What will you do?

[JenniC]

We have all seen the new brochure and a lot has been said about lack of innovation, same old ports etc....many people feel let down and disappointed - if you ask the question to P&O on FB it is a stock answer I.e "research has shown" or "passenger feedback"...

So do we vote with our feet.. I love the P&O ships and have never cruised with any other line and given the cost of cruising am loathe to try in case I don't like it - so decisions to make

I know some of you already cruise on other lines, but what about the P&O diehards - what are you going to do.. Stay loyal or look around?

[towny44]

Jenni, As far as I can see the ports and itineraries look very little different to those on most other lines, so it might be a case of frying pan to fire.
We only look at Southampton sailings and only the newer bigger ships as we need an accessible cabin, but they do appear to have tweeked some of the Med itineraies with a few more stopping at Cartagena, and not all doing Rome and Florence.
That being said we are unlikely to book P&O for 2014 because their launch prices are again some 20-25% higher than RCCL and Celebrity, so price will be our determining factor because, good as their product is, it is no better than the others for most aspects and quite a bit inferior in some others.

[Meg 50]

I have found the cruise for which I've been nagging for years - a port-hop down ( and up) France, Spain and Portugal - with Tangiers thrown in for good measure!

[Manoverboard]

We found what we wanted but P&O messed it up so we shifted to Riverboat Cruising in 2013.

2014 will be a 21 day Coaching Tour to Poland and old Czechoslovakia, we may book a Getaway, or two, with P&O.

What we will NOT do is book with P&O for the sake of it nor to savour past, passed, memories.

[Holiday Planner]

Having only done 2 cruises (1 Fjords & 1 Central Med), there are still a number of P&O cruises we could do with ports new to us. Having said that, we are struggling to find the itineraries we fancy at the times we want to travel. I wouldn't mind trying Celebrity - my cousin raves about them.

[Meg 50]

We shifted to Riverboat Cruising in 2013.

so did we cos this year's itineraries were rubbish (in our opinion)

[Dark Knight]

we had changed cruise line for this year and then moved the dates around

the only PanO one that was of interest was the northern cape and iceland, with part of the fjords thrown in, but apart from that, other cruiselines offered better itineraries for us anyway

[Gill W]

2014 was always going to be a quiet year on the cruising front.

We're only looking for a week's cruise.

I had wondered about the Ventura fly cruises, but they still seem to be the same ports, I was hoping for lots of different Greek islands.

We'll probably end up going on one of the cruises to northern Spain and back, I've seen some with a couple of ports we haven't done so far.

But I'm not in a mad rush to book

[noddy10]

Those that complain about same old ports never come up with new ones that are logistically placed to do cruises from Southampton and have the facilities to cope with cruise passengers either on foot or on tours. Also like as previously been said many say they are going to "jump ship" and go with other cruise lines but most that sail from Southampton if not all do near enough the same cruises but with extortionate gratuities.

[Manoverboard]

Those that complain about same old ports never come up with new ones that are logistically placed to do cruises from Southampton and have the facilities to cope with cruise passengers either on foot or on tours ...

I could come up with dozens but P&O ships are basically too big to get into them, bar a few that Adonia can manage. What is not possible is to invent new places that P&O can get into.

[Princess]

Guess I could be classed as a diehard P&O cruiser. First cruise Chusan 1965, cruising with P&O as a family regularly since 1985, sometimes 2 or 3 times a year. Recommended them to friends, family and neighbours. Have tried Celebrity, RC and Princess and have returned to P&O. But not any more! We really enjoy Celebrity, RC and Princess and now look to them for our main cruises. Having said this we have booked the Azura 2 night £99 cruise next month as an after thought ; it is convenient (and cheap) and we are going with extended family. We are booked on Princess later in the year and are looking at others on Cunard, RC, Princess and Celebrity for another this year and for 2014. Have not looked at P&O cruises for next year and wont unless another £99 cruise or equivalent is available.

[GillD46]

Even before the itineraries were released, we had decided we almost certainly won't book anything with P&O again - for the forseeable future anyway.

[arrbee]

We were hoping to do two cruises in 2014 but didn't feel inspired by what we saw. Instead we're going to do Ruby Princess to New York via Norway, Shetland, Iceland and Newfoundland, a few days in NY and Boston then back via Cunard. All the ports, except Bergen will be new so really excited.

We were thinking for about going away to the sun for Christmas and especially New Year celebrations in Madeira but this year. I guess because it's been shortened to 24 days, they're docking at The Azores both ways. This definitely makes the cruise a lot less appealing to us, but no decision taken yet. We love getting away from the Winter weather and there's been some great itineraries in recent years, so why has the Caribbean / Florida/ New Orleans itinerary been abandoned and the Eastern and Western Caribbean with the Panama Canal?? Feel really disappointed but as we're pretty much restricted to cruising from Southampton, our options are limited.

