P&O - Customer Services

[davecttr]

And where in all this are they finding time for what heard was to be a refit of Azura in the Spring? Or is that behind the rescheduling?

 

 

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according tp P&O the refit is due march 2015 but she does not get back from the Caribbean until april so probably the refit will be then.

[tom_uk]

I just checked the P&O site. A506A transatlantic arriving in southampton on the 3 April is available. A 507 is missing, A 508 on the 19 april is not available etc etc.

 

Was there originally a A507? If so it looks as if that is the one where the missing day will be recovered. This is going to cost P&O a lot with passengers on 5 cruises potentially upset at the change of sailing date.

 

I've just had a look at my brochure, and there isn't an A507 cruise listed. so that one was taken out of the schedule already. A506N/A is due to finish at Southampton on 3 April, and the next scheduled departure is 19 April, si that must be when whatever refit Azura is due to have will happen.

 

Now what about the later cruises. I think we know that A510 & A511 have all been pulled earlier by a day, and A512 has been turned into a 3-night cruise. I'm not sure if we know anything about A509, which is a pity. It's listed (in the brochure and on the website) as due to start on 2 May. Now, there's nothing happening on 2 May in Southampton that I'm aware of, but there is a big event on 3 May - the Cunard 175 celebration. They're having another '3 Queens' day on the 3rd, and given that this is a real celebration, I wonder if they're going to use 2nd May to prepare? It's possible that there may be a Royal involved, in which case they may have security concerns. I have no firm information about this, and I don't even know if A509 is also disrupted, but that's my best guess at the moment.

 

Anyone here booked on A509? - 7 nights to the fjords?

 

Alternatively - Britannia (B506) and Ventura (N511) are scheduled to start cruises from Southampton on 2 May. With Azura as well, that would be a full port on 2 May.

[Tom Baker]

Three little words will have them squirming "Small Claims Court", They'll not show to defend themselves, they will have to pay you your costs, plus their own costs, refund your money and pay you compensation.

 

Formal recorded delivery letter, give them 14 days to "positively" respond or you'll "start proceedings without further notice and you will NOT settle out of court at a later date"

 

It won't be worth their trouble and will just want to get rid of you. If you take it to small claims court everything is done in writing, the point you need to make is that "you will be breaking the law" if you take your child out of school, and you did "everything in your power" to avoid this and P&O were "obstructive"

 

No contest.

[MattyBarlow]

This all starts with cruise A508. We recieved a letter last week stating that due to port congestion in Southampton on the 02/05 (only 3 ships), our 13 night cruise was being reduced to 12 nights and we would arrive back on the 01/05. I find the port congestion excuse a little thin as the other ships in are Ventura and Britannia.

We are now booked on A508N, have recieved a nights money off our total and we will recieve £50 OBC per person booked. We were also given the opporutnity to cancel and recieve our deposit back. This consequently pulls the following 3/4 cruises forward by a day until the the 2 night to Guernsey which now becomes a 3 night. This then puts Azura back on her original cruise.

[davecttr]

This all starts with cruise A508. We recieved a letter last week stating that due to port congestion in Southampton on the 02/05 (only 3 ships), our 13 night cruise was being reduced to 12 nights and we would arrive back on the 01/05. I find the port congestion excuse a little thin as the other ships in are Ventura and Britannia.

We are now booked on A508N, have recieved a nights money off our total and we will recieve £50 OBC per person booked. We were also given the opporutnity to cancel and recieve our deposit back. This consequently pulls the following 3/4 cruises forward by a day until the the 2 night to Guernsey which now becomes a 3 night. This then puts Azura back on her original cruise.

 

Hard luck on your cruise being curtailed but at least you have been offered compensation and the opportunity to cancel unlike the original poster.

 

Which port of call has been dropped? according to P&O the cruise is still calling at 7 ports

[tom_uk]

This all starts with cruise A508. We recieved a letter last week stating that due to port congestion in Southampton on the 02/05 (only 3 ships), our 13 night cruise was being reduced to 12 nights and we would arrive back on the 01/05. I find the port congestion excuse a little thin as the other ships in are Ventura and Britannia.

We are now booked on A508N, have recieved a nights money off our total and we will recieve £50 OBC per person booked. We were also given the opporutnity to cancel and recieve our deposit back. This consequently pulls the following 3/4 cruises forward by a day until the the 2 night to Guernsey which now becomes a 3 night. This then puts Azura back on her original cruise.

