Disgusted with P&O

[Redland81]

I sail on the Ventura on 30th January and this morning I have received a letter from them informing me that "We have recently been made aware of a large number of other ships now confirmed in port that day This will inevidably impact on shore-side experience and as a result we have been advised not to call in Aruba as originally scheduled........In recognition of this we have decided the best course of action is to replace that call with one in Antigua......." They have decided to do this a week or so before the sail date. My friend who went on this cruise in December had exactly the same happen to her and she ended up in Curacao. It is so annoying when a) I booked this particular cruise I we've never been to Aruba before and so that was the main reason for the booking and b) we've been to Antigua load of time before, as have probably loads of others who have cruised to the Caribbean several times. I've looked on cruisett.com and picked a random time which happened to be 22/1/2010 and for Aruba its showing 3 Princess ships, the Arcadia AND the Ventura with a total of over 15,000 passengers there. And there is only 7500 showing on the day when we were supposed to be there. Obviously we have always excepted in the past if we couldn't put into a stop due to currents or weather and even though it s a disapointment you realise there's nothing they can do but I just wonder whether P&O couldn't get their full quota of excursions and so wouldn't make enough profit!

 

Jane

[capnpugwash]

You may well be right but if there were "only" 7500 visitors that might prove to be unpleasant. This link takes you to the cruise ships due in per Aruba Cruise Terminal http://www.arubabycruise.com/stats/index.html .

 

It is a great pity when schedules are changed but I hope it won't spoil your cruise. :)

[balf]

Let's face it, there are just too many big ships cruising the Caribbean and disgorging thousands of passengers onto what are quite small islands.

 

I've done cruising in this region thank you and look for other areas of the world that are quieter.

 

David.

[capnpugwash]

Let's face it, there are just too many big ships cruising the Caribbean and disgorging thousands of passengers onto what are quite small islands.

 

I've done cruising in this region thank you and look for other areas of the world that are quieter.

 

David.

 

David, I agree with you but I like the weather and don't want to fly cruise so I solve it by not getting off in the various ratholes that the ship calls at. Works for me and there is plenty of space around the pool. Jim :D

[cruisebore]

It appears that P&O have been fully aware of this for some time:confused:. Ventura was unable to dock at Aruba on a previous cruise in December. At least Antigua is INHO a good substitute, far better IMHO than Curacao were they were rescheduled in December.

[Redland81]

Thanks for the link to the cruise port Jim. According to P&O their cruise at the end of Feb is due to dock in Aruba in March and its no where on there. I wonder how long before they inform their guests that they won't be stopping there - Probably a few days before! I really isn't good enough. I did consider going on Ocean Village as they were going there as well but though I'd give the Ventura a go but I see that OV2 is still landing there - actually on the same day that we were supposed to have landed!!

 

Jane

[balf]

David,so I solve it by not getting off in the various ratholes that the ship calls at. Works for me and there is plenty of space around the pool. Jim :D

 

Yes, good idea and we have done that a few times - the ship is a nice place to be on port days.

 

David

[MattyBarlow]

I did consider going on Ocean Village as they were going there as well but though I'd give the Ventura a go but I see that OV2 is still landing there - actually on the same day that we were supposed to have landed!!

 

Jane

 

Ocean Village use Aruba as a turnaround port for OV2 every twoo weeks so they have to keep going there. They have just got rid of Caracas from the rest of this season.

[lostinvegas]

I am going on the cruise in March, Aruba is one of the places were looking forward to going to? It is on the shedule on cruisett

 

I guess there is nothing we can do, apart from not book an excursion at this stage and hope it does not get changed.

 

Chris

[LibraLass41]

A chap on the pando site 'cruise connections' has also posted a thread about this, he discovered Ventura wasn't going there by going on a port schedule and seeing NO VENTURA due to be at that port on that day....I wondered when pando are going to tell YOU the cruising customers about something they have known about for a while! i presume after final cruise payment has been paid??:confused:

[Elaine0138]

We were told of the changes on our cruise 3 days before we left in December, not only was Curacao substituted for Aruba but our Bonaire day was switched, fortunately I was able to rearrange our snorkelling trip which we had booked on Bonaire.

