p&o baltic cruise reviews

P&O Britannia Ship Review: Cruising The Baltics Onboard the Largest Luxury Ship Built for the British Market

There are very few times in my life when I’ve been lost for words and whilst of course it does happen occasionally – I wish it happened more. From that time we stayed in the most magnificent hotel suite in Venice hanging over the canal, the best meal we ate in our entire lives on the Belgium/Holland border, or perhaps when we visited three islands in the Maldives that completely changed our perspective on ocean hotels. But thanks to P&O, we now have a new addition to those memories and that’s Britannia .

Britannia is currently the largest ship ever built exclusively for the British market and impressive doesn’t even begin to begin to introduce this ship. Cruising on Britannia isn’t just cruising in the traditional sense – but a luxury 5 star hotel floating in the ocean. We boarded at Southampton, looking out into the distance of Portsmouth and had one of probably the most organised embarkations in cruise history. After dropping our bags off, we were on the boat enjoying a glass of wine within 45 minutes. It’s incredible really and a reason alone to cruise the world, instead of flying it. From the very moment that we sat down on the ship, we felt as if we were on holiday – ready to enjoy our 14 day cruise around The Baltics.

Once we boarded and waited for our room to become ready (which was accessible to us around 1:30pm), we took ourselves on a quick tour of the ship while it was still quiet and arguably the most impressive part of Britannia has to be the grand atrium which is the beating heart of this ship.

Home to relaxation, live music, choirs, pre-dinner cocktails and of course – shopping. Is this the most stunning atrium in cruise ship history?! I think it may well be! The spiral staircase, the royal blue velvet chairs and fresh floral displays – not to mention that colour changing chandelier which was the perfect backdrop for a professional photograph on those black tie formal nights, of which we had four of on our 14 night cruise. There’s also an art gallery onboard located downstairs in the atrium, reportedly worth millions and is one of the most valuable floating galleries at sea.

We were staying in room F628 which was located on deck 9, aft of the ship and we couldn’t have asked for a better location or cabin steward. Being slightly more mid-ship would have been a little better if we were being extra picky, but we enjoyed the short walk from the midship lifts after the evening’s entertainment. A very comfy queen bed, excellent on demand TV services, modern stylish decor, roomy wardrobe and a balcony, which some guests stated was small, we found perfectly fine. The only thing we felt was missing was a second bedside table as we did room out of room for certain pieces.

A welcome gift of English sparkling wine and Belgium chocolates was a nice touch on arrival and the tea/coffee facilities were replenished daily, though the mini bar and bottled water (bar the first two free bottles) is extra. We loved sipping our complimentary bubbles on the balcony, enjoying the endless blue ocean as the ship started to fill up and we waited for our muster drill, something that is mandatory for all guests. I also got rather excited at 6pm everyday when our entertainment itinerary was posted through the cabin door as I couldn’t wait to see what was on and plan my day ahead!

Bathroom was again clean and modern, with all of the amenities needed and I particularly liked the The White Company spa products. A full-sized all-over shower gel is provide and is regularly replenished so you really don’t need to pack too heavy in that aspect. The bathroom floor space was a little small, especially when getting out of the shower but overall it was perfectly suited to us and satisfied our needs for 14 days.

The Lido & Sun Deck

Perhaps the most important part of Britannia is the lido and sun decks. These are the main outside areas onboard Britannia and on a sunny sea day its likely you’ll spend most of your time here. Two large pools, The Riviera and The Lido Pool both have their own bars and both offer different snacks during the day, ranging from burgers, pizzas, sandwiches and ice creams. We loved sitting here daily with a slice of pizza and cocktail whilst watching the daily singers or entertainment team on sail aways.

There isn’t a full promenade on this ship, which means you’ll have to do a little more walking up and down stairs to get around it, but there is a small promenade on the sports deck where you can also stop for a drink in the sports bar or have a game of archery. Just below the promenade at the aft of the ship is the Terrace Pool which was almost always empty and is the perfect place on a really hot day, especially as its above the Sunset Bar for that all important cocktail! Between a drink and dip in the pool, why not take part in a game of deck quoits, shuffleboard or bridge? We had no idea how to play any of them so I’ve added to my list for next time!

My favourite area outdoor area on the ship was the sun deck, which was always slightly quieter and is home to two bubbly whirlpools. Sitting here whilst looking out across the ocean with a pina colada was simply perfect. Regarding drinks, it’s worth noting that not one time on this ship did we ever have to visit the bar and order as someone was always serving us at our sun lounger within a few minutes of sitting down. Cocktails start at around £6.15 and large 250ml glasses averaged at around £6.50 which I thought was very reasonable.

The Serenity Pool

If you’re the type of person who likes to relax and be away from the noise a little – The Serenity Pool is going to become your new home. It’s so peaceful here away from the music by the main pool and service is always prompt, meaning you’ll never be left with an empty glass. I also noticed that this pool is significantly warmer than the main pools. I don’t know whether that’s because it was smaller, but either way it was bliss on a windy sea day.

The Retreat

The Retreat onboard Britannia was my absolute favourite spot on a sea day. In fact we only experienced it once, but we wished we’d book it more – though the £25 a head daily fee could easily rack up. One day towards the end of our cruise we experienced winds strong enough to almost blow you overboard, but not in The Retreat.

You can stay here from the early morning until 6pm and all of your food is included within the £25 fee so you don’t have to leave. A light breakfast in the morning, buffet style lunch, through to a selection of afternoon tea and snacks. We spent most of our time soaking up the sun and enjoying a few too many cocktails in the hot tub. There are two hot tubs in the retreat, extra plush towels provided and the comfiest sun loungers on the ship, plus it never is or ever feels busy. If you unlucky enough for a cold day on the ship, then head inside to the Oasis Spa which I’m informed is a tranquil and rather beautiful place to spend the day.

The Sunset Bar

Now, The Sunset Bar was one of my favourite places (yet another favourite!!!) on the ship and for many reasons, mostly because it was located close to the lift up from our floor. Service was always immaculate, snacks were put on offer during the day and it was a fantastic place to watch the sunsets or sunrise over a cup of coffee or cocktail. One side of this bar is also reserved for smokers, though unless walking through it directly you rarely notice.

Entertainment

If there was one thing I got perhaps a little addicted too, aside from the food (and cocktails) – it was the entertainment. Spectacular performances which at points were even better than shows in the West-End. Being able to select your own seat right at the front with a space to put down your glass of wine or even a little singing around the poolside on a sea day. If there is one thing Britannia does best – it’s entertainment!

Headliner’s Theatre

When it comes to big, West-End style shows – The Headliner’s Theatre is where it happens. Raising the curtain on the digital era, Britannia has introduced a new era of on-board entertainment with a stunning LED backdrop wall which provides instant changes of scenery and immersive experiences. A giant spider even appeared from nowhere above the audiences heads much to our surprise during one of the evenings shows and created much talk between our fellow cruisers!

One of the best shows for us was The Sound of The Underground , which took us on a tube ride saluting cultures, music and history with a cool Britannia soundtrack. We also really loved Once Upon a Time , filled with modern hits and a fantasy theme which took us on a journey through our favourite fairytale stories; featuring fantastic costumes and some stellar performances.

Talented comedy acts, solo singers and even a ventriloquist made for something different when the Britannia entertainment team wasn’t performing. A group named The 4Tunes was for us the best on the ship who were incredible! Our least favourite show was Gravity , a high-tech how set to an eclectic mix of musical styles. We found it very disjointed and the weakest of the shows we experienced. When we though we’d seen the best during our first week, the second surprised us with P&O’s new show Astonishing by Stephen Mulhern. I won’t give anything away – apart from saying that it really was astonishing!!!

The Crystal Room

The Crystal Room was yet another stunning place and became the venue for dance glasses during the evening or bingo in the afternoon room. For us it wasn’t a place we spent much time in as dancing isn’t really for us, but it was great to watch before an evenings show.

I promised myself before the cruise I wouldn’t spend any money in the casino, but of course I failed that promise miserably. It’s particularly addictive in that the more you play, the more the rewards. As you continue tap the illuminated buttons, your drinks bar fills up against your cruise card, ultimately rewarding you with a free drink. I also played by hand at blackjack a few times which I ended up really enjoying.

