What would you have done?

[Palaceman]

I've just returned from the 30 night cruise to Canada and USA on Aurora. One of the excursions we went on was to The Empire State Building at night. Having been taken across to Brooklyn to view the famous Manhatten skyline. We set off to the Empire State Building, looking forward to the night time view from the top. Unfortunately we were then told that due to an error there were no tickets for us and therefore our visit to ESB would not happen.  As you can imagine, everyone on board the coach was very unhappy to say the least. We were told that we would all be receiving a full refund and we later learned that the error was caused by the booking agent and not P & O. I will post again to let you know what happened next, but I'm interested to know what anyone reading this would have done in this situation.

 

[david63]

Not really much that you can do at the time and if you get a full refund that is all I would expect.

 

When we did that excursion a few years ago it was so wet and cloudy that we saw virtually nothing. All we could say was that we went to the top of ESB

[ScotchBoy]

Having gone that far, and if the weather was pleasant, I would have purchased another ticket independently; gone up to the top, then taken a cab back to the ship if it was inconvenient for the booked transportation to wait (or return for us later). We've been up the ESB on a clear autumnal day, and enjoyed fabulous views. It was fun picking out all the landmarks, etc. If it was a clear night, the views would have been worth it, I'm sure. Shame that you didn't get to enjoy your excursion.  

[tring]

Your contract is with your tour organiser, not P&O, but it is breach of contract, so you should be entitled to a full refund and compensation, but whether it is worth progressing that with the tour operator if P&O have given you a full refund is perhaps another matter.

 

As someone said, if the weather had been bad and you had gone up, yet seen nothing, then you would have had no claim at all.

 

We would think carefully before booking any tours as things had not gone correctly on previous cruises we have done.

 

 

2 hours ago, ScotchBoy said:

Having gone that far, and if the weather was pleasant, I would have purchased another ticket independently; gone up to the top, then taken a cab back to the ship if it was inconvenient for the booked transportation to wait (or return for us later). We've been up the ESB on a clear autumnal day, and enjoyed fabulous views. It was fun picking out all the landmarks, etc. If it was a clear night, the views would have been worth it, I'm sure. Shame that you didn't get to enjoy your excursion.  

 

Those tickets are sold ahead of time, so you cannot just walk up and book a ticket to use that night and probably the following night as well, if the original tour was on the first of our two overnight stays. 

 

Edited October 6, 2023 by tring

[Selbourne]

17 hours ago, Palaceman said:

I've just returned from the 30 night cruise to Canada and USA on Aurora. One of the excursions we went on was to The Empire State Building at night. Having been taken across to Brooklyn to view the famous Manhatten skyline. We set off to the Empire State Building, looking forward to the night time view from the top. Unfortunately we were then told that due to an error there were no tickets for us and therefore our visit to ESB would not happen.  As you can imagine, everyone on board the coach was very unhappy to say the least. We were told that we would all be receiving a full refund and we later learned that the error was caused by the booking agent and not P & O. I will post again to let you know what happened next, but I'm interested to know what anyone reading this would have done in this situation.

 

I’m so sorry to hear this. It’s not just about the cost of the trip but the fact that this would have been the highlight of the New York call for many people. Hopefully you might receive something in addition to a straight refund to reflect this. 

 

If you get chance to go there again, New York is dead easy to do DIY. When we went there on Aurora I booked the very first excursion to leave the ship (World Trade Centre memorial & 9/11 museum), partly because it was the furthest place that we wanted to go and also because I had heard that it could take hours to be cleared to disembark and get through passport control, and I knew that the first tours would get fast tracked. The plan worked brilliantly, as we were first off the ship and when we returned to the ship hours later people were still waiting to disembark. We didn’t go back on the ship but carried on around the city independently. 
 

I had pre booked everything online from home both to guarantee admission and to bypass queues, so that we maximised our time. After the tour, on the first evening we did a river cruise (to see Manhattan & Statue of Liberty at night), Time Square, Grand Central, Broadway and the Empire State Building (there’s a number you can call where they tell you what the visibility is like before you commit to go up, so we timed it to have a clear view). On the second day we did Central Park, 5th Avenue, Rockefeller Plaza, Top of the Rock (so we had a daytime skyscraper view to contrast the nighttime view) and the whole length of the Skyline lower Manhattan elevated walkway (both ways) - all on foot and with no cabs, whilst pushing my wife in her wheelchair the whole time! I realise that not everyone is as adventurous, but I can honestly say that we never once felt threatened. In fact, I’d go so far as to say that we felt safer walking around New York, even at night, than we would in most U.K. cities. 
 

Returning to your question, if you email P&O and express your disappointment I would hope that you might get something beyond a straight refund. I did this recently about some problems that we experienced on Iona (it wasn't really a complaint, more feedback) and I received a call from them apologising and we have received an additional £500 OBC for our next cruise as a result. Good luck. 

