Our DISAPPOINTING EMBARKATION DAY on P&O Aurora - DAY 1 VLOG
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- Опубліковано 31 бер 2024
- Our adventure begins as we embark on P&O Aurora to visit several ports in Northern Europe over New Year’s. In this video we cover the tips and tricks of our embarkation day. We embarked P&O Aurora from the Mayflower terminal in Southampton and, unfortunately, it was not the best of experiences. We made our way to our Sea View cabin, and it was very disappointing. We visited the team onboard to discuss our cabin issues and were truly shocked by the service we received. We took time to explore the ship and experience what P&O Aurora has to offer. We dined in the Horizon Restaurant for Lunch, Medina for our evening meal and had drinks in the Crow’s Nest, The Glass House, and Raffles. The entertainment in the main theatre was enjoyable and we ended the evening in Masquerades.
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P&O Aurora is a majestic cruise ship operated by P&O Cruises, renowned for its elegant design and luxurious amenities. Launched in 2000, Aurora underwent a significant refurbishment in 2019, enhancing its onboard experience. This mid-sized vessel can accommodate over 1,800 passengers and offers a blend of classic charm and modern comforts.
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Please take note Oriana was converted to Adult only 2011, built 1995 sold by Carnival in 2019. I went on her in 2013 cabin D229 single berth inside, same position as yours on Aurora. Mine had no windows.
If it was sold as obstructed view or like you made an inside then we would have been much more understanding
I SEE HUDSON!!! 🥰🥰
Maybe everyone was coming to see Captain Hudson. He’s very popular 😃
We also had an issue with our cabin on Aurora a few years ago. We wrote to P&O when we came back explaining how we felt and had a letter of apology along with a voucher for our next cruise. I really love your positivity, and of course, your videos are always such a joy to watch. Looking forward to your next one. X
Thank you so much we really appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment. We have spoken with P&O since returning and they agree that the cabins are poor.
thank you lads for sharing. A fair, calm and honest review is muchly appreciated. We are travelling on this ship in October 2025 and coming from Australia, and its a long way to come but you have given us some pointers in the right direction. Thank you.
Thank you for watching and taking the time to write a comment. We wish you a fantastic cruise
Thanks for the shout out! You captured the day perfectly! 🚢
Thank you! You had it worse than us being outside
@@TomandDomTravel we soon warmed up with having no air con in our cabin 😂😂
@sistersontheseas if only you knew what was to come 😂
What a fun, lovely review. "The Boy in the Bubble" shots from outside the cabin slayed me. An unusual compliment from someone who watches an awful lot of vids.... your sound levels during the narration is fantastic. Crystal clear! Meanwhile, this sounds like something of a nightmare cruise given the problems you encountered right from the start.
Thank you for watching! Dom who is very particular about the sounds really appreciates your comment
2 hours!!! Blimey. I'd cry. 😂
😂
Lads, that cabin is a complete pi**take! Feel for you both. Every time I wonder why we have never tried a P&O cruise, I see something like this and wonder no more.
Thank you for watching. The service we received wasn’t up to the standard of what we have experienced on other ships
@@TomandDomTravel My first time watching you. I have been in Aurora a few times and I think you have cured me iof wanting to go back. The lack of communication is appalling and the ship seems to lack the classiness I liked about it. T was disgraceful to bump those passengers off in Southampton. I hope they were compensated.
New subscriber here, sorry didn't realize I wasn't. That sea view cabin is ridiculous, I would be so mad if I got that, you deserve some money back for sure
Thank you for subscribing Paul. We have no idea why they thought this location was ok. We have spoken with P&O and will update everyone with the outcome
Ru Emma’s Dad??? Unusual name x @paulleteace
@@kristyx8379 yep, that's me 👋
I was so disappointed by P&O earlier this year. Arvia was beautiful and not cheap for carribean either but the penny pinching ways and Maleth aero flights finished us off x Iv made a formal complaint too x my first time watching u so now a new sub x
Thank you so much and welcome to our channel. Maleth seemed to be a real problem last year. Do you have another cruise booked with another cruise line?
