The embarkation was chaotic.
We arrived in Southampton at 11.30 and eventually embarked at 1.15.
Southampton was in total gridlock as was the port.
My provided arrival time was 11.15! Our cabin (deck 4) was very nice and relaxing, but the first downside was that we had to request biscuits!
The food generally was mediocre, as was the entertainment – not one interesting talk all cruise.
We had two trips booked one to Santiago de Compostela was good but not enough time was allowed.
The second to the north of Majorca was poor again not enough time.
The trip by boat to the beach was very rough and a number of people were ill.
It should have been aborted.
The beach was full with two boats following us with only just over an hour before departure.
P&O policy seems to be a 5pm at most ports for departure.
With 6000+ passengers the standards of hygiene were poor (there is a very high liklihood of people boarding with a contagious disease).
At the Horizon buffet no one insisted on hand washing, the tables were never sanitised as on other ships.
The attendants wiped the tables (not very well) with the same cloth.
Together with constantly overcrowded lifts there are huge dangers of contamination.
If norovirus or covid where to be embedded in such a large ship it would be disastrous.
Unfortunately for those cruising for decades the standards are dropping in favour of the mass market customers.
We will now only be interested in adult only ships, if we are lucky enough to get a booking.
Sorry about the tone but this trip a bad choice.
Brian Lowe
