Should P&O stop going to St Peter Port?

[mrsgoggins]

2 hours ago, D C said:

They recommend staying on the ship instead of going ashore sooner? 

 

Given the relatively short time the ship is in port, and the amount to see on Guernsey, I would think a "first tender ashore, last tender back" approach makes sense. 

 

We did that on Key West in Feb. First off the ship and among the last 6 to re-board.  

 

 

The 91/92 bus is a nice (and inexpensive) trip around the island, but they now have a special "Guernsey Explorer" bus that is narrated and makes some stops.  It's £10pp.

  https://www.icw.gg/guernsey-explorer

 

 

No.  The minimum they should do is to change their traffic light system from green to red!  Then people are forewarned. 

 

I accept that sometimes the whole tendering process works more smoothly than  it did last Thursday, in which case if it does turn out to be an easy transit after 11.30 then you have a pleasant surprise.  As it was, my family waited the two and a half hours to get on the tender a) because they did not know initially that it was going be take that long, b) because they do not expect to go to Guernsey again and c) the previous port call to Oporto had been cancelled due to poor weather conditions.

 

I agree that the bus tour was a great way to see the island and that was useful information you provided about the Guernsey Explorer, so thank you.

[silkworms]

Thank you for the info re Guernsey explorer, really helpful and an easy site to navigate.

 

We have a three day on Arcadia to Guernsey in June. We leave Friday, sea day on Saturday and Sunday in port.  As we are due back in Southampton on Monday could anyone let me know what time we would sail from Guernsey on the Sunday.

[Bazrat]

10 minutes ago, silkworms said:

Thank you for the info re Guernsey explorer, really helpful and an easy site to navigate.

 

We have a three day on Arcadia to Guernsey in June. We leave Friday, sea day on Saturday and Sunday in port.  As we are due back in Southampton on Monday could anyone let me know what time we would sail from Guernsey on the Sunday.

We are on that cruise we depart Guernsey at 5pm according to the info p&o gave us.

[silkworms]

Thanks for that Bazrat, that will give us time for the Guernsey explorer, it sounds a lovely trip and just takes 90 mins. Just hope we can get in!

[Mysticalmother]

well my success rate is 100%... 4 times out of 4. I acknowledge I have been lucky!

 

I think if you book a cruise including Guernsey, you need to be prepared for not calling there. Some suggest that Cruise lines (not just P & O) should warn passengers...but I think passengers should always work on the basis that for a tender port...where ever it is ..there is a risk you wont get in. And sometimes an alternative is simply not possible to arrange at short notice.

Its just cruising....

[D C]

5 hours ago, silkworms said:

Thanks for that Bazrat, that will give us time for the Guernsey explorer, it sounds a lovely trip and just takes 90 mins. Just hope we can get in!

This link should take you to the booking page for the Guernsey Explorer. 

https://island-coachways-limited.trekksoft.com/en_GB/widget/activity/book/162496/the-guernsey-explorer

 

 

For those still looking at the 91/92 buses, note that the price for a round trip from town, back to town (without getting off) is now £5.   Any other single trip is still £1.   Since they're commuting buses, they're trying to move traffic to other options.   The 92/91 are often packed on cruise days, forcing locals to wait as crowded buses pass by their stops. 

[happy v]

15 hours ago, D C said:

The 91/92 bus is a nice (and inexpensive) trip around the island, but they now have a special "Guernsey Explorer" bus that is narrated and makes some stops.  It's £10pp.

Thank you for this information. I have just booked for us.

Hope we get there!🙂

Edited April 14, 2019 by happy v

[magwitch]

I agree they should ditch St Peter Port.we now refuse to book any cruise that has it as a visiting port.

[D C]

3 hours ago, magwitch said:

I agree they should ditch St Peter Port.we now refuse to book any cruise that has it as a visiting port.

Why is that exactly? 

[Bazrat]

8 hours ago, magwitch said:

I agree they should ditch St Peter Port.we now refuse to book any cruise that has it as a visiting port.

I have to say I totally disagree with your views,this will be our first cruise to St. Peter’s port if we get in great if not that’s life,but those who are desperate to see the island there are other ways to get there.

[Harry Peterson]

From my standpoint, I'd say that it depends very much on how important a part St Peter Port plays in the overall cruise. 

 

For some it's the ONLY port of call, and that seems far too big a risk.

