Following major surgery in 2011 we changed from long haul flying and first started cruising in May 2012, and solely with P & O, sailing on Arcadia, Aurora, Adonia and Britannia, so this cruise was our eighth with P&O company in under four years and because of our total dissatisfaction with the way P & O is run and in particular, Oceana, this will be our last with P&O company.

Our problems started on arrival at the terminal to check in, as we always stay at ‘The New Place’ Hotel the night before sailing the Hotel provides us with a taxi to the port which has always arrived at about 11.45, and normally we have been on board by 12.30 to 1.30 without any hassle whatsoever. This time it was a complete farce and we waited in excess of four hours to board the ship, when I inquired as to why we were having to wait so long I was informed that this was a ‘New System’!! We had made up our minds even then because of this debacle that we would never be putting ourselves through this experience again. The place was over crowded, people sitting on the floor and everybody getting uptight, just the sort of attitude that is required prior to a cruise of a life time.

Having got to the cabin which was very nice, but let down by dirty carpet and a very scruffy small balcony the windows of which were not cleaned the whole time we were on board, in fact that was the watch word for the whole ship. The ship itself is very well designed, in fact quite beautiful, probably the best we have been on, however it has been left to rot, there was rust everywhere and in port it looked very much like the poor relation to any other ship. The area around the pool has a magnificent wooden structure which is drying out and looks totally neglected, how lovely it would all look with a coat of varnish. There was too much work going on around the ship, it was reminiscent of a building site with banging somewhere everyday. The ship needs taking out of service for two or three weeks and completely refurbished. I was particularly annoyed by the fact that deck 7 was blocked on several occasions as I do like to ‘deck walk’ and I complained to reception who’s excuse was that it was essential maintenance! Rubbish these jobs could be done when passengers do not want to use the facilities, because at the end of the day who is the ship for? Passengers or crew?? Read more