shocked and disgusted with p and o policy

[pealittle]

hi all,

 

I have been on two previous cruises with p and o on Arcadia and Oriana but my husband and myself have recently had a baby so we are now on family friendly ships. I phoned up today for a price on the N421B cruise in october for 2 adults and a 7 mth baby i have been quoted a price of £699 per adult which i think is very reasonable for a fly cruise but i have also been told that it would cost me £350 for my 7 month old baby, now im shocked at this as they dont get a seat on the plane, are too young for kids clubs wont be eating any p&o provided food as i will be providing that. the only cost will be for the loan of a travel cot as we will be providing the linen and towels for him as well, am I the only one that thinks £350 for a baby in arms is riddiculous? when i questioned them on the pricing i was told they would be charged as a third adult as thats their policy . i understand that you have to cover costs but im not sure what costs there is for a baby am i being silly thinking like this?

[dgs1956]

For once I agree. That is excessive. Shocking really.

Are you sure the person taking the booking understands?

Good luck.

David

[Brayman]

I should try booking through a Travel Agent and see if they can do better - if you do, let us know what happens please.

[rubydoobydoo]

It does seem a lot considering the baby is so young, they don't allow babies under 6 months and on some cruises under 12 months depending on where you travel and how long at sea so you would think there would be a token charge but £350 :eek:

 

But at least the policy is to allow infants over 6 months I think quite a few lines say over 12 months so at least you can cruise with your baby but I know that doesn't make it any better but it is probably because you could have their baby food and they will supply the cot, bedding, bottle warmers , high chairs etc if you want them

 

I don't think holiday companies want children, if they did why do they charge so much, and especially put up prices in the school holidays, it's a rip off :mad:

[west2000]

It does seem a lot considering the baby is so young, they don't allow babies under 6 months and on some cruises under 12 months depending on where you travel and how long at sea so you would think there would be a token charge but £350 :eek:

 

But at least the policy is to allow infants over 6 months I think quite a few lines say over 12 months so at least you can cruise with your baby but I know that doesn't make it any better but it is probably because you could have their baby food and they will supply the cot, bedding, bottle warmers , high chairs etc if you want them

 

I don't think holiday companies want children, if they did why do they charge so much, and especially put up prices in the school holidays, it's a rip off :mad:

 

Would agree that P and O especially are killing family cruising. Outside school holidays child fare is 60% of full fare. During the school holidays 80% of full fare. Other lines sailing from Southampton charge less than that for 3rd and 4th adults. Our neighbours recently had the same experience as the OP and ended up with one of the other lines. On fly cruises there is even more choice than when sailing from Southampton. We may be coming out of recession but most families are still very careful and P&O have not learned the lesson that high lead in fares with heavy late discounting does not encourage early booking therefore less in the bank from early depsosits and less overall revenue in the end. Next year 8 nights Fjords on Celebrity in August in concierge class cabin with OBC and drinks package £900 less than comparable cabin on Azura. Wake up P&O you are not undoing last years damage.

[daiB]

hi all,

 

 

 

I have been on two previous cruises with p and o on Arcadia and Oriana but my husband and myself have recently had a baby so we are now on family friendly ships. I phoned up today for a price on the N421B cruise in october for 2 adults and a 7 mth baby i have been quoted a price of £699 per adult which i think is very reasonable for a fly cruise but i have also been told that it would cost me £350 for my 7 month old baby, now im shocked at this as they dont get a seat on the plane, are too young for kids clubs wont be eating any p&o provided food as i will be providing that. the only cost will be for the loan of a travel cot as we will be providing the linen and towels for him as well, am I the only one that thinks £350 for a baby in arms is riddiculous? when i questioned them on the pricing i was told they would be charged as a third adult as thats their policy . i understand that you have to cover costs but im not sure what costs there is for a baby am i being silly thinking like this?

 

 

Just had a look on other CC forums and it would appear that a third fare was the norm. Most of the links were a couple of years old but you would have thought a change in policy would have been flagged up.

 

NCL used to only charge taxes and port charges but they have now followed the rest.

 

One comment was that the ship can only take a set number of passengers of whatever age and so a 6 month old child counted as one person.

