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P&o - shame on you!!

BMT

By BMT,
in P&O Cruises ( UK )

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trfccruiser Great Review Rare

trfccruiser

Posted
Posted

Clearly with events such as these emotions run high but I do dislike it when companies say they don't things "as policy" and then do!P&O should have responded with I'm sorry we can't do anything at this end but the agent who deals with it is.....

I hope your mother gets back safely.

On a far less important note all cruise lines now say that visits on board are not possible because of security yet periodically offer them at their home port AND you always see people in other ports coming on,usually travel staff and digintaries/influential people.Ordinary people can provide the same I.D. so don't insult our intelligence by saying you don't do visits and maybe consider offering small numbers.

I went on a few a few years back and then subsequently booked on those ships and I can't have been the only one.

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BMT

BMT

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Great, isn't it?

Seriously, it's only flying and long haul that is badly affected. There is plenty surface transport within Europe. Perhaps we should be less reliant on airlines.

 

Doesn't help if you live on an island - are you suggesting we swim - hehehehe!!

 

Thank you Phil - my mother and I will be fine I am sure. Just rather traumatic for a very elderly person.

 

Difficult to understand P&O's rationale. They are certainly under 'attack' from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, HAL etc. who are all coming to Europe in a big way - I was shocked that the maiden voyage of the Azura didn't immediately sell out. They need a new PR department I think!!! This would and should, have been a PR opportunity - providing accommodation for travellers stuck on the Costa del Sol.

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thranite

thranite

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Doesn't help if you live on an island - are you suggesting we swim - hehehehe!!

 

Thank you Phil - my mother and I will be fine I am sure. Just rather traumatic for a very elderly person.

 

Difficult to understand P&O's rationale. They are certainly under 'attack' from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, HAL etc. who are all coming to Europe in a big way - I was shocked that the maiden voyage of the Azura didn't immediately sell out. They need a new PR department I think!!! This would and should, have been a PR opportunity - providing accommodation for travellers stuck on the Costa del Sol.

 

There is Eurostar, Eurotunnel and a plethora of ferries. With an effective and efficient surface infrastructure, aeroplanes are not essential for normal travel.

 

For the record, I agree with your opinion of P&O. They have not done themselves any favours. If they were able to do something to assist, then they should have.

 

With respect to their current strategy, I am not convinced that the British Cruiser wants megaships and I would appreciate Oriana / Aurora sized ships to be ordered whilst welcoming the new Adonia. However, that must be coupled with a return to the standards of years gone by.

 

:)

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thranite

thranite

Posted
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Just imagine sitting in some distant foreign hellhole, having been stranded there for days with no food, water or bed, when along rolls Ventura to rescue you.

 

Talk about between a rock and a hard place:eek:.

 

At least that foreign hellhole may have sun loungers. Some may even have floated there from Ventura!

 

:D

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BMT

BMT

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Oh dear!!

 

Here's a little story we were told by a family group a few days ago. The ferries were only taking cars and people with transport. So this family were taking the train to Paris and a family member was taking a car on the ferry, meeting them in Paris and driving them back!! They said people were buying bikes in France in order to get on the ferries.

 

If this is true - well, its disgusting. The family spokesman said it was a matter of finances - more income from cars etc.

 

Don't shoot the messenger - this is what they told me. Hope it isn't P&O ferries doing this - hehehe!!

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thranite

thranite

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Oh dear!!

 

Here's a little story we were told by a family group a few days ago. The ferries were only taking cars and people with transport. So this family were taking the train to Paris and a family member was taking a car on the ferry, meeting them in Paris and driving them back!! They said people were buying bikes in France in order to get on the ferries.

 

If this is true - well, its disgusting. The family spokesman said it was a matter of finances - more income from cars etc.

 

Don't shoot the messenger - this is what they told me. Hope it isn't P&O ferries doing this - hehehe!!

