How will passenger numbers on future P&O Cruises be reduced?

[wowzz]

I didn't want to start a new thread, so as this article refers to reduced passenger numbers, I thought i would post it here.

 https://thepointsguy.co.uk/guide/first-cruise-ship-resumes-sailing/

[AndyMichelle]

4 hours ago, wowzz said:

I didn't want to start a new thread, so as this article refers to reduced passenger numbers, I thought i would post it here.

 https://thepointsguy.co.uk/guide/first-cruise-ship-resumes-sailing/

It has to happen this way, someone dips their toe in a fairly unrealistic way and others will adapt to suit. 

There will be a lot of experimenting going on, but the fact that only 40 passengers signed up proves it is far too early. 

Andy 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

It has to happen this way, someone dips their toe in a fairly unrealistic way and others will adapt to suit. 

There will be a lot of experimenting going on, but the fact that only 40 passengers signed up proves it is far too early. 

Andy 

That depends on how soon it takes them to increase to the new capacity.

[AndyMichelle]

6 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

That depends on how soon it takes them to increase to the new capacity.

I bet they expected to sell more than about 30% of the reduced capacity though. 

If 140 holidays are offered and only 40 people go, confidence is obviously low... 

I understand someone has to dip their toe, but timing needs to be right. 

Andy 

[Denarius]

45 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I bet they expected to sell more than about 30% of the reduced capacity though. 

If 140 holidays are offered and only 40 people go, confidence is obviously low... 

I understand someone has to dip their toe, but timing needs to be right. 

Andy 

Whilst some people will be so desperate to cruise that they will do so under any conditions, I suspect most will not. They will only do so if and when it is once again a pleasurable experience,  a holiday not an ordeal. I am firmly of the latter view. As a solo cruiser, the prospect of cruising under current rules does not appeal in the least. I expect a cruise to be a sociable experience and unless I can socialise with my fellow passengers I will not cruise. I can talk to myself at home.

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

I bet they expected to sell more than about 30% of the reduced capacity though. 

If 140 holidays are offered and only 40 people go, confidence is obviously low... 

I understand someone has to dip their toe, but timing needs to be right. 

Andy 

I guess it depends on what the lead-in/booking period was for this departure. If it was very short, that may have impacted on numbers. The company may have been relatively happy with such low numbers just to see how their new systems were going to work.

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, Denarius said:

Whilst some people will be so desperate to cruise that they will do so under any conditions, I suspect most will not. They will only do so if and when it is once again a pleasurable experience,  a holiday not an ordeal. I am firmly of the latter view. As a solo cruiser, the prospect of cruising under current rules does not appeal in the least. I expect a cruise to be a sociable experience and unless I can socialise with my fellow passengers I will not cruise. I can talk to myself at home.

Couldn't agree more!

[ollienbertsmum]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

I didn't want to start a new thread, so as this article refers to reduced passenger numbers, I thought i would post it here.

 https://thepointsguy.co.uk/guide/first-cruise-ship-resumes-sailing/

 

I am sorry but I am not tempted.  How will gloves and face shields keep me safe??  If a server talks when holding my plate where does his breath go??  Down to my plate.  

 

And what do gloves do??  They protect my server but not me!!!  IF they tell me that staff are washing their hands between cleaning rooms or between serving tables I would be more impressed.  

 

The talk about regular temperature checks is a nightmare.   So if you hit 38.5 degrees because you have an overdose of sun (happened to a collegue’s wife this week) will you be confined to your cabin??  He lost 3 days of work until the both tested negative.  I am not sure I would be happy on my cruise.  

 

I am still trying to work out how things would unfold if the airport found I had a high temperature when I am trying to fly the day before my trip but have a urine infection (not that I ever have but it is a possibility)  Would I lose the whole holiday as a result of being denied boarding?   Or do we all just take a dose of paracetamol 30 mins before approaching the airport.  

 

There are places I can drive to next year.  Sadly that is how I will travel.  

[No pager thank you]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

I didn't want to start a new thread, so as this article refers to reduced passenger numbers, I thought i would post it here.

 https://thepointsguy.co.uk/guide/first-cruise-ship-resumes-sailing/

Reading this, the passenger experience does sound to be awful.

 

That's not a cruise holiday.  It's just a mainly sterile environment (in both meanings of the word).

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, ollienbertsmum said:

 

I am sorry but I am not tempted.  How will gloves and face shields keep me safe??  If a server talks when holding my plate where does his breath go??  Down to my plate.  

