Having done 16 cruises now, it really isn't the way you depict it (unless you cruise with the bottom barrel brands).
Lets talk cruises
- Thread starter area51_for_psx
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Yeah my opinion is admittedly based on nothing more than basic research tbh. Hoping it changes my mind completely.
I felt the same until 2 years ago.
Parents were cruiseaholics and I just didnt see the fascination with it all. Couldn't think of anything worse tbh.
Not sure how we ended up doing a 2 week caribbean cruise on Brittania 2 years ago but so pleased we did. Completely different to how you imagine it would be. Can do everything you want at your on pace, choose where you want to eat and the ships are that big it doesn't seem like there is 5000 people on board etc.
Got the cruise bug for sure and doing our 3rd cruise end of next week.
Only bit I struggled with is the sea days as it felt like I was missing out exploring an island etc. I juat need to take my business mode off and try to relax even more on those days.
Parents were cruiseaholics and I just didnt see the fascination with it all. Couldn't think of anything worse tbh.
Not sure how we ended up doing a 2 week caribbean cruise on Brittania 2 years ago but so pleased we did. Completely different to how you imagine it would be. Can do everything you want at your on pace, choose where you want to eat and the ships are that big it doesn't seem like there is 5000 people on board etc.
Got the cruise bug for sure and doing our 3rd cruise end of next week.
Only bit I struggled with is the sea days as it felt like I was missing out exploring an island etc. I juat need to take my business mode off and try to relax even more on those days.
Soldato
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Just finished our 2nd P&O Cruise on Iona to Spain (Getxo, La Coruna and Vigo) should have included Cherborg, France but the storm from a couple of weeks back made it impossible to dock. We generally use the cruise as a way of doing a holiday without having to plan too much as typically we do road trips which take a lot of coordination and planning. It's quite nice not doing a lot, eating too many desserts and pottering about some new places. We still managed 24,000 steps one day! Used the MDR's more this time and I was impressed the food quality was a significant step up from the other dining options.
We are late booking for next year (School Holidays) but might try a different Cruise line. For August been looking at:
Sky Princess: Scandinavia (Kristiansand, Oslo, Skagen, Copenhagen)
Celebrity Apex: Norway (Bergen, Flam, Alesund) - We did the fjords last year, but keen to see Flam and Bergen
MSC Virtuosa: (Brest, Lisbon, Cadiz, Gilbraltar, Malaga)
Not sure how the experience compares to P&O, Celebrity and Princess have additional gratuities and the Virtuosa seems to get mixed reviews.
We are late booking for next year (School Holidays) but might try a different Cruise line. For August been looking at:
Sky Princess: Scandinavia (Kristiansand, Oslo, Skagen, Copenhagen)
Celebrity Apex: Norway (Bergen, Flam, Alesund) - We did the fjords last year, but keen to see Flam and Bergen
MSC Virtuosa: (Brest, Lisbon, Cadiz, Gilbraltar, Malaga)
Not sure how the experience compares to P&O, Celebrity and Princess have additional gratuities and the Virtuosa seems to get mixed reviews.
according to https://thecruiseglobe.com/GlobeCards/8c1ee66c-f60f-46cf-93d2-cc485cce1ca7.png
I have done 188 days at sea - and (i think) another 16 days already booked next year.
Majority have been on P&O tbf, different brands can bring different people / cultures which sometime can be "entertaining tbh" (i.e. MSC)
Personally I love the experience, with food one of the highlights. We had a big break from cruising from about 2016 - 2023, going back to normal beach holidays, but eventually went back
We have done the Caribbean on P&O 4 times (and kinda twice on MSC, thou was skirting round the edge i.e. bermuda / Mexico), and personally I just dont think anything can beat it
I have done 188 days at sea - and (i think) another 16 days already booked next year.
Majority have been on P&O tbf, different brands can bring different people / cultures which sometime can be "entertaining tbh" (i.e. MSC)
Personally I love the experience, with food one of the highlights. We had a big break from cruising from about 2016 - 2023, going back to normal beach holidays, but eventually went back
We have done the Caribbean on P&O 4 times (and kinda twice on MSC, thou was skirting round the edge i.e. bermuda / Mexico), and personally I just dont think anything can beat it
I'm very unimpressed with TUI.
Very bad communication.
Misleading and confusing emails on itinerary changes due to current weather in the canaries.
They say dates have changed but then the changed date is exactly to be same.
"It's a glitch" say TUI staff....
Absolutely "computer says no" level of service
Very bad communication.
Misleading and confusing emails on itinerary changes due to current weather in the canaries.
They say dates have changed but then the changed date is exactly to be same.
"It's a glitch" say TUI staff....
Absolutely "computer says no" level of service
Got back yesterday morning from a 2 week Caribbean tour on Arvia (frigging huuuuge ship), was quite good but P&O really do like to try and extract every last penny out of you, no Ice Cream is available unless you pay for them, same with coffee syrups, can get a small costa latte on the drinks package but it's 60p for a shot of syrup.
Enjoyed the islands though (Sint Maarten was too enjoyable though as we ran up a near $250 bar bill and nearly missed the ship!) as we got offboard and toured some of them more than just the shops.
P&O chartered the flight to Norse airways though which was terrible, a 6hr 45min flight and was only given 2 drinks with the snacks and you couldn't buy anything so only got what we were given, also sat on the runway at Antigua as one of the planes windows was cracked and they had to get maintenance man out to check it over
Enjoyed the islands though (Sint Maarten was too enjoyable though as we ran up a near $250 bar bill and nearly missed the ship!) as we got offboard and toured some of them more than just the shops.
