Incident on Britannia

[Harry Peterson]

3 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Given that this debacle happened and the P&O brand has been tarnished by this incident - I wonder what P&O will do / can do to stop this type of incident happening on a more regular basis..... 

They’ll probably have to lower prices still further to win back the customers this publicity will have cost them.

 

That’s probably going to attract even more undesirables, so there’s a danger of a downward spiral.

 

In reality though they’ll win the end game with a pile it high sell it cheap policy.  So long as their new customers keep on spending onboard they’ll be profitable. Not so much Butlins these days as Ryanair on sea - and Ryanair makes big profits despite its clientele. 

 

P&O - the new Ryanair.  😱

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

Given that this debacle happened and the P&O brand has been tarnished by this incident - I wonder what P&O will do / can do to stop this type of incident happening on a more regular basis..... 

The issue is that having gone down the large ship route, P&O have to fill the cabins, which means having to aim at the mass market.  Perhaps Carnival should have gone the other direction, and followed the Viking or Saga route, and turned P&O into a line with smaller, all balcony ships,  with a different target market, and obviously higher prices.

Edited July 28, 2019 by wowzz

[Narrow boat girl]

Maybe this wouldn't have even made the news if the reporter hadn't been on board?

Also not sure what the link was between patriotic party and black tie night. My guess is that most folks wouldn't have known what was happening, and you know how the story grows with each telling.  I think a large pinch of salt is required.

Also I have heard really inappropraite comments from people who really should know better usually when in lifts and they were quite sober at this point, so unpleasant things happening is not always drink related.

 

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, Narrow boat girl said:

Maybe this wouldn't have even made the news if the reporter hadn't been on board?

Also not sure what the link was between patriotic party and black tie night. My guess is that most folks wouldn't have known what was happening, and you know how the story grows with each telling.  I think a large pinch of salt is required.

Also I have heard really inappropraite comments from people who really should know better usually when in lifts and they were quite sober at this point, so unpleasant things happening is not always drink related.

 

Good point.

Some people are idiots and bullys without the bravado of drinking first.

[brian1]

BREAKING NEWS.Police say the ringleader (or ringmaster) has escaped and may be hiding here.Do not approach,he is armed with a strawberry blancmange.

[AndyMichelle]

1 minute ago, brian1 said:

BREAKING NEWS.Police say the ringleader (or ringmaster) has escaped and may be hiding here.Do not approach,he is armed with a strawberry blancmange.

Be warned, that is not a real flower in his buttonhole...

If you spot the getaway car, be careful as the wheels and doors are likely to fall off...

Andy

[grapau27]

5 minutes ago, brian1 said:

BREAKING NEWS.Police say the ringleader (or ringmaster) has escaped and may be hiding here.Do not approach,he is armed with a strawberry blancmange.

Thanks for the laugh.

[brian1]

1 minute ago, AndyMichelle said:

Be warned, that is not a real flower in his buttonhole...

If you spot the getaway car, be careful as the wheels and doors are likely to fall off...

Andy

He didn't get that red nose in the punchup.

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, brian1 said:

BREAKING NEWS.Police say the ringleader (or ringmaster) has escaped and may be hiding here.Do not approach,he is armed with a strawberry blancmange.

Thanks for the laugh.

[netchells]

18 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Personally I find the British Sailaways awful and steer well clear, but I've never heard of any bad behaviour at them.

I am of the same view Jean. Never attend them but I know a lot of people love them; just not my scene.

[AndyMichelle]

44 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

They’ll probably have to lower prices still further to win back the customers this publicity will have cost them.

 

That’s probably going to attract even more undesirables, so there’s a danger of a downward spiral.

 

In reality though they’ll win the end game with a pile it high sell it cheap policy.  So long as their new customers keep on spending onboard they’ll be profitable. Not so much Butlins these days as Ryanair on sea - and Ryanair makes big profits despite its clientele. 

 

P&O - the new Ryanair.  😱

How has this become a P&O thing?

Every episode of 'cruises from hell' shows punch ups on various cruise lines.

I accept that the top end lines won't have as much of an issue, but unfortunately you get twats in any walk of life.

Andy

[bee-ess]

20 hours ago, Presto2 said:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/breaking-clown-violent-brawl-cruise-18785703

 

Not sure how the 'patriotic party' links with a fight early morning but whatever, it doesn't read well

I wonder if they had drinks packages ??

[Bazrat]

2 hours ago, Tommart said:

Why not change the record? Docco's comments show P&O as it is, good and bad. Yours just pretend it's faultless, which it certainly isn't.

I do not pretend it faultless every company as there problems, but when I joined this forum every comment from docco at that time was how terrible p&o was,as for changing the record I believe in balance the good as well as the bad should be told.

[Bazrat]

2 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

I wonder if they had drinks packages ??

I don’t think a drinks package is the problem how does marella cope ?.

[bee-ess]

1 minute ago, Bazrat said:

I don’t think a drinks package is the problem how does marella cope ?.

You don't think the people drink more on a drinks package ?

