Aurora, tomorrow - late change to itinerary!

In no particular order...

 

 

I don't see what's disingenuous about my posts? P&O gambled on the weather being ok for the visit to Bruges (Zeebrugge) - the key destination and got it wrong. Had the itinerary remained as booked then what will be will be.

So according to this quote you're saying that P&O should have known that the weather wasn't going to be good enough to get to Zeebrugge? P&O HAD to make a decision based solely on the grounds of safety and sad though it is that this resulted in you not being able to get to Zeebrugge, you would have missed Guernsey altogether otherwise. Whilst you regard Bruges as the main port of the two I'm sure there will have been lots of people on your cruise who had been there multiple times before as it's such a regular port of call and so would have been delighted that you called at Guernsey - on Liberation day or not. We've missed ports several times before due to weather conditions and on one had to wait in Southampton for two days for the weather to clear meaning we had to miss two ports. Sure we were disappointed but that's life when you're cruising and we accept it. You are clearly very upset about these events and if it upset us that much we probably wouldn't cruise again. It would be best for us to go on holidays where we would apparently get compensation when the company had to change our destination because of stormy weather etc.

The reason I used the word disingenuous was that your quote (posted in red previously) was the first post in a thread you started and you made it very clear that you didn't care in which order you visited the ports. We can all be wise after the event.

BTW, the ports for my next cruise are Amsterdam and ........ Guernsey!!! :D

Haifa, Easter Islands? Cost is relative and the fact that you suggest that one persons expectations and the significance of such should be less than others because of money spent speaks volumes.

 

Your surely not suggesting that conflict in a certain area should be compared with long standing weather conditions. Oh hang on, I think you are;) In this respect, yes I would expect there to be notification that i.e. the hurricane season may lead to disruption to the itinerary but the break out of war in the Ukraine? I think we all know the answer to that one.

 

Let me help you out with this.... Amongst other products my company sells clothing some of which is 'American Sizing'. Hell, everbody knows what american sizing is don't they? Well if they done a little research, made a few visits to a forum, possibly even bought stuff before then they would and we wouldn't need to tell them. But we do! We make it clear on the website, clear when ordering and if a new customer will email or call to advise. That's whether they spend $3 or $300! Clearly we have our customer service all wrong;)

Oh for goodness sake.

Whatever I type you will twist and turn.

:confused:

I just hope we are never on the same cruise.

Tarquin, I can't seriously believe that you would have advocated going ashore despite dangerous conditions and risking lives just because you have worked hard for your holiday.

 

And I do agree with the others that if you can't accept adverse weather conditions changing your plans in the interest of safety - which I believe is clearly stated in the terms and conditions somewhere - then cruising is really not for you.

Erm, where exactly have I suggested that safety be compromised?

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but I don't think the itinerary should have been changed unless there was a high enough degree of certainty that the reasons for changing would bring about a satisfactory result.

Whilst you regard Bruges as the main port of the two I'm sure there will have been lots of people on your cruise who had been there multiple times before as it's such a regular port of call and so would have been delighted that you called at Guernsey

Yes, but i'm not complaining on behalf of the other people who may share a different view. They can comment below or start another thread.;) I, we, the group we travelled with viewed Bruges, the Venice of the North as the key destination and Liberation Day at St.Peterport as a worthy second. We got neither.

The reason I used the word disingenuous was that your quote (posted in red previously) was the first post in a thread you started and you made it very clear that you didn't care in which order you visited the ports. We can all be wise after the event.

I didn't, the wife may have, others in our party did.

BTW, the ports for my next cruise are Amsterdam and ........ Guernsey!!!

Or 3 days at sea;):D

Oh for goodness sake.

Whatever I type you will twist and turn.

:confused:

I just hope we are never on the same cruise.

I wouldn't get too worried about that. With 2000 others on the ship I doubt our paths would cross unless your one of those loud types that embarass yourself on the dancefloor on the first night.;)

PS: I'm not that awful:D

We may even have met before?

I wouldn't get too worried about that. With 2000 others on the ship I doubt our paths would cross unless your one of those loud types that embarass yourself on the dancefloor on the first night.;)

 

PS: I'm not that awful:D

 

We may even have met before?

 

No we would not have met on a dancefloor.

I am the total opposite of a loud type.

Or 3 days at sea;):D

Well it would be 4 nights but so be it. We'd still have a ball because we go to enjoy ourselves and not to moan like some. Sometimes though we feel the cruise line can't do right for doing wrong with the moaners. Like you said there are around 2000 people on Aurora and I'm sure many of them came back very happy after their weekend away. As others have advised if you're booking a holiday with the intention of seeing a particular city then cruising is NOT the way to go. Try the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry if you want to see Bruges, or the Poole to Guernsey crossing to see particular events in Guernsey.

BTW when you use the word "we" and start a post it's a reasonable assumption that you mean yourself and others you're travelling with. You said:

"To be honest we're not bothered either way".