[sandancer]

Hmmm. If this tour had been for US cruisers I couldn’t see them accepting just a refund. They would be demanding compensation (maybe even a free cruise lol). 

[Thejuggler]

Accepted the error, taken a refund or an alternative if offered.  We visited Krakow this summer and booked for Auschwitz.  It was cancelled the day before due to a shortage of guides.   Refund arrived within an hour.

 

One Vanderbilt was our choice of high level viewing in NY,  visited an hour before sunset so saw ESB all lit up from 98 storeys up in an open air bar and DJ  amazing experience.

[Son of Anarchy]

We did that trip on the first night.  Sorry to hear what happened.  We didn't hear any scuttlebutt about it around the ship.  Don't really know how we would have reacted about that.  I do think that a bit more than just a full refund should have been provided.  The trip takes up the whole evening, so couldn't use either the MDR, buffet or speciality restaurants on board.  Maybe a complimentary meal in speciality dining to make up for the disappointment of what happened and having to rely on the afternoon buffet and Lido Grill service until returning for the late night buffet.

[Slugsta]

@Palaceman I'm sorry that you had such a disappointing experience and really hope that you enjoyed the rest of your cruise.

 

Can I ask, was NY your first USA port? We are doing this cruise next year and are wondering what to expect.

[Palaceman]

9 hours ago, Slugsta said:

@Palaceman I'm sorry that you had such a disappointing experience and really hope that you enjoyed the rest of your cruise.

 

Can I ask, was NY your first USA port? We are doing this cruise next year and are wondering what to expect.

Hi Slugsta. Boston was our first USA port. The US immigration staff came on board at about 7.15. Because we had booked a P & O excursion we were in the first group to be processed.

[Palaceman]

Thank you for your responses, which do seem to vary. This was my wife's first visit to New York so during the three days there we concentrated on seeing the iconic sites and going to the top of the Empire State at night was to be a highlight. 

On hearing that there were no tickets my first thought was; "I'm going to do everything possible to get there". We were then told that we would be getting a full refund for the excursion. Many people on the coach were shouting at the guide, some wanted to return to the ship, while others wanted to continue with the rest of the tour, which included a visit to Time Square. I shouted that I wanted to go to the ESB. I was told by a fellow passenger that tickets were only available in advance but I was intent on doing everything I could. My wife also demanded that the coach took us to the ESB. We got our wish and got off the coach outside Macey's. To our surprise only one other couple got off with us. There was no offer that the coach would wait for us so we knew from this point we were on our own. 

We walked to the entrance of the ESB and to our relief were told we could walk straight in and purchase tickets to either the 86th or 102nd floor. We bought our tickets and within 20 minutes of getting off the coach we were looking down on the New York skyline at night. And what a view!!! Something I will never forget. The cost was £78 for the two of us.

The four of us shared a taxi back to the ship, which cost £24 including tip. We received a full refund for the excursion, which was credited to our onboard spend account the next day, so we were not out of pocket. 

There were two other coaches doing the same excursion that evening and we later found out that the four of us were the only ones to get off and do what we did.

What surprised me most was the fact that not more people got off the coach. Surely going to the top of the ESB was the highlight of the excursion? But I'm so glad we did and we can now look at our photos of our time in New York with no regrets.

 

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, Palaceman said:

Thank you for your responses, which do seem to vary. This was my wife's first visit to New York so during the three days there we concentrated on seeing the iconic sites and going to the top of the Empire State at night was to be a highlight. 

On hearing that there were no tickets my first thought was; "I'm going to do everything possible to get there". We were then told that we would be getting a full refund for the excursion. Many people on the coach were shouting at the guide, some wanted to return to the ship, while others wanted to continue with the rest of the tour, which included a visit to Time Square. I shouted that I wanted to go to the ESB. I was told by a fellow passenger that tickets were only available in advance but I was intent on doing everything I could. My wife also demanded that the coach took us to the ESB. We got our wish and got off the coach outside Macey's. To our surprise only one other couple got off with us. There was no offer that the coach would wait for us so we knew from this point we were on our own. 

We walked to the entrance of the ESB and to our relief were told we could walk straight in and purchase tickets to either the 86th or 102nd floor. We bought our tickets and within 20 minutes of getting off the coach we were looking down on the New York skyline at night. And what a view!!! Something I will never forget. The cost was £78 for the two of us.

The four of us shared a taxi back to the ship, which cost £24 including tip. We received a full refund for the excursion, which was credited to our onboard spend account the next day, so we were not out of pocket. 

There were two other coaches doing the same excursion that evening and we later found out that the four of us were the only ones to get off and do what we did.

