Britannia

[Windsurfboy]

52 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But are you paying the lowest price possible?

 

Always check against hotel website, but:-

 

What's that got to do with the fact that booking.com showed lots of hotel availability in  Palma,  in 5 and 4 star hotels. At the time P& O choose to put everyone in the cheapest 2 star hotel they could find. Why are people defending such abysmal customer service , just because it was easy for P&O. Unless you think P&O is a 2 star cruise line and thats all it's paying customers deserve.

[kalos]

12 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

booking.com showed lots of hotel availability in  Palma,  in 5 and 4 star hotels. At the time P& O choose to put everyone in the cheapest 2 star hotel they could find. Why are people defending such abysmal customer service , just because it was easy for P&O. Unless you think P&O is a 2 star cruise line and thats all it's paying customers deserve.

 

I agree they could have done better but even Airlines with their passenger delays , I fear 

would not be looking at putting  them in 4-5* hotels either.

Looking on tv at the news that night they also were happy to leave them sleeping on the

airport floor .   Why when all these hotels were available ?

 

Going on CAA site they are so vague quoting ,if you were to go it alone ,you have to keep

costs reasonable for food and lodgings ,if you expect recompense from them .

 

I suspect they use "reasonable "  when everyone knows it isn't, not just for the cruisers but 

the poor souls spending over a night and day on an airport floor .

 

 

[rhino29]

In my last job we had an internal message board and the single biggest take-away from it was that everyone was an expert at all the jobs except their own.



 

Edited September 4, 2023 by rhino29

[Windsurfboy]

11 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

I agree they could have done better but even Airlines with their passenger delays , I fear 

would not be looking at putting  them in 4-5* hotels either.

Looking on tv at the news that night they also were happy to leave them sleeping on the

airport floor .   Why when all these hotels were available ?

 

Going on CAA site they are so vague quoting ,if you were to go it alone ,you have to keep

costs reasonable for food and lodgings ,if you expect recompense from them .

 

I suspect they use "reasonable "  when everyone knows it isn't, not just for the cruisers but 

the poor souls spending over a night and day on an airport floor .

 

 

The CAA quotes £200 per night as a reasonable maximum, so that's not a 2 star dump. 

[kalos]

24 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

The CAA quotes £200 per night as a reasonable maximum, so that's not a 2 star dump. 

 

That's the case ,then why were all those folk sleeping on an airport floor and not in a

2 star dump ?  Somethings not right is it ?

 

I repeat they could have done better but I will leave it at that .

 

Note  Seems to be covering the same as the now closed thread about 

Britannia breaking her lines .

Edited September 4, 2023 by kalos

[Gettingwarmer]

15 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

The CAA quotes £200 per night as a reasonable maximum, so that's not a 2 star dump. 

Per room or all meals travel etc

[Eglesbrech]

14 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

That's the case ,then why were all those folk sleeping on an airport floor and not in a

2 star dump ?  Somethings not right is it ?

 

I repeat they could have done better but I will leave it at that .

But those people on airport floors were already there, not actually disembarked by choice off a ship that others were allowed to remain on to continue back home. Therein lies the difference.

 

What alternatives were actually explored? Could they have stayed in port another day or two for the convenience of the paying passengers? Could they have delayed the next cruise for the convenience of those on board? What was the main consideration?

 

 

[Megabear2]

This is the website for the "dump".  Whilst not the lap of luxury it should have been clean and relatively useable.  Presumably P&O expected their passengers to be put in accommodation of the type/standard shown here.  If the hotel did not provide this type of accommodation then presumably they will take relevant action with the hotel.

 

Perhaps those who were in the hotel who are kindly telling us of their experiences clarify if the accommodation provided by the hotel was as per the ones shown here?

 

https://bellevueclub.bluebayhotels.net/en/rooms/

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Always check against hotel website, but:-

 

What's that got to do with the fact that booking.com showed lots of hotel availability in  Palma,  in 5 and 4 star hotels. At the time P& O choose to put everyone in the cheapest 2 star hotel they could find. Why are people defending such abysmal customer service , just because it was easy for P&O. Unless you think P&O is a 2 star cruise line and thats all it's paying customers deserve.

