Coach to Southampton Query

Sorry if I'm going to sound stupid here, but I've read people talk about Intercruises Coach and Eavesway Coach transfers to the port. If I've got it right, one is "official" the other isn't, with folks saying that if late, the ship would wait for one but not the other.

I thought that if you booked the Coach transfer through P&O when you book the cruise (instead of OBC or car parking) then it was "official" and the ship would wait if the coach was late.

Can anyone please clarify my confusion here, just in case we need to book the Coach in the future. Sorry to sound dim.

Thanks.

Hi....the "official" coach company that is booked through P&O is Intercruises and that is the way we go when cruising with P&O. As far as the ship waiting for any hold ups on the "official" coach I would think that they do...or maybe make alternative arrangements because I would think when booked and included in in the price that it becomes part of the contract with P&O and so becomes a legal obligation towards its passengers. Maybe someone else can give more clarity.

We travel with Intercruise as they are the company contracted by P&O to run this service now. It used to be Eavesway who are excellent and we would have preferred to continue using them, but they had to change their pickup point after Intercruises took over to a place that was not so convenient for us. No complaints about Intercruises except perhaps thei coaches do not have as much legroom as the Eavesway ones had. However, their drivers are good and get us down to Southampton and back in good time.

Thanks for your replies.

It has been the other way round for me. Eavesway have moved to a far less convenient pick up point, so even if Eavesway were still the official partner I would still go with Intercruise.

In contrast to others I have found Intercruise coaches to be just as comfortable, if not more so, than Eavesway. They have always used Ellison coaches which are spacious. This may because of the length of journey from Scotland and north of England. They may use 'standard' coaches for shorter journeys, but I have never seen any in the lines waiting at disembarkation. Also, as the official partner, their coaches park closer to the gangway, Intercruise coaches are much farther away.

It has been the other way round for me. Eavesway have moved to a far less convenient pick up point, so even if Eavesway were still the official partner I would still go with Intercruise.

 

In contrast to others I have found Intercruise coaches to be just as comfortable, if not more so, than Eavesway. They have always used Ellison coaches which are spacious. This may because of the length of journey from Scotland and north of England. They may use 'standard' coaches for shorter journeys, but I have never seen any in the lines waiting at disembarkation. Also, as the official partner, their coaches park closer to the gangway, Intercruise coaches are much farther away.

When Intercruises first became the official partner some of the coaches were dire but after the first months or so they seemed to get their act together and mainly use Ellison or other high standard coaches.

I think that they are now as good as Eavesways and when we are taking the coach to Southampton we take Intercruises because we feel that as they are the official partner P&O are more likely to wait for their coaches than other companies' coaches.

we take Intercruises because we feel that as they are the official partner P&O are more likely to wait for their coaches than other companies' coaches.

I am not having a go at you personally, but I suggest everyone Google's the Terms and Conditions of Intercruise (pdf format) and in particular reads the section on Force Majeure. After that read POs T&C's under the heading Liability which mentions FM and suppliers. After that check your own insurance and make sure it covers all eventualities.

I am not having a go at you personally, but I suggest everyone Google's the Terms and Conditions of Intercruise (pdf format) and in particular reads the section on Force Majeure. After that read POs T&C's under the heading Liability which mentions FM and suppliers. After that check your own insurance and make sure it covers all eventualities.

I agree that we need to be covered by our insurance ( which we are ). I just think that P&O would be more likely to wait for Intercruises than Eavesway. The coach Is however not our main way of getting to Southampton, we usually drive down the day before the cruise and stay in Southampton unless we are doing a cruise in December or January.

"Also, as the official partner, their coaches park closer to the gangway, Intercruise coaches are much farther away."

Sorry, that should read the Eavesway coaches are further away, not Intercruise

P&O would be more likely to wait for Intercruises than Eavesway..

This was raised a long time ago. The final word lies with the Captain and no one else.

We got lucky once arriving on 'Official' coach around 5 pm and finding check in closed despite the driver telling us there wouldn't be a problem the ship would wait.! We weren't allowed off the coach until security had been given the ok from the ship. We were told we were v lucky as final checks hadn't been completed so the Captain agreed to let us on.

No matter which company you travel with the Captain has the final word. Time and tides wait for no one.

I think that P&O will wait for their "official" coaches as I should presume they are contracted in the same way as they are contracted for official port excursions. I am thinking people have purchased a cruise with coach transfers from a single company effectively and the ship will wait for the passengers.

Other company's coaches are full of P&O passengers and I feel that P&O will still wait for those people too but are not necessarily obligated in the same way. Provided they are advised a coach is delayed, the circumstances and aware of how long a delay is likely they will hold the ship as much as they can. There are tides to consider, port fees and the ships generally cruise along at a snail's pace to keep to a slack time table which is generally based on a series of ports of call with plenty of time available between port stops. Making up time is not usually that big a problem, certainly on a Transatlantic there is a huge amount of scope.

Regards John

This was raised a long time ago. The final word lies with the Captain and no one else.

 

We got lucky once arriving on 'Official' coach around 5 pm and finding check in closed despite the driver telling us there wouldn't be a problem the ship would wait.! We weren't allowed off the coach until security had been given the ok from the ship. We were told we were v lucky as final checks hadn't been completed so the Captain agreed to let us on.

 

No matter which company you travel with the Captain has the final word. Time and tides wait for no one.

Yes, I agree. But if travelling with Intercruise P & O will have responsibility for any accommodation and onward travel to catch the ship, unlike if you are travelling independently, which Eavesway counts as.

On my last cruise a couple travelling by Eavesway had their luggage offloaded at the wrong ship. After it had been established that it had been the coach driver's mistake, as opposed to the port operators, the first question was which coach company they had used. The response, upon learning it was Eavesway was a shake of the head. There was nothing they could do. No more than they would if it had been left in the boot of their car. They were told if had been Intercruise some credit would be given to use in the shop. Though as there are very few basic items of clothing in the on board shops I don't know how much that would have helped.

I have travelled on a Cunard transatlantic where a lady and daughter had all suitcases become lost in the US and Star Clippers transatlantic where a gentleman had lost all cases through the flights. The problem on these occasions is not simply who will foot the bill, cruise line with on board credit or claiming for refunds through your travel insurance. It is more pragmatic, the ships shop tends to sell t-shirts and formal wear but not essentially underwear. A single sea day followed by a port day is more helpful than a transatlantic as you can shop ashore. On the first situation the lady and daughter were given $500 to buy anything in the shops. On the second situation the ship's sailing was delayed seven hours to allow shopping in St. Maarten. This went well and I think the guy spend $400 or so with a view to get a refund through insurers, unfortunately the case turned up last minute and while you think he simply got more clothes they now weigh in excess of 23kgs by a large margin and he needs to fly home to US at end of the cruise.

Lost luggage is a major issue, particularly where flights are involved. Direct flights can minimise the risk but it is serious. Anyone who watched the Princess documentary will know cases were missing for about thirty people. I also saw a cruise documentary where a couple got married and embarked in the formal clothes/wedding dress. The woman wore this as normal clothes for a couple of days.

Regards John

Yes, I agree. But if travelling with Intercruise P & O will have responsibility for any accommodation and onward travel to catch the ship, unlike if you are travelling independently, which Eavesway counts as.

I just hope we never have to test POs insurance liability which puts the onus on the supplier who in turn puts the responsibility on the customer. Hence why we all have to tick/sign boxes to say we have read the T&Cs and why everyone needs travel insurance.