CMV Columbus
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Topic author - Able Seaman
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- Joined: April 2014
CMV Columbus
We have booked to go on a British Isles Discovery cruise on Columbus next year. The reason we booked it was because my last surviving Aunt and Uncle have booked it and we thought it would be nice to spend some time with them. Also we only live 18 miles from Tilbury, which is handy.
Previously, we have been on more than 10 P&O cruises with one booked for over the New Year, so we know roughly what to expect.
CMV appears to have two formal nights per cruise. We love the formal nights and are planning to take DJ/long dresses with us.
Do the majority of passengers adhere to the formal dress code? Or do most wear lounge suits?
How does the food compare to P&O (which had declined drastically over the past few years)?
We are going with open minds as to what it will be like.
Any tips or observations about CMV cruises would be much appreciated.
Val
Previously, we have been on more than 10 P&O cruises with one booked for over the New Year, so we know roughly what to expect.
CMV appears to have two formal nights per cruise. We love the formal nights and are planning to take DJ/long dresses with us.
Do the majority of passengers adhere to the formal dress code? Or do most wear lounge suits?
How does the food compare to P&O (which had declined drastically over the past few years)?
We are going with open minds as to what it will be like.
Any tips or observations about CMV cruises would be much appreciated.
Val
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- Deputy Captain
- Posts: 5613
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Re: CMV Columbus
I've never tried them myself but my dear old Mum travelled with them many times and had nothing but good to say.
It suited her because she lived in Gravesend so could get from home to ship in about 30 mins.
She had also travelled P&O and Cunard so did have comparisons.
She liked CMV but it was before the Columbus days.
Whatever, go with an open mind and a good attitude, and you'll have a good time.
PS, welcome to the forum
It suited her because she lived in Gravesend so could get from home to ship in about 30 mins.
She had also travelled P&O and Cunard so did have comparisons.
She liked CMV but it was before the Columbus days.
Whatever, go with an open mind and a good attitude, and you'll have a good time.
PS, welcome to the forum
Empty vessels .. and all that
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- Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
Welcome from me too, Val
I am not sure that any of the current incumbents here have been on CMV lately but do I know a man who has (!)
I will see whether I can get a few pointers for you
I am not sure that any of the current incumbents here have been on CMV lately but do I know a man who has (!)
I will see whether I can get a few pointers for you
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- Commodore
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Re: CMV Columbus
I'd be interested to hear how that goes. Don't fancy any of CMV's older ships but quite fancy Columbus and that itinerary
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- Deputy Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
Welcome, Val.
We've only been on the Discovery for a one-night repositioning cruise, and didn't like it for several reasons, some of which almost certainly will NOT apply to Columbus.
Having earlier said that we would go on Discovery again if we could be assured of good weather (on a cruise??), we've since changed our minds. I would imagine that CMV have a "brand" across the fleet, so the idea of not having an inclusive buffet restaurant where you can go for a late night snack but instead have to pay for a hot drink and be "issued" with a very limited choice of savouries (samosas and spring rolls may not be to everyone's taste)is not our idea of relaxed, refined cruising.
I look forward to reading your cruise report, Val, and would love to be shown that life on Columbus is very different.
We've only been on the Discovery for a one-night repositioning cruise, and didn't like it for several reasons, some of which almost certainly will NOT apply to Columbus.
Having earlier said that we would go on Discovery again if we could be assured of good weather (on a cruise??), we've since changed our minds. I would imagine that CMV have a "brand" across the fleet, so the idea of not having an inclusive buffet restaurant where you can go for a late night snack but instead have to pay for a hot drink and be "issued" with a very limited choice of savouries (samosas and spring rolls may not be to everyone's taste)is not our idea of relaxed, refined cruising.
I look forward to reading your cruise report, Val, and would love to be shown that life on Columbus is very different.
Alan
Q-CC-KOS
Q-CC-TBM
Q-CC-KOS
Q-CC-TBM
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- Senior First Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
I went on CMV Magellan for a 3 night cruise last year, and I've booked a week on Columbus next year.
If you like P&O, you won't have any problems with CMV
There was only one formal night on our short break, but the vast majority of men were in their dinner suits and the women's wear varied from long dresses, cocktail dresses and evening trousers and sparkly tops.
