What To Do in the First Few Hours On A P&O Cruise

I did my research, wrote down the names and addresses of all the best cafes and places to visit and even revised my knowledge of the history of Norway. The day finally arrived, we were going on a cruise!

Britannia, P&O’s flagship is a large ship but I was not ready for just how big as we drew up to to the cruise terminal. Insert huge gasp! 

I have read quite a few blogs about what to expect on the first day of your cruise (I can see you rolling your eyes at me) but many leave out any information about the embarkation process, so I thought that I would. This only applies to P&O Cruises though as the embarkation can vary between companies....or at least I think so but this is my first ever cruise so I wouldn't really know.....

Your embarkation time depends on which deck your cabin is. Lower decks board the ship first while the higher decks, like deck C where we were staying, go on board later in the afternoon. 

When we pulled into the dock gate, the Cruise Parking Service directed us where to go and wait and wait and wait. 

Eventually, the queue of cars thinned so we were able to drive round to the front of the terminal where a porter loaded our bags onto the ship and the valet parking service drove the car away. We were then free to stroll into the terminal building.

On entering the terminal we were all given a coloured, lettered card which dictated when we could check in, have our credit or debit cards scanned and receive our cruise card. 

The cruise card is basically your identification on the ship and is scanned every time you get off and on at the port stops so that the crew always know who is on board and who isn’t. (The ship won’t wait for latecomers though so make sure you are on board in plenty of time before the ship leaves the dock.) 

Your cruise card is also the key to your room and can be used to pay for extras like drinks and spa sessions which are not included in your package, so try not to lose it or forget it in your room like I did quite a few times.

After check-in, it was time to head through security. Cruise security is pretty much exactly like the security process at an airport but the main difference is that you are not restricted to carrying only 100ml of liquids in your hand luggage. 

Due to a fire alarm having been set off on the ship earlier in the day, the whole embarkation process had been delayed which pushed back the time of the muster drill. 

Jolly good, just enough time to find the cabin and dump our hand luggage. Hey look at that, our main luggage had arrived and was waiting outside the room. 

The muster alarm is a full security drill that is mandatory for the whole ship and demonstrates exactly what you should do if there is a Titanic moment and we hit an iceberg or something else goes wrong. It also meant that we all had a chance to locate and try on our life jackets.

Once this was over, our holiday could begin! 

With so much choice with what to do, the question was, where to start? 

Many blogs and even the cruising series with Jane McDonald have told me that I absolutely must not miss the ‘sail away’ but guess what kids….I did. 

If you are confused by P&O’s freedom or select dining options then let me tell you, so was I... who are we kidding... I still am. 

There are 10 restaurants and places to eat on the Britannia and 5 of those are included in the cruise price. 

We selected freedom dining which meant that we were free to eat at any time. Yet as we found out this didn’t mean that you could pop in and any restaurant and try them all.

The dining card in your cabin shows which restaurant is yours for the week and we were allocated the Peninsular. 

this is actually the glasshouse just to be confusing

A five-course dinner later and feeling decidedly stuffed, we headed over to the Headliner’s Theatre for a dazzling she of Broadway songs in ‘I’ve Got The Music In Me.’ 

Fun fact: 90% of the costumes used in the performance were designed by the team behind Strictly Come Dancing. 

What To Pack For A Norwegian Fjords Cruise In May

When I first googled ‘What To Pack For A Cruise’ I realised that quite a lot of people go cruising around the Caribbean so what they need to pack isn’t really necessary when you are going to Norway…even if it is in May. 

Whilst I haven't quite nailed the itinerary choices for our trip (still debating about whether or not to go kayaking, *update* I am going kayaking)  choosing what to pack seems a much more pressing issue so I thought that I’d put together this little guide on what to pack if you are going on a Norwegian Fjords cruise in May. 

Evening wear 

In the past cruise liners had quite strict dress codes but it’s much more relaxed now and the dress code only applies to the evening. 

On our P&O cruise, there are two types of evening dress codes that apply after 6pm: evening casual and black tie.

So what exactly do you mean when you say black tie? 

Black Tie

P&O Cruises are one of the cruise liners who still uphold the tradition of black tie nights where everyone on the ship dresses up for the occasion. 

For her: 

Think glamorous evening wear: from ball gowns to cocktail dress and smart trouser suits. Dress to impress and you can’t go wrong. 

For Him:

Black tie for men normally means tuxedos and dinner jackets. If you don’t have a tuxedo in your wardrobe don’t fret because dark lounge or business suits, worn with a tie, are also accepted. 

Evening Casual 

First, they use the ambiguous term ‘evening casual’ and then to explain it the website says ‘leisure/resort wear’…yeah sure, let's just replace an ambiguous term with another one, shall we? 

For him:

Full-length trousers and a shirt or polo shirt. You can wear a jacket and tailored trousers but no shorts! Smart, dark wash denim is allowed but lighter washes are not.  

