £1,340 including single supplement  (the cost of this cruise subsequently doubled and almost trebled at one point).   However, just after booking, I fell in love with MSC Virtuosa, so cancelled the Iona cruise and booked a single occupancy, extended balcony cabin (with drink package) for £875.   To almost exactly the same ports.

I love QM2 single cabins, did my world cruise in 2018 in a deck 2 one.  I have never sailed on Aurora as every time I book her something befalls me - perhaps someone is trying to tell me something!

 

I'm quite content to pass on the adult only ships if I get quoted silly prices.  Have 3 bargain basements to look forward at present

 

Iona inside for single occupancy 7 nights Norway fjords  29 April £589

Arvia booked 14 May for 2 weeks inside for £749 but upgraded to a balcony on deck 9

Britannia Med 4 nights single balcony for £1200

 

Cant fault any of them at those prices!  Trouble is I'm not very keen on fly cruise at present but I love Italian ports which are few and far between on ex Southampton cruises.  My QE fly cruise is a birthday treat and is going to Naples and Rome among other favourites. She also comes back via the place where my mum's ashes are scattered and Cunard will sound the horn for me when we pass over her

[swanseaboy]

2 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Well here's a tale of woe!  Just spoke to P&O re the Aurora June cruise calling at lots of nice Italian ports - the website offered me an outside cabin for £2980 but kept reverting to 0 guests in 1 cabin.  Ahh says the nice man, you can't book that one yet only the single cabins, it may change when they go on general sale.

 

Is this normal, the single balcony he offered me was £4,004 with £70 obc which seems an awful lot - I have a single outside on a QE fly cruise in September this year for £2501 so £4,000+ seems ridiculous.  

I've had a similar experience on Cunard. When they launched winter 2024 (last December) it would only let me reserve a Single Cabin (as a solo guest). It would not let me chose a double cabin for single occupancy. I'm quite happy with my cabin choice but it seemed odd it would not give me the option of solo in double cabin. I'm on QM2 in a KC solo Cabin on deck 3 (I have seen these cabins and they are very nice as commented by another poster above). 

[lebreos]

unfortunately with a youngish son - we have to book early to get child places guaranteed - cant wait till he doesn't need that. Early indications very little OBC so parking will be better value, will just have to use my shareholder perk to get some OBC then..4kish for august 2025 with the 3 of us on arvia from Southampton, balcony cabin, cheaper than Florida is going to be in 2024 though. So TA will try to book us a nice cabin on release

[jh1809]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Well here's a tale of woe!  Just spoke to P&O re the Aurora June cruise calling at lots of nice Italian ports - the website offered me an outside cabin for £2980 but kept reverting to 0 guests in 1 cabin.  Ahh says the nice man, you can't book that one yet only the single cabins, it may change when they go on general sale.

 

Is this normal, the single balcony he offered me was £4,004 with £70 obc which seems an awful lot - I have a single outside on a QE fly cruise in September this year for £2501 so £4,000+ seems ridiculous.  

I've noticed before that the balcony cabins on Aurora seem to be very expensive, much more so than on Arcadia which is a similar size. I've never bothered to check, but I'd guess that Aurora has relatively few balcony cabins.

[Old_tilly_billy]

Who said same old same old this one is going to Africa 🤔

[tring]

1 hour ago, jh1809 said:

I've noticed before that the balcony cabins on Aurora seem to be very expensive, much more so than on Arcadia which is a similar size. I've never bothered to check, but I'd guess that Aurora has relatively few balcony cabins.

 

Yes she does have less balcony cabins.

[tring]

35 minutes ago, Old_tilly_billy said:

Who said same old same old this one is going to Africa 🤔

 

Will take something to lug the ship across The Sahara.  Would that make it a ship of the desert?

 

[showingdiva]

16 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Will take something to lug the ship across The Sahara.  Would that make it a ship of the desert?

 

 

Or     P Sand O

 

.... I'll get my coat ....

[Britboys]

19 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Are Arcadia's single cabins gold plated?  Just priced the April Med one and been quoted a starting price of £2949 inside and £5179 balcony.  Single occupancy double inside is from £1729 saver or £2079 select while deluxe balcony is from £3079 saver £3699 select.

 

This echoes Cunard when I booked for January 2025, all single cabins nearly £2,500 dearer than single occupancy of double.

Yes, I found that on three separate cruises. No logic or sense at all...

[Selbourne]

I’ve now gone through all the itineraries and prices and for the first time have a dilemma. 
 

We have self imposed a price cap of what we are now prepared to spend with P&O of £100 pppn for a balcony cabin (Select fare, net of any OBC). This rules out Aurora and we don’t like Arcadia (which I suspect is also firmly above this price). Azura is also ruled out as not operating from Southampton. 
 

I don’t see any sense in booking cruises of less than 2 weeks duration this far in advance, especially as P&O are heavily discounting these cruises presently and with the Iona fjords 7 night cruises being repeated for the 4th year running I can see those becoming cheap as chips if you book late. 
 

That pretty much leaves Arvia, Britannia and Ventura. There are cruises on all 3 that appeal and fit within our price cap. We usually book at launch for two reasons. One is that launch prices were always the cheapest, which we know is no longer the case. The second reason is that we need an adapted cabin and these sell out quickly. However, it seems that people who booked cruises a few years ago, perhaps with a £50 deposit whilst on board, are cancelling by balance due date, possibly due to the cost of living challenges.
 

I noticed that an interesting Britannia cruise in July this year was being advertised at good prices, so I called a month or so ago and, as expected, there were no accessible balcony cabins available. However, I called again last week, just after balance due date had passed, and we were given a choice of 2, so I booked (comfortably below our price cap). 
 

I now need to discuss with Lady Selbourne whether we book a couple of 2025 cruises so that we bag our first choice accessible balcony cabins, or take our chances and hope that we strike lucky closer to sail date, as we have just done with Britannia. Decisions, decisions 😂 

[Host Sharon]

15 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I'm quite content to pass on the adult only ships if I get quoted silly prices.  Have 3 bargain basements to look forward at present

 

Iona inside for single occupancy 7 nights Norway fjords  29 April £589

Arvia booked 14 May for 2 weeks inside for £749 but upgraded to a balcony on deck 9

Britannia Med 4 nights single balcony for £1200

 

Cant fault any of them at those prices!  Trouble is I'm not very keen on fly cruise at present but I love Italian ports which are few and far between on ex Southampton cruises.  My QE fly cruise is a birthday treat and is going to Naples and Rome among other favourites. She also comes back via the place where my mum's ashes are scattered and Cunard will sound the horn for me when we pass over her

Both Saga and Fred have Amalfi coast cruises from S'ton 24/25.