Derek Kane
1st October 2007, 05:10 PM
The following notes are for a first timer on P&O from a Southampton departure point of view:
Your 1st Cruise will be one of the BEST cruises you will ever go on.Believe you me: nothing beats the 1st of everything you do during your 6n onboard. This is not to say with the 90%+ certainty that you will become addicted to cruising, that you will not have wonderful, future cruises too. But, there is something very magical about your 1st cruise:
I capture a bit of that magic when I see the cruise through a newcomers eyes.
Don't feel that you need to book a tour at every port of call. The ship is a destination in itself. There is a very special atmosphere on sea days which (in my view) is rivalled by a day on board when at port, or better still at anchor. The ship takes on a quieter ambiance with half or more of the passengers ashore. There are no queues and the service up on deck is snappier. With a very few glorious exceptions, you will find little better ashore.I tend to go only on tours where a "must-see" is a long distance from the ship and the public transport cannot be relied on. I also find an afternoon tour preferable to a morning one as breakfast on board in popular destinations can be somewhat "traumatic", especially in the self-service restaurants.
Advice? Suggest you arrive early’ish at the terminal say around midday. When you arrive at Mayflower you say good bye to your cases as they are placed in a "hole-in-the-wall" by a porter. You will next see them outside your cabin when you board or say about 30 mins after.You proceed into check-in where tickets & passports are checked: you are given your cruise cards there and then: this is both your charge card (you can use it straight away without the need to register your credit card/bank charge card - unless you intend to charge casino chips/tokens to it) and ID to get back on the ship when at port. (I understand that the procedure to register your charge/credit card now takes place at check-in – others will no doubt confirm)
You then proceed into the embarkation lounge following a security check (x-ray machine for your hand luggage, etc - rather like an airport) then unlike an airport you then pose for your photograph.
Make sure you look your best and smile - tomorrow your photo along with 1800 other passengers will be on display in the Photo gallery for naughty chaps like me to have a laugh (when you look like I do, stones and glass houses spring to mind)
Embarkation for the majority of passengers start from c.14:30 (although this now starts earlier). You will have already boarded after noon (suite priority) and will be plied with gratis drinks.
When you are called there is then a long walk while you carry your hand luggage along covered walkways that seem to go on for ever.Eventually you suddenly reach a large deck hatch opening and as you step on board it is if you have entered another world.
You will be greeted by an officer or one of the Entertainment team (ENTSs - not be confused with Treebeard from the Lord of the Rings) and, if you require, a white-gloved steward will relieve you of your hand luggage and take you to your cabin via lift or stairs.
WARNING: You will have studied the deck plans for months and you will think you know your way around.
WRONG: The deck plans are in 2 dimensions - the ship is in 3 dimensions.
HOWEVER: within about 24 hours you will know your way around!If you are lucky the steward will take you directly to the cabin. Sometimes the stewards do get lost!
At last your cabin, (with hopefully your luggage outside). Get to know your home for the next xx nights. There will be continuous safety video playing on the TV and your cabin key-card will be in the door with a spare one on the writing desk with all the bumph and info folders. Have a look at today’s issue of the ships newspaper ORIANA TODAY - it will have a nice picture of your well-fed Captain (they usually look as if they have had a few “Captain’s Dinners”) saying "welcome aboard". This will confirm what times all sorts of things are happening today and tonight. The only compulsory thing you must attend is the ships safety briefing held in your muster lounge at c.16:15 (it takes about 30 mins and you will find your muster station location on the back of your cabin door)
Your cabin steward will shortly introduce himself and ask what time you would like to be awakened and whether you prefer Tea / Coffee in the morning.
There will be a card in your cabin confirming your Dinner reservation which will show Restaurant name, sitting and table no. You might like to go down to the restaurant to see what table size and where it is. At about 15:00 the restaurant manager will be on duty and will try to accommodate any changes you might wish to make.
The tablets my Val takes (she is sensitive to motion) are Stugeron. Take 2 c.15:00 (2 hours before sailing) and then 1 every 8 hours until unconsciousness or sleep occurs! You will awake the next day but will probably have missed lunch by the time you wake up.
Now if you are sensible and have brought quite a few garments and suits it will speed unpacking if you packed them at home on hangers. But hey! ... hang the packing let's go and explore the ship.
As I said earlier, afternoon tea is served from c.15:00 in one of the restaurants or self service style in the CONSERVATORY
If it's a lovely April day the prospect of sitting out at the TERRACE BAR afterwards sipping a cocktail of the day or a bottle of champagne is a tempting prospect.
In no time at all bells and announcements will go off requiring you to go to your muster station.
You will need to go back to your cabin and retrieve your life jacket and take it with you.
Once the VERY IMPORTANT safety drill is over (about 16:45) you can then go out on deck and start to enjoy the proceedings regarding departure out on the Promenade Deck. (Of course you might have a port-side balcony cabin in which case you can swank on your own private space).
There is champagne at £2.75 (I think) a glass - good value and a jolly band on the quayside playing Maritime & Military Greatest Hits.
In no time the last lines have been slipped, the last gangway removed and suddenly the bow & stern thruster push this Beautiful ship away to warmer climes. THE CRUISE HAS BEGUN.
The peregrination and twisting down the Southampton Water, Calshot Spit, the dog-turns to starboard then to port, traversing Cowes Roads and then on to the Pilot drop-off takes about over 90 mins.
It is lovely just to sit on the Promenade Deck and watch the last of England slip by. (or in the Crow's Nest Bar if inclement).
And just think your cruise has only just begun.You will have a wonderful time.
You will want to book again as soon as that sad day back in Southampton arrives.
... To be continued ...