I am not defending them, I was querying why you put your faith in a profit making middle man, which have often been accused of over charging.

[Eglesbrech]

50 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

That's the case ,then why were all those folk sleeping on an airport floor and not in a

2 star dump ?  Somethings not right is it ?

 

I repeat they could have done better but I will leave it at that .

 

Note  Seems to be covering the same as the now closed thread about 

Britannia breaking her lines .

I see you amended your reply after I and others responded.

 

It may be covering familiar ground but the cogent questions still have not been answered. 

[Eglesbrech]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I am not defending them, I was querying why you put your faith in a profit making middle man, which have often been accused of over charging.

But the question was about availability, nor price surely?

[terrierjohn]

34 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

But those people on airport floors were already there, not actually disembarked by choice off a ship that others were allowed to remain on to continue back home. Therein lies the difference.

 

What alternatives were actually explored? Could they have stayed in port another day or two for the convenience of the paying passengers? Could they have delayed the next cruise for the convenience of those on board? What was the main consideration?

 

 

Yes I am sure they could have possibly kept Britannia in Palma for longer, however that would have resulted in 3600 passengers due to sail on her next cruise being inconvenienced, as opposed to the 321who were disembarked. What would you have done if you had been in charge of the arrangements? 

 

[Eglesbrech]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Yes I am sure they could have possibly kept Britannia in Palma for longer, however that would have resulted in 3600 passengers due to sail on her next cruise being inconvenienced, as opposed to the 321who were disembarked. What would you have done if you had been in charge of the arrangements? 

 

Looked after my customers. All of them. 321 is a small number to deal with providing decent accommodation. Flights to Paris or Berlin on the same day with lots and lots of decent hotels. Only U.K. airspace was closed remeber.

And yes I have been responsible for emergency situations like this on a very large scale.

[JeanieC,Aston]

Has anyone who is saying the Belleview Apts are a 2* dump ever stayed there?,I suspect their comments are down to one photo on social media.

The Belleview Apts has been a favourite for Brits for years,,,why would P&O know anything different.

It was fraying at the edges 30 years ago,I believe it was refurbished in around 2019.
It was always mainly apartments so they never did put much emphasis on restaurant food.

And the problem with mosquitos has been known about for years,,,in all hotels in Alcudia.

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Has anyone who is saying the Belleview Apts are a 2* dump ever stayed there?,I suspect their comments are down to one photo on social media.

The Belleview Apts has been a favourite for Brits for years,,,why would P&O know anything different.

It was fraying at the edges 30 years ago,I believe it was refurbished in around 2019.
It was always mainly apartments so they never did put much emphasis on restaurant food.

And the problem with mosquitos has been known about for years,,,in all hotels in Alcudia.

Would you say it is a fair swap for Brittania? That’s what people booked and paid for.

[Windsurfboy]

1 hour ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Per room or all meals travel etc

 

Per room excluding meals

[Megabear2]

37 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

But the question was about availability, nor price surely?

Interestingly there is a weather front in the Balearics yesterday and today with weather warnings for shipping.  The hotel normally retails itself at around £75 per night but tonight if you need a room it is around £145 and on a couple of third party sites it is over £160 for tonight. Profiteering, probably, but that's assumedly fluid pricing in action.

 

If £200 is considered the "reasonable" cost if this pricing kicked in last week it would presumably have been very near the ceiling.

 

 

Edited September 4, 2023 by Megabear2

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

 Profiteering, probably, but that's assumedly fluid pricing in action.

 

Ironic in terms of cruise lines. They use fluid pricing to their advantage,

[JeanieC,Aston]

10 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Would you say it is a fair swap for Brittania? That’s what people booked and paid for.

Being as I haven’t been to the Belleview apts for 30 years how would I know,how would anyone know if they haven’t been there.

I believe the evening entertainment is very good and facilities for children is brilliant.