No other cruise line demands you wait outside the terminal. This says everything.
It’s one of the things that baffles us. It’s unnecessary
Have wondered about going on this ship but will make sure I book a select fare so I know where my cabin is!
Would absolutely recommend that
Wow this is so different from our experience. From arrival to on the ship - 15mins! Oh no poor passengers! Wow that's not an unobstructed view! The ship does look nice though. So a mixed day!! Cheers 🍻
Thanks for watching. That’s good to hear it’s not a typical experience. The general problem wasn’t the ship which we really enjoyed but more the lack of communication and customer service from the guest services team.
All that delay and stress … and then you have to board a P&O cruise …nightmare 🤣
🤣🤣🤣
You guys are so awesome. Just loving all your adventures. So sad to hear about your bad experience on day 1 and your cabin. Never thought these things will happen to travel agents, because you guys are the voice for new business😮
Thank you so much for watching. The service we had fell well below what we had expected
After those long lines and let down seeing your room, it sure looks to have been a great and relaxing day of vacation! Enjoying this vicariously on my lunch our before getting back to the grind ....
Thank you for taking the time during your lunch break to watch. Very much appreciated
We were on ' Azura ' New Year and the following week. We did have the butter dish Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner. Seemed strange not there on Aurora !!!
Thanks for watching. Wonder what happened with the butter on Aurora. Seems very strange given the demographics of the ship
We were on that cruise too, had an Embarkation time of 1:00 pm but weren’t lucky enough to be waiting inside, we were freezing, I came home to be diagnosed with pneumonia. Cabin, food, drink and entertainment ok for us.
Thank you for watching. It’s really strange why P&O do this and no other line that we have experienced. Hope you are fully recovered.
The most annoying thing with P&O is if you give them feedback they don’t listen and take it onboard. P&O are bottom of the queue when it comes to communication.
Certainly when we were onboard communication was poor.
Good video, we’ve cruised with P&O a few times and it always annoys me how chaotic and slow their check in and embarkation procedures are. We went on Sky Princess 3 weeks ago also from the Mayflower terminal, open check in time from 11.30am onwards, we pretty much walked straight on board without waiting more than 15 minutes. Why can’t they learn from their Carnival partners?!
Absolutely agree! This also annoys us when we have cruised with both brands it really doesn’t make sense to make people wait outside
Guys what a vlog that cabin was funny but not if you were staying in it, I cannot believe the attitude of guest services. I had an issue with my medallion not working to open my cabin on a Princess 3 night cruise near the end of covid and they offered me a spa treatment or $100 on board credit whilst on board. Look forward to the rest of the series.
Thank you! We can see the funny side now of people just popping up at the window. It wasn’t at the time. The team on reception knew the problems with the cabin but didn’t care which made the situation worse.
Sounds like the cruise from hell. What a horrendous start
The worst start of any of a cruises by a long way
Tmaswiamas
We always book select so we choose our cabin
Yes that works well. Much more expensive on this cruise to do that as it was over new year
Throughout your video, I burst out in laughter as you would see these random persons behind you (@8:44) changing clothes, drying themselves off, etc. Your patience is exceptional throughout the holiday and at least you had good friends on the cruise to take your mind off the missteps by P&O. @21:50 - Not trying to 'Chocolate Shame' but who was responsible for that stack of chocolate treats?
Thanks for watching Chris. We certainly saw some sights out of the cabin window. 🫣Anything to do with the late night buffet Dom gets the blame 🤣
Totally agree with your comment, that is very much an obstructed sea view. You don't even need to explain - your video says it all! 100% agree with you about withdrawing the virtual queue for the MDR. I wrote to P&O after we experienced the change on Azura late last year. They told me only the 3 large ships have retained the virtual queue system & told me they withdrew the virtual queue following customer complaints???? Shame, as Aurora is my favourite P&O ship.
Thank you for taking the time to respond.
Surely to goodness P&O could have emailed those poor passengers or phoned them, the day before the cruise to tell them they would not be able to travel because the cabins were out of action ??
