As ORIANA under goes her multimillion pound refit we look back in our latest Cruise Experience at cruising on board her after her previous refit in the winter of 2006.
29th May 2007
Driving towards Southampton on a clear late spring day the feelings I felt were anticipation and excitement after 11 months I was once again returning to P&O’s elegant liner ORIANA.
After a successful first experience the prospect of returning for a longer cruise on board was an exciting thought.
With thoughts of the time we had the year before the hour drive seemed to pass relatively quickly.
Since we had last been on board there had been some slight modifications made to ORIANA during her winter refit with The Curzon Room venue being converted into a 96 seat restaurant ORIANA Rhodes with menus created by celebrity chef Gary Rhodes.
The Lords Tavern had been extended into the neighbouring space which had been occupied by Jackpots the slot machine venue and the slot machines being moved into the Casino.
It would be interesting to see if the new addition and alterations would make any difference to the ambiance on board the ship.
Externally ORIANA was also sporting the new P&O Cruises logo and most prominently was the change of the port of registry to Hamilton capital of the British overseas territory of Bermuda to allow weddings aboard.
Although many of P&O’s fans had been making something of a fuss about the reregistering I doubted that it really affected the cruise experience after all the Red ensign still flew from the ship’s stern.
For me there were still some areas of ORIANA that I had yet to enjoy fully such as Harlequins and also the Conservatory which apart from visiting very briefly we hadn’t really used.
Other thoughts were of the time we had previously on board, of the service, the surrounding and how they were not at all imposing or garish but elegant and welcoming and instead of such novelties such as 3D cinemas, rock-climbing walls or surf simulators ORIANA offered a traditional ocean liner ambiance but with all the modern amities of a top class hotel.
Continuing towards the dock we could tell that we were getting near the docks with the help of electronic signs with the word ORIANA illuminated and a directional arrow.
Keeping my eyes peeled ORIANA appeared on the horizon amongst the buildings and cranes of the docks.
Although not all of ORIANA was visible enough of her was visible to see that she was dressed overall and small amount of smoke was lazily emitted from her buff funnel which seemed to glow in the late morning sunshine.
Drawing nearer the terminal we could see that even before midday many of ORIANA’s passengers were already there and placing their luggage at the hatch for it to be taken on board.
Arriving at the checkpoint the security guard directed us towards of the drop off area and as soon as our luggage deposited we made our way to the check in hall and joined the back of the queue.
Much like the previous year the room was full of waiting passengers of all ages from the elderly couples who must have cruised literally hundreds of times before to young families and their children who were excited at the adventure of going on board cruise ship and traveling to far reaching destinations.
With the time approaching midday check in began in much of the same manner to the year before.
With all desks open the queue began to quickly move which with more passengers arriving all the time was fortunate.
Reaching the desk and presenting all the relevant documents the process began; with tickets presented the process began, firstly filling a short health questionnaire and ending with being presented with our cruise cards.
For this cruise we would be once again in an inside cabin on C deck our this time C119 located again on the starboard side fairly near previous one.
Unlike the previous cruise the cruise there was no waiting in the departure lounge instead once cleared through the security it was straight up the escalator (with the option of having a photograph being taken before hand) and up onto the enclosed gangway.
Winding our way around the gangway we finally reached ORIANA’s side door where we waited as the security personnel finished taking photos of passengers as officially for the first time this cruise they were sighed in as being on board.
While waiting I was looking to through the gangway’s side at ORIANA, above the promenade deck with its lifeboats.
Now it was only moments until we boarded and as we did was escorted to one of the check points as we were processed and finally ready to begin proper our cruise.
Once on board we were given copy of ORIANA’s newspaper.
And it seemed that we would be sailing with a familiar face at the helm since ORIANA’s Captain during the cruise was Hamish Reid.
After all the excitement of driving to Southampton, check in and security checks it was good to finally be on board and to add to the relaxing atmosphere above from Tiffany’s piano music filled the air.
Being greeted by a steward we were directed to the forward lifts and took it up to Deck 12 the Lido deck.
Walking aft first out onto the Riviera Pool and further the Crystal Pool, both had sun loungers arranged neatly round them waiting for passengers to occupy them.
Finally we reached the Conservatory Buffet and we found quickly a table near the portside windows.
With our buffet meal collected from the various service points we settled down at our window seat to enjoy the view over Southampton.
Having only used The Conservatory once before for a brief meal I was taking the opportunity to take note in more detail the surroundings of the room and looking out over Southampton.
In part the thoughts of the views it would be possible to see from here during our cruise perhaps some of the things I had read about like mountains such as Mount Teide on Tenerife or perhaps the different coloured sands of Lanzarote whatever sight the cruise was going to have to offer ORIANA was surly going to be an elegant way to see them.
By its nature a buffet restaurant is not most refined of places with the food/lack of service being often unfavourably compared to that of a roadside service station.
Indeed I had read several reviews of ORIANA since our first cruise which pointed out The Conservatory being the weak point of the ship,
However from the observations I had made at the time I had not thought it to be a bad experience.
So in taking the opportunity of the buffet lunch I was making my own mind up on how the faired as a dining venue and as someone who very rarely has buffet meals I found it to be of excellent quality both in terms of the surroundings which, as the name suggests, gave the feeling of an airy conservatory attached to country house with mural panels offering a “view” over country garden or alternatively as we were doing the full height windows offered a view to the world outside ORIANA.
When we had boarded we had been given a card with saying that cabins would not be ready until 2pm and with lunch being served until 3pm there really was more than enough time to enjoy it at our own pace.
When we had finished there was still about 45 minutes left before the cabins were ready so it was time to reacquaint ourselves with ORIANA and to take a look at the changes which had been made.
Firstly we made our way down to deck 8 and took a look at ORIANA Rhodes.
The room had been something of point of contention among ORIANA’s fans with some thinking the addition was an excellent one whereas others believed that it added nothing new to the ship and instead took away by no longer offering a dedicated piano recital venue.
In term of the room’s décor it appeared to be exactly as it had been in its previous role still containing the elegant embroideries and the elegant chandeliers.
Combined with the Tiffany’s I thought it would make an excellent dinner venue beginning with a pre-dinner drink in Tiffany’s under the beautiful glass ceiling before moving into the Restaurant for dinner.
Leaving and taking the nearby atrium staircase we moved down onto the promenade deck and took the corridor down to the extended Lords Tavern which in my opinion had benefited from being enlarged and thankfully the extended area blended in perfectly with the room, for passengers who had never been on board before I doubted they would have any idea that the room been any different.
And since we were here in this stylish sports bar a refreshing drink seemed the perfect way to settle in on board.
It seemed that it was not only ORIANA’s just boarded passengers who were enjoying the atmosphere of the room since several of ORIANA’s officers were also enjoying some free time.
As had been predicated the cabins were ready by 2pm and as soon as the announcement was made we made our way to the cabin, the route being almost the same as the previous year.
Reaching it the key card was in the door, going inside we found it to be a similar design as the one a year before and every bit as welcoming.
On the side table the introduction book to ORIANA was open at the welcome page having been updated from 2006 the book offered a introduction of life on board including a list of internal phone numbers for everything from the room service to the laundry service as well as plenty more information.
The entertainment guide was interesting reading and gave a good introduction to what we were to expect during our cruise including Chef Gary Rhodes giving a cooking demonstration in the Theatre Royal.
According to the dining card we would be once again dining in The Peninsular Restaurant on the starboard side and on a table for 6, this I thought was going to be interesting.
We were soon introduced to our cabin steward for this cruise Hilary who guided us through the emergency drill procedure and where to go for the drill.
Unsurprisingly our muster station was in the Anderson’s where it had been the year before making for a route which I remembered well.
Then came the unpacking, something of a chore more than a delight but a necessity but one made easier by the cabins generous amount wardrobe and storage space.
Although taking a while we did eventually complete it and once it was sorted made our way back out onto ORIANA’s open decks.
It felt that the Canary Island sun had arrived in Southampton to make prepare ORIANA for the weather she was to expect during her cruise much to the pleasure of her passengers who now were already paddling around her pools and making use of the sun loungers on both the sun and promenade decks, sun before even leaving Southampton surly that was a good omen!
It was interesting while standing at the promenade deck rail watching all the activity on the dock side preparing ORIANA for her departure with supplies being examined by sniffer dogs before being loaded on board via the loading doors in the ships sides while on her starboard side ORIANA was taking on fuel from bunker tanker ship WHITONIA.
With the time fast approaching 3:50 pm I returned to the cabin to grab the lifebelts.
Although not the most interesting of aspect of the cruise as Captain Reid reminded us it was that the information was important so our attention was greatly appreciated.
It was exactly the same as before and room was just as crowded as the first we had done performed the drill last year.
After the talk through by the Captain and the trying on of lifejackets passengers were making their way back to their cabins putting their lifejackets back.
Back on the promenade the passengers were beginning to gather in anticipation of the sail away which scheduled for 5pm however beforehand starting from 4:45pm on the quayside the Festival Jazz band were going to play ORIANA off on her way.
Reaching the promenade deck the just as the band started to play we were given some union jack flags to wave and as we reached the rail the band was just striking up.
Beginning with songs such as New York ,New York and Hello Dolly the music really added to the party atmosphere helped I was sure by champagne being served by the waiters and waitresses walking up and down the promenade.
