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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Me & my wife have cruised with P&O for…

Me & my wife have cruised with P&O for many years but have sadly noticed a drastic reduction in quality and service in recent years. The menu in the dining rooms is limited and quite frankly boring...I reluctantly ended up having steak every night! The puddings are mainly mousse served up in different ways! And the number of waiters in the bar areas has reduced dramatically resulting in people waiting for long periods to get served. Often getting agitated Very disappointed and so in future we will be looking to book our 2 cruises with another company

Date of experience : 02 March 2024

I am absolutely devastated that P,&o as…

I am absolutely devastated that P,&o as a company do not protect there customers ! I was booked on Iona on 13 th April ti cruise round the Norwegian fjords. I had booked with hays travel 23 months before and checking in online 3 weeks before travel boarding passes printed . Arrived at Southampton to board and was very rudely told by dock staff thst my passport was not valid,due to me having an extension o. It and never had either hays or p&o mention the new issue date rule since brexit ,!!! I was told very harshly that i was not the first person nor would i be the last one as this happens on a regular basis , absolutely disgusting ,WHAT IS THE POINT OF CHECKING IN ONLINE ?????? And now i can't get even the money i had paid for the drinks package and trips booked back ,which i could have cancelled on the ship

Date of experience : 13 April 2024

AVOID AVOID AVOID

HAS TO BE THE WORST COMPANY I HAVE EVER DEALT WITH FIRST EMAIL SENT 07-01-2024 CLOSURE CAME YESTERDAY 22-04-2024. IT TOOK 55 DAYS & 5 DIFFERENT GUEST SUPPORT GUEST RELATIONS PEOPLE TO ACTUALLY CHANGE THE PHONE NUMBER TO THE CORRECT NUMBER SO THAT I COULD RECEIVE A MASSIVE £75.REFUND FOR A 16 DAY CRUISE FROM HELL. EVEN SHELLY SOCIAL MEDIA TEAM DOESNT READ THESE MSG CORRECTLY TELLING ME THEY ARE A MEMBER OF ABTA SO I CAN COMPLAIN TO THEM,NOT SURE ABTA DO LESSONS ON HOW TO UNDERSTAND PLAIN ENGLISH. SO IF YOU WANT SUB STANDARD FOOD BLATANTLY LIED TOO WHEN YOU COMPLAIN,DIRTY BOATS TO BE AROUND THEN GIVE THEM YOUR MONEY. DEFINATELY P&O SHOULD STICK WITH RUNNING FERRIES AND YES IT IS ONE COMPANY LIKE THEY HELD THE MASTER KEY TO CHANGING THE PH NUMBER ON THERE IT SYSTEM I HAVE ON MY COMPUTER PAYMENTS FOR FERRIES GOES TO P&O CRUISES. THEY TAKE YOUR MONEY & DO NOT CARE ABOUT YOU AT ALL ESPECIALLY IF YOU COMPLAIN. MY LAST THREE WORDS TO ANYBODY THINKING OF BOOKING WITH THEM IS AVOID AVOID AVOID.

Date of experience : 22 April 2024

Highest Quality provided

Highest Quality provided. This was our 6th and best cruise. Cabin clean spacious and well equipped for a wheelchair user with electronic doors, adjustable hand basin, wet floor shower. Staff all friendly and helpful. Good entertainment provided. Good selection of food on menus. Virtual queueing avoided delays in getting a table. journey very smooth.

Date of experience : 20 April 2024

Iona is a city ship not a small town

This is our second time on Iona it's a beautiful ship we felt safe and well looked after. It is very busy , in future I will consider a smaller ship. The swimming pool in the sky dome isn't very big for families and everyone else as well. The infinity pools on the deck are outside so when the weather is cold there is only the one pool inside. The whirlpools around the ship were also always in use. The cruise itself to Norway was enjoyable and we appreciated our lovely cabin 4479 on deck 4, very easy and quiet. The evenings are lovely and easy to find a bar or some entertainment. The views from the ship of beautiful Norway on this cruise are breathtaking.

We will never travel with P&O again

We will never travel with P&O again. We booked for NY to the Caribbean with PE flights with TUI as my husband suffers with his back. When a company quotes that we have the legal right to unilaterally change your flights the day after you settled the bill you know they don’t care about customers. I’d never heard maleth airlines and you can read the reports on them do refused to fly with them. CEO was unresponsive. Cruise was poor quality too. Outdated dress codes where men must wear trousers and not smart shorts in restaurants. Royal Caribbean so much better - the quality of their ships, the food, the activities and they care about customers.