The food was very nice, maybe not quite as nicely presented as P&O, but certainly very palatable.
There was a buffet restaurant open for all meals should you wish to use it. One evening we we fancied a late cup of tea and got one from the buffet, completely free of charge. I do t know if there were late night snacks, as we weren't really looking for them.
It doesn't pretend to be a luxury line, but for the price it was very good, and exceeded my expectations
If you like P&O, you won't have any problems with CMV
There was only one formal night on our short break, but the vast majority of men were in their dinner suits and the women's wear varied from long dresses, cocktail dresses and evening trousers and sparkly tops.
The food was very nice, maybe not quite as nicely presented as P&O, but certainly very palatable.
There was a buffet restaurant open for all meals should you wish to use it. One evening we we fancied a late cup of tea and got one from the buffet, completely free of charge. I do t know if there were late night snacks, as we weren't really looking for them.
It doesn't pretend to be a luxury line, but for the price it was very good, and exceeded my expectations
Gill
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Topic author - Able Seaman
- Posts: 13
- Joined: April 2014
Re: CMV Columbus
Thanks all for the welcome. I have been reading the site for a long time, but never posted before.
We are going with an open mind. Expectations are not high, so who knows we may get a nice surprise. I don't think that we would consider any of the other CMV ships, and we are aware of the age of Columbus which for us is no bad thing. Having cruised once on Azura, we decided it was too big for us and the constant music throughout the ship drove us mad.
Gill, your comments are very encouraging, we are not expecting a luxury line, in fact P&O is far from it, but we have in the main really enjoyed the cruises. Late night snacks are of no interest to us either, as we always go for 2nd sitting dinner. We will have tea/coffee making facilities in our cabin.
Again, many thanks.
Val
We are going with an open mind. Expectations are not high, so who knows we may get a nice surprise. I don't think that we would consider any of the other CMV ships, and we are aware of the age of Columbus which for us is no bad thing. Having cruised once on Azura, we decided it was too big for us and the constant music throughout the ship drove us mad.
Gill, your comments are very encouraging, we are not expecting a luxury line, in fact P&O is far from it, but we have in the main really enjoyed the cruises. Late night snacks are of no interest to us either, as we always go for 2nd sitting dinner. We will have tea/coffee making facilities in our cabin.
Again, many thanks.
Val
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- Second Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
Adding to the discussion, I have booked a family cruise on Columbus for next July(2018) for the wife, me, daughter, husband and the two grand-children aged 10 & 12. It will be a first cruise for my son-in-law and the children and CMVs pricing makes it possible with 2-4-1 and children £199 each. Some friends have cruised with CMV and have nothing but praise for them. A similar cruise with P&O would cost over £10k. After 12 years of P&O, the experience was getting stale, so it's time for a change, anyway. Nevertheless, we're still on an Oceana fly-cruise this June, although my main reason for going was Kusadasi and Santorini.
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Topic author - Able Seaman
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Re: CMV Columbus
I had forgotten about this thread. Sadly, we had to cancel the cruise because the day we were due to pay the balance, my husband had major surgery. This meant that we couldn't get travel insurance until 6 months post op. As we had booked a junior suite, it was a few thousand £'s and would have been silly to take the risk for 6 weeks. We obviously lost the deposit but it wasn't that much.
My husband is now 6 weeks post a op and recovering very well, however, he is about to start chemo, so we won't be cruising this year now. It is not new to us, he has been fighting cancer for eleven years now and has had two previous regimes of chemo. We remain, as always, very positive .
We have still managed to fit in more that 10 cruises in the last 8 years, so can't grumble.
Sorry, I won't be able to review Columbus
Val
My husband is now 6 weeks post a op and recovering very well, however, he is about to start chemo, so we won't be cruising this year now. It is not new to us, he has been fighting cancer for eleven years now and has had two previous regimes of chemo. We remain, as always, very positive .
We have still managed to fit in more that 10 cruises in the last 8 years, so can't grumble.
Sorry, I won't be able to review Columbus
Val
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- Ex Team Member
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Re: CMV Columbus
CMV's Columbus was in a previous life P&O's Arcadia and then Ocean Village ... we have sailed on the latter two and would do so again in her latest guise of Columbus.
