Smurfie's Return to Cruising

[MaureenB]

Thank you David.

I'm not sure what to make of that!! Strange behaviour. Oh well I shall have to play old,lame biddy in two weeks time

[david63]

Sunday 15th May
The journey down from Donnington started off OK and then went downhill (literally). The M3 was atrocious when the rain started. Anyway we arrived at Ocean Terminal about 11:30, unloaded the baggage and then had to take it ourselves to the hole in the wall as, for some unfathomable reason the porters were not portering but taking great delight in watching passengers struggle with their cases.

Once the cases were unloaded we took the car to Parking 4 Cruises and then walked back to the terminal. Outside the terminal all our paperwork was checked, given a green sticker and up into the embarkation area where we were asked had anything changed since our Health Declaration was done. Then to the check in desks to check passports and then through to security – all done and dusted in around 10 minutes. There was then a delay in waiting for security to open. Anyway about 20 minutes later we were then through security and on the ship. The issue of mask wearing was, at best, interesting – 90% were wearing masks, the others not and there was no enforcement.

Once on board it was to the muster station to have your boarding pass scanned. Now why they cannot print the name of the venue where the muster station is and only print the muster station letter is somewhat of a mystery! The first impressions of Britannia are favourable – even though she is a big girl.

After visiting the muster station it was back down to the Meridian restaurant for the Peninsular lunch which is now a server meal and is probably one of the better meals that we have had on P&O. Cabins were ready about 13:39 and upon arriving all our cases were waiting for us – so unpacked and everything away by 15:00. Next waqs trying to get the app sorted, which was relatively simple.

There is no muster drill now just a video that you are supposed to watch on the TV and an announcement by the Captain.

We are in one of the aft suites which although “compact” has more storage space than many of the suits on P&O ships. What it does have is a massive wrap around balcony, albeigh not a deep balcony.

One thing that I don’t like already with this nship is the inability to get from one place to another without going up, walking along and then going down. We are on F deck (9) and there is no sign of any cabins being segregated fot isolation purposes – so either they have reduced the isolation cabins or they are not using this deck..

We have opted for second sitting dinner and were surprises at how few there were in the Dining Room – I would estimate that it was about one third full. Incidentally they are biw saving part drunk bottles of wine until the next night. Also mask wearing by passengers is virtually non-existant within the ship.

Well tomorrow is a sea day so will be mainly dedicated to exploring the ship.

[Stephen]

I’m now combining compo and complaint forms David if you need any, ref porters.

Thanks for the report.

[Manoverboard]

Perhaps one has to wave a porter over and then tip him for his services. They don't know if you actually want a porter if you don't ask ... yes / no ?

[barney]

Hi David,
Is Parking 4 cruises operating as pre covid?

[Stephen]

Perhaps one has to wave a porter over and then tip him for his services. They don't know if you actually want a porter if you don't ask ... yes / no ?

Mmmm, let me think about this. I'm employed as a porter, I can see passengers luggage that needs taking, now what should I be doing!

Shouldn't need to ask or tip, it's they're job and what they are there for.

Never been a problem when we've been starting to off load our luggage from the car. They come along take our luggage and then leg it, we thank them and they deal with it.

[david63]

Hi David,
Is Parking 4 cruises operating as pre covid?

Yes

Perhaps one has to wave a porter over and then tip him for his services. They don't know if you actually want a porter if you don't ask ... yes / no ?

Tried that and was told what to do

[Manoverboard]

Perhaps one has to wave a porter over and then tip him for his services. They don't know if you actually want a porter if you don't ask ... yes / no ?

Mmmm, let me think about this. I'm employed as a porter, I can see passengers luggage that needs taking, now what should I be doing!

Shouldn't need to ask or tip, it's they're job and what they are there for.

Never been a problem when we've been starting to off load our luggage from the car. They come along take our luggage and then leg it, we thank them and they deal with it.

But then along came Covid so perhaps they've been told to proceed only by invitation ... H&S rules

[oldbluefox]

If they're not exactly portering they are making themselves redundant. They've always done a good job in the past, only ever had one miserable one but they are not much use if they're just standing around doing nothing.