Date of experience : 01 January 2024

P&O I will never cruise again

Problems with P&O: .Horizon never loads . Very poor and limited standard of food that is cook awfully . Excursions well over priced and can book cheaper when at destinations . Staff with bad language barriers . Very unhelpful at answering queries . Poor entertainment for anyone below 40 . Very unorganised and dissapointing . Arcadia needs a refurbishment . Too many "black tie" and stupid events

Date of experience : 15 April 2024

First time cruisers

First time cruisers to the Norwegian fjords and loved it. Ship huge but comfortable and cabins excellent - loved wrapping up and sitting to watch the world go by. We never had a problem with the food - the Olive Grove was great. Just sitting quietly in the atrium with a drink and book was so relaxing. Downside was the celebration night was not really that or felt special. Probably would not participate again. Staff were fantastic but seemed to be in short supply which meant longer wait for drinks but hey-ho we weren't going anywhere in a hurry and went with the flow! Six course taster menu in Epicurean was OK but not really worth the additional money. We bought the Captains wine package and had some trouble working out how to access the wine 🍷! In the end it was about the destination- weather and Olden amazing! Disappointed with Haugesund so would recommend a trip when there. We would definitely cruise again.

Exceeded expectations but the usual moaning pax need to choose another trip!

Exceeded expectations for sure! I can’t believe what an amazing trip this was. 13th April to the Fjords. (IONA) Everything was perfect apart from the fact I caught COVID, but carried on regardless. Staff were amazing and always happy, no issues, fab cabin (5454)) and the balcony was a godsend. Experienced so much and catching the Northern Lights was just awesome and I found a duck (if you know you know . The only other problem was a few passengers who did nothing but moan about absolutely NOTHING! The amount of UK pax whining was embarrassing. Get a grip! The shows, the drinks prices etc and winning big on the casino made my cruise! Can’t wait to go back on IONA! 10/10

Date of experience : 12 April 2024

P&o offer an excellent good value for…

P&o offer an excellent good value for money cruising experience. The staff could not do better but staff numbers have been reduced meaning that although they work extremely hard to please you there can be long waits for service. The food is generally good but it has reduced in quality and choice in recent times

Date of experience : 17 April 2024

Still chuckling at a previous review…

Still chuckling at a previous review which comments that standards and clientele have 'dropped off' and there are more Northerners on the cruises since Covid... not sure if the reviewer thinks this is connected... anyway I'm a Northerner and l really enjoyed my second P&O fiords cruise. This was on Iona, a beautiful ship with comfy cabins, lots of restaurants, bars, entertainments facilities etc. For me though, Iona was too big. l preferred Azura... it had everything we needed, food and service was excellent and was much easier to get around. The ports of call were much better too... maybe because a smaller ship could navigate the fiords more easily. In all though a fab holiday, we were well looked after and had a great time.

First cruise was amazing

First cruise experience and overall we had an amazing time. A couple of negatives - the first and main one being the time taken to get a drink in any of the bars onboard - lack of staff and having to sit at a table and wait for a waiter to spot you and come over means that by the time you’ve finished your first drink it’s then another wait to get a second one. Second minor gripe is that the lifts take forever and are often full. Whilst this doesn’t overly affect me people with reduced mobility would struggle and are ok for a fairly long wait. Everything else was perfect, staff were amazing and couldn’t do enough for us.

Love to cruise

Love to cruise. Enjoy visiting new places, sight seeing and experiencing new things. I enjoy having the formal days, makes the holiday experience special as don’t have many occasions to get dressed up. Also like that I can dress casual if I want Enjoy the fun of the sail away Like having the choice of waiter service or buffet. Like that my holiday experience is personal to me

Date of experience : 11 April 2024

this was our second time on the Iona…

this was our second time on the Iona and we said the first time we would not go on her again (we prefer smaller ships) Iona is a beautiful ship and offers real value for money, crew all work extremely hard but could do with more hands on deck to provide the service we are used to from P & O, bring on the next one

P&0 fjords cruise

Loved our cruise to the fjords. P&0 are a brilliant cruise provider. Staff are lovely especially camille in Brodies bar. She is a tentative member of staff. Nothing is any trouble for her. Trips out are brilliant. I would recommend P &0 every time.

Our 1st cruise It was absolutely…

Our 1st cruise It was absolutely brilliant amazing we liked it that much we booked another one on the ship for next year we can't wait.

my family's first ever cruise

As this was my family's first ever cruise, I was in awe of the size and scale of this ship. I found all the staff very attentive and polite. The choice of food was excellent but found areas on the ships bars and restaurants could not be accessed due to them being pre booked prior to sailing. Everything was spotless on the ship and staff were available at any point. I feel there should be lifts throughout the ship dedicated to the disabled community.

I'm a Disable pensioner...p&o .at…

I'm a Disable pensioner...p&o .at Christmas to carrabian cruise...food was not good. Over 300 guests queing out the restaurant for Xmas dinner with people trapped in the lifts as no room outside them to get out. . doors open 6.30 free for all for a table disabled pushed over in the rush...unbelievable....Had to book to go to see a show .. some 701 club booked up before you got on . NEVER AGAIN. SHIP WAS THE .IONA ..

