No Smoking on balconies on P & O from April 2014.

[Mo2013]

QB
simple matey, book a balcony and order in room service, job done

Or I could just stay at home and get the same thing.

But Bob, what about the sea view ?

[Dark Knight]

Smoking, draws many opinions, but on a ship, in an enclosed area, then it makes perfect sense, to stop smoking in cabins, inside etc
however to balance the scales, there should be areas provided for smokers, which there are.
regardless of your own personal views on smoking, Pand O are trying to respond to customer feedback or legislation or whatever, without losing custom and without alienating regular or potential customers, difficult to do sucessfully, but they are trying

the more I read forum's and FB , they more I am becoming convinced, that PandO attract a lot of moaners and many selfish, insular people and whatever they do, it is never enough, given they are a mid level cruiseline, leaning more toward the cheaper end of the market, I am starting to wonder why people expect the earth from a 3/4 star line?

[Quizzical Bob]

QB
simple matey, book a balcony and order in room service, job done

Or I could just stay at home and get the same thing.

But Bob, what about the sea view ?

My business is 100m from the beach at Hamble. I can watch the P&O ships sailing past from there.

[davecttr]

Smoking, draws many opinions, but on a ship, in an enclosed area, then it makes perfect sense, to stop smoking in cabins, inside etc
however to balance the scales, there should be areas provided for smokers, which there are.
regardless of your own personal views on smoking, Pand O are trying to respond to customer feedback or legislation or whatever, without losing custom and without alienating regular or potential customers, difficult to do sucessfully, but they are trying

the more I read forum's and FB , they more I am becoming convinced, that PandO attract a lot of moaners and many selfish, insular people and whatever they do, it is never enough, given they are a mid level cruiseline, leaning more toward the cheaper end of the market, I am starting to wonder why people expect the earth from a 3/4 star line?

Wash your mouth out with soap

[Mo2013]

In that case Bob - lucky you !

[Dark Knight]

Dave
just dropping in a dose of realism, rather than the rose tinted view that PandO are something special, they offer a mid level holiday, they are nowhere close to the top end lines in any aspect, so why do people think they are getting the luxury end of the market, when they are obviously not
PandO are now offering a holiday to fit the lower prices, nothing more

[Mo2013]

Notwithstanding the latest news about P&O banning smoking on balconies - passengers have rightly come to expect the things they have experienced before on a cruise and will complain if they feel short-changed. They know whether standards have dropped or not and why shouldn't they speak out about a product they have enjoyed in the past which is now failing to meet what they have become used to? Personally I have to wonder about those people who moan about the moaners. Are they not moaning too? Regarding smoking which is what the thread is about - I would be interested to know what policy even the most prestigious of cruise lines have in place regarding smoking on board. Smoking is an issue which has nothing to do with whether or not a ship is a luxurious niche one or a mass market one.

[david63]

the more I read forum's and FB , they more I am becoming convinced, that PandO attract a lot of moaners ...

It is not P&O that attract the moaners it is the nature of fora and other social media that attract them

[emjay45]

Dave
just dropping in a dose of realism, rather than the rose tinted view that PandO are something special, they offer a mid level holiday, they are nowhere close to the top end lines in any aspect, so why do people think they are getting the luxury end of the market, when they are obviously not
PandO are now offering a holiday to fit the lower prices, nothing more

Not everyone pays a cheap price. You always seem to forget that.

[Mo2013]

the more I read forum's and FB , they more I am becoming convinced, that PandO attract a lot of moaners ...

It is not P&O that attract the moaners it is the nature of fora and other social media that attract them

It's called life.

[Dark Knight]

MJ

Given the getaway deals . vantage fares etc, and the general trend with cruise prices, the cost in real terms is dropping and proportionate to income has dropped, assuming an average salary as a bench mark
so why then do people feign surprise, when things start to be taken out of the cruise.
Bands on the quay side...really is anyone shaloow enough that it makes a difference?
Midnight buffet's
paying for extra's like shuttles and parking etc etc
number of formal nights
no beef wellington, no lobster etc etc

when they are offering cruises for less than a holiday inn per night, how are they expected to give a 5 star service at a 3 star price?
and when they try to change things to keep up with the more inovative and modern lines, they get nothing but moans on every social media site going?
if people really want a proper high end cruise with all the bells and whistles, then go to Regent, Silversea, Oceana cruises etc
but don't expect the earth for the price of a premier inn

[emjay45]

I would DK if they did roundtrips from Southampton. Why do you think I dislike the loyalty system and why do you think I want free laundry because we actually pay the price for it. Funnily enough I happen to think the people who pay the least, moan the most.

[Dark Knight]

the whole Southampton thing is not even a condiseration when we look at cruises
value for money is as is the itineray
If PandO are trying to change their offering in relation to customer feedback and reacting to the competitive nature of the market, then the only logical outcomes are

1...prices increase dramatically to provide the full 5 star service and experience....bookings fall , revenue falls, people go elsewhere or to cheaper cruise lines

2...prices continue to fall , in real terms and "standards" drop , ships are full ,revenue increases

customers can't have everything, as this topic clearly shows, not at the prices they are able or willing to pay

[emjay45]

Unfortunately for us flying is no longer an option. I believe that is the case for many people. I think someone has said this before on the old forum, but what would suit me is for the smaller ships to become 5*/6* cruise ships and the larger ships could become the ones they fill with cheaper prices. Probably will never happen though.

[haveabeer]

We can no longer fly it has to be UK departure and yes over the years there has been a decline in what is offered but if I am honest these changes are so small it does not bother us
The main aspect is the holiday and the company.
We did think this year on Azura was probably the least pleasurable but we still enjoyed it because we had a brill time with our friends
So as we have never cruised with any one other than P&O next year we are trying Celebrity.

[Gill W]

Unfortunately for us flying is no longer an option. I believe that is the case for many people. I think someone has said this before on the old forum, but what would suit me is for the smaller ships to become 5*/6* cruise ships and the larger ships could become the ones they fill with cheaper prices. Probably will never happen though.

You say they'd 'fill the larger ships with cheaper prices'

So there's an certain implication in what you say that these smaller P & O 5* / 6* ships wouldn't fill up at 5* / 6* prices and would be sailing empty!

[emjay45]

Unfortunately for us flying is no longer an option. I believe that is the case for many people. I think someone has said this before on the old forum, but what would suit me is for the smaller ships to become 5*/6* cruise ships and the larger ships could become the ones they fill with cheaper prices. Probably will never happen though.

You say they'd 'fill the larger ships with cheaper prices'

So there's an certain implication in what you say that these smaller P & O 5* / 6* ships wouldn't fill up at 5* / 6* prices and would be sailing empty!

No perhaps I didn't explain what I meant clearly. I meant turn the ships such as the Aurora into 5*/6* ships such as Silversea etc. Although they maybe too large I don't know. Turn the cabins into suites only. It would probably cost too much though, so that's why it won't happen. Just me wanting what I can't have

[Quizzical Bob]

For those who haven't seen it set: http://www.nbcnews.com/id/11975460

Report on a balcony fire on Star Princess in 2006.

[Quizzical Bob]

In that case Bob - lucky you !

Choice as well as luck, Mo. I have also spent many an afternoon bobbing about off Calshot getting in the way of the QE2 and others, all those poor under-privileged passengers looking down on me with envy!

[The Monocled Mutineer]

I have no illusions that P&O and other mass-market lines offer 6-star cruising with true gourmond dining as one would expect from the finest shoresiide establishments.

However what I do get for circa £70pnpp represents stunning value given that the cost includes my Transport to six or seven ports in a fortnight from Southampton, a cabin, cabin-service (for most items), cabin-servicing, breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner, 24/7 snacking, 24/7 'ordinary' coffee & tea, and day and evening entertainment and shuttles (for most ports).

To varying degrees all the aforesaid items are usually offered to a reasonably acceptable standard and occasionally exceed one's expectations.

[Mo2013]

In that case Bob - lucky you !

Choice as well as luck, Mo. I have also spent many an afternoon bobbing about off Calshot getting in the way of the QE2 and others, all those poor under-privileged passengers looking down on me with envy!

I remember sailing away from foreign shores and a show-off in a little speedboat was roaring past us, until the wash from our ship sent his craft a bit awry.

[Dark Knight]

Mr Kane
are you honestly saying, you think PandO is a luxury line? and that the food is the equal of any restaurant in the country?
I can only guess you have made a typing error or have no real knowledge of what true fine dining is

[ItsmeAnnC]

DK - I think you've misread Derek's post. He said, " I have no illusions that P&O and other mass-market lines offer 6-star cruising with true gourmond (sic) dining as one would expect from the finest shoresiide (sic) establishments".

Try again...

[Dark Knight]

????
doesn't look like that to me and I did read it a couple of times before replying
unless I am missing some sort of subtle humour in there?

[david63]

If it's any consolation DK - I read it the same as you