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» Cruise Talk   » Cruise Ships   » The Victoria shabby but still afloat

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Author Topic: The Victoria shabby but still afloat
jackieuk
unregistered

posted 04-23-2001 09:55 AM           Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
I wonder if anyone has had any similar experiences to me on the Victoria? Me and my family went for 13 days between 6 April 2001 and 19th. I booked on Victoria because I was so impressed by the Oriana last year, and so thought it would be similar on the Victoria. Well it wasnt... There were three of us me 38, my partner 43 and son 17. The outdoor pools were unfilled for four days, and freezing cold when finally filled - my son said it gave him a headache. I couldnt get in, Im more of a wimp obviously, anyway my days of swimming in Lochs are over. Its not just a whinge - Id expected a similar level of service to that of the Oriana to apply to Victoria, but the reception staff didnt give a stuff that the pools werent filled, and treated me like a complainer. I wouldnt have minded but for us, swimming is part of a holiday, and P&O advertise these ships like 5* luxury. The jacuzzis didnt work either on and off, and the basement pool (indoor) was situated in a kind of cave. The sea was warmer.
Bad things - *boat was 'tired'looking in all areas
*'butlins' style queues to get off into tender, (had to wait one hour in a queue with a 'raffle' ticket)
*closet doors rip holes in clothes
*no pools for four-five days
*'comedy' cruise - the only comedy came from the passengers - the performers were all northern club humor 'sexist''racist' comedians etc, unreconstructed anyway...(yes I do have a sense of humour)
*force 10 gale, with deaths.
*coffee
Good things - *service (of waiters and cabin stewards only)who were sweet and knew how to deal with the public on a consistent level
*food
*ports (hot)

I think it's important that younger people know that about 95% of the clientele is 70+. This isnt to be ageist, but the market of this boat seems to be aimed only at the older customers. P&O should make this clearer in their brochure.

Any way blaa blaa yadda yadda, be interested to know about any other experiences like this...I have written to P&O about the pools thingy, we paid £4000 for three on this ship - I dont think it was cheap.


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desirod7
First Class Passenger
Member # 1626

posted 04-23-2001 11:05 AM      Profile for desirod7     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by jackieuk:
I booked on Victoria because I was so impressed by the Oriana last year, and so thought it would be similar on the Victoria. Well it

Jackie,

You can never re-create the great vacation experience. It is like trying to find the perfect high. I was on the Rembrandt last August and had the time of my life. Trip and ship were not 100%perfect, but the mostly good parts were a near religious experience.

I just got off the SS Norway. I enjoyed the trip and ship, but not nearly the same way as the Rembrandt.

I lower expectations and look for the best.

If the entertainment is bad, I simply walk out. Tendering is chaotic at best and scary in rough waters.

The Victoria is a classic ship and they have quirks with their charm.

Newbuilds are much more practical, but have the personality of a Marriot with Marks and Spencer grafted onto a barge.

Entertainment has nothing to do with the physical ship, Jacuzzi's break on land too.

The Victoria can handle a gale better than any newbuild since she was built as a liner for rough ocean crossings.


Posts: 5727 | From: Philadelphia, Pa [home of the SS United States] | Registered: Oct 2000  |  IP: Logged
James
First Class Passenger
Member # 1351

posted 04-23-2001 12:19 PM      Profile for James   Email James   Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Desirada, I like that critique of the newbuilds: "PERSONALITY OF A MARRIOTT WITH MARKS & SPENCER GRAFTED ONTO A BARGE" That's the finest description I have heard!
Posts: 202 | From: Illinois, Home of Lincoln and great graft | Registered: Jun 2000  |  IP: Logged
jackieuk
unregistered