[RAwllE-12]

On our last cruise, a few weeks back, we joined the queue to leave our car with C.P.S. and we had to wait until 12p.m. when C.P.S started to check cars in and the porters started to collect luggage from the cars. I was informed by the lady that checked the car that this is now the norm.
I should have been there in three weeks' time but P.O. has cancelled the cruise. It will be October before I find out if that is the norm.

[Jan Rosser]

I travelled by coach to Southampton and as usual just got off the coach and didn’t give a thought to the luggage - there were porters waiting for the side door on the coach to open up to remove suitcases and the next time I saw my case it was outside my cabin. Surely the same should apply when people unload their cars - getting fed up of the Covid excuse for everything now On disembarkation I didn’t need a porter - I could manage the one case myself.

[oldbluefox]

I wonder if they don't come on duty until 12.00 when CPS start checking in cars which would explain why they were not operating when David arrived.

[Manoverboard]

I wonder if they don't come on duty until 12.00 when CPS start checking in cars which would explain why they were not operating when David arrived.

Makes sense .... he shouldn't try to get there first anyway

[oldbluefox]

You can say that but I couldn't possibly

[Stephen]

I wonder if they don't come on duty until 12.00 when CPS start checking in cars which would explain why they were not operating when David arrived.

That thought crossed my mind as well

[Stephen]

I wonder if they don't come on duty until 12.00 when CPS start checking in cars which would explain why they were not operating when David arrived.

Makes sense .... he shouldn't try to get there first anyway

Perhaps he had missed breakfast back at the hotel

[towny44]

David, can you check if the launderettes are now open on Britannia, not that I expect to need to use them, but just in case I need to iron something.

[david63]

David, can you check if the launderettes are now open on Britannia, not that I expect to need to use them, but just in case I need to iron something.

Yes they are - well at least some are, not sure if all of them are

[david63]

Monday 16th May – Sea day
Fairly quiet day today mostly spent orientating ourselves with Britannia and there is a lot of ship to get orientated with! Had some sun late morning early afternoon which meant we were able to sit out on the balcony – until the liquid sunshine spoilt it all.

Went to the theatre this evening – a Paloma Faith trbute act which was excellent. There was no requirement to wear masks in the theatre nor was there any social distancing. Having said that the theatre was only around half full.

One significant change since Covid is the reduction of the drinks list in the bars and restaurants, Gone are the multitude of cocktails and replaced with about a dozen, no vast selection of gins and a very reduced wine list in the restaurants, but with a much larger selection of wines by the glass, The wine service in the restaurants is quite slow as it is the normal restaurant waiter who are taking the wine orders.

[Stephen]

Perhaps there was supply issue and why the ship didn’t get fully restocked with booze in time on turn around.

[Jan Rosser]

Perhaps there was supply issue and why the ship didn’t get fully restocked with booze in time on turn around.

Same when I was on board Stephen so may be the new “normal” - less choice!!!

[towny44]

David, do you know how many passengers are on board?
Once you get some warm sunshine I recommend the serenity pool area, it's quieter and more relaxing than the main pool area.

[Stephen]

Perhaps there was supply issue and why the ship didn’t get fully restocked with booze in time on turn around.

Same when I was on board Stephen so may be the new “normal” - less choice!!!

If this is the new Norm Jan then passengers that enjoy a good choice of drinks may look elsewhere for they’re choice of cruising company.

[towny44]

Perhaps there was supply issue and why the ship didn’t get fully restocked with booze in time on turn around.

Same when I was on board Stephen so may be the new “normal” - less choice!!!

If this is the new Norm Jan then passengers that enjoy a good choice of drinks may look elsewhere for they’re choice of cruising company.

I imagine it is due to the lower staffing levels, which hopefully will be restored once separate quarantine areas are abandoned.

[Ray B]

Perhaps there was supply issue and why the ship didn’t get fully restocked with booze in time on turn around.

Same as David and Jan, on our cruise, very little choice of drinks available. Some bars having drinks where as other bars different choice, some waiters going the extra mile and fetching the requested drink from another bar.
Having the restaurant waiters dealing with wine orders is a total disaster. But being able to leave an opened bottle of wine at the MDR is a move to some normality.