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Hiya - we've just returned from a cruise on Ambassador Ambience to Norway. Whilst it wasn't of the same standard as Azamara, it was great value for money. The staff were fab, very attentive and the entertainment was excellent. Ambassador seem to have resolved their initial teething troubles. We would definately sail with them again
Hello Judi, hope you are well! This comment was so lovely to read, and we're glad that you had a good time! Value for money is hugely important, and we may have to give them another go now that you've said they're teething issues could be behind them. To be honest, we're yet to read a bad word about the service - everyone seems to rave about it! You got any more cruises lined up?
@@sailawaymag All good thank you. We are seriously considering Canada and Greenland in September with Ambassador. Will report back if we go. Loved your video reviewing Azamara Onward, and all your other reviews. Keep up the good work guys. Take care
Thank you for this very helpful video. Earlier this year we booked Marella Explorer 2 as first time cruisers and had an amazing experience. We have booked the Caribbean on their newest ship for 2023 but almost booked P&O to try a different cruise line and am glad we didn’t now after watching this video. I prefer the all inclusive package Marella offers as once you’ve paid for the cruise and speciality restaurants and and any cruise tours there are no nasty surprises. If we could walk from the different ports into the town we explored on our own and for further away we booked the tour beforehand with the ship. is was a sensible approach for first time cruising and it worked really well for us.
Hey thanks so much for watching and commenting! We’re glad this video was helpful as well! Marella are defiantly a good choice for all inclusive (No hidden costs!). What ports will you be visiting in the Caribbean?! ☺️
thanks for the honest reviews of these lines in trying to convince my family to one year to take a cruise so gettimg a good idea of which ones are best is good to know
Hey Daniel, so sorry for the delayed response some comments were hidden by YT! 🤦🏼♂️ Glad this video was helpful, did you manage to book any crusies?! 😅
Very informative. I normally travel with Marella, but have booked with P&O Ventura this April. Your review gives me food for thought, but my reason for selecting was the pricing for solo cabins, which was roughly half the cost of Marella. I won't get my hopes up too much, but will have an open mind.
Hello Paul, thanks for watching! We're going on Ventura in two weeks so we'll let you know how we get on. Keep an open-mind, hopefully P&O will have sorted many of the issues which we raised. We're hoping to try Marella Voyager sometime this year :)
We actually sailed on the new year cruise in Arcadia and it was everything you said and we had the added bonus of noro virus only ever sailed with P&O in 17 yrs we actually sailed in Britannia 5wk previously and it was amazing we’ve got Azura later this year and going to see what that’s like before we book for next year, thank you for your honest review.
Hello Hazel, thanks for watching! Sorry to read that you had a similar experience on Arcadia! Hoping that your cruise on Azura later this year will be much better! All the best!
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Very interesting. I like watching your videos. If one wasn't interested in speciality/extra charge dining, and didn't need a drinks package, but wanted good main dining, what would you choose?
Thanks Steve! We would suggest Holland America! Main dining and buffet are excellent, and we enjoyed some of the best food we’ve eaten at sea! They also offer one of the best drink packages we’ve come across - $50 per person per day which covers a huge selection of drinks including speciality coffees, plus it includes WIFI, $200 shore excursion credit and 2 speciality dinners! Very fair in our view. However if you’re really not fussed for drinks, Holland America has free lemonade, apple juice, fruit punch and cranberry juice in the buffet 24 hours a day! Drinks are also fairly priced, when compared to their nearest rivals - Celebrity! Hope that helps :)
Excellent video, all reasons backed up with examples. A real mixed bag for you. I think with P&O it may have shifted focus away from older ships but that is no excuse! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for tuning in Bs! We think that the focus has definitely shifted to their new ships! It was evident that all investment into Arcadia has seised!
Thanks for warching as always David! Nope, not yet - would love to, but they are a bit out of our budget at the moment. They look like incredible ships :)
Great video, balanced, fair and honest - P&O have been falling behind for a while now, mainly with their older ships. I understand they are leaning more into their bigger newer ships, however it shouldn't mean brand, service etc. should fail on their other types of ships. And Ambassador, well your imagines speak for themselves, plus the amount of cancelations and inspection failures they've had!
