Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

Reports about cruises on Adonia

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CaroleF
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Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#1

Post by CaroleF »

A rather long review of our cruise on Adonia.

Adonia Caribbean Cruise 19 February – 4 March 2016


This two week cruise replaced the three week one we had originally booked but was cancelled by P&O when the new “Fathom” project was announced. We would have been sailing back to Southampton at what would have been the end of Adonia’s Caribbean Season. However, the ship now has to go to Bermuda for a refit and then onto Miami which will be its base.

I’ll mention what we have learnt about Adonia’s future later, first our cruise. We stayed at the Sofitel at Gatwick the night before flying and ate at the Bistro. Both of these were excellent and we would use them again. Our room was spacious and comfortable and there is a short walk through a covered walkway to check in.

We would like to have booked premium seats but when we had to change our original cruise to this one all the premium seats were gone. We were on a wait list but no luck.The plane was a Dreamliner and certainly was an improvement. The entertainment was very good and unlike previously those of us in Economy didn’t have to pay for headphones or anything. We did have one incident on the plane. In the row in front of me and on the other side of the plane a man who was sat on the aisle seat with two seats and the window on his left put his seat back the minute we were in the air. When the drinks came round the man behind him asked politely if he would put his seat upright so the man behind’s table could be used. He refused – said he was comfortable! When it came to the meal the man behind asked again and was refused. Voices were raised and passengers adjacent to the man told him he was being unreasonable but he took no notice. The man behind appealed to the Steward who also politely asked the man to put his seat upright – he again refused. This time the Steward insisted and pushed the seat into the upright position. The minute the idiot finished his meal back went the seat again even though the man behind hadn’t finished his meal.

You can imagine the chat that went on. It appeared the man was travelling on his own so there was a lot of “hope he’s not on my table” (only Club Dining on Adonia). When we landed it appeared the man had taken his shoes off and couldn’t find them. He went searching the seats in front then returned and accused the man behind of having stolen them! They were found 3 rows back!

Getting off the plane was the usual efficient process – straight onto the buses. It was at the port that the fun started. Azura was in the position where we had expected Adonia to be. Adonia was on the other side. So we had to get off, after waiting about 40 minutes on the bus as several had arrived together, still it was better being on an air conditioned bus than queuing in the heat. When we eventually got off and into the usual shed to check in we found it was partitioned with Adonia passengers on one side of it and Azura passengers on the other. The queue was long but we were given cold flannels and cups of chilled water.Once checked in we had to get back on a bus to be taken round to the other side of the dock to Adonia. Then we were sat on the coach for about another 10 minutes before getting off and onto the ship and then had to put our bags through security as we hadn’t done in at check in. Anyway we had arrived!

We had been on Adonia twice before so we knew our way around. We were in one of the aft suites which are magnificent, absolutely huge with a vast balcony and so many wardrobes and cupboards it’s amazing. Adonia is due for a refit after her final cruise – the one after ours before going to Miami. She does look in need of a refit, our balcony definitely needed new flooring, but she’s not in dreadful condition at all.

We were on second sitting – 8.15, although it was 8.30 the first night to allow for the muster drill at 5.45 and the Pacific Restaurant is one of the muster points. Our cases arrived about 7.30 and we managed to get unpacked before going to dinner. We were on a table of 8 – and no he wasn’t on our table! We all soon got to know each other and it proved a good table and we often did things together after dinner, a show or quiz or just a drink together.

The food was the usual P&O fare – the starters and desserts were mostly better than the main courses, although some of these, particularly the Beef Wellington were superb. On the cruise we didn’t go to either Sorrento or the Ocean Grill in the evenings. This was partly due to the fact that I had to go and see the Dr. on our third day on board for a minor problem that resulted in me having to have antibiotics which reduced my appetite somewhat. The medical staff were brilliant, excellent service and the Doctor even phoned our cabin about four days later just to make sure I was all right.

So our itinerary – Barbados, Tobago, Mayreau, Guadeloupe, Antigua, St. Maarten, Tortola, St. Kitts, Martinique, Bequia and back to Barbados. We had three sea days, we should have had four but it was announced part way through the cruise that instead of a sea day before our return to Barbados we would return there a day early on the Thursday. We were told it was because a berth was available but we think it may have had something to do with Adonia moving to Fathom – new mattresses were seen being brought aboard.

