Azura from Malta

[LinniB]

Only 5 weeks until Greek island cruise from Malta and 3 cabins booked and linked but only flight details for one cabin P and O telling us can’t guarantee we will all be on the same flight! Is anyone else having similar issues waiting for info?

[Waju]

24 minutes ago, LinniB said:

Only 5 weeks until Greek island cruise from Malta and 3 cabins booked and linked but only flight details for one cabin P and O telling us can’t guarantee we will all be on the same flight! Is anyone else having similar issues waiting for info?

Nooooo 😲 that's crazy - we're not travelling till later on in June but could be in the same situation.  I sincerely hope you can get it sorted - I've never heard anything so daft!  

[Waju]

I'm the biggest P&O fan going but if all the comments on different posts are correct they really do seem to be digging their own hole at the moment .

[Waju]

Just a thought.....have you paid extra to fly from your regional airport?  \We have and I know there is only one flight to Malta so we should be ok!  Might be different if you're flying from Gatwick for example.

[LinniB]

We have paid extra to fly from Manchester 

[Waju]

3 minutes ago, LinniB said:

We have paid extra to fly from Manchester 

Have a quick look how many flights go from Manchester on that day - you may be lucky and there is only one.  ps the extra it costs to fly from regional airports they should guarantee you'll travel together!

[LinniB]

There are two flights Sister booked on easyJet that is now showing as full there is a jet2 flight but that’s showing as over £400 one way which I’m guessing is the issue 🤔Never had issues like this before I suppose they will blame it on Covid !

[purplesea]

I mid February for the end of April to fly out from Bristol (without having to pay extra) and my flight details were available the day I booked.

[molecrochip]

P&O are having flight issues which are not of their own making. For example, airlines have still not brought all of their planes back into use so are offering up different configurations than were planned.

[terrierjohn]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

P&O are having flight issues which are not of their own making. For example, airlines have still not brought all of their planes back into use so are offering up different configurations than were planned.

There also seem to be major delays at airports due to staff shortages, Manchester is particularly badly affected.

[nidger]

On 4/3/2022 at 2:49 PM, terrierjohn said:

There also seem to be major delays at airports due to staff shortages, Manchester is particularly badly affected.

We are on Azura in a few weeks, could anyone please tell me if you have to check in with P&O at the airport or go straight to the airline check in desk. Thanks. 

[ElmaLee]

24 minutes ago, nidger said:

We are on Azura in a few weeks, could anyone please tell me if you have to check in with P&O at the airport or go straight to the airline check in desk. Thanks. 

In my experience P&O have had staff at start of check-in queue to check  details for cruise passengers.

[Huggsy]

We are due on Azura in June, cruise from Malta - remnants of a FCC from so long ago it pains me to even talk about it. P&O have allocated us a chartered flight from Manchester at 2.10pm which arrives in Malta at 6.30pm - after possible delays both ends, security, customs, luggage collection, transfers to terminal, health checks, etc, etc - I don't envisage much left of a relaxing evening. You can't tell me they couldn't have found us a more user friendly alternative flight where we might possibly get to experience a 7 night cruise which we've paid for, instead now a 6 night cruise. If we're lucky, by the time we get on board, then unpack and freshen up; we're hopeful that Chef will have left us a couple of plates in the oven. I know the airlines aren't operating as they once were but p&o should be handling this better instead of just expecting their customers to put up and shut up with sub standard practices then refusing to participate in any dialogue in offering any compensation. This is my first and last time with p&o.

Think I'll lend them a shovel.

[BillieJeanKaraokeKing]

On 4/3/2022 at 2:49 PM, terrierjohn said:

There also seem to be major delays at airports due to staff shortages, Manchester is particularly badly affected.

Would anyone notice the difference at Manchester? 😂

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, Huggsy said:

We are due on Azura in June, cruise from Malta - remnants of a FCC from so long ago it pains me to even talk about it. P&O have allocated us a chartered flight from Manchester at 2.10pm which arrives in Malta at 6.30pm - after possible delays both ends, security, customs, luggage collection, transfers to terminal, health checks, etc, etc - I don't envisage much left of a relaxing evening. You can't tell me they couldn't have found us a more user friendly alternative flight where we might possibly get to experience a 7 night cruise which we've paid for, instead now a 6 night cruise. If we're lucky, by the time we get on board, then unpack and freshen up; we're hopeful that Chef will have left us a couple of plates in the oven. I know the airlines aren't operating as they once were but p&o should be handling this better instead of just expecting their customers to put up and shut up with sub standard practices then refusing to participate in any dialogue in offering any compensation. This is my first and last time with p&o.

