Emergency contact of passengers

[SALAD MUNCHER]

Hi, I am trying to find out if there is a number I can give a relative to contact me on the ship in an emergency.  We have a very ill relative and it's just in case the worse situation occurs.   We are sailing on Iona next week.

[david63]

There used to be a page in the FAQ section of the P&O website that listed contact numbers for each ship but I cannot find it.

 

You could ask P&O before you leave for a number or you could ask somebody to email you onboard the ship - although that would entail not only having a device to receive email on but also having an Internet package.

[sandancer]

1 hour ago, SALAD MUNCHER said:

Hi, I am trying to find out if there is a number I can give a relative to contact me on the ship in an emergency.  We have a very ill relative and it's just in case the worse situation occurs.   We are sailing on Iona next week.

As are we. Here is the info I found:

 

If any of your family or friends need to contact you while you are on board, they can do so by phoning: 0800 917 1584 (from the UK only) – they will need to provide their credit card details. They will then be prompted to provide the ship name, as well as your name and cabin number. Their call will then be directed to your cabin. Only upon connection with the ship will charges commence. Calls are a standard £3.00 per minute. If calling from outside of the UK, they should dial 001 732 3353264 (the same procedure will apply). There will be an American call charge for this number in addition to the £3.00 per minute call charge. If you are not in your cabin at the time of the call, a message will be taken and delivered to your cabin. 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, SALAD MUNCHER said:

Hi, I am trying to find out if there is a number I can give a relative to contact me on the ship in an emergency.  We have a very ill relative and it's just in case the worse situation occurs.   We are sailing on Iona next week.

If you have a phone, then they could text you, which even on the maritime network is not very expensive.

[AlanCruise]

If you leave a phone on, but with Data roaming disabled, then it is always free to receive a text message.  But don't make or receive a call and also disable voicemail as you will pay for the time people take to leave a message.

 

[Wivvy]

8 hours ago, sandancer said:

If any of your family or friends need to contact you while you are on board, they can do so by phoning: 0800 917 1584 (from the UK only) – they will need to provide their credit card details. They will then be prompted to provide the ship name, as well as your name and cabin number. Their call will then be directed to your cabin. Only upon connection with the ship will charges commence. Calls are a standard £3.00 per minute. If calling from outside of the UK, they should dial 001 732 3353264 (the same procedure will apply). There will be an American call charge for this number in addition to the £3.00 per minute call charge. If you are not in your cabin at the time of the call, a message will be taken and delivered to your cabin. 

This is the theory.  In practice, you're very much in the hands of whoever takes the call on the ship.  The message may well be taken, but don't rely on its being delivered to the cabin if you aren't there to take the call there and then.  

 

That's what should happen, but I can instance one extremely urgent message relating to a serious health issue which just languished on the reception desk.  Nothing whatever was done with it.

[sleepingcat]

DH and I sailed last month with another UK cruise line. As my mother in her care home in Cornwall is 98 years old,  and in poor health, we always need possible emergency contact.  That line gives the 24 hour number of a 'duty officer' and I think P and O will have the same. If it is an emergency I dont think anyone would be paying for the call.  

 

btw my mother is still with us and will be 99 next week!

 

I hope it's not fussing to remind you that such an emergency may have travel insurance implications if you think you might need to cut your cruise short and return to the UK.  before I even booked our cruise I had a lengthy phone call with our insurers to check exactly what we would be covered for in the event we needed to either cancel, or return home during the cruise.  

 

Here's hoping that all is well. 

[starryuk]

I was on board when my companion’s mother in uk became very I’ll. P and O waived all costs of phone calls to and from UK and gave us free wifi. The mother sadly died a few days later. P and O spent all day organising connecting flights home including taxi to the airport and escorting her from the ship to the airport. We were in the Caribbean (St Vincent ) at the time so it wasn’t simple. After we returned, Customer services phoned to see how my companion was and if the transfers had gone smoothly.  We were treated with compassion and respect. Amazing service. 

[sandancer]

On Iona at the moment. The Horizon newsletter has info on contacting the ship:

Tel 44(0)2380 655000

option 3

then

option 1

Credit card required