Why is everyone still cruising with P&O ?

[jeanlyon]

Just now, Josy1953 said:

 

The ladies comment is the same comment that I made in 1982 and I have not been back to Malta since, we didn't even bother to get off the ship when we were on a cruise that went into Malta.

I am really surprised that it hasn't impoved over the intervening years.  Someone once said to me that people either love or hate Malta.

Interesting.  I was last there in 2019 and enjoyed it.  Didn't notice dog mess.

[daiB]

9 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

Iona 4 star?!! Don' think any P&O ships are. Maybe some other lines. 

Iona is most certainly 4 stars. But remember hotel star systems are based on facilities only.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, kalos said:

The original question was ..Why is everyone still cruising with P&O ?

 

I think that was answered ages ago .. People want to ,simple as that .

 

Why buy a certain beer ,use a certain supermarket  .We all have the choice .

 

As for land based holidays , I thought mine was brill, so yes it gave value and chances 

are if and when I cruise , hopefully soon ,they too will be just as good thus giving value to me.

Which to me is the best of both worlds .

I have no problem with that so why do others ?🙂

We take our holidays about a third cruises. About a third flyaway, about a third uk and the rest avoiding Malta.

[carlanthony24]

Only so much of Malta you can take better to be visited by ship.

[zap99]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

This is getting boring

 

Anyway  we are conflating two separate questions 

 

Question  1 ,  Why cruise with P&O when there are better cruise lines 

 

Question 2.   Do land based holidays offer better value. 

 

 

 

1. Because we like to.

2. Sometimes.

[Fionboard]

Last did hotel holiday in Malta in 2008. So dirty and run down. Maybe cleaned it up a bit by now with EU money. 

[Angel57]

1 hour ago, Josy1953 said:

 

The ladies comment is the same comment that I made in 1982 and I have not been back to Malta since, we didn't even bother to get off the ship when we were on a cruise that went into Malta.

I am really surprised that it hasn't impoved over the intervening years.  Someone once said to me that people either love or hate Malta.

I quite like the sail into Valletta and quite enjoy one port day in Malta. 
For me, the joy of cruising is waking up (always a good start to the day) in a different port or country and enjoying the thought of going ashore.

But I must admit, having stayed two nights at the Lake Louise hotel @zap99 I could quite happily wake up to that view for several days! Stunning,

 

[Guest ccpm]

In answer to YorkyPete's original question I cruise P&O for reasons that apply to me, my budget and general life. My question to you is as you seem to hate P&O why bother with this part of the forum? No shade just mystified as to why you continue when you dislike it so much.

[Fionboard]

2 minutes ago, ccpm said:

In answer to YorkyPete's original question I cruise P&O for reasons that apply to me, my budget and general life. My question to you is as you seem to hate P&O why bother with this part of the forum? No shade just mystified as to why you continue when you dislike it so much.

Agree absolutely. Can do 6/7 cruises per year with P&O or 3/4 on  a 5 star line. Each to their own. 

[Guest ccpm]

1 minute ago, Fionboard said:

Agree absolutely. Can do 6/7 cruises per year with P&O or 3/4 on  a 5 star line. Each to their own. 

You are so right. Plus I don't get off very much now and find something to do somewhere. BUT most importantly of all I feel and always am safe.

 

[Josy1953]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

But Kalos, Switzerland is mountains.  They are boring. Here is the view from our hotel at Lake Louise. Malta beats it hands down. We were on our way to our Alaska cruise on Celebrity Silhouette.  That was boring as well. 🤣

Loved our trip across the Canadian Rockies on the way to join Crown Princess up to Alaska.  Lake Louise was one of the places that we stayed at.  Your photo was the view that we had from our room.

[Snow Hill]

3 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

Spoke to a lady on here this morning who recently went to Malta.  She told me it was filthy with dog mess everywhere and she hated it.  I've not been to Malta since the days of their Libyan tie up but I can confidently inform readers Arvia is most definitely clean with not a sniff of dog mess.

Have been to Malta twice in the last 10 years once for my niece’s wedding and 2 years later in 2015 when we did a Med cruise on the Oceana out of Valletta, should have done the same in 2020, but you know what came along. We never saw any dog mess, we enjoyed both our visits taking in the historic sites of Valletta and the country as a whole. We would go back with no hesitation. 

[Megabear2]

Sounds like Malta is Marmite then! Only went once in 1983 so no idea personally. Had hoped maybe a cruise calling there one day, who knows!

[Snow Hill]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Our cruise is £1745 each for 19 nights.  And if you find watching the sea boring, don't cruise!

We try to pick cruises based on number of port days, keeping sea days to a minimum which is why we prefer fly cruises. On a sea day I would spend most of the time sitting some on the ship reading or on balcony doing similar, find the time seems to pass quicker. I usually have a couple of books with me, with additional ones downloaded from my local library to my iPad. Once we dock we are itching to get off to spend as much time ashore as we possibly can. 

