chh

The OP asked for a list of the premium deserts. Photo hopefully added below from Sky in May. They didn’t add any of the sweets/candy on Sky. Just ice cream, sauce and cream with a cake on top.

Thank you!

Have printed off the travel summary and will take with us in case of any issues.

It’s our first Princess cruise having done a few on P and O and never had a drinks package before so it’s new to us. These boards are great to read through for advise.

I booked directly with Princess and chose the ‘better’ option with the plus package. The plus package is listed on the cruise personaliser, but states it is complimentary from Princess Cruises…..but I paid for it so I don’t understand why.

The package is not shown at all on the medallion app.

Is this something I should be trying to get sorted before sailing or will it rectify itself on the app once on board?

It’s OK Manx Buoy, the email arrived after the refund!

Headline news! I received an email from P and O yesterday about my refund. Perhaps they are finally starting to communicate? Albeit after the refund, but that is just being picky when people are still waiting 80+ days.

Not sure I particularly agree with their statement of "adapt our ways of working very quickly." 

Enjoy the Christmas market cruise, something to look forward to. I work in a school so we are restricted to school holidays.....no bargains there!

This is a great thread, so helpful, thank you everyone, I’ve been checking in each day!

Full refund received today direct to credit card. Refund requested 24th April. Cruise was Ventura 23rd May.

Pleased to have finally got my money back though would rather have had the holiday. I do hope those still waiting from the first wave of cancellations get what is owed to them.

I personally, (and we all have different thoughts and changes in circumstances) can accept that a refund may take more than the 14 days at the moment. I do think that the 60 days P and O have stated is excessive, especially as they have taken a lot longer in a lot of cases. However, P and O have acted in an abysmal manner with regards to total lack of communication.

Surely it must be possible for an automated email to be sent to state that they have received a refund request?! The amount of time it would ultimately save them though customers not phoning and emailing them to ensure the request has come through would help them, let alone the stress they have caused their loyal customers.

The only communication I have received is the incorrect refund invoice a few days ago. I expected that weeks ago, as they said to expect it, so when it didn’t arrive I thought my refund request hadn’t gone through. I would have thought that a known IT glitch sending out incorrect cancellation notices could be fixed in the long time period they have had!

We will hopefully cruise again and with P and O as their cruises suit us. Sadly not next year though with the extra large price increases!

To recap as there are a lot of posts on here. My cruise was cancelled in the latest batch and I requested a refund the following day via the web form. I have received no acknowledgement from P and O that they have received my request. My cruise is still on the cruise personaliser.

I have just phoned P and O and after all the recorded messages and pressing different numbers (nearly 5 minutes!), I got straight through! They confirmed that my refund request has been received. He didn't know if the 60 days would start from when I sent the request or when they started processing it.

The call taker (who was very polite) stated they have had lots of calls to ask the same question. I suggested that perhaps if P and O sent an automated email to state a refund request had been made then they wouldn't get so many phone calls asking the same thing. He said that P and O are learning as they go and that they thought the box that flashes up to say 'Thank you' for requesting a refund would be good enough for people to think that their request had been received. 

And yet if they sent an automated confirmation that the refund request had been made then they wouldn’t have so many calls and emails asking about it! They are creating themselves more work! I know I’m stating the obvious, but....grrrr!

Thank you glittergal1 for your reply. It helps to know I'm not alone!

Is there a way to see if they have 'lost' my request and allocated me FCC? How have those you mention found out?

I don't want to take up their time by phoning them. Nor to be fair do I have the time to waste trying to phone them!

Our cruise was in the most recent batch cancelled by P and O. I used the online form to apply for a full refund the following day. However, I have not received an email of confirmation of this. The form states I would probably receive an incorrect cancellation email. But I have received nothing at all. No confirmation at all.

Is this the experience of others? Or has my refund request mysteriously "got lost" in their system?

Just to add......I think the trip was around 8 hours. You drive through villages and countryside on the way where the fighting took place. We were given a basic map of the area on the coach.

We did this trip a couple of years ago. We rarely do ships tours but felt that we would be pushing it for time to be back on time before the sailed.

On the way to Ypres we stopped at Tyne Cot, a large cemetery. On arriving in Ypres we went to the Flanders Fields Museum. After we had entered the museum timing was down to us, enabling us to see the museum at our own speed. We then had free time in Ypres (chocolate shopping!). The Last Post service is at 8pm, but you need to be there a little before that time as it is very popular. A handkerchief may come in handy. We then went straight to the pre arranged meeting place for the coach and back to the ship. The ship sailed very soon after we boarded.

If you have anyone you wish to lay a wreath for there is a website that you can apply to do this. I have no idea what their criteria or selection processes are, but there were several individuals and groups doing this when we were there.

We felt it was an excellent trip. As always I'm sure it could be done cheaper, it is just the fine line with timings.