We took P&O excursions in several of the ports. We’d never been to Tobago before and the first half of the tour was interesting, visiting two old forts, lovely scenery, beautiful beaches. This tour ended up at a venue where there was to be a Folk Dancing show. This was a sort of hall with open sides and there were about 150 people in there. The show started with 4 men on drums and then the dancers appeared. This was good but then after the dancers had appeared about three times it was the drummers – which went on and on and on! We were due back at the ship by 12.30 and at 12.50 we were still there – listening to drumming. It got hotter and hotter and eventually people started to leave just to go outside and get some air. It was a shame as it could have been a really good show.

We had an excellent trip on St. Kitts. We had been on the Sugar Train trip twice and thoroughly enjoyed it so we opted for a tour called “Caribbean Cooking”. A group of 18 of us were taken to an old plantation house which we were shown round and then taken to a restaurant area with an open cooking area. It was lovely, chairs and tables set for lunch and a menu with the recipes attached for us to keep. The Chef then talked to us about Caribbean cooking and he made 4 savoury dishes and a pudding. There was a Jerk pork dish, a fish dish, a side dish of peppers and one of rice and beans. The pudding was a coconut bread and butter pudding with a rum sauce. It was all very tasty and our favourites were the fish and the pudding. We were given huge glasses of rum punch, very refreshing. It was a very different trip and one I’d heartily recommend.

The Tortola trip – Beautiful BVI – was one we’d done several years ago but this was even better. The boat part was on a large Catamaran with air conditioned saloons up and won plus outside seating. We sat inside on extremely comfortable seats and chatted to one of the crew who was on our original trip when it was just an open boat where we got rather wet. When he realised we’d been on the old boat, out came the rum punch. We went round several of the islands and stopped quite a few times so we could listen to a commentary. Then it was off to Pussers Landing for half an hour before returning to the ship on one of the open sided buses.

We had a lovely time on Antigua when we met up with friends of friends who have a holiday home there. We were taken all round the island in an old Land Rover missing out all the tourist spots that we’d been to on previous visits. We then went to their home overlooking Falmouth Harbour and sat on their lovely terrace having a drink before going down to the harbour and having a lovely lunch in a restaurant by the water. It was then back to the port. We hadn’t realised that there is such a water problem in Antigua, no rain for a long time and the water is often switched off for periods.

Entertainment: We thought it was good. For those who haven’t been on Adonia the Entertainment group is only 5 people who perform musical shows as well as two plays on sea days. We had seen the plays before but I went to see one of them again – a farce called “The Opposite Sex”, very funny. We think the players do a great job. Some passengers said they missed having a large group like the Headliners. There were several other entertainers, a classical guitarist Robin Hill, a cabaret with Cellist Andrew Skranshire and vocalist Gwawr Edwards. There was a singer, Phillip Browne who did 2 shows, an ex bus conductor who appeared in “The Lion King” and several other shows. There was a magician called Mark Shortland who was very amusing without ‘taking the mickey’ out of the audience. We also had a comedian Roy Walker who was amusing.

We went to a Peninsular Caribbean Tier lunch for the first time which took place in the raised section of the Pacific Restaurant and was lovely. We were sat with the Staff Tech Officer and one other couple. Obviously a lot of the chat was about Adonia and her future. At the Welcome Aboard Drinks do the Captain, Sarah Breton, had already assured us that Adonia wasn’t going to be sold or lost to P&O. The Staff Tech Officer told us that the plan was for Adonia to stay with Fathom for either 6 or 8 months and then return. He said an itinerary had already been planned for her return. Let’s hope that’s right. In her refit Sorrento is to be changed into The Glasshouse. Ocean Grill is staying but will have a different menu for her stay with Fathom.

