Azura world Cruise cancelled

[cymru1]

We have also lost our planned cruise on the Azura. We are trying to find an equivalent sector with either P&O or Cunard but find that a "second best option" is going to be much more expensive and will be for a shorter duration. :mad:

[davaller]

We are from Australia and had booked the Dubai to Fremantle sector as we live in Perth hope off the ship catch the train and home as well we had booked extra time in Dubai to kill two birds with one stone and are realy dissapointed that this has been scraped

But more unhappy that P&O AUST were not informed about this and they are the agents for p&o UK Hope they are as quick with the deposit refund as the announcement of the cancelation so we can find another cruise and it will not be with P&O

 

David and Maureen

[NSWP]

Why would P&O cancel the Azura WC, is it because of lack of bookings ? Current Arcadia WC is sold out in all categories. We are on board for 49 days, Sydney - Southampton, P&O site shows 'Sold out.' Also confirmed by my Cruise Agent, when I enquired about cabin changes, I got what I paid for.. obstructed view.

[NSWP]

We are from Australia and had booked the Dubai to Fremantle sector as we live in Perth hope off the ship catch the train and home as well we had booked extra time in Dubai to kill two birds with one stone and are realy dissapointed that this has been scraped

But more unhappy that P&O AUST were not informed about this and they are the agents for p&o UK Hope they are as quick with the deposit refund as the announcement of the cancelation so we can find another cruise and it will not be with P&O

 

David and Maureen

Hope you get your flights refunded, we lost $4000 when Costa Atlantica Cruise was cancelled due to ship rescheduling from New England to the Med, that was 2 years ago. Costa would not pay up for lost flights, nor would Travel Insurance.

 

PS AND it took almost 3 months for Costa to send our cruise fare refund. Pathetic. Hope you get yours back quick!

[kevinyork]

Why would P&O cancel the Azura WC, is it because of lack of bookings ? Current Arcadia WC is sold out in all categories. We are on board for 49 days, Sydney - Southampton, P&O site shows 'Sold out.' Also confirmed by my Cruise Agent, when I enquired about cabin changes, I got what I paid for.. obstructed view.

 

Its just a hunch but I reckon it could be because world cruisers tend to be a traditional bunch and Azura is the least traditional of the ships operating a world cruise. Its also a bigger ship and perhaps given a choice more traditional cruisers prefer a smaller ship.

[karmachameleon]

Thanks to these postings, I found that our cruise from Hong Kong to Cape Town was cancelled. Called P&O this morning who confirmed but referred me to our travel agent for further discussion.

We have been offered £100 OBC for next cruise but although we booked the original cruise in July to obtain the Earlybird discount - this wont be given on any other cruise.

The Aurora trip Hong Kong to Mumbai is already full - and the 18 day Hong Kong to Dubai is the same price as our original 22 day cruise which also had a 2 night hotel stay in Hong Kong and Cape Town.

Needless to say -we shall be asking for a full refund!

Marks to P&O for customer service - a big Zero!!

[bazzaw]

Its just a hunch but I reckon it could be because world cruisers tend to be a traditional bunch and Azura is the least traditional of the ships operating a world cruise. Its also a bigger ship and perhaps given a choice more traditional cruisers prefer a smaller ship.

 

I have not heard a single experienced "World cruiser" say - either here or elsewhere - that Azura is/was a good choice for World cruising. The general consensus I have read is that she is not suitable for a number of reasons.

 

Barry

[daiB]

After a great deal of thought, I feel that this was a good decision on the part of P&O. The quicker they cancelled the better the chance they have of resolving the problem they have.

 

However that does not help those who have booked for the WC. It also shows you need to have your insurance in place when you book. Especially if you have made other bookings in connection with the cruise, flights, hotels or add on days at the start or end of your cruise.

 

It also means that in early 2013 there will be a number of Caribbean cruises on offer.

 

You could of course go out with the ship in January and have a couple of months of sunshine. I wonder if you would get a deal?:confused::D

 

 

 

:)Happy Cruising:)

 

 

 

:cool:

 

Dai

[LibraLass41]

£100 obc on a FUTURE cruise, thus insuring another booking with them is a disgusting insult for a cancelled cruise of that length....a cash refund of at least £250 pp would be more acceptable, minimum, after all it looks as if it will now be difficult to find something else which will be suitable, and also the prices may of increased.:mad:

[Norfolk Brit]

It also shows you need to have your insurance in place when you book. Especially if you have made other bookings in connection with the cruise, flights, hotels or add on days at the start or end of your cruise.