It would be bad enough getting that email/call - but a hundred times worse travelling all the way to Southampton, having packed those cases - queued up - checked in - only to be told you can't board the ship. I just can't imagine how shocked and disappointed they must have been. I'd have cried 😢.
Thank you for watching. It really must have been an awful experience. Poor communication really seemed to be a theme during this cruise
It seems so many cruise lines are cutting back and that makes their products less desirable. We’ve only ever cruised with Cunard since 2016. Even they have cut back since the pandemic shutdown in small ways. For example : on our pre-2020 cruises we were sent a brochure with our luggage labels, now we have to print our own. OK, it’s not a big issue for us and it doesn’t materially affect the cruise experience, but overall service has gradually deteriorated since 2016.
Thanks for watching. Many people feel very similar
Interesting video, and in our opinion, very reflective of our embarkation experiences with P&O in Southampton. We'd love to know why Carnival Lines enforce embarkation times, and make you sit down in the terminal before boarding - when you have large Celebrity, Royal Caribbean and NCL ships which allow you to walk straight on.
That view out of the window 🤣 surely a lifeboat directly in front would be more welcome than this, did you give feedback to P&O and get any sort of refund? Selling this as a 'sea view' cabin sounds very misleading. Reminds us of the famous scene out of Fawlty Towers where the deaf lady booked a sea view room, and Basil's response was "you can see the sea, it's over there between the land and the sky"!
Thanks for watching guys! 🤣🤣🤣 You are spot on. We have no idea why Carnival UK do this especially when sister brands like Princess let us walk on. The cabin was awful and we wouldn’t recommend anyone stay in there and service we received at reception was equally as bad.
We have just done a fantastic cruise with Saga (not your age group) and all we heard from regular cruisers was how awful P and O cruises are now and that they would never use them again
We heard that a lot whilst we were onboard also. We have heard good things about Saga. Thank you for watching.
I dread the idea of using P and O. Their cruises to the canaries must be very 'rowdy and boozy'!
The longer cruises are much better
Appreciate you guys letting us know how far P & O have fallen. The cabin view was a disgrace and as for the butter…. I will steer clear thanks for the tip off.
Thanks for watching. The butter situation was just ridiculous
Butter!!!! Just ask for more, shy bairns get nowt.
Absolutely. But the point is we shouldn’t have to.
Thanks for posting all the videos. I look for the newest one morning as I start my work day. So sorry you did not get the cabin you requested. I can't believe they were so unhelpful at the reception desk and no follow-up. Even if there is nothing they can do follow-up and say so. Also I can't imagine arriving at the port to be told you can't board. That should have been communicated days before the sailing! Have no desire to sail with this line. Again thanks for the post! Take care!
Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. Our next video will be on Monday 😃
Great video. Shame about the cabin you got. I hope it got better for you both. What's your next cruise?
Thank you. We have just come back from Paris on a river cruise with Riviera
@@TomandDomTravel oh yeah we've got to watch that one next 😊
Thanks. Will be a few weeks until that ones out 😃
I'd have been well miffed if that was my cabin too, no view,people looking in, noise,nah !!! I'd be straight to the pursers desk with me luggage...and not moved til they offered me something wsy better. Love you guys.
You do an amazing job 😊
Thank you so much, we really appreciate your support. We had hoped the guest services team would have been more helpful
9:40 looks like a schooner bar piano
Now we look back we can see what you mean
Many useful tips in this video.
Sorry you got stuck with the misrepresented view-less "ocean view" cabin. I had to laugh at a comment on your cabin tour video - the one saying the view into your cabin at night reminded them of Amsterdam's red light district!
I'm looking forward to your day in Hamburg - we were there for three days in 2021, and plan to go back - fascinating city with much to see.
Thank you. Hopefully it wasn’t quite Amsterdam. 🤣
Was going to book a cruise for 2026 on arvia now I am unsure!
Thanks for watching. Arvia is a lovely ship but unless things change the embarkation process is the same. That being said it only makes up a small part of the cruise experience. We were on the very first sailing and have a vlog series about it.
