Im sorry for the delay in posting my review, Ive been busy and I wanted the time (do we have the time anymore to really sit down and choose our words carefully) to write a balance and well thought out critique of our experience on the last PO Cruise that we undertook, which was 20th February 2015 to the 6th March 2015. This is the 3rd time of cruising with PO and the 5th for my partner and I have to say each year the standard gets worse and worse. We tend to cruise around the Caribbean at the end of February / early March, and we normally cruise on the Azura. And after reading this years reviews (prior to our cruise) we were genuinely taken aback by some of the comments, about the staff, their attitude, the service etc. And now looking back after reflecting upon those comments, they were indeed extremely accurate. What has happened PO? Your staff are so miserable and surly. How are they being interviewed? “Right, who has the longest face? You’re in, you can start Monday.” Anyway, as for this year, we thought or I thought that we would try some of their gifts/vouchers that are advertised prior to the cruise.

First up, I ordered the “Embarkment Package” as a surprise, so upon arrival in our cabin there should have been waiting for us: a bottle of Champagne, flowers and Chocolate Package. Disaster. We entered the room to find the flowers and nothing else. We couldn’t find anything else. Checked everywhere. Nothing. So I then had to tell my partner why I was searching the fridge and why I was heading to reception. Surprise ruined. Thanks PO. So I went to reception and asked what had happened to the champagne and chocolates. They rang the appropriate area, and told me the champagne was in the fridge, which it wasn’t as we checked when entering the room, (plus we were expecting 2 champagne flutes and for our champagne to be in an ice bucket chilling). We then returned to the room to find a warm bottle champagne now in our fridge, “Abra ka draba”, Champagne for you! I then called reception again and asked for some glasses. So we then had to wait for them to arrive and once they did, I then asked the waiter if we could have an ice bucket for the champagne......(so much for my surprise to my partner, totally ruined by PO incompetency). After achieving 2 things out of 3, I became quite cockey and thought, hmmmm, lets try my hand at finding out where are the chocolates; so I called up reception and inquired as to the chocolates and where were they?. After several calls backwards and forwards (reception had to call catering, catering back to reception, reception back to me) I was told you get the chocolates on your first sea day! “Why?” I asked. You just do. So much for 3 gifts awaiting for you upon your arrival into your cabin. This surprise was now a complete joke. Its not advertised that you get the chocolates on the first sea day, which for us was two days away!!!

Second Package – the disastrous wine package. This gets worse.....this episode is something out of Fawlty towers. So you are given (we bought the 12 bottle wine package) 12 little cards, and you are told when you buy this package, The Captains collection package, that you save money, and you can have your wine delivered to your room, the restaurant, the glass house, where ever you are; sounds great doesn’t it? Sounds as though its hassle free (which is right up my boat), but during the booking of this package, you are made aware a bottle can take up to 10/15min before the wine is delivered to you; fair enough, I have no qualms with that. I thought, well they have at least made you aware. Read more