The Live Lounge

Late night disco, some or the best ship comedy and incredible singing acts – The Live Lounge is open till late and with its relaxed dress code the venue is a popular choice amongst cruisers. We were lucky enough to have front row seats to watch Jenna Lee-James, best known for her part as Scaramouche in the West End version of the hit musical We Will Rock You and as you could imagine she was incredible!

Where to Eat & Drink

There are so many placed to eat & drink on Britannia (over 10 restaurants and 8 bars) that writing about them all was never going to be an easy task which is why I chose to write about them in a separate article which you can read HERE . Below are just some of my absolute favourite places to eat and drink on this incredible cruise ship, with an in-depth look into their sumptuous interiors.

The Glass House

Love wine? Then The Glass House will be your new best friend! Wine varieties from all four corners of the globe, by the glass, by the bottle – accompanied by some delicious plates of food or delectable tapas. Headed up by the award-winning wine expert Olly Smith, The Glass House is the perfect location for a light bite, lunchtime feast, afternoon apéritif or evening out. We fell in love with this place for many reasons, but most for its gargantuan fish & chips and al fresco terrace for some relaxed lunchtime dining.

The Blue Bar & Brodie’s

I probably don’t need to tell you why this bar is called The Blue Bar, but it most certainly became a highlight and our go-to pre-dinner bar whilst waiting for a table at dinner times. The service was always swift, the cocktails perfectly executed and the big windows looking out across the ocean, particularly on a choppy evening were incredibly tranquil to watch.

If The Blue Bar was ever busy, we’d pop upstairs to Brodie’s, the onboard traditional pub which had a great vibe, free jukebox and pool table which we found ourselves playing most nights.

The Limelight Club

Both a place to eat and enjoy relaxed entertainment is The Limelight Club. A first for P&O Cruises , The Limelight Club is a venue exclusively for adults that combines delicious food (some of the best we had) with dazzling entertainment. The dining room is absolutely gorgeous and the modern European menu will suit even the fussiest of eaters. Dinner and a show here is £25pp which I think is a bargain as you can get up close with famous singers and performers in an intimate setting. Later in the evening, The Limelight Club turns into a late-night dancing venue and I loved the dress code which matches the laid-back atmosphere. Smart casual every night, even on a black tie evening.

By far the best dining experience on the ship, Sindhu was somewhere we frequented as much as we could with two menus changing throughout the cruise. Backed by celebrity chef Atul Kochhar, P&O seem to be rolling Sindhu out across their fleet and you can see why. Traditional Indian favourites with the occasional British twist such as steak with masala mashed potatoes or familiars such as butter chicken laced with cardamom. Sindhu has a cover charge of £20pp but you get so much food for your money and you’ll only want to come back the next day and we did exactly that.

Allocated & Freedom Dining – Meridian/Peninsular/Oriental

Now if you’re unsure as to how dinner works in your included a la carte restaurants or what is included, it’s very simple and all I can say is apart from the speciality restaurants, it pays to eat in your included restaurant. Each room is allocate a specific restaurant to dine in (ours was Meridian) throughout the cruise for dinner (lunch and afternoon tea will be in one of the three restaurants and is also included in your package) and each night you can enjoy a five-course menu or six-course dinner on gala nights.

Before cruising you can select either a sitting of 6:30pm or 8:30pm and subject to availability, if you’d like to share with others or request a table for two. We choose freedom dining which meant we could dine almost anytime between 6-9pm and throughout the 14 nights we never had a problem getting a table for two. You may have to wait occasionally when you’re given a buzzer to alert you to when you table’s free, but that never took more than 15 minutes.

Horizon & The Beach House

Horizon is your go to buffet restaurant (included within your cruise package) onboard the ship and surprisingly the selection and quality was rather good. Yes, there was lot of fried foods, but alongside it were plenty of fresh salads, seafood and fruits. There was even live cooking stations for pancakes, omelettes and noodle dishes. One of the greatest things about Horizon is that you dine around the clock with late night snacks available from between 10pm and 6am and the menus change daily, though you may see a few of the dinner options churned out again. Indian on some nights, Spanish on others – it was always changing at dinner. During the evening part of Horizon is cordoned off and becomes The Beach House. It was one of our favourite restaurants onboard and you can read more about it HERE.

Epicurean is Britannia’s flagship fine-dining restaurant and with a cover charge of £28pp, it’s worth every penny. The finest jamon carved table-side, Australian Black Angus steaks and desserts to leave you salivating. Read all about my Epicurean experience and the food we ate on the ship HERE . Be warned, you will be booking your next cruise after reading so have the credit card ready!

The Destinations

Rostock, germany.

After enjoying our first full two days at sea, we arrived into our first destination at around 8am – Rostock in North Germany. The city is most famously known for its university which was founded in 1419, but we decided to explore more of its food and colourful buildings during our time here. The beautiful Neuer Markt (New Market Square) is a must even just for a photograph and the high street is perfect time to stock up on your cruise essentials for the rest of the trip. You can literally find anything here and the antique markets are well worth a browse.

After you’ve explored the city, which isn’t very big so you won’t miss a thing gladly, I highly recommend lunch at Braugasthaus Zum alten Fritz which is by the water’s edge just a 10 minute walk south of the city. Here you’ll find some of the best German beers and cuisine Rostock has to offer and on a sunny day the restaurants terrace is perfect. We ordered the beer tasting flight, a bargain at €6.50 and and cooked meat platter, before taking the free coach transfer back to Britannia for our 17:00 sail away.

Helsinki, Finland

Now I don’t know if it was the weather (it was a little overcast) but the one place we didn’t quite fall in love with on our trip was Helsinki. By no means was it not enjoyable, but in the rank of the places we visited I just couldn’t quite connect. The city is home to some seriously stunning churches, beautiful cobbled streets and even heated outdoor pools perched on the ocean which even on the coldest days I’m told are busy. One place you mustn’t miss is the Uspenski Cathedral, a stunning piece of architecture.

We arrived to a day of military marches, Helsinki Pride and the city really goes all out with its rainbow flags. We also visited the most stunning Rock Church which is built into the side of a rock face and ate delicious seafood whilst people watching close to the main market square which is located at the harbour. The coach stops directly in the centre of the city and you can really walk to almost every attraction or site within 30 minutes meaning no rushing back or missing out on too much of anything.

Saint Petersburg, Russia

For most St Petersburg was the reason people cruise to the Baltics, but actually Tallinn was our goal and so during the day when everyone was off the ship I took that as my opportunity to enjoy a quieter side of Britannia and enjoy St Petersburg in the evening. We booked one of the P&O excursions and I must say it was very well organised. Within leaving the ship, we were on our coach and had left within 15 minutes, passing through the city and arriving in the city 30mins later for our Swan Lake ballet booking which was such an exquisite experience. The dancers were more understudies rather than the real deal, but they were still very good and all in all it was a wonderful evening which we’ll never forget.

Tallinn, Estonia

There was one place on this journey which has been on my bucket list since I can remember and words couldn’t begin to describe how excited I was, despite the rather damp weather. It was everything I imagined and more and I can’t wait to plan a return in the future. Tallinn, Estonia’s capital on the Baltic Sea, is the country’s cultural hub with eye-wateringly beautiful architecture dating back to the 13th century, notably the town hall and main market square which is home to the oldest pharmacy in Europe.

The city still retains its walled, cobblestone old town which is home to shops and restaurants and all of the streets are filled with craft and souvenir shops. We even climbed the city’s wall for a few euros, taking in the sights of the streets below and seeking out the many viewing platforms Tallinn has to offer. For lunch we stopped at the old medieval restaurant, Olde Hansa , located just next to the town hall and whilst it is a bit of a tourist attraction now, the food is heavenly and so is the service.

Stockholm, Sweden

Stockholm will most certainly be one of those places that a day is never enough to explore and you’ll be wanting to return shortly after you leave. Once we arrived in the centre of the city, taking the commuter boat it was still a little early before everything opened up so we visited a hotel I’ve always had on my wish list, The Grand Stockholm . It’s set right across from the Royal Palace and the harbour Strömkajen, with seriously beautiful interiors inside to match so stay for a coffee and enjoy the views, before heading out into the cobbled streets and old town which is full of history.

