Arvia Adventure Begins - May 2023

[Jazzytelly]

17 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Looks horrendous. I hope that the escalator is switched off 😂.

 

I’d love to know what constitutes being an ‘early arrival’. It’s impossible to plan your arrival time precisely as it’s dependent on CPS etc. if you are 30 minutes early do you get sent to the back of the 3 hour queue? 🤔

No they were calling out the arrival times every now and then and people with those times were leaving the queue.

 

My smallest suitcase didn’t turn up either and I found it myself just inside the crew area ( I was with one of the crew so didn’t just walk in) it was underneath loads of big suitcases.

 

I hate to say it and this might cause an argument but I wonder if the reason no lotion is available is because people ( according to other social media) think it is okay to take the big bottles of lotion hone with them. I hope they they haven’t now spoilt it for everyone else in the future. 

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, CarlaMarie said:

Were you asked if you wanted the upgrade? I am not sure how accurate this is, but from what I have heard the option of saying whether you would or would not like to be put on the upgrade list has been done anyway with.  I would have thought that defeated the point of a select fare, which the majority of passengers who opt for select do so to get their cabin of choice. 

 

Hope the visit goes well! 

No I wasn't asked and when I booked there was no choice about upgrading because all cabins were guarantee in an area rather than being able to pick.

 

I've just returned after eating - I couldn't wait for the guy any longer - and apparently he is returning in 15 minutes as he'd missed me.

 

Interestingly when I first went out my steward was outside and asked if I'd slept well - I think the bags under the eyes and red eye probably told the sorry tale.  Anyway started chatting and he told me every cruise without fail someone in this little bank of cabins makes a complaint they can't sleep properly for noise issues.  

 

Away from the complaint I joined a queue for the Diner brunch as no virtual queue in place.  Waited 10 minutes and then in to a very nice table next to the window.  Service was very good and the food was hot and tasty.  Definitely a good choice if you miss breakfast elsewhere.

 

Talking to a couple sitting next to me they told me that all entertainment this evening is fully booked and has been so most of the.morning.  Checking The app they are correct, only the escape room thing has availability. 

 

The good news is my Wi-Fi and app are working splendidly and my phone thinks I'm in France and has connected via my EE free roaming.

 

So now I wait, I hope Godot is coming soon.

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Megabear2

[Megabear2]

Well I'm moving!  No idea where to, I'm to be given suggestions later today.  I'm promised it will be quiet which is all I care about!  I'm going out now and apparently will have a message from reception on my return.

 

A big relief, I don't mind if I go back inside or where as long as I can sleep.

[Britboys]

The word "queue" seems to be cropping up a fair bit. Maybe the 'stress-gap' between cruising and flying is narrowing...?

[Technoman2]

A couple on our cruise was offered an inside cabin to sleep in and keep the bacony cabin for daytime. Now thats Random! Good luck🙂

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, Technoman2 said:

A couple on our cruise was offered an inside cabin to sleep in and keep the bacony cabin for daytime. Now thats Random! Good luck🙂

We once had multiple issues with an aft suite on Britannia and we were offered a balcony cabin to sleep in or use as we wished, in addition to the suite. 

[TigerB]

4 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Well I'm moving!  No idea where to, I'm to be given suggestions later today.  I'm promised it will be quiet which is all I care about!  I'm going out now and apparently will have a message from reception on my return.

 

A big relief, I don't mind if I go back inside or where as long as I can sleep.

 

Having already upgraded you to a balcony, I doubt they will stick you back in an inside cabin.

With luck, you will get a decent balcony cabin in a good location.🤞

 

Enjoy the rest of your cruise; I look forward to the posts.😊

[TigerB]

5 hours ago, CarlaMarie said:

I am not sure how accurate this is, but from what I have heard the option of saying whether you would or would not like to be put on the upgrade list has been done anyway with. 

 

They're still asking; or, at least I was this morning.

[Froxfield]

5 minutes ago, TigerB said:

 

They're still asking; or, at least I was this morning.

Yes, we were asked a couple of days ago when booking onboard for 2025. I only hope the answer got put onto the system!!

[Megabear2]

Well it's not gone very well I'm afraid.  Heard nothing so went to reception where I was told nothing can be done as there's no free cabins.  The guy who came earlier is apparently "watching the situation"! This I'm afraid led to  Megabear meltdown not helped when a man turned up next to me to hand in his keys for his change of cabin due to noise issues.  He told me quite openly he and his wife came down in their nightclothes at 12.30pm to complain about the situation. Ironically she has an identical hearing/ear problem as me. He was deck 9 above the club as well.  Earlier on deck I spoke to a lovely couple on their first cruise celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.  They had noise until 2.00am in their deck 5 midship inside as well.

 

I was then taken to an area away from reception by the person in charge of the reception/cabin allocation where we had a very frank discussion about noise issues as a whole across the ship and apparently there are literally a hundred or so cabins in various places and of all grades where complaints have been received at some point from passengers.

 

Having been told nothing can be done unless someone gets off I explained that because of my mental health issues if I remain sleep deprived I would be at risk of an episode.  After this discussion the lady left to speak to someone else and also at my suggestion try to at least find me somewhere to rest tonight. 

 

As a very special concession I have been given a room elsewhere to sleep in tonight, I understand it's a one off due to my situation.  It's actually a crew isolation cabin and I can only have it tonight.  I'm told to have breakfast tomorrow and go to see her at around 9.15 after the ship is docked and the manifesto of passengers is amended. Apparently we will get a proper solution tomorrow but I'm not holding my breath.  Meantime my port time looks like it's going out of the window while it's all dealt with.

 

I'm too tired and fed up to even care now, in fact I'd  happily get off the way I feel at present.

 

I made a number of points about being upgraded when I'd said no, about the whole process of allocating known noisy cabins to people who have files marked as vulnerable and also the lie I'd get moved, the no show of the drvk supervisors and my partially wasted day.  Apparently these are all valid complaints but nothing to do with the ship!

 

To compound everything the wonderful app is down ship wide and hosts of people have lost all.of their bookings.  I'll bet you evens mine will be one of them!

 

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by Megabear2

[lincslady]

This is a horrible situation - fingers crossed it gets solved for you, from me and I am sure lots of others.

[CarlaMarie]

I am so sorry that you have been placed in this situation @Megabear2. I truly hope it gets sorted for you. 

 

This is why I asked if you had asked to be put on the upgrade list. A couple who my Mum and Dad got talking to on Britannia have been booking with a TA for many years, the man has mobility issues and can only have certain cabins and the TA gets them one of these and never says to upgrade (as the others would not meet his needs). Just before sailing they were notified that they had been upgraded to a cabin, they checked the information and it was one that they wouldn't be able to use. They phoned P&O who said that they couldn't do anything now as all cabins had been allocated. Their TA intervened on their behalf and they spoke to somebody else at P&O. The person they spoke to quickly sorted it and their original cabin luckily was actually still available.

 

This seems to be happening a bit too often now, and also passengers being given the wrong information. 

Edited May 15, 2023 by CarlaMarie

[Selbourne]

57 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Well it's not gone very well I'm afraid.  Heard nothing so went to reception where I was told nothing can be done as there's no free cabins.  The guy who came earlier is apparently "watching the situation"! This I'm afraid led to  Megabear meltdown not helped when a man turned up next to me to hand in his keys for his change of cabin due to noise issues.  He told me quite openly he and his wife came down in their nightclothes at 12.30pm to complain about the situation. Ironically she has an identical hearing/ear problem as me. He was deck 9 above the club as well.  Earlier on deck I spoke to a lovely couple on their first cruise celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary.  They had noise until 2.00am in their deck 5 midship inside as well.

 

I was then taken to an area away from reception by the person in charge of the reception/cabin allocation where we had a very frank discussion about noise issues as a whole across the ship and apparently there are literally a hundred or so cabins in various places and of all grades where complaints have been received at some point from passengers.

 

Having been told nothing can be done unless someone gets off I explained that because of my mental health issues if I remain sleep deprived I would be at risk of an episode.  After this discussion the lady left to speak to someone else and also at my suggestion try to at least find me somewhere to rest tonight. 

 

As a very special concession I have been given a room elsewhere to sleep in tonight, I understand it's a one off due to my situation.  It's actually a crew isolation cabin and I can only have it tonight.  I'm told to have breakfast tomorrow and go to see her at around 9.15 after the ship is docked and the manifesto of passengers is amended. Apparently we will get a proper solution tomorrow but I'm not holding my breath.  Meantime my port time looks like it's going out of the window while it's all dealt with.

 

I'm too tired and fed up to even care now, in fact I'd  happily get off the way I feel at present.

 

I made a number of points about being upgraded when I'd said no, about the whole process of allocating known noisy cabins to people who have files marked as vulnerable and also the lie I'd get moved, the no show of the drvk supervisors and my partially wasted day.  Apparently these are all valid complaints but nothing to do with the ship!

 

To compound everything the wonderful app is down ship wide and hosts of people have lost all.of their bookings.  I'll bet you evens mine will be one of them!

 

 

So sorry to hear this and I sincerely hope that a solution (beyond tonight) is found for you. Hopefully your mysterious ‘P’ against your name on the P&O records (which I’m hoping means Priority) will bear fruit and of all the 100 or so people affected you will be the first to be moved to somewhere quiet.
 

Even when the ship is supposedly full there are always some cabins available. They found us a balcony cabin to use in addition to our suite on a full cruise. When I queried this I was told that some are always kept free for emergencies and also entertainment staff get on and off at various ports mid cruise. Hopefully a few rowdy folk may get offloaded at some point as well 😂 All joking apart, fingers crossed for you. 

[Megabear2]

26 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

I am so sorry that you have been placed in this situation @Megabear2. I truly hope it gets sorted for you. 

 

This is why I asked if you had asked to be put on the upgrade list. A couple who my Mum and Dad got talking to on Britannia have been booking with a TA for many years, the man has mobility issues and can only have certain cabins and the TA gets them one of these and never says to upgrade (as the others would not meet his needs). Just before sailing they were notified that they had been upgraded to a cabin, they checked the information and it was one that they wouldn't be able to use. They phoned P&O who said that they couldn't do anything now as all cabins had been allocated. Their TA intervened on their behalf and they spoke to somebody else at P&O. The person they spoke to quickly sorted it and their original cabin luckily was actually still available.

 

This seems to be happening a bit too often now, and also passengers being given the wrong information. 

Thank you. I actually booked direct with P&O on this occasion so can't blame anyone else, much as I'd love to! 

[Megabear2]

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

So sorry to hear this and I sincerely hope that a solution (beyond tonight) is found for you. Hopefully your mysterious ‘P’ against your name on the P&O records (which I’m hoping means Priority) will bear fruit and of all the 100 or so people affected you will be the first to be moved to somewhere quiet.
 

Even when the ship is supposedly full there are always some cabins available. They found us a balcony cabin to use in addition to our suite on a full cruise. When I queried this I was told that some are always kept free for emergencies and also entertainment staff get on and off at various ports mid cruise. Hopefully a few rowdy folk may get offloaded at some point as well 😂 All joking apart, fingers crossed for you. 

I'm told she's fully aware of the "P" and it does actually hold some sway in that I'm a personal contact of someone in high places in head office - something I didn't know so I've learned something new today if nothing else!  I assume it must be from my days of fighting the good fight on insurance and offloading but no doubt will never know!

 

Hopefully the 100 people aren't all complaining on this particular voyage, as someone else has already gotten the spares!

 

Anyway you are right about entertainers, she did mention those as bring a solution. Chesney Hawkes and his entourage get off tomorrow but I doubt international superstar rooms will.go to little old me. We shall see.

 

Having spoken to.home if it's not sorted by La Spezia week yesterday I'm going to ask to leave the ship as we have Italian contacts who will look after me and I can also get the train into Austria where I have friends and Munich with its multiple flights is very close by.

 

This is certainly an adventure.  Ironically I actually quite like the ship, have met some nice people already and if I can only get some sleep would be quite content.

 

Despite the sleep deprivation it's better than the assault on Britannia at Christmas!

 

Off to track down.my overnight room now with my trusty small bag - good job they found it - then dinner in the police Grove at 6.15 followed hope7by bed.

[Megabear2]

My temporary accommodation is twice the size of my own one.  Very quiet too, well until Captain Camby blared into the room. Clearly a lot of difference in size of small and large balcony cabins!  I do now have a very nice letter telling me how they will support me through my confinement... 

