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Caribbean Ports Testing Requirements - How many and what cost?


Megabear2
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11 hours ago, Castle25 said:

And if we don't like the new rules can we get our money back?  ESP if it was booked pre covid

 

You have to remember that P&O have slowly been moving to a system of implementing the rules of the country that they visit as far as arrival, testing, exploring and leaving come. So you might get FCC but you won't get your money back as P&O are only enforcing foreign laws as required to call.

 

WIth regard to policies on board ship, again you are unlikely to have much luck. The policies are in place for everyone's safety. This is something that P&O can justify under their booking terms.

 

My suggestion is that if you're not likely to be happy with the rules then don't pay the balance at 90 days.

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11 hours ago, Castle25 said:

And if we don't like the new rules can we get our money back?  ESP if it was booked pre covid

 

I doubt it. In any case, prices are rising fast and you have to make a purchase as soon as you make up your mind. It is very important as otherwise you will not only miss ona  cruise, but you will alos overpay

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17 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

My suggestion is that if you're not likely to be happy with the rules then don't pay the balance at 90 days.

The trouble is because P&O have not published these protocols most of the bookings are long past 90 days and they have the money already. Passengers have been forced to hold on long past the 90 days and effectively have been loyal and relied on P&O to treat them fairly.  The cruise may well be a long way from what they booked many months ago, particularly those who rebooked from cancelled voyages.  You would not expect someone to order a red Ford car and turn up three months later on delivery to be told it's a blue Toyota which is effectively what P&O are suggesting with these Caribbean cruises.

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13 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

The trouble is because P&O have not published these protocols most of the bookings are long past 90 days and they have the money already. Passengers have been forