Another itinerary change R319

[Astrajet]

Email sent.  We have also had a change of port on another Aurora cruise this year! 

Edited March 18, 2023 by Astrajet

[AuroraF10]

Yup, we also had this port call change.  And, yes, Rhodes is the main reason we booked this cruise.  Plus, to complete the hat-trick, we lost a very similar cruise itinerary booking during COVID.  Grrr

[jeanlyon]

On 3/17/2023 at 4:54 PM, Host Sharon said:

Mine came from my TA today. Heraklion changed to 14th, Rhodes swapped to Messina.

ah, so mine should come from my TA.  Had another email about something else from P&O today, so that is still working.

[Host Sharon]

16 hours ago, AuroraF10 said:

Yup, we also had this port call change.  And, yes, Rhodes is the main reason we booked this cruise.  Plus, to complete the hat-trick, we lost a very similar cruise itinerary booking during COVID.  Grrr

Suggest you write to Paul Ludlow, as most of us have done. At least P&O will know we are unhappy then. 

[jeanlyon]

Sharon, I have had a reply today from PL's office.  They are looking into the matter and will get back to me.

[Host Sharon]

59 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Sharon, I have had a reply today from PL's office.  They are looking into the matter and will get back to me.

Yes, me too, and a number of my friends also on this cruise. At the very least they know that they are upsetting passengers. One friend booked it for her husband’s 70th birthday and, like us, has been to Messina many times but never to Rhodes.

[Astrajet]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Sharon, I have had a reply today from PL's office.  They are looking into the matter and will get back to me.

No response to my email yet!

[bbtablet]

When did P&O decide to cancel the Rhodes stop, for what reason, and why haven't they told the passengers about it?

 

Messina substituted.

 

We mainly booked this for the chance to see Rhodes.

[yorkshirephil]

7 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

When did P&O decide to cancel the Rhodes stop, for what reason, and why haven't they told the passengers about it?

 

Messina substituted.

 

We mainly booked this for the chance to see Rhodes.

It was cancelled a few days ago, some people have been informed, I have not but booked with TA so maybe get it soon. There is another thread relating to this change.

 

 

[jeanlyon]

Response from Ludlow's office with no explanation, just that operational reasons sometimes happen.  They are "so sorry" I am disappointed and I can transfer my cruise if I want.

[Britboys]

16 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Response from Ludlow's office with no explanation, just that operational reasons sometimes happen.  They are "so sorry" I am disappointed and I can transfer my cruise if I want.

They are just not open are they Jean! There doesn't appear to be a Greek Islands cruise in 2025. There is one which calls at Katakolon and Corfu - and of course Messina!

[Astrajet]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

Response from Ludlow's office with no explanation, just that operational reasons sometimes happens.  They are "so sorry" I am disappointed and I can transfer my cruise if I want.

Much the same as the response I received but no mention of transferring just a suggestion that I contact my insurers!  (I had also referred to a port change on R312.)

Edited March 27, 2023 by Astrajet

[bbtablet]

My insurer's "Cruise cover" will only pay out for ports missed after the ship has set off on the cruise, not for itinerary changes before sailing.

Edited April 1, 2023 by bbtablet

[Angel57]

Incidentally, Aurora’s cruise (R310) in June to the Fjords has has three of its ports substituted….. I understand the reason given by P&O was “berthing conflicts” which I suppose makes a change to “operational reasons”!! 🙄

I’m not on this cruise, but a friend is.

[snaefell]

We are on Arcadia's Med cruise departing May 14th,just after paying the final balance I received an email advising that the shore excursion I had booked in Gibraltar was no longer available,when I checked what replacements were available I found that Gibraltar had gone & Malaga had taken it's place,last week I got an email advising of the change of itinerary,many people have said how lucky we are as Gibraltar is a dump but it was a 'bucket list' thing & one of the reasons we booked the cruise,the main reason for not booking Royal Caribbean any more is because they were forever changing itineraries,our one cruise with them changed as it went along!

[Angel57]

9 minutes ago, snaefell said:

We are on Arcadia's Med cruise departing May 14th,just after paying the final balance I received an email advising that the shore excursion I had booked in Gibraltar was no longer available,when I checked what replacements were available I found that Gibraltar had gone & Malaga had taken it's place,last week I got an email advising of the change of itinerary,many people have said how lucky we are as Gibraltar is a dump but it was a 'bucket list' thing & one of the reasons we booked the cruise,the main reason for not booking Royal Caribbean any more is because they were forever changing itineraries,our one cruise with them changed as it went along!

It’s quite amazing how the itinerary changes emerge just after the final balance has been paid. 

[Astrajet]

1 hour ago, bbtablet said:

My insurer's "Cruise cover" will only pay out for ports missed after the ship has set off on the cruise, not for itinerary changes before sailing.

Exactly the same with our insurers hence my exclaimation mark. 

[Fionboard]

Would rather have a day in Malaga than half a day in Gibraltar.

[Host Sharon]

Well, I haven't even had the courtesy of a reply yet, beyond the automated one, although my friend and others have 😞

[jeanlyon]

10 hours ago, Host Sharon said:

Well, I haven't even had the courtesy of a reply yet, beyond the automated one, although my friend and others have 😞

I had a reply that told me nothing, so you aren't missing much!

[jeanlyon]

Received this today from Ludlow's office.

 

Thank you for your email. I am sorry for the delay in my response.

