We chose based on dates, itinerary, price and P&O reputation. Our balcony cabin was roomy, comfortable and mostly well kept. It's a tired older ship, cabin carpet had some stains, the fridge barely worked and the cold water wasn't cold. The ship was crowded, it being August, and felt it at times. Reception weren't great. The main restaurant food was often good, never great, but sometimes iffy. The buffet food was quite bad, like Motorway service station food. It was our first P&O, having used RCCL many times and Marella twice. Seasoned P&O cruisers were talking about the drop in quality of service, poor food, signs of cost cutting, comparing this experience umfavourably with past cruises. One talked of staff hating their jobs since Carnival took over the P&O brand, with pay, benefits, working hours all deteriorating. It seemed a shame to have missed "proper" P&O of the past. They still have some pretentions, demanding formal wear on 4 nights for "Celebration" night in the restaurant, so you'd have thought they'd have made some effort with the food.

The Headliners theatre shows were EXCELLENT, as were the comedians, magicians, guest bands The Privateers and Soul Kind of Wonderful, really good.