Customer service - or lack of it

[vivienne-j]

Hi folks

 

This is our first P&O cruise, having cruised with Princess several times. We were trying out P&O to see what the differences are, and what a disappointment. Everything was going reasonably well until our itinerary changed. We've often had changes with Princess (hurricanes, medical emergencies, etc, etc), and they've always told us straight away, explained the reasons, and made it very easy to rearrange excursions.

 

Unfortunately P&O's attitude is the opposite. We weren't told about the itinerary change - I picked it up from the community board on the P&O website. The brochure that we were sent last week showed the original itinerary, but the etickets a few days later had the change on them. I'm surprised P&O didn't see fit to be more up-front. We have emailed, but despite their claim to respond within 2 working days, we've heard nothing. We rang this morning, only to get a very disinterested person at the other end. She didn't know when - or if - the new excursions would appear on the website, and thought it likely that we wouldn't be able to book them until we're on board. Can you imagine the scrum that'll cause on a ship with 3000+ passengers?!

 

Princess certainly have their faults, but customer service is NOT one of them. Our American cousins would never put up with this attitude. Please can you tell me if this is the norm for P&O? If it is, this could well be our first and last cruise with them.

 

Vivienne

[tightwad]

As the old saying goes " you can`t please all of the people all of the time ", i have always found P&O very professional in all aspects and any e mails that i have sent to them have always been answered within two hours never mind two days but obviously from what you are saying they must be having a bad day.Give them a chance to redeem themselves as anyone can make a mistake, its when that mistake becomes a habit is when you have a problem.You will probably disagree with me at the moment but P&O really do know everything about cruising and i am sure you will love the cruise experience that they give you . enjoy.

[cclarke12]

No they aren't the best. I am in dispute over OBC I was offered for booking future cruises before 24th June this year (following my first P&O) cruise). They told the agent I wasn't entitled to it. I then contated them directly and they said I wasn't entitled to any extra OBC on a 2 night booked (the letter says I am) and they said If I had proof I have been told otherwise I should send it to them. :eek: It was their marketing department that sent it out so why is it for me to prove. I scanned in the letter and sent to them, and this time was told the 2 nighter was eligible, but I couldn't have the OBC as I have already had some OBC through this offer for a cruise booked for next May. The letter does not state I can only take up the offer once and indeed the Portunus club told me all cruises booked by 24th were eligible when I had to chase them up for not putting the OBC on another cruise I booked when I got back for Azura in August.

 

Quite frankly they don't know their ar**s from their elbows in this respect and customer services have no idea what the marketing team are sending out. Several people on the P&O forum have had problems with offer codes being sent out and then the reservations team denying they existed.

 

If I hadn't had such a good time and good service on Ventura, then at this point I wouldn't be giving P&O my hard earned cash.

[cruisebore]

We were booked on a Caribbean cruise where the itinerary was changed. We picked it up some 3 months prior to sailing date; again from the 'boards' and confirmed it through the port schedules. Despite this P&O would not acknowledge the change until about 2 weeks prior to sailing.

 

If, and we have had problems with P&O it usually emanates from the Southampton office.

However, one star at head office is the lady responsible for shareholders OBC

 

Cb

[fridaythecat.u.k.]

Princess certainly have their faults, but customer service is NOT one of them. Our American cousins would never put up with this attitude. Please can you tell me if this is the norm for P&O? If it is, this could well be our first and last cruise with them.

 

Vivienne

 

Vivienne,

 

I'm sorry you are having problems. I can't answer your specific P&O points as I have never booked with them.

 

I would, however, completely disagree with your final sentence. As someone who has sailed with Princess in the past and who generally hangs about on their boards, there are often posts about people dis-satisfied with the customer service they receive :eek: It seems that these issues are not solely limited to any one cruise line...

[BigTanya]

I like pando and think they are nice to deal with. My late husband always booked our vacations, but recently I ask my daughter or grandchildren to help me on the computer. Once I tried myself, and ended up booking 100 single rooms in a hotel instead of just 1.

The hotel were very nice and helpful when i explained it to them.