Hello, thanks for watching and for leaving us a comment! We agree with what you say - it's very clear that P&O have took their eye off of Aurora and Arcadia, and are only really focusing on their newer ships. Having said that, the cuts to a passengers cruising experience is noticeable regardless of which ship you go on - whether it be the degradation in food quality, inferior service and limited bar menus. We both hope that they pay attention to the many scathing reviews on review sites like Cruise Critic, and get their act together quickly! As for Ambassador - AVOID at all costs!
I sailed on Arcadia recently. I’ve done 25 cruises, many of them with P&O and I’ve always been happy. However, my cruise on Arcadia was my worst cruise ever!!! What has happened to P&O???? Sadly my experience was so bad that I will not be booking with them again. Staff were rude, food was vile, choice of food was pathetic, specialty restaurants closed. The list goes on. They do not deserve my money. Also went on Queen Victoria last year and I agree with everything you both said. Excellent video boys. Your information is very accurate x
Thanks for watching Beverley! Sorry to read that you too had such a terrible experience on Arcadia! Looks as though your experience was as diabolical as our own! Glad you had a great time aboard Queen Victoria - she is indeed a beautiful ship!
Hello Andy. Don't be nervous - MSC is a great ship, you just might have to spend a bit of money onboard to fully appreciate her. As for Iona, she is an incredible ship - it's the company that isn't doing her justice. Hopefully by the time you go they will have overcome their issues. We wish you the best of luck, let us know how you got on :)
@@sailawaymag we have a drinks package and paid for entertainment package too so hopefully won’t have to pay much more. I have higher hopes for Iona! Thanks for the reply 🙏
Oh, joy. We've just booked a Caribbean cruise on Britannia followed by a cruise to Iceland with Ambassador. We had a great cruise on Iona last year. The ship, food, and entertainment were excellent.
Oh dear! To help put your mind at rest, we’ve heard that Caribbean cruises with P&O are a lot better - as longer fly cruises are less popular, and the ship is less full! If the crewing issues persist, hopefully they won’t be as obvious to you when you go! Britannia was also beautiful when we sailed on her last year - no maintenance issues that we experienced on Arcadia. Ambassador divides opinions - some love the homely, small-ship atmosphere onboard and others will hate it! For us, we wouldn’t bother. Really hope you have a much better experience Tricia - let us know how you got on!
@Sail Away with Dan & Jay I do hope we have a good experience on Britannia. I'd always wanted to sail on her after being docked beside her at St. Maarten on Azura in 2016. We are cruising to Iceland from Port of Tyne on Ambition. With the first year's teething problems out of the way for Ambassador, I really hope they are good as we're short on cruise lines using POT since Marella pulled out. I'll let you know.
I love Royal Caribbean! Full disclosure, I have only been on a few cruises. The first two were on Royal Caribbean. We wanted to try other cruise lines and went on Norwegian. The staff were nice, the rooms were ok, but we thought the food was terrible. We actually lost weight on that cruise! (Usually we put a little on). We went straight back to Royal and decided never to cheat on them again!
Going on Ambassador for a 3 week Cape Verde cruise very soon. They look like they have sorted a lot of the problems now, many reviews are praising their food and entertainment. They are definitely value for money looking at the onboard prices. Just came back from MSC Virtuosa, it was far too crowded (no seating at night), food was very average, everything was so pricey but the staff were great. Preferred P&O Aurora last year to it.
Hello David, thanks for your comment! To be fair, Food and Entertainment was quite good on Ambience as pointed our in our Ambience Ship Review - the maintenance issues seem to persist though regrettably. We agree about the overcrowding on MSC Virtuosa , food quality and extra charging for pretty much everything. Loved the ship, but you have to be the right sort of person to enjoy an MSC cruise , particularly in Bella and Fantastica grade accommodation.
I sailed Arcadia late last year my first and last time on p & o, But also decided another chance so booked Arvia for naming ceremony in March, very concerned.
Hello Gavin, thanks for your comment! Hopefully, Arvia would have overcome the initial teething issues she experienced on her Maiden cruise. She looks like an incredible ship - at least you won't have to worry about the ship looking scruffy! Hope you have a great time, let us know how you got on!