Derek “The Monocled Mutineer” Kane
|||||
o Q
<
\__/
|>o<|
Your 1st Cruise will be one of the BEST cruises you will ever go on.Believe you me: nothing beats the 1st of everything you do during your 6n onboard. This is not to say with the 90%+ certainty that you will become addicted to cruising, that you will not have wonderful, future cruises too. But, there is something very magical about your 1st cruise:
I capture a bit of that magic when I see the cruise through a newcomers eyes.
Don't feel that you need to book a tour at every port of call. The ship is a destination in itself. There is a very special atmosphere on sea days which (in my view) is rivalled by a day on board when at port, or better still at anchor. The ship takes on a quieter ambiance with half or more of the passengers ashore. There are no queues and the service up on deck is snappier. With a very few glorious exceptions, you will find little better ashore.I tend to go only on tours where a "must-see" is a long distance from the ship and the public transport cannot be relied on. I also find an afternoon tour preferable to a morning one as breakfast on board in popular destinations can be somewhat "traumatic", especially in the self-service restaurants.
Advice? Suggest you arrive early’ish at the terminal say around midday. When you arrive at Mayflower you say good bye to your cases as they are placed in a "hole-in-the-wall" by a porter. You will next see them outside your cabin when you board or say about 30 mins after.You proceed into check-in where tickets & passports are checked: you are given your cruise cards there and then: this is both your charge card (you can use it straight away without the need to register your credit card/bank charge card - unless you intend to charge casino chips/tokens to it) and ID to get back on the ship when at port. (I understand that the procedure to register your charge/credit card now takes place at check-in – others will no doubt confirm)
You then proceed into the embarkation lounge following a security check (x-ray machine for your hand luggage, etc - rather like an airport) then unlike an airport you then pose for your photograph.
Make sure you look your best and smile - tomorrow your photo along with 1800 other passengers will be on display in the Photo gallery for naughty chaps like me to have a laugh (when you look like I do, stones and glass houses spring to mind)
Embarkation for the majority of passengers start from c.14:30 (although this now starts earlier). You will have already boarded after noon (suite priority) and will be plied with gratis drinks.
When you are called there is then a long walk while you carry your hand luggage along covered walkways that seem to go on for ever.Eventually you suddenly reach a large deck hatch opening and as you step on board it is if you have entered another world.
You will be greeted by an officer or one of the Entertainment team (ENTSs - not be confused with Treebeard from the Lord of the Rings) and, if you require, a white-gloved steward will relieve you of your hand luggage and take you to your cabin via lift or stairs.
WARNING: You will have studied the deck plans for months and you will think you know your way around.
WRONG: The deck plans are in 2 dimensions - the ship is in 3 dimensions.
HOWEVER: within about 24 hours you will know your way around!If you are lucky the steward will take you directly to the cabin. Sometimes the stewards do get lost!
At last your cabin, (with hopefully your luggage outside). Get to know your home for the next xx nights. There will be continuous safety video playing on the TV and your cabin key-card will be in the door with a spare one on the writing desk with all the bumph and info folders. Have a look at today’s issue of the ships newspaper ORIANA TODAY - it will have a nice picture of your well-fed Captain (they usually look as if they have had a few “Captain’s Dinners”) saying "welcome aboard". This will confirm what times all sorts of things are happening today and tonight. The only compulsory thing you must attend is the ships safety briefing held in your muster lounge at c.16:15 (it takes about 30 mins and you will find your muster station location on the back of your cabin door)
Your cabin steward will shortly introduce himself and ask what time you would like to be awakened and whether you prefer Tea / Coffee in the morning.
There will be a card in your cabin confirming your Dinner reservation which will show Restaurant name, sitting and table no. You might like to go down to the restaurant to see what table size and where it is. At about 15:00 the restaurant manager will be on duty and will try to accommodate any changes you might wish to make.
The tablets my Val takes (she is sensitive to motion) are Stugeron. Take 2 c.15:00 (2 hours before sailing) and then 1 every 8 hours until unconsciousness or sleep occurs! You will awake the next day but will probably have missed lunch by the time you wake up.
Now if you are sensible and have brought quite a few garments and suits it will speed unpacking if you packed them at home on hangers. But hey! ... hang the packing let's go and explore the ship.
As I said earlier, afternoon tea is served from c.15:00 in one of the restaurants or self service style in the CONSERVATORY
If it's a lovely April day the prospect of sitting out at the TERRACE BAR afterwards sipping a cocktail of the day or a bottle of champagne is a tempting prospect.
In no time at all bells and announcements will go off requiring you to go to your muster station.
You will need to go back to your cabin and retrieve your life jacket and take it with you.
Once the VERY IMPORTANT safety drill is over (about 16:45) you can then go out on deck and start to enjoy the proceedings regarding departure out on the Promenade Deck. (Of course you might have a port-side balcony cabin in which case you can swank on your own private space).
There is champagne at £2.75 (I think) a glass - good value and a jolly band on the quayside playing Maritime & Military Greatest Hits.
In no time the last lines have been slipped, the last gangway removed and suddenly the bow & stern thruster push this Beautiful ship away to warmer climes. THE CRUISE HAS BEGUN.
The peregrination and twisting down the Southampton Water, Calshot Spit, the dog-turns to starboard then to port, traversing Cowes Roads and then on to the Pilot drop-off takes about over 90 mins.
It is lovely just to sit on the Promenade Deck and watch the last of England slip by. (or in the Crow's Nest Bar if inclement).
And just think your cruise has only just begun.You will have a wonderful time.
You will want to book again as soon as that sad day back in Southampton arrives.
... To be continued ...
Derek “The Monocled Mutineer” Kane
|||||
o Q
<
\__/
|>o<|