Could anyone who has been on a cruise since the change inalcohol policy tell me if we can combine the 1 litre per adult and bring amixture on board. For example, 1 x 75cl bottle red wine, 1 x 75cl bottle whitewine and 1 x 50 cl bottle spirit.

The P&O help page (below) does say wine, Champagne,beer, spirit OR liquor. I can’tfind any mention of combining allowances or number of individual bottles.

Each guest aged 18 years(21 years in United States of America ports) and older may bring up to 1 litreof wine, Champagne, beer, spirit or liqueur on board as they embark the shipfor the first time only. Alcohol over the 1 litre limit will be stored andreturned to you prior to the end of your cruise.

Perhaps you could drain as much fluid as you can and then empty the grounds into a plastic bag and put into the bin? You can take a supply of sealable plastic bags with you.

Please don't shout me down for being unkind to the environment.....only an idea!

Florry, our luggage arrived broken on our recent cruise too but it was a fly cruise so could have happened at airport etc. I have sent an email to P and O as directed by reception staff on the ship. I was just interested to know if P and O compensated you at all (ours were new).

We have just returned from the last week of this cruise and agree. Departing from Malta was a nightmare. We did go straight to the gate and queued to get to the "mass" at passport control. It seemed that as each flight missed its slot they went around shouting for people to follow them to the front of the queue.

All the flights left late and did appear to be waiting until people could get through. Airport staff were handing out water which was nice.

20 minute queue for the toilet (handy tip ladies....don't drink too much of the water handed out!), and over half an hour for security too so I suspect it was sheer number of people.

Arrival was slow too at Malta. Due to very limited space at the port check in, only one coach load of passengers was able to queue to check in at a time meaning coaches were held at the airport and then on the road at the port. It took us three hours from landing to embarkation. The airport wasn't far from the port. The coach we were on was air conditioned and comfortable and we were on holiday so not all bad!!!!!!!

We have never done a fly cruise before so the experience either end really puts us off doing another. Perhaps this is normal and I've turned into a moaner but watching the time tick on by after your flight was due to depart isn't overly relaxing! Southampton and waiting about people watching for a late check in time a whole lot more fun!

The cruise itself was great though! We had a limited time in Malta and airport aside would love to return as the bit we did explore was lovely.

Thankyou for the replies so far. It seems waiting until we get there should be fine.

My research shows that the regulated cost is still currently 80Euros, and to agree price/time before getting in.

Mandylennon - My parents went to Venice on honeymoon, dropping in as they drove past on the way to what was Yugoslavia 45 years ago. They didn't go on a gondola due to the cost and made us promise to do it as they still haven't been back!

It would be great to have peoples opinions about whether to pre book a gondola in Venice or leave it until we get there.

I have read conflicting ideas on here, some from a while ago so I would love to hear thoughts from people who have been to Venice recently. We will be there during the Easter school holidays if that makes a difference.

We will use the Vaporetto, but would also like to do the tourist thing on a Gondola as we have never been. We would prefer not to be on the Grand Canal on the Gondola and are lucky enough to be able to walk to quieter spots etc.

Along the lines of this thread, P and O used to give approximate time brackets for their descriptions of "depart late afternoon, evening" etc. They no longer give these, at least that I can find and I don't have them any longer.

Our 2017 cruise arrives in Venice in the "early morning" and departs from Venice in the "evening". Does anyone have any experience of a rough time this may be? We hope to pre-book a gondola early evening (our interpretation of that time may be different to P and O)......but don't want to watch the ship sail past us!!

A small screwdriver a much better idea. Funnily enough hubby has never felt the need to take any form of emergency glasses repair since the threat of confiscation! I won't tell him about the possibility he may need to help a horse out!

Enjoy the walking

Hee hee, this made me giggle as my husband also had to visit the p and o naughty room for his Swiss army style knife.....apparently vital for the small screwdriver to adjust his glasses.....

Missdoo

We were on this cruise and saw you arrive with arm in sling with the ship then sailing immediately. So pleased it waited for you, only a few minutes. Do hope you have now recovered? Often think about you despite not knowing you!

Thank you for you replies. If I book directly with P and O and choose coach as the option when booking select, would that always be Intercruises coaches?

On previous cruises when we have booked Select Fare we have opted for the on board spend. On our last cruise we checked in at 4.30 for our 3.30 check in slot (my question not about this well covered subject!!), so we are contemplating using the coach transfer rather than on board spend.

Please could anyone with experience of using the coaches and the new time enforced check in please tell me if they needed to wait for a long time in the cruise terminal before checking in. We would be cruising in the Easter school holidays.

I am completely capable of sitting on the floor people watching or reading a book having had that experience already, but if a coach avoids it then all the better.

Also, what sort of time do the coaches arrive or are they staggered throughout the check in time.

Thankyou!