Our favourite is Cunard without a doubt and the lack of speciality dining which you seemed to dislike, is one of our 'merits' of the line. Food in the main restaurant on a cruise ought to be of a high standard without having to seek alternatives.....
That’s all very well Jacqueline, but variety is a good thing! And when you’re somebody that has a dietary issue and there’s only one option on a menu in the MDR, having other alternatives is very welcome indeed.
Just back from MSC Virtuosa. It was not 100% perfect, but we had a great time. For value, it is hard to beat a holiday at less than a Premier Inn cost per night, with a premium drinks package. However, the ship was only 2/3rds full, and I don't think I would like it in te school holidays. MSC/Royal and Celebrity really know how to run mega ships, P&O should take note. Also, I have to say that there are now Cruises and Cruise Holidays, after being on RCI/Celebrity and going over to the USA on Carnival Vistas Maiden (which was fantastic fun) we did the QM2 back to the UK, transatlantic, and were bored to death. THe food and staff were great, but it was like an old folks home, the ship was dead after 11pm, with the same shows we saw 5 years earlier. BUt if you enjoy the very old style of cruising, I can see its appeal.
Hey thanks for watching and commenting! We agree 100% with everting you said, everyone crusies in a different way, it’s just fine what’s right for you! 😄 Have you got any more crusies up coming you’re looking forward to?
Agree with you on MSC, don't know about P&O, even though my impression is that Carnival is diluting it so that one day it becomes sort of "Carnival Fun UK Style"... Permit me just to add the following: Instead of going and afterward stating that MSC is the worst cruise line on earth like many do, better to do the homework and adjust expectations accordingly like you have done. MSC caters to a strong, very international crowd, perhaps the most international of all the lines on earth... They cater for all those Europeans whom, while most would have some English speaking skills, they'll have them as 2nd language. No surprise you'll find some language barriers, especially towards English speaking individuals. This is not the ideal both for cruisers or the crews themselves. As you say, they're NOT 100% perfect. Been there, done that 7 times. But for most of us whose English speaking is our 2nd language, they're great on their offering. They're not the cheapest ones in the mainstream European market anymore... But their shore excursions program remains the most attractive of all lines as well as their drinks packages. Their approach on paid activities is also to praise for. I wouldn't like to patron activities I don't partake by my cruise fare. Their activities pass is fairly priced to the ones whom want it. That alone turns them very competitive towards the US competition... Oh: And they deal with the multilingual like nobody else on the market, including Costa! No surprise their boom since the mid 2000's when their were not seen as a serious contender!...
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I've got a cruise booked on P&O Azura in April 2023 around the Med and am a little apprehensive now following a few recent reviews I've read. I had watched a few UA-cam videos of the ship praising how good the food is so its a shame to see the standards have dropped so far. I'm doing this one solo, and have only ever cruised once before on an amazing Caribbean tour on the NCL Breakaway. Do you have any advice on how I can negate this worry? Or has anyone watching this had a positive experience on Azura? Many thanks
Hello, thanks for watching and dropping us a comment! We have cruise more the P&O than any other cruise line, and before the pandemic were undoubtedly our favourite cruise line. Unfortunately, the onboard experience is just not the same. Arcadia was diabolical, however our cruise on Britannia last year was a lot more positive and enjoyable, despite having the same issues when it came to booking restaurants etc. However, we have heard that Azura is one of the better rated ship's in the fleet of late - and she seems to be coping a lot better than her sisters when it comes to overcrowding, passengers ability to book restaurants etc. We hope that you have a much better experience aboard Azura compared to our recent sailings about P&O. Please let us know how you got on! All the best!
@@sailawaymag thanks so much for your reply. Glad to hear that Azura is still performing. Will lwt you know how the trip goes Keep up the good work on the channel.
Great review!! The cruise you booked for February Amsterdam?? We will be on it please God let’s hope the food will be a lot better than in your review of p+o We Went to Amsterdam earlier in the year but on celebrity silhouette.
Thanks for watching! Yes, we go on Ventura 7th Feb! Yikes, Celebrity Silhouette is a beaut - not sure Ventura can pull it out of the bag to beat that ship, but hopefully you enjoy it nonetheless. We didn't know until two weeks ago that she is going in for a refurb immediately after our cruise ha!