 

And what do gloves do??  They protect my server but not me!!!  IF they tell me that staff are washing their hands between cleaning rooms or between serving tables I would be more impressed.  

 

The talk about regular temperature checks is a nightmare.   So if you hit 38.5 degrees because you have an overdose of sun (happened to a collegue’s wife this week) will you be confined to your cabin??  He lost 3 days of work until the both tested negative.  I am not sure I would be happy on my cruise.  

 

I am still trying to work out how things would unfold if the airport found I had a high temperature when I am trying to fly the day before my trip but have a urine infection (not that I ever have but it is a possibility)  Would I lose the whole holiday as a result of being denied boarding?   Or do we all just take a dose of paracetamol 30 mins before approaching the airport.  

 

There are places I can drive to next year.  Sadly that is how I will travel.  

From your worries and comments I would suggest that you consider an alternative type of holiday. If you are not prepared to accept even a slight risk then your holiday is likely to be one long nightmare.

[Snow Hill]

2 hours ago, ollienbertsmum said:

 

I am sorry but I am not tempted.  How will gloves and face shields keep me safe??  If a server talks when holding my plate where does his breath go??  Down to my plate.  

 

And what do gloves do??  They protect my server but not me!!!  IF they tell me that staff are washing their hands between cleaning rooms or between serving tables I would be more impressed.  

 

The talk about regular temperature checks is a nightmare.   So if you hit 38.5 degrees because you have an overdose of sun (happened to a collegue’s wife this week) will you be confined to your cabin??  He lost 3 days of work until the both tested negative.  I am not sure I would be happy on my cruise.  

 

I am still trying to work out how things would unfold if the airport found I had a high temperature when I am trying to fly the day before my trip but have a urine infection (not that I ever have but it is a possibility)  Would I lose the whole holiday as a result of being denied boarding?   Or do we all just take a dose of paracetamol 30 mins before approaching the airport.  

 

There are places I can drive to next year.  Sadly that is how I will travel.  

I think we may return to taking our holidays in a France next year, assuming we are still able to leave the country. We have had many relaxing & enjoyable holidays hiring a cottage or a gite with a pool, a few vineyard visits, a few bottles of wine some French cheese & a baguette perfect. 

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Snow Hill said:

I think we may return to taking our holidays in a France next year, assuming we are still able to leave the country. We have had many relaxing & enjoyable holidays hiring a cottage or a gite with a pool, a few vineyard visits, a few bottles of wine some French cheese & a baguette perfect. 

We are thinking the same, but renting a boat on the Canal du Midi rather than a gite.

[P&O SUE]

7 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

I think we may return to taking our holidays in a France next year, assuming we are still able to leave the country. We have had many relaxing & enjoyable holidays hiring a cottage or a gite with a pool, a few vineyard visits, a few bottles of wine some French cheese & a baguette perfect. 

Sounds good to me.

[ollienbertsmum]

11 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

From your worries and comments I would suggest that you consider an alternative type of holiday. If you are not prepared to accept even a slight risk then your holiday is likely to be one long nightmare.

 

Terrierjohn, Hmm I read what I wrote.  I was grumbling because I think all the PPE stuff is window dressing.    I am just getting so fed up of seeing people supposedly using PPE and it is all so pointless.  You can see that they are protecting no-one.  

 

The temperature part is something else.  Unless there is an additional paragraph that says ‘those people whose temperature exceeds 37.8 degrees will be tested for Covid and if negative after (free) medical advice about other symptoms they may be showing will be able to continue cruising as normal ‘

[ThomasBarrow]

I dont think cruising would be for me any more if it is like in that article. The whole point of cruising for me is how relaxing and carefree the holiday is. I'd rather go to a holiday cottage overlooking the sea

[tring]

On 6/12/2020 at 11:25 PM, wowzz said:

We are thinking the same, but renting a boat on the Canal du Midi rather than a gite.

 

Now that sounds very interesting, having googled a map of the area.  Any hire company you would suggest and would there be somewhere to park a car safely long term if we were to pooter there and back slowly?  HIring a motor home over there is another thought. 

 

Just hoping DH will be prepared to drive as I was banned from driving because of a medical condition ten years ago 🙂 

Edited June 15, 2020 by tring

[wowzz]

8 hours ago, tring said:

 

Now that sounds very interesting, having googled a map of the area.  Any hire company you would suggest and would there be somewhere to park a car safely long term if we were to pooter there and back slowly?  HIring a motor home over there is another thought. 