There are so many beautiful building in Stockholm and I can’t wait to return someday, with a plan of exploring Stockholm Palace in much more depth. The Royal Palace is the official residence and major royal palace of the Swedish monarch so if you’re lucky, you may even spot a royal or two! As we sailed out of Stockholm lots of lush green islands were dotted around and people waving us off as we sailed back out into the sunset. There was even a theme park on the water’s edge.

Copenhagen, Denmark

We wasn’t quite blessed with the sun on our visit to Copenhagen which was our sixth stop, yet it was one of the most spectacular during our Baltic cruise. I’m not sure what I expected from this city exactly but it reminded me of London a lot, especially in terms of its different districts and diverse range of people and cultures. One place you must visit is the absolutely stunning Nyhavn, which is a 17th-century waterfront, canal and entertainment district, stretching from Kongens Nytorv to the harbour front just south of the Royal Playhouse. Colourful, full of atmosphere and the seafood is a must.

Copenhagen was the one place on this cruise where I took the most photos and so trying not to include all 100’s of them was a hard task, but at least I’m not giving too much away for you to explore yourself. Rosenborg Castle to the north of the city was again eye-wateringly beautiful and the Tivoli Gardens which opened in 1843 and is home to one of the oldest wooden rollercoaster in the world. It’s still even operated by a brakeman! Something most people will never see again in their lifetime.

Skagen, Denmark

Well, all I can say is – what a fantastic port of call for our last day! I’d never even heard of Skagen before taking this cruise and while it does feel like it’s been almost purposely built for us cruise goers, it was such a tranquil way to end everything. Once we left the ship after yet another incredibly quick disembarkation, the silence of Skagen fell all around us. The sun was shining, a light breeze was in the air and everywhere was so clean and picture perfect with the centre of the town being about 15 minutes walk or a short coach journey. Cobbled streets, yellow building, arts & craft shops, STUNNING churches (note the boats hanging from ceiling) and beautiful windmills.

Now I’m not going to lie here, I’m not the most active person in the world unless my blog is involved, otherwise I’m stuck in front of the TV with a glass of wine, but when I go away I seem to develop this ability to want to explore everywhere and anywhere on foot and my partner, well – let’s just say the lies are constant when he asks me “how long left?”. Obviously I always just say 5 minutes on repeat. But walk north of the island and 40 minutes later you’ll arrive at a lovely lighthouse with a cute cafe for snacks, coffee or a refreshing beer whilst enjoying the views over the dunes.

Another 15 minutes walk onwards and you’ll realise it was worth the wait. There’s a fantastic restaurant on top of the hill called Restaurant De 2 Have which serves up the finest mussels we’ve ever eaten and with the combination of a warm ocean and golden beach is was the perfect place to relax. Take the Sandormen (around £4 return per adult) sand bus right out to Grenen, the most northern point of the island where you can jump into the sea and excitingly put your feet in two oceans at the same time – the Baltic and the North Sea.

The Sunsets

I think a special mention really has to go out to all the sunsets we were so blessed to experience on our cruise. From the illuminating lights of Britannia as the sky started to turn red, plateau of islands drenched in orange sun as we sailed away from Copenhagen or simply just leaning over the edge of the back of the boat with a cocktail in hand as the skies started to turn dark.

One of the most memorable sunsets had to be the evening we passed underneath The Øresund Bridge. It’s the longest bridge in Europe and connects both Copenhagen (where we were heading), the Danish capital city, and the Swedish city of Malmö. Just before we passed it the sky turned bright orange and only a glow remained as we got to the other side. Another thing you’ll notice is the closer you sail north and towards Saint Petersburg, standing out on your balcony gone midnight and it’s still bright. It’s a strange feeling.

The Great British Sail Away

Sailing out of Skagen, our last destination we begun what everyone was looking forward to most, the last of and most important – The Great British Sail Away! Cocktails were flowing, Champagne was price cut to celebrate, flags were handed out (or can be collected the night before) and then the great British classics were boomed out across the ship. An incredible atmosphere and a wonderful way to near the end of our journey.

Well what can I say other than what an amazing trip we had onboard Britannia! Cruising around the Baltics for 14 days wasn’t just a holiday, but a completely eye-opening experience to P&O. I honestly only ever remembered the brand from my childhood ferry crossings to Calais but now a market leader in cruise holidays, you can really see why. Britannia isn’t just an incredible ship, but one which will make memories to cherish for a lifetime. Would we stay on Britannia again? In a heartbeat!

Scandinavia and Russia, 14 nights, from £1,199pp P&O  Cruises is offering a 14 night cruise on Azura (A915) from £1,199 per person for an inside cabin. Departing 8 June 2019, the price includes kids’ clubs, full board meals and entertainment on board.  Departing from and returning to Southampton ports of call are Warnemunde, Helsinki, St. Petersburg (overnight in port), Tallinn, Stockholm and Copenhagen (evening in port). To book, visit  www.pocruises.com , call  03453 555 111 or visit your local travel agent. Link to cruise:  http://www.pocruises.com/a915

READ MORE ABOUT MY BRITANNIA FOOD EXPERIENCES HERE

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Oh wow, this is a tremendous post. I love the look of the Crystal room and this cruise ticks off all of the Baltic cities I’ve ever wanted to visit. Fantastic insight into the ship Gary!

thanks! I worked so hard on it and really pleased with the results but now I want to go back!!!!

After seeing some other travellers do a Baltic cruise I really want to do one now. The P&o one looks amazing. Do you know if they do just 7 nights? I will have a look. My first and ever cruise was with p&o and I liked it because you could bring your own drinks on board. This ship does look amazing and the destinations 😍

You should so do one, it’s an amazing trip! I don’t think there are any 7 night Baltic cruises given the distance, I believe 11 days in the shortest, but I could be wrong! A Med cruise for 7 days however would be lovely if you didn’t want to use up all your holiday. Let me know if you ever decide to book!

Sounds like an amazing experience. I’ve yet to do a cruise but your photos have definitely persuaded me to consider it for future trips. What a luxury and relaxing way to travel!

Peonies and lilies

Thanks Fei! It was so amazing and I seriously recommend a cruise experience. Such a stunning way to travel!!

Oh my goodness, I am in absolute awe of your photos!!! I would never dream of going on a cruise because the thought of being out in open water freaks me out, but you guys look like you had a once in a lifetime experience. The interior of the ship just looks absolutely stunning, especially the retreat and the sunset bar! Just such a beaut aesthetic. I absolutely adore sunsets too and you got some stunning shots of those! Glad to hear you had such an amazing time 😀

thanks Hannah. I had so much fun and this was my first cruise too! I felt really safe out at sea and definitely think you should try it once! Perhaps even a 2 night taster cruise just to experience the ship? 🙂

I can see why you had such an amazing time!!

It was so amazing, but I’ve caught the cruising bug!!

I am so glad you loved the Britannia as much as we did! It brings back so many happy memories reading your fantastic review!

Thanks Laura! I had so much fun putting it together!

We were on this cruise also (our 8th with P and O and 2nd on Britannia). As you say this was a wonderful cruise despite the weather in some of the ports! We also loved Rostock and Skagen which we didn’t know much about!

Also loved the 4Tunes who we have seen many times. Thankyou for doing the review it was like reliving the cruise 🚢🚢🚢

Excellent blog Gary☺ we were on the same cruise our 4th cruise on Britannia (19th cruise in total) absolutely love this ship – loved all the places we visited everywhere clean & tidy – AMAZING

Oh wow Gary, this is such a detailed post! I love your enthusiasm, it reads just like how I feel after a cruise on a ship like Britannia. I really do want to do a Baltic cruise someday, it looked like you had some amazing weather for it.

Gary, this is such a thorough and well written post. You have captured Britannia beautifully. The Baltic’s are definitely on my agenda now.

thanks so much Claire! I loved every second of it and Britannia was so beautiful!!

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Norwegian experience

We embarked on a Norwegian cruise in July. We visited four ports of which two were just shopping centres or industrial ports. The excursions provided by P&O were extortionate, you could have a Rib excursion for half the price from a private company. The ship was too large to enter most of the Fijords. I would recommend people choose companies with smaller vessels to experience Norway.

Date of experience : 13 July 2024

Britannia is amazing

Came home from an amazing 14 nights on Britannia. Our second cruise but first time on Britannia she is a beautiful ship. Staff helpful, food plentiful, entertainment amazing. We had a mid suite which was lovely our butler mark couldn't do enough for us. Seeing Tom Lister in the limelight definitely made our holiday/honeymoon. Thank you P&O

Date of experience : 13 September 2024

Travelling on the IONA for the first time - everything was huge and amazing and although there were lots of people onboard I didnt feel overwhelmed as there is enough space to be away from people. The captain was fun to listen to and all the crew were very friendly always taking the time to say hello and smile.. We enjoyed all the restaurants and enjoyed listening to Ryan North in the Crows Nest - although people need to learn boundries and let the man sing. My advice is to book early on The Holiday app for popular venues and restaurants

Date of experience : 14 September 2024

Norwegian Fjords on the Iona

Just got back from the Norwegian Fjords on the Iona. Loved it, Olden was spectacular. Food was good, I loved the fact that they cater for the English palate, like proper sausages and bacon and scones for afternoon tea in the buffet. Price was reasonable. Yeah lifts were a bit of a pain but used it as an opportunity to get rid of buffet calories going up and down stairs.

Date of experience : 07 September 2024

Just come home from a 5 day cruise on…

Just come home from a 5 day cruise on Ventura to Amsterdam. Our daughters first cruise but our second, daughter has Downs Syndrome and she absolutely loved it and cant wait for our next one. The staff were so friendly and helpful and the service and food was brilliant. The onshore excursions were so good. Would def reccommend to anyone

Date of experience : 10 September 2024

This is my first cruise and not looking…

This is my first cruise and not looking forward to it at all £142.00 for wi fi no alcahol allowed only 1 bottle of wine and some mixers bid for a balcony and although bid of £700 was unsuccessful they just want as much money as they can get shant ever go again

Date of experience : 18 September 2024

Cruising the fjords

What can I say? Iona was a fantastic experience for a first time cruiser. Food, activities, port visits, shore experiences, entertainment. Iona has it all. IF you are not sure about a cruise, just go for it. I am already looking for my next one!

This is my sixth P&O cruise

I have been on many P&O cruises and just returned from two weeks on the Arvia which went around the Mediterranean. The ship, itinerary, cabin, entertainment, bars, food, staff were all amazing, can’t wait to go again.

Date of experience : 01 September 2024

Cruise to Croatia

We have just come back from a 7 day cruise to Croatia on the Azura, flew into Malta and sailed from Valletta, we couldn’t fault the cruise, the staff and everything about it. This was our first time and absolutely loved it, would recommend taking a cruise to anyone .

Date of experience : 19 September 2024

We cannot fault this holiday

We have just returned from a 7 night holiday to the Norwegian Fjords with P&O on board Iona. We cannot fault the holiday from start to finish, the staff are amazing, so attentive, the ship is fantastic (even if we did get lost on it) the scenery was amazing

Iona visit Norway

Had a week on Iona visiting Norway Had a great time Staff very friendly,programs helpful Only issue which was a small one was that at times the service in bars was very slow and the staff at the coffee bar could come across curt Would recommend this cruise

Beautiful ship however, for my husband…

Beautiful ship however for my husband and I it was too big and extremely busy. We will be using Arcadia or Aurora next cruise. As a Mum and former teacher I was shocked to see so many babies in the entertainment areas. Where music was way too loud. It also shocked me to see young children being placed in the Reef until very late at night. Gone 10pm. The burger venue was extremely disappointing. Staff were miserable. Why? Who knows what their working conditions are like on board and behind the scenes. The Epicurean was the best but we were also satisfied with Zenith and Meridian. Our cabin steward was exceptionally helpful! Diego cabin11103

Just returned from 2 weeks on Arvia

Just returned from 2 weeks on Arvia. Loved the experience and found the staff great. Dining brilliant in the Main Dining Room. The food was excellent in the MDR, & at times the food was better than chargeable restaurants in some places! The Quays an excellent lunch option & the food was good. Balcony cabin kept well by the cabin steward. the ship is large & kept immaculate. Many thanks, Adrian Denney

Caught out by the EU ruling

Caught out by the EU ruling! Which as far as I’m concerned should flag up on entering your passport details. At least something could be done about it before the holiday starts. Why would I check? My expiry date is May 2025! Also, as lead passenger my account has been deleted even though the rest of my family are on board the ship and now have no access to the account. It has taken over three days to try to get hold of someone at customer relations.

Our first P&O cruise and what a…

Our first P&O cruise and what a delight. Exceptionally well operated from start to finish. No complaints whatsoever and will certainly book again in the future. Even with a balcony cabin and freedom dining it still represents very good value for money.

Date of experience : 05 September 2024

Arvia for health and wellbeing.

Just completed 4 weeks solo on P&O's Arvia (two cruises back to back), after retiring from work. Was feeling a little tired, rundown, overweight and sluggish. With the help of the staff in Arvia's Oasis Spa & Gym who encouraged me with Stretch, Yoga and Pilates classes I completed one and a half hours in the gym every day and ran one mile on the deck 18 jogging track every day! Together with a good selection of healthy food choices in the buffet and I've lost 5lbs and feel energised and active again! The rest of the ship's excellent facilities, friendly crew and wonderful destinations were the icing on the cake!

Date of experience : 16 September 2024

Amazing first cruise onboard Arvia

Just returned from two weeks Mediterranean cruise onboard Arvia. This was our first cruise and we had a fantastic holiday. The ship is beautiful, the food is delicious and so much choice. The evening entertainment is first class and the bars have a lovely ambience. Staff work so hard and are very attentive. No complaints at all. Can’t wait to book another cruise with P&O

Date of experience : 15 September 2024

Poor customer service

I am due to go on a cruise with P&O and have attempted to contact their customer service by phone to discuss an issue regarding my disabled daughter who is traveling with us. I have decided that this method of communication is impossible! I have tried at several different times of day with the same result- ‘ we are really busy call again later’- then you get cut off. No offer of a call back or a message saying you are number x in the queue. I have sent e mails with a response after 2 weeks which did not address the question asked. Hopefully the cruise will be a better experience but your customer service leaves a lot to be desired. Still you have my money so why should you care?

A fabulous Mediterranean cruise on P&O Arvia

Just returned from a fabulous holiday on Arvia. My second cruise on this ship and everything was excellent. The food and all the different eating venues means you have the choice of a great variety and always high standard. All the staff are friendly and helpful. We did cruise excursions which were well worth doing with local knowledgeable tour guides. The entertainment is varied and always a high standard. We even went to flamingo workshops which were great with Annie and Eugel. We will be back. Highly recommended.

Answer the b****y phone,please!

As so often, the problem is that the customer service phone team are too busy to answer calls. I was left on hold for 30 minutes each time I called and was then cut off. PnO need urgently to recruit and train sufficient staff to bring service up from the current dire level.

Date of experience : 17 September 2024

• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Baltic cruise

By izzywalker , May 16, 2020 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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Considering a cruise to the Baltic.  Can fellow cruisers shed some light on cruising to the Baltic with P&O (2021/22)  We are looking to book a saver fare but would this prove too difficult with regard to disembarking from the ship at the following ports as the shuttle is not included in saver fares: a)Goteborg, Sweden: visby Sweden, : helsinki, Finland: Tallinn, Estonia: Stockholm, Sweden: federicia Denmark: Skagen, Denmark and b) do u have to book excursions when visiting  St. Petersburgh Russian federation? or is best to book select fare?  

Any tips/advice from any cruiser who has cruised to the Baltic would be very welcome.

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In St Petersburg you have to take a tour to go ashore accompanied by an official tour guide. This can either be a tour organised by the ship or with a shore based tour company. Official tours by either are visa exempt. You cannot go ashore on your own unless you have a Russian visa which costs around £100 per person so it’s a bit of a no brainer to book a tour. Google to find a local tour company to get an idea of prices. There are several companies.   

We went on a Baltic cruise July 2018 with Royal Caribbean sailing out of Southampton.

Definitely use a tour operator in St Petersburg, they will sort out your Visas for you as well. We used Alla Tours, they were fantastic, paid $235 each for two full days, it was worth every penny. There were only four of us, she even took us on the subway which is a sight to see in itself and to a Russian restaurant. She tailored it into exactly what we wanted. Each day we were out 8.30 - 5pm so quite tiring.

You will have a wonderful time 

No pager thank you

Hello there,

From my experience the fare for each passenger taking a shuttle is between £3 and 5 each way (and is capped in case of multiple journeys) - we do select fare for the freedom dining but it would not be cost prohibitive.  The cost won't rule it out.

We are also cruising Baltic next year.  The issue is Russia as said above; that's the exception where you are best off getting a booked excursion to go on the group visa.

From the list I can also advise that you will not need any shuttle in Fredericia, as you stop about 10-15 minutes walk in to town max; lovely port as an aside.

On the general point, thinking Le Verdon for example, when you have to get a shuttle to leave the immediate port area, P&O or the local port authority provides for free, irrespective.  Not sure if that applies to any on your list.

Hope that helps.

2 hours ago, izzywalker said: Considering a cruise to the Baltic.  Can fellow cruisers shed some light on cruising to the Baltic with P&O (2021/22)  We are looking to book a saver fare but would this prove too difficult with regard to disembarking from the ship at the following ports as the shuttle is not included in saver fares: a)Goteborg, Sweden: visby Sweden, : helsinki, Finland: Tallinn, Estonia: Stockholm, Sweden: federicia Denmark: Skagen, Denmark and b) do u have to book excursions when visiting  St. Petersburgh Russian federation? or is best to book select fare?   Any tips/advice from any cruiser who has cruised to the Baltic would be very welcome. Thanks

Personally we always book a select fare to pick the balcony cabin we want, Freedom dining,free shuttles and on board credit.

The Baltic is a nice area especially Tallin, Stockholm old town and St Petersburg.

St Petersburg is the highlight of the tour usually with a 2 night layover.

You must be booked on a tour to leave the ship.

There is a decent sized shopping area in the terminal selling a vast range of the Russian(Matryshka) dolls amongst other tourist items.

Helsinki on our RCL cruise was a big disappointment.

The long sail into Stockholm along the archipelago was awesome on RCL but not all cruiselines enter the same wayl

The old town (Gamla Stan) is interesting and was walking distance from our dock.

Hopefully the coronavirus will be history when you want to visit and you have a fantastic time.

I did a Baltic cruise a couple of years ago and in St Petersburg did a tour with Red Sun Tours who organised the tour to our groups requirements. Our guide was Elena (the owner of the company) and we had a really enjoyable two days touring the city which included a river trip and a subway ride as well as visits to some of the mayor attractions.

6 hours ago, izzywalker said: Considering a cruise to the Baltic.  Can fellow cruisers shed some light on cruising to the Baltic with P&O (2021/22)  We are looking to book a saver fare but would this prove too difficult with regard to disembarking from the ship at the following ports as the shuttle is not included in saver fares: a)Goteborg, Sweden: visby Sweden, : helsinki, Finland: Tallinn, Estonia: Stockholm, Sweden: federicia Denmark: Skagen, Denmark and b) do u have to book excursions when visiting  St. Petersburgh Russian federation? or is best to book select fare?   Any tips/advice from any cruiser who has cruised to the Baltic would be very welcome. Thanks

Whilst the shuttle is not included in the saver fare, it does not mean that you cannot use it. Only that you will be charged if you do. The shuttle fare for non select passengers is published in Horizon. When you board it your cruise card is scanned and if you have to pay the fare is charged to your onboard account. Hope that this clarifies the situation.

You have to look too at the difference in price between the Select v Saver Fare remembering you will get some on board credit with your Select Fare.  You really need to deduct that from the Select Fare to see how it compares.  We have found sometimes there isn't  too great a difference and does give you other benefits like choice of cabin and dining too.

If there is still quite a lot of difference, then calculate the cost of paying for the shuttles at those ports where it's necessary as that will bring down the real cost of the Select Fare.  As Denarius says, you can pay to use the shuttle as a Non Select passenger if you still think the Saver Fare is  better option for you.

We've occasionally berthed close enough to walk into Heksinki, but not recently. There are a number of possible berths in Stockholm but again we've generally had to take the shuttle.  Tallinn is walkable.  We've not been to Skagen yet but is on our itinerary next year (all being well!) and when I did a bit of research, the quays are reportedly close to the town centre so perhaps no need for a shuttle. From a previous post, it seems Frederica is also walkable.  I think when we went to Gotenburg (long time ago though) we had a shuttle.  We've not been to Visby.   As others gave said, you do need to join organised excursions either through the ship or private companies at St P.

Tallinn us a lovely place to just explore.   As already mentioned the sail in and sail out of Stockholm is like an excursion in its own right!  Cruise ships generally leave Stockholm mid afternoon as they have to clear the Archipelago which takes nearly three hours.  If you're lucky enough to get a sunset over the stern, it's magical.  With a short stay, I think there's enough to explore (especially Gamla Stan) without taking an excursion here. The Vasa Museum is excellent and you can walk round the harbour to go independently without taking a ship's visit. 

Although I read in one comment that Helsinki wasn't too highly rated we actually really like Helsinki and after about five visits to the Baltic prefer a call there than to Stockholm (apart from the sailaway).   We take the tourist tram which leaves from the main market square where there is also a Tourist Office to get a nap and buy a ticket.

http://www.dewhurstdesigns.co.uk/helsinki/tips.html

We get off at the nearest stop to Sibelius Park, walk to the monument then strike off left to the lake and have a coffee at Regatta Cafe - not the best coffee but they did give top-ups last time we went but the location is fab and the cafe itself the most unusual and memorable one ever!  The cinnamon buns are good.

https://www.myhelsinki.fi/en/eat-and-drink/cafés/café-regatta

Then we walk to the Rock Church.  Beautiful - carved from the rock - so simple but made a great impression.  Then walk via the world famous Art Noveau railway station back to Senate Square.  The Uspenski Cathedral overlooking the harbour is worth a visit also the conservatory style cafe in the centre opposite the tourist office and the open air market is interesting too.  We don't tire of Helsinki.

But it's an interesting itinerary and we've enjoyed it each time we've been.  Apart from St P we've generally found it quite easy to DiY rather than going on excursions.  Whatever you decide to do, enjoy. It's a fascinating and varied area to visit.

We have been on Baltic cruises with Princess and Celebrity and can honestly say they were brilliant cruises and would go again at the drop of a hat.  We also went to St Petersburg for 3 days when it was still Leningrad as part of a tour in Russia but even now we feel that we have only scratched the surface.  I have worked in Stockholm and it is very easy to get around by yourselves, virtually everyone speaks English and the Swedes are very helpful , the first time we went we docked in an industrial port which was quite a way out and had to take a shuttle but the second time we docked closer to the city and walked.  Tallin is an easy to walk from the port to the lovely old town,. We took a shuttle in Skagen but it is walkable. We went on a shuttle to Gothenburg, I remember that it was quite a way from where we docked. We did not visit Frederica or Visby.

We did the Baltic last year on Arcadia and P&O offered an "on your own" tour to St Petersbug which stopped at 3 locations and was very cheap.  It was great for us, though admittedly we had been there on a land holiday so were not intent on going to the most popular  museums, palaces etc. but would have been easy enough to visit some places, or do a river cruise as well as just have time at leisure strolling around popping into the odd church and having coffees/lunch there.  We had complete freedom in each location and were even provided with a map and suggested walking route.  SPB is actually very tourist friendly so you would not have a problem going off on your own and it is a lovely city with great architecture.  Well worth doing some advance research on the TA forum, but could happily negotiate without if you are happy to just stroll around.

We also did an "on your own" trip in Helsinki which stopped at 3 locations which I would recommend.  We were able to stay longer at the last stop which was the harbour and get the standard shuttle bus back to the ship, but would have needed to pay a small charge if on a saver fare.  Fredericia and Skagen are easy to negotiate independently and public bus can be used in Skagen, but would need to check times and best way to buy ticket (the day pass was not worth it for us).  We have not visited the other ports on a cruise.