 

 

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[daiB]

Would agree that P and O especially are killing family cruising. Outside school holidays child fare is 60% of full fare. During the school holidays 80% of full fare. Other lines sailing from Southampton charge less than that for 3rd and 4th adults. Our neighbours recently had the same experience as the OP and ended up with one of the other lines. On fly cruises there is even more choice than when sailing from Southampton. We may be coming out of recession but most families are still very careful and P&O have not learned the lesson that high lead in fares with heavy late discounting does not encourage early booking therefore less in the bank from early depsosits and less overall revenue in the end. Next year 8 nights Fjords on Celebrity in August in concierge class cabin with OBC and drinks package £900 less than comparable cabin on Azura. Wake up P&O you are not undoing last years damage.

 

 

And yet overall sailings out of the UK are up and P&O has the largest number of passengers.

 

 

 

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[PeatSmoke]

No matter how young your child is they will be taking up a space that could be sold to a family with an older child so what's the problem? That's the thing with having kids we have to pay for them.

[rooftop]

I think OP you have to pull it into context - £699 per adult is cheap whichever way you look at it and so a family of 3 is costing £1750... which probably a fair bit less than two adults paying the full price fares.

 

Even at 7 months old, you baby can make use of the childrens' facilities - it's just that you can't abandon him/her there. I think it is you choice to use your own sheets/towels/food.... I can't get a discount if I tell P&O I'll bring my own sheets and towels, so why should you ;)

[west2000]

And yet overall sailings out of the UK are up and P&O has the largest number of passengers.

 

 

 

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I would hope P&O have the largest number of passengers out of the UK they have the greatest capacity. Do you have any idea of the percentage of fares they are selling at the select rate?

[tjwa]

If the select rate was selling well they wouldn't need a saver fare.

[Morgans]

Price for the baby is cheaper than comparable cruise with Princess or Royal Caribbean. They charge through the nose for babies as we have found to our cost. There is also a flight involved too - that boosts up the price.

[rooftop]

Price for the baby is cheaper than comparable cruise with Princess or Royal Caribbean. They charge through the nose for babies as we have found to our cost. There is also a flight involved too - that boosts up the price.

 

I was looking at last minute deals on Princess and on certain cruises the 3rd and 4th passenger (even children) had to pay 100%.

Edited June 23, 2014 by rooftop
clarified 3rd passenger was a child

[daiB]

I would hope P&O have the largest number of passengers out of the UK they have the greatest capacity. Do you have any idea of the percentage of fares they are selling at the select rate?

 

 

No I suspect that is a tightly garded secret. It clearly changes from cruise to cruise. I get the impression that Britannia is selling well and that could have an effect on the other two big ships. I do note that all of the companies are selling cheap near to sail date, although not for all sailings. There were some very good deals on Celebrity recently with the drink packages etc. although 5 cruises this year already another one may be OTT.

 

 

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Edited June 23, 2014 by daiB

[AchileLauro]

Have things changed?

I'm fairly sure that P&O provided the baby food when we took our second daughter for the first time some 14 years ago. I'm also sure that they contacted us prior to the cruise to enquire as to what food she was on so that they could ensure a supply was carried on board. Also bedding for the baby was provided. The baby could make use of the childrens facilities but could not be left because of her young age, but she could be left in the night nursery.

All in all they accommodated us very well and we considered the cost at the time to be quite reasonable.

[rooftop]

Have things changed?

I'm fairly sure that P&O provided the baby food when we took our second daughter for the first time some 14 years ago. I'm also sure that they contacted us prior to the cruise to enquire as to what food she was on so that they could ensure a supply was carried on board. Also bedding for the baby was provided. The baby could make use of the childrens facilities but could not be left because of her young age, but she could be left in the night nursery.

All in all they accommodated us very well and we considered the cost at the time to be quite reasonable.

 

That was our experience in 2009 and 2012 - fresh cows' milk was the only issue as they use that UHT stuff.

[richleeds]

Anything that discourages babies/children on cruise ships is fine by me!

[AchileLauro]

Anything that discourages babies/children on cruise ships is fine by me!

