Summer 2022 - Brochure Launch

[AnnieC]

57 minutes ago, wowzz said:

We did a Panama transit on the Island Princess a few years ago. As you say, a nice mid size ship. A minor downside is that there is no complete prom deck - you have to cut through the rear cabins to do a full circuit.

Wow, even if they're occupied?😮

[majortom10]

24 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

Wow, even if they're occupied?😮

Yes but you get extra OBC and a free bottle of wine 🤣

[Snow Hill]

2 hours ago, Denarius said:

I have four future cruises booked at present, three in 2021 and one in Jan 2022. Three of them are rearrangments of cruises cancelled because of covid19,  the other a replacement for a cruise on Oceana cancelled when P&O sold the ship. I am not inclined to book anything else until I am reasonably confident that it will in fact go ahead, although an article in today's paper may possibly indicate a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8931375/Cruise-ships-set-sail-January-coronavirus-lockdown.html

Wonder where they will get crew recruited from given the level of infection in India, the need for them to fly here, but flights are suspended except for essential business, then the 14 day quarantine for each crew member before they begin training on new procedures & protocols. 
 

I would doubt somewhat that cruises will begin In January. 

[zap99]

17 minutes ago, Snow Hill said:

Wonder where they will get crew recruited from given the level of infection in India, the need for them to fly here, but flights are suspended except for essential business, then the 14 day quarantine for each crew member before they begin training on new procedures & protocols. 
 

I would doubt somewhat that cruises will begin In January. 

Oh but they will. The 14 day quarantine is now, not December. India is getting better. Remote learning for procedures is normal. Flight restrictions will change. Dustin Hoffman WILL save the world tonight. Be happy , you can go to the ball

[Adawn47]

11 hours ago, pete14 said:

So ‘cocking up’ is allowed but removing the ‘ing’ isn’t. Very odd 🤔🥴

I noticed that a while ago when I commented on something as being a cockerel (minus erel) and bull story. Out came the stars!! Most odd I agree.

Avril

[wowzz]

5 hours ago, AnnieC said:

Wow, even if they're occupied?😮

Probably not a good choice of words!

You have to walk through the lobby area that leads to the rear cabins, if that makes sense.

[DamianG]

Just to share my own experience I got some online quotes from P&O but was unsure that they were for the specific cabin grade that we wanted. I therefore telephoned them for some quotes and the operator advised that you could use FCC for deposits when booking directly with them over the phone but that their online booking process “could not handle this”. They also confirmed that I could not choose a specific cabin and that this would be allocated when booking opens.

I then contacted our usual TA and made the pre-registration booking as they promised to try get one of our favoured cabin choices on a best efforts basis and if they couldn’t they would call us. They insisted on taking a cash deposit and that the FCC would be deducted from the final balance outstanding. As they were offering a discount on P&O’s prices and provided the opportunity to choose a specific cabin I went along with this and used my credit card to pay just in case we hit any problems further down the line.

On Monday the booking was confirmed with our 2nd choice cabin so we’re really happy with how everything worked out.

[terrierjohn]

4 hours ago, DamianG said:

Just to share my own experience I got some online quotes from P&O but was unsure that they were for the specific cabin grade that we wanted. I therefore telephoned them for some quotes and the operator advised that you could use FCC for deposits when booking directly with them over the phone but that their online booking process “could not handle this”. They also confirmed that I could not choose a specific cabin and that this would be allocated when booking opens.

I then contacted our usual TA and made the pre-registration booking as they promised to try get one of our favoured cabin choices on a best efforts basis and if they couldn’t they would call us. They insisted on taking a cash deposit and that the FCC would be deducted from the final balance outstanding. As they were offering a discount on P&O’s prices and provided the opportunity to choose a specific cabin I went along with this and used my credit card to pay just in case we hit any problems further down the line.

On Monday the booking was confirmed with our 2nd choice cabin so we’re really happy with how everything worked out.

We got our first choice cabin from our TA and used the FCC for our deposit, and still got a discount from them, albeit less than usual.

Maybe you need to look for a new TA.

[jeanlyon]

Am awaiting confirmation from mine today.  He was quite sure he could do the same as you John, and I will also get his extra discount, not sure how much yet.

 

Out of interest, just tried to do an online dummy booking, without logging in, just keeps saying "an error occurred".  Does the same if I log in. 

Edited November 11, 2020 by jeanlyon

[zap99]

27 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Am awaiting confirmation from mine today.  He was quite sure he could do the same as you John, and I will also get his extra discount, not sure how much yet.

 

Out of interest, just tried to do an online dummy booking, without logging in, just keeps saying "an error occurred".  Does the same if I log in. 

I did a couple of dummy booking this morning. No problem. Perhaps it's those second home owners nicking all the broadband.

[jeanlyon]

23 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I did a couple of dummy booking this morning. No problem. Perhaps it's those second home owners nicking all the broadband.

Ha ha.  There's still some around, so you may be right.

[jeanlyon]

Cleared cache and cookies.  Still won't work.  Odd.

[majortom10]

My TA said that P&O have changed their rules on using FCC for a deposit recently due to the number of complaints. I have a small FCC for a deposit on a cancelled cruise with Cunard and yesterday enquired with TA about booking a cruise with Cunard for 2022. Initial pricing was the FCC was taken off total price but they still requested 15% deposit which was more than FCC when queried she said she would ring Cunard and ask the question. She got back to me and said Cunard would allow half the FCC to be used towards the deposit and the rest off the balance of the cruise.