It's nice to see some different ports offered in the Baltic itineraries.  Of course, if you haven't been before, it's all new and interesting.  We were especially excited by the itinerary we had booked for this year (alas, no more!) as it included an overnight in Oslo, a city which has impressed us greatly.  Also calls in Lithuania, Gdansk and I think a Danish port which was new to us and missing out cities we'd visited quite a few times previously.   But we will be very happy if we are able to go to the rearranged one next year and although Oslo is missing, it does include some new ports of call for us.

I am very interested in your 'on your own' tour of St P, tring.  We haven't used one of the private tour companies so far but have done most of the P&O excursions over the years - mind we love St P so are happy to revisit sites.  This time we'd be interested in trying the DiY option and having the freedom to wander.  As you say, fabulous architecture.  Did they just drop you and leave you for a set time at three different locations in the city- and if so were they close by the main sites of interest?  We wouldn't be too bothered about going into  Museums this time mainly soaking up the atmosphere.  Are there plenty of cafes, and are credit cards widely accepted - or indeed Sterling or Euros?  Might make an interesting change!  Just hope we get there! 😏

• 2 weeks later...

great hearing all the tips about the Baltic ports as we are cruising there in 2021 for the first time.  Really looking forward to seeing all the beautiful sites

Great hearing all the tips about the Baltic should have been going in July but have re booked for next year fingers crossed.

13 hours ago, catz0026 said: great hearing all the tips about the Baltic ports as we are cruising there in 2021 for the first time.  Really looking forward to seeing all the beautiful sites

We were there in September 2016 on RCL Serenade and the midnight sun was amazing to see.

ollienbertsmum

I loved Helsinki, we did a DIY day using the shuttle (we were on RCI ship so we paid extra but it was well worth it).  We walked around seeing the train station, both the Lutheran and Orthodox cathedrals and then the market with mountains of berries (take a container and bottle of water to wash them with).  

There was a performer with trained cats that the kids enjoyed.  I did great gift shopping in Stockmann department store and we ended up with a stop off at the Ice Bar which apparently no longer exists but was a really fun experience  for our group which included 3 teenage girls.  

I have a thing about reading words.  I had learned the Russian alphabet for our two days in St P (really not that difficult) and so being in Helskinki with all the street names really floated my geeky boat too.  Watch out for them when you are there. 

Thanks guys for all your comments

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My cruise with P&O…

I loved my cruise experience with P&O and would definitely cruise with them again. The ship was beautiful, clean, everything we needed within a cruise. Crazy as it seems, even the launderette was important to me. The only fault I/we had was the photo shop. I don't like the way you can't chose from all your photos. We had a photo shoot and to buy any of the photos, we had to buy 10. There wasn't 10 we liked, from all that were taken on Formal night you could purchase different amounts. The option to purchase photos should be given as a collective from all photos taken. Not ro have to purchase separate packages. Due to this we only bought 1 photo. Rather than the 5 we wanted.

Date of experience : September 07, 2024

First cruise with P&O Azura

Our first cruise and went on the P&O Azura , fabulous experience and went around the Greek islands and flew from Malta , the ship , staff and food were amazing , couldn’t fault anything , everything ran smoothly

Date of experience : September 05, 2024

Not impressed.

This is the 5th time been with P&O. Always loved it. Last time was January 2019. Now on Britannia. Food in main restaurants has gone way down in quality especially the veg and the cheese courses. Generally service isn't as good. Dissapointed. Won't be coming back to p&o and would no longer recommend.

Date of experience : September 13, 2024

Reply from P&O Cruises

Hi Carol, we appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback. We understand your disappointment with the recent changes in the food quality and service on board Britannia. We strive to provide our guests with a positive experience, and we are sorry to hear that your recent cruise did not meet your expectations. We value your feedback and will use it to improve our offerings. Best wishes, Daisy - P&O Cruises Social Media Team.

We gave just got back from our cruise 🛳…

We gave just got back from our cruise 🛳 and it was amazing. Lovely, and friendly staff, cabin crew very helpfuland polite. Meal and restaurant good Enjoy all our excursions.

Date of experience : September 01, 2024

A fantastic 2 weeks on Arvia

A fantastic 2 weeks on Arvia Ship spotless in all areas Great choice of food Theatre shows very professional and all the cast do a great job Had a standard balcony which was very well appointed Please anyone going on Arvia try Green & Co, it's a vegan restaurant but I'm a huge meat eater and loved this place, went twice and enjoyed everything I tried so pleased I gave it a go

Just returned from 2 weeks on Arvia

Just returned from 2 weeks on Arvia, on board team welcoming throughout, Dining brilliant in the Zenith Dining Room, dined there Breakfast and Dinner, The Quays a good lunch option. Balcony cabin kept well by the cabin guy. the ship is large but did not feel crowded.

This is my1st cruise going on 21st September

This is my1st cruise I didn't book it and wanted a balcony so bid £700 extra and was refused not enough money !! So disullusioned wi-fi is £172 for 2 weeks what an absolute RIP off it's all about the money if you buy a drinks package you must be an alcoholic does anyone actually drink £50 a day this will be my 1st and last cruise sadly

Date of experience : September 16, 2024

Disgusted and livid

Disgusted and livid. Booked a Caribbean cruise with P&O via Barrhead travel and taking my mum. I’m on a low income and saved a lot of money to go due to bad health news she received. Great customer service until they get your money. She has limited mobility and filled in health questionnaire to allow a motorised scooter. After booking and paying in full. Received a email to say my mum can’t stay in her cabin due to changes in terms and conditions after wee booked and they asked us instead to push her around the cruise ship on a manual chair taking away her independence and adding additional stress to myself. We booked a cabin next to each other as it’s essential. After constant promises of call backs that never happen to get the matter resolved. I got a call to confirm they moved my mum in a disabled cabin and 3 weeks later phoned today to tell us we have to pay extra for us. I’ve been under a lot of stress as a PTSD suffer and lost my speech due to the stress of it all and it’s so frustrating unable to speak to try and complain. Tried using relay service to communicate but relay agent advised they disconnected the call twice. Please if someone is reading this can we get this matter resolved ASAP.

Date of experience : September 18, 2024

Today I made a call to the customer service team and requested a call back. The call came and the service recieved was excellent. My question was answered and my request handled in a polite and professional manner. I have cruised many times with P&O and this only confirms why.

Date of experience : September 17, 2024

12 days of just chilling.

Another fabulous cruise on Ventura. 12 days of relaxation with some excellent meals and entertainment. Staff are always happy to help and talk to you. P&O have been our go to Cruise line for a number of years now,value for money being thenumber one consideration.

Date of experience : August 31, 2024

The whole holiday was very well…

The whole holiday was very well organised from the start of our journey via our coach transfer to embarkation & throughout the cruise to disembarkation. The Iona environment was most attractive, spacious, clean & comfortable. The crew were very helpful & worked hard to ensure we were safe & comfortable. There was plenty of choice regarding food & the quality was of a high standard. We were very fortunate to see the northern lights this opportunity was alerted to us via a ships announcement. The entertainment was of a high standard however we did miss out on quite a number of events due to them being booked up very quickly through the app.

WeThank you to everyone on Arvia for making our holiday special. were very well looked after from…

We were very well looked after from start to finish on Arvia. The cruise ship was splendid, very clean and well maintained, the captain and his crew kept us well informed on a daily basis. The crew around the ship were excellent, very polite and could not do enough for you. The food and drink was very good, with something for everyone. Our cabin was kept clean and well stocked by a delightful steward. There was so much to chose from on sea days, something for everyone and plenty to chose from on days ashore, the destinations all had something special on offer whether planned or DIY. We made lots of happy memories and we would recommend a cruise with P&O to anyone, our family had some disabilities and they were very well catered for and looked after. Thank you to everyone on Arvia for making our holiday special.

Date of experience : September 02, 2024

Booked a holiday with P&O cruises

Booked a holiday with P&O cruises. Explained this was for my brother and Mum booth with mobility issues, they would need an adapted cabin. They took the money and asked us to fill in a questionnaire to determine what help they needed. Got the questionnaire 2 weeks later, then asked us to complete another. 2 weeks later they contacted us again and informed us that they could not accommodate my brothers and mums issues as they did not have not got enough evac chairs. They told me they could offer one to one assistant down the stairs, think they are missing the point, my mother and brother are not capable of walking down that many steps (mother 85 can't walk far, my brother as had part of his lung removed and as difficulty breathing). They will not give our money without keeping the deposit. There is a word to describe them but I would not be allowed to post it.