[Bazrat]

1 minute ago, bee-ess said:

You don't think the people drink more on a drinks package ?

The prices on p&o for drinks are reasonably priced so getting drunk would not depend on the drinks package.

[Rupert2251]

39 minutes ago, Narrow boat girl said:

Maybe this wouldn't have even made the news if the reporter hadn't been on board?

Also not sure what the link was between patriotic party and black tie night. My guess is that most folks wouldn't have known what was happening, and you know how the story grows with each telling.  I think a large pinch of salt is required.

Also I have heard really inappropraite comments from people who really should know better usually when in lifts and they were quite sober at this point, so unpleasant things happening is not always drink related.

 

100% agree with you. It's a case of Chinese Whispers, a reporter out to make some money!  Some people don't need alcohol to be rude to other passengers I've seen this before. We know it's not just  P&O this applies to, there was a programme on tv the other week called When Cruises Go Wrong which showed a massive brawl  in one of the bars I think it was NCL. Showing programmes like that gives cruising a bad reputation. 

 

[Tommart]

13 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

I do not pretend it faultless every company as there problems, but when I joined this forum every comment from docco at that time was how terrible p&o was,as for changing the record I believe in balance the good as well as the bad should be told.

As I recall, docco was reporting problems he was having while on Azura, or maybe Ventura. He was reporting live from whichever ship it was, and he was also reporting the failure to do anything about those problems. I didn't see it in the way you do, because he also (as he says a few posts above) reported the positives.  I believe that's called balancing the good as well as the bad.  You don't seem to like hard facts being reported, but I do, because it encourages P&O to become more responsive to customers.

[kruzseeka]

23 minutes ago, Narrow boat girl said:

Maybe this wouldn't have even made the news if the reporter hadn't been on board?

Also not sure what the link was between patriotic party and black tie night. My guess is that most folks wouldn't have known what was happening, and you know how the story grows with each telling.  I think a large pinch of salt is required.

Also I have heard really inappropraite comments from people who really should know better usually when in lifts and they were quite sober at this point, so unpleasant things happening is not always drink related.

 

 

You make very good points.  The reporting is definitely misleading to many readers - linking the sail away and a drunken fight at 2am is something cruisers will realise is unrelated and gives a false impression of the numbers involved in the fracas. But many will take it at face value and have distorted impressions of cruising.  

I do agree with those who feel the mass market approach, large ships, many short cruises and changing demographic has changed the face of cruising. 

At the price of the drinks package and limits on quantity per day I doubt this is main factor in this event.  For anyone who is intent on drinking to excess, availability of a drinks package I think is irrelevant. 

I personally don't go to the GB sail away any longer after one when we were berthed next to a German ship and some passengers actually began saluting - yes you can imagine which salute!  It was so distasteful and embarrassing for anyone who has any sense of decency, tolerance and sensitivity towards others.  Of course it was a tiny number compared with the passenger load but it did make me feel it was outdated.  (Especially in today's world order.)  I realise many enjoy them and will disagree with me but that's how I feel about it although I would consider myself very patriotic. 

[Tommart]

12 minutes ago, Rupert2251 said:

100% agree with you. It's a case of Chinese Whispers, a reporter out to make some money!  Some people don't need alcohol to be rude to other passengers I've seen this before. We know it's not just  P&O this applies to, there was a programme on tv the other week called When Cruises Go Wrong which showed a massive brawl  in one of the bars I think it was NCL. Showing programmes like that gives cruising a bad reputation. 

 

Cruises are getting a bad reputation because these things do happen now. A few years back it would have been unthinkable, but the sad fact now is that the the people cruising have changed, and not for the better.

[brian1]

21 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

You don't think the people drink more on a drinks package ?

No because there is a limit on the package.Marella is unlimited.

[molecrochip]

This will only be positive for P&O. They have had so much free advertising out of this including new reports with pictures of the lovely ship Britannia.

 

Reports have included details of her itineraries, facilities on board, black-tie nights with decent food, sailaways etc.

 

People realise that that you can get one or two idiots on any holiday. The fact that they have been arrested shows P&O were on top of it.

 

It’s just free advertising.

[Bazrat]

32 minutes ago, Tommart said:

Cruises are getting a bad reputation because these things do happen now. A few years back it would have been unthinkable, but the sad fact now is that the the people cruising have changed, and not for the better.

You know it never happened previously or was it just was not reported.

[daiB]

57 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

How has this become a P&O thing?

Every episode of 'cruises from hell' shows punch ups on various cruise lines.

I accept that the top end lines won't have as much of an issue, but unfortunately you get twats in any walk of life.

Andy

Andy it becomes a P&O thing because the poster you replied to wanted it to be that way. 

[daiB]

43 minutes ago, Tommart said:

Cruises are getting a bad reputation because these things do happen now. A few years back it would have been unthinkable, but the sad fact now is that the the people cruising have changed, and not for the better.

You are joking of course. So there was no bad behaviour before. What a ridiculous statement. There were stories of fights and people being put off ships when I started cruising in 2001.