 

Perhaps that's why they have ships reserved exclusively for antisocial miserable old farts then.:D

[the english lady]

hi all,

 

I have been on two previous cruises with p and o on Arcadia and Oriana but my husband and myself have recently had a baby so we are now on family friendly ships. I phoned up today for a price on the N421B cruise in october for 2 adults and a 7 mth baby i have been quoted a price of £699 per adult which i think is very reasonable for a fly cruise but i have also been told that it would cost me £350 for my 7 month old baby, now im shocked at this as they dont get a seat on the plane, are too young for kids clubs wont be eating any p&o provided food as i will be providing that. the only cost will be for the loan of a travel cot as we will be providing the linen and towels for him as well, am I the only one that thinks £350 for a baby in arms is riddiculous? when i questioned them on the pricing i was told they would be charged as a third adult as thats their policy . i understand that you have to cover costs but im not sure what costs there is for a baby am i being silly thinking like this?

 

 

Reading through all the answers (I do not have children) it looks like your adult fare is cheap, but overall the 3 fares are still considerably less than what 2 adult on a select fare would have paid.

Also from people who have looked into it other lines sometimes charge a lot more.

Are you being silly, no, but you have your choice, either book at that rate who pick another line..which may have a cheaper lead in, but cost will be made upo in other ways.

If it is a fly cruise why are you using valuable luggage space for baby food/bedding etc. The ship would provide all of that.

[the english lady]

hi all,

 

I have been on two previous cruises with p and o on Arcadia and Oriana but my husband and myself have recently had a baby so we are now on family friendly ships. I phoned up today for a price on the N421B cruise in october for 2 adults and a 7 mth baby i have been quoted a price of £699 per adult which i think is very reasonable for a fly cruise but i have also been told that it would cost me £350 for my 7 month old baby, now im shocked at this as they dont get a seat on the plane, are too young for kids clubs wont be eating any p&o provided food as i will be providing that. the only cost will be for the loan of a travel cot as we will be providing the linen and towels for him as well, am I the only one that thinks £350 for a baby in arms is riddiculous? when i questioned them on the pricing i was told they would be charged as a third adult as thats their policy . i understand that you have to cover costs but im not sure what costs there is for a baby am i being silly thinking like this?

Just had another thought. As I said I have never done a fly cruise and do not have children-so you would need to check this out.

If your baby is 7months old, and is not using a plane seat...will they get any luggage allocation? Will baby food and baby bedding have to be part of your 2 20kg allocation? In which case it would be very silly to take your own. Maybe you need a rethink.

[EJMcruiser]

I think it's pretty fair. We use the night nursery, P&O baby food, bed linen, day time play area etc when we go. Even if you don't they can't really price on a case by case basis. It's also extra work for cabin stewardess. In an emergency extra safety equipment need to be provided for small babies etc. They also need to take extra care in cleaning high chairs in the buffet etc. Additional luggage etc. The list go on. I think you need to look at the full family price and compare it to other flight included all inclusive holidays.

[richleeds]

Perhaps that's why they have ships reserved exclusively for antisocial miserable old farts then.:D

 

True and very popular they are.

[heywood]

Do you have to hire a cot or is it provided? The website shows quite a bit of information about the type of cot/bedding provided and also the types of baby food which is available.

It does seem that the charge is comparable to other companies and if, as the site indicates, those items are provided, the total family charge seems quite reasonable.

[SDadw01]

I think OP you have to pull it into context - £699 per adult is cheap whichever way you look at it and so a family of 3 is costing £1750... which probably a fair bit less than two adults paying the full price fares.

 

Even at 7 months old, you baby can make use of the childrens' facilities - it's just that you can't abandon him/her there. I think it is you choice to use your own sheets/towels/food.... I can't get a discount if I tell P&O I'll bring my own sheets and towels, so why should you ;)

 

My views as well!

[pealittle]

Thanks for all the replies its good to see it from all angles, i think i just let my dissapointmnet of being now not able to go on the cruise cloud my view of it as a whole, and several of the comments do show how it is still a good deal for some families. Thanks again P :)