I haven't sailed on P&O's older ships, but I have been on Iona twice, one in 2021 and just disembarked the latest just over a week ago. I love Iona and she's a beautiful ship. It's not perfect, but there were no major issues with the app, dining, venues etc and the food was ok. I don't think much of the buffet offerings but just went to the Quays or the main dining room instead, and the speciality restaurants I did try were excellent.
Thanks for your comment! P&O was our favourite cruise line up to the pandemic, but ever since then the standards have fell through the floor! Speciality restaurants are very good, but on both our recent cruises they were near impossible to book! Such a shame :(
Very interesting and balanced view, as always. Really enjoy watching your videos as not only is it great to live vicariously but you give such good insights into a ship. I've only been on 8 cruises with 3 companies (and none since 2019) so I have very, very limited experience. Cunard always stood out though for their food, elegance, staff etc but lacked a lot of atmosphere later on in the evening as their drinks are so expensive and their bars were a bit dead. Similarly I've been on other cruises where the evenings have been more lively but the food not as good. Its a trade off. I look at cruises mainly for places I want to go, time in port etc as well as all the other considerations obviously. I was very reluctant to go on my first cruise (Cunard) as I thought I would feel restricted and constrained and be surrounded by 'fuddy duddies'. How wrong I was. Cruising is just wonderful and I am so looking forward to your 2023 reviews ( as well as my own return to cruising ) Keep up the fab reviews guys, they are great 👍
Thanks for watching Maxine!! You’re 100% right - it’s swings and roundabouts! Out of all the cruises we’ve been on post-pandemic, P&O definitely had the most issues! Hopefully they can get their act together this year! Which ship are you going on Maxine?
I’m shocked at ambassador, can’t believe she sailed and took passengers in that condition, and the hair on the table with P&O! This video is defiantly an eye opener!
I’m on the P&O Iona now (22nd May2023). The service in the bars is shocking. Over worked and understaffed. This probably the worst cruise line that I have ever sailed with! I had high expectations of P&O but I’ve had far better experiences on budget cruise lines-TUI’s Marella! The P&O app is crap too! Nice ship though 😖
Very sorry to read this comment, but we'd agree with a lot of what you say. P&O is performing terribly against competition, even against budget cruise lines like Marella which you mention. Iona is a beautiful ship, it's just a shame that it's operated by P&O!
Sorry to read that you too had a bad experience on Arcadia! It’s as though P&O have stopped all investment into her. Iona is a beautiful ship - if they have managed to sort out all of their crewing issues come September (which is more than possible) we hope that you have a great time!
A fascinating video as always! Great to get your perspective! Haven’t been hearing great things about P&O lately, it’s a shame because they used to be so good
Thanks for watching Cliff! They used to be excellent - in fact they were more favourite cruise line for many years. The standards have fell through the floor!
Princess, food awful in buffet and main dining room. Loved Alaska and will go back to Alaska, BUT NOT on Princess! The specialty food was okay at best. Also, if you like good entertainment forget Princess. Entertainment was okay or waste of time. The only activities were trivia games! That’s it! Never again Princess
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Hiya - we've just returned from a cruise on Ambassador Ambience to Norway. Whilst it wasn't of the same standard as Azamara, it was great value for money. The staff were fab, very attentive and the entertainment was excellent. Ambassador seem to have resolved their initial teething troubles. We would definately sail with them again
Hello Judi, hope you are well! This comment was so lovely to read, and we're glad that you had a good time! Value for money is hugely important, and we may have to give them another go now that you've said they're teething issues could be behind them. To be honest, we're yet to read a bad word about the service - everyone seems to rave about it! You got any more cruises lined up?
@@sailawaymag All good thank you. We are seriously considering Canada and Greenland in September with Ambassador. Will report back if we go. Loved your video reviewing Azamara Onward, and all your other reviews. Keep up the good work guys. Take care
Thank you for this very helpful video. Earlier this year we booked Marella Explorer 2 as first time cruisers and had an amazing experience. We have booked the Caribbean on their newest ship for 2023 but almost booked P&O to try a different cruise line and am glad we didn’t now after watching this video. I prefer the all inclusive package Marella offers as once you’ve paid for the cruise and speciality restaurants and and any cruise tours there are no nasty surprises. If we could walk from the different ports into the town we explored on our own and for further away we booked the tour beforehand with the ship. is was a sensible approach for first time cruising and it worked really well for us.