Date of experience : 25 December 2023

First cruise experience

First cruise experience, the staff were incredible, the ship was great always cleaned and big enough for you not get bored. We went to Norway Fjords - the views were just amazing.

Listened, understood and met our requirements

The call handler Vicky, listened, understood our requirements and met them speedily and cheerfully. A good customer focused start to the day.

Date of experience : 23 April 2024

More From Forbes

How to see the best of northern europe on a scandinavian cruise.

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Cruise ship passengers enjoy the view of Sweden’s Stockholm archipelago from the Royal Caribbean ... [+] ship ‘Serenade of the Seas.’

If you’ve ever wanted to dive into the culture of the Vikings or explore what makes people in the Nordic region the so-called happiest on earth, you could do a lot worse than book a Scandinavian cruise.

Scandinavia—and Norway in particular—is an expensive place to travel around, so a cruise can make financial sense for those seeking an introduction to the region. For one price, you get your travel, accommodation, meals, and entertainment covered.

Such a trip offers the opportunity to sample various Scandinavian travel highlights , whether you prefer the Scandinavian capitals, the stunning Norwegian fjords, or soaking up the atmosphere of beautiful islands and historic ports in the Baltic Sea.

Popular Scandinavian Cruise Itineraries

Many different types of itinerary can be advertised as Scandinavian cruises. Typically, they focus on the Nordic capital cities. Some may also include the highlights of the Baltic Sea region, including the Baltic countries and ports in the north of Germany and Poland.

With popular Norwegian fjords cruises together with midnight sun and northern lights tours to the north of Norway also available, there is a lot of diversity in Scandinavian cruises.

Scandinavian Capitals : Cruise itineraries starting in the U.K. or Germany and calling in at two or even all three of Oslo, Stockholm, and Copenhagen have long been popular.

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Billionaire mark cuban issues post halving bitcoin warning amid unprecedented crypto fee price chaos, aew dynasty 2024 results winners and grades as swerve makes history.

The Nyhavn district of Copenhagen, Denmark, is a popular destination for cruise ship passengers ... [+] visiting Scandinavia.

Helsinki is often included on such itineraries. If you want to explore modern Scandinavia while gaining access to some of the region’s best museums, such an itinerary is a perfect choice.

Such itineraries tend to be shorter, and are a great introduction to both cruising and Scandinavia, with limited sea days and plenty to see and do while in port.

Baltic Sea : Longer Scandinavian itineraries often include stops at Baltic Sea islands and ports. The beautiful Estonian capital city, Tallinn, or the Latvian capital, Riga, are particular highlights, as are ports on the northern coastline of Germany and Poland.

For those interested in Viking history, look out for smaller ship itineraries featuring Visby on the wonderful island of Gotland .

One such trip is this 12-night itinerary from Celebrity Cruises, which includes a visit to both Visby and Tallinn. Other highlights include a visit to Stockholm and Copenhagen, including an overnight stop in the latter.

The old city walls of Visby on Gotland island, a popular cruise port.

Norwegian Fjords : By far the most variety can be found in the Norwegian fjords region , with almost all major cruise lines operating at least some itineraries here. Although port calls in Flåm and Geiranger will soon be severely limited, many alternative ports will still be able to welcome some of the world’s largest cruise ships.

Whether you prefer the action-packed ships of Royal Caribbean or MSC, or the smaller ships that can sail along narrower fjords, there will be a Norwegian fjords itinerary for you.

Following the recent rise in popularity of the region as a cruising destination, the fjords season has extended, with trips available as early as April and as late as September.

British line P&O Cruises operates its relatively new megaship Iona in the fjords region for much of that period, with regular departures from Southampton on a popular 7-day itinerary.

Midnight Sun : Although all summer cruises in the region will experience long summer days, specific midnight sun itineraries set sail for the far north of Norway to let guests experience the thrill of being outside with the sun in the sky at midnight. Many of these trips visit Honningsvåg, which allows guests to travel by bus to the North Cape.

Northern Lights : In recent years, Scandinavia—or more specifically Norway—has become a year-round cruising destination thanks to the growth in popularity of northern lights cruises .

Aurora borealis in the sky seen from a cruise ship in Arctic Norway.

These itineraries can be found heading north of the Arctic Circle between October and early April.

Planning Tips For Scandinavian Cruises

Cruising in Northern Europe offers a fantastic variety of excursions and experiences, from historical city tours to adrenaline-filled outdoor adventures.

The region’s love of the outdoors lifestyle means active experiences are easy to find, both through cruise line excursions and independent operators.