As you may be aware, we plan itineraries up to two years in advance. The logistics of scheduling for cruise lines is very complex, compliance with local port authorities, itinerary schedules, as well as weather and tidal conditions all control the choice and duration of our stay in any particular port. Port authorities usually accept our request, and then assign berths as we get closer to sailing. In the space of two years, it is inevitable that on occasions as we get closer to sailing certain conditions may change which results having to make amendments to the itinerary. However, I do wish to stress that we naturally avoid doing this and ensure we look for alternatives first before removing any port from an itinerary.

Regrettably, the port authorities in both Rhodes and Heraklion have advised that they are unable to accommodate Aurora on the date originally scheduled. We initially intended to replace with Greek ports, however, these also proved unavailable on the required dates. As such, we replaced with Mediterranean ports to follow the theme of the cruise. We are again, very sorry for the change to your itinerary.

Thank you for bringing it to my attention that Rhodes is still showing on the map on our website for this cruise. This has been flagged with our IT and Digital teams for their review.

Please be assured your feedback has been noted. I do hope that despite this matter, you go on to have an enjoyable time on board Aurora in October.
 

[snaefell]

Just now, jeanlyon said:

Received this today from Ludlow's office.

 

Thank you for your email. I am sorry for the delay in my response.

As you may be aware, we plan itineraries up to two years in advance. The logistics of scheduling for cruise lines is very complex, compliance with local port authorities, itinerary schedules, as well as weather and tidal conditions all control the choice and duration of our stay in any particular port. Port authorities usually accept our request, and then assign berths as we get closer to sailing. In the space of two years, it is inevitable that on occasions as we get closer to sailing certain conditions may change which results having to make amendments to the itinerary. However, I do wish to stress that we naturally avoid doing this and ensure we look for alternatives first before removing any port from an itinerary.

Regrettably, the port authorities in both Rhodes and Heraklion have advised that they are unable to accommodate Aurora on the date originally scheduled. We initially intended to replace with Greek ports, however, these also proved unavailable on the required dates. As such, we replaced with Mediterranean ports to follow the theme of the cruise. We are again, very sorry for the change to your itinerary.

Thank you for bringing it to my attention that Rhodes is still showing on the map on our website for this cruise. This has been flagged with our IT and Digital teams for their review.

Please be assured your feedback has been noted. I do hope that despite this matter, you go on to have an enjoyable time on board Aurora in October.
 

Their IT & Digital teams need to wake up,the map for the Med Cruise on Arcadia on May 14th is still showing Gibraltar as one of the stops,whatever they are getting paid it's too much!

[Megabear2]

28 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Regrettably, the port authorities in both Rhodes and Heraklion have advised that they are unable to accommodate Aurora on the date originally scheduled. We initially intended to replace with Greek ports, however, these also proved unavailable on the required dates

I find this quite interesting apart from the obvious disappointment for the people booked.  As mentioned by Britboys above the 2025 release shows little or no Greek ports on the schedule on ex Southampton cruises for P&O.  Apart from the Azura fly cruises it looks as if Greece is becoming a no go area for P&O travellers and I wonder if the 2024 cruises booked to go there will suffer the same fate when the ports start "diviying" up who gets a berth.

 

Very noticeably the fly cruise ships on P&O and other lines (I looked at Princess and Celebrity for myself) seem to be predominant in most Greek ports including the popular islands.  I cannot find hardly an ex UK sailings mentioning Greece for the next three seasons. Could this be the way of the future with tye intended reduction of cruise ships welcome in the Med or is it just the cruise lines saying well the Spanish ports are still selling well so why worry.

 

Also since the Venice ban there are markedly less cruises visiting Italian ports and Croatia on ex UK sailings yet I've previously done quite a few on Cunard and P&O.  Hopefully this isn't the way things are going to proceed but the 2025 schedules I've seen to date aren't looking too promising for anywhere central Mediterranean unless its fly cruise with the prices being substantially higher to reflect the rarer ports.

[jeanlyon]

Someone mentioned on here recently that Aurora should be doing Croatia in 2025, but that's a long way off.

[Britboys]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Received this today from Ludlow's office.

 

Thank you for your email. I am sorry for the delay in my response.

As you may be aware, we plan itineraries up to two years in advance. The logistics of scheduling for cruise lines is very complex, compliance with local port authorities, itinerary schedules, as well as weather and tidal conditions all control the choice and duration of our stay in any particular port. Port authorities usually accept our request, and then assign berths as we get closer to sailing. In the space of two years, it is inevitable that on occasions as we get closer to sailing certain conditions may change which results having to make amendments to the itinerary. However, I do wish to stress that we naturally avoid doing this and ensure we look for alternatives first before removing any port from an itinerary.

Regrettably, the port authorities in both Rhodes and Heraklion have advised that they are unable to accommodate Aurora on the date originally scheduled. We initially intended to replace with Greek ports, however, these also proved unavailable on the required dates. As such, we replaced with Mediterranean ports to follow the theme of the cruise. We are again, very sorry for the change to your itinerary.

Thank you for bringing it to my attention that Rhodes is still showing on the map on our website for this cruise. This has been flagged with our IT and Digital teams for their review.

Please be assured your feedback has been noted. I do hope that despite this matter, you go on to have an enjoyable time on board Aurora in October.
 

Then maybe they should stop planning so far ahead then... Twelve to eighteen months is more than enough for most folks.