Oriana Grand 175 event 3/07/2012

[gills hols]

Hi All,

We have just booked on this cruise for 2012, has anyone got any tips for Oriana, We have sailed with P&O before on Ventura and Aurora and are very excited about this special cruise, but as its only for 4 nights, we would appreciate any tips.

Thank You

:)

[grisham1]

Surprised you have already booked for one of these 175th anniversary cruises. Our TA and the P & O website say booking not available until next month.

[BrianI]

I presume you mean you have pre-registered as bookings do not open until 2nd April for Gold Portunus members and from 6th April for others. I suspect this one will be fully sold out to Gold members.

Brian

[gills hols]

Hi,

You are both right. We pre-registered with P&O at the beginning of the week, then on 25/03/2011 a p&o customer services rang us back, we paid 10%deposit on the grade of cabin we wanted, this secures the booking, but not a specific cabin. Then on 6th of April 2011 when the bookings go live, we will get an email with our cabin number, if we want we can then ring up and change the allocated cabin if its not what we like.

But we do have a secure booking.

hope this helps.:)

[grisham1]

Thanks gills hols for information - we have today phoned P & O and paid a deposit with the same outcome for the Arcadia cruise to Iceland. Thanks again.

[gills hols]

Your welcome , might see you in the very loooooooog queue on the day LOL:D

[grisham1]

Yes, I can see it being a queueing day - luckily we have the advantage of living in the area! I think Arcadia's passengers will be processed away from the port and coached to the ship - fingers crossed our drop off spot will be our side of the town!

To return to your original query about the Oriana, we spent 7 weeks on board at the end of last year on her return leg of world cruise from Auckland so can thoroughly recommend her. Also she is due for a re-fit this autumn so should be even better! If you have any specific queries then please ask.

[gills hols]

lucky you living so close, we are traveling down from near Birmingham and hope to book an Eavesway coach transfer. If they are booked up and we have to drive are there any hotels near to port that you could recommend please, it would have to one that does the free car parking and then transfers to port, I think I will have to book ASAP !!! or it could be a tent LOL

[feebee_71]

lucky you living so close, we are traveling down from near Birmingham and hope to book an Eavesway coach transfer. If they are booked up and we have to drive are there any hotels near to port that you could recommend please, it would have to one that does the free car parking and then transfers to port, I think I will have to book ASAP !!! or it could be a tent LOL

 

I hope you get to book Eavesway if that is what you want but do remember that, unless you are on the Oriana 4 night cruise, there will be free parking included with all the other cruises on July 3rd 2012. With this in mind you won't necessarily need a hotel with parking.

 

Feebee_71

[gills hols]

I hope you get to book Eavesway if that is what you want but do remember that, unless you are on the Oriana 4 night cruise, there will be free parking included with all the other cruises on July 3rd 2012. With this in mind you won't necessarily need a hotel with parking.

 

Feebee_71

 

thanks feebee71, but we are on the 4 nighter, :rolleyes:

[Host Sharon]

I wonder what will happen if the cruise sells out to Gold Portunus members on the 2nd April ?

[gills hols]

I wonder what will happen if the cruise sells out to Gold Portunus members on the 2nd April ?

 

Well they have taken my money, as confirmation of a booking of a grade of cabin, so I for one will not be a happy bunny, :mad: so I hope not,

do you have any more information that may be of a help please should this happen.

[MickD]

After reading several posts on this matter i also phoned P&O to ask if i could book, and was told that i had a guarantee of a cabin grade so paid a deposit.

I then phoned my ta who i had pre registered with to cancel it and explained why.

They told me that P&O cant be doing this before April 6th, because if the goldies fill the cruise on the 2nd no cabins will be available.

Methinks someone has got it wrong, and its probaly P&O !!!

So looks like a waiting game and wont be surprised to get a call to say no room at the inn !!!!!

[gills hols]

letter from P&O regarding bookings for 2012 quote

 

"By confirming your registration with us, you can be sure that your booking will be secure for the cabin grade you select (or higher for the same fare)

and that the price quoted is the price you will pay-there will be no price increase even if there is a strong demand for your chosen sailing at the time the programme officially goes on sail.if you've set your sights on a particular cruise, its a great way to secure your perfect holiday and beat the rush."

[Host Sharon]

Well they have taken my money, as confirmation of a booking of a grade of cabin, so I for one will not be a happy bunny, :mad: so I hope not,

do you have any more information that may be of a help please should this happen.

 

 

No sorry - it was a genuine question.