@@TomandDomTravel love the videos very informative
That is what happened to us on our Christmas cruise from Southampton on venture
We got there for our allocated time but had to waited 2hrs outside in cold.
I have to agree with all your complaints i will back you 100% P&O totally RUBBISH bloody disgrace
I have cruise with P&O 15 TIMES, if that was my 1st cruise it would have been my last, it is my last with P&O
We have booked with other cruise companies for our 3 cruises in 2024
My personal choice is SAY NO TO P&O
Great vlog true to form
Thank you very much for your comment. We are so sorry to hear you also had to wait. We have no idea why P&O are the only cruise line that does this. Who are you cruising with next?
July and October with princess never sailed with them before.
December with MSC used them once before.
Going back to our cruise on Ventura we waited outside for 2 hours but when we got in the terminal it was empty there were a lot of people in there 70s and older waiting outside in the cold ?
We have really enjoyed our 3 Princess cruises
Hi Guys...P&O definitely lost the plot post pandemic...I dont think i will ever travel with them again.
It really wasn’t a great experience
@@TomandDomTravel I could see...
P&O at their best I will never sail them again after are summer cruise last year.
Thanks for watching. What happened?
@@TomandDomTravel Till the summer I hadn’t sailed P&O for a while but we had good cruise. But in the summer I just found the service had gone downhill and really wasn’t what we expected lots of cutbacks as well. Also the ship hit another ship in Mallorca wasn’t anyone’s fault but all in all not for us. We are going on Celebrity Apex this summer see how that goes.
@danielmunt3336 Thank you for your reply. We think you we notice quite the difference
Getting dumped at the very last minute is outrageous and unforgiveable.
Really wasn’t great
Those poor people that were denied boarding that’s awful .
Really a shame for them to get into the terminal and check in before being told
We were on the Christmas cruise prior to yours. Aurora was battered by Storm Gerrit, Force 12 over 100MPH winds. That's what damaged some of the cabins.
Shame P&O didn't handle the delays this subsequently caused particularly well.
Thank you for watching. Yes we learnt about all the damage after. The storm must have been awful for you onboard. It would have been much better to have been informed and we would have totally understood why we were delayed.
@@TomandDomTravel Aurora handled the storm surprisingly well. Shows were cancelled and the Captain advised anyone in their cabins to stay there. My wife usually gets very green in rough waters but this was rougher than anything we'd encountered. She was unusually fine lying in bed. I didn't think we'd get much sleep but despite the sudden drops, creaks and bangs we had a good night.
Our tablemates were in one of the flooded cabins where the rain gushed through the bottom of balcony doors. We had an inside cabin so that was not an issue for us. Crew were mopping up all over the ship for the last two days.
But, as you said a little communication to the next set of passengers would have worked wonders.
@barnum4244 thanks for sharing that. Seems like the crew worked super hard as most of the ship was great
Omg i would have been so disappointed and upset how could they call that a seaview and costumer service sounds shocking
Thank you for watching. Absolutely not as described. We think it should have been at least described as an obstructed view.
Queuing outside at Mayflower terminal reminds me of horrible airport queues, which is why I took to cruising instead. Unfriendly staff on P&O on my last cruise also noted. Bread & butter service seemed very mean and shocked all at our table too. I sympathise with that awful "Seaview cabin".
Thank you for watching. We just don’t understand why P&O are the only cruise line that makes passengers wait outside. All very strange.
That cabin is like being in a fishbowl 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It was when the curtains were open
What a terrible start to what should be a positive experience! Gosh, P&O needs some customer service training. It’s amazing how many people today would rather be rude or antagonistic than helpful or empathetic.
Thank you for watching. We were totally shocked. We have always had great service on a cruise. In this case it was well below what we would have expected.
How can they sell that as a sea view 😬 i hope they give you some kind of gesture to compensate and not just agree its poor. I'll watch the series with interest.
Thank you. We shall keep everyone updated with the outcome
I totally disagree. Not on p&o. When I started cruising with P&O 20+ years ago you had a line of crew members who greeted passenger boarding and took you to your cabin. Certainly since covid there has been a couple of crew at the entrance to the ship who have welcomed you (as in Welcome on board) and you find your own way to your cabin, mustar Station. Welcome on board at the gala evenings normally but then again it differs from ship to ship.