The high levels of English comprehension across the region means booking your own activities and exploring ports independently is much easier than in many other parts of the world. Even so, look for independent tours that take place earlier in the day to reduce any time-related risk.

No matter when you visit Scandinavia, pack for all weathers. The height of summer can be marred by heavy rainfall, while it’s possible to get sunburnt in the snow-covered conditions of February and March.

Pack a versatile wardrobe. Layered clothing accommodates the region's variable weather, while specialized gear might be necessary for specific excursions.

Cruising And Sustainability

Prospective travelers should be aware of environmental concerns associated with cruising in this pristine region. The industry is moving towards sustainability, with initiatives to introduce zero-emission vessels in sensitive areas, particularly the UNESCO-listed Norwegian fjords .

Some local initiatives protesting against cruise travel have also gathered momentum, so cruisers should be aware of these issues before setting foot ashore.

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Baltic benefits

By Eddie99 , October 15, 2023 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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Our cruise in the new year will be our one and only at Baltic level loyalty.  We (just) hang on to points earned pre-C but will lose the benefit for any future cruises, as we plan on simply one winter trip per year

So - to make the most of it, what should I start anticipating?

What is the earliest likely boarding time?

What then? - Lunch?  Served or buffet?

A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise?  Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy?

We plan to self-disembark, so I guess we’ll miss out on choosing a disembarkation time

Anything else I should know, other than the standard stuff I can research on the P&O website?

Thanks in advance

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6 minutes ago, Eddie99 said: What is the earliest likely boarding time?

Assuming embarkation from Southampton - around 12:00

6 minutes ago, Eddie99 said: What then? - Lunch?  Served or buffet?

Depends on ship - some are sit down meals and some are buffet - but that could all change by the time you board.

7 minutes ago, Eddie99 said: A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise?  Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy?

10 minutes ago, Eddie99 said: Anything else I should know,

50% off laundry - and don't forget the slippers 😄

https://www.pocruises.com/peninsular-club/baltic-tier

we too have just gone Baltic and our cruise in 2 weeks time so we have been given a 12:00 boarding time. before when Caribbean it was around 13:00.

have a great cruise. 😀

gsmt47471015

Am I correct in understanding the 50% laundry discount only applies when all obc has been used ?

Just now, gsmt47471015 said: Am I correct in understanding the 50% laundry discount only applies when all obc has been used ?

Also no slippers on our last cruise in June 😒

12 minutes ago, gsmt47471015 said: Also no slippers on our last cruise in June 😒

That must be grounds for cancellation  🤣

1 minute ago, Eddie99 said: Whaaat?  🙃 That must be grounds for cancellation  🤣

With Cunard  we had reached the dizzy heights of "First timers "

We got robes ,slippers and a nice bottle of plonk chilling in the fridge .

This is my first cruise ‘Baltic’ tier. They have a different mid cruise loyalty lunch for Baltic and Ligurian - I’m assuming the food is different but who knows?! You only get to go to the Baltic lunch - not the Caribbean one as well.   

I got slippers too 🤗 woo hoo 😂

18 hours ago, Eddie99 said: Our cruise in the new year will be our one and only at Baltic level loyalty.  We (just) hang on to points earned pre-C but will lose the benefit for any future cruises, as we plan on simply one winter trip per year   So - to make the most of it, what should I start anticipating? What is the earliest likely boarding time? What then? - Lunch?  Served or buffet? A Baltic lunch sometime during the cruise?  Plus a Caribbean one, or is that just greedy? We plan to self-disembark, so I guess we’ll miss out on choosing a disembarkation time Anything else I should know, other than the standard stuff I can research on the P&O website?   Thanks in advance

We will move to Baltic (having only recently become Caribbean) after our long winter cruise. As far as I can tell, the additional benefits over Caribbean are negligible and, as you say, seem to be restricted to a different lunch, laundry discount and a slightly earlier boarding time. I say ‘slightly’ earlier because since becoming Caribbean we have had boarding times of 1215 and 1230. We will almost certainly lose our Baltic status after the qualifying 3 years, but the main benefits seem to kick in at Caribbean (priority boarding, 10% discount and a nice lunch), so it won’t be a concern!

I should reach Baltic tier next January but not bothered about it. I already get priority boarding with times of 12.00 to 12.30 and just turn up at 12 ish and get waved straight through to check in. What I would like is having my cabin ready. I don't use the ships laundry and the Baltic lunch is formal dress  (On Arcadia) so I won't be going to that.

