This was my 30th cruise with P&O, around forty each for my wife and her sister.
Having booked over two years ago and subsequently been disappointed with the continuing cruise by cruise drop in standards on P&O we did board thinking it could be our last and so it has proved to be – since booking with have had three further cruises with P&O and three with other lines and all of the latter were to our satisfaction.
We did actually enjoy the cruise – hence three stars rather than two or one, but in the past four and five stars would have been the norm with P&O, and it could have been so much better.
The attraction with this cruise was the range of different ports, Mortil, Tarragona and Olbia were all new to us and Sorrento new as a cruise port.
For some reason we were scheduled three sea days to Cadiz rather than the normal two and progress was so slow.
The weather was decent and the dolphins playful but why the extra day? Sorry, save fuel, save money! Mortil disappointed – a nice park but not much else, we liked Tarragona and Olbia too although surely we should have had a shuttle bus there as the walk was half an hour.
We were already aware from last year no more shuttle buses in Lisbon.
Cost again! Tendering at Sorrento in thunder, lightening and heavy rain was paused several times due to a heavy swell but we enjoyed our visit.
Mixed in with all these we also visited Santa Margerita – hugely disappointed our five hour tour was cut to four hours 12 minutes, lots of complaints but Shore Excursions could not see (did not want to see) the problem, similar response when the ‘Rome on Your Own’ drop off, whilst handy if people wanted the Colliseaum was over two miles from St Peter’s which we reached by Taxi.
There were some very good Guest Speakers and Entertainment was on the whole very good too, both Headliners (company size cut from the long standing thirteen to eleven, more cost cutting), and Guest Artists.
Dining, the new menus were in play but sadly on every night it was difficult to find something reasonably plain as many dishes were spiced – and Marcos Formal Night Menus were even worse to choose from – and no longer a sorbet course on a formal night.
The main dining room lunch menus offer a very poor choice (consequently we lunched ashore in the ports and mainly in the buffet at sea).
Missing this year were the in cabin TV guide which always used to be and should be provided.
There were no fruit salads on the breakfast buffet and no jacket potatoes on the lunch buffet.
As for the Ship’s phographers, they were invisible until we saw one (two actually) at the Lisbon sailway on the 16th evening – they stayed for about 10 minutes then disappeared.
They did not attend Peninsular Club or other social events nor visit the dining rooms, no embarkation photos, no gangway photos, not sure how they expected to do any business at all, just along for the jolly, really they were not worth having on board.
We spoke to a good number of seasoned cruisers and most like us are disappointed with the direction P&O have been going and are either already looking at and trying different cruise lines or minded to do so.
One or two are staying ‘loyal’, maybe too comfortable in their old slippers despite them falling apart.
I dont’ think P&O care and the irony of the slogan ‘Holiday like never before’ goes right over their heads and it appears they are focused on the mass holiday market and ignore the discerning cruisers who are looking for a quality experience.
Cruising with P&O used to be special, not now.
So after my 30 cruises, 402 nights, and 186 port calls at 102 inidvidual ports, it is farewell P&O and thanks for the memories over the years but the more recent ones are tainted.
Through Bolsover Cruise Club we have two cruises booked in 2026 with two of the lines we have tried in the past 14 months, Cunard and Fred Olsen, both far superior to what P&O provided nowadays.
We also enjoyed what Princess offered and received several recommendations for Celebrity and SAGA.
