Jonesthecat

I’ve just returned from a week on Azura and had the same issue. I found this thread and did some investigating with the bank and the 2 purchases which were done on the day are pending as someone said. I had tried calling p and o but got cut off after waiting over an hour so thank you to those who posted about this!

Thank you. I hope we don’t have a delay and it will all go smoothly. It’s been a rocky road to get to this point due to the sudden death of my father who should have been with us. Thanks for replying and putting my mind at rest

Thank you so much. All of the advice and support was very much appreciated at such a difficult time too. Hopefully this may help someone in the future too as it can be done and it doesn’t have to be a cancelled holiday. Thank you again.

Hi everyone, an update for all of you who were so kind and helpful. I couldn’t get much joy through basic customer services with our TA and P and O I just could not get through to at all. So I contacted the MD of the TA who put a senior customer service manager onto the case-it was all sorted within a week with no cost. So we can now go on the cruise and hopefully make some nice memories with both of our moms. There were some hiccups as they cancelled all the additional bookings we had made (hair and drinks package as well as seats on the flight) so I had to rebook those. I just wanted to let you all know as some people really went out of their way to help. Thank you so much everyone. I obviously can’t mention the TA but given the service I received I would definitely use them again.

Hi everyone, we are due to go on our first fly-cruise on the 18th July and fly from Malta. The flights are later than we had hoped and land at 6pm in Malta. Our boarding passes say last boarding 7pm. I’m assuming that as the flight is chartered by P and O this will be enough time but was wondering if this is usual? And if anyone else has done these flights and knows what time we might get onto the boat? Travelling with someone with some mobility issues so hoping there won’t be a mad rush! Thanks in advance

Thank you both. I’m also confused why I can’t make changes as they also said it’s a linked booking and agree I booked it and paid for it. It’s incredibly confusing and at a time I’m also dealing with lots of other paperwork they’re not making it easy for me. I am hoping that the TA does get someone senior to look into it as I am not confident the agent on the phone really understood.

No it’s definitely me. I booked it and paid for the whole holiday as a surprise but they put a lead passenger for each cabin and that is what they are saying they cannot change. I didn’t even ask for my father to be the lead in their cabin, they just put the man first. I booked it via a travel agent and they explained that P & O don’t allow more than one cabin to be assigned to one person so there had to be a lead for each cabin. They of course were fine with me paying for it all and adding extras! the estate does not need to go through probate as it’s all jointly owned and passed to my mother. Although I am an executor in the will too. i work in mental health and knew I didn’t need a POA and as you say, it would not help anyway. I suspect I just spoke with someone on the phone that wasn’t very experienced. no contact from the travel agent yet though today

A mini update for those of you who have been kindly supporting-I contacted the MD of the TA as I was so shocked by how difficult it was to navigate their customer services. The MD has replied with condolences and said they are going to ask a senior member of staff to support me and will do everything they can. I guess then it will be up to P & O to sort it.

I have provided it to the TA and they said they will forward it to P and O. They haven’t given me any time frames either. when I spoke to the agent they said do you want to cancel or does the other passenger want to travel alone. I said we would like to change my father’s name for someone else and that’s when she said I would need a power of attorney-which is incorrect as not everyone has POA or needs it. She then said I would need to provide the will instead.

Thank you all for the advice. I have already provided the will and the death certificate-even though they did not ask for the latter. if cancellation is my only option then I will. I can’t currently afford to re book without the insurance money as we have paid for the funeral too. But if it’s our only option we will cancel and do something with another company at a later date. It’s very much put me off cruises sadly.

I have been advised the will does not need to go through probate but I need to check this as I am not sure that is correct advice.

Thank you. I am an executor in my father’s will and everything passed to my mother as well. It’s a very frustrating situation in the midst of dealing with so much other paperwork too. there are other passengers-myself and my partner. I have the same insurance company for all of us which may help. Mom is very upset as she had just decided she wanted to go ahead with the cruise and still have the holiday dad was looking forward to and it was of course a gift for them both for her birthday and their anniversary. the TA wasn’t very helpful at all and just said what P & O will want but she said she didn’t think they would do it.

Cancelling feels a difficult option because I have bought both cabins and paid for lots of extras. I am not sure if the insurance will cover my cabin (even though I have experienced a significant loss) and I can’t go without my mom as she can’t currently be by herself because it’s all been very traumatic due to how my dad passed as well as him no longer being with us.

Sorry this is a repeat topic as my original thread was deleted as I had mentions the agent and could not amend my post. I have booked and fully paid for a cruise in July to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday and my parents golden wedding anniversary. Sadly my dad died suddenly just over 2 weeks ago so I am trying to change his name on the booking to allow my mom to still go and have a companion with her. The TA has said P & O will need to see a power of attorney to show I have the right to change my dads name (they acknowledge everything was booked by me, paid for by me and are linked bookings). I don’t have a POA as my father was fit and well and had a sudden cardiac arrest. They have therefore asked to a copy of the will to show I’m an executor but have said P & O may not accept this., its obviously a very difficult time anyway and I am still in shock from my dads death, so this feels really hard to deal with. Has anyone got any advice of what I can do? I’ve been told P & O won’t deal with me because I did not book directly so I feel a bit at the mercy of the TA. Many thanks in advance and for the advice I had received before my post was deleted.,

Thank you so much!

I’ve just found this thread. They sound a great company but I can’t get in contact with them. The contact page keeps saying there is an error on it. Does anyone have contact details for them other than their contact page on the website?

I did look but couldn’t see any. I will look again. Thanks

Hi everyone, it’s our first time doing a med cruise (only our second ever tour and will be my parents first). We really want to go to the colosseum but my has quite bad arthritis in her legs and hands so wouldn’t manage the train ride as well as a tour. I’m therefore looking for a private tour for 4 of us to pick us up from the port to go to the colosseum and then bring us back. I’ve looked online but there’s so many options and I really want to get it right for her and all of us. I’ve been before but none of the other have. Please share your recommendations. It’s for July next year. Thanks in advance.

This is a really helpful thread, thank you. We are booked in azura next year and I was (and still at) disappointed by flight times as we get there late and leave late. So it’s good to hear we can stay on the ship on the last day and use the facilities. In terms of food on that last day, is it just the buffet you can use? And do you know when you get told about transfer times? Really glad to hear they handle the luggage too!