7 hours ago, swanseaboy said: This is my first cruise ‘Baltic’ tier. They have a different mid cruise loyalty lunch for Baltic and Ligurian - I’m assuming the food is different but who knows?! You only get to go to the Baltic lunch - not the Caribbean one as well.    I got slippers too 🤗 woo hoo 😂

Our last cruise had twelve people at the Baltic/Ligurian lunch ,credit where its due,  the food and choice of wine were very good, the only stipulation to dress code is smart casual , so not a problem for us , I suspect there will be more than twelve on our next cruise in January, assuming there is one 

Thanks for the replies everyone 

I agree that the additional benefits, over Caribbean level, are pretty skimpy.  At least it means I won’t be bereft if I never get them again

btw - don’t you love the expression  Going Baltic ? Sounds quite explosive  🤣

9 hours ago, swanseaboy said: This is my first cruise ‘Baltic’ tier. They have a different mid cruise loyalty lunch for Baltic and Ligurian - I’m assuming the food is different but who knows?! You only get to go to the Baltic lunch - not the Caribbean one as well.    I got slippers too 🤗 woo hoo 😂

On our recent Aurora cruise we were told by a f uture cruise/loyalty rep that the food is different for the Baltic lunch, though must say the Caribbean lunch menu was excellent and cooked to perfection. 

1 hour ago, davecttr said: I should reach Baltic tier next January but not bothered about it. I already get priority boarding with times of 12.00 to 12.30 and just turn up at 12 ish and get waved straight through to check in. What I would like is having my cabin ready. I don't use the ships laundry and the Baltic lunch is formal dress  (On Arcadia) so I won't be going to that.

For our recent Aurora cruise the Caribbean lunch  dress code was smart casual and we did not see anyone wandering about in formal dress on the day the Baltic/Ligurian lunch took place.  

terrierjohn

2 hours ago, Selbourne said: We will move to Baltic (having only recently become Caribbean) after our long winter cruise. As far as I can tell, the additional benefits over Caribbean are negligible and, as you say, seem to be restricted to a different lunch, laundry discount and a slightly earlier boarding time. I say ‘slightly’ earlier because since becoming Caribbean we have had boarding times of 1215 and 1230. We will almost certainly lose our Baltic status after the qualifying 3 years, but the main benefits seem to kick in at Caribbean (priority boarding, 10% discount and a nice lunch), so it won’t be a concern!

I imagine we will lose Baltic next year, and I doubt we will get it back even though we do have two 35 nighters booked for future years.

Although I do like telling people, ‘I’m Baltic’ 🥶 while shivering 😂 🤣

23 hours ago, kalos said:   With Cunard  we had reached the dizzy heights of "First timers " We got robes ,slippers and a nice bottle of plonk chilling in the fridge .

We had slippers on our last Azura cruise. They didn't leave the wardrobe ( we did ). Cheap and nasty things. £1.99 on ebay.

10 minutes ago, swanseaboy said: Although I do like telling people, ‘I’m Baltic’ 🥶 while shivering 😂 🤣

Arctic is higher up than Baltic, but with less scum floating on it.

26 minutes ago, zap99 said: Arctic is higher up than Baltic, but with less scum floating on it.

Try telling the Baltics no early boarding, you could find they are elevated to Ballistic level. 😉

1 hour ago, zap99 said: We had slippers on our last Azura cruise. They didn't leave the wardrobe ( we did ). Cheap and nasty things. £1.99 on ebay.

I keep the bags they come in, very useful for packing small loose items

On 10/15/2023 at 1:43 PM, gsmt47471015 said: Am I correct in understanding the 50% laundry discount only applies when all obc has been used ?

No. I had some done on current Arcadia cruise before my OBC ran out and still got 50% discount. 

22 minutes ago, Fionboard said: No. I had some done on current Arcadia cruise before my OBC ran out and still got 50% discount. 

Interesting ,we didn't on our recent Azura cruise 😡 ,That will be something to confirm when we board in January , absolutely no point e mailing before we go as still awaiting answers to two queries submitted over three months ago and fed up of having to go to executive correspondence 😒   

Just now, gsmt47471015 said: Interesting ,we didn't on our recent Azura cruise 😡 ,That will be something to confirm when we board in January , absolutely no point e mailing before we go as still awaiting answers to two queries submitted over three months ago and fed up of having to go to executive correspondence 😒   

They originally charged me full price but after querying it at Reception 50% refunded.

Thanks for the information, after a few days a call to reception is looking likely 

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P & O Baltic Cruise Shore Excursions - are they worth it?

By 60notout , April 17, 2016 in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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Very much a newbie to forums! Have asked a question about St Petersburg as P & O's excursions didn't seem value for money, but what about the other ports - Helsinki, Tallinn, Stockholm, Copenhagen, Oslo, Zeebrugge/Bruges - would we be better to do our own thing? Are these ports easy or miles away from the centres. Any advice would be much appreciated. This cruise was a surprise from my husband last week, and I haven't done any research on it ;)

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All, with the exception of St Petersburg are easily doable on your own. I think we're on the same cruise as you and we have booked a private tour in StPetersburg for our convenience and to have the benefit of the visa waiver. We've used Rick Steve's guide book to check out the other stops and will be sorting ourselves out with trips and visits at each stop. The only think we're considering is the coach to Bruges as public transport isn't so easy with a 2.5yr old in tow (plus it's a Sunday stop).

In short, you can do most of it without fuss straight from the gangway by yourselves, but you may find the comfort and ease of the ship's tours equally inviting.

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We have done some of these ports.

Helsinki - easy to do on your own. There is a tram station about 5 min walk from the dock, buy a day ticket and take the circle trams hopping on and off when you fancy. It also covers the boat over to the island as well.

Tallinn - about 15 min walk from the old part and its a lovely walk around there. You can pick up a self guided walk from the TO or I think they do run them as well

Copenhagen - this about 15 mins again to the centre, we took a boat ride from the harbour - best reviewed one was something blue. Sorry cant remember the name. 1 hour tour in english excellent value. If stopping for a drink check the prices we paid £9 for one drink!

There are also the hop on hop off buses in many of the cities and they come close to the ship

. The only think we're considering is the coach to Bruges as public transport isn't so easy with a 2.5yr old in tow (plus it's a Sunday stop).  

We're a bit confused as to when we stop at Bruges, as when my husband booked it, it was the first stop on Monday 6th. Now it seems to be at the end of the cruise. We were going to call them tomorrow. Website is confusing too.

It was changed about 2 weeks ago and is now last port of call with 3 sea days instead of 2 at beginning of cruise. I knew from cruise critic forum but was only informed by our TA a couple of days ago!

When we went to Tallin on Adonia, so not one of the huge ships, where we were docked was far enough from the town centre for P&O to put a shuttle bus on for passengers. We went into the town centre on our excursion and I would say it would be longer than a 15 minute walk. One way or another do go into the old part of Tallin - it's lovely - reminded me of Bruges centre in some ways.

P&O will probably have a shuttle service to Blankenburg, This is the town where you can get the train to Bruges It is a sea side town so if you want a stress free relaxing day have a walk along the beach, There is a Reptile zoo on the sea front which we enjoyed last year with young children. A small pier and lots of coffee shops.

It all depends on your age and how able you are and the most important where the ship will dock in each port which you will have to do an internet search. Tallinn if the ship docks in town there is a market quayside and a very enjoyable 15 minute walk in to Tallinn old town but there have been occasions where cruise ships have docked at a berth 10miles from the Old Town so a shuttle bus is necessary. Copenhagen again depends where the ship docks as there are two areas now in use. One is a lovely 15-20 minute walk past Little Mermaid and Nyhavn, where you can get a lovely canal boat tour from, into city centre. There has recently been a new cruise terminal built which we used last June on Princess for larger cruise ships if you dock there then you will either need a shuttle bus or there is a service bus that runs on days cruise ships are in port into city centre.

Solent Richard

Hopefully you will find these two links helpful for Zeebrugge and Bruges...

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/06/15/zeebrugge-for-dummies/

https://solentrichardscruiseblog.com/2015/06/15/one-way-to-do-bruges/

If you are up for it get there early and avoid the queues for the Belfry...

We did the Baltics on Azura a few years back and are doing it on the Eclipse next month. St Petes is best done on a 2 day local tour. Look at the ports of call section for recommendations or your roll call for your cruise to join other groups. We like walking and almost every port has a free walking tour if you google it. We love the free tours and you tip if appropriate at the end.

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We did the Baltics on Azura a few years back and are doing it on the Eclipse next month. St Petes is best done on a 2 day local tour. Look at the ports of call section for recommendations or your roll call for your cruise to join other groups. We like walking and almost every port has a free walking tour if you google it. We love the free tours and you tip if appropriate at the end.     Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

We looked at a late deal on Celebrity Eclipse this summer but was disappointed that the ship was berthed 10miles from Tallinn and not the normal cruise berth where there is a market and is walkable to old town.

That may or may not be accurate

We were on that cruise with the Eclipse last summer and were expecting to berth outside Tallinn - Muuga ? - but we didn't - berthed in the centre as usual. It seemed to be a mistake and there was never any prospect of berthing in Muuga

That may or may not be accurate We were on that cruise with the Eclipse last summer and were expecting to berth outside Tallinn - Muuga ? - but we didn't - berthed in the centre as usual. It seemed to be a mistake and there was never any prospect of berthing in Muuga

The cruise we looked at this summer actually named the berth and after checking online where it was didn't book it. It also actually names Muuga as the berth in Tallinn in the itinerary on Celebrity website.

Our Celebrity cruise next month also showed Muuga as the port for Tallinn. I contacted the port authority and a very nice lady responded saying we would be docking in the Tallinn town port and no cruise ships use Muuga as its and industrial zone. Tallinn port was recently extended to accommodate even more ships. Not sure why Celebrity has put Muuga as the port for Tallinn for most/all of this years stops there.