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being
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- Deputy Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
I have a friend who came back off Columbus less than a fortnight ago.
He said it was very nice and they enjoyed it.
They went up north to the Fjords and said it was very cold and the sea was quite rough.
Who'd of thought that in April?
But, overall they enjoyed it and would use it again.
He said it was very nice and they enjoyed it.
They went up north to the Fjords and said it was very cold and the sea was quite rough.
Who'd of thought that in April?
But, overall they enjoyed it and would use it again.
Empty vessels .. and all that
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- Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
I should think it was a bit parky - there was still plenty of snow on the ground up there in June last year !
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- Second Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
Columbus does not come into service with CMV until June this year, so it must have been another ship, surely?.barney wrote: ↑09 May 2017, 16:05I have a friend who came back off Columbus less than a fortnight ago.
He said it was very nice and they enjoyed it.
They went up north to the Fjords and said it was very cold and the sea was quite rough.
Who'd of thought that in April?
But, overall they enjoyed it and would use it again.
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- Deputy Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
LoL
Well that's what he told me bassman67
It was his second time with CMV and he certainly could have got the wrong end of the stick, I guess.
Well that's what he told me bassman67
It was his second time with CMV and he certainly could have got the wrong end of the stick, I guess.
Empty vessels .. and all that
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- Senior First Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
Sorry you won't be going on Columbus, Val. Hopefully you'll get a chance later.
In March, when I was on Aurora, I saw Pacific Pearl coming into Tauranga. Pacific Pearl's last voyage was from Auckland on 27th March to Singapore on 12th April. After that she became Columbus, and according to CMV's website, her first cruise is in June.
It was quite a coincidence to see our next cruise ship while we were on the other side of the world. We pay for our Columbus cruise at the end of the month, and will spend a week onboard at the end of August, going up to Scotland, Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroes
In March, when I was on Aurora, I saw Pacific Pearl coming into Tauranga. Pacific Pearl's last voyage was from Auckland on 27th March to Singapore on 12th April. After that she became Columbus, and according to CMV's website, her first cruise is in June.
It was quite a coincidence to see our next cruise ship while we were on the other side of the world. We pay for our Columbus cruise at the end of the month, and will spend a week onboard at the end of August, going up to Scotland, Orkneys, Shetlands and Faroes
Gill
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- Second Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
Now we have returned from our cruise on Ocean, I have to say that it did not live up to our expectations. The journey to the ship was horrendous, but P&O were totally impervious to the criticisms made by many passengers. The level of service and the standard of the food has gone down since our last cruise on Britannia in late 2015 and we're looking forward to a new experience with CMV next year. P&O are trying to be "all things to all men" and it's not working!bassman67 wrote: ↑08 May 2017, 20:07Adding to the discussion, I have booked a family cruise on Columbus for next July(2018) for the wife, me, daughter, husband and the two grand-children aged 10 & 12. It will be a first cruise for my son-in-law and the children and CMVs pricing makes it possible with 2-4-1 and children £199 each. Some friends have cruised with CMV and have nothing but praise for them. A similar cruise with P&O would cost over £10k. After 12 years of P&O, the experience was getting stale, so it's time for a change, anyway. Nevertheless, we're still on an Oceana fly-cruise this June, although my main reason for going was Kusadasi and Santorini.
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- Deputy Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
Sorry that you did not have a good time bassman.
How was the journey to the Ship horrendous ?
It a very short distance form Luqa Airport to Valetta.
It's been about ten years since we've been on Oceana but we have friends sailing on her in November.
They are trying P&O for the first time after an unpleasant cruise with Royal Carib.
How was the journey to the Ship horrendous ?
It a very short distance form Luqa Airport to Valetta.
It's been about ten years since we've been on Oceana but we have friends sailing on her in November.
They are trying P&O for the first time after an unpleasant cruise with Royal Carib.
