P&O Cheapskates

[katrus-83]

We are going on our first P&O cruise in a few weeks time and it will be our first holiday in 3 years.

Our TA rang today to say that our tickets were there to be collected and so we set off excitedly to collect them. What a let down it was though when we were handed 4 sheets of A4 two with our luggage labels on and two as our tickets.

It is not the kind of customer service that we expected when we booked a P&O cruise. For us, and I would assume for many others, the build up to the holiday is almost as important as the holiday itself and I think that P&O, and many other cruise lines, are not only letting their customers down but they are making themselves look like unprofessional cheapskates.

I don't even think that the money they must be saving is necessarily reflected in the cost of the cruises they sell. On the subject of which I still feel that the constant lowering and raising of cruise fares is not only completely unfair on some of these cruise companies customers but I would also argue that it is morally reprehensable especially in the current climate. I have in the past been both a winner and a loser in the cruise fare lottery but I would be much happier just paying the same price as everyone else. Rant over!

[Essexlass2]

We are going on our first P&O cruise in a few weeks time and it will be our first holiday in 3 years.

Our TA rang today to say that our tickets were there to be collected and so we set off excitedly to collect them. What a let down it was though when we were handed 4 sheets of A4 two with our luggage labels on and two as our tickets.

It is not the kind of customer service that we expected when we booked a P&O cruise. For us, and I would assume for many others, the build up to the holiday is almost as important as the holiday itself and I think that P&O, and many other cruise lines, are not only letting their customers down but they are making themselves look like unprofessional cheapskates.

I don't even think that the money they must be saving is necessarily reflected in the cost of the cruises they sell. On the subject of which I still feel that the constant lowering and raising of cruise fares is not only completely unfair on some of these cruise companies customers but I would also argue that it is morally reprehensable especially in the current climate. I have in the past been both a winner and a loser in the cruise fare lottery but I would be much happier just paying the same price as everyone else. Rant over!

 

I second that! :)

[Host Sharon]

Whilst they have been issuing e-tickets for a couple of years now, I still get my excursions booklet with proper printed luggage tickets in. Perhaps you (or your TA) opted to "Go Green", in which case - yes - A4 printed sheets is what you will get.

[Norfolk Brit]

If P&O has adopted the same policy as Cunard, you no longer have to opt in to go green - it's forced upon you if you book a late deal, or that's what they told me.

 

Upshot was ghastly bits of paper and inadequate luggage labels which, despite being laminated and stapled firmly to the case handle, managed to fall off, leaving us without two of our cases until about 6pm. When we went to retrieve them, they were in a vast pile of fellow victims.

 

Unfortunately, their green crusade does not extend to on board; every day our bin was full of flyers for spas, shop sales, you name it. Then they gave us the entire fortnight's menu, which also went in the bin.

 

The world has gone mad.

 

Mary

[tartanexile81]

If P&O has adopted the same policy as Cunard, you no longer have to opt in to go green - it's forced upon you if you book a late deal, or that's what they told me.

 

Upshot was ghastly bits of paper and inadequate luggage labels which, despite being laminated and stapled firmly to the case handle, managed to fall off, leaving us without two of our cases until about 6pm. When we went to retrieve them, they were in a vast pile of fellow victims.

 

Unfortunately, their green crusade does not extend to on board; every day our bin was full of flyers for spas, shop sales, you name it. Then they gave us the entire fortnight's menu, which also went in the bin.

 

The world has gone mad.

 

Mary

]]

 

Not true about Go Green being forced on you if you have a late booking as we have just received our excursion booklet and luggage labels having booked only a week or two ago for a cruise at the beginning of July. Think the TA has ticked Go Green on Katrus' behalf and printed off all the docs for her / him.

 

Like all companies these days, P&O are trying to promote electronic communication - like the paperless gas/electricity bills and bank statements etc.

[Aloonie]

Hi

 

I have noticed on P&O web site if you booked a getaway or other special offer you automatically get put down as going green.:mad:

I think if you tell them at time of booking they will take you off the go green.

In this case it may be down to the travel agent

[Norfolk Brit]

]]

 

Like all companies these days, P&O are trying to promote electronic communication - like the paperless gas/electricity bills and bank statements etc.