By now anyone who didn’t already have a space at the rail was unlikely to be able to get there as it seemed from where I was standing all possible space was filled it was fortunate that ORIANA’s was generously wide, a feature that is lacking in many of the ‘floating apartment block’ mega ships.
With the band now in full swing Captain Reid made his announcement regarding departure, with time at 4:55 pm and ORIANA’s pre departure safety checks completed she was now ready to sail all that remained was to signal up on her lines.
Giving some detailed information regarding ORIANA’s planned movements over the next hours he concluded by encouraging those who hadn’t already to go out on deck and enjoy the sail away.
Shortly after his speech concluded the gangway was moved out of position at the ships side and slowly the ships ropes began to be removed from the bollards as the stevedores let go the ropes and ORIANA hauled them back inboard.
A little after ORIANA’s horn blew much to signalling her departure both the crowds on the decks and those on the quayside and the observation area of the terminal waved and cheered enthusiastically as ORIANA thrusted away from her berth.
As she moved away from the crowds flag enthusiasm grew and the band with the band still playing it made for quite an unforgettable scene, one I think that everyone should experience at least once.
After reaching far enough out from the berth ORIANA slowly began moving ahead the cruise was well and truly under way.
Leaving the berth and eventually Southampton behind and with time moving on we went below to prepare for dinner.
Scenes from departure.
Being the first night the dress code was causal making the preparation relatively straight forward just changing into a smart shirt and trousers before heading down the corridor towards the lifts.
Taking the lifts down and walking through to the atrium the shops had now opened and passengers on their way to dinner and those who would be dining later on 2nd sitting were browsing.
As I was walking down the corridor the thoughts occurring were of how good it was to be here again doing all of this.
No sooner had we arrived at the entrance than the doors were opened and for the first time on this cruise dinner was served, our table was number 8 on the starboard side right near the window.
Taking our seats only time would tell what our table companions were going to be like before however we met them we were introduced to our waiters for the cruise Jaoa and Blaise both of who were very polite and offered us each a menu which made for some very ‘delicious’ reading, in the 11 months or so since our first experience on board ORIANA I had missed looking at such mouth-watering menus.
While reading our wait to be introduced to our table companions ended a family of four whom after introductions seemed to be quite pleasant certainly made dinner interesting with their discussion about cruising on board QE2 and Fred. Olsen’s BLACK WATCH.
The food was absolutely 1st class as it had been the first time, from the presentation to the taste the meal was excellent far better than any restaurant I had eaten in, it was good to be back on board I thought.
To complement the dinner we were recommend by our Wine Waiter Aggie Mateus a Portuguese medium sweet Rosé wine as well as fitting the meal well and also somewhat in keeping with the origins of the company.
Slowly, so as to savour the food, the meal came to its end and amongst the joyful first evening on board atmosphere bid a good evening to our table companions and headed off to enjoy the evening entertainment.
Having enjoyed the theatre entertainment on the first cruise and with the introduction show about to begin we chose to begin the evening’s entertainment on board with that before visiting for the first time while in use Harlequins where guest band Natural High was playing for a welcome on board dance.
Arriving in Harlequins after watching the excellent welcome show we at first noticed that the lead singer of the band had changed since the year before.
At first there were only a few passengers on the dance floor and since the 2nd sitting of dinner was still being served the room was fairly empty.
The room however began quite quickly to fill and soon there was many joining in with the dancing on the dance floor, not being much of a dancer to in any way shape or form I refrained from even attempting any moves instead opting to take advantage of the bar service on offer, the main question being of course what was on offer to drink?
Having only had brief look in Harlequins before when the room was not in use it was interesting to see the difference in the room’s ambiance when in use and to see the difference styles of dance being practiced it was quite good to watch as passengers who seemed to struggle with everyday movement suddenly moving across the floor in with lots of energy and enthusiasm.
As we sat we were joined by a couple of first time cruisers who were very friendly and learning about the experience of cruising as we talked we shared some of the experiences from the year before and they were enjoying in listing as well as enjoying finding their way through the cocktail and drinks list, although to be fair most in the room who enjoyed having a drink and good time were enjoying the cocktails.
Having such a good time the hours seemed to fly by and before long the time was approaching midnight and the dance gave way to the late night disco almost flawlessly so effective was the room at being a venue for various styles of entertainment.
Taking a walk shortly after the disco began on the promenade deck it was a fabulous experience to be walking the teak deck, beyond the hand rail it impossible to see anything except perhaps the occasional light somewhere far off in the distance and from the bow the sound of bow ploughing through the water.
Going back inside there was one venue that we intended to visit before retiring for the night The Crow’s Nest.
As the night ended in the pleasant surroundings of The Crow’s Nest we had some music to complete the first night as our first day at sea on a cruise lay ahead.
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