P&O?
Tom
1. Can anybody share general experiences with them? How do they compare to
other mainline cruise companies?
2. It seems that they only grudgingly carry North Americans. It appears
that one needs to make one's own air arrangements. Correct? Comments?
3. It appears that the Arcadia is being retired after March. Where is it
going?
4. Was P&O sold to Carnival along with Princess, or was Princess separated
off and sold?
Thanks,
Tom
user1
"Tom" <t...@nospam.please> wrote in message
news:axAD9.12845$ro.4...@news2.west.cox.net...
Tom & Linda
as a hostile takeover, which was ultimately approved by P&O/Princess'
board (one may deduce to line their pockets???).
P&O/Princess was actually spun off from parent freight company P&O some
time back.
--Tom <--- who will be canceling our open booking made on Grand Princess
this summer (no desire to give P&O/Princess any more of my money... they
got enough from Mickey)
Robocop
Of course to anyone that is anti-CCL it is very hostile indeed! <VBG> I just
have to sit down with Tom and have a long talk with him. <LOL>
Jim
"Tom & Linda" <TKAN...@worldnet.att.net> wrote in message
news:3DDED7BB...@worldnet.att.net...
Tom & Linda
takeover, because Pfizer came in after Warner had decided to merge with
American Home Products (now Wyeth). The Warner board approved the
Pfizer higher bid eventually... but it's still a hostile takeover.
Carnival is no different.
--Tom
Island Gal
<jimb...@cruisemates.com> wrote:
>Oh Tom, it isn't 'hostile' if the board approves and recommends the merger.
I'm sure you believe this but multi-billion dollar deal are, by
definition, hostile.
Tom & Linda
alliances lined up in case some hostile takeover comes along. It's
often things like CEO's who were college buddies and if one comes under
attack, they've agreed ahead of time to join companies together rather
than let a hostile takeover occur. If nothing happens... they just go
merrily along as separate companies. No one below the CEO level will
even know that the alliances are set up.
--Tom
ARNE UR
takeover, because Pfizer came in after Warner had decided to merge with
American Home Products (now Wyeth). The Warner board approved the
Pfizer higher bid eventually... but it's still a hostile takeover.<<
And ironically, Warner employees (at least those that I know) are now
pleasantly surprised at the positive corporate climate and professionalism that
Pfizer brought in. They had originally feared just the opposite.
Arne
ray scully
> A few questions regarding P&O:
>
> 1. Can anybody share general experiences with them? How do they compare
to
> other mainline cruise companies?
Mostly Brits aboard so food entertainment etc. geared to
us.
Service a little more formal than say Princess.
Dinner was/is silver service.
Cruisers generally well behaved and polite.
>
> 2. It seems that they only grudgingly carry North Americans. It appears
> that one needs to make one's own air arrangements. Correct? Comments?
Very few Americans on board on the 2 occassions we have cruised P&O
>
> 3. It appears that the Arcadia is being retired after March. Where is it
> going?
P&O are developing a new cruise company aimed at young trendy Brits (30
somethings) Arcadia will serve that market and is to be renamed Ocean
Village. It vwill cruise the West Indies during the winter.
>
> 4. Was P&O sold to Carnival along with Princess, or was Princess separated
> off and sold?
>
Not even going to go there!!!!
Regards
Ray
Tom & Linda
--Tom
Island Gal
<TKAN...@worldnet.att.net> wrote:
>Not necessarily. In fact many management teams have "white knight"
>alliances lined up in case some hostile takeover comes along.
I define the term hostile to mean, as my Hubby says, the "goings on
below the seen". IOW, the lawyers, accountants, the merger
specialists etc who are fighting over asset control, divisions
management, power, power and longevity.
> No one below the CEO level will
>even know that the alliances are set up.
They'll know as soon as the news is announced and since that is
public, SEC related and controlled, there is no such thing as a silent
merger between publically held companies.
Tom & Linda
You misunderstand what I'm saying.
Say you are CEO of Gibbs Lighthouse Travel (just fictitiously). You're
good friends with ex Harvard Business School roommate George who is the
CEO of Cruise Value Travel. Both national companies with multiple
offices. Both are publicly traded companies.
All through the years you've stayed good friends, and have even talked
about each other's business. Neither wants his friend's business go go
out of business, nor does either want to join forces since one lives in
Nevada while the other lives in Missouri.
But...
All along each has been worried that Mickey at Liberty Island Travel
(the big conglomerate) will buy them, take their clients, close their
stores, and get rid of the employees - AND WORSE, get rid of all the
management (meaning you the CEO). Mickey will fire you for revenge
because he hated both of you at Harvard.
So they make a pact. If Liberty Island Travel makes a hostile bid to
buy either company (by purchasing all the shares of outstanding stock),
then instead, Lighthouse and Cruise Value will merge instead, making
them too big for Liberty to take them over.
It's a white night deal that's never publicly revealed. And never
happens unless Liberty comes after one or the other.
That's not something that you announce to anybody. Not even the SEC.
You keep it in your pocket unless you need it.
It happens all the time - that deals like that are made. But... they're
only executed if they need to be.
--Tom
Island Gal
I'll buy into that scenario but when the actual mergers, acquisitions
and asset transfers are on the table, this is a hostile environment.
Regardless of any previous agreements, the sweat is in the details.
Tom
news:arnpvm$ll0$1...@newsg2.svr.pol.co.uk:
Ray -
It seems that everybody was so eager to discuss question 4, that no
attention was paid to the more important questions (1 & 2). Thanks for
your helpful respones.
--Tom
Tom & Linda
--Tom
ARNE UR
--Tom<<
This is true.
Arne
Stephen Morton
were almost all British and the ship catered well for them. The food,
facilities, entertainment and ambience are all geared to middle income, middle
aged, middle England couples and families. They even deliver snippets of the
Daily Mail to your cabin. Dressing for dinner is a big thing on P&O. My
parents would love Oriana (but they dont like the sea)
The ship is elegant in an understated way and kept immaculate. Our cabin was
lovely with pastel soft furnishes and lots of light wood furniture. The food
in the main restaurant exceeded my expectation with some dishes superb.
It all depends if this is your cup of tea. I enjoyed my cruise but would have
preferred a wider mix of people, a few more Americans would have been nice.
I believe Arcadia is going to Ocean Village, a P&O subsidiary that is going to
cater for a younger generation. More casual clothes and buffets than P&O.
Hope this helps, Stephen.
Dave Green
I'm a Brit, and have been on P&O, Princess, RCCI and Costa quite a few times
in recent years.
Because of their marketing being done predominately in the UK, P&O is geared
to the Brits, and therefore the entertainment is definitely slanted towards
our tastes. Don't let that put you off, because when we sail on American
ships, to be honest, the entertainment is slanted towards your tastes. And
we still enjoy it. At least it's all in the same language!!
P&O's food is, in my opionion, a little better than the other cruise lines
I've been on. The service is different, in that you don't get a plated
dinner arrive, complete with veg. You get served the main dish, and then
veggies arrive separately, and served to you. More like a land-based
restaurant would.
Everything on board is a little more 'reserved'. Don't take that as meaning
'stuffy'. I don't like 'stuffy'. P&O are just hot on service. Apart from
the normal service you get on these type of ships, it's the little things
like the crew always saying hello, as you pass them in the corriors, or even
moving out of your way! (Something that I missed, on a recent RCCI cruise).
The cabins are very similar to any others in this class of ship. Very
fresh, and clean.
As others have commented, Arcadia is being moved to a new P&O off-shoot,
Ocean Village. She will be included in vacations that may include a
land-based portion. So people can take a two-week vacation, with one week
in a hotel.
The P&O fleet has seen a couple of Pricess ships re-named and moved in.
There's now Oceana, and Adonia. Adonia, being a play on words, as it's
adults only. Adonia directly replaces Arcadia, as she went adults only in
May this year.
All in all, I'd go with any of these cruise lines in a heartbeat, because
we've enjoyed every cruise we've been on. Basically, I don't think you can
go wrong if you pick any of the cruise lines in this category (Please, I
don't want to start a trail of replies, telling us all of your troubled
vacation!).
Tom, I hope this has been helpful.
Rgds
Dave
"Tom" <t...@nospam.please> wrote in message
news:axAD9.12845$ro.4...@news2.west.cox.net...
Island Gal
wrote:
>Because of their marketing being done predominately in the UK, P&O is geared
>to the Brits, and therefore the entertainment is definitely slanted towards
>our tastes. Don't let that put you off, because when we sail on American
>ships, to be honest, the entertainment is slanted towards your tastes. And
>we still enjoy it. At least it's all in the same language!!
That's debatable. You obviously have never visited The South.
Tom
news:art0tt$oia$1...@pheidippides.axion.bt.co.uk:
Thanks very much, Dave. We've been on a short vacation, so this is the
first I have seen of your response. We are deciding between P&O and two
others, and your information will be very helpful in making our
decision.
Regards,
Tom