Empty vessels .. and all that
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- Senior Second Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
Interesting, I haven't heard any bad reports from Oceana recently I know when they started the Malta sailings there were airport problem but everyone is saying these have settled.bassman67 wrote: ↑25 Jul 2017, 22:53Now we have returned from our cruise on Ocean, I have to say that it did not live up to our expectations. The journey to the ship was horrendous, but P&O were totally impervious to the criticisms made by many passengers. The level of service and the standard of the food has gone down since our last cruise on Britannia in late 2015 and we're looking forward to a new experience with CMV next year. P&O are trying to be "all things to all men" and it's not working!bassman67 wrote: ↑08 May 2017, 20:07Adding to the discussion, I have booked a family cruise on Columbus for next July(2018) for the wife, me, daughter, husband and the two grand-children aged 10 & 12. It will be a first cruise for my son-in-law and the children and CMVs pricing makes it possible with 2-4-1 and children £199 each. Some friends have cruised with CMV and have nothing but praise for them. A similar cruise with P&O would cost over £10k. After 12 years of P&O, the experience was getting stale, so it's time for a change, anyway. Nevertheless, we're still on an Oceana fly-cruise this June, although my main reason for going was Kusadasi and Santorini.
I make comment because two of the reports are from people who are not exactly pro P&O and would be the first to complain. But their reports were glowing.
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- Senior First Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
We were on Oceana in February/March last year for 5 weeks. It was a great cruise due to the ports, but the food not quite as good as we normally have on P&O. The worst thing was the constant maintenance they were doing on the prom deck.
It was after that cruise we decided to book the CMV cruise for next month and a Fred Olsen cruise next March.
Happily we've been rehabilitated by P & O due to excellent cruises on Oriana and Aurora. I like Oceana as a ship, and would sail on her again if the itinerary was right. I was hoping she'd got through the little issues we had last year
It was after that cruise we decided to book the CMV cruise for next month and a Fred Olsen cruise next March.
Happily we've been rehabilitated by P & O due to excellent cruises on Oriana and Aurora. I like Oceana as a ship, and would sail on her again if the itinerary was right. I was hoping she'd got through the little issues we had last year
Gill
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- Deputy Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
I told my friend to expect a very different experience on a November Canaries cruise with P&O to the Indy of the Seas.
The demographic will be very different but they are open minded about it.
I did say that at 60 & 58, they may well be the youngest on board
We enjoyed Oceana, Gill and would happily sail on her again.
I'd love bassman to tell us what happened between the airport and the ship.
The demographic will be very different but they are open minded about it.
I did say that at 60 & 58, they may well be the youngest on board
We enjoyed Oceana, Gill and would happily sail on her again.
I'd love bassman to tell us what happened between the airport and the ship.
Last edited by barney on 26 Jul 2017, 15:28, edited 1 time in total.
Empty vessels .. and all that
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- Commodore
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Re: CMV Columbus
Oceana has some great fans. She's our least favourite of the P&O ships but we all have different preferences.
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- First Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
We've probably cruised on Oceana more than any other ship and as such obviously really like her. As Mervyn says we all have different preferences but we've never experience dreadful food, come to that we've never experienced dreadful food on any cruise we've been on, maybe we're too easily satisfied. As has been said there were problems when Oceana first went to Malta as far as the airport is concerned but apparently this has been sorted according to the latest reviews I've read. We are booked to do a 14 night trip on her a year this September - never been to Malta before although John has sailed out of Valletta. I suppose if people compare Oceana to some of the newer ships then she might seem a bit old fashioned but after all this time we still go into her atrium and think 'Wow!' and we generally don't like glitz. Our first P&O ship in 2005 was the old Adonia (now Sea Princess), Oceana's sister, our second was Oceana herself. I think after that we went on Arcadia and I remember looking at the atrium and thinking where's the atrium? It took us some time to see that Arcadia has other things to recommend it but Oceana is still up there in our favourite three - Aurora, Oceana and Adonia - maybe we're just getting too old to appreciate the huge ships that now seem to be the norm.
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- Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
We were in port at Belfast and Greenock last week with the converted dredger - sorry, former Arcadia/Ocean Village. I have to say, she did look quite smart and shiny on the outside but passengers I spoke to said they had quite a few problems with various systems and facilities not working. Apparently, they had to cancel all the theatre shows the night before Belfast following a sound/lighting failure
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- Senior First Officer
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Re: CMV Columbus
Just what i wanted to hear about Columbus - in 4 weeks time we'll be on board! I can only hope they'll sort their problems out by then
Gill
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- Captain
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Re: CMV Columbus
I'm sure it will all be fine, Gill - just remember to pack plenty of wet wipes and a bucket !!