Disgusted with P&O

[stopgo]

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

Its not a statement Pugwash old bean, but a personal opinion.

[tom_uk]

What would the reaction have been if the cruisers had been informed months earlier. What course of action would they have taken ?

 

Reaction: I don't know. What could they do? - not a lot. Basically the contract says something like "we'll perform our best endeavours to take you on a cruise, almost certainly on ship X, and we'll try to take to the following ports; but we're not promising anything". I'm not saying I agree with this, but that pretty much what it means.

 

I'm in the same situation. When we booked our 11-night E Med cruise on Solstice last May for next September/October, Rhodes was included in the itinerary (it went Istanbul, Kusadasi, Rhodes, Athens,...). Then last autumn we were told that Rhodes had been dropped, replaced by a day at sea. (This change happened for all the 11-night cruises, not just the one we were booked on.) The reason given was that the call was on a Monday and many/most museums on Rhodes were closed on Mondays. I'm not sure about that: this was also around the time that fuel supplements were being announced, and I think they did it to save fuel. (Looking at the map Rhodes is a big detour from a straight line route between Kusadasi and Athens.) I wasn't happy but it turned out that I can't do anything.

[stopgo]

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

Could you go into a bit more detail, in particular on the re-jiging of plans aspect.

[cruisebore]

Could you go into a bit more detail, in particular on the re-jiging of plans aspect.

 

Yes, quite simply, reorganising any private tours already booked and booking tours for the new destination. Hope this helps.

 

Cb

[stopgo]

Well as its the Caribbean most trips will be booked through P/O, therefore P/O will cancel any trips, and advise what trips there are for the new port.

Sorted [ did I just make another sweeping statement ]

[cruisebore]

Well as its the Caribbean most trips will be booked through P/O, therefore P/O will cancel any trips, and advise what trips there are for the new port.

Sorted [ did I just make another sweeping statement ]

 

 

I GIVE IN

 

Cb

[EtherlyCC]

Well as its the Caribbean most trips will be booked through P/O, therefore P/O will cancel any trips, and advise what trips there are for the new port.

Sorted [ did I just make another sweeping statement ]

 

Why would most trips be booked through P/O. Have you ever been on a Caribbean cruise? It is much cheaper and better to book your own excursions, it is also very easy, weather it is done before you go via the 'net' or when you get ashore.

 

I certainly hope we land in Aruba in March as it one of our favorite ports.:)

[Redland81]

The reason for my original posting was the fact that my friend had her cruise altered in December and was told the day before I had to pay my final balance. I have had this trip booked since April 2007 and did it when the ship was offered before it went on general release. Since then they have not been able to install the 3d cinema and have taken the cinema out saying the contractors couldn't get it to work! They changed the freedom dining from two dining rooms to one. We had booked this choice as we thought not only did it give us choice of timings but also choice of 2 venues. Now we find that Aruba has been dropped and they have tried to tell us we're better off going to Antigua as its and idyllic Caribbean island etc etc. A full excursion will be available to purchase on board. I have just been on to their site and they are still advertising Aruba on the cruise due to leave at the end of February even though they have no booking at the port according to cruisett site. I just feel that they should be able to offer what they advertise. It isn't the fact that I would necesarily cancel a cruise because of not stopping at a particular island its just the underhand way they seem to operate. I haven't been to either Aruba or Bonaire so that area appealled to us as we've been to St Lucia, Barbados and Antigua several times before so thought it was nice to do something different. I have written to the head of customer services and await a reply.......

[EtherlyCC]

The reason for my original posting was the fact that my friend had her cruise altered in December and was told the day before I had to pay my final balance. I have had this trip booked since April 2007 and did it when the ship was offered before it went on general release. Since then they have not been able to install the 3d cinema and have taken the cinema out saying the contractors couldn't get it to work! They changed the freedom dining from two dining rooms to one. We had booked this choice as we thought not only did it give us choice of timings but also choice of 2 venues. Now we find that Aruba has been dropped and they have tried to tell us we're better off going to Antigua as its and idyllic Caribbean island etc etc. A full excursion will be available to purchase on board. I have just been on to their site and they are still advertising Aruba on the cruise due to leave at the end of February even though they have no booking at the port according to cruisett site. I just feel that they should be able to offer what they advertise. It isn't the fact that I would necesarily cancel a cruise because of not stopping at a particular island its just the underhand way they seem to operate. I haven't been to either Aruba or Bonaire so that area appealled to us as we've been to St Lucia, Barbados and Antigua several times before so thought it was nice to do something different. I have written to the head of customer services and await a reply.......

 

HEARHEAR, I totally agree with all you say. Dont hold your breath waiting for a reply or getting any sense.

I hope you have a wonderful cruise despite all your setbacks.:):)

[stopgo]

Why would most trips be booked through P/O. Have you ever been on a Caribbean cruise? It is much cheaper and better to book your own excursions, it is also very easy, weather it is done before you go via the 'net' or when you get ashore.

 

I certainly hope we land in Aruba in March as it one of our favorite ports.:)

You can't book trips in Aruba if your not going to land there. We are talking about ports been swapped or changed at the last minute.

[EtherlyCC]

You can't book trips in Aruba if your not going to land there. We are talking about ports been swapped or changed at the last minute.

 

That does not mean that you could not have booked them independently previous to pando changing the schedule, when you thought you were going to land there!!

