P&O Cruises - The Ventura.

[Captain Kong]

Enjoy your trip Clancy, sorry `ar Kids ale is not stocked on there.

You are quite right about the tips, Cunard is the same, you can go to the Pursers Office and cancell the tips by signing a form. Cunard charge around $13 US a day each so its $26 per couple. On a thirty day trip it is quite expensive. nearly £550 to £600 extra.
The drinks in the bar have a 15% tip built into the prices.
Cheers
Brian.

[Bob Pinder]

Hi, have done cruises with Princess, Celebrity and P&O.You do need to do your homework re the ship you are sailing on.Basic fact is the bigger the ship the further away you will be from city centres etc. normally tied up container terminals in the only berths that can take the large cruise ships.Sailed two legs of world cruise 2012 on P &O 's Oriana, mid sized at 68000tons but brilliant to tie up in city centres.Sailed on 115000 ton Diamond Princess, miles from anywhere in port.Also whilst all3 companies are part of carnival group that is where the similarity ends.P &O are very reasonable with their pricing policy.(I drank Newcastle Brown ale travelling halfway around the world ,and it was priced equivalent to buying it where I live,I.e Newcastle)Celebrety and princess
Literally took your eyes out with their prices, and then the service charge on top of that.Excursions,well you just need to be brave, do your research of ports on the Internet, then do your own thing when you actually arrive there.Early on the biggest disappointments my wife and I had were on ships tours. They 'fatten' the day out by taking you to look at rubbish, things you would just walk past if you we're on your own. Cruise prices, if you can wait and not dive in early, there are bargains to be had.We are doing Southampton - San Francisco on the Aurora and then a 14 day Hawiian cruise with Princess,literally for the price of a 5 star four tonight's holiday in Cypres.So to the doubters I would say at least give cruising a try and then make a valued judgement if its to your taste

[Captain Kong]

Today I have just booked the Statendam for a 30 day trip from San Diego to the Polynesian Islands and back to Dago. I did same trip last year, you cant beat the Islands, the only place left on the planet. Love it.
Christmas Island, Bora Bora, Moorea, Tahiti , Raitai, Rarotonga , Rangiroa, Nuka Hiva, Four Hawaiin Islands.
Pure Paradise. Next February, free up grade from an inside cabin to an Ocean View, plus a discount from the CO-OP and Divi on that.
Brian

[happy daze john in oz]

Be very careful if you go ashore in Christmas Island. That is where the Oz gov keeps the illegal boat people.

[Captain Kong]

Hi John,
It is a Different Christmas Island, it is in Kiribati, The Line Islands near Fanning Island where we went to last time.
This one is where the Brits had the Hydrogen Bomb Tests in 1957 then the good ole US of A had another 22 Nuclear Tests, so they have a wonderful landscaping effect, I will come back with a golden glow.
The Australian one with the immigrants is in the Indian Ocean.
Cheers
Brian.

[happy daze john in oz]

Maybe we could get our gov to do a swap with the other one. Golden glow for illegals, sounds good.

[Captain Kong]

Maybe they should start doing H Bomb tests on your island . solve a problem.