 

I have heard that, but it's a matter of regulations. One chap apparently rode onto the ferry on a child's tricycle in order to comply. It seems to me that it is a classic case of needing to recognise that rules were made for the guidance of wise men and obedience of fools.

 

:)

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ollienbertsmum Great Review Rare

ollienbertsmum

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Re: For the record, I agree with your opinion of P&O. They have not done themselves any favours. If they were able to do something to assist, then they should have.

.......................................................................................................................

 

But P&O did take stranded people back. They filled up their empty cabins with people from Gibraltar on their way to medical appointments in the UK, students like my daughter from the hell-hole of her bedroom at home to university so she did not miss more than the first week of term, and a good few others besides.

 

They made a profit out of the experience, but then so did the ferries, Eurostar, the rail network and car hire and taxi companies.

 

There were companies who had sold flights who made losses.

 

Easyjet say they will reimburse people under EU legislation. I will not get reimbursed because we could not wait for their alternative flight.

 

Daughter got an extra short cruise with her friend. She won't be travelling P&O again though because she said the food was not as good as RCI - and she thought the view of sea was boring (not sure what colour the sea was on our last cruises!!!)

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cclarke12

cclarke12

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Re: For the record, I agree with your opinion of P&O. They have not done themselves any favours. If they were able to do something to assist, then they should have.

.......................................................................................................................

 

But P&O did take stranded people back. They filled up their empty cabins with people from Gibraltar on their way to medical appointments in the UK, students like my daughter from the hell-hole of her bedroom at home to university so she did not miss more than the first week of term, and a good few others besides.

 

They made a profit out of the experience, but then so did the ferries, Eurostar, the rail network and car hire and taxi companies.

 

There were companies who had sold flights who made losses.

 

Easyjet say they will reimburse people under EU legislation. I will not get reimbursed because we could not wait for their alternative flight.

 

Daughter got an extra short cruise with her friend. She won't be travelling P&O again though because she said the food was not as good as RCI - and she thought the view of sea was boring (not sure what colour the sea was on our last cruises!!!)

 

Funny how views differ. Just got back from Ventura today (we picked people up in Gib) and we found the food significantly better than Voyager of the Seas. I think it was the fact they had proper cheese and biscuits that did it for me :)

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tightwad

tightwad

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Now that is a strange one to understand , we have just returned on Saturday from a 14 day med cruise on board Ventura and when we called in at Gibralter we took on board 20+ passengers who were stranded there because of the volcanic ash cloud , we spoke to a couple of these passengers who told us that Easy jet were going to charge them £800 to fly them home but when they contacted P&O at Southampton then they could not have been more helpful .

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BMT

BMT

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Now that is a strange one to understand , we have just returned on Saturday from a 14 day med cruise on board Ventura and when we called in at Gibralter we took on board 20+ passengers who were stranded there because of the volcanic ash cloud , we spoke to a couple of these passengers who told us that Easy jet were going to charge them £800 to fly them home but when they contacted P&O at Southampton then they could not have been more helpful .

 

Did they pay? An agent was certainly advertising cabins on P&O. Have been for weeks - we had considered doing this!! No biggie as far as I can see.

 

When my brother contacted P&O he was told that they "don't do segments"!!!!

 

All very strange isn't it? :D

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Brayman

Brayman

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Did they pay? An agent was certainly advertising cabins on P&O. Have been for weeks - we had considered doing this!! No biggie as far as I can see.

 

When my brother contacted P&O he was told that they "don't do segments"!!!!

 

All very strange isn't it? :D

 

Not really, Your brother probably asked the wrong question!

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BMT

BMT

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Not really, Your brother probably asked the wrong question!

 

Like what part of "Can my elderly mother board in Gibraltar in order to get home because of the problems with the volcano?" couldn't they understand?

 

And to refuse and then go on to say that they don't do segments, when, according to the ad of a Gib TA, they do!!

 

No excuses!! And then..............20? Thomson managed an extra 300 and Celebrity 2,000!! Again, IMHO P&O is a disgrace.

