Paying for seats on P&O Barbados flights

[ChrisPBacon]

This has always been a bugbear of mine. Paying for a cruise that includes flights, then paying again, to guarantee you sit next to your wife. But I've had no choice but to do it, as my wife is a nervous flyer.

 

So I'm off to the Caribbean in March, but on the cruise that sails back to Southampton. Since it's a one-way flight, I decided to upgrade us to premium economy. £149 each for a one-way flight. Today, the flight is open on the cruise personaliser to book your seats. So I went in to do that, and was absolutely staggered to find that I will have to pay ANOTHER £20 each, if I want specific seats.

 

P&O might want to hang their heads in shame. Not just on this, but charging economy passengers extra for naturally wanting to sit together.

 

Every cruise I book with them, there's always something silly that sours the experience.

 

 

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[Mysticalmother]

This has always been a bugbear of mine. Paying for a cruise that includes flights, then paying again, to guarantee you sit next to your wife. But I've had no choice but to do it, as my wife is a nervous flyer.

 

So I'm off to the Caribbean in March, but on the cruise that sails back to Southampton. Since it's a one-way flight, I decided to upgrade us to premium economy. £149 each for a one-way flight. Today, the flight is open on the cruise personaliser to book your seats. So I went in to do that, and was absolutely staggered to find that I will have to pay ANOTHER £20 each, if I want specific seats.

 

P&O might want to hang their heads in shame. Not just on this, but charging economy passengers extra for naturally wanting to sit together.

 

Every cruise I book with them, there's always something silly that sours the experience.

 

 

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I dont disagree with your sentiments at all - and as a terrified flyer myself, on the rare occasions that I fly I HAVE to sit next to my husband . Simply not optional. So if i have to pay to do so, I do (if I can!). But it is industry practice these days to have to pay to guarantee having seats together so I would guess it may not be solely P & O's doing. What do other cruise lines do?

 

As an aside, the last time i flew (from London City) we could not book seats at all for our return flight - we were just allocated them. Finding myself towards the back end of the plane on one side & my husband about 10 rows further forward on the other side, we just turned up early at check-in and threw a very tearful (but genuine!) wobbly. We were then seated together in the middle of the plane....

[ChrisPBacon]

They all do it, but I didn't expect to have to pay extra, when I've already paid an extra £300 for a little more legroom and a couple of beers! The other thing is that my seats haven't been allocated yet. So I have no idea where I'll be sat......and that's part of the scam. If they allocated our seats and they're together, then I wouldn't pay to choose them. But by not allocating, it puts doubt in your mind and you end up paying.

 

You also have to remember that airline industry practice has no bearing on this. This us a charter flight, and P&O can do as they please.

 

 

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[john watson]

Generally speaking I have never had a problem in obtaining seats next to a travelling companion, the people that tend to have the problem in my experience are those that travel in groups of three or more. If you are not choosy about which part of the plane you want to sit in there is not a problem on most airlines.

 

Regards John

[ChrisPBacon]

Well there aren't that many seats in premium economy, so no real preference. Just amazed they have the brass neck to charge extra when you've paid do much for the seat already.

 

But I'm not going to pay it.

 

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Edited December 12, 2015 by ChrisPBacon

[cruisebore]

I can understand a token cost to cover administration. The system of allocating them at the airport caused many problems with those who arrived late and couldn't get their seat of choice, made even worse when they found out that they would be returning with the same seat allocation. Many whinged and complained for the whole cruise because of this However what is happening now is rampant profiteering, which despite a dramatic drop in airline fuel cost, seat reservation 'fees' rose 23% for this Caribbean season, disgusting

 

Cb

[ChrisPBacon]

I can understand a token cost to cover administration. The system of allocating them at the airport caused many problems with those who arrived late and couldn't get their seat of choice, made even worse when they found out that they would be returning with the same seat allocation. Many whinged and complained for the whole cruise because of this However what is happening now is rampant profiteering, which despite a dramatic drop in airline fuel cost, seat reservation 'fees' rose 23% for this Caribbean season, disgusting

 

Cb

 

 

Spot on CB. I know they have to try and compete and maybe they are using these add-ones to sub the cruise discounts, but it's just a bandwagon and they are jumping right up on top!

 

 

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[mrbluesea]

An example of how it can work. Cruised with Azamara thus summer. Filght included in the package. When we were advised of the flight time it was not ideal so we asked Azamara if they would change it which they did straight away. We then asked if they could book it with our BA exec club number which they did. This meant we could go into the ba system and book the seat allocation directly with ba. Yes we did have to pay 20 pounds pp for exit room seats but that is pretty standard. I think most of the concerns raised relate to airline practice rather than pando.

[ChrisPBacon]

No probs with paying extra for exit seats. There are very few, and people want them. But I e pact most people do end up sitting together, but airlines almost scare people into doing it, because they will tell you they can't guarantee you will sit together unless you pay extra.

 

In this case, pando charter the plane and can do as they please. It's theirs to administer however they like and you select your seats via the cruise personaliser, not Thomsons. There is a scenario that might be true though. Pando may charter the plane, but get a discount for allowing Thomsons to sell the seats? Either way, pando benefit from the sale of the seats.

 

I know it's standard practice. I don't like it, but there's nothing anyone can do to stop it. But I still think they have a cheek, asking for another £20 each when you have already paid £300 for the upgrade.

 

 

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[louthebowler]

As a rule we generally take our chances and do not pay to sit together, and on all long flights we have ended up next to each other,BUT, on our Ventura Transatlantic a few years ago, we had to pay for premium seats as hubby had had a hip replacement and wanted to be sure of extra leg room, I didn't even think about us being together, just assumed as we had paid the extra it would be the norm. Not the case, I sat behind him!!! Certainly took the shine off the premium seating for me, but thankfully had a wonderful cruise.