 

I think what you mean is that companies like P&O are trying to force their customers into doing the printing instead of them, under the guise of greenness.

 

What they are actually doing is saving money.

 

Mary

[Norfolk Brit]

Hi

 

I have noticed on P&O web site if you booked a getaway or other special offer you automatically get put down as going green.:mad:

I think if you tell them at time of booking they will take you off the go green.

In this case it may be down to the travel agent

 

Yes, that's what I was told when it was too late. You can't tell them if you don't know you need to (if that's clear...), so possibly the t/a is to blame.

 

Thanks.

 

Mary

[katrus-83]

Thanks for all of your replys.

With reference to the excursions booklet that some people have mentioned, we haven't received one is this because we haven't booked any excursions?

With regard to the go green option, the wording in our cruise personaliser says "PLEASE NOTE: go green does not include your holiday tickets or luggage label-these are already in e-ticket format. You will need to print these and bring them with you when you check-in." so it would appear that the go green option has nothing to do with having to print your own (or have your TA print) tickets and labels.

[Host Sharon]

All I can say is that I received proper luggage labels three weeks ago, and when I requested an extra booklet for my travelling companion (we live 100 miles apart!), we got another 6 printed luggage labels in it.

 

I suggest you phone P&O and ask for an excursions booklet. The reason you haven't got it is not because you haven't booked any, since you need the booklet (or look on online of course) in order to choose what to book...if that makes sense!

[tartanexile81]

I think what you mean is that companies like P&O are trying to force their customers into doing the printing instead of them, under the guise of greenness.

 

What they are actually doing is saving money.

 

Mary

 

 

Yes, it maybe about saving money, but it's universal these days. I'm more than happy to print off my eticket on 2 pieces of A4 and I don't see that as cheapskate as long as I get the excursion booklet and luggage labels from P&O, both of which are much longer / more complicated and which to me are far more important.

[katrus-83]

As I've already said I haven't received any excursion booklet or luggage labels from P&O. All I have been given are these 4 sheets of A4.

If P&O are to send me some decent luggage labels in the future then I'll be glad to receive them although I would say that at no point have P&O let me know that either me or my TA would not have to print off substandard labels as I would be receiving them direct from P&O.

I guess we all have standards that we expect from the people who are more than happy to take our money from us and if you are "more than happy" with this kind of service tartanexile81 that's fine.

I, however, expect more but I'm sad to say that it looks like this kind of service is here to stay.

[dsrdsrdsr]

On my cruise in 2010 we somehow got stuck with the "Go Cheapskate" option. P&O flatly refused to send me a tours booklet, and were adamant that it was environmental not money saving.

 

In 2011 I decided to shop around, and we finished up on Voyages of Discovery. So presumably everyone was happy - P&O had saved the environmental damage of prionting a 16-page booklet, and as it's not about money they wouldn't be bothered about losing the £x,000 either. :mad::confused:

[Norfolk Brit]

Yes, it maybe about saving money, but it's universal these days. I'm more than happy to print off my eticket on 2 pieces of A4 and I don't see that as cheapskate as long as I get the excursion booklet and luggage labels from P&O, both of which are much longer / more complicated and which to me are far more important.

 

I have no problem with printing out the e-ticket either. The problem, as others have also said, lies with the fact that they refused to send out the excursion booklet and luggage labels.

 

Mary

[Host Sharon]

As I've already said I haven't received any excursion booklet or luggage labels from P&O. All I have been given are these 4 sheets of A4.

 

But have you (or your TA) actually phoned up P&O and requested the booklet. It should arrive around 8 weeks before travel.

[tom_uk]

]]

 

Not true about Go Green being forced on you if you have a late booking as we have just received our excursion booklet and luggage labels having booked only a week or two ago for a cruise at the beginning of July.

 

Is this for a Grand Event cruise? If so, I think that special arrangements are in place for documentation for this cruise - I believe that the normal 'Go Green' procedures have been suspended. I think that because of the logistical complexity of that day, P&O want to make sure that everyone receives the correct, official information and they have therefore taken the decision to send out the traditional booklets & colour-coded luggage labels. We received ours at the beginning of the month.

