AlisonB1978 Posted February 12, 2019 #1 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Really frustrated to receive itinerary change - no longer docking at Amsterdam but at IJmuiden - a 40 minute bus ride away. We’re overnight in Amsterdam but what would have been really handy to pop back to the ship for a quick shower and change before heading into the city for dinner seems like an ordeal. Overnight in Amsterdam was the reason we booked the cruise and now it’s had the shine taken off it. No offer of any goodwill gesture from P&O but they’ve certainly had lots of complaints. Couldn’t tell me why, only that it was for operational reasons. Anyone know what’s happened? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS_Dean Posted February 12, 2019 #2 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Thats quite poor - the original itinerary was very much about the overnight in Amsterdam and being able to walk off into the city. Surprised there is no goodwill! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennbank Posted February 12, 2019 #3 Share Posted February 12, 2019 (edited) Since 1st January 2019 Amsterdam have created a Tourist tax of 8 Euro for Transit Cruise passengers. So they are not using Amsterdam Cruise terminal. MSC doing same with Cunard possibly berthing overnight in Rotterdam Edited February 12, 2019 by Pennbank Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruising Nomads Posted February 12, 2019 #4 Share Posted February 12, 2019 The change might be due to the tourist tax that Amsterdam is implementing on overnight cruise stays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonB1978 Posted February 12, 2019 Author #5 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Surely they knew this before today though. Feels like we’ve been cheated by them. We only booked a couple of weeks ago and Amsterdam port was the only reason we booked. Can’t cancel either without significant financial penalty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosebuds Posted February 12, 2019 #6 Share Posted February 12, 2019 This link has information on Ijmuiden https://www.whatsinport.com/Amsterdam.htm . According to this, we'll avoid hours in the lock system, and I'm hoping this means we'll be more likely to dock in Amsterdam for our Christmas cruise. I've read on previous threads that high winds often prevent docking in Amsterdam. It would have been nice to pop back to the ship during our overnight stay, but maybe we'll have more time in port? I'm hoping we can work around this without too much disruption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted February 12, 2019 #7 Share Posted February 12, 2019 First time cruise with p&o and they change itinerary not happy as the reason I booked this cruise was the over night in Amsterdam. Not happy have put in a complaint. But won't hold my breath, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted February 12, 2019 #8 Share Posted February 12, 2019 Just so happens notice was given at less than 60 days before cruise so you can't book a alternative with them without a large penalty ££££ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
terrierjohn Posted February 12, 2019 #9 Share Posted February 12, 2019 10 minutes ago, Haza said: First time cruise with p&o and they change itinerary not happy as the reason I booked this cruise was the over night in Amsterdam. Not happy have put in a complaint. But won't hold my breath, I suspect that stopping calling at Amsterdam will be a Carnival wide decision because of the cruise ship passenger tax, and probably a lot of other cruise lines will be following suit, at least initially to see what the reaction is from the city authority. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rubynic Posted February 12, 2019 #10 Share Posted February 12, 2019 We are also on a cruise with an overnight in Amsterdam in Feb 2020 - have not had any notification of the change yet. If this change is due to the €8 tourist tax I would rather be given the option pay this myself than spend hours queuing for & transferring to & from the ship on buses. Like others I am not happy to have lost the convenience of just walking off the ship to the city centre. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janny444 Posted February 13, 2019 #11 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) Hi....interesting discussion on this subject....I booked 2 cruises for 2019 ...both included an overnight stay in Amsterdam but 2 different cruise lines and the main reason being the overnight stay in Amsterdam...one of our favourite POC. Last month found out that cruise number one had changed POC....so very disappointed BUT that cruise line offered a couple of minor " sweeteners" OR a full refund AND money for any additional transport costs related to the cruise which we had because we had booked coach transfer down to Southampton at a separate cost.....decided to cancel. All monies including transport costs have been refunded to us. According to this thread our 2nd cruise has changed where the ships dock but absolutely no " sweeteners offered...bit of a take it or leave it attitude. We would gladly have paid the 8 euros for the convenience of being in the centre. Would have thought that cruises companies already booked for Amsterdam would have been in contract with Amsterdam authorities so that T&Cs ...including payment... would have been agreed. Two different companies ...two different approaches Edited February 13, 2019 by janny444 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redding43 Posted February 13, 2019 #12 Share Posted February 13, 2019 We also received the eMail yesterday for our cruise at the end of March Does anyone have any idea how long the courtesy coaches to and from Amsterdam will run to. If we go out at night I would hate there to be a early last coach time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie11 Posted February 13, 2019 #13 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) The P&O response to my complaint (regarding a cruise later in the year but with an Amsterdam overnight) says shuttle buses will run through the night. It does not say the drop off/pick up point. I wonder if anyone knows? Edited February 13, 2019 by eddie11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daiB Posted February 13, 2019 #14 Share Posted February 13, 2019 14 minutes ago, eddie11 said: The P&O response to my complaint (regarding a cruise later in the year but with an Amsterdam overnight) says shuttle buses will run through the night. It does not say the drop off/pick up point. I wonder if anyone knows? The ferry passengers are taken to a point opposite the Centraal Station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted February 13, 2019 #15 Share Posted February 13, 2019 6 hours ago, janny444 said: Hi....interesting discussion on this subject....I booked 2 cruises for 2019 ...both included an overnight stay in Amsterdam but 2 different cruise lines and the main reason being the overnight stay in Amsterdam...one of our favourite POC. Last month found out that cruise number one had changed POC....so very disappointed BUT that cruise line offered a couple of minor " sweeteners" OR a full refund AND money for any additional transport costs related to the cruise which we had because we had booked coach transfer down to Southampton at a separate cost.....decided to cancel. All monies including transport costs have been refunded to us. According to this thread our 2nd cruise has changed where the ships dock but absolutely no " sweeteners offered...bit of a take it or leave it attitude. We would gladly have paid the 8 euros for the convenience of being in the centre. Would have thought that cruises companies already booked for Amsterdam would have been in contract with Amsterdam authorities so that T&Cs ...including payment... would have been agreed. Two different companies ...two different approaches What are the cruise companies you have booked with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Sarah1974 Posted February 13, 2019 #16 Share Posted February 13, 2019 When I cruised with Royal Caribbean a couple of years ago the ship didn't dock in Amsterdam; we had to get a transfer in. This year I'm sailing on Britannia and have an overnight at Rotterdam; again I will get a transfer in to Amsterdam. In fairness neither cruise was advertised as docking in Amsterdam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pennbank Posted February 13, 2019 #17 Share Posted February 13, 2019 There are two terminals at Felison, One being being DFDS Passengers embark/debark known as Felison Terminal. Sluisplein 55 1975 AG IJmuiden and the other that usually takes cruise passengers known as Felison Cruise Terminal situated at Cruiseboulevard 10 (for navigation use Volendamkade 1)1976 EB IJmuiden The Terminals are at IJmuiden DFDS who run the ferry from Newcastle have In cooperation with Brouwer's Tours, DFDS Seaways offers its own busline between Amsterdam and the Felison Terminal. Buses leave daily between 15:00 and 16:00 from the bus stop across from Amsterdam Central Station, directly in front of Hotel Victoria on the corner of the 'Prins Hendrikkade' and 'Damrak'. Busfares can be reserved at the reduced rate of 8 euros per one way trip. If you buy your fare in the bus itself the price is 10 euros. You will be dropped off at https://www.amsterdamcruise.nl/getting-here-fctd off at the Felison Terminal, where you can check in. for DFDS. This is no where near the cruise terminal. The Felison Cruise Terminal is at a different location and is really at point no where. see https://www.amsterdamcruise.nl/getting-here-fct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DS_Dean Posted February 13, 2019 #18 Share Posted February 13, 2019 6 hours ago, janny444 said: Hi....interesting discussion on this