What surprised me most was the fact that not more people got off the coach. Surely going to the top of the ESB was the highlight of the excursion? But I'm so glad we did and we can now look at our photos of our time in New York with no regrets.

 

Ah, I see. So this was a ‘test’ for us to see what we’d say, as you actually got up the Empire State Building after all 😂 I had wondered why you hadn’t just gone there independently, but didn’t want to rub salt in the wound, hence my advice if you managed to go there again! I’m delighted to hear that you did and suspect that others are gutted that they didn’t do the same as you. 

 

Whilst I had been to New York on business (I had been at the top of the World Trade Centre 2 weeks before 9/11 😱), my wife had never been and it would be a one-off visit for her so, like you,  I was absolutely determined that she would see all the highlights. Now that I know that you’ve been up there I will post some photos of our nighttime view and also some daytime ones from Top of the Rock. 

[Palaceman]

Thank you Selbourne. It was not a test, more about what others would have done. My wife and I are so glad we spoke up for what we wanted and we were not prepared to accept anything less. We did Top of The Rock the day before when the view was partly obscured by low cloud. It made an interesting sight with tops of skyscrapers appearing above the clouds! 

Nice photos, I'd put some of mine on here but I'm not that technically savvy. 

[FangedRose]

You say that 'surely this was the highlight', maybe for you, it certainly wouldn't be for me and many others. I, as a solo traveller, would not feel safe in any strange city at night. I'm not surprised that only a few got off. People go on these P&O tours because they do not feel confident or safe on their own in new places.

Edited October 8, 2023 by FangedRose

[Son of Anarchy]

Good to read @Palaceman that you were able to get there indepedantly on the evening.

[Winifred 22]

4 hours ago, FangedRose said:

You say that 'surely this was the highlight', maybe for you, it certainly wouldn't be for me and many others. I, as a solo traveller, would not feel safe in any strange city at night. I'm not surprised that only a few got off. People go on these P&O tours because they do not feel confident or safe on their own in new places.

I thought that when I read the post. There is no way as a solo in her 60’s would have I got off and tried to sort it for myself. On a recent TA to New York on QM2 I just went on the Cunard excursion. Free time at the 9 /11 Memorial with the coach in sight was adventure enough for me. Even then a French couple probably a bit older asked me if they could walk around  with me as they were uncomfortable venturing around on their own. 

[True Devonian]

The OP said that going to the top of the Empire State at night was to be a highlight for him and his wife. Like the OP I would also have been extremely disappointed if I had booked an excursion to include an iconic landmark to then be told during that excursion that what I had considered to be one of the main reasons for booking that excursion,  in this case the ESB, wasn't going to happen. Whilst I appreciate that what is important to one person is different to someone else, under the circumstances outlined in the OP's situation I would have done exactly the same. If you are able and prepared to take the risk why wouldn't you? I would add that having been a solo traveller myself I can totally understand why some would not feel safe taking this option  but if it is an option at least those who are confident enough could achieve what was important to them.

[Megabear2]

This was the middle of New York which is one of the most safest cities in the USA we are discussing here.  I assume the trip was not taking place in the middle of the night but shortly after dark and there would be many people around the ESB as it's in a busy area only around 2 miles from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.  That being the case I would have done exactly as the OP did, enjoyed the trip and either sourced an Uber or a taxi back to the port.  He does not say which evening of the cruise it was but assumedly it was day 1 or 2 of the overnight stay so no worry about timings to return to the ship.

 

As a woman in her mid sixties travelling alone i can safely say I would feel safer in New York than a vast number of other cities in Europe and the UK which I've visited in recent years!

 

 

[ScotchBoy]

Great news that you managed to see the night-time views, after all. We've been to NYC several times, and always made arrangements independently. 

[Interestedcruisefan]

On 10/8/2023 at 9:37 PM, Megabear2 said:

This was the middle of New York which is one of the most safest cities in the USA we are discussing here.  I assume the trip was not taking place in the middle of the night but shortly after dark and there would be many people around the ESB as it's in a busy area only around 2 miles from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal.  That being the case I would have done exactly as the OP did, enjoyed the trip and either sourced an Uber or a taxi back to the port.  He does not say which evening of the cruise it was but assumedly it was day 1 or 2 of the overnight stay so no worry about timings to return to the ship.

 

As a woman in her mid sixties travelling alone i can safely say I would feel safer in New York than a vast number of other cities in Europe and the UK which I've visited in recent years!

 

 

Yes

 

New York had an awful reputation in the past

 

But not anymore. We felt really safe walking around New York as a family

 

Brilliant city for finding everywhere on foot as well with their grid system

 

Going to the top of the skyscrapers is definitely a highlight

 

As a child I did World Trade Centre with my parents (back then you had to use taxis as the streets weren't safe)

 

Since that went down we've done Empire State and Top of the Rock

 

Breathtaking 

Edited October 11, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan