Is P&O for me -please help.

[Elaine0138]

I have found that there are a group of people who love to have a go at P&O, with very little personal experience and slam the cruise line for trivial matters like a long wait for a drink.

 

 

You also find die hard P&Oers having a go at other cruise lines that they haven't even sailed on. It happens with every line.

It is a good job we don't all like the same line or trying to book a cruise would cost an arm and a leg :)

 

Laura was giving her opinion P&O isn't the cruise line for her. Just like we will never sail NCL again.

[dak]

Wanted to say too that if you think it was maybe just this cruise and Oceana then you could persuade me to give P&O another try next year.

 

This sentence makes me throw in my tuppence-worth.

I've been on a few ships and go on them to enjoy the ship, the company, the cruise and the experience (in no particular order).

 

I know that I am in the minority, but the only ship I do not particularly want to return to is Oceana (or her sisters) and would be quite happy to see her returned to Princess. She simply did not strike a chord with me. Why? .... don't really know. Too American? too glitzy? passenger flow? layout? Company was good, cruise was good. We knew some of the crew from previous cruises. All good.

 

As I said, I am in the minority......I was one of the first to put my hand up in favour of Arcadia, albeit that she is a bit of a mongrel in cruiseline terms, but it works for me (except the daily rabble in the Belvedere:mad:).

 

Laura, Why not give one of the others a go. P&O does try to be all things to all men and it can't work all the time, but they do try.

 

David

[K8T]

Hi there

 

We have cruise with NCL, RCCL, Celebrity and P&O. I am working on a Cunard for the future! We have a Ventura booked.

 

It is impossible to compare each one, because they all have good and bad, if you could take all the good from each one, you would have perfection.

 

Personally, we like P&O we are in our early 40's and have found that depending where you go, the age group will change. The Carribbean will be a younger crowd - Most older British people, will avoid a long flight and the hot weather!!! If you go to Skandinavia, it will be an older group and if you go Med in late summer it will be full of families.

 

Possibly P&O is slightly more formal, it wasn't as 'in your face' as Celebrity has been, although our last Celebrity was a little more relaxed and not quite so commercial!! The ships tend to be less 'tired' than RCCL. The food is definately better than all of them we have experienced, but that is 'our taste' and opinon - probably not yours!

 

To be honest, we haven't really come accross many moaners on P&O, or NCL, or RCCL, however Celebrity was awful with the attitude of some people, but we enjoyed ourselves and avoided the crabby ones!

 

Enjoy your cruise, for the good bits and take the bad with a pinch of salt. Think yourselves lucky you have the time, money and health to enjoy it.

 

A cruise is what you make it - stuff everyone else!!!

 

Kate

[daiB]

Kate,

 

Well said. That is the kind of attitude I have.

 

:) Love the ship you are on:)

 

 

:) Happy Cruising:)

 

:cool: Dai

[Pemcorgimum]

This sentence makes me throw in my tuppence-worth.

I've been on a few ships and go on them to enjoy the ship, the company, the cruise and the experience (in no particular order).

 

I know that I am in the minority, but the only ship I do not particularly want to return to is Oceana (or her sisters) and would be quite happy to see her returned to Princess. She simply did not strike a chord with me. Why? .... don't really know. Too American? too glitzy? passenger flow? layout? Company was good, cruise was good. We knew some of the crew from previous cruises. All good.

 

As I said, I am in the minority......I was one of the first to put my hand up in favour of Arcadia, albeit that she is a bit of a mongrel in cruiseline terms, but it works for me (except the daily rabble in the Belvedere:mad:).

 

Laura, Why not give one of the others a go. P&O does try to be all things to all men and it can't work all the time, but they do try.

 

David

 

Thanks David- you've hinted that maybe Oceana was not the right ship for me to experience P & O.

[Pemcorgimum]

Laura,

 

I am sorry if I have offended you in any way. No problems. I am a teacher. I have broad shoulders

 

Perhaps I did 'have a go at you' but you seemed to be condemning a cruise line for some of the passengers you met and because some of the service was not as quick as you like. Are you telling me that you have never had to wait for a drink on RCCL

No, never .....seriously I haven't.

, or that you have never heard a passenger moan.

Yes of course but not every time I go in the lift, or every time I go in the buffet, or on every shore excursion, or every night at dinner.

 

Try looking at the message board on here 'Ask a cruise question' and you will see that this topic is common over all cruise lines. So using the expression "I am sorry but it will be my last P&O for a long time" seems to me to be a little over the top.

 

 

 

:cool:

Dai

 

We'll just have to agree to differ on our views, Dai.

:):)Happy Cruising:):) On RCCL or on P&O

[tom_uk]

Just to thrown in my tuppence-worth on Oceana...

 

I've never actually cruised on Oceana, but I did a 'Ship Visit' onboard her last July 1st, in Southamptin. This was just a couple of weeks after getting off Galaxy. The cruise on Galaxy was great (and we're going again this year), but the ship itself was probably the least part of it. The itinerary, our dinner companions, the service - all these were fabulous, but Galaxy itself was so bland that we were almost yawning.

 

Fast forward two weeks to our Oceana visit, and as soon as we stpped aboard we were saying 'Wow...'. We really liked the appearance. So much so that when we started looking into P&O cruises for 2008 we were all set to book something on Oceana until Ventura snared us away.

 

So from what I saw - and, as I openly admit, without having actually cruised on her - Oceana looked very inviting.

 

Here are some pictures I took on that visit:

http://www.*****/travelpage/aspgallery/view_ad.asp?Ad_ID=2518

[Deeliteful]

Ok I'll throw in another tuppence worth!!

 

I have sailed on Oceana and had a fabulous time. Food, service, itinerary and other passengers (well nearly all!) superb. I would go again any time.

 

I agree that there are good things one each line and not so good on each. My experience of P&O check in has always been terrible whereas RCL were excellent as was Celebrity.

 

The food on every ship I have sailed on has been excellent (probably Fred Olsen was the poorest but not bad just not as good). I love the ice bucket always being full (RCL and Celebrity) and I LOVE the no service charge on everything (P&O and Olsen).

 

Mostly I love cruising and the thing I HATE on ALL of them is the massive single supplement they apply even when they have a single cabin (state room).

 

End of rant!!

 

Pat

[K8T]

Oceana is probably not the greatest in the PO fleet. Having been on Oriana, Aurora, Oceana and the old Canberra, we found the Oceana lacked some of the lounge areas and little quiet spaces that we loved about the others. Having said that she is still pretty impressive.

 

We booked Oriana yesterday and I am just hoping that her refurb. hasn't changed her, I think she was my favourite ship of all of them.

 

I agree, Fred Olsen didn't even compare, although it was only a couple of days.

 

So far P & O win for me, but I am just a novice in these things and still have a lot more to try!!!! Just have to keep cruising!!!

 

Kate

 

P.S the P&O check in has improved, although Celebrity still are winners on that front from this year, although three years ago I would have been saying it was appalling - so things do change.

[aggietd]

Strange title but I had to add my comments, first DiaB, gold star for 'your love the ship your on!!' comment, every holiday is what you make it.

Last year on RCL Legend we sure had our fair share of moaners, all sorts, some prefered P&O, some prefered NCL, some wanted Celebrity, I just find the whole thing amuseing and would not for one min let these moaners upset me.

 

Thought I would tell you the best I heard, Maybe you can beat it!!

 

One day passing the pursers desk one day I heard this 'lady' lay into the purser I missed most of what she was complaining about but I heard her closing comment 'and the worst thing is that never on any other cruise I have been on have I had to fetch my own pool towel, someone has always taken it to my lounger and placed it on it for me, I think that the fact I have to fetch my own is disgusting' This comment made my holiday as we had a great laugh repeating it to our table and other people that we met.

 

Every cruise is a delight and new expierence to me and I hope that will continue.

 

Nancy

[Elaine0138]

My son works in the Pursers Dept and it is amazing what people do moan about and it is always the cruise line fault. One of the funniest was the fact that no whales had been seen during an Alaskan cruise and this person wanted a full refund.