Great to hear a different perspective to us. Have you not had sail away celebrations?
thats out of order would have been ok if obstructed but no way is that sea view
Thanks for watching. Absolutely completely not as described
So disappointing for you to wait so long to board and for the poor people who did not get to go on their cruise!
Never seen a cabin window like that before!!
Thank you for watching. We hadn’t. Very unusual
I hope you lodged an official complaint when you got home. I would want a refund of the difference between sea view, that you payed for and fully obstructed which is what they gave you.
Thank you for watching and supporting us. We have spoken with P&O since returning and they agree that the cabins are poor. They tell us these cabins will be addressed during the next refit
Did you complain after the cruise to p&o ?- I think you should have a refund for what is a clearly obstructed view cabin
We have spoken with P&O since returning and they agree that the cabins are poor.
We have spoken with P&O since returning and they agree that the cabins are poor.
Sorry guys; but if you didnt book with p&o, then you do need to refer to your travel agent. It is your travel agent that made the booking - not p&o. Your travel agent has allocated you a certain grade of cabin on the booking which resulted in you being placed where you were. Even if booking direct with p&o, I never take the chance on them allocating me a cabin, I always choose my own. Its the only way of making sure you’re happy with your cabin. Were people really using the aft pool and changing for swimming in December?
The pool wasn’t used that frequently but the hot tubs were full most of the time.
Tomaswamsiams
What does this mean?
Try going to your local hospital having harmed your hand in a machine or taken your nails off in a closing car door and told to wait 12 hours to be seen. Real incidents, the NHS and Gloucester Royal should be ashamed. Puts waiting into perspective.
Absolutely we understand hospitals are under huge pressure. Thanks for watching
Heared nothing but bad stuff about P&O, would not bother....
For those who have cruise with them before they all say things have certainly changed
Sounds like good reason not to book P&O…
The ship was generally good but the cabin wasn’t great
Seriously guys, you need to get real. What makes you special that you think you needed a fanfare to welcome you both on board. As for your cabin its a chance you take but you could see the sea. Moan, moan, moan
We didn’t say we personally needed a fanfare. It’s normal on a cruise to have a welcome for all passengers even if it’s just in the theatre from the cruise director.
A poor review. You stated the ship was damaged from the previous cruise and repairs were being undertaken so you knew the reason for the delays. In your vlog you also showed the sign outside Carmens which apologised for it being closed for essential maintenance, it does not take much brain power to work out the reason why.
You stated you knowingly booked an early saver GTY cabin, maybe you should have read the details of what cabin you could be allocated at time of booking. You pay your reduced cruise fare money and take your chance
I am sorry but found your review to be very poor and you came across as attention seeking victims. The title of your review was also alarmist and attention seeking.
My betting is that you will delete my comment as soon as it appears
Thank you for your comment it did make us chuckle! Firstly we only found out about the previous sailing from social media and not from any official channels. A saver fare is the standard cruise fare if you wish to upgrade your fare to select and receive additions then that is a choice. We had faith that booking a sea view cabin would in fact give us a sea view.
Who cares?
Thanks for the comment. It’s a choice to watch our vlogs. You don’t have to
If people are looking in your cabin, you should moon them, with a big smile.
🤣🤣🤣
I have yet to see a recent positive review of P & O cruises. Cruiselines I would avoid based on personal experience and reviews:
1. MSC
2. P&O
3. Carnival
4. NCL
5. Royal Caribbean
I have not had overall pleasant experiences on any of these lines. I WOULD highly recommend Oceania however. They never disappoint. Happy travels.
Thanks for watching. So glad you said Oceania as that is certainly a cruise line we would like to try
I feel really sorry for you doing one cruise after the other while we all have to work for a living.
Hi thanks for your comment! We pay for our cruises by both of us working full time in other jobs.
We paid nearly £1000 each for this 5 night cruise with a sea view cabin! As you can imagine if our positions were reversed you would not have been best pleased either!