 

Just hoping DH will be prepared to drive as I was banned from driving because of a medical condition ten years ago 🙂 

There are loads of companies offering boat hire in the region, and the vast majority of them offer car parking. Some offer one way cruises,  and they then drive you back to your car at the end of your hire period. Google is your friend. 

Be aware that it is not a cheap holiday, especially with the current fx rate, and one of you needs to be fairly agile.

 

[Eddie99]

We spent a week in a gîte near the Canal du Midi a few years ago.  Flew to Beziers & hired a car.  Lovely, lovely area

We enjoyed walking the towpath and watching the traffic on the canal.  Gorgeous beasts like the Rick Stein one, a few larger boats but mostly the small hire ones.  One company was everywhere to be seen but apologies I don’t remember the name.  I’m sure a web search will pull them up. They seemed very “anglocentric” - helpful wrt language etc

 

Horses for courses in all things.  However, all 4 of us felt that there were obvious drawback to balance the pleasure.  The main one appeared to be that one poor sap got to drive, with a Coke or a coffee, whilst everyone else necked beer or cheap wine.  We also thought the whole thing might pall a bit after 3/4 days

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

The main one appeared to be that one poor sap got to drive, with a Coke or a coffee, whilst everyone else necked beer or cheap wine.

Can't say that I ever found it a problem to have the odd beer whilst steering. To be honest, you only did about 5 or 6 hours actual boating each day, so by mid afternoon you were moored up and could relax.

The main attraction is that you are somewhere different every night - you could argue that being  in the same place in a gite  for 7 days could pall.  

[Eddie99]

Yup

... pays yer money & takes yer choice - as ever

[tring]

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

There are loads of companies offering boat hire in the region, and the vast majority of them offer car parking. Some offer one way cruises,  and they then drive you back to your car at the end of your hire period. Google is your friend. 

Be aware that it is not a cheap holiday, especially with the current fx rate, and one of you needs to be fairly agile.

 

Thanks, yes I thought price may be an issue though with cancelled hols we could splash out

 Memories of managing locks on a UK canal in our younger years did come to mind later, so at 71 it may be much, though dh is fairly fit and I have no health issues affecting general strength.  Nice to look into it though.

[Son of Anarchy]

Just now, tring said:

Thanks, yes I thought price may be an issue though with cancelled hols we could splash out

 Memories of managing locks on a UK canal in our younger years did come to mind later, so at 71 it may be much, though dh is fairly fit and I have no health issues affecting general strength.  Nice to look into it though.

Some friends of ours went on the Midi a couple of years ago.  The locks are managed by lock keepers, our friends just drove in and out.  They did have to wait sometimes, usually lunch time, and some lock keepers cover more than one lock.  Our friends would exit the lock, and the keeper would cycle on to the next one!  I think they only operate the locks between about 8 and 5 or 6 as well.

[wowzz]

22 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Some friends of ours went on the Midi a couple of years ago.  The locks are managed by lock keepers, our friends just drove in and out.  They did have to wait sometimes, usually lunch time, and some lock keepers cover more than one lock.  Our friends would exit the lock, and the keeper would cycle on to the next one!  I think they only operate the locks between about 8 and 5 or 6 as well.

That was our experience as well. The lock keepers tended to open the paddles at speed  - created turmoil as all the boats were thrown together with the sudden ingress or egress of water.

[tring]

Thank you for those extra comments about the locks, I had also started thinking about my poor sense of balance now re locks, though my balance is not usually bad in the afternoons, which will likely be our travel times as we will probably want to pooter around without any long distances travelled in a day.

 

Must look into it, otherwise a drive through France with hotels stays, or even the same in Scotland would re cap some of our long forgotten holiday enjoyments, but without the need to pitch a tent each night and go across a field to use the 'facilities' in the middle of the night and early morning 🙂 

[zap99]

On 6/12/2020 at 9:01 PM, terrierjohn said:

From your worries and comments I would suggest that you consider an alternative type of holiday. If you are not prepared to accept even a slight risk then your holiday is likely to be one long nightmare.

Agreed. We have rebooked out Iona cruise from this August to next. We have today rebooked out Celebrity Alaska cruise from this June to next as we have with our Globus Rockies tour. All only a few pounds more. We can't book our BA Canada flights yet, but soon will. If people don't want to cruise the choice is simple. Don't do it. Different strokes for different folks. We will probably book a few infill holidays. If the cruise experience isn't quite as it was, we will make the best of it with a smile and a " Oh well,"🚢😁