Think I'll lend them a shovel.

I think you will find this is not specific to P&O - there is a thread on the Marella Board about arriving in Palma at 7.15pm. At least your flight is direct - I have known some cruise lines who provide flights that are not even direct.

[terrierjohn]

27 minutes ago, BillieJeanKaraokeKing said:

Would anyone notice the difference at Manchester? 😂

Strangely the last few days at Manchester seem to be going smoothly my Son and family flew out Saturday, his in laws flew out Friday, and my Granddaughter today, none of them experienced any delays, and my son said they were through check in and security in 20 minutes.

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Huggsy said:

We are due on Azura in June, cruise from Malta - remnants of a FCC from so long ago it pains me to even talk about it. P&O have allocated us a chartered flight from Manchester at 2.10pm which arrives in Malta at 6.30pm - after possible delays both ends, security, customs, luggage collection, transfers to terminal, health checks, etc, etc - I don't envisage much left of a relaxing evening. You can't tell me they couldn't have found us a more user friendly alternative flight where we might possibly get to experience a 7 night cruise which we've paid for, instead now a 6 night cruise. If we're lucky, by the time we get on board, then unpack and freshen up; we're hopeful that Chef will have left us a couple of plates in the oven. I know the airlines aren't operating as they once were but p&o should be handling this better instead of just expecting their customers to put up and shut up with sub standard practices then refusing to participate in any dialogue in offering any compensation. This is my first and last time with p&o.

Think I'll lend them a shovel.

Hopefully your return flight will be on the same time as your inward flight, so you will have a full day in Malta with a late afternoon transfer to the airport, which will be later if the inbound flight is delayed. And I am fairly certain the buffet will be open if your inward flight arrives late.

[tring]

1 hour ago, Huggsy said:

We are due on Azura in June, cruise from Malta - remnants of a FCC from so long ago it pains me to even talk about it. P&O have allocated us a chartered flight from Manchester at 2.10pm which arrives in Malta at 6.30pm - after possible delays both ends, security, customs, luggage collection, transfers to terminal, health checks, etc, etc - I don't envisage much left of a relaxing evening. You can't tell me they couldn't have found us a more user friendly alternative flight where we might possibly get to experience a 7 night cruise which we've paid for, instead now a 6 night cruise. If we're lucky, by the time we get on board, then unpack and freshen up; we're hopeful that Chef will have left us a couple of plates in the oven. I know the airlines aren't operating as they once were but p&o should be handling this better instead of just expecting their customers to put up and shut up with sub standard practices then refusing to participate in any dialogue in offering any compensation. This is my first and last time with p&o.

Think I'll lend them a shovel.

 

13 minutes ago, Britboys said:

I think you will find this is not specific to P&O - there is a thread on the Marella Board about arriving in Palma at 7.15pm. At least your flight is direct - I have known some cruise lines who provide flights that are not even direct.

 

We are booked to fly out to join Azura later in the season and would be very happy to have a flight which does not leave until early afternoon as we could have some sleep the night before and, we feel, would be far more likely be to enjoy our cruise if we do not arrive incredibly tired.  It is a shame passengers are not given a choice of flight time, as I had heard of one flight leaving at 6am, which would be horrendous from our point of view, since we may have to get to the airport by about 2am if we still need to allow time for testing and other airport procedures.

 

One thing I would like to mention is that pre covid, we had always found Manchester airport was quite quiet for early afternoon departures, as the bulk of the flights had always left fairly early and then another, smaller batch of evening departures.  For that reason we often tried to use flights departing at that time.  So it is possibly that you progress through the airport much easier at that time of day.  Hopefully the airport will be managing better by June, it sounds like the Easter holidays have had a big impact on the current problems.  I hope so for your sake.

 

 

[Huggsy]

6 hours ago, Britboys said:

I think you will find this is not specific to P&O - there is a thread on the Marella Board about arriving in Palma at 7.15pm. At least your flight is direct - I have known some cruise lines who provide flights that are not even direct.

Appreciate what you're saying and we too have experienced non-direct flights but it's all rather tiresome isn't it and doesn't make for a good start for us or anybody else with all the other hoops you have to jump.

[purplesea]

Our flight is at 6am from Bristol and when I first given the time of our flight, I thought lovely we would  to have a wander around the port before we sail.

It wasn't until the logistics of having to be at the airport in the early hours of the morning that I wasn't so sure!  I  have spent a long time looking at, and deliberating over the options!