[Son of Anarchy]

Quite enjoyed Malta on the two occasions we've been there.  Both times on cruises.  Both times went to The Pub, the one of Olly Reed fame.  Couldn't quite match his stamina, but had fun trying! 🍺

[Cloudyrain]

8 hours ago, Yorkypete said:

Malta, 4* all inclusive, sea view large balcony, all transfers and entertainment inc flights for two weeks £2,200....no comparison. I'll bet your Iona balcony does not include select fare and drinks plus all costs getting there inc private transport!

 It is a select price. We don’t really drink much, so AI is not really an issue. Plus we have a selection of entertainment and childcare facilities. The drive including the petrol and parking is about £100, which admittedly is double the cost of a taxi to and from the airport, but we would also spend on food for 3 in the airport and on the plane and have to contend with a flight at often awkward times and deal with airports/airplanes (yuck). 
 

plus our price is for 3, not 2; and AI in a 4* hotel is no way comparable to the options on a cruise. 

[Cloudyrain]

3 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Iona 4 star?!! Don' think any P&O ships are. Maybe some other lines. 

I think compared to 4* hotels in Europe that P&O are more like a 5* when considering the food and entertainment options. We recently did a 4* Lanzarote that was very highly rated but the evening entertainment was the choice of two venues, most meals were buffet service, and the hours of available food were very limited in comparison. Also catering for additional needs and food/medical requirements was massively lacking. 

 

There may be better cruise options (MSC Yacht Club for example) but for the price I think P&O exceed the quality and service of 4* hotel options (in Western Med Europe, I can’t comment on other areas).

[AndyLovesCruises]

It’s all down to taste and personal preference. 
 

i have met couples that have said to me they prefer TUI over RCL and NCL. Thats just plain incorrect to me IMO but who am I to judge !

[Yorkypete]

6 hours ago, Landon90 said:

I’ve quoted prices and backed them up with links and dates. You’ve quoted prices with absolutely nothing to support them. 
 

Much prefer a lovely well priced cruise ship stopping at multiple ports, great entertainment, food and fun, with no airports and flying to deal with, than an overpriced stay at repetitive Maltas Mysterious Hotel.

I realise you need everything doing for you but instead of calling it Malta Mysterious Hotel, try looking them up...Phonecia, San Antonio, Dilmen, Qawra Palace just to name a few.. I have quoted prices which you can check . I resent the implication that I am making them up just because you have been proven wrong with your prices. Goodbye.

[Yorkypete]

6 hours ago, kalos said:

 So really like for like your hotel view looking out to sea is boring ??

 

May I suggest a holiday in Switzerland they also have nice 4* hotels 🙂

Have been there. Lovely.  My sea view is not boring. I was told it was repetative and I said I found looking at sea all day boring, if my view was deemed as such.

[Yorkypete]

4 hours ago, zap99 said:

We take our holidays about a third cruises. About a third flyaway, about a third uk and the rest avoiding Malta.

 

4 hours ago, carlanthony24 said:

Only so much of Malta you can take better to be visited by ship.

Obviously no culture vultures here then. Malta has more history than any place visited by cruise ships (except Valletta of course).

[Landon90]

1 minute ago, Yorkypete said:

I realise you need everything doing for you but instead of calling it Malta Mysterious Hotel, try looking them up...Phonecia, San Antonio, Dilmen, Qawra Palace just to name a few.. I have quoted prices which you can check . I resent the implication that I am making them up just because you have been proven wrong with your prices. Goodbye.

You’re back? I think this is your third goodbye post. 
 

Looking at some of these comments plus some feedback from family members who have been - it doesn’t seem my cup of tea, especially with your expensive mysterious hotel that can’t compete with a P&O cruise like for like. Malta sound repetitive. 🙂 

[Yorkypete]

4 hours ago, Fionboard said:

Last did hotel holiday in Malta in 2008. So dirty and run down. Maybe cleaned it up a bit by now with EU money. 

So are many of the Spanish resorts  Gibralter is worse than most.

[Yorkypete]

1 hour ago, Megabear2 said:

Sounds like Malta is Marmite then! Only went once in 1983 so no idea personally. Had hoped maybe a cruise calling there one day, who knows!

Unfortunately for one day you would not even see 1% of the historic sites and what the country has to offer.

[Yorkypete]

1 hour ago, Cloudyrain said:

 It is a select price. We don’t really drink much, so AI is not really an issue. Plus we have a selection of entertainment and childcare facilities. The drive including the petrol and parking is about £100, which admittedly is double the cost of a taxi to and from the airport, but we would also spend on food for 3 in the airport and on the plane and have to contend with a flight at often awkward times and deal with airports/airplanes (yuck). 
 

plus our price is for 3, not 2; and AI in a 4* hotel is no way comparable to the options on a cruise. 

If that was a select price let me know which ship as I would book it possibly! My taxi (ie shuttles) are private and all in my pricing. No bad flight times (10am out, 1.30 return) We have entertainment each evening and childcare in the hotel ( plus free keep fit classes). We would not need food in the airport and just a drink for the 3 hour flight (2 hrs less than our travel time to Southampton). Much more amenable.