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![2022-10-06 11:27:19]()
We have cruised with P & O many times on different ship including Aurora. We were disappointed to find that P & O have made a lot of cutbacks since our last cruise. Cabins were "tired" and needed refurbishment, evening turn-out has been done away with, food menus in the Medina restaurant have been severely cut back on - not such a choice of dishes and also quality not as good. Whilst serving staff were very good we observed that because of shortages they were really stretched with what they were expected to do. A lot of the serving staff seemed to be in the process of being trained on-the-job by the more experience staff. Overall, our experience did not meet up with our expectations and we felt that we did not get value for money, especially bearing in mind that prices have increased substantially as a result of Covid. Also, The P & O app which we were required to use onboard for booking restaurant, theatre seats, and account checking did work properly.
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![2022-10-03 20:03:26]()
It was our first cruise post Covid and maybe a little disappointing. We found the ship to be nice but there were so many cutbacks. All the niceties have gone, there were no body lotions, no shower caps no face cloths. Not having a turndown at night wasn’t a problem to us. The only real setback was the food that bordered on canteen food, gone were the days when you could have delicious choices, most of it was very bland and very little choice unless you were a vegan or vegetarian. The desserts left a lot to be desired and most nights we had ice cream.
We found food to be much better in the Horizon, at least you got a selection.
Four days before we disembarked we both caught Covid but P & O looked after us in isolation and were very generous and gave us FCC.
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![2022-10-03 18:16:15]()
Whilst the food and the entertainment provided was the usual really top notch we were very disappointed with the following
the 45 minute queuing for the freedom dinning
the time spent in the English Channel due not being able to dock at Amsterdam ( due to lock repairs ) whist an attempt was made to take us to an alternative Dutch port to get all the passengers to Amsterdam on the night before we docked we found out via the captain that there were not going to be enough buses to take us there as planned so we had to go back to where we started to set off again for a substitute port namely Zeebrugge so we could go to Brugge if we wanted to
This cruise was not what we signed up for as we specifically wanted to go to Amsterdam
Whilst they provided £100 on board credit for us to use what I am struggling to know is why they didnt know about Amsterdam lock repairs before we left Southampton docks
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![2022-07-03 14:26:42]()
Had great time , enjoyed and it is memorable cruise experience.
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![2022-06-09 17:10:32]()
This was the second cruise for Aurora after covid, things were definitely different onboard but staff were their usual friendly and helpful selves, and we thoroughly enjoyed it
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![2022-06-09 15:48:42]()
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I contacted Covid whilst on the cruise as did many others. Not enough testing done. Had there been testing every 3 days there would have been less cases and not so costly for P&O. Food disappointing, I expected better from P&O
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Our first cruise with P&O. The experience was somewhat marred by the fact that our original cruise on Arcadia was cancelled on the Friday before we were due to leave the following Monday. However, our fantastic travel agent (Regent Travel in Stone Staffs) quickly booked us on another (on Aurora) due to leave a day later. It turned out to be better as we had not been to any of the destinations before. Covid testing was well organised although waiting for permission to board was an anxious time. We were very pleased with the ship (not too big) although the fact that some cabins had been reserved for Covid reasons meant that some corridors were blocked off which meant a slightly longer journey to and from our cabin. Food was very good although we found the evening menu a little repetitive. Service was good. We were somewhat disappointed with the on-board activities; there were no organised deck games such as on Olsen lines, nor were there any speakers talking about the next port to be visited. There was an excellent series of talks by an ex Marine who had served in the Falklands campaign but one of the other speakers was very poor. We went to two or three of the evening shows which were good but having to wear masks was rather trying and hot. Excursions were quite good, especially Santorini, Athens and particularly an olive farm near Kata Kolon, Greece. Yes, we would probably try P&O again to see whether things improve as Covid recedes, but not on one of their huge ships.
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An enjoyable cruise on our favourite ship, P&O’s Aurora to one of our favourite destinations - the Baltic. Whilst we had been to Skagen (Denmark), Copenhagen, Tallinn (Estonia); St.Petersburg (Russia - cruises won’t be going there for a while!) & Oslo before - all nice places to visit, we were excited to be going to several new ports - Gdynia in Poland with excursions to Gdańsk (a lovely city) and Sopot (an upmarket resort), Klaipeda in Lithuania, and Kristiansand (on the southern tip of Norway). The only disappointment of the cruise was that we didn’t land at Visby, an island off Sweden - we came within 100 yds of the pier but the wind was too strong to Dock. We had very strong Force 7 increasing to Force 9 winds when we left Klaipeda but Aurora coped with the conditions very well, so no problem!
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Staff rude at bars serving men before women cabin attendant kept moving my things around when he had no need to touch them. Staff on disembarkation rude at every port. Not an enjoyable week !!!
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This was a cheap additional cruise to the Canaries, slotted in when Aurora returned to cruising early. As per the current Covid Regs, at the terminal my luggage was taken up to the hole in the wall while my taxi driver fetched me an assistance helper. He wheeled me across the road for a lateral flow test and for my documents to be checked – vaccination certificate, insurance, boarding pass and health clearance. Then I went back to the assistance waiting are for a text with my results. Once I was cleared to embark there was another short wait for security to open and then I was wheeled on board. The new procedure is to go straight to your muster station and have your card scanned so they know you know where it is, then to collect a cruise card from your cabin. To go to the Loyalty Lunch, I was also supposed to collect my invitation from the cabin. It soon became clear, I was the first to board and on the ship, no-one was ready! After waiting at Masquerade for ages, I was taken to my cabin to leave my hand luggage and collect my cruise card etc. Finally, my card was scanned and I could go to the Alexandria Restaurant. It was back to being a buffet meal, but with very free-flowing alcohol. Luggage took a long time to arrive and, more worryingly, my rollator didn’t appear, but made it before dinner.
Our dining allocation was for club dining on a table for 8. In the event, two ladies turned up, saw the table size and asked to move, leaving us with one other couple. We had great conversations and fun for the duration of the cruise. A word about dinner – the always available options have gone. Steak and salmon are always on every dinner menu but very little chicken and no melon starter. Instead, there are three plant-based options – two veggie, and one vegan, two meat and two fish.
One positive aspect of reducing numbers in the theatre to maintain social distancing, is having 3 shows a night. This means you can go to the early show, have a drink, dinner and then maybe a different show at 10.30pm or the syndicate quiz. The thirds day was the first of three Gala or Celebration Nights, although no cocktail party due to Covid. Instead, we were given vouchers for a glass of champagne, red or white wine, beer or a soft drink. This we drank in the Crows Next where the captain came round and chatted to everyone.
On port days we had cabin breakfast, as the £2.50 delivery charge is suspended while Covid regs are in place I suppose.
I was very impressed with the new Headliners shows. The only one on this cruise I have seen before is Destination Dance (delayed until final day).
In conclusion – cruising post Covid
Pros: I really like 3 shows a night as you can see 2 every evening, or go to the syndicate quiz, even if on second sitting.
Cons: Why was there piped music everywhere on deck now, even on the promenade deck! No voyage log, no evening turndown, no port guides or presenter. Solos meet unhosted, deck games unhosted. Mainly, though I am not keen on the new dinner menus. The ‘always available’ options have gone. I eat largely vegetarian at home but I missed chicken, which we only had one night. However, I really enjoyed the cruise. The crew were lovely and so pleased to be back at work. The weather was perfect – warm, sunny and the seas mostly flat calm.