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Jimmys Chippy

Jimmys Chippy

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Like what part of "Can my elderly mother board in Gibraltar in order to get home because of the problems with the volcano?" couldn't they understand? They understood perfectly well, they told you "No".

 

And to refuse and then go on to say that they don't do segments, when, according to the ad of a Gib TA, they do!! It doesn't matter what the Gibraltar TA ad said, the horse's mouth told you "No".

 

No excuses!! And then..............20? Thomson managed an extra 300 and Celebrity 2,000!! Again, IMHO P&O is a disgrace. That's their decision, Thomson may have picked up people who were booked on their land based holidays and felt it was the practical thing to do.

 

Out of curiosity, how many days were you stranded in Spain for?

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LynnKnicker

LynnKnicker

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P&O is a disgrace.

As previous posters have mentioned, celebrity and Thomson have won the PR campaign, being on Sky News etc for "Saving" all these stranded tourists.

However P&O are under no obligation to do anything.

 

What do you mean by the statment P&O are a disgrace??

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HBriss

HBriss

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Out of curiosity, how many days were you stranded in Spain for?

 

Jimmys Chippy. Please click on BMTs profile and read all his threads, he tells people that he over winters in Gib and flies back tomorrow while making out in this thread that he is stuck in Spain with no money and refused a passage on a P&O ship. He sails with RCI and then rubbishes P&O for not picking his family up. It makes interesting reading.

It appears from the threads that there is an obsession with bad mouthing P&O and clearly needs to address this problem somewhere else.

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BMT

BMT

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Jimmys Chippy. Please click on BMTs profile and read all his threads, he tells people that he over winters in Gib and flies back tomorrow while making out in this thread that he is stuck in Spain with no money and refused a passage on a P&O ship. He sails with RCI and then rubbishes P&O for not picking his family up. It makes interesting reading.

It appears from the threads that there is an obsession with bad mouthing P&O and clearly needs to address this problem somewhere else.

 

Uh Oh - here come de P&O Cheerleaders!! Love it!! Love it!! Love it!! Hope you enjoyed reading all about us and flattered you would take the time.

 

Yes, we have overwintered in Spain - and hope to leave on Thursday. No money? Don't think so!! Here, it hasn't been a case of money in the main - except with P&O!!

 

However, my bro was extremely worried about the volcano etc and that we wouldn't get back home on the plane. Mum is in her 90's and we were both concerned, as have to be out of the apartment latest 29th and no-one knew how long this would go on for and she was panicking and nervous. So.... he 'phoned P&O. As I say, he explained the situation. P&O said they don't do segments. He 'phoned again a day later - same explanation, same reply. NO SEGMENTS!!!! P&O Southampton not interested.

 

We had seen an ad in a local free Costa paper for an Agent in Gib (not permitted to name agents on here), advertising three cruises back to UK from Gib and three from Malaga. No segments? Really??? Gib TA sent an e-mail still offering cabin back to Southampton for 300 pounds. Is this a rogue agent or is P&O telling porkie-pies?

 

Now, recently we were actually willing to give up our plane seats having witnessed the awful situation with people stranded here, if we could have continued in our apartment as Mum has decided that as the planes are now flying, a few days are not a worry and a doctor here has promised extra meds if it were a long wait. However, we have discovered that our insurance finishes on the 29th, so we can't!! There are STILL people here trying to get on planes. A lot of people here have helped out. And you are sitting there justifying P&O? YOU should be ashamed and complaining to P&O that they didn't make an effort!!

 

P&O - possibly 20 paying passengers - elderly and with families? Or could just afford the 300 pounds? And yes, they should be ashamed as they are specifically aiming the operation at making money out of BRITS and claim to be British in their operation etc. Thomson managed an extra 300 on ONE ship. And Celebrity really came up trumps! 2,000!!!

 

Anyway, this is my opinion and my personal circumstances have no bearing on the matter that.............P&O made NO effort to help out!!

 

Sorry cheerleaders!!

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