Appalling customer service.

Absolutely appalling customer service. I am requiring an urgent change to my booking which sets sail in less than 3 weeks time. It is a change to the second passenger so name needs changing for the cruise, flights, etc. Not able to check in until the above is done. After searching P & O's 2 different websites to amend the details online, all to no avail, I attempted to phone the customer services team. Was holding for 1 hour 30 mins. Decided to leave an email with a full explanation of what was required. No response to my 'Urgent' marked email received and tonight was on hold for over 2 hours 30 mins when I had to hang up due to other pressing matters. I suggest P & O urgently need to acquire more customer service roles, otherwise they will have no customers remaining. Myself being one of them!

The ship is big and beautiful

The ship is big and beautiful. Lots to do on board on sea days. Lovely pools and good food in the restaurants. The entertainment was great very professional. Just returned from the Canaries on the Brittania. Our cabin was for 4 but we booked a twin and it wasn't as big as last year with a small bathroom. But we had a great time and all the ports we stopped at we lovely. The weather was hot and sunny .

Our first time on Arvia but not our last!

Our first time on Arvia. Very similar to Iona and hard to choose which is best. Probably the destinations and times would be the deciding factor. Large ships sound as though they will be very crowded but it is easy to find space. Crew are always pleasant and frankly it is good value for money. It isn’t five star but nor is the price so don’t complain! We had an exceptionally nice time and happily booked to come again. Advance booking is well worth doing if you have a specific venue or experience in mind and it is also cheaper. Get to grips with my Holiday and it will make your life on board so much easier. And be nice to the staff a smile and a thank you cost nothing but it all makes life run a bit smoother. Good selection of shore experiences but most of the ports have plenty to keep the independent travellers happy too. We have used P & O almost exclusively for over ten years and we keep coming back

Date of experience : September 15, 2024

Last minute

We booked this cruise last minute so our cabin options were limited but glad to be at the aft end and saw some lovely sunsets when steaming north back to Southampton. Thought it would be noisy with a bar below us but quiet and only busy during the day and early evening. Also balcony was quite sheltered and a real sun trap when other parts of the ship were wind swept. Would have been better if we were 2/3 decks higher but no complaints. The ship is huge and has lots of people on it and we made some nice friends during the holiday. We really enjoyed the self discovery part of the holiday where the shuttle buses dropped you off or you could walk to the town for some exploring! Undoubted plus is the crew and support staff - they work hard and put in a lot of hours to make the trip special. Will be booking again for next year to different destinations.

Worst customer service

Had a booking, unfortunately my partner who was the lead passenger became ill the day before we were due to travel. I duly phoned P&O who informed me that they needed the lead passenger to cancel. If she didn’t cancel prior to the date of cruise we would be deemed as no shows and our insurance voided. I spent from 11:00 on the telephone, after 2 hrs I was bumped off and started again, then bumped off again. I left messages on FB no response, called a different dept, got a reply within 5 minutes , refused to discuss my issues. Never again will I book based on its abysmal customer care team.

Date of experience : September 14, 2024

Hi Alex, we understand your frustration with the experience you had trying to cancel your booking. It's never easy dealing with unexpected changes to travel plans, especially when you're met with difficulties in contacting customer service. We appreciate you bringing this to our attention and will use your feedback to improve our processes. We would of course be happy to investigate any of your concerns. We kindly request that you complete the contact form on our website, by selecting ‘Existing Booking’ from the topic options: https://www.pocruises.com/contact-us. Best wishes, Daisy - P&O Cruises Social Media Team

Just returned from 14 night cruise on…

Just returned from 14 night cruise on Arvia .Lovely ship, lovely staff, bars, eating venues. Very efficient and clean. My only real gripe is as I have mentioned before - the dress code is not upheld as it should be.Was expecting 4 formal nights reduced to 2 - why ? Took evening clothes which didn’t even get worn. So miffed by it we are seriously thinking of switching allegiance to Cunard who we have been with only twice before but there standards of evening dress are maintained. On our last cruise with them jackets to be worn for evening meals compulsory. I think it is something P & O really need to pay attention to.

The gran canaries

Just back from a superb cruise to the Canaries, Spain and Portugal on the Brittania , lovely ship, (except exceptionally slow lifts). Lovely food and clean bright cabin. Amazing staff throughout except the reception desk who I felt were rude , uninterested and patronising. Next cruise already booked

• P&O Cruises ( UK )

Baltic on Britannia?

By joeecco , November 6, 2020 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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We are considering booking the 14 night Baltic itinerary for May 2022 on Britannia. We have looked at this itinerary many times but we aren’t fans of Ventura and so we booked other things, but now Britannia is going north we are very interested. What’s everyone’s opinion on Britannia, especially for this type of itinerary? We think the price is good for 2 of us in a select price balcony at around £3150 total. 

Also, we have not yet cruised with Princess or Celebrity but would like to in the future, is either of these companies a better choice for the Baltic for price/standards/entertainment etc. The only thing that we are nervous about is whether Celebrity and Princess sailings have lots of American passengers as we find them, generally speaking, a little overwhelming onboard.. 

many advice would be appreciated! 

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I did the Baltics on Britannia,  and prefer it to Ventura. The itinerary  was great and of all the places I have been to, St Petersberg is the  best.

I can't comment on the other lines as I haven't sailed on them. Celebrity do 2 night stop in SPB so you would get 3 days. 

1 hour ago, joeecco said: We are considering booking the 14 night Baltic itinerary for May 2022 on Britannia. We have looked at this itinerary many times but we aren’t fans of Ventura and so we booked other things, but now Britannia is going north we are very interested. What’s everyone’s opinion on Britannia, especially for this type of itinerary? We think the price is good for 2 of us in a select price balcony at around £3150 total.    Also, we have not yet cruised with Princess or Celebrity but would like to in the future, is either of these companies a better choice for the Baltic for price/standards/entertainment etc. The only thing that we are nervous about is whether Celebrity and Princess sailings have lots of American passengers as we find them, generally speaking, a little overwhelming onboard..    many advice would be appreciated! 

I prefer Britannia over Ventura.We did the Baltics on a Princess ship and loved it.The majority of passengers were British with about 25% being other nationalities.Prices for drinks and excursions are dearer on Princess than P and O and shuttle charges are particularly dear but if Princess and P and O were exactly the same price I would probably opt for the Princess cruise.However Britannia is my favourite P and O ship so it would be a difficult choice

Just now, ann141 said: I prefer Britannia over Ventura.We did the Baltics on a Princess ship and loved it.The majority of passengers were British with about 25% being other nationalities.Prices for drinks and excursions are dearer on Princess than P and O and shuttle charges are particularly dear but if Princess and P and O were exactly the same price I would probably opt for the Princess cruise.However Britannia is my favourite P and O ship so it would be a difficult choice

Hasn’t even thought about difference in prices of excursions and drinks so that’s a brilliant

point! Surprised to hear most were British, my guess was wrong it seems haha. We’ve not done Britannia yet but do really like the look of her.

Just now, joeecco said: Hasn’t even thought about difference in prices of excursions and drinks so that’s a brilliant point! Surprised to hear most were British, my guess was wrong it seems haha. We’ve not done Britannia yet but do really like the look of her.

I think for Princess cruises it depends where you sail.We did a Round the British Isles cruise last year on Crown Princess and the British were probably in the minority but that may have been because the dates co incided with a USA holiday so there were some fairly large groups of Americans.

1 minute ago, ann141 said: I think for Princess cruises it depends where you sail.We did a Round the British Isles cruise last year on Crown Princess and the British were probably in the minority but that may have been because the dates co incided with a USA holiday so there were some fairly large groups of Americans.

Ah yes that would make sense. We think often about trying Royal Caribbean too but we talk ourselves out of it because we sail as a couple and we don’t like big rowdy groups and my friends that have done RCI talk about how lively the ships are and that’s not quite us. So the idea of restarting at reduced capacity next year is music to our ears haha!