 

Matty, I'm sorry to hear that your cruise has been altered. But thanks for the info about the actual date. I'm more and more convinced that it's connected to the events on 3 May involving Cunard. I could speculate that if it was planned that Her Majesty was going to be present on 3 May then the security services would want the port to themselves on 2 May. And if HM's presence hasn't been announced yet, then 'Port Congestion' would be a handy excuse for now.

[MattyBarlow]

Hard luck on your cruise being curtailed but at least you have been offered compensation and the opportunity to cancel unlike the original poster.

 

Which port of call has been dropped? according to P&O the cruise is still calling at 7 ports

 

 

Lanzarote has been dropped. This now sets up a day in Lisbon with Ventura and Adonia so should be a good sail away.

 

 

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[MattyBarlow]

Matty, I'm sorry to hear that your cruise has been altered. But thanks for the info about the actual date. I'm more and more convinced that it's connected to the events on 3 May involving Cunard. I could speculate that if it was planned that Her Majesty was going to be present on 3 May then the security services would want the port to themselves on 2 May. And if HM's presence hasn't been announced yet, then 'Port Congestion' would be a handy excuse for now.

 

Yes the congestion excuse is rubbish. Southampton can handle 3 large ships easily.

 

 

 

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[tom_uk]

Yes the congestion excuse is rubbish. Southampton can handle 3 large ships easily.

 

It's very odd, however. I said earlier:

 

I'm more and more convinced that it's connected to the events on 3 May involving Cunard. I could speculate that if it was planned that Her Majesty was going to be present on 3 May then the security services would want the port to themselves on 2 May.

 

but that has to be wrong - there's no suggestion that the Britannia or Ventura cruises due to start on 2 May have been changed, just the Azura ones. It's a puzzle....

 

Also Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas, which will be their newest ship next year, is scheduled to be in Southampton on the 3rd, at the same time as the Cunard celebrations. If there was some sensitivity around security for the Cunard bash, then I would have thought that calls by other ships on that day would be the first to be moved. But the RC site is still advertising that cruise.

Edited June 3, 2014 by tom_uk

[jeanlyon]

Why would Azura be having a refit already? She's only 3 years old!

 

I also cannot understand that bit about port congestion. Doesn't sound right at all.

Edited June 3, 2014 by jeanlyon

[Presto2]

It sounds a very poor situation and is not good for P and O at all. I wish you well with this and there seems to be good advice here.

 

 

Perhaps threatening them with Mr Gove would help ;)

 

Threatening them with a complete and utter idiot isn't going to help now is it?:rolleyes:

[majortom10]

Why would Azura be having a refit already? She's only 3 years old!

 

I also cannot understand that bit about port congestion. Doesn't sound right at all.

 

She is over 4 years old.

Edited June 3, 2014 by majortom10

[MattyBarlow]

Why would Azura be having a refit already? She's only 3 years old!

 

 

She will be 5 years old in April 2015. If anything she will be overdue a service by then.

[Clodia]

Don't worry about the school. Just get a friend or relative to ring on the Friday morning and say your daughter isn't well. Then send a note when she returns after half term to say she had a stomach bug or similar.

They cannot prove otherwise. I used to work in education so I know.

[Mysticalmother]

Don't worry about the school. Just get a friend or relative to ring on the Friday morning and say your daughter isn't well. Then send a note when she returns after half term to say she had a stomach bug or similar.

They cannot prove otherwise. I used to work in education so I know.

 

That is downright dishonest. Why not explain the circumstances honestly - which are exceptional - and I am sure that the head would then grant permission for the absence - and you can prove it is the truth. It is not actually against the law to take your child out of school although you can be fined for doing so.

[Tom Baker]

That is downright dishonest. Why not explain the circumstances honestly - which are exceptional - and I am sure that the head would then grant permission for the absence - and you can prove it is the truth. It is not actually against the law to take your child out of school although you can be fined for doing so.

 

Parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their children attend school (other than home schooling). Failure to do so is an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1996. Parents have no legal right to take their children out of school during term time for holidays.

 

Since September 2013, headteachers in England have no longer had the discretion to approve absences of up to 10 days a year for family holidays in "special circumstances". The new rules introduced tougher criteria of "exceptional circumstances", restricting it to absences for events such as funerals of family members.