 

I have shore excursions booked for my March cruise in St. Lucia and St Martaan that are not with P/O, these were booked in September last year, so if P/o change our ports...........

[lostinvegas]

From my point of view its more to do with planning and looking forward to my holiday. Myself and my other half have been researching the Islands we are going to. All I want from P&O is to know as soon as they know?

 

I would not cancel my cruise because 1 port has changed. But how many ports does it take? we picked this particular cruise based on the Islands its visits. If half the ports were different we would probably gone with X instead as it was a toss up between going on Galaxy or Ventura in the first place. We went for Ventura for 2 reasons? The destinations and the easy trasfer from the airport to the cruise terminal.

 

I think its clear as customers we just want to be put in the picture asap. Most people are reasonable and understand sometimes things are out of P&O's control.

 

Chris

[stopgo]

That does not mean that you could not have booked them independently previous to pando changing the schedule, when you thought you were going to land there!!

 

I have shore excursions booked for my March cruise in St. Lucia and St Martaan that are not with P/O, these were booked in September last year, so if P/o change our ports...........

Unfortunally thats the risk you take if your not with P/O and you book in advance. Even if P/O don't change ports there is always a risk of not been able to land due to the weather.

[EtherlyCC]

Unfortunally thats the risk you take if your not with P/O and you book in advance. Even if P/O don't change ports there is always a risk of not been able to land due to the weather.

 

This is quite true, but you only reserve your place on the trip, you do not pay for them until you actually get there. Infact on nearly every self booked excursion we have been on you pay at the end, when you get back to the ship/terminal so nothing is lost.:)

[stopgo]

Then you haven't got a problem, not lost any money. Life's too short to get upset about a minor inconvience.

[cruisebore]

Then you haven't got a problem, not lost any money. Life's too short to get upset about a minor inconvience.

 

 

So easy to say when your no affected.

Cb

[stopgo]

I would be saying the same if I was affected, I would be grateful I could afford a wonderful holiday in these days of economic uncertainty and growing unemployment.

[cruisebore]

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:

 

A follow up to the above. People on this cruise emailed P&O regarding missing this port (Aruba 4 March) Despite it not showing on the Port's web site, P&O replied saying they are going there. Interesting! :confused:

 

Cruisebore

[Cymro1953]

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

Hi Stopgo,

You beat me to asking the question, what's so special about this Aruba that get's people upset if they can't stop there.?

Berwyn

[stopgo]

Hi Cymro I couldn't remember posting the post you quoted, I not sure what the reference to Instanbul is about, I can only guess its a reply to another poster who has made reference to it. I think my point was that I couldn't believe that somebody might cancel a Caribbean Cruise because P/O had substituted one island for another. Having said that on the Ventura Cruise I took in November Aruba was my favourite island. There was alot going on away from the beachs with plenty to do, and it had a more upmarket feel compared to most of the other islands.

[MattOsprey]

It should be noted that hundreds of people on a large ship like Ventura, book private tours. If they don't cancel them well in advance, then there is a huge financial loss to the people of the island concerned. They may have a full trip, and be turning down people from another ship, but then a day before they are told sorry we are not coming.

This is unacceptable for this reason alone.

[briden]

We are booked for the fjords on Arcadia July and have just been told they cannot go to Olden because of too many ships in fjords so now going to Geiranger. We specifically booked this cruise for Olden and have been to Geiranger. Look on P&O forum site and it seems to be something P&O are doing a lot. Passengers on this cruise have already e-mailed P&O and asked why and got the standard reply 'Operation Reasons' . What are operational reasons? A good excuse to advertise and sell a cruise that will be completely different - Why not just sell Magical Mystery Tour, if we can get it booked you will visit the port - if not just 'carry on cruising' because P&O are losing the plot with customer service it's farcical..!

[Cruising Nutter]

We are booked for the fjords on Arcadia July and have just been told they cannot go to Olden because of too many ships in fjords so now going to Geiranger. We specifically booked this cruise for Olden and have been to Geiranger. Look on P&O forum site and it seems to be something P&O are doing a lot. Passengers on this cruise have already e-mailed P&O and asked why and got the standard reply 'Operation Reasons' . What are operational reasons? A good excuse to advertise and sell a cruise that will be completely different - Why not just sell Magical Mystery Tour, if we can get it booked you will visit the port - if not just 'carry on cruising' because P&O are losing the plot with customer service it's farcical..!

Well said Briden - We have been on two cruises with P&O that have had the itinerary changed. Yes it can seem silly to get upset but if you have specifically booked a cruise for a certain port there is nothing more infuriating than to be told just before leaving or while on ship it has been changed. We now book late deals generally then definitely know where we are going and get a better deal/cabin than would have if booked early. On another point we had a flight change when we went to the Caribbean with P&O. Was told at the airport that the flight would have to refuel at Ponte del Grado as Monarch had just had to change the plane - rot the crew told us that the plane originally being used had been booked in for its scheduled maintenance months before and P&O would have know well before the day of the flight.

[SueFrankuk]

I agree with Cymro1953, we think Aruba is the worst port in the caribbean and would be thrilled to change to Curaco, though I agree with being upset at missing Olden, the town is so small I presume only one cruise ship can dock at time.

[jeanlyon]

Have to take issue with the poster who says P&O would know of an aircraft maintenance check. There is no way that P&O will know what the airline is doing. I flew for 16 years for a major airline. Certainly our Travel Agents and cruiselines would be totally unaware of when the maintenance schedules are - total rubbish.