 

We still have to print out our E-Tickets, however.

[LibraLass41]

This has been one of my pet hates too...

How can it be 'green' when it saves THEM money and postage, but YOU, THE CUSTOMER, have to do the printing on YOUR printer, perhaps laminate at your expense, and print out tour info if so inclined. Its saving them money pure and simple...

For such a expensive holiday - and it is, lets not forget some people go on holiday for a week on what some of us pay for a 'upgrade' (£200-400), Nice labels and tickets should be expected. I agree with the poster of this thread 100%

[tartanexile81]

Katrus what I actually said was

 

Yes, it maybe about saving money, but it's universal these days. I'm more than happy to print off my eticket on 2 pieces of A4 and I don't see that as cheapskate as long as I get the excursion booklet and luggage labels from P&O, both of which are much longer / more complicated and which to me are far more important.

 

 

All I know is I have received my excursion booklet and luggage labels through the post in glorious technicolour so of course I'm "more than happy" with that, not because I've got low standards. I'm a Virgo and anybody who knows me would tell you that I have all the traits of my star-sign, including being a perfectionist, with (too much!) attention to detail :D!

 

I've just retired from teaching and for the last 5 years, maybe more, the government has been insisting that all documents should be downloaded electronically and that has included curricular documents with hundreds of coloured pages with photos etc, so maybe I've just got immune to it.

[Aloonie]

Hi all

 

as i understand the moan about not getting labels/tickets etc.

But at the end of the day its about your cruise.

We have printed our labels for last 3 cruises and find wrapping labels in selotape does the trick.

Laminate then and they break, as they are brittle.

As for for the excursion booklet, this is all online.

[katrus-83]

Thanks everybody for all of your replys I appreciate everyones comments regardless of their point of view.

As I said in my first post, it's been 3 years since our last holiday and for me it was a bit of a shock and a let down to receive our 4 sheets of A4 (my TA said she felt embarressed giving them to us).

I hadn't realised how much things had changed.

I don't agree with the enviromental argument because, as has already been said,somebody has to print them out some where.

I know that some people don't mind doing this but I'm sorry I do and I don't want to be chasing up P&O to get an excursion booklet and proper luggage labels either.

Of course the holiday is THE most important thing here and I don't intend to let this spoil our holiday because a holiday costs a lot of money and is a big part of peoples lives and that's why, for me, every thing should feel special. EVERYTHING!

[Britchic4]

I think I must be missing something. What does it matter what format the tickets are in as long as they do their job and get you on the ship?

[tartanexile81]

I think I must be missing something. What does it matter what format the tickets are in as long as they do their job and get you on the ship?

 

I agree!

 

Three weeks today we'll be on our way :). Can't wait.

[Invincible]

I have used the printed labels for the last 2 P&O cruises I've been on with no problems at all though I did use probably a dozen staples in each one in fact all 3 cases used sit now on top of my wardrobe still with the original labels on from my last cruise.

 

I do understand the feeling of it not being "special" but for me every bit of paper or booklet I don't have to carry especially when checking in is a bonus.

 

I also got the excursions booklet in Kindle format on my ipad.

[katrus-83]

As I've said before if printing your own documentation and luggage labels is not a problem to you then of course that's fine and as I've also said the holiday is the most important thing here.

Having said that I feel, of course this is personal preference, that this is a lowering of standards from previous years and quite simply just another way of squeezing even more money out of their customers.

It appears that perhaps I may be in the minority in taking exception to this and I guess in the grand scheme of things it's no big deal but to me it's a step in the wrong direction.

I may have another 3 year break from cruises after this one and who knows by the time I book another we could be paying for coach transfers from the airport to the ship or perhaps making our own beds but hey as long as we get on the ship who cares?

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

I booked a 'getaway' deal and i have to print everything myself. Tge deal is that nothing is sent out by post. So i have not received an excursions brochure. I've booked tours online and will pick up a brochure onboard. 'Going Green' is a load of b*^l*^$ks. It just saves P&O printing costs and transfers them to you.:p