Just now, joeecco said: Ah yes that would make sense. We think often about trying Royal Caribbean too but we talk ourselves out of it because we sail as a couple and we don’t like big rowdy groups and my friends that have done RCI talk about how lively the ships are and that’s not quite us. So the idea of restarting at reduced capacity next year is music to our ears haha!

We sailed Royal Caribbean but made the mistake of sailing during the school holidays to the Med! I would happily sail with them again but would avoid the school holidays.Its probably the best cruise line to sail with if you have older children!

Generally majority of Princess cruises sailing from Southampton will be British with the exception of the British Isles cruise and having done 5 at varying times in the summer is very popular with Americans who like to pre or post cruise have time in London or Paris.

5 hours ago, joeecco said: American passengers as we find them, generally speaking, a little overwhelming onboard.. 

We much prefer to have lots of Americans on board.  Makes for much more interesting conversations at dinner and in the bar.

We've done two two week trips on Celebrity Eclipse, including one to the Baltics.  Being their UK based ship the vast majority of passengers were from the UK, but there were passengers from all over the world on board.

Our trip was a mid ships balcony for three and was a similar price to your P&O quote, but we also had a classic drinks package and OBC.

The  OBC paid for a drinks upgrade and tips, so it became an all inclusive cruise.  The only downside was as a late booking we had to have fixed dining, early sitting, which we didn't appreciate as first sitting was too early and you do get rushed through.

terrierjohn

48 minutes ago, wowzz said: We much prefer to have lots of Americans on board.  Makes for much more interesting conversations at dinner and in the bar.

52 minutes ago, wowzz said: We much prefer to have lots of Americans on board.  Makes for much more interesting conversations at dinner and in the bar.

Not for us thank you, haha! 

Just now, joeecco said: Not for us thank you, haha! 

You must be choosing the wrong Americans!  I am with wowzz on this topic.

29 minutes ago, Thejuggler said: We've done two two week trips on Celebrity Eclipse, including one to the Baltics.  Being their UK based ship the vast majority of passengers were from the UK, but there were passengers from all over the world on board. Our trip was a mid ships balcony for three and was a similar price to your P&O quote, but we also had a classic drinks package and OBC.   The  OBC paid for a drinks upgrade and tips, so it became an all inclusive cruise.  The only downside was as a late booking we had to have fixed dining, early sitting, which we didn't appreciate as first sitting was too early and you do get rushed through.  

Thats interesting to know it was a similar price but with drinks etc.. Does make us question P&O but our downside is that I have my leave dictated to me so last minute bookings arent an option for us hence why we're considering booking so far in advance to try to catch the lower prices. Its a balancing act isnt it. 

Just now, terrierjohn said: You must be choosing the wrong Americans!  I am with wowzz on this topic.

This is precisely our point, we don't pick any but they somehow always seem to pick us out and just when we think we have escaped them, we end up bumping into them over and over aha

Just now, joeecco said: This is precisely our point, we don't pick any but they somehow always seem to pick us out and just when we think we have escaped them, we end up bumping into them over and over aha

And when I say they, I'm referring to the small group that like to talk about 'me, me and me'  😄

1 minute ago, joeecco said: Thats interesting to know it was a similar price but with drinks etc.. Does make us question P&O but our downside is that I have my leave dictated to me so last minute bookings arent an option for us hence why we're considering booking so far in advance to try to catch the lower prices. Its a balancing act isnt it. 

Unless things have changed Celebrities prices will now be far higher than P&O.

Our last Celebrity cruise was 2016 and the brexit vote took place while we were on board, at that time their prices were comparable to P&O  but since then they have risen in line with Sterlings devaluation, and apart from some cheap recent offers during the pandemic, none of which have actually taken place, their prices have been way too high.

It will be interesting to see if their summer 2022 prices are competitive, but I somehow doubt it.

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said: Unless things have changed Celebrities prices will now be far higher than P&O. Our last Celebrity cruise was 2016 and the brexit vote took place while we were on board, at that time their prices were comparable to P&O  but since then they have risen in line with Sterlings devaluation, and apart from some cheap recent offers during the pandemic, none of which have actually taken place, their prices have been way too high. It will be interesting to see if their summer 2022 prices are competitive, but I somehow doubt it.

That's a shame, we will try them someday on the Edge class in the US though hopefully. Lots of rumours about them becoming all inclusive too which i'm sure in turn would add even more to the price. 

I have to say on a sidenote, P&O have pleasantly surprised us with the 2022 prices so far, Aurora has always been out of our budget when we have looked to book but a northern lights cruise for October is well within our budget now. I was convinced prices would be sky-high to match current 2021 prices - luckily we booked our 2021 in advance of this pandemic. 

2 hours ago, wowzz said: We much prefer to have lots of Americans on board.  Makes for much more interesting conversations at dinner and in the bar.

I agree, we have met and made friends with many over the years, that's why we prefer the more international ships.

7 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said: I agree, we have met and made friends with many over the years, that's why we prefer the more international ships.

We met a guy who was in the army with Elvis, just one example of many interesting people.

10 minutes ago, Bloodaxe said: I agree, we have met and made friends with many over the years, that's why we prefer the more international ships.

I agree too; we all seem very agreeable this afternoon. 🙂  Good and bad in every nationality, even ours. 🤣 😊

We have just booked the Baltics on Britannia for August 2022.

Love this ship.

Completely different to Ventura which we have previously sailed on.

Lots to do Limelight Club - nice intimate dinner with show.

Cookery Club this is quite fun cook then eat.

The Crow's Nest love this bar chill out and listen to the pianist.

Hydrotherapy suite great for relaxation.

The Sunset Bar at the back of the ship great view when you are doing a sail away.

The kids club my son enjoyed but by 2022 he will be too old but he is looking forward to experiencing the cruise as an adult.

We have stayed in various rooms on Britannia balcony, superior deluxe balcony and suite all were great.

We are on Britannia in August 2021 going around the Med staying in a suite so have that added bonus of large balcony with sunbeds although have never had any problems getting one on deck.

Although we have travelled for school holidays have never felt overwhelmed by people and you can always find your place.

As I have said love this ship looking forward to sailing on Iona and seeing the comparison, if you have any specific questions please ask. 🛳️ 😀

39 minutes ago, poorer said: Hi    We have just booked the Baltics on Britannia for August 2022.   Love this ship. Completely different to Ventura which we have previously sailed on. Lots to do Limelight Club - nice intimate dinner with show. Cookery Club this is quite fun cook then eat. The Crow's Nest love this bar chill out and listen to the pianist. Hydrotherapy suite great for relaxation. The Sunset Bar at the back of the ship great view when you are doing a sail away. The kids club my son enjoyed but by 2022 he will be too old but he is looking forward to experiencing the cruise as an adult. We have stayed in various rooms on Britannia balcony, superior deluxe balcony and suite all were great.   We are on Britannia in August 2021 going around the Med staying in a suite so have that added bonus of large balcony with sunbeds although have never had any problems getting one on deck.   Although we have travelled for school holidays have never felt overwhelmed by people and you can always find your place.   As I have said love this ship looking forward to sailing on Iona and seeing the comparison, if you have any specific questions please ask. 🛳️ 😀  

That’s fantastic thank you! We were worried about it feeling very busy considering the passenger load compared to tonnage but from what you’ve said that doesn’t sound like an issue!  we are just going for a standard balcony, I take it that’s a nice cabin?  what sort of price is the limelight club and do you have to book before you board? 

AndyMichelle

10 minutes ago, joeecco said: That’s fantastic thank you! We were worried about it feeling very busy considering the passenger load compared to tonnage but from what you’ve said that doesn’t sound like an issue!  we are just going for a standard balcony, I take it that’s a nice cabin?  what sort of price is the limelight club and do you have to book before you board? 

Depends who is in the Limelight, but around £35pp.

The earlier you book, the better seats you get, but all the seats are OK. 

It's a beautiful ship that has never felt crowded to us. 

8 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said: Depends who is in the Limelight, but around £35pp. The earlier you book, the better seats you get, but all the seats are OK.  It's a beautiful ship that has never felt crowded to us.  Andy 

Oh that’s brilliant! I think you’re confirming that we should book! 

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