Hey thanks so much for watching and commenting! We’re glad this video was helpful as well! Marella are defiantly a good choice for all inclusive (No hidden costs!).
What ports will you be visiting in the Caribbean?! ☺️
Awww I loved this! Thanks for sharing :)
Thanks for watching Julie! Glad you enjoyed it.
great video discussing the BEST and WORST Cruise Lines to Explore in 2023...
Thank you so much! 😁
Excellent video, packed full with lots of interesting information 👏🛳️
thanks for the honest reviews of these lines in trying to convince my family to one year to take a cruise so gettimg a good idea of which ones are best is good to know
Hey Daniel, so sorry for the delayed response some comments were hidden by YT! 🤦🏼♂️
Glad this video was helpful, did you manage to book any crusies?! 😅
Look forward to all the videos that you put out
I love them 👍😊
Thanks Julie we really appreciate it!
Great video guys! Definitely a eye opener for sure!
Thanks for watching Christina! Glad it was informative!
Very informative. I normally travel with Marella, but have booked with P&O Ventura this April. Your review gives me food for thought, but my reason for selecting was the pricing for solo cabins, which was roughly half the cost of Marella. I won't get my hopes up too much, but will have an open mind.
Hello Paul, thanks for watching! We're going on Ventura in two weeks so we'll let you know how we get on. Keep an open-mind, hopefully P&O will have sorted many of the issues which we raised. We're hoping to try Marella Voyager sometime this year :)
Great reciew.
So far, Royal Caribbean....Freedom of the Seas was an excellent experience...Can't wait to sail on the other fleets
Thank you so much!! Have you got any more cruises planned?! ☺️
We actually sailed on the new year cruise in Arcadia and it was everything you said and we had the added bonus of noro virus only ever sailed with P&O in 17 yrs we actually sailed in Britannia 5wk previously and it was amazing we’ve got Azura later this year and going to see what that’s like before we book for next year, thank you for your honest review.
Hello Hazel, thanks for watching! Sorry to read that you had a similar experience on Arcadia! Hoping that your cruise on Azura later this year will be much better! All the best!
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Very interesting. I like watching your videos. If one wasn't interested in speciality/extra charge dining, and didn't need a drinks package, but wanted good main dining, what would you choose?
Thanks Steve! We would suggest Holland America! Main dining and buffet are excellent, and we enjoyed some of the best food we’ve eaten at sea! They also offer one of the best drink packages we’ve come across - $50 per person per day which covers a huge selection of drinks including speciality coffees, plus it includes WIFI, $200 shore excursion credit and 2 speciality dinners! Very fair in our view. However if you’re really not fussed for drinks, Holland America has free lemonade, apple juice, fruit punch and cranberry juice in the buffet 24 hours a day! Drinks are also fairly priced, when compared to their nearest rivals - Celebrity! Hope that helps :)
@@sailawaymag Excellent, thanks. I'll check them out. Am on Cunard Queen Ann July 2024.
Excellent video, all reasons backed up with examples. A real mixed bag for you. I think with P&O it may have shifted focus away from older ships but that is no excuse! Thanks for sharing
Thanks for tuning in Bs! We think that the focus has definitely shifted to their new ships! It was evident that all investment into Arcadia has seised!
Another great, fair video. Thank you
- have you ever sailed with the cruise line we now love; Viking Cruises?
Thanks for warching as always David! Nope, not yet - would love to, but they are a bit out of our budget at the moment. They look like incredible ships :)
Great video, balanced, fair and honest - P&O have been falling behind for a while now, mainly with their older ships. I understand they are leaning more into their bigger newer ships, however it shouldn't mean brand, service etc. should fail on their other types of ships. And Ambassador, well your imagines speak for themselves, plus the amount of cancelations and inspection failures they've had!