[daib GC]

Answer.


Book some cruises.

Plenty of places we have not done

Gan Canny



Dai

[towny44]

Answer.
Book some cruises. Plenty of places we have not done

Gan Canny,Dai

Dai, Have you ever considered booking any line other than P&O, and if not why not?

[Emrobo]

It is more about money for us, we usually cruise every other year, but really want to go next year. We would like to try Azura and the Fjords, so very tempted for next July. Although have to say a little disappointed in some of the itinaries for the school holidays and children are now paying 80-90% of our fare which makes the total fare fairly expensive for a 4 berth.

[bassman67]

We were going to go to Egypt to do a Nile cruise with another week in Luxor or Hurgada, but the increasing unrest put us off so we booked Oceana instead for this summer. Next year is definitely the whole family going for a villa holiday in Turkey for 2 weeks. It's a good time to go as the grandchildren will be 8, 7 1/2, 6 and 3; old enough to remember, but young enough to be content with pool and beach. Only problem is that June or September are the best times, but it's in school term.

[bassman67]

We were going to go to Egypt to do a Nile cruise with another week in Luxor or Hurgada, but the increasing unrest put us off so we booked Oceana instead for this summer. Next year is definitely the whole family going for a villa holiday in Turkey for 2 weeks. It's a good time to go as the grandchildren will be 8, 7 1/2, 6 and 3; old enough to remember, but young enough to be content with pool and beach. Only problem is that June or September are the best times, but it's in school term.

[mrsbsw]

I am one of those that has said I am disappointed in the P&O offerings for next year but then neither can I find anything to tempt me on the other cruise lines that I have looked at.
Since we dont fly, like to cruise for longer than 2 weeks and venture a little further than the Med it is looking like a repeat of either last years itinerary to Israel etc. or this years cruise to the Caribbean Islands ( Pity none of them include New Orleons )
Since we have an FCO to use we will probably book something.
I am hoping that Fred Olsen has something exciting when they are released and then I will just book a shorter cruise with P&O to use FCO and something longer with Fred.
Ann

[JoanneB]

We are trying Celebrity again we have found them more attentive than P&O. And for the ports Royal Clipper & Swan Hellenic. As MoB said the smaller ships can get into some interesting places and the SH one is inclusive of tips. tours and fkights and allegedly has really good speakers.

A number of our die hard P&O friends have chosen Oceania, some good offers of two for one and flights make them more accessible.

[Capt Black]

Still tempted to do a re-positioning cruise, time-wise would probably mean Azura. Ventura's med fly-cruises seem reasonably priced, though the itineries could be more dare I say it adventurous.

[Manoverboard]

... As MoB said the smaller ships can get into some interesting places and the SH one is inclusive of tips. tours and fkights and allegedly has really good speakers ...

We have yet to cruise with Swan Hellenic but we have cruised with Voyages of Discovery.

Both are part of the ' All Leisure Group ' and I can certainly confirm that their speakers are in a totally different league to those that P&O provide, however, that is because P&O offer a holiday with entertainment whereas ' ALG ' literally offer a yoyage of discovery and one whose passengers are more likely to be learned types seeking to expand their knowledge than getting a sun tan .... if you follow my drift.

[Jan Rosser]

Hi Capt - I can recommend repositioning cruises I've done a few myself and prefer fly out sail back. The only drawback is the luggage restrictions on the plane but probably a good thing in my case as I always take too much anyway

[oldbluefox]

Just got a brochure today. There's an interesting looking cruise on Adonia in July going to Iceland, Faroe Islands, Isle of Skye and Ireland. We have been to Ireland and Iceland before but enjoyed it so will put that one down as a possibility. However having seen the vast difference in price between Vantage and Getaway fares I will be waiting until/if Getaway fares come out and taking my chance with them. We can always go somewhere else if it doesn't work out.

[howard18]

Things are slowly coming to pass. By that I mean that as the smaller ships drop off P&O's radar in a few years time, all that will be left are the large super cruise ships where passengers can be packed in and the laws of maximum return for minimum effort apply. How large is the latest P&O cruise liner?
It has been very noticeable over the past few years that the vast majority of port calls are where the ship can dock directly rather than by tendering. This saves time, saves money, less risk of an accident etc. Get 'em off - get 'em back on.
Anyway, the larger cruise companies want you to spend as much time (and money) on board as possible. They spend less time in port because of the port charges.

I cannot afford the six star ships and don't like flying. I am therefore stuck with large ships that ply the same old med route. (I like the heat).
I now go for the comfort that I can afford and look on the ships as the destination. I gave up P&O because it just went more and more down market. I shall never forget my last cruise on Ventura in 2009, Salesmen jumping up and down on the stairs in the main lobby with trestle tables below covered in cheap tat. And the passengers grabbing at any "bargain" they could find. At least RCCL have not sunk to that level - yet.