Dai

 

Under these circumstances, many UK insurers will not cover for consequential loss. Possibility of cover if one has taken out 'independent traveller' cover, but that would depend on the policy wording.

 

Mary

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

£100 obc on a FUTURE cruise, thus insuring another booking with them is a disgusting insult for a cancelled cruise of that length....a cash refund of at least £250 pp would be more acceptable, minimum, after all it looks as if it will now be difficult to find something else which will be suitable, and also the prices may of increased.:mad:

 

Careful Libralass, you are knocking P&O, you could be described as 'a troll' lol x ;)

[NSWP]

Careful Libralass, you are knocking P&O, you could be described as 'a troll' lol x ;)

Oh dear. Up Wolves !

 

Princessthebest, you reckon P&O Arcadia will be better than all the Princess ships I have been on, which is half the fleet?

Alas no complimentary dhobi, but booze is cheaper, as are the 'suggested tips' of around £3 per day, better than $11.50.

[padiho]

I agree it's a troll. Never posts except to knock P&O. It's the same company - CARNIVAL.

 

They have probably made a very good business decision. Aurora and Oriana still have cabins available on their world cruises, so how would they fill Azura.

 

I have also had my sector on Azura cancelled. We were due to join Azura to Sydney and then swap to Arcadia for the return. After the cancellations we considered the Aurora. We booked the 2013 cruise on Azura on the opening sale day and received a good deal. Aurora has availability but for a like for like cabin P&O wanted an extra £4000!!! Having been a loyal P&O cruiser for many years and a gold member I was stunned that we were only offered £100 OBC as compensation. As a result we have also cancelled the Arcadia and wont be travelling P&O again

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

I have also had my sector on Azura cancelled. We were due to join Azura to Sydney and then swap to Arcadia for the return. After the cancellations we considered the Aurora. We booked the 2013 cruise on Azura on the opening sale day and received a good deal. Aurora has availability but for a like for like cabin P&O wanted an extra £4000!!! Having been a loyal P&O cruiser for many years and a gold member I was stunned that we were only offered £100 OBC as compensation. As a result we have also cancelled the Arcadia and wont be travelling P&O again

 

There is a very interesting thread on the P&O forum (an open request to P&O) where people are asking the company to do the right thing and give reasonable compensation. Well worth a read.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

Oh dear. Up Wolves !

 

Princessthebest, you reckon P&O Arcadia will be better than all the Princess ships I have been on, which is half the fleet?

Alas no complimentary dhobi, but booze is cheaper, as are the 'suggested tips' of around £3 per day, better than $11.50.

 

Nothing is better than Princess! lol:D

 

Seriously though, we enjoyed Arcadia, the food was fine and the waiters excellent. I always make a point of chatting and having a laugh with these guys, they do a hard job. We had a balcony cabin on the stern which was great as we could see both sides of the Suez canal while relaxing and having a drink. The entertainment was good and so was the Rising Sun pub. We found that the clientele were very different on the World cruise and we met some very interesting people and made some good friends. The downside was as you say, no free laundry, no free bar and no free internet. You will have a great time, enjoy it........unless it get's cancelled in the meantime!;)

 

Up the Wolves!:)

[delondin]

P&O are not in tune with what passengers want. Go onto their website and count how many cruises are sold out, then go to Princess.com and count how many they have sold out. I have never known Princess cancel a cruise, but P&O are doing it more and more. This is demoralising their customer base and they are haemorrhaging them to other companies.

 

Princess cancelled two cruises we had booked so it does happen.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

Princess cancelled two cruises we had booked so it does happen.

 

Sorry to hear this. When and what ships and what were the reasons given. Also was any compensation offered?

[NSWP]

Nothing is better than Princess! lol:D

 

Seriously though, we enjoyed Arcadia, the food was fine and the waiters excellent. I always make a point of chatting and having a laugh with these guys, they do a hard job. We had a balcony cabin on the stern which was great as we could see both sides of the Suez canal while relaxing and having a drink. The entertainment was good and so was the Rising Sun pub. We found that the clientele were very different on the World cruise and we met some very interesting people and made some good friends. The downside was as you say, no free laundry, no free bar and no free internet. You will have a great time, enjoy it........unless it get's cancelled in the meantime!;)

 

Up the Wolves!:)

Thanks for that, sounds good. Although I will miss the Princess Elite Laundry !