Hello, thanks for watching and for leaving us a comment! We agree with what you say - it's very clear that P&O have took their eye off of Aurora and Arcadia, and are only really focusing on their newer ships. Having said that, the cuts to a passengers cruising experience is noticeable regardless of which ship you go on - whether it be the degradation in food quality, inferior service and limited bar menus. We both hope that they pay attention to the many scathing reviews on review sites like Cruise Critic, and get their act together quickly!
As for Ambassador - AVOID at all costs!
Cheers guys, very informative based on your experiences. 🙏👍
Thanks for watching as always! Glad you found it informative :)
I sailed on Arcadia recently. I’ve done 25 cruises, many of them with P&O and I’ve always been happy. However, my cruise on Arcadia was my worst cruise ever!!! What has happened to P&O???? Sadly my experience was so bad that I will not be booking with them again. Staff were rude, food was vile, choice of food was pathetic, specialty restaurants closed. The list goes on. They do not deserve my money. Also went on Queen Victoria last year and I agree with everything you both said. Excellent video boys. Your information is very accurate x
Thanks for watching Beverley! Sorry to read that you too had such a terrible experience on Arcadia! Looks as though your experience was as diabolical as our own! Glad you had a great time aboard Queen Victoria - she is indeed a beautiful ship!
Very straight forward, interesting and honoust review. Good job, Guys. Would love to hear something in the future about MSC World Europa.
Thanks for watching Walter! MSC World Europa is very high up on our list of ships to try - just looking for the right cruise :)
I’m going on msc virtuosa this week… slightly nervous. And then Iona later in the year. Fingers crossed
Hello Andy. Don't be nervous - MSC is a great ship, you just might have to spend a bit of money onboard to fully appreciate her. As for Iona, she is an incredible ship - it's the company that isn't doing her justice. Hopefully by the time you go they will have overcome their issues. We wish you the best of luck, let us know how you got on :)
@@sailawaymag we have a drinks package and paid for entertainment package too so hopefully won’t have to pay much more. I have higher hopes for Iona! Thanks for the reply 🙏
@@sailawaymag virtuosa was fantastic! Loved it
Oh, joy. We've just booked a Caribbean cruise on Britannia followed by a cruise to Iceland with Ambassador. We had a great cruise on Iona last year. The ship, food, and entertainment were excellent.
Oh dear! To help put your mind at rest, we’ve heard that Caribbean cruises with P&O are a lot better - as longer fly cruises are less popular, and the ship is less full! If the crewing issues persist, hopefully they won’t be as obvious to you when you go! Britannia was also beautiful when we sailed on her last year - no maintenance issues that we experienced on Arcadia. Ambassador divides opinions - some love the homely, small-ship atmosphere onboard and others will hate it! For us, we wouldn’t bother. Really hope you have a much better experience Tricia - let us know how you got on!
@Sail Away with Dan & Jay I do hope we have a good experience on Britannia. I'd always wanted to sail on her after being docked beside her at St. Maarten on Azura in 2016.
We are cruising to Iceland from Port of Tyne on Ambition. With the first year's teething problems out of the way for Ambassador, I really hope they are good as we're short on cruise lines using POT since Marella pulled out. I'll let you know.
I love Royal Caribbean! Full disclosure, I have only been on a few cruises. The first two were on Royal Caribbean. We wanted to try other cruise lines and went on Norwegian. The staff were nice, the rooms were ok, but we thought the food was terrible. We actually lost weight on that cruise! (Usually we put a little on). We went straight back to Royal and decided never to cheat on them again!
You can’t go wrong with a Royal Caribbean! Their buffets are just amazing, however we’re still yet to try NCL so watch this space for a review! 😅
Going on Ambassador for a 3 week Cape Verde cruise very soon. They look like they have sorted a lot of the problems now, many reviews are praising their food and entertainment. They are definitely value for money looking at the onboard prices. Just came back from MSC Virtuosa, it was far too crowded (no seating at night), food was very average, everything was so pricey but the staff were great. Preferred P&O Aurora last year to it.
Hello David, thanks for your comment! To be fair, Food and Entertainment was quite good on Ambience as pointed our in our Ambience Ship Review - the maintenance issues seem to persist though regrettably. We agree about the overcrowding on MSC Virtuosa , food quality and extra charging for pretty much everything. Loved the ship, but you have to be the right sort of person to enjoy an MSC cruise , particularly in Bella and Fantastica grade accommodation.