 

In short; Tell a lie or get fined £60 per child, per parent.

£240 for a family with 2 kids who miss a days school,

 

errmmm let me think, cough, cough :rolleyes:

 

AND just to add, if your child is physically sick or has the runs on a school morning 95% of schools WON'T let your child attend the following day even if they are fit to return to school. Disgraceful .... remember kids EVERY day counts!!!

[MattyBarlow]

Parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their children attend school (other than home schooling). Failure to do so is an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1996. Parents have no legal right to take their children out of school during term time for holidays.

 

Since September 2013, headteachers in England have no longer had the discretion to approve absences of up to 10 days a year for family holidays in "special circumstances". The new rules introduced tougher criteria of "exceptional circumstances", restricting it to absences for events such as funerals of family members.

 

In short; Tell a lie or get fined £60 per child, per parent.

£240 for a family with 2 kids who miss a days school,

 

errmmm let me think, cough, cough :rolleyes:

 

AND just to add, if your child is physically sick or has the runs on a school morning 95% of schools WON'T let your child attend the following day even if they are fit to return to school. Disgraceful .... remember kids EVERY day counts!!!

 

 

I'd lie and when the teachers go on strike, send them a bill for your time off work or childcare!!

[Somerset Cruiser]

Parents and carers are legally responsible for ensuring their children attend school (other than home schooling). Failure to do so is an offence under section 444 of the Education Act 1996. Parents have no legal right to take their children out of school during term time for holidays.

 

Since September 2013, headteachers in England have no longer had the discretion to approve absences of up to 10 days a year for family holidays in "special circumstances". The new rules introduced tougher criteria of "exceptional circumstances", restricting it to absences for events such as funerals of family members.

 

In short; Tell a lie or get fined £60 per child, per parent.

£240 for a family with 2 kids who miss a days school,

 

errmmm let me think, cough, cough :rolleyes:

 

AND just to add, if your child is physically sick or has the runs on a school morning 95% of schools WON'T let your child attend the following day even if they are fit to return to school. Disgraceful .... remember kids EVERY day counts!!!

 

I agree with Mysticalmother. Teach I child that lying is a bad thing, unless there is financial gain? On top of that the original suggestion came from someone who has worked in the education system. Is there is any wonder this country has problems.

[rubydoobydoo]

Come on .. Can you all honestly say that you have never ever thrown a sickie or told a white lie

 

You can't be that perfect :p

Edited June 5, 2014 by rubydoobydoo

[Presto2]

I'd lie and when the teachers go on strike, send them a bill for your time off work or childcare!!

 

Please don't turn this site in to one where it is ok to make snide remarks about others and their profession. Remember that some of us could be hurt and offended by the comments you make.

 

At the end of the day it is P&O that has caused this problem not the school or the teachers. That is what this thread is about.

 

:(

[MattyBarlow]

Please don't turn this site in to one where it is ok to make snide remarks about others and their profession. Remember that some of us could be hurt and offended by the comments you make.

 

At the end of the day it is P&O that has caused this problem not the school or the teachers. That is what this thread is about.

 

:(

 

Purely my opinion

[Somerset Cruiser]

Come on .. Can you all honestly say that you have never ever thrown a sickie or told a white lie

 

You can't be that perfect :p

 

Never thrown a sickie in 44 years working. Told a white lie or 2 but teaching children that lying is OK is another matter altogether.

[rubydoobydoo]

Never thrown a sickie in 44 years working. Told a white lie or 2 but teaching children that lying is OK is another matter altogether.

 

Well done to you :)

 

I don't suppose you would tell them there was a Father Christmas or a Tooth Fairy then :D

[Presto2]

Purely my opinion

 

Well I hope it is a very well informed one.

 

I still think that this thread is about P&O and moving dates - not schools, teachers and strike action unless I've missed something. I would love to join a debate about this issue, but do not feel Cruise Critic to be the place to do so - hence the name of the site. I come on here to think about cruises -

 

I will shut up now and offer some advice about the problem the OP faces.

[Presto2]

Have been thinking about the OP's problem and missing a school day.

HTs are allowed to agree Leave of Absence in school time for exceptional circumstances.

 

If you can show evidence that when you booked your holiday your daughter wouldn't have missed a day, but due to the cruise change she has to, they may be able to class this as an exceptional circumstance.

 

No need to lie - just see what they say.