Other things to avoid include tracksuits, trainers, slogan t-shirts and football shirts

For her:

Tailored trousers and a cute blouse will work really well for this look as will smart, dark wash jeans but as mentioned for men; lighter washes are a no-no in the dining room.

If a dress is more your style go for a skater cut or a tea dress. Save the ball gown for the black tie night.

I might leave the pink tights at home this time

The ship’s dress code, as I’ve mentioned applies from 6pm onwards in most restaurants and bars, for those who are over 18. 

Flip flops, shorts, sleeveless tops and blue or worn denim are not permitted in the evenings. 

And at all times you shouldn’t wear a swimming costume in the lounges, restaurants or inside bars

Daytime 

There is no set dress code enforced on board during the day but helpful hints include wearing flat , comfortable shoes around the ship - because it's quite big you see.

And don’t forget a lightweight jacket for those cooler evenings.

Just For Norway 

From the 14th May until the 29th July Norway is often known as the ‘land of the midnight sun’ (good thing that we’ve got an inside cabin then) so whilst you might want to stay sitting out on deck watching the world go by, remember that the weather can be unpredictable with sudden cold winds and rain being quite common. 

Packing essentials

1. A waterproof, windproof jacket 
2. Layers, lots of layers. With jumpers and hoodies being a must.
3. A warm jacket like a micro-fibre or fleece 
4. Closed toed shoes with a good grip
5. An umbrella - just in case
6. Slather up the sun cream

Only a few weeks to go until I walk in the footsteps of Lyra Belacqua, I wonder if I'll meet Iorek Byrnison. 

Things you should know before going your first cruise.

Hello little blog, long time no see. 

As some of you may know, I’m going on a cruise in a month’s time, my first ever cruise and to say that I was excited would be the understatement of the century.

Choose your ship wisely

The cruise company and even the ship you choose can greatly impact your holiday as they each offer something different. Some are adult-only, others are family friendly and great for kids whilst cruises like Saga and Fred. Olsen is pretty exclusively for an older clientele. My mother, father and I are going on a P&O Cruise on the Britannia. This is a ‘Food Heroes’ themed cruise and we will be joined on board by Eric Lanlard. 

This is the perfect cruise for a foodie like myself as not only will I joining Eric Lanlard in the kitchen for a masterclass with the Cake Boy himself but will also be going on an additional baking course and have afternoon tea at the Epicurean on our final sea day.

Research the ports.

Much like if you are going on a city break or a weekend away, your time in port can be very limited. Most of the time you’ll arrive in a town in the morning and then leave in the early evening the very same day. It's therefore worth doing your research before you go and having a plan in mind. 

Our week-long cruise to the Norwegian Fjords will be stopping at Stavanger, Alesund, Olden and Bergen and I am looking forward to visiting the ‘Swords In Rock’ monument in Stavanger and Rosenkrantz tower in Bergen. 

Take ID ashore

When you go across border lines whilst on board you do not get your passport checked in real time. At least I hope not, I don’t fancy being woken up at 2am because we have arrived in Norway. 

Instead, passport checks (and sometimes bag scans) happen when you go ashore so make sure to remember your passport and all other travel documents before leaving the cabin. 

Inside Cabins are a good choice for first-time cruisers.

Picking a cabin for the cruise can be a sticking point for many. After all, a balcony has outside space and is often bigger. BUT its also a lot more expensive, sometimes three times more so than an indoor cabin!

As a first time cruiser you need to ask yourself, is it really worth it? How much time am I going to spend in my cabin anyway? 

The way I look at it there are 3 main reasons why an inside cabin is best for the first time cruiser:

1. You are only really going to use your cabin when you sleep - with so much stuff to do and explore on the ship, do you want to be cooped up in your cabin?
2. Good for those who need a blackout to sleep. - If like me, you need complete blackness to sleep then an inside cabin is best. There isn't a window so you won’t be woken up with the rising sun
3. Sit down your rocking the boat. - No seriously. Your inside cabin is going to situated in a more central part of the ship which means less rocking. Great for landlubbers and less chance of getting seasick….at least in your cabin.

You can get seasick.

*Spoiler Alert* you are on a ship and that means that you can get seasick. 

Top tips for avoiding this that I’ve seen include; 

1. looking out of the window, or failing that because you have an inside cabin and don’t have a window,
2. turn on the TV in your cabin and choose the ships camera option
3. Go to the ship’s medical centre and ask for an injection of Phenergan.

Other useful tips include:

1. Take your own tea bags, especially if you are partial to a certain type of brew. I’ve heard it said that a lot of cruise liners stock Lipton’s so if you are a Yorkshire Tea kind of gal you better pack some tea bags.
2. Bring an extension lead, this may come in handy if you have many things that you want to plug in, or if there are a few of you sharing a cabin.
3. As soon as you board, locate your life vest and try it on. Then you can ask for a replacement before it’s too late.
4. Most cruise ships will provide you with a daily program with a full list of what’s happening on board including any classes, theatre shows, discos and kid’s clubs. It's a good idea to keep this on you at all times, even when going off the ship so that you can stay in the know with what’s on.