[PJ's]

A couple of years ago we also did a transatlantic cruise, flying out to Barbados and cruising back to the UK. We also upgraded our outward flight to premium (there were 4 of us flying out) but when I tried to allocate seats for our group the system would not let me. After ringing P&O I was told that only 50% of the seats in premium could be booked and we would be allocated seats at the airport. When we arrived (very early) we had a word with a P&O representative and asked which seats had been allocated to us (the configuration was 2-3-2). He told us that we were all behind each other at the end of the middle row, (seat E) so neither of us was next to each other. We were not happy and after a discussion he managed to get us two seats at each window at the back of the premium cabin.

I will never book premium again as I do not think that the exorbitant price is worth the money.

[jools222]

We were not worried about sitting together going out but coming home on a night flight we thought we should book, having no control over how late you arrive at the airport to come back. It was really frustrating to find this meant we had to pay both ways as you couldnt just book for return flight. So an extra £80!

[zap99]

Well there aren't that many seats in premium economy, so no real preference. Just amazed they have the brass neck to charge extra when you've paid do much for the seat already.

 

But I'm not going to pay it.

 

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I paid £20 each so we could sit together and my better half paid another £20 so she could sit somewhere else.

[Mysticalmother]

"LIKE!" lol:D

[ChrisPBacon]

Like it Zap. [emoji1]

 

An update after I contacted them on Twitter. They said it was 'company-wide policy' to charge for the seats. So nothing to do with the airline. And obviously, there was nothing they can do. So £300 for premium seats and due to the policy of not allowing you to book two seats on a row of three, I had no choice of seats.

 

So as always with P&O, 'customer service was there none'. I've told them that their cruises are good, but so are everybody else's....and that people will therefore choose based on customer service.

 

 

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[natross1110]

Never paid to sit together and always been sat together. Loads of seats are greyed out as they have to sit children under a certain age with one of their parents so I rely on that. Not fussed whether I sit with hubby or not as I spend the whole flight watching films, entertaining children or sleeping!

[ChrisPBacon]

Matters to us because the wife is a nervous flyer. The cruise line and airlines too, don't care. They pile on the pressure and tell you they can't promise anything. Yet after pressure last September, they gave me two seats, aisle and middle, when the online booking system wouldn't allow it. They won't let you book those because it leaves an empty seat at the window. But hang on.....on a full plane, that odd seat will be taken by someone who doesn't want to pay. So the suckers that pay don't get a real choice at all.

 

 

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[Sanjam cruisers]

When my wife and I started cruising with P&O in 2005 all flight seats were allocated at the airport of departure and those were the seats you used on the return flight, in order to get our choice we always turned up at the airport in plenty of time.

Over the years we noticed people turning up late or at the last minute and kicking up a merry stink because they were getting allocated what seats were left.

A few years ago a new system was introduced where return flight seats were allocated on the ship we then found out out that this did not guarantee you sitting with your other half and they also brought in booking your seats at this time.

While we may disagree with the present system at least it works, don't pay and get what you are allocated, pay you get what you want.

We used to get "free" drinks, choice of food if you want that now you have to select "Premium" what's the difference you pay more that doesn't guarantee your seat only your drinks and food choice.

[ChrisPBacon]

I'm afraid when you pay you DON'T get what you want. You can't book two seats in a row of three. You can't book those that are greyed out and actually, there are some blue 'selectable' seats that you can't book. I paid £20 each and had to select the only two seats it would allow.

 

 

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[Sanjam cruisers]

You've lost me Chris ! We are flying from Glasgow with Thomson on a Dreamliner whose seating layout is 3-3-3. I have booked two seats in a row of three, row 20 seats d and e, those were the seats I selected and the booking was accepted.

[Bronte30]

Sorry, to ask, but first time flying with P&O, do you have to pay for meals on the flight, or do you just buy snacks and drinks. Just wondered if we had to buy something to eat during the flight, before boarding. It doesn't say anything about meals on cruise personaliser.

Carol

 

 

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[cruisebore]

Sorry, to ask, but first time flying with P&O, do you have to pay for meals on the flight, or do you just buy snacks and drinks. Just wondered if we had to buy something to eat during the flight, before boarding. It doesn't say anything about meals on cruise personaliser.

Carol

 

 

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Caribbean flights include a lunch on the way out with a snack just before landing; on the return it is dinner then a 'breakfast' an hour or so before arrival You pay for all drinks apart from tea and coffee served with the meals.

Edited December 16, 2015 by cruisebore

[Bronte30]

Thank you for the info. Much appreciated.

Carol

 

 

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[ChrisPBacon]

You've lost me Chris ! We are flying from Glasgow with Thomson on a Dreamliner whose seating layout is 3-3-3. I have booked two seats in a row of three, row 20 seats d and e, those were the seats I selected and the booking was accepted.

 

 

Was the other seat already taken? Were they window and middle? In the last 3-4 cruises on P&O, I've never been able to book two seats (I stress here....middle and aisle seats) in an empty row of three. You can book window and middle, but not middle and aisle. Their reasoning is that this would leave a single window seat that nobody wants. But isn't that why we pay for seats, so we get what we want, and those who don't, should be taking the scraps.

 

 

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[Sanjam cruisers]

Chris

We booked as soon as the bookings opened and there were numerous seats available, on previous flights on a different aircraft we always took a window and adjacent seat last year the aircraft was changed to a Dreamliner at the last moment on both outward and return flight we were allocate our booked seats and no passenger was placed in the third seat in our row.

This year we selected an aisle seat and the centre seat in the centre group of seats and experienced no problem with that selection.