Caribbean on P&O

[elixir]

I used to travel on P&O about 10 years ago but stopped for various reasons. I mainly sailed on Canberra but tried Oriana and Arcadia (now Ocean Village). We're looking at a Round Trip from Southampton (22/23 Nights) on either Oriana or Arcadia to Caribbean in November next year. I wasn't very impressed with Oriana last time but that could've been the rose tinted glasses from Canberra, so I'm willing to give her another chance.

 

I wanted to know if the Formality would be the same as I remember and how many Formal/Informal Nights we could expect. Also do they still play Deck Cricket and Football on Sea Days, much better than sunbathing, followed by an Ice Cold Beer or two :D

 

Thanks

 

Chris

[capnpugwash]

Chris

I was on Oriana last Christmas on a 20 odd day round trip Caribbean trip and we had 6 formals, I think. They were mostly on the to and from legs plus Christmas Day. They do still have the traditional deck games.

[LEESRE]

If it was 10 years ago that you sailed P&O please be aware that standards are not the same today as 10 years ago.

 

Dress codes are not enforced as much, which is a pity, and I have not seen deck cricket on any ship in recent years, but then again there may be and someone will soon tell us I am wrong.

 

If you sail from Southampton then they still have semi-formal evenings but if you fly, because of the weight resticktion they just have formal and casual nights.

[capnpugwash]

I am sure that we had cricket and soccer up on the top deck of Oriana in the netted area. Don't know if it was hosted but it was well attended and it was advertised in the Oriana Today. On the dress code comment I think that they are quite well enforced today, I don't know how draconian they were but most people seem to adhere in my experience.

[elixir]

Seems pretty much the way it was. As long as the majority follow the dress codes then thats fine by us. We would be sailing roundtrip from Southampton so, I would assume, probably be an equal number of Informal Nights.

 

The Deck Cricket was definately a Highlight on many a Sea Day, in good weather of course. All thats needed now is to decide whether to sail Oriana or Arcadia.

 

Thanks very much for your replies.

[annieuk]

You will see lots of discussion about the standards of formal wear etc. but in our experience it is still good. When we were on Oriana one member of our table who hadn't realised he needed a jacket on an informal night (he had booked very late and it was his first time on P&O), was turned away from the Crows Nest.

 

He told us he felt a twit for not reading all the blurb and went and put his dinner jacket on with a tie as it was the only jacket he had brought with him. So P&O do act on the dress code. I would say on both our cruises this year (Caribbean and Fjords) on a formal evening over 95% of men were wearing dinner jackets and the rest in suits. On an informal evening in the fjords when men are asked to wear a jacket but don't have to wear a tie, many wore jacket and tie. My husband says he doesn't feel it looks right without a tie.

 

I'm not trying to start another debate, honestly! This is just what we have experienced.

 

Annie:)