Should we book P&O?

[mondas42]

We have cruised with p&o a number of times but we haven’t had a holiday in over 2 years cos of the pandemic. I’m shattered and was thinking of booking a Caribbean cruise in the new year to recharge the batteries. However I’ve just seen a load of very poor reviews for the customer service with p&o recently, not something we have encountered in the past. This has made me wonder if I should book with p&o or wait for things to improve? Any advice?

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, mondas42 said:

We have cruised with p&o a number of times but we haven’t had a holiday in over 2 years cos of the pandemic. I’m shattered and was thinking of booking a Caribbean cruise in the new year to recharge the batteries. However I’ve just seen a load of very poor reviews for the customer service with p&o recently, not something we have encountered in the past. This has made me wonder if I should book with p&o or wait for things to improve? Any advice?

Given that P&O, like all cruise lines, have only just restarted cruising,  I can't see how you can have read " a load"  of poor reviews. 

You will only have seen Seacation reviews, which obviously have no bearing on a Caribbean cruise.

At this late stage, you might struggle to find a Caribbean cruise anyway, given the iack of flights.

 

[mondas42]

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

Given that P&O, like all cruise lines, have only just restarted cruising,  I can't see how you can have read " a load"  of poor reviews. 

You will only have seen Seacation reviews, which obviously have no bearing on a Caribbean cruise.

At this late stage, you might struggle to find a Caribbean cruise anyway, given the iack of flights.

 

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/pocruises.com

 

 

[wowzz]

OK - you are talking about customer service, not about the actual cruise itself.

So, do what lots of us here do - book through a good TA  and you will have no problems. My TA answers the phone promptly, is knowledgeable,  and as the biggest booker of P&O cruises, has immediate  access to the P&O booking system.

[Harry Peterson]

6 hours ago, mondas42 said:

https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/pocruises.com

 

 

I take your point, but, as wowzz said, 'customer service' on Trustpilot might relate more to the booking etc than the cruise itself - you'd need to browse through the reviews.

 

P&O onshore customer service is appalling, and it can be equally appalling when things go wrong onboard and you need it sorting out.  Sometimes you have to take pretty heavy action against them, making it quite plain that you're prepared to use legal proceedings, just to get your basic consumer rights.  They rely on the fact that most people won't do that, and even then they often use non-disclosure agreements when they do settle.

 

Onboard however the staff, almost without exception, provide excellent, attentive, service.  They tend to come from cultures where providing good service is second nature.  The British don't seem to be as good at it.

 

P&O isn't however the luxury product it once was, and that's reflected in the price.  It's a down to earth cruise line offering pretty good value for money.  Think, in hotel terms, maybe three star UK hotels.

 

 

[davecttr]

Why is the P&O HQ customer service not a 7 day per week operation. Those extra 2 days would reduce the pressure on the other days by 30%. I think it is because they don't want to pay for it. They could also do an evening shift. I have a final balance to pay in October. Starting tomorrow I am putting the insurance in place and then start attempting to pay the balance, hopefully 2 weeks to do that will be sufficient.

 

is there an email address that I can use to send my reminder to THEM that I REALLY REALLY want to pay the couple of grand and can they please answer the bl***y phone

[Selbourne]

Based on my experience of P&O over almost 25 years I would agree with every single word that Harry has said. 

[terrierjohn]

8 hours ago, mondas42 said:

We have cruised with p&o a number of times but we haven’t had a holiday in over 2 years cos of the pandemic. I’m shattered and was thinking of booking a Caribbean cruise in the new year to recharge the batteries. However I’ve just seen a load of very poor reviews for the customer service with p&o recently, not something we have encountered in the past. This has made me wonder if I should book with p&o or wait for things to improve? Any advice?

All the current reviews relate to problems where, either lack of staff or significantly more queries from passengers, because of the covid restrictions, are conspiring to cause problems.

However if you use a good online cruise specialist TA you can reduce your stress, as certainly the larger TAs have much better contact arrangements with P&O,  and you should be able to contact them far easier.

[Cathygh]

47 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Why is the P&O HQ customer service not a 7 day per week operation. Those extra 2 days would reduce the pressure on the other days by 30%. I think it is because they don't want to pay for it. They could also do an evening shift. 

They are recruiting https://jobs.carnivalcorp.com/search-jobs/Southampton%2C England/28021/4/2635167-6269131-3333196-2637487/50x90395/-1x40428/50/2

Any takers?

[kalos]

4 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

They are recruiting https://jobs.carnivalcorp.com/search-jobs/Southampton%2C England/28021/4/2635167-6269131-3333196-2637487/50x90395/-1x40428/50/2

Any takers?

Homeworking So now they possibly answer the phone after they have mowed the lawn ,

nipped out for a coffee with their mates ,took granny to have her dentures adjusted amongst 

other possibilities . Just my opinion but a lot of disgruntled customers would like to talk to 

someone actually working in Southampton on a switchboard ,answering the phone in a couple

of minutes ,if not sooner . I have just spent months trying to sort out a private pension , sat on

the phone almost a hour before talking to someone . Only to be told "sorry I'm working from 

home I need to put you through to someone else , so we will be in touch which did not happen .

I hope they take people back on working on site again .

 

[P&O SUE]

23 minutes ago, kalos said:

Homeworking So now they possibly answer the phone after they have mowed the lawn ,

nipped out for a coffee with their mates ,took granny to have her dentures adjusted amongst 

other possibilities . Just my opinion but a lot of disgruntled customers would like to talk to 

someone actually working in Southampton on a switchboard ,answering the phone in a couple

of minutes ,if not sooner . I have just spent months trying to sort out a private pension , sat on

the phone almost a hour before talking to someone . Only to be told "sorry I'm working from 

home I need to put you through to someone else , so we will be in touch which did not happen .

I hope they take people back on working on site again .

 

I completely understand your frustration Kalos and I do think many companies are using WFH as an excuse. Personally I can not leave my desk for more than a minute because if it rings more than three times it logs me out the phone and the office knows!

[jeanlyon]

My TA has had to lose quite a few staff, but is still managing to answer emails and calls and is happy to give me information and move the cruise I have booked.  I would never use P&O directly.  Getting through is hopeless.  My TA also has problems getting through to them.

[daiB]

I have to say I have never had any problem contacting P&O by phone in my 20 years of cruising.

 

Then again I think I have only ever phoned them twice and my query was sorted very quickly. These calls were 3 and 9 years ago.

 

\As John says use a cruise TA.

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

My TA also has problems getting through to them.

I think that one of the advantages of using the TA that many of us use here, is that the TA in question has direct access to the P&O booking system, and therefore doesn't need to be in contact with P&O for most situations.

[jeanlyon]

Yes absolutely right.  That's also why I never register for a cruise.  Just give the Ta the cruise number.  He knows which cabins and what deck we like.  Simples.  His problems in contacting them were during this pandemic and he has a special number to call which still gave problems.

[zap99]

4 hours ago, daiB said:

I have to say I have never had any problem contacting P&O by phone in my 20 years of cruising.

 

Then again I think I have only ever phoned them twice and my query was sorted very quickly. These calls were 3 and 9 years ago.

 

\As John says use a cruise TA.

We need to call them once in a blue moon. If you get the internet booking correct, no need to call them. Having had 3 Cruises on P&O in the last 3 months I can say I have not noticed any dropping of standards on board. We are seeing many criticisms of onboard standards from folk who haven't cruised in the last 2 years. Makes me wonder.🤔

[Bazrat]

When they changed are flights from Birmingham to Manchester I phoned them took a while to get through but they answered sorted everything out no problem, we booked direct and found absolutely no need to use a TA.

[wowzz]

Just an observation - the OP is conspicuous by their absence !

[Bazrat]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

Just an observation - the OP is conspicuous by their absence !

Probably after reading Harry’s post they are using another cruise company 

[Eglesbrech]

On 9/18/2021 at 11:18 AM, daiB said:

I have to say I have never had any problem contacting P&O by phone in my 20 years of cruising.

 

Then again I think I have only ever phoned them twice and my query was sorted very quickly. These calls were 3 and 9 years ago.

 

\As John says use a cruise TA.

In fairness to P&O it never used to be a problem, they answered calls fairly promptly until this last 18 months.

 

We have often called after booking to purchase a  bon voyage package or birthday treat. It was never a problem in the past.

[Eglesbrech]

12 hours ago, wowzz said:

Just an observation - the OP is conspicuous by their absence !

Perhaps you scared them off with your oh so charming initial response.

[wowzz]

31 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Perhaps you scared them off with your oh so charming initial response.

Blimey, I thought my post was fair and to the point !

And the OP came back to explain that he was talking about customer service levels,  so he was obviously not that offended! 

[Eglesbrech]

10 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Blimey, I thought my post was fair and to the point !

And the OP came back to explain that he was talking about customer service levels,  so he was obviously not that offended! 

It was certainly pointed 😀

[mondas42]

Not offended at all, everyone is entitled to their view. Been busy looking up deals on various online TA’s hoping to book 14 nights in January on Britannia in the Caribbean. Just trying to decide on large inside vs obstructed balcony and if it’s worth the grand and a bit more.

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, mondas42 said:

Not offended at all, everyone is entitled to their view. Been busy looking up deals on various online TA’s hoping to book 14 nights in January on Britannia in the Caribbean. Just trying to decide on large inside vs obstructed balcony and if it’s worth the grand and a bit more.

No Brainer - balcony everytime. Why go all the way to the Carribean and not have a balcony to enjoy ?

Given the reduction in flights,  I'm somewhat surprised that there is any availability at all !