 

And with the Amsterdam one later this year on 30 August it's one of only three ports visited.  Amsterdam itself looks like being a disaster because of the Ijmuiden fiasco, and if St Peter Port's out as well the whole thing's a total waste of money.

 

Personal choice, and how risk-averse you are, I suppose.

[amfc_lenny]

Hoping to get into St Peters Port on our next cruise.

If the queue for the tenders looks long though, I'm quite happy just to spend the day enjoying the quieter facilities on the ship. 

 

Agree,if its your only port of call I'd be pretty peeved not to disembark.

 

 

[CarlaMarie]

5 hours ago, docco said:

From my standpoint, I'd say that it depends very much on how important a part St Peter Port plays in the overall cruise. 

 

For some it's the ONLY port of call, and that seems far too big a risk.

 

And with the Amsterdam one later this year on 30 August it's one of only three ports visited.  Amsterdam itself looks like being a disaster because of the Ijmuiden fiasco, and if St Peter Port's out as well the whole thing's a total waste of money.

 

Personal choice, and how risk-averse you are, I suppose.

My parents are doing this exact cruise right now on Ventura (Imjuiden for Amsterdam, Bruges and then Guernsey). 

 

From what they have said after speaking to them yesterday, they have never seen so many shuttle buses on the dockside waiting (double decker buses also). It seems that P&O have taken on board the issues regarding not having enough transport ready when Azura docked a few weeks ago. I don't know how much waiting passengers are having to do though, so I can't comment on that (my parents did a morning excursion yesterday and are making their own way to Haarlem today).

 

In regards to Guernsey, we live on the southwest coast, not far from the channel islands really, so we know how quickly the weather can change here and how rough it can be. My mum and dad have been on three cruises with Guernsey on the itinerary - only once have they managed to anchor. But that is the risk you take, the same with any tender port. If you do get in, it is well worth the visit as it's a beautiful island and very peaceful. 

[vwgolf]

I've just returned from the Ventura and we stopped at Guernsey (missed Porto but that's another story). Getting on the tender was no problem - there was hardly any waiting if you went first thing - but getting back was a bit of a pain. The seas got a bit choppy and the captain made the decision to slow the boarding process down for safety reasons. We waited around 45 minutes to get on the tender and the crossing was a bit rough. At least we saw the island, and very pretty it is too. We are going on a two nighter at the end of May to Guernsey so I'm not sure what would happen if they couldn't anchor. Cherbourg perhaps???

[Bazrat]

6 hours ago, docco said:

From my standpoint, I'd say that it depends very much on how important a part St Peter Port plays in the overall cruise. 

 

For some it's the ONLY port of call, and that seems far too big a risk.

 

And with the Amsterdam one later this year on 30 August it's one of only three ports visited.  Amsterdam itself looks like being a disaster because of the Ijmuiden fiasco, and if St Peter Port's out as well the whole thing's a total waste of money.

 

Personal choice, and how risk-averse you are, I suppose.

To big a risk actually life is a risk that’s what makes living so exciting so missing the chance to get to St. Peter’s port  type it up to experience.

Amsterdam seams to be a problem for most of the cruise lines I checked lijuiden seams to be the main port of call now,so not just a p&o problem as you make out.

 

Edited April 15, 2019 by Bazrat
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[vwgolf]

On ‎4‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 1:57 PM, mrsgoggins said:

 

The above tale is similar to my son’s experience on Thursday, 11th April on Ventura.  They went for the tender at 11.30 - as the information leaflet advised ‘11.30 onwards approximately: We expect few delays at this time and invite guests to disembark at their leisure’.  It was green on the traffic light system P&O uses. It was noon before they got tickets for the tender and almost 2.30 pm before they reached St Peter Port.  They then queued for more than an hour for the return tender!  And this with 2 children in tow.  What an ordeal.  

 

We, on the other hand, went for tickets at 9.20 and were on the tender for 10.30. On reaching St Peter Port, we took bus 91 (I think) for a great circular tour lasting one and three quarter hours, popped into Boots and Marks for a few things and joined a queue for around 5 minutes to be back on the ship shortly after 2 pm.  

 

Similar to us. We missed breakfast and went straight for the tender. Very little waiting and was ashore by soon after 10. There was a bit more of a wait when getting back and it took around 45 minutes for us, getting back on the ship at around 4:45. We saw tenders going back and forth for some time afterwards; well after the advertised 5pm final slot.

