Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#51

Post by Stephen »

barney wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 14:55
These new ships are clearly a turning point for P&O.
Paul Ludlow was interviewed on Talking Money today and said that the average age of an adult cruiser through the summer is now in their 40’s.
This is due to the family friendly ships like Britannia, Iona and Arvia.
The days of the ‘traditional’ cruise are numbered from P&O.
I expect that Aurora will be gone soon and followed by Arcadia.
The traditional cruiser will have to change company.

Not according to Captain Love barney who thinks she'll be around for another five years. But who knows. Like you I can't see her being around for too much longer.

We personally won't be going on her again as we now find her too small with not enough going on. But as the saying goes, never say never. I think it would take an exceptional itinerary for us to sail on her again.

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david63
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#52

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Stephen wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 15:49
We personally won't be going on her again as we now find her too small with not enough going on. But as the saying goes, never say never. I think it would take an exceptional itinerary for us to sail on her again.
I agree - Aurora is our least favourite P&O ship but I know that many love her.

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towny44
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#53

Post by towny44 »

barney wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 15:33
I’d call the ‘traditional’ cruiser as someone who ‘hates’ large ships without ever going on one 😂
I would say it's someone who doesn't yet realise he has passed away. :lol: :lol: :lol:
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Mervyn and Trish
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#54

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

Stephen wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 15:42
You still get the complimentary water on arrival, or at least we did, but it's now in cans. Perhaps it's only complementary in certain grade cabins. We had a Deluxe cabin on Aurora which apart from being a bit bigger than a standard cabin with a bath and shower over you got bu99er all else for you money.
We didn't on Iona, not even in the deluxe cabins. Maybe this roll out starts there. I guess it has to come with the personal bottle filling points.
Last edited by Mervyn and Trish on 23 Aug 2022, 16:39, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#55

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

towny44 wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 16:18
barney wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 15:33
I’d call the ‘traditional’ cruiser as someone who ‘hates’ large ships without ever going on one 😂
I would say it's someone who doesn't yet realise he has passed away. :lol: :lol: :lol:
I have today challenged the old Butlins at Sea analogy trotted out by the dinosaurs of Facebook, wondering if they have ever actually been to Butlins. When I was a kid it was the best holiday we ever had and in it's modern incarnation offers a great value family holiday experience. So I guess that's pretty much what P&O aim to deliver on the new ships.

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screwy
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#56

Post by screwy »

Can you ‘ just ‘ turn up for freedom dining or do you have to book on the app.?
Usually we just turn up at around 8-30 ish.
Mel

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david63
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#57

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screwy wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 16:59
Can you ‘ just ‘ turn up for freedom dining or do you have to book on the app.?
Usually we just turn up at around 8-30 ish.
I would suggest using the app, at least at first. On Britannia there was about an hour's wait at eight o'clickish from what I could glean from those in the bar around that time.

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#58

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I would suggest using the "App" too if you have a smart phone. It's very easy. If you use the virtual queue facility you'll very quickly get the idea of how far ahead you need to do it in order to eat at your preferred time. You can go the restaurant to join the virtual queue but of course that involves two visits. There wasn't an actual physical queue at the restaurant.

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#59

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 16:35
Stephen wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 15:42
You still get the complimentary water on arrival, or at least we did, but it's now in cans. Perhaps it's only complementary in certain grade cabins. We had a Deluxe cabin on Aurora which apart from being a bit bigger than a standard cabin with a bath and shower over you got bu99er all else for you money.
We didn't on Iona, not even in the deluxe cabins. Maybe this roll out starts there. I guess it has to come with the personal bottle filling points.

Strange Merv. I would have thought they would be throwing everything at Iona, including our empty cans :D
Last edited by Stephen on 23 Aug 2022, 17:52, edited 1 time in total.

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#60

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screwy wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 16:59
Can you ‘ just ‘ turn up for freedom dining or do you have to book on the app.?
Usually we just turn up at around 8-30 ish.

It’s up to you.

We never used the app, just turned up and never had a problem with queuing. But then we always pitched up at 6.30…. 8.30 maybe a different kettle of fish.

All you can do is try both and see what best works for you.

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#61

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I'm confused. I assumed Screwy was asking about Iona and thought you were on Aurora. I think the system is different on Iona as it is 100% Freedom.

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Kendhni
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#62

Post by Kendhni »

Stephen wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 15:49
Not according to Captain Love who thinks she'll be around for another five years
It reminds me of Arcadias first season. People on the P&O board, who had 'connections', or knew somebody 'in the know' or had talked to 'well informed' crew, said that Arcadia would be 'moved on within a year'. She is now a favourite of many P&O cruisers. I don't think the crew (right up to captain level) know any more than anyone else (beyond chinese whispers).

