Rip off Britain: Cruising focus today

[kruzseeka]

Some interesting items on ships not going to advertised ports - not weather related etc, but itinerary changes after first advertised (and passengers not informed until after full payment taken) plus the impact of large scale noisy, distruptive maintenance carried out during a cruise. I thought both these had very legitimate cause for complaint.  The Norovirus incident was unfortunate but the issue was, I think, just one of those things -  one of the risks most seasoned cruisers are aware of and not within the control of the cruise company unlike other examples.   Simon Calder was explaining some of the legal rights/contract/insurance issues and interestingly a spokesperson from Cruise Critic was interviewed and said that they publish details of planned refurbishments.  I'm not sure whether that includes large scale maintenance during a cruise (the problem cited) or just when ships are going out of service though.  I haven't found the route to the info yet but did find the relevant information on this site through a Google Search.  NCL didn't come out well - or Marella in terms of how they handled the issue but P&O didn't figure!  However, thought perhaps it may be of interest to some to either see the programme or be aware of the info on here re refurbs (I know they announce these things but unless I'm booked or planning to book a particular ship, I will often forget.)

 

[Les_ldh]

I’ve just watched the programme (which is available on iPlayer). It was interesting but I can’t say that I learned anything new, except that I didn’t know that a list of planned ship maintenance is available on this site. Now I’ve looked and done a search, but I can’t find it. Can anybody who knows please post a link to where I can find this information on Cruise Critic.

 

Les.

[Spike11]

2 hours ago, Les_ldh said:

I’ve just watched the programme (which is available on iPlayer). It was interesting but I can’t say that I learned anything new, except that I didn’t know that a list of planned ship maintenance is available on this site. Now I’ve looked and done a search, but I can’t find it. Can anybody who knows please post a link to where I can find this information on Cruise Critic.

 

Les.

I think the relevant link is this:

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=521#p&ocruises

( not sure why the link has p and o cruises at the end, but it does work).

However the list doesn’t look that comprehensive and doesn’t include anything about P &O refurbishments! It seems to reply on cruise critic users providing information.

Edited January 21, 2019 by Spike11

[Les_ldh]

23 minutes ago, Spike11 said:

I think the relevant link is this:

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=521#p&ocruises

( not sure why the link has p and o cruises at the end, but it does work).

However the list doesn’t look that comprehensive and doesn’t include anything about P &O refurbishments! It seems to reply on cruise critic users providing information.

 

Thanks Spike11 that’s exactly what I was looking for.

 

Les.

[Eglesbrech]

As regular cruisers we have experience all of the issues highlighted in the programme at least once.

 

An itinerary change of the odd port for bad weather for example is bad luck and annoying but part of cruising.

 

What I did find interesting was the TUI case highlighted about ports missed due to double booking of berths, which also happens a lot. According to Simon Calder there may be some recourse  if the company has not been seen to act with “reasonable care and skill”.  He says that passengers may be able to argue that double booking is not exercising all due care and skill under the consumer rights act of 2015.

 

The people in the programme had all their ports changed just after the final payment date and were given just £25 obc on an all inclusive ship. Personally I would not have fought that one hard in the circumstances described.

 

 

[kruzseeka]

I don't understand the double booking bit.  Unless of course the berth is only 'reserved' and the port authority bump you because a larger ship (paying more) requests the berth.  If that's the case, it's a pity that some sort of deposit or payment made at the time of booking doesn't give you a legal claim to the berth.   I'd like to know how the system works and know who might be to blame here.  Notional bookings must be made years in advance given how far ahead itineraries are advertised and booked by passengers.  Do ports play fast and loose with cruise companies selling out to effectively the most lucrative for a given date or do they increase charges which the cruise lines then baulk at and find somewhere cheaper to go?  

Whatever, I think it's inexcusable that cruise companies should let passengers pay the full cruise price if they know there has been a change to the itinerary but not passed that information on.  I know the T&Cs allow for such changes but withholding that information is surely not fair to the passenger.  (I believe there has been significant changes to some of the Havana port times on this year's Marella itineraries too.)

[Eglesbrech]

42 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

The people in the programme had all their ports changed just after the final payment date and were given just £25 obc on an all inclusive ship. Personally I would not have fought that one hard in the circumstances described.

 

 

 

That should read I would have fought that one hard.

[Eglesbrech]

23 minutes ago, kruzseeka said:

I don't understand the double booking bit.  Unless of course the berth is only 'reserved' and the port authority bump you because a larger ship (paying more) requests the berth.  If that's the case, it's a pity that some sort of deposit or payment made at the time of booking doesn't give you a legal claim to the berth.   I'd like to know how the system works and know who might be to blame here.  Notional bookings must be made years in advance given how far ahead itineraries are advertised and booked by passengers.  Do ports play fast and loose with cruise companies selling out to effectively the most lucrative for a given date or do they increase charges which the cruise lines then baulk at and find somewhere cheaper to go?  

Whatever, I think it's inexcusable that cruise companies should let passengers pay the full cruise price if they know there has been a change to the itinerary but not passed that information on.  I know the T&Cs allow for such changes but withholding that information is surely not fair to the passenger.  (I believe there has been significant changes to some of the Havana port times on this year's Marella itineraries too.)

 

Not informaing customers when they are aware of a change is wrong as is not securing a booking properly or changing it because it potentially costs the cruise company more.

 

The problem is it is so difficult to find out the truth about why changes are made.

 

Even if it is the port authority that makes a change then the cruise line still has an issue. They should have more secure, one sided contracts - just like the ones they impose on their passengers😀

[kruzseeka]

23 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

 

Not informaing customers when they are aware of a change is wrong as is not securing a booking properly or changing it because it potentially costs the cruise company more.

 

The problem is it is so difficult to find out the truth about why changes are made.

 

Even if it is the port authority that makes a change then the cruise line still has an issue. They should have more secure, one sided contracts - just like the ones they impose on their passengers😀

👍👍

[AndyMichelle]

2 hours ago, Spike11 said:

I think the relevant link is this:

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=521#p&ocruises

( not sure why the link has p and o cruises at the end, but it does work).

However the list doesn’t look that comprehensive and doesn’t include anything about P &O refurbishments! It seems to reply on cruise critic users providing information.

Thank you for posting the link Spike.

The chap from CC made it sound like a comprehensive list, which unfortunately it is not.

I was hoping for some details on Auroras upcoming refit, but nothing there.

I know they are removing the kids club and adding cabins, but I hoped for a bit more info on what else is happening.

Andy

[Thejuggler]

Trips are planned three years out and confirmed with the ports a year in advance, so double booking should never happen.  

 

However I suspect the double booked scenario is part of the deal negotiated.

 

Companies may be offered a cheaper rate if they are prepared to be bumped at short notice.

Edited January 21, 2019 by Thejuggler

[kruzseeka]

I think the one thing we can be sure of is that whoever is to blame it will be a decision based on $$$$ which is at the heart of it - and with existing T&Cs the passenger is a pawn in the game.  It would be very interesting if there was a challenge based on Simon Calder's opinion about cruise companies acting with due "care and skill" though the potential cost of getting embroiled in legal action with an uncertain outcome makes it unlikely anyone would test it.

 

[Adam Coulter]

Hi

Thanks for pointing out this ommission. We have since added the link to P&O Cruises and also what little detail we have about Aurora: https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/articles.cfm?ID=521#p&ocruises

It will take you straight there now and we will add detail as it becomes available,

Thanks

[kruzseeka]

Thank you