posted 04-23-2001 12:34 PM           Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
thx for reply desirod6, and the points you made. I agree with you to a large extent that once having been on a great vacation, it's difficult to match it. I suppose the Victoria was the wrong choice for us, but I did want a 'liner' experience rather than a block of flats..I think I expected a liner version of the Oriana. I can't even say the Victoria was shabby chic, it really felt like P&O had given up maintaining it. P&O do cater for a British market as you probably know on these ships, so there isnt much diversity. The 95% over 75 age group didnt add to the holiday ambience, most people retired to bed by 10 ish, and even on the one party night that was had, there were literally only five or six people dancing. Four of them were the teen youth group!,and me and my partner. At one point I'd hoped that the crew might join in to make it more lively! I think P&O should make clear what they are selling in their brochure, after all they are trading on an experience. Even with the old liners (I travelled on a Shaw Saville boat called the Northern Star when I was a kid) the pools were filled. I didnt actually use the jacuzzis, but a few other people tried, and the water was freezing cold on them too. Anyway, I shouldnt go on, Im getting boring, suffice it to say that although I knew I was booking on an antique boat I hadnt expected it to be literally stuck in a time-warp...
later, jackie

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sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-23-2001 01:39 PM      Profile for sympatico     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Funnily enough, today I received a letter from my UK friends and they sailed on the Victoria recently...all they said was they embarked in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, which is guess is Feb. They have been on the ship before, however said nothing about it this time. I will reply to their letter and ask them how they found the ship. Usually they point out all the good and the bad about the ships they are on.
Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99  |  IP: Logged
jackieuk
unregistered

posted 04-23-2001 01:42 PM           Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Hi sympatico, thx, it would be interesting to hear whether they had a different experience. Maybe the force ten gale didnt help set the scene on our cruise. The ship performed well in it, but it wasnt a welcome start to the vacation. later, jackie
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Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 04-23-2001 02:13 PM      Profile for Malcolm @ cruisepage     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by jackieuk:
The 95% over 75 age group didnt add to the holiday ambience, most people retired to bed by 10 ish...

I had a similar experience on the Black Watch last year, however we still had a great time. The Victoria' s passengers tend to be the same set as Fred.Olsen's.

You should read the two reviews of the Black Watch in the "Readers Review" section - she's either a classic ship or a rusty old tub, take your pick!

I had heard that Victoria is very well maintained compared to other ships of a similar age? I suppose that it is all down to expectations and comparisons?


Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago!  |  IP: Logged
jackieuk
unregistered

posted 04-23-2001 02:49 PM           Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Hi Malcolm,
Thx for that, Ill take a look at those reviews. I don't have any other older ship to compare this one to. I know that people are nostaligic about the Victoria and also ships like it, so I get your point about people either liking it or loathing it! I don't have a romantic leaning enough to ignore it's faults! later, jackie

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sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 05-08-2001 10:14 AM      Profile for sympatico     Send New Private Message      Edit/Delete Post  Reply With Quote 
Jackie - Yesterday I received a reply to my letter to my friends who sailed on the Victoria over the Christmas/New Year holidays. I really don't want to go into the whole letter here as it is too long and as you have not listed your e-mail address, for even a private message, the only thing I will quote from their letter is the following:
"It seems to me that she made quite the wrong choice of holiday, if, as she says "swimming" is a major holiday interest. Why choose a 13 day cruise to the Canaary Islands which obviously involves 8/9 days crossing and recrossing the Bay of Biscay in early April. That part of the Atlantic nearly always has a heavy swell (and she cites a Force 10 gale) so swimming pools are not filled as the "end to end slop" makes them unsafe to use.
You must remember the Victoria is over 30 years old and should not be compared to the Oriana"

He also feels that the price you paid was a verygood one as the cheapest cabin on that particular cruise was $2000 pd/s per person, whereas you paid $4000 pd/s for 3 of you."

My friend is a long time cruiser with P&O and Orient lines and really knows what he is talking about.

Please don't yell at me, if you don't like what he has to say - this is his opinion and not mine.
Diane


Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99  |  IP: Logged

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