Our Butler told us he is going to Britannia and there won’t be any Butler service for the suites and there will be very limited room service. The emphasis is to be on workshops and learning what will be done. The idea is that the ports of Miami and Cuba will alternate but don’t think the Cuba one has definitely been sorted yet. The library will stay but the librarian has been told that they don’t need her. The passengers will sort it themselves which she and I feel will result in chaos. Apparently some of the Reception staff will keep and eye on it. The Adonia players will go but there will be some form of entertainment and the Cruise Director will stay.

The vast majority of passengers are very keen to see Adonia return to P&O and hope this will happen within a year. The shops are going to be restocked which accounts for the fact there wasn’t much in them. Also many of the wines on the wine list weren’t available – very annoying to those who had pre-booked a wine package.

The flight home was fine – the dreaded man didn’t appear to be there. We were lucky and our flight to Gatwick was on schedule but there were problems with the Manchester flights. Our only problem was that one of the toilets in economy was shut off as it wasn’t working which left only three for the whole of economy which resulted in one of the female Cabin Stewards losing her temper with passengers queuing and told them all to sit down! When we arrived at Gatwick it took about 10-15 minutes for us to leave the plane as the door was frozen shut – could be a safety problem I would have thought.

We really enjoyed our Adonia cruise and hopefully it won’t be the last one!

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GillD46
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#2

Post by GillD46 »

A very comprehensive report, Carole, thank you. Your flight out sounds ghastly. Glad the return was better.
Gill

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Happydays
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#3

Post by Happydays »

Enjoyed your review. We were told the same as you when we were on Adonia in January about her coming back to P&O proper. I hope that happens as we really enjoyed our cruise and would like to sail on her again:)

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barney
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#4

Post by barney »

Lovely review thanks Carole.

As they say "you always get one" (I would have hid his shoes) :sarcasm:
Empty vessels .. and all that

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Meg 50
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#5

Post by Meg 50 »

was he in evidence around the ship?

If he wasn't on the plane home, praps someone shoved him overboard?
Meg
x

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Manoverboard
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#6

Post by Manoverboard »

Thanks Carole, reading about Adonia is about as good as it get for us, P&O wise, these days.

The cantankerous old bugger's shoes should have been popped into the refuse bag :shifty:

:wave:
Keep smiling, it's good for your well being

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Jan Rosser
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#7

Post by Jan Rosser »

Thanks for posting your review Carole - Adonia is the one P&O ship I haven't sailed on so far - everyone seems to like her so good to hear she is coming back. You always have the awkward one when it comes to reclining seats - lady in front of me at Christmas put hers back straightaway but did sit up when requested by the stewardess when meals and drinks were brought around. The drunk Russian lady sat behind me was more of a nuisance to the crew - her leg was stuck out in the aisle and they had to keep asking her to move to be able to push the trolley past - the best part though was when she asked her boyfriend across the aisle to give her a baby - he told her it was inappropriate but we couldn't stop laughing :lolno:
Janis


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CaroleF
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#8

Post by CaroleF »

I did see the guy around the ship. He was always on his own. He usually wore a tailored slim fit shirt and the top four buttons were undone with tight fitting trousers. He sort of strutted if you know what I mean. I didn't see him on a formal evening so I don't know what he wore then. He was in our 2nd sitting but I don't know what sort of table he had. The last I saw of him was in Andersons the final evening when he was asleep in a chair!
I've just seen a complaint on Facebook from someone on the cruise. He was complaining about us arriving in Barbados a day early and said that there were lots of workmen around the ship doing all sorts of things. Well we were on board most of the day and apart from the usual work that goes on - rubbing down paintwork, varnishing etc. we didn't notice anything at all. This person is annoyed that P&O haven't already got back to him - don't know what he expects to happen although the cynic in me says he's probably after some sort of compensation. We had lunch on board, I went to make sure I hadn't missed any bargains in the shop (I hadn't) so I think we'd have noticed if there was the sort of disruption that this man is on about.

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Gill W
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Re: Caribbean 19th Feb - 4th March

#9

Post by Gill W »

Thanks for your report Carole, sounds like a good cruise.

On our recent Oceana cruise, they were also refering to Adonia returning to P&O. Let's hope it's true. I haven't yet sailed on Adonia, and would like to try her.
Gill

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