[southwinds]

This wont be any fault of P&O the port officals now seem to be holding the cruise companies to ransom , many over booking the berths... leaving those who arrive on the day late haveing to TENDER in passangers!! I am sure you will hear more about it once on board.... This seems to be happening more as there are now more ships around..

Remember most of these ports are booked 2 years in advance... One year when we sailed in to Venice we were over taken by an Italian ship that was not expected to dock that day !!! hummmmm

[reverendk]

Hi All

We also sailed on Ventura 5th December 2008 and were told by letter two days before that Aruba was cancelled and Curacao substituted. Due to the amount of cruise ships in Aruba. I checked the Aruba port list which was last updated June 2008 and there were only two other ships booked in that day, and beside the Ventura entry it said "to be moved to another day" So I think P&O must have known before. Perhaps Aruba port want to much money to handle a large Ship.

 

Steve.

[capnpugwash]

Maybe they don't want Ventura in their port, other P & O ships go in ok. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

[Gerrym]

Maybe they don't want Ventura in their port.

 

 

Don't blame them <ducks> :D

[Rasa Sayang]

Looking at your "traffic jams" and other assorted problems I'm so glad we have the vast, unpolluted expanses of the glorious South Pacific to wander in. :D

[LibraLass41]

Well, it looks like p&o are being very deceitful about this, they advertise Aruba in their itinerary and know damn well they will not be stopping there - the port calenders are confirming this fact THE SHIP AIN'T BOOKED IN FOR GODS SAKE!

 

Then, a few days before the cruise is about to commence, cruisers get a letter saying 'we have just found out there are too many ships in port and we can't dock there' they are lying they knew weeks/months ago which ships are in!

This is ofcousre after everyone has paid the final payment for the cruise...umm...and no refunds as in their booking conditons they allow for this....

[stopgo]

I am not going to defend P/O but the brochures maybe written up and printed 12 months in advance. I don't think they would have been advertised it if they knew they couldn't have landed there. I just can't believe any one would cancel a holiday because one port as been switched to another.

[capnpugwash]

I am not going to defend P/O but the brochures maybe written up and printed 12 months in advance. I don't think they would have been advertised it if they knew they couldn't have landed there. I just can't believe any one would cancel a holiday because one port as been switched to another.

 

I think it is unwise to make such a sweeping statement and I would have to disagree with you, if Istanbul were substituted by Kusadasi I would cancel in a heartbeat. If St Lucia were replaced by Trinidad I would be happy but nonetheless if P & O know now they should morally tell people rather than treating them like the enemy.

[stopgo]

What sweeping statements ? The O/P is refering to the Caribbean not Istanbul, anybody who as been on a Caribbean Cruise will tell you there is not a great deal of difference between the Islands

[LibraLass41]

Yes, it may well be in the brochure BUT if they KNOW they are not going there they should inform the cruisers as soon as it is definate. A letter should of been sent out earlier than 'a few days before the cruise'

Also, don't forget people are booking this cruise in the last few months too online with cruise TA's and I bet Aruba was still on the list of ports even in the past couple of weeks.....

[stopgo]

Maybe they don't want Ventura in their port, other P & O ships go in ok. Doesn't make a lot of sense to me.

Ventura was in Aruba on the November Cruise, so in your words drop the sweeping statements.

[stopgo]

Yes, it may well be in the brochure BUT if they KNOW they are not going there they should inform the cruisers as soon as it is definate. A letter should of been sent out earlier than 'a few days before the cruise'

Also, don't forget people are booking this cruise in the last few months too online with cruise TA's and I bet Aruba was still on the list of ports even in the past couple of weeks.....

It could be just an oversight on this occasion and a adminstative problem as to why the letters didn't get sent out early. What would the reaction have been if the cruisers had been informed months earlier. What course of action would they have taken ?

[capnpugwash]

I consider " I just can't believe any one would cancel a holiday because one port as been switched to another. " to be a sweeping statement. OK

[cruisebore]

It could be just an oversight on this occasion and a adminstative problem as to why the letters didn't get sent out early. What would the reaction have been if the cruisers had been informed months earlier. What course of action would they have taken ?

 

 

Stopgo

Well to my simple mind it suggests they would have had more time to re-jig their plans. Particularly when one takes into account the itinerary for the first 4 days was affected.

Cb