P&O chartered the flight to Norse airways though which was terrible, a 6hr 45min flight and was only given 2 drinks with the snacks and you couldn't buy anything so only got what we were given, also sat on the runway at Antigua as one of the planes windows was cracked and they had to get maintenance man out to check it over
I went on the Arvia two years ago, I remember the absolute meltdown people were having because they chartered 'Maleth Airlines' from manchester. My parents flew with them, luckily we went with Tui which was fine.Got back yesterday morning from a 2 week Caribbean tour on Arvia (frigging huuuuge ship), was quite good but P&O really do like to try and extract every last penny out of you, no Ice Cream is available unless you pay for them, same with coffee syrups, can get a small costa latte on the drinks package but it's 60p for a shot of syrup.
Enjoyed the islands though (Sint Maarten was too enjoyable though as we ran up a near $250 bar bill and nearly missed the ship!) as we got offboard and toured some of them more than just the shops.
P&O chartered the flight to Norse airways though which was terrible, a 6hr 45min flight and was only given 2 drinks with the snacks and you couldn't buy anything so only got what we were given, also sat on the runway at Antigua as one of the planes windows was cracked and they had to get maintenance man out to check it over
Not sure id be best pleased with Norse, but whether they would charter them from Manchester I suspect not.
We spent just over £1100 onboard and about £300 of that was for a nice Eco drive watch for my lad, I thought the prices were reasonable. I know for a fact we wouldn't get our monies worth using the drinks package!
We're on the Britannia this time next year which I am thoroughly looking forward too.
Our Norse flight was Manchester, there were 2 flights Saturday night for Gatwick and one was Norse and the other TUI, I won't fly with Norse again, if we have another booking with P&O and they try to use Norse we'll cancel, would rather lose my deposit than fly with them.
We spent quite a lot on board as we were with my mum and she wanted to try some of the pay restaurants, also we did the Limelight Club which was £35 each but a 3 course meal (which was the best meal on board) and an evening with Andy Abraham (X Factor runner-up to Shane Ward) who was really good spread out over 3 hours.
Interesting to read your thoughts on Arvia.
Having got back on the 29th Nov and having we both had a awesome time in the Caribbean. We both agreed we preferred Britannia over Arvia.
Entertainment was average at best, a few excellent acts inc Magical bones and the amazing Legacy in concert who had a standing ovation ( Broadway artists ) The pink tribute act was good but was tarred with a couple who were drunk and nearly got into a punch up with people sitting next to them. They got cheered out when they left whilst they were being vile to everyone ( guessing they were chucked off ship during the night/morning )
Think we got through around £1000 on board, we did all the speciality restaurants + 2 P & O excursions. Though we did book/pay all are other excursions through Caribbean island tours before we left.
We flew with Norse and couldn't fault the flight apart from lack of free drinks. Last time we were on the Tui flight we had no entertainment though they did ply us with alcohol to make up for it.
Tortola was such a beautiful island and think it just beats St Lucia to being my favourite island so far.
Having got back on the 29th Nov and having we both had a awesome time in the Caribbean. We both agreed we preferred Britannia over Arvia.
Entertainment was average at best, a few excellent acts inc Magical bones and the amazing Legacy in concert who had a standing ovation ( Broadway artists ) The pink tribute act was good but was tarred with a couple who were drunk and nearly got into a punch up with people sitting next to them. They got cheered out when they left whilst they were being vile to everyone ( guessing they were chucked off ship during the night/morning )
Think we got through around £1000 on board, we did all the speciality restaurants + 2 P & O excursions. Though we did book/pay all are other excursions through Caribbean island tours before we left.
We flew with Norse and couldn't fault the flight apart from lack of free drinks. Last time we were on the Tui flight we had no entertainment though they did ply us with alcohol to make up for it.
Tortola was such a beautiful island and think it just beats St Lucia to being my favourite island so far.
oh that is interesting, lets see who i end up flying with
The limelight was a great night, we watched Ray quinn when we went and the whole family enjoyed it.
Some of the paid restaurants were average imo and not worth the extra.
Agreed with the paid restaurants, Sindhu was rubbish for an extra charge, thought the curries they did in The Quays or Horizon buffets were better, we ended up eating in Meridion most nights as my missus has a citrus allergy (that everywhere else apart from Epicurean couldn't seem to grasp) that they were happy to block book us at 6.30pm and the Head Waiter brought the next nights menu and took her pre order every night, he even allowed her to select from the lunchtime menu if she fancied it over the evening menu.oh that is interesting, lets see who i end up flying with
The limelight was a great night, we watched Ray quinn when we went and the whole family enjoyed it.
Some of the paid restaurants were average imo and not worth the extra.
The classic drinks package was ok but don't feel we got value from it, would've made more sense for us to get the soft drink package and pay as we went for alcoholic drinks. All in with the extra restaurants we spent just under £400 but the classic drinks package cost us over a grand for both of us (not including the Rolex I bought and the diamond ring my missus bought)
We had a cracking time in the Caribbean, Norse wasn't a bad flight apart from 2 drinks on a 6hr45min flight and no option to get anymore (which I assume was a P&O directive), they told us there was nothing to buy onboard as it was a Chartered flight so Norse couldn't sell their own stuff
My parents like a drink, even they didnt get their monies worth on the drinks package.
The one i just didnt understand was the 6th street diner, when i went, absolutely nothing on the menu was 'American themed' it was a bit odd.
Yeah agreed, should’ve been burgers hotdogs and milkshakes but none to be seen, we only went in the evening though so may have been different on a lunchtime
Bizarre we went there in the evening and there was def American themed food etc on the menu.
yeah, thats exactly what we thought. Was a bit disappointed.
ive just seen a more up to date Menu and it looks slightly more americanised than when i went on it, but still not much in the way over a big fat greasy American burger or hotdog.