I sailed Arcadia late last year my first and last time on p & o, But also decided another chance so booked Arvia for naming ceremony in March, very concerned.
Hello Gavin, thanks for your comment! Hopefully, Arvia would have overcome the initial teething issues she experienced on her Maiden cruise. She looks like an incredible ship - at least you won't have to worry about the ship looking scruffy! Hope you have a great time, let us know how you got on!
Our favourite is Cunard without a doubt and the lack of speciality dining which you seemed to dislike, is one of our 'merits' of the line. Food in the main restaurant on a cruise ought to be of a high standard without having to seek alternatives.....
That’s all very well Jacqueline, but variety is a good thing! And when you’re somebody that has a dietary issue and there’s only one option on a menu in the MDR, having other alternatives is very welcome indeed.
Let us know what cruise lines you favour for 2023, and which ones you'd urge people to stay clear of!
Royal Caribbean is my top and favorite cruise line.
Just back from MSC Virtuosa. It was not 100% perfect, but we had a great time. For value, it is hard to beat a holiday at less than a Premier Inn cost per night, with a premium drinks package. However, the ship was only 2/3rds full, and I don't think I would like it in te school holidays. MSC/Royal and Celebrity really know how to run mega ships, P&O should take note. Also, I have to say that there are now Cruises and Cruise Holidays, after being on RCI/Celebrity and going over to the USA on Carnival Vistas Maiden (which was fantastic fun) we did the QM2 back to the UK, transatlantic, and were bored to death. THe food and staff were great, but it was like an old folks home, the ship was dead after 11pm, with the same shows we saw 5 years earlier. BUt if you enjoy the very old style of cruising, I can see its appeal.
Hey thanks for watching and commenting! We agree 100% with everting you said, everyone crusies in a different way, it’s just fine what’s right for you! 😄
Have you got any more crusies up coming you’re looking forward to?
Agree with you on MSC, don't know about P&O, even though my impression is that Carnival is diluting it so that one day it becomes sort of "Carnival Fun UK Style"... Permit me just to add the following: Instead of going and afterward stating that MSC is the worst cruise line on earth like many do, better to do the homework and adjust expectations accordingly like you have done. MSC caters to a strong, very international crowd, perhaps the most international of all the lines on earth... They cater for all those Europeans whom, while most would have some English speaking skills, they'll have them as 2nd language. No surprise you'll find some language barriers, especially towards English speaking individuals. This is not the ideal both for cruisers or the crews themselves. As you say, they're NOT 100% perfect. Been there, done that 7 times. But for most of us whose English speaking is our 2nd language, they're great on their offering. They're not the cheapest ones in the mainstream European market anymore... But their shore excursions program remains the most attractive of all lines as well as their drinks packages. Their approach on paid activities is also to praise for. I wouldn't like to patron activities I don't partake by my cruise fare. Their activities pass is fairly priced to the ones whom want it. That alone turns them very competitive towards the US competition... Oh: And they deal with the multilingual like nobody else on the market, including Costa! No surprise their boom since the mid 2000's when their were not seen as a serious contender!...
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I've got a cruise booked on P&O Azura in April 2023 around the Med and am a little apprehensive now following a few recent reviews I've read. I had watched a few UA-cam videos of the ship praising how good the food is so its a shame to see the standards have dropped so far. I'm doing this one solo, and have only ever cruised once before on an amazing Caribbean tour on the NCL Breakaway. Do you have any advice on how I can negate this worry? Or has anyone watching this had a positive experience on Azura? Many thanks
Hello, thanks for watching and dropping us a comment! We have cruise more the P&O than any other cruise line, and before the pandemic were undoubtedly our favourite cruise line. Unfortunately, the onboard experience is just not the same. Arcadia was diabolical, however our cruise on Britannia last year was a lot more positive and enjoyable, despite having the same issues when it came to booking restaurants etc.
However, we have heard that Azura is one of the better rated ship's in the fleet of late - and she seems to be coping a lot better than her sisters when it comes to overcrowding, passengers ability to book restaurants etc. We hope that you have a much better experience aboard Azura compared to our recent sailings about P&O. Please let us know how you got on! All the best!
