P&O v Royal Caribbean for singles

[howard18]

I would just like a comment or two as to why I should book with P&O instead of Royal Caribbean for the following cruise:

P&O 13 nights to the Canaries - Aurora - September 2014 - Mini Suite - single passenger: £6478.00. This is a Vantage fare and includes either free parking or OBC or free coach.

RCCL: 14 nights to the Canaries - September 2014 - Mini Suite - single passenger: £3701.00. This is the usual £150 deposit with the balance due 10 weeks prior to embarkation.


Howard

[Jan Rosser]

That's one hell of a difference Howard - I have only travelled once with RCI and it was okay but I wouldn't hesitate to travel with them again at that sort of price. I know people rattle on about 15% on drinks and higher tips but are you honestly going to spend that much of the difference in fares - I don't think so.

Go for it - you'd be mad not to

[oldbluefox]

Howard, they may be the same reasons for other cabins on a two sharing basis on the same cruises:

P&O 13 nights to the Canaries - Aurora - September 2014 - Balcony - £1799 This is a Vantage fare and includes either free parking or OBC or free coach.

RCCL: 14 nights to the Canaries - September 2014 - Balcony - £1399 This is the usual £150 deposit with the balance due 10 weeks prior to embarkation.

I believe a lot of people are now holding back for Getaway prices six or seven weeks before sailing. On early booking prices P&O seem to be lagging way behind their immediate opposition. As for single travellers they do, and always have got a raw deal, not only on cruise ships but in hotels too.

[Kendhni]

HOward I can't answer your question in relation to singles but something we noticed was that RCI has to cater for a cosmopolitan audience with it's entertainment whereas P&O only has to cater to a British audience. We therefore found it harder to find entertainment to suit us on some nights.

However, that is one significant price difference.

[howard18]

Ken,

I believe that you gained your experience of RCCL on your trip out of Dubai a couple of years ago. I am sure that you would find that as far as U.K. sailings are concerned the entertainment is very much geared for U.K. consumption. On my last RCCL cruise out of Southampton I would guess that over 98% of passengers were from the U.K. There were a smattering of guests from the U.S. and Canada.
The one downside on RCCL is the lack of dance space. There are no large areas which are used for social dancing. Would you say that that is correct?

Janis,

I couldn't resist booking a full suite for that trip to include concierge service - it was a bargain I just couldn't pass up. Job done! (But no OBC though)


Howard

[Jan Rosser]

Good for you Howard - sounds fabulous - no OBC - well you can't have everything

[Kendhni]

Ken,

I believe that you gained your experience of RCCL on your trip out of Dubai a couple of years ago. I am sure that you would find that as far as U.K. sailings are concerned the entertainment is very much geared for U.K. consumption. On my last RCCL cruise out of Southampton I would guess that over 98% of passengers were from the U.K. There were a smattering of guests from the U.S. and Canada.
The one downside on RCCL is the lack of dance space. There are no large areas which are used for social dancing. Would you say that that is correct?

Janis,

I couldn't resist booking a full suite for that trip to include concierge service - it was a bargain I just couldn't pass up. Job done! (But no OBC though)


Howard

You are spot on about Dubai, and it makes sense that ex-UK cruises would be more "British". I am not a dancer, so I wouldn't know what a decent sized dance floor was but I do remember seeing a lot of people dancing in the Atrium and in the bar at the back of the ship (can't remember it's name, but the dance floor looked quite good there ... some of the others that people squashed themselves into where very small.