The cruise terminal in Tallinn near the old town has space for four ships to berth so I doubt very much that they'd need to use any distant berths any more. The old town is walkable but when we were there last year on Arcadia there was a shuttle laid on (free for those on select fares) which actually dropped off at the far end of the old town, so we probably spent longer walking back to the start of our self-guided walk than we would have done if we'd just walked from the ship!

I think the new cruise terminal at Copenhagen (Oceankaj) is mostly used for turnarounds by the American lines' ships that are based in the Baltic for the whole season, P&O ships that are just visiting will most likely berth at Langelinie near the Little Mermaid, which is easily walkable from the city.

The cruise terminal in Tallinn near the old town has space for four ships to berth so I doubt very much that they'd need to use any distant berths any more. The old town is walkable but when we were there last year on Arcadia there was a shuttle laid on (free for those on select fares) which actually dropped off at the far end of the old town, so we probably spent longer walking back to the start of our self-guided walk than we would have done if we'd just walked from the ship!   I think the new cruise terminal at Copenhagen (Oceankaj) is mostly used for turnarounds by the American lines' ships that are based in the Baltic for the whole season, P&O ships that are just visiting will most likely berth at Langelinie near the Little Mermaid, which is easily walkable from the city .

We docked there last summer on our Princess Baltic cruise when we called in Copenhagen for the day so its not just for turnaround days for cruises departing from Copenhagen. The only P&O ships mentioned on Copenhagen port schedule are Azura, Arcadia and Aurora, Arcadia and Azura are scheduled to berth at Oceankaj and the other times Arcadia and Aurora are scheduled to berth at Langelinie.

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• St. Petersburg - Things to Do    

Its good experience i love it an the staf was kind i hope if i have time to renewed thanks all... read more

This review is long overdue. We engaged Alla Tours the last week of June 2012. It was very... read more

2 day St Petersburg tour from P&O Baltic cruise

We booked the Alla Tours 2 day tour rather than go on 4 half-day P&O tours as we would see far more of the main sights, and we were not disappointed. Out guide, Valentina, was very knowledgeable about all the historic sights, and she also gave us her views of recent Russian history (Gorbachov very good, Yeltsin very bad, ...). Everything went as planned - after passing through immigration we were met by Alla and taken to our minibus, and everything was organised so that there was no backtracking. Highly recommended.

My wife and I book a 2 days tour with Alla because Fred Olsen Cruises would not take a wheelchair on a city tour. We are so glad we booked with Alla everything went like clockwork from start to finish not a thing went wrong. The guide was excellent and the driver so helpful the chair was there without fuss. We talked about our tour at dinner and it seems ours was so much better value and organised that the tour off the ship. I your going to St Petersburg and want a great experience book a tour with Alla. o not work for them PS I d

We opted out of the ludicrously expensive cruise-ship's tours and signed up in advance with Alla. Good move ! Alll the documentation was in order, the staff were always there on time - and excellent staff they were. The guide, Dimitry, was at all times informative and helpful, friendly and witty; and the driver, Nikolai, kept out of trouble - with some difficulty on one occasion ! St. Petersburg cannot fail as a tourist destination, and Alla Tours did it proud. You do NOT need a Russian visa if you go through them, which I thoroughly recommend.

Alla arranged a 2 day St. Petersburg tour for our group of 23. The guide, the service, the tour, food...everything was wonderful. Our guide was a University Professor and knew her history. Alla is a nice and honest person

Alla tours communicates with you without delay regarding any questions you may have for your time in Russia. The tour is much cheaper than the group tours offered by the cruise lines and they offer local knowledge. The tour guide was waiting for us after clearing customs with well seen signs. Tour packages are available for other baltic city's. The Alla tour of Berlin was also well worth the time and money. Very professional tour company. Alla tour also arranged a night of ballet at the hermitage "Swan Lake". Spectacular!!!

We just returned from our Baltic trip. We thank Alla Tours for making it a very memorable experience. Below is a little feed back. We had no problems booking these tours through your organization and we appreciated the prompt email responses to our inquiries. Tallin, Antony was a wonderful guide. He was a little late to the dock which cause us some minor concern. Once he arrived he gathered us together and we had a wonderful morning with him. He was very interesting to listen to and was very knowledgeable. We enjoyed sitting in the garden and having him explain some of the history of the city and of Estonia. He also made a great suggestion of a place for us to eat after the tour. Although the program indicated that the tour would end at 1:00, we were not aware that the bus would come at 3:00 to allow for some shopping time. It all worked out very well. St. Petersburg, Sergue was an outstanding guide for our group. As I am an Architect, it was great for him to share all of his knowledge of the building styles and history. He always seemed very interested in our group. The audio headsets worked very well in the very crowded sections of the buildings. Our group of 15 was small enough to be able to enjoy some of the sites without all of the crowds. The driver of our bus was very considerate and we very much appreciate his efforts as well. Helsinki, Our guide, Olga (I think) was not as strong as the rest, but still was very good. We have to appreciate the fact that after two very intense days in St. Petersburg, Helsinki was much less of an interest. There were 4 ships in the harbor so all of the locations were very congested. Berlin. It was initially unclear to us that the guide that was on the bus was not the guide that would be guiding us through Berlin. Once we met our Berlin Guide, we were please with his abilities. As we had visited Berlin in 1980, it was fun to see all of the change that has occurred, especially in the former "East Berlin". The bus driver was a very fun and added to the enjoyment. We will highly recommend Alla Tours to anyone that asks. Neil & Shirley Madison, Wisconsin

