We booked this cruise to the Canaries/Spain/Gibraltar and Madeira relatively last minute and paid the extra to get a Penthouse Suite at the front of the ship which came with additional perks. Upgrading was the best decision we made and I also paid extra for the Free at Sea Plus package.The ship appeared to be about 75% full so rarely felt overcrowded and you could quite easily get a seat in the ...
So cheap cruising has become like a trip to Benidorm on P&O
The ship is dated. Understaffed and lacking the glitz and glamour we have experienced on other ships. Our toilet flooded on the first night and we had flushing issues for 2 weeks so did our neighbouring rooms
The Buffet closed too early, some days we missed lunch due to trip return times . Buffet often closed 2.30
The App for ...
Well this was a New Years cruise that I will never forget and all for the wrong reasons. This cruise was a 60th birthday present brought for me by my wife back in 2021.
The start didn't go well with us having to wait to board the ship having to enter all our details again because the computer system had broken.
Entrance to the ship is very underwhelming there is no atrium to wow the ...
Went on Arcadia for new year with my wife, this was our fifth time on Arcadia and we basically thought most things had gone downhill, so are listing our thoughts as pros and cons: -
Pros:
• The Main Dining Room, considering all the negative reviews the food quality was much better than expected
• It was good to see that some of the pre-Covid onboard staff have returned to the ...
I have cruised with P&O several times in the past and have always recommended them above the likes of Royal Caribbean because the service has traditionally been so much better. Not this time. It may well have been that particular ship, the Arcadia, but had that of been my first cruise with P&O I would be in no hurry to go back.
There was sickness on board (Norovirus) that was very badly ...
Cruise for Christmas! Sounds lovely right
Except for bacon found in a vegan meal. Plastic found in the buffet tikka masala and rude receptionists who get defensive when you tell them something is wrong rather than helping and then ignore you until you go away. A virtual queuing system that doesn’t work despite the receptionists and restaurant staff swearing by it. All the specialty restaurants ...
We love Xmas cruising and have cruised many times with P & O. Disappointing that every time we cruise standards get lower. This time cleaning poor in cabins and around ship. Cabin not vacuumed at all. Drinks selection in bars was poor. They are definitely under staffed in restaurants and bars. Difficult to get a drink. Waiters rushed off their feet although ours were very good. Shops used ...
Overall, the cruise was exceptional for the amount of money charged. We especially liked the shore excursions which were made possible by staff member, Aimane Buhamza. He managed to secure us 3 spots on the long sold-out “Christmas in Rome” tour where we got to see the Pope deliver his annual Christmas address to the world from St. Peter’s Square. He not only got that secured for us, but also the ...
We are veteran cruisers and first sailed on P&O Arcadia in her maiden year of 2005. This was our fifth cruise on her. Oh dear: I really hate to be the one to say it, but P&O are a shadow of their former selves. Their standards have not so much dropped as plummeted. While the positives, on the whole, outweighed the negatives, we did find a couple of issues to be more than a little ...
I chose this cruise because the itinerary and timing suited my needs. I had a dozen sea cruises and 3 river cruises under my belt, but had never used P&O before. I believed, though, that they had a good reputation.
Other reviewers have mentioned the truncated visit to Amsterdam and missed visit to Zeebrugge. Disappointing as these were, I do not complain about them - I think one must accept ...