[mrsgoggins]

4 minutes ago, vwgolf said:

Similar to us. We missed breakfast and went straight for the tender. Very little waiting and was ashore by soon after 10. There was a bit more of a wait when getting back and it took around 45 minutes for us, getting back on the ship at around 4:45. We saw tenders going back and forth for some time afterwards; well after the advertised 5pm final slot.

 

I’m assuming that you were on last week’s cruise like us?  If so, did you hear of a tender losing power and bashing into the back of the ship and that getting the tender under control added to the delays?  A fellow passenger told me this on disembarkation and I wondered if it was a case of ‘Chinese Whispers’ or if there was substance to it.

 

Like you, we witnessed tenders returning well after 5 pm.  My son said there was plenty of Dunkirk spirit in the line 😄.  I’m pretty certain that he won’t be troubling P&O again with his presence though, and not just because of the tendering fiasco!

[arendale1]

We’re on Ventura atm. Went to Amsterdam yesterday, absolutely fine getting there and back. Straight on one of the many coaches waiting both ways. Had a great day.

Decided not to go again today and currently sat in the sun enjoying a glass of wine at one of the bars on the beach in IJmuiden. Pleasantly surprised by this port. Looking out from the ship all you can see is an industrial port. Get off the ship and walk a short 10 minute stroll to the lovely beach and bars - we’re having a great time and actually quite happy that we’re experiencing another port.

[D C]

31 minutes ago, vwgolf said:

Similar to us. We missed breakfast and went straight for the tender. Very little waiting and was ashore by soon after 10. There was a bit more of a wait when getting back and it took around 45 minutes for us, getting back on the ship at around 4:45. We saw tenders going back and forth for some time afterwards; well after the advertised 5pm final slot.

 

The "last call" time for tendering is merely the time you need to be on queue, correct?  If everyone were to return to the tender pier just a few minutes before that time, tenders should run until everyone is on board. 

[Harry Peterson]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

To big a risk actually life is a risk that’s what makes living so exciting so missing the chance to get to St. Peter’s port  type it up to experience.

Amsterdam seams to be a problem for most of the cruise lines I checked lijuiden seams to be the main port of call now,so not just a p&o problem as you make out.

 

I booked with P&O so that’s the company that affects me.  I’m well aware that most  other Carnival owned companies, and one or two others, are doing the same, but you’ll find that the way they’re handling it is different.

 

P&O STILL won’t even own up to the reasons for doing it for fear of upsetting even more of their customers.

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, CarlaMarie said:

My parents are doing this exact cruise right now on Ventura (Imjuiden for Amsterdam, Bruges and then Guernsey). 

 

From what they have said after speaking to them yesterday, they have never seen so many shuttle buses on the dockside waiting (double decker buses also). It seems that P&O have taken on board the issues regarding not having enough transport ready when Azura docked a few weeks ago. I don't know how much waiting passengers are having to do though, so I can't comment on that (my parents did a morning excursion yesterday and are making their own way to Haarlem today).

I think a number of us would be interested in any feedback you can give on how long it was taking to get in and out of Amsterdam from Ijmuiden.

[arendale1]

10 minutes ago, docco said:

I think a number of us would be interested in any feedback you can give on how long it was taking to get in and out of Amsterdam from Ijmuiden.

I’ve posted above about how easy and straightforward it was. We got straight on one of the coaches and  it took less than an hour to get off the ship and arrive in Amsterdam. Then around a 10 minute walk from the drop off at the station to the centre.

Edited April 15, 2019 by arendale1

[Harry Peterson]

7 minutes ago, arendale1 said:

I’ve posted above about how eat and straightforward it was. We got straight on one of the coaches and  it took less than an hour to get off the ship and arrive in Amsterdam. Then around a 10 minute walk from the drop off at the station to the centre.

Sorry. Missed that!  Were you one of the early ones off the ship?

[arendale1]

1 minute ago, docco said:

Sorry. Missed that!  Were you one of the early ones off the ship?

No, we waited until around 11am.

[NoFlyGuy]

We tend to try and enjoy our holidays - occasional glitch here and there whether P&O related or not.

Maybe we have a much higher annoyance threshold than certain other posters.