 

[Jennizor]

Don’t let this issue make you judge P&O before you have even joined the ship. The airport issues currently should be resolved by the time you fly and you would more than likely be on board by early evening. We are on Azura from Malta in September, we were given approximate flight times soon after we booked. P&O are not perfect but we have enjoyed every cruise with have been on with them10+). The last two were affected by the pandemic but every cruise line has been affected. Azura is our favourite ship and we are really looking forward to being on her again. I’m sure once you are on her you will have a lovely cruise.

[tring]

2 hours ago, Jennizor said:

Don’t let this issue make you judge P&O before you have even joined the ship. The airport issues currently should be resolved by the time you fly and you would more than likely be on board by early evening. We are on Azura from Malta in September, we were given approximate flight times soon after we booked. P&O are not perfect but we have enjoyed every cruise with have been on with them10+). The last two were affected by the pandemic but every cruise line has been affected. Azura is our favourite ship and we are really looking forward to being on her again. I’m sure once you are on her you will have a lovely cruise.

 

I am wondering how and who gave you approximate flight times.  Can they be assessed that early and are they fairly accurate times or just suggestions from an agent according to what has happened in previous years?  My thoughts are that there could be some differences this year than previous years, though I do suspect that once the charter flight times are decided, then they will leave at similar times throughout the season. That is usually something that can be searched on airport flight schedules if the flight numbers are known.  The differences for some departures may be passengers booked onto various scheduled flights. 

 

We booked our October departure on launch day, so are wondering if that will mean we are more likely to be booked on a charter flight.  Does anyone know if that is normally the case?  Also, if we are placed on a 6am departure time for our flight, are P&O likely to allow us to take our own flight out (which we could couple with a few days on a hotel booked independently), yet still retain our return P&O flight from Tenerife?

 

Any thoughts on that would be very much appreciated, I am aware that P&O do not give a refund if flights are not used, but we would still like to use the return flights.

 

Edited April 12, 2022 by tring

[tim2go]

1 hour ago, tring said:

 

We booked our October departure on launch day, so are wondering if that will mean we are more likely to be booked on a charter flight.  Does anyone know if that is normally the case?  Also, if we are placed on a 6am departure time for our flight, are P&O likely to allow us to take our own flight out (which we could couple with a few days on a hotel booked independently), yet still retain our return P&O flight from Tenerife?

 

Any thoughts on that would be very much appreciated, I am aware that P&O do not give a refund if flights are not used, but we would still like to use the return flights.

 

Our flight to Malta on the 6th October looks like a TUI charter from Gatwick leaving at 1350.

The return from Tenerife on the 22nd is listed as 1130 but no airline details yet.

[Jennizor]

We had the same cruise cancelled very late on in 2020 and the flight time was around 14.30. I had booked the Aspire Lounge too, but got a refund. You are quite right Tring, however, this time it was our agent that gave approximate times based on previous cruises.

[tring]

55 minutes ago, tim2go said:

Our flight to Malta on the 6th October looks like a TUI charter from Gatwick leaving at 1350.

The return from Tenerife on the 22nd is listed as 1130 but no airline details yet.

 

53 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

We had the same cruise cancelled very late on in 2020 and the flight time was around 14.30. I had booked the Aspire Lounge too, but got a refund. You are quite right Tring, however, this time it was our agent that gave approximate times based on previous cruises.

 

Thanks for the replies.  We are booked to fly out of Manchester on the 6th October.  We have now checked the flight schedules from Manchester and the only TOM flight is showing that day is at 06.10 and that flight is not being offered for the Tui holidays on that day of the week (Thursday), so it is likely the P&O charter for that day. 

 

The 14.10 flight, which Huggsy is booked on from Manchester is probably the TOM 2452 flight on a Thursday, but is only scheduled in until August, so even if P&O do continue with that charter into the autumn, it would seem likely that we have already been allocated the 06.10 flight.  As P&O seem to be offering some good deals on 7 night Azura cruises in the next month or so, it would perhaps seem likely they already have too many flights booked for the summer and I do feel more people traveling in the autumn may be going for longer durations, so they may not need another Manchester flights at that stage - especially as the 6th Octis a date when a number of translocation, longer, holidays are due to start (like our 16 nighter).

 

We have gone off the idea of trying to book our own flight out as the only other flights to Malta from Manchester for the few days before the cruise, also depart at about 6am or 7am, apart from a Ryanair via Dublin (which departs in the afternoon).  We had a brief thought of spending a couple of days in Dublin as well as Malta, but soon decided that was a none starter as we would not really want to trust Ryanair anyway.  So looks like we will probably have to accept a flight out about 6am, or change the cruise for something else.  A nuisance that we will probably have to pay the cruise balance before P&O notify us about the flight times, perhaps they do that deliberately.