[DamianG]

3 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

We got our first choice cabin from our TA and used the FCC for our deposit, and still got a discount from them, albeit less than usual.

Maybe you need to look for a new TA.

 

Yes, fair point John and I'm aware Jean's TA would do the same. On the plus side our Derbyshire TA inadvertently gave us a discount on the child fare when they quoted us then tried to retract it but I stood firm and eventually they honoured the quote so swings and roundabouts.

[terrierjohn]

4 minutes ago, DamianG said:

 

Yes, fair point John and I'm aware Jean's TA would do the same. On the plus side our Derbyshire TA inadvertently gave us a discount on the child fare when they quoted us then tried to retract it but I stood firm and eventually they honoured the quote so swings and roundabouts.

My TA is also from Derbyshire, the old home of Denis Skinner.

[DamianG]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

My TA is also from Derbyshire, the old home of Denis Skinner.

 

Ditto, I mentioned the county as I had it in the back of my mind that you used the same agent. Same TA, different call operator, different day, one says you can't use FCC for your deposit, another says that you can. Typical, but I'm not surprised.

[terrierjohn]

3 minutes ago, DamianG said:

 

Ditto, I mentioned the county as I had it in the back of my mind that you used the same agent. Same TA, different call operator, different day, one says you can't use FCC for your deposit, another says that you can. Typical, but I'm not surprised.

That does disappoint me Damian, because I had assumed that all their agents would be totally professional and speaking from the same script, and not making it up as they go along like P&O's call operators.

[DamianG]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

That does disappoint me Damian, because I had assumed that all their agents would be totally professional and speaking from the same script, and not making it up as they go along like P&O's call operators.

 

Poor isn't it, but as I said I'm not surprised. I did ask the question as well so it's not as if they assumed I'd want to pay a deposit and not use the FCC. Anyway I'm happy with the booking, the deposit was affordable and I ensured it was on my credit card so if the cruise is cancelled I'm confident of getting it back one way or another.

[jeanlyon]

Yes, my TA is going to have to email his contact to enable FCC to be used as deposit!  He has had 4 different answers and I have had 3.  I was wrong, he is booking us tomorrow.  He rang me today to talk about prices and tell me what the difficulties are.  I felt quite sorry for him.  However, his contact says they will do it if asked, so will await my confirmation.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

He has had 4 different answers and I have had 3.  

For those of you criticising the Beast agency, Jean's comment shows how difficult things are at present. 

If P&O cannot give a definitive answer, how on earth can any TA hope to be able to give an informed response. 

The issue is totally the problem of P&O, because they gave been unable to clearly communicate their policy to their own staff, let alone to external agencies.

[terrierjohn]

9 hours ago, wowzz said:

For those of you criticising the Beast agency, Jean's comment shows how difficult things are at present. 

If P&O cannot give a definitive answer, how on earth can any TA hope to be able to give an informed response. 

The issue is totally the problem of P&O, because they gave been unable to clearly communicate their policy to their own staff, let alone to external agencies.

 None of that is new wowzz, P&O have never been good or consistent communicators.

[Splice the mainbrace]

This morning managed to swop for the second time our deposit to an Arcadia 19 day eastern (central) med cruise in Oct 2022, same as the cancelled cruise we should have been on in the last few weeks.

 

We thought that we got a good price 2 years ago at £2300 at launch for the 19 day 2020 cruise (balcony ED) but now for 2022 it is £200 less.

 

Originally moved booking to June 2021 Norway / Iceland cruise but having to pay balance in Feb / Mar 2021 was too soon for us to commit with the current Covid situation.

[jeanlyon]

Alll booked, but TA has had to send an email to his contact to get some of the FCC used for the rest of the deposit, as I only had £50pp to use.  He reported to his contact that he had different answers and that I had 3 different answers.  The contact said that the rule is you cannot use an FCC for a deposit, but in these Covid times, they are relaxing it if asked!!    We agreed that it shouldn't be like that.  Although we understand P&O are a bit strapped for cash, which is why they are only doing it if specifically asked.  I guess a lot of people wouldn't even query it.

[purplesea]

7 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Alll booked, but TA has had to send an email to his contact to get some of the FCC used for the rest of the deposit, as I only had £50pp to use.  He reported to his contact that he had different answers and that I had 3 different answers.  The contact said that the rule is you cannot use an FCC for a deposit, but in these Covid times, they are relaxing it if asked!!    We agreed that it shouldn't be like that.  Although we understand P&O are a bit strapped for cash, which is why they are only doing it if specifically asked.  I guess a lot of people wouldn't even query it.

  I received this, this morning!!

Bookable with Future Cruise Credit (FCC) Plus, extra guests sail from £99pp〜 £99 per person is applicable to selected off-peak cruises sailing from Southampton for 6-10 nights Book by 14 December 2020

Don't forget, as a member of the P&O Cruises Peninsular Club you can also receive exclusive discounts on selected holidays△

 

[jeanlyon]

That's hilarious!!  Maybe they had so many asking to use FCC for deposits, they had to allow it for everyone.