• Thursday, April 25, 2024

CruiseToTravel

P&o cruises introduces 2024 scandinavia and baltic sea holidays.

P&O Cruises has released a new collection of 2024 holidays, including a selection of Scandinavia and Baltic Sea itineraries where guests will have the opportunity to explore fairy-tale castles, kayak through capital cities or discover the Viking way of life.

For years P&O Cruises has been welcoming guests to experience holidays with a blend of discovery, choice, relaxation and exceptional service catered towards British tastes. Its fleet of seven ships each have their own appeal from family friendly or exclusively for adults, making it Britain’s favourite cruise line.

Iona joined the P&O Cruises fleet in May 2021 as the next generation of ship. Iona, the first British cruise ship to be powered by liquefied natural gas, sets a new standard for cruise travel featuring enhancements to already successful brand signature venues from across P&O Cruises existing fleet, as well as many new firsts such as the first gin distillery at sea and The 710 Club, with music director Gary Barlow .

Sister ship to Iona, Arvia will join the P&O Cruises fleet in December 2022 as its second LNG-powered, Excel-class ship offering a Caribbean maiden season of fly-cruise holidays from homeport Barbados.

Arvia, meaning ‘from the seashore’, is an innovative and future-focused ship and the latest evolution in the P&O Cruises experience, embodying the newest trends in travel, dining and entertainment to offer varied and contemporary holidays. Arvia will be the “ epitome of a sunshine resort ”. The ship boasts a unique SkyDome with a retractable glass roof and 16 guest decks, and will feature the first Altitude Skywalk high ropes experience, the tropical-themed Altitude Minigolf, the Altitude Splash Valley aquazone, an outdoor Sports Arena, swim-up bar and infinity pool. It will also offer guests several new dining options such as Green & Co feat. Mizuhana, Ocean Studios cinema, extensive shopping, and the Oasis Spa and Health Club. Arvia will feature more than 30 bars and restaurants and the first rum distillery at sea .

New British Isles, Canary Islands, Scandinavia and Baltic Sea itineraries

With over 200 destinations worldwide , P&O Cruises Itineraries are carefully curated to inspire discovery, and are varied to suit newcomers and experienced guests alike. With a wide choice of holidays from two days to three months there is something for everyone.

For 2024 P&O Cruises has put on sale a new collection of holidays, including a selection of Scandinavia and Baltic Sea itineraries where guests will have the opportunity to explore fairy-tale castles, kayak through capital cities or discover the Viking way of life. Itineraries also include overnight stays in Helsinki, Copenhagen and Stockholm, giving guests more time to experience these cosmopolitan cities from dawn to dusk. Below is a selection of the available itineraries:

• Scandinavia and Baltic Sea : 14-night cruise on Britannia departing May 10, 2024. Sailing from and returning to Southampton ports of call are Kiel (Germany), Stockholm (Sweden), Helsinki (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia) and Copenhagen (Denmark).
• Scandinavia and Baltic Sea : 16-night cruise on Aurora departing May 18, 2024. Departing from and returning to Southampton ports of call are Kiel (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Visby (Sweden), Klaipeda (Lithuania), Warnemunde (Germany), Aarhus (Denmark) and Skagen (Denmark).
• British Isles : 14-night cruise on Britannia departing June 7, 2024. Sailing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call are New Haven, Invergordon, Kirkwall, Greenock, Liverpool and Cobh.
• Scandinavia and Baltic Sea : 16-night cruise on Arcadia departing on june 25, 2024. Sailing from and returning to Southampton ports of call are Kiel (Germany), Helsinki (Finland), Tallinn (Estonia), Stockholm (Sweden), Klaipeda (Lithuania), Warnemunde (Germany), Aarhus (Denmark) and Skagen (Denmark).
• Canary Islands : 14-night cruise on Britannia departing July 5, 2024. Sailing from and returning to Southampton, ports of call are Madeira, La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Cadiz and Lisbon.

Also read : Oceania Cruises introduces 2025 World and Grand Voyages

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