We returned from the Fjords on the 1st June and what a contrast this cruise was to the one I did in June 2023 - different experience going in school holidays - much busier. The family weren’t keen on Iona - felt it was too big and that P&O were trying to attract younger passengers with families - there were lots of multi-generational groups like us but with much younger children.
We are going on Ventura in August and my granddaughter says she prefers the smaller ships - she said Iona was very quiet after midnight - they were often harassed by the security staff when they went from the teens club up to the buffet. It wasn’t like that last year on Azura - people were still out and about in the bars and clubs and sitting out on deck - of course it’s a lot warmer in the Mediterranean in August.
I travelled down to Southampton on Saturday 25 May from Magor Services on the M4 but the time of departure had been changed to 12 noon from 10.30 am last year. My son and family plus the in-laws travelled from Knutsford on the M6 and they too had a later time of 10.45 - he did actually check with Inter Cruises if this was correct but they said the coaches had to be staggered to cope with the number of passengers.
The coach wasn’t full - we made a stop at Swindon to pick up two passengers and stopped at Leigh Delamare for the driver to have a break.
I do love to people watch and a party of ladies sitting near me entertained me on the way down to Southampton. They drank all the way down - one of them took plastic Prosecco glasses out of her bag followed by bottles of Prosecco and orange juice and made bucks fizz for them all. They weren’t sure where Southampton was - near London??? They googled it and were astonished it was by the sea - by now I had to turn away I was laughing so much - I wasn’t sure whether they were just drunk or stupid!
Embarkation was quick but no chance of getting to the Peninsular club lunch - a drawback of using the coach. I went to the muster station - had my boarding pass stamped and then found the cabins. I was sharing with my granddaughter but it was another hour before the family arrived. We were on Deck 10 - three balcony cabins next to each other - the steward introduced himself and opened the connecting doors when the family arrived.
Our cabin steward was very pleasant - he had 20 cabins to look after plus other duties - explained there was no turndown in the evening which we already knew.
The cases arrived pretty quickly - we managed to put most of our clothes/shoes etc away - lots of “just in case” stuff for the cruise - weather can be unpredictable in Norway.
We got in a queue for dinner via the “app” - four restaurants to choose from plus the buffet but we didn’t use that or the speciality restaurants at all. Food was varied - lots more choice for vegans etc and I think bigger portions too - we like tea or coffee after our dinner but it wasn’t automatically offered - we often had to ask and only had chocolates on the celebration night.
We had breakfast in the dining room too and lunch usually in the Quays. The choice of food in the Quays meant it was always busy particularly on sea days but not as much of a scrum as the Horizon. There’s an insert now in the evening menu with extra chargeable courses - Matthew chose a course from the insert - he didn’t notice the extra charge until asked for his card! He said it was worth it though. Wine was reasonable but my preferred tipple - Prosecco was over £6 a glass. My favourite Ice Cuvee Peller was over £8 - lovely drink though!
We didn’t manage to go to the theatre - it was always fully booked for the Headliners and some of the other performers just didn’t appeal to us. Whereas one of us could book six for dinner or breakfast it couldn’t be done for the theatre - when is an app not an app - when its a P&O app! We enjoyed the show in the dome - it was just a case of turning up there and getting a seat. The performers sometimes did impromptu shows on deck 7 and around the ship. The cinema showed the latest films but none appealed to me.
The ports were Stavanger/Olden/Hellesylt and Haugesund - all visited before but never fail to impress - such beautiful scenery - so peaceful.
My son and daughter-in-law went on an excursion to the Briksdal glacier and were shocked at the changes - they first saw the glacier 10 years ago and hadn’t returned since. So glad we still had photos from that trip to compare. My DIL always puts together a book containing photos/tickets/highlights etc of the cruise and has it printed - she has done this since they started cruising 11 years ago - lovely record of the trips.
The weather was generally good - misty in the mornings but improved throughout the day - some showers but certainly didn’t stop us getting out and about.
I did enjoy the cruise - being waited on/not having to cook clean etc./sitting on the balcony watching the world go by and the company - what’s not to like but as I said previously a different experience in school holidays. Don’t get me wrong the ship wasn’t overrun with children and they didn’t bother me but the ship was busier. I’m being controversial may be but knowing most of the regulars on the forum they’ll probably agree with me that standards have slipped. I have no problem with things like the steward only cleaning the cabin once a day/no chocolate on the pillow etc but honestly I’m better dressed in the garden than some of the passengers
. Let’s not talk about the dress code on the one formal night - lots of passengers in formal clothes but lots in casual outfits who were still allowed in the restaurant. We drank in the Crow’s Nest most nights and they did turn passengers away because they weren’t wearing a jacket on the formal night.Incidentally my granddaughter went to the Future cruises dept to look at what’s on offer in 2025/6 and fancied a cruise on Aurora. My son said its an adult only ship to which she replied she’d be 18 next year so eligible to sail on her then. My son and the family loved cruises on Aurora before she became adult only - looks as if we may sail on her again if Phoebe has her way. It may well be one of her last cruises with us if she goes to university next year - she has been cruising since she was 4 and has made a lot of friends over the years.
Well done if you got to the end - I do ramble a bit
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