Hindsight is truly a wonderful thing isn't it so for future reference here's a link to the P&O Terms and Conditions so you know what P&O's position is.

https://www.pocruises.com/Global/pdf/POC%20BCs%2012.05.14%20legal.pdf

I do think though that, as you feel so strongly, there is no point having a go at people who think that P&O did their best in very difficult circumstances so you be better getting it off your chest by complaining directly to them.

Well it would be 4 nights but so be it. We'd still have a ball because we go to enjoy ourselves and not to moan like some. Sometimes though we feel the cruise line can't do right for doing wrong with the moaners. Like you said there are around 2000 people on Aurora and I'm sure many of them came back very happy after their weekend away. As others have advised if you're booking a holiday with the intention of seeing a particular city then cruising is NOT the way to go. Try the Hull to Zeebrugge ferry if you want to see Bruges, or the Poole to Guernsey crossing to see particular events in Guernsey.

 

BTW when you use the word "we" and start a post it's a reasonable assumption that you mean yourself and others you're travelling with. You said:

"To be honest we're not bothered either way".

 

Hindsight is truly a wonderful thing isn't it so for future reference here's a link to the P&O Terms and Conditions so you know what P&O's position is.

 

https://www.pocruises.com/Global/pdf/POC%20BCs%2012.05.14%20legal.pdf

 

I do think though that, as you feel so strongly, there is no point having a go at people who think that P&O did their best in very difficult circumstances so you be better getting it off your chest by complaining directly to them.

You strike me as the sort of chap who'd pay £70 to see Tom Jones in concert and be ecstatically happy when you arrive to find that on being taken ill he's been replaced with a spotty faced youth banging two dustbin lids together.....simply because your with good company, have had a couple of sherries and a nice meal beforehand. I'm not:D If that makes me a moaner - guilty as charged m'lud!

Enjoyment of the weekend has very little to do with it. Our travelling companions had a throroughly good time (i'm fantastic company:p), the food was great, the service was excellent but unless i'm mistaken 'cruising' is about the whole experience - itinerary included. Your suggestion that we should have taken the ferry to see Bruges is akin to telling somebody that wants to join the army to go down the shooting range instead.

Complaint is probably too strong a word. Having received P&O's questionnaire I will provide some feedback and when asked if we would recommend to a friend put the appropriate response. Only if they are prepared to accept that they may not receive what they paid for.

Better go, Tom Jones duet partner has turned up - it's Shirley Bassey's replacement - Joe Pasquale singing songs from the blitz:eek:

You strike me as the sort of chap who'd pay £70 to see Tom Jones in concert and be ecstatically happy when you arrive to find that on being taken ill he's been replaced with a spotty faced youth banging two dustbin lids together.....simply because your with good company, have had a couple of sherries and a nice meal beforehand. I'm not:D If that makes me a moaner - guilty as charged m'lud!

 

Enjoyment of the weekend has very little to do with it. Our travelling companions had a throroughly good time (i'm fantastic company:p), the food was great, the service was excellent but unless i'm mistaken 'cruising' is about the whole experience - itinerary included. Your suggestion that we should have taken the ferry to see Bruges is akin to telling somebody that wants to join the army to go down the shooting range instead.

 

Complaint is probably too strong a word. Having received P&O's questionnaire I will provide some feedback and when asked if we would recommend to a friend put the appropriate response. Only if they are prepared to accept that they may not receive what they paid for.

 

Better go, Tom Jones duet partner has turned up - it's Shirley Bassey's replacement - Joe Pasquale singing songs from the blitz:eek:

It is a pity that you have had to resort to the lowest form of wit. If you haven't been complaining in this thread I don't know what constitutes a complaint. It is also sad that you have had to resort to trying to insult both myself and the English lady personally simply because we have said we don't agree with you. This is not the accepted protocol on this site.

I will not lower myself to your level by trading insults but suffice to say that you are a million miles wide of the mark in your description of me, starting with the gender - old "chap".

The lowest form of wit is sarcasm so I guess your suggestion that I/we take a ferry to visit Zeebrugge was humour.;)

Take a little time to re-read my opening post. A simple statement that brought about English Ladys sarcastic reposte that commanded me to 'go and book a land holiday'.

I can't see where i've insulted anybody? It's certainly not my intention to upset anybody.:confused:

The lowest form of wit is sarcasm so I guess your suggestion that I/we take a ferry to visit Zeebrugge was humour.

 

 

 

I can't see where i've insulted anybody? It's certainly not my intention to upset anybody.:confused:

No it was a serious suggestion for anybody who wants to visit Bruges and we did it last year. Equally we used the ferry from Poole to get to the Channel Islands.

Confused? I think not!! But please Don't flatter yourself by thinking you upset me. You certainly attempted to insult me but it's water off a duck's back especially when it comes from people who make wildly inaccurate assumptions.

Now I can continue in this vein forever and if this were a private conversation I would, but I'm sure it's boring other people to whom I apologise.

The lowest form of wit is sarcasm so I guess your suggestion that I/we take a ferry to visit Zeebrugge was humour.;)

 

Take a little time to re-read my opening post. A simple statement that brought about English Ladys sarcastic reposte that commanded me to 'go and book a land holiday'.

 

I can't see where i've insulted anybody? It's certainly not my intention to upset anybody.:confused:

If you had come on here and just posted you were very disappointed not to have made it to Guernsey due to weather conditions you would have got very different answers.

Instead you called yourself disgusted and turned the whole thing into a P and O did this wrong and that wrong .

I just stated no port on any cruise is guaranteed and if you could not grasp that concept then cruising was not for you.

As Tartan Exile stated you have just continued to insult/make fun of from there on in, or twist and turn what anyone has posted to try and score some sort of point.

I am sure you will feel you have to reply to this, but please don't.

No it was a serious suggestion for anybody who wants to visit Bruges and we did it last year. Equally we used the ferry from Poole to get to the Channel Islands.

 

Confused? I think not!! But please Don't flatter yourself by thinking you upset me. You certainly attempted to insult me but it's water off a duck's back especially when it comes from people who make wildly inaccurate assumptions.

 

Now I can continue in this vein forever and if this were a private conversation I would, but I'm sure it's boring other people to whom I apologise.

I'm glad I didn't upset you and if you mean my referring to you as 'chap' there is nothing in your posts that suggests your gender and if you think it intentional i'm not going to attempt to alter your view.

Regards the thread becoming boring? I credit people with enough intelligence to stop reading if that's the case.

Which leads nicely to your 'serious suggestion' about how best to visit the places concerned and will point out that this is a CRUISE forum, not a general travel or holiday guide. Your 'suggestions' could equally have included travel by plane, car, bike or horse and were mischievous, contrived and in the context of the thread unnecessary.

For the avoidance of doubt and without wishing to over emphasise the obvious I would suggest that the majority of folk who visit these boards select a cruise on cost, company, ship, departure point, length of cruise, level of service, destinations and itinerary. For many the choice can be narrowed down to ship and destinations.

P&O provided exceptional service on every level barring delivery of the nominated destinations. Again for the avoidance of doubt I suggest that their alteration of the itinerary was a gamble that didn't pay off and if anybody wants to know why I reach that conclusion then read the entire thread;)

If you had come on here and just posted you were very disappointed not to have made it to Guernsey due to weather conditions you would have got very different answers.

Instead you called yourself disgusted and turned the whole thing into a P and O did this wrong and that wrong .

I just stated no port on any cruise is guaranteed and if you could not grasp that concept then cruising was not for you.

As Tartan Exile stated you have just continued to insult/make fun of from there on in, or twist and turn what anyone has posted to try and score some sort of point.

I am sure you will feel you have to reply to this, but please don't.

Could you please stop trying to tell me what to do...lol:p

'Cruisings not for you, book a land holiday, don't reply'. You sound like my missus!:rolleyes:

The term 'Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells' is a traditional and humorous nom de plume used in publishing that goes back to the 1940's possibly beyond.

Have a nice day...

I just thought I'd come back with our experience of tendering in Guernsey. We were on Ventura last week and in Guernsey on Saturday. There were 6 tenders in use so we were able to get ashore just after breakfast without having to wait at all. It was an absolutely glorious day with wall to wall sunshine and overall we had the best time on Ventura, apart from a blip disembarking in Amsterdam. Shame it's over 7 months till our next cruise!

You should have been with us on Azura in Monte Carlo on 15 May - now that was some tendering operation! Sme 1700 passengers stuck ashore for a couple of hours as it was too dangerous to tender them back to the ship. Weather forecast for the day should have meant no problems but our friend "le Mistral" wind decided to make an unscheduled appearance late morning. Captain Turnbull was absolutely spot on to make the decision to suspend tenders - I had been watching from the ship and it was one very hairy ride for those passengers. The crew deserve a huge round of applause for their work that day helping pax which was quite dangerous at times.

We were also on Azura in Norway at the beginning of May. Tenders were suspended in Geiranger although some shore excursions had already departed so we did not get to visit. The ship then sailed to Flaam and ended up staying the night after developing a fault. We had a wonderful day in Flaam but did not expect to still be there the following morning. We missed our next port of call (Stavanger) and the ship eventually sailed to Bergen where a specialist engineer had flown out from Germany and embarked her. We then set sail for a leisurely sail back to Southampton and arrived there a day late. (Arrived Saturday 9th, should have been Friday 8th).

Captain Turnbull kept us informed of everything and we did get compensated in the form of OBC and a percentage of the fare we had paid back to use on a future cruise. Not sure what anyone would do if they were not going to cruise again??

In spite of everything we thoroughly enjoyed being on Azura again and think that P&O did brilliantly.

BTW we managed to visit Bruges & Guernsey on a 3-nighter last year. Had a wonderful day in Guernsey and the tender went without any problems.

To clarify we didn't have a problem tendering into Guernsey but sailing into Zeebrugge.

I've filled in the questionnaire detailing our disappointment and expected some form of explanation and apology. Nothing yet.:confused: