An Unexpected Bonus

[jh1809]

I received a reminder from P&O today that the balance on my next cruise needed to be paid within the next 14 days. So I clicked on the link to P&O's website that was included in the email, so as to pay the balance. I entered my details, and then it informed me that I couldn't pay my balance online because I had booked through a travel agent. That was odd, because I had booked when actually on a P&O cruise. I then dug out my original booking confirmation email from back in September 2017 to check what the phone number would be if I paid that way. Only then did I realise that the balance that P&O were asking for was £590 less than that shown on the booking confirmation.

 

By this point I thought that P&O must somehow have attached my booking reference to someone else's booking. So I rang them up. I was told that booking on board is the same as booking through a travel agent when it comes to paying your balance online - presumably because you hadn't made the original booking yourself through their website or by phone. It would help if they told you that in their booking confirmation! The woman I spoke to also insisted that I had already paid £590, and I wasn't going to argue. So I paid a balance that was not much more than 50% of what I had expected to have to pay, and am a very happy bunny! :) 

[jeanlyon]

I can only think that when you booked on board, they put the booking through to your previous agent.  That's what they did for us.  I ended up with extra discount from the agent.

[Host Sharon]

When I book on board I always transfer the booking to my TA to take advantage of further discounts. Sounds like that is what has happened.

[jh1809]

18 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I can only think that when you booked on board, they put the booking through to your previous agent.  That's what they did for us.  I ended up with extra discount from the agent.

I've always booked direct, so didn't have a previous agent.

[jeanlyon]

I have no idea then.