It will be the bean counters back at HQ that will make the decision. Once Arvia is delivered P&O will probably have a choice of keeping an older ship or getting a new ship and I would be pretty sure they will go for the newer one. A new younger cruising demographic is less into the smaller ships ... so P&O has to do what it has to to attract new cruisers or it will die along with its old customer base.

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screwy
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#63

Post by screwy »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 20:18
I'm confused. I assumed Screwy was asking about Iona and thought you were on Aurora. I think the system is different on Iona as it is 100% Freedom.
Yes,your right Merv,I was asking about Iona.

Previously on the likes of Azura,Ventura and Arcadia while on Freedom dining we just turn up.
Mel

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#64

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Mervyn and Trish wrote: 23 Aug 2022, 20:18
I'm confused. I assumed Screwy was asking about Iona and thought you were on Aurora. I think the system is different on Iona as it is 100% Freedom.

You are correct I was on Aurora but it still has the app facility.

Didn’t realise Iona was all freedom dining, although I can’t see why that should make any difference.

Having allot more dining restaurants on Iona does that mean using the app is compulsory or can you just turn up if you choose as on other ships?
Last edited by Stephen on 24 Aug 2022, 07:18, edited 3 times in total.

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#65

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I think the difference it makes is they have more capacity to be flexible and make Freedom Dining work better. Use of the app wasn't compulsory. There was the alternative to ring a number to book. And seemed to be the option to turn up to join a virtual queue. No idea how that actually worked if you didn't have a phone unless they still hand out pagers. But there were no physical queues waiting to get in on spec and just turning up wasn't advertised as an option. Everyone who arrived when we did, usually at 6.00, already had a table waiting.

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#66

Post by towny44 »

If you have a smart phone, then using the My Holiday app is extremely easy. I was pleasantly surprised that P&O IT had managed to create such an easy to use feature, which seemed to work well, and if everyone uses it there should be less queues and speedier operation.
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#67

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

I agree. It was very easy.

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david63
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#68

Post by david63 »

I also thought that the My Holiday was excellent - although it did have the occasional "hiccup". It seemed that you could quite easily confuse it!

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oldbluefox
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#69

Post by oldbluefox »

On Aurora whenever you tried to book a show in the Curzon it showed No availability. When I askwed one of the entertainment staff he told me it was a glitch but other than that I found the app easy and a useful tool to use.

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#70

Post by Stephen »

Not having used the dining app and just turning up without any problem can you specify a table size on the app.

Personally I couldn't care less if people use the app or just turn up wearing a Tutu while whistling Dixie :)


But not on formal night
Last edited by Stephen on 24 Aug 2022, 09:58, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#71

Post by oldbluefox »

Stephen wrote: 24 Aug 2022, 09:57
Personally I couldn't care less if people use the app or just turn up wearing a Tutu while whistling Dixie :)
Speaking of which has anyone heard how Onelife is?

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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#72

Post by Mervyn and Trish »

You specify your party size. And I'm pretty sure there was an option to share or not. Never affected us this time as there were 5 of us. And to be fair who'd want to share with us!

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#73

Post by Stephen »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 24 Aug 2022, 10:24
You specify your party size. And I'm pretty sure there was an option to share or not. Never affected us this time as there were 5 of us. And to be fair who'd want to share with us!
:lol:

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Stephen
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#74

Post by Stephen »

oldbluefox wrote: 24 Aug 2022, 10:23
Stephen wrote: 24 Aug 2022, 09:57
Personally I couldn't care less if people use the app or just turn up wearing a Tutu while whistling Dixie :)
Speaking of which has anyone heard how Onelife is?
Not yet.

I sent him a private message wishing him well from us all on the forum and hope it all went ok a couple of days ago.

If he's croaked it I hope he remembered to tell his wife i offered a tenner for his car.

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Jan Rosser
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Re: Iona Fjords Cruise August 2022

#75

Post by Jan Rosser »

Mervyn and Trish wrote: 24 Aug 2022, 10:24
You specify your party size. And I'm pretty sure there was an option to share or not. Never affected us this time as there were 5 of us. And to be fair who'd want to share with us!
There is a glitch in the App if your party is over 6 people. We found this on our Easter cruise as both my granddaughters were with us and it just wouldn't let us input 7 - we just block booked for the whole week at the time we wanted with reception in the dining room. We didn't share either Merv :lolno:
Janis

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