 

La Coruna on time tomorrow around 11 degrees early morning warming in the afternoon to 22 degrees. Hopefully I can get off for a while once the situation is sorted

 

[Technoman2]

If you are in the Olive Grove by 6-15 MB then dont be surprised if you are there for 2 hours if having 3 courses and coffee. I enjoyed the Tuna Steak first week and the Gyro the second week my wife enjoyed the Carbonara. The room situation is a bummer i truly hope something gets sorted for you. 

[Dermotsgirl]

Blimey, Megabear, after a sleepless night and all the kerfuffle, it sounds exhausting. I hope things improve from now on.

 

PS, thank you for posting all this, I’m sure the majority appreciate your efforts and are interested in what you say. As for the minority, they don’t have to read……. 

[Britboys]

Around 100 cabins that appear to experience significant noise problems? Surely this is poor planning and/or construction 🤔. On Marella Discovery 2, my cabin was underneath the Live Lounge. This is a late night venue and I know it was very loud because I had to leave it on several occasions. My cabin however was a haven of peace and quiet.

[Selbourne]

38 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Around 100 cabins that appear to experience significant noise problems? Surely this is poor planning and/or construction 🤔. On Marella Discovery 2, my cabin was underneath the Live Lounge. This is a late night venue and I know it was very loud because I had to leave it on several occasions. My cabin however was a haven of peace and quiet.

Interesting what you say about construction. With a few exceptions, when we cruise with P&O we hear noise from cabins both above and beside us (drawers opening and closing, TV if loud and sometimes even conversations). Sometimes enough to wake us. We were really struck on QM2 the other week that we didn’t hear a sound from outside the cabin. Not a dicky bird. I couldn’t help but wonder if the construction quality and, in particular, sound insulation, was better?  

[Britboys]

3 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Interesting what you say about construction. With a few exceptions, when we cruise with P&O we hear noise from cabins both above and beside us (drawers opening and closing, TV if loud and sometimes even conversations). Sometimes enough to wake us. We were really struck on QM2 the other week that we didn’t hear a sound from outside the cabin. Not a dicky bird. I couldn’t help but wonder if the construction quality and, in particular, sound insulation, was better?  

I must have been lucky on Oriana & Aurora as I have seldom heard noise from other cabins. Perhaps I've had considerate neighbours... Can't recall much about noise on Arcadia or Azura so guess there couldn't have been anything too bad...

Not sure how QM2's construction might be different to others, after all she is a one-off, constructed as an Ocean Liner and flagship.

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I must have been lucky on Oriana & Aurora as I have seldom heard noise from other cabins. Perhaps I've had considerate neighbours... Can't recall much about noise on Arcadia or Azura so guess there couldn't have been anything too bad...

Not sure how QM2's construction might be different to others, after all she is a one-off, constructed as an Ocean Liner and flagship.

Aurora (much as we love her) has been problematic for us, noise wise. One neighbour woke us every morning at 6.30am with a prolonged sneezing fit. Another (above us) woke us every night with a start getting out of bed (sounded like falling out of bed - an almighty crash), presumably for a visit to the loo. Yet another must have been hard of hearing as the TV was so loud. On yet another cruise we could actually hear the argument between the husband and wife (although that was quite amusing “the trouble with you is that you are just damned useless” etc. Arcadia (on our one cruise on her) was silent, but that may have been the fact that we had a corner suite. Ventura and Azura we’ve had noisy neighbours too. Maybe we are just unlucky!

[Britboys]

2 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Aurora (much as we love her) has been problematic for us, noise wise. One neighbour woke us every morning at 6.30am with a prolonged sneezing fit. Another (above us) woke us every night with a start getting out of bed (sounded like falling out of bed - an almighty crash), presumably for a visit to the loo. Yet another must have been hard of hearing as the TV was so loud. On yet another cruise we could actually hear the argument between the husband and wife (although that was quite amusing “the trouble with you is that you are just damned useless” etc. Arcadia (on our one cruise on her) was silent, but that may have been the fact that we had a corner suite. Ventura and Azura we’ve had noisy neighbours too. Maybe we are just unlucky!

I count myself as very lucky then...

[carlanthony24]

Hopefully the rest of the cruise goes well.

[lindyloo22]

Hope it all turns out ok for you Megabear, and hope I haven’t made a big mistake as I’ve just booked Arvia for July.