I Took a Short Cruise on an Old Cruise Ship

An illness outbreak was reported on the cruise before mine, our embarkation was delayed and I hoped that none of my friends would get sick! How did it go? In this video I'll show you what the reality of cruising on a cruise like this is actually like.

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Two days before I embarked my last cruise I received an email that nobody likes to get. It read ‘during the last cruise, a number of people have reported to the Medical Centre with symptoms of gastrointestinal illness’ it went on to explain that they would be stepping up their disinfection measures and that we would be delayed embarking by a couple of hours.

I decided to take this cruise with a big group of friends, some of which I hadn’t seen for years so I hoped that the illness outbreak wouldn’t affect us too much in terms of restrictions. I’ll never forget those cruises I took with all the restrictions in place during the pandemic and I didn’t want to do those again. I was also keeping everything crossed that none of us would get ill because being ill is always miserable but when you’re on a cruise and missing out on all the fun, that’s even worse.

The ship that we were to be sailing on was P&O’s Aurora and despite her age I’d heard good things about the ship so was very excited to get onboard.

As instructed by the email I arrived at the port an hour and a half later than planned so that they could do some extra cleaning, my embarkation time on my ticket was 1:15 so we arrived around 3. I noticed that the final boarding time was meant to be 3:30 but I assumed that they would be delaying that, otherwise the people who had later embarkation times would miss the ship and that wouldn’t make any sense.

Embarkation was very easy, we’d already checked in online so just had to show this QR code and head to through security. As the sun was shining when we got onboard we headed straight up and out, first to the big open spaces with beautiful wooden decks and then along to the outside pool. The ship felt spacious and after picking up our first Pepsi we met up with a few friends at the back of the ship.

Timestamps:
0:00 - Why did I book this cruise?

0:21 - What was the email no one wants to get?

1:16 - How easy was the embarkation process?

1:36 - Where did I fall in love on the ship?

2:06 - How many people can spread an illness?

3:13 - Did the buffet have enough hand sanitizer?

4:18 - Why didn’t the bottle break at the ship's launch?

5:07 - What quirky things did I find on board?

7:00 - Why were so many public toilets broken?

9:02 - Why was my dining experience a surprise?

10:16 - What did I discover about Aurora’s history?

11:09 - Why was the inside cabin the biggest I’ve had?

12:16 - How did I feel about formal nights on this cruise?

13:10 - What’s the benefit of making friends with balcony cabin cruisers?

14:03 - Why is Sindhu my favourite speciality restaurant?

14:47 - What’s the real deal with the ship’s cleanliness?

15:45 - Why do cruise ships feel like a parallel world to me?

16:59 - Did anyone get sick on this cruise?

17:20 - Why was the Arctic Circle cruise still worth it despite getting sick?

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[EmmaCruises]

Do you think they did the right thing delaying embarkation to clean? Personally, I'd much prefer a cleaner ship for a little less time! 🧼

Interested in the weird things that have happened on my cruises?

Thank you so much for watching this video, if you have read this far down comment "purple cow" so I know! 😂


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[Kevin]

Honestly, all cruise lines should require everyone to wash their hands before going to the buffet at all times.

[helenaalicia]

That looks like a lovely ship. I also like more traditional looking decor as it is more warm and pleasant than all the glitzy chrome and mirrors of other ships

[Paul_Wetor]

I love the open outdoor spaces on this ship. Too many ships seem to feel that every nook and cranny needs to be filled with something.

[TVHouseHistorian]

Just a little tip for anyone who might not know: *Hand sanitizer does not do anything whatsoever to prevent Norovirus.* What is needed is a 20-second hand wash when you enter the buffet, and then once again right after you’ve gone through the buffet, just before sitting down to eat. Thats my ritual, and so far, it’s kept me pretty healthy.

[carolemckibbon]

Hey Emma.. I am a retired Nurse Practitioner in the US. Many many years ago I started traveling with a box of 100 cheap disposable plastic gloves and sanitizing hand wipesI would tuck several pairs in a pocket and use them at buffets when handling tongs, etc.. after sitting down I would take my gloves off, use my hand wipes and enjoy my meal. Everyone that I traveled with did the same thing. None of us ever got sick. We used to get stared at alot but that no longer happens. Now we often get comments about what a great idea that is. Now we also wash our hands when soap and water is available, thanks to Covid.

[juliewilson]

I really love the look of older ships, as they have more character and especially the smaller P&O ones. I was trying to persuade a friend today that cruises aren’t just for old people and there’s nothing to do . Of course I told her to watch your channel, to find out for herself !! 😜❤️

[Mike_Fid]

Emma, the strings behind the TV are to release the TV from the wall mount. They really should be tucked up behind the TV for aesthetic purposes though

[alxb]

similar happened on my Ventura cruise back in may, I found the higher sanitisation made the cruise more enjoyable, i like knowing stuff is clean 😅

[nikkibadzik]

I love your reviews. You're an excellent storyteller!

[latebloomerabroad]

It makes me mad that some cruisers were going to ask for compensation that they embarked 1.5 hours later than planned. I don't think the cruise line owes you any particular amount of time on a ship before it departs port. Especially when they were doing it to protect the passengers' health!

[beekind]

This ship has such a lovely 'feel' to it. Not so overwhelming and chaotic, like many of the newer ships seem to feel.

[sandraoettle]

I love the older vibe of the ship. Very classic. All that wood! 😍

[sherrjo]

Finally P&O making people wash their hands. It was a big disappointment when we were on Iona to notice that only 1 in 20 washed their hands. Not sure how it affects the chances but it makes me feel better that it's encouraged on Royal.

[barbaram]

The ship looks really nice! I’ve never been on a cruise but I think I’d like a traditional ship like this one. Love your channel, Emma!

[scruff]

Emma, your blue dress you wore on formal night is stunning, very Princess Kate on her engagement x

[alexanderdeburdegala]

Unrealted to this video, I just wanted to thank you, you modivated me to book my friend cruise. I am going on a 7 day trip to the Bahamas next month, on Symphony of the Seas with Royal Caribbean and I am very excited. PS you're my favorite cruise reveiwer / presenter.

[avarose__]

Great video - I hope they let people know that hand sanitiser cannot kill norovirus - only hand washing can. Otherwise people might be lulled into a false sense of security and not wash their hands as regularly as they should... norovirus is AWFUL.

[Sashazur]

We had friends on a regular driving vacation get norovirus, one of them fainted from dehydration (because 🤮💩🤮💩) and cut his head and ended up in the emergency room! So it definitely isn’t only a cruise thing and it can be dangerous too.

[heatherjones]

Canadian here: I also can't stand "sitting on the floor" bathtubs. When I finally owned my own place and had the money to reno my bathroom, I found a refurbished cast iron tub up on lion claw "legs" at a salvage place. It took 7 burly guys to haul it up the stairs and get it into place. Finally no more baths on the floor!