[gills hols]

No sorry - it was a genuine question.

 

Hi Sharon,

well it appears it is a valid question, because i have just phoned P&O and even though they have taken peoples money (including mine) as deposit to "secure"and "guarantee" the grade of cabin, if on the 2ND of April when the gold members can book, they will over ride our bookings !!!!!! and give us a refund.

I asked if they fully booked gold members in my grade of cabin would i be offered an upgrade at no extra cost, and he said yes they would TRY to get us on the cruise of our choose.

All this was not said to me when they took my deposit.

All in all not a very clever way of doing things,:eek: but a definite way of upsetting a lot of people should this happen.

[Host Sharon]

Hi Sharon,

well it appears it is a valid question, because i have just phoned P&O and even though they have taken peoples money (including mine) as deposit to "secure"and "guarantee" the grade of cabin, if on the 2ND of April when the gold members can book, they will over ride our bookings !!!!!! and give us a refund.

I asked if they fully booked gold members in my grade of cabin would i be offered an upgrade at no extra cost, and he said yes they would TRY to get us on the cruise of our choose.

All this was not said to me when they took my deposit.

All in all not a very clever way of doing things,:eek: but a definite way of upsetting a lot of people should this happen.

 

 

Hmmm - I did wonder. Thanks for clarifying it for everyone. Hope you get lucky.

[grisham1]

It looks as though we shall all have to keep our fingers crossed - but at least we have been pre-warned so thank you gills hols. Seems P & O are taking a lot for granted - a check on the online cruise personaliser shows our booking and dinner requests, etc. already set up under our reference.

[gills hols]

It looks as though we shall all have to keep our fingers crossed - but at least we have been pre-warned so thank you gills hols. Seems P & O are taking a lot for granted - a check on the online cruise personaliser shows our booking and dinner requests, etc. already set up under our reference.

 

They also said that they could not pre-book more than 50% of any grade of cabin, and there are 59 cabins in our grade and so far they have booked 5 (inc us) , also gold members make up 5% of all club members, so the odds don't look too bad.

I will let you know how it pans out on the 6TH.

keep in touch :rolleyes:

[01733]

Well I am quite worried now as when we preregistered we were told we were on the cruise and just had to wait for our cabin number etc.. We also have gone for the Iceland and Fjords cruise on Arcadia. Fingers crossed as we have to wait until 6th April. :confused:

[MickD]

If you look in the P&O Brochure clause 4 it states that once a deposit has been taken and money accepted you have a contract with them

What they should have done is to take your credit card details and not take the money until they were sure of availability.

[gills hols]

If you look in the P&O Brochure clause 4 it states that once a deposit has been taken and money accepted you have a contract with them

What they should have done is to take your credit card details and not take the money until they were sure of availability.

 

Totally agree,

I have also seen that clause and that is what I said to them,

I am now waiting for the 6TH and should they say that I no longer have a booking because of them selling to gold members, then I am totally prepared to take it further and I don't think that I will be the only one !!

[Host Sharon]

I would guess the only risky cruise for selling out on the 2nd is the 4 nighter on Oriana.

 

Have P&O actually taken your money, or do they just have your credit card details to bill on the 6th? If the latter then you might not have a case. If they have taken the money already, then I would think you do.

[bee-ess]

I have pre-reserved/booked the 4 nighter on Oriana with P&O and have been told that I will be emailled with my cabin number on 6th April.

 

My details are showing on cruise personaliser/travel document using the 6 char reference number given to me when I booked inc. my dining request with the word GUARANTEED in the cabin number field. They have taken my money - it is showing on my credit card account.

 

Taking all this into account I consider that I have a guaranteed booking. Even more so having read the 'clause 4' comments above.

 

I don't think that P&O have handled this very well and will have caused themselves a lot of grief if they phone customers on 6th to tell them that there are no cabins available. I think then they may have an obligation to upgrade people to cabins that are available.

 

I would also not be happy if I was a Gold member and could not get a cabin because P&O have ring-fenced them for these pre-reserves.

 

Hasn't been well thought out by P&O - are they just trying to stop people pre-registering with TA's ?

[Hal 500]

I think that sums up my position exactly, I also supposedly have a confirmed reservation and they have taken the 10% deposit. All the details are on the personalizer. I wonder about those who have pre-registered with travel agents and are expecting bookings to be made for them on the due dates. When I phoned yesterday I was told that there was availability in my preferred cabin grade so I hope I am not going to be disappointed.