Lets talk cruises

Rifte said:
Yes, sorry if it wasn't clear, service gratuity.

RC also has the option of pre-paying. If you don't they add it to your sailing account automatically when you complete the boarding process.

Personally love cruises, we did a 12-day cruise last year with RC (Italy, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus) and thoroughly enjoyed it.

However, 12 days did feel a little too long......7 days seems to be the sweet spot for us as a family.
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We've got a 9-night Caribbbean. It's my first cruise, and I'm almost not looking forward to it; I have a phobia of vomiting so absolutely bricking it about getting norovirus. But we leave in a few weeks and I don't want to disappoint my wife :D especially as this is our honeymoon.
 
squerble said:
We've got a 9-night Caribbbean. It's my first cruise, and I'm almost not looking forward to it; I have a phobia of vomiting so absolutely bricking it about getting norovirus. But we leave in a few weeks and I don't want to disappoint my wife :D especially as this is our honeymoon.
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15 cruises in, never had norovirus, you'll be fine
 
I'm just back from a northern Europe MSC cruise on Preziosa. Our first MSC cruise having done 4 on P&O. We wanted to try other companies and the dates /price for this one landed right for us.

Overall, I rate it below P&O and although I would go on one if the price was right and it was going somewhere that interested me It would be a picked second over P&O

Things we did like. The international feel and there being other nationalities on board, the Pizza! The amount of different bars and shops, the turn down service. The mad stage shows. The Buffet, although it was pretty much the same food every night.

Things we didn't like. Constant attempts to up sell, from dining experiences to trips and photos (which were really expensive) Speed of dinner in the MDR and the lack of tables for two. The drinks package finishing at 9pm on the night before departure. Having to be really specific to make sure you got the drink that was covered by your drinks package. The lack of outward facing bars, its all inside unless you're Yacht club member level.(really missed The Crow nest bar that features on the P&O ships). Lack of cinema. The on boarding safety briefing being such a faff and also repeating in other ports so it was happening most days even if you didn't need to do it yourself.

We did have a good holiday still, I think my wife enjoyed the shows more than I did, P&O do a better job as far as i'm concerned.

Next cruise is P&O Azura from Malta :)
 
I am hoping to go to Northern Spain/France 7 days in April with my mum and sister on PandO Britannia. Its the right price and should be nice break. After being on Iona i think the Britannia is a similar experience with most of the same food/experience. The ship is a fair bit older than the Iona/Arvia but its recently had a full refit and the reviews say its nice. Pity there isnt a Steakhouse tho.. :(
 
My wife and I have done quite a few cruises over the years, unfortunately she has sinced died (Earlier this year.) So now has a single cruiser I have to pay a single supplement which is normally twice the price, so no more cruising for me.
 
bingham67 said:
news.sky.com

Passengers 'dropping like flies' after suspected norovirus outbreak on P&O cruise ship

One passenger told Sky News people on board are "dropping like flies", as P&O confirms some guests have "unfortunately reported gastrointestinal symptoms".
news.sky.com news.sky.com

An outbreak of the Norovirus on P&O Iona
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Definitely helping my paranoia :D

EDIT: It's such an effectively contagious virus. Lives on surfaces for up to a week, and you only need to ingest a meagre 10 particles for it to knock you out. Hand sanitiser doesn't kill it, you can only hope to wash it off your hands with hot, soapy water. That, and people's hygienic habits are appalling.
 
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Actually happened a couple of years ago but i believe it was the Arcadia/Azura. Those were older ships that did not have the newer sanitation stations/no touch toilet door opening/other spreading virus mitigations that the newer ships like Iona/Arvia that were built during covid so i am surprised to see this. That said people dont take notice of that stuff anymore.
 
bobuk said:
My wife and I have done quite a few cruises over the years, unfortunately she has sinced died (Earlier this year.) So now has a single cruiser I have to pay a single supplement which is normally twice the price, so no more cruising for me.
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sorry for your loss - but have you given any thoughts/possibility of going cruising with a like minded friend so you're not getting pumped on the single traveller supplement?
 
bobuk said:
My wife and I have done quite a few cruises over the years, unfortunately she has sinced died (Earlier this year.) So now has a single cruiser I have to pay a single supplement which is normally twice the price, so no more cruising for me.
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I am lucky that i go with my mum and sister and we get 2 rooms, they share one and i have the other. We split the total cost 3 ways. I have looked into single rooms and a lot of cruises have them however they often sell out very quickly. I was told that you can put yourself on a notification list with most cruise lines that will email you cruises with available single cabins as soon as they are available so you may have to book far ahead but you will be able to get sorted.

Another one to try from what i hear is a VERY good way to cruise, especially if you are single, is to go on the repositioning cruises. They are often much cheaper and lower capacity however there is more time at sea as the ports are only to refuel, you have to factor in a flight or or from the start/end, the weather can be hit and miss and you are also limited to certain times of year. However sometimes you get to be on the maiden cruise of a brand new ship.

Hope that is of some help to you. There are a few youtubers who specialise in solo cruising.
 
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I found this website on another forum, you add your cruises and it shows the route the ship took.

https://thecruiseglobe.com/home

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It's definitely the exact route as we did two 360's just off Gosport.
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We were sitting in the main dining room at the time.
I saw The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, then we started to spin and about 5 minutes later it appeared again, hmm that's weird we thought, then carried on spinning and it appeared a 2nd time :confused:
Don't know what the problem was, I there was a problem they were trying to fix, or waiting for a boat the collect the pilot.
 
nst68 said:
I found this website on another forum, you add your cruises and it shows the route the ship took.

https://thecruiseglobe.com/home

0fe4NDM.png


It's definitely the exact route as we did two 360's just off Gosport.
ieKcj4C.png


We were sitting in the main dining room at the time.
I saw The Spinnaker Tower in Portsmouth, then we started to spin and about 5 minutes later it appeared again, hmm that's weird we thought, then carried on spinning and it appeared a 2nd time :confused:
Don't know what the problem was, I there was a problem they were trying to fix, or waiting for a boat the collect the pilot.
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Probably swinging the compass. Essentially calibrating the magnetic compass (needs done every few years and involves rotating 360) Off Portsmouth on Southampton departure is a good spot to do it.
 
bingham67 said:
news.sky.com

Passengers 'dropping like flies' after suspected norovirus outbreak on P&O cruise ship

One passenger told Sky News people on board are "dropping like flies", as P&O confirms some guests have "unfortunately reported gastrointestinal symptoms".
news.sky.com news.sky.com

An outbreak of the Norovirus on P&O Iona
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I know people that were on that cruise. It was no where near as bad as the media made out.

Remember to wash your hands regularly with soap. Alcohol gel does not kill Norovirus.
 
Canaries cruise done and dusted. It was beautiful - and exactly what we needed towards the end of Winter. Didn't stick to the original itinerary due to a storm off Madeira in the first week, so we went to Arrecife for that port day instead, and cowered around the south side of the archipelago for the sea days affected by the weather...

Next one booked! 14 days in the Caribbean next February :D
 
neilw said:
I know people that were on that cruise. It was no where near as bad as the media made out.

Remember to wash your hands regularly with soap. Alcohol gel does not kill Norovirus.
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I spoke to a couple of people that were on that cruise as well and they said exactly the same. It was very embellished by the media.
 
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