@@sailawaymag thanks so much for your reply. Glad to hear that Azura is still performing. Will lwt you know how the trip goes
Keep up the good work on the channel.
Great review!!
The cruise you booked for February Amsterdam??
We will be on it please God let’s hope the food will be a lot better than in your review of p+o
We Went to Amsterdam earlier in the year but on celebrity silhouette.
Thanks for watching! Yes, we go on Ventura 7th Feb! Yikes, Celebrity Silhouette is a beaut - not sure Ventura can pull it out of the bag to beat that ship, but hopefully you enjoy it nonetheless. We didn't know until two weeks ago that she is going in for a refurb immediately after our cruise ha!
@@sailawaymag please God🙏🏻let’s hope everything is not going to be stripped back because it’s going in for the reverb
Like food Selection and service
I haven't sailed on P&O's older ships, but I have been on Iona twice, one in 2021 and just disembarked the latest just over a week ago. I love Iona and she's a beautiful ship. It's not perfect, but there were no major issues with the app, dining, venues etc and the food was ok. I don't think much of the buffet offerings but just went to the Quays or the main dining room instead, and the speciality restaurants I did try were excellent.
Thanks for your comment! P&O was our favourite cruise line up to the pandemic, but ever since then the standards have fell through the floor! Speciality restaurants are very good, but on both our recent cruises they were near impossible to book! Such a shame :(
Very interesting and balanced view, as always. Really enjoy watching your videos as not only is it great to live vicariously but you give such good insights into a ship. I've only been on 8 cruises with 3 companies (and none since 2019) so I have very, very limited experience. Cunard always stood out though for their food, elegance, staff etc but lacked a lot of atmosphere later on in the evening as their drinks are so expensive and their bars were a bit dead. Similarly I've been on other cruises where the evenings have been more lively but the food not as good. Its a trade off. I look at cruises mainly for places I want to go, time in port etc as well as all the other considerations obviously. I was very reluctant to go on my first cruise (Cunard) as I thought I would feel restricted and constrained and be surrounded by 'fuddy duddies'. How wrong I was. Cruising is just wonderful and I am so looking forward to your 2023 reviews ( as well as my own return to cruising ) Keep up the fab reviews guys, they are great 👍
Thanks for watching Maxine!! You’re 100% right - it’s swings and roundabouts! Out of all the cruises we’ve been on post-pandemic, P&O definitely had the most issues! Hopefully they can get their act together this year! Which ship are you going on Maxine?
Where did carnival go? It’s one of the best cruise line.
We haven't sailed with Carnival...yet!
I’m shocked at ambassador, can’t believe she sailed and took passengers in that condition, and the hair on the table with P&O! This video is defiantly an eye opener!
Thanks for watching and leaving us a comment! Ambassador is a cruise line that continues to shock us!
I’m on the P&O Iona now (22nd May2023). The service in the bars is shocking. Over worked and understaffed. This probably the worst cruise line that I have ever sailed with! I had high expectations of P&O but I’ve had far better experiences on budget cruise lines-TUI’s Marella! The P&O app is crap too! Nice ship though 😖
Very sorry to read this comment, but we'd agree with a lot of what you say. P&O is performing terribly against competition, even against budget cruise lines like Marella which you mention. Iona is a beautiful ship, it's just a shame that it's operated by P&O!
Sad to agree - Arcadia in Nov 2022 wasnt great, Hope Iona in Sept 2023 is better
Sorry to read that you too had a bad experience on Arcadia! It’s as though P&O have stopped all investment into her. Iona is a beautiful ship - if they have managed to sort out all of their crewing issues come September (which is more than possible) we hope that you have a great time!
A fascinating video as always! Great to get your perspective! Haven’t been hearing great things about P&O lately, it’s a shame because they used to be so good
Thanks for watching Cliff! They used to be excellent - in fact they were more favourite cruise line for many years. The standards have fell through the floor!
Princess, food awful in buffet and main dining room. Loved Alaska and will go back to Alaska, BUT NOT on Princess! The specialty food was okay at best. Also, if you like good entertainment forget Princess. Entertainment was okay or waste of time. The only activities were trivia games! That’s it! Never again Princess
Cruising during a pandemic is as stupid as going inside a church.
Who said different?