Those rooms in post #83 look better than some of the cabins I’ve been in on P&0.

[Eglesbrech]

2 minutes ago, JeanieC,Aston said:

Being as I haven’t been to the Belleview apts for 30 years how would I know,how would anyone know if they haven’t been there.

I believe the evening entertainment is very good and facilities for children is brilliant.

Those rooms in post #83 look better than some of the cabins I’ve been in on P&0.

Personally I’d rather stick with P&O given the pictures and reviews but each to their own,

No mosquitos on p & o

[Megabear2]

With all the discussion and theories on these threads over the Britannia incident it might be time to actually assess as individuals how an event like this would affect us personally.

 

Clearly there is shock from some at the emergency hotel quality, arrangements for disembarkation of passengers and the flight provision.  Several others have stated they would refuse to leave the ship, others have stated categorically they will not fly, either for fear or medical reasons. Actually we probably don't have any control over these things if we let the cruise line or insurance companies deal with it.  Of course you can make your own arrangements at your own cost but the truth is if help is being offered and arranged but you refuse it, you'd need a far better reason than the hotel isn't of the standard you would pick to persuade a pay out from either the cruise line or your insurer. My SIL will not under any circumstances consider flying.  When all the covid protocols were in place she confidently stated her insurer would have to get her home some other way.  She was shocked when my BIL checked with their insurer to be told you go home how we say and that will be by air on the cheapest flight available to your destination on the designated day, no choice if you don't like it do it yourself at your own cost.

 

Perhaps in future when booking a cruise this type of rare event is something that will thought more about and how things will be handled - mind you I doubt it!   

 

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

29 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

 

 

If £200 is considered the "reasonable" cost if this pricing kicked in last week it would presumably have been very near the ceiling.

 

 

 

But the CAA also says , you can spend what is necessary,  but then the onus is on you to prove there was no reasonable alternatives.  I suppose screen shots of a few booking sites would suffice.  

 

There must be certain standard that you are entitled to. I would argue that this hotel unless it was absolutely the last thing available,  was not of the standard of my suite. I'd be willing to take it to mcol (make claim online).

 

Luckily when I've had problems with flights, BA has put me up in very good hotels.

 

As I said earlier,  it's up to you to look after yourself,  I  remember when a P&O ship couldn't re-embark tenders at Monaco. Some people acted promptly booked themselves into hotels while still a few available,  those that relied on P&O slept in a sports centre. 

 

 

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

5 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Actually we probably don't have any control over these things if we let the cruise line or insurance companies deal with it.  Of course you can make your own arrangements at your own cost but the truth is if help is being offered and arranged but you refuse it, you'd need a far better reason than the hotel isn't of the standard you would pick to persuade a pay out from either the cruise line or your insurer

So you would advocate that passengers accept any standard then?

 

 

[Megabear2]

28 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

So you would advocate that passengers accept any standard then?

 

 

I'm not saying that. I'm saying that if help is offered and you refuse it you are doing so with a risk you will not get any money you spend out back.  Of course if you are happy to make your own arrangements that's fine however the liability level is unfortunately at the standard set by the travel provider and the insurer if they become involved. You obviously can argue about that quality but in an event such as the one that occurred last week it would no doubt be considered very short term and an emergency beyond control - the argument by the tour operator/P&O could well point to the other unfortunate people sleeping in the terminal on the floor etc. in defence of their decisions. As evidenced by the hotel website it should have provided reasonable 3* accommodation which is industry standard. That it did not is an argument for P&O with the hotel and no doubt the former is being inundated with complaints from the passengers and will as a consequence deal with matters accordingly.

 

A cruise is as we know effectively a form of package holiday and as such you are in the hands of the company.

 

Assumedly the individuals affected and involved will be having their own conversations with P&O about how the hotel was chosen etc.  We of course cannot be party to those talks so will most likely never know.

 

Whether it's fair is another question but then life itself isn't always fair I'm afraid.

[Host Sharon]

Once again this thread is going nowhere.