subject....I booked 2 cruises for 2019 ...both included an overnight stay in Amsterdam but 2 different cruise lines and the main reason being the overnight stay in Amsterdam...one of our favourite POC. Last month found out that cruise number one had changed POC....so very disappointed BUT that cruise line offered a couple of minor " sweeteners" OR a full refund AND money for any additional transport costs related to the cruise which we had because we had booked coach transfer down to Southampton at a separate cost.....decided to cancel. All monies including transport costs have been refunded to us. According to this thread our 2nd cruise has changed where the ships dock but absolutely no " sweeteners offered...bit of a take it or leave it attitude. We would gladly have paid the 8 euros for the convenience of being in the centre. Would have thought that cruises companies already booked for Amsterdam would have been in contract with Amsterdam authorities so that T&Cs ...including payment... would have been agreed. Two different companies ...two different approaches Interesting indeed. P&O are not a customer service centric company that for sure. Customer care post booking is almost non-existent. Not sure if this is a Carnival brand wide thing, or just P&O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
janny444 Posted February 13, 2019 #19 Share Posted February 13, 2019 38 minutes ago, Haza said: What are the cruise companies you have booked with. MSC...full monies paid refunded & P&O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie11 Posted February 13, 2019 #20 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Trust me - IJmuiden is not much of a POC. We were there 5 or more years with MSC (advertised as docking at IJmuiden, not Amsterdam). We took an MSC excursion to Haarlem, which, iirc, wasn’t far away. It is lovely - a mini-Amsterdam if you like. Lots of canals, a lovely square, beautiful houses. Old wealth on show. https://www.vvvijmuidenaanzee.nl/en Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sogne Posted February 13, 2019 #21 Share Posted February 13, 2019 a new sea lock is being built at Ijmuiden which may or may not have a bearing but if P& O automatically billed all ship board accounts for8£ how long might the queue be at the purser's desk? 19 and 20 cruises were probably arranged before the new charge was announced. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted February 13, 2019 #22 Share Posted February 13, 2019 33 minutes ago, janny444 said: MSC...full monies paid refunded & P&O P&O I should of guessed, this is our first time with them ... not getting of to a good start. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlisonB1978 Posted February 13, 2019 Author #23 Share Posted February 13, 2019 I’ve sent a formal complaint to P&O tonight. Has anyone else? I guess the more complaints they receive, they may consider some goodwill gesture. Interestingly I received an email from them today asking me to respond to a customer satisfaction survey!! Surely when we booked a cruise advertised as docked at Amsterdam - not somewhere for Amsterdam, there’s a breach of trade descriptions or something (unless the reason for change is completely outside their control) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Haza Posted February 13, 2019 #24 Share Posted February 13, 2019 Found this https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/advice/a-change-was-made-to-my-cruise-itinerary-can-i-get-a-refund Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eddie11 Posted February 13, 2019 #25 Share Posted February 13, 2019 (edited) 9 minutes ago, AlisonB1978 said: I’ve sent a formal complaint to P&O tonight. Has anyone else? I guess the more complaints they receive, they may consider some goodwill gesture. Interestingly I received an email from them today asking me to respond to a customer satisfaction survey!! Surely when we booked a cruise advertised as docked at Amsterdam - not somewhere for Amsterdam, there’s a breach of trade descriptions or something (unless the reason for change is completely outside their control) Yes, I complained by email to Paul Ludlow yesterday and got a reply yesterday from his office. No fee-free cancellation or transfer and no OBC. It’s their business and it’s up to them to make business decisions. In this case, I hope it’s such a poor, penny-pinching, decision that they actually lose. These various cruises stressed o’night IN Amsterdam, not a half-hour shuttle bus ride away. I would happily have paid the blimmin’ €8. I can’t be the only one? How much will all those shuttle buses cost? ETA - my reply from P&O referred me to the Ts and Cs and stated that, in their opinion, it was not a significant change. I would think that, in legal terms, that is correct Edited February 13, 2019 by eddie11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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