[NSWP]

Under these circumstances, many UK insurers will not cover for consequential loss. Possibility of cover if one has taken out 'independent traveller' cover, but that would depend on the policy wording.

 

Mary

In Australia many travel insurance policies will not consider claims due to 'ship rescheduling.' Whilst the cruise company pays the cruise refund they will not pay out monies on airfares, hotels etc. and as I have said nor will the travel insurance.

 

Trust me, I was a victim. As I posted on No.29 of this thread.

[geecee1]

It's almost like P&O have no real clue at management level on the market and what target passengers want!

 

Sounds like its time for Ms Marlow to step aside and let someone else take the helm and direction of the company..

 

 

 

 

More common sense from you, Craig.

The demise of the highly popular OV ships confirms this.

I have said on more than one occasion that I would pay a premium to holiday on an OV-style vessel.

The demand is there but P&O's management can't or wont react to it.

What is most galling is that another part of the same group is building ships to cater for this market in Europe.

[Denarius]

More common sense from you, Craig.

The demise of the highly popular OV ships confirms this.

I have said on more than one occasion that I would pay a premium to holiday on an OV-style vessel.

The demand is there but P&O's management can't or wont react to it.

What is most galling is that another part of the same group is building ships to cater for this market in Europe.

I agree entirely. P&O management appears to live in fear of upsetting a very vocal group of traditional customers and in consequence always does too little too late to capitalise on the increased popularity of cruising amongst those who would not have considered a cruise in past times. New cruisers are thus more likely to sail with Royal Caribbean, Princess etc than with P&O, who they believe to be "too stuffy", and some P&O regulars are also defecting now that ex Southampton cruises are no longer a P&O monopoly and there is now a viable alternative.

[David&Heather]

I agree entirely. P&O management appears to live in fear of upsetting a very vocal group of traditional customers and in consequence always does too little too late to capitalise on the increased popularity of cruising amongst those who would not have considered a cruise in past times. New cruisers are thus more likely to sail with Royal Caribbean, Princess etc than with P&O, who they believe to be "too stuffy", and some P&O regulars are also defecting now that ex Southampton cruises are no longer a P&O monopoly and there is now a viable alternative.

 

The Carnival group have got this very wrong, a total of 3 ships offering Carribbean fly cruises ex UK have now been lost to P&O Australia (Ocean village 1, Ocean Village 2 and Sea Princess).

Carribbean cruises ex UK are a joke - too many sea days in cold climate and unless you are retired it's not easy to take off 16 or 17 consecutive days off work.

Just hope Marlow & co have finally got the message that plenty of people want to do fly cruises to the Carribbean, with Carribbean (not us) based ships with direct flights to / from their cruises.

[Brayman]

The Carnival group have got this very wrong, a total of 3 ships offering Carribbean fly cruises ex UK have now been lost to P&O Australia (Ocean village 1, Ocean Village 2 and Sea Princess).

Carribbean cruises ex UK are a joke - too many sea days in cold climate and unless you are retired it's not easy to take off 16 or 17 consecutive days off work.

Just hope Marlow & co have finally got the message that plenty of people want to do fly cruises to the Carribbean, with Carribbean (not us) based ships with direct flights to / from their cruises.

 

That may be so, but there are still an awful lot of people who really do not want to do that. Strange that we're not all the same isn't it?

[geecee1]

That may be so, but there are still an awful lot of people who really do not want to do that. Strange that we're not all the same isn't it?

 

 

 

 

 

I give thanks for that.

I would not cruise from Southampton if it was free!!!!!

But in a very competitive holiday market and with incomes of most of us decreasing in value(I am a pensioner), I am very careful where I allocate my holiday funds.

At the moment the best winter value seems to be in the Egypt,where we are heading this time rather than our Caribbean fly cruise. 5* Hotel, 5* Food and Service and not a penguin suit to be seen.

We may look at Ventura again next year, but, fine vessel as she is, she lacked the party atmosphere most beloved of we ex-OVers.

[David&Heather]

That may be so, but there are still an awful lot of people who really do not want to do that. Strange that we're not all the same isn't it?

 

Not all of us want to sail ex Southampton but our options have become limited due to the Carnival Corporation's transfer of ships to the Australian market.

Currently receiving 4 to 5 mailings and numerous e-mails every week offering deeply discounted cruises departing from UK ports which we are not interested in, we have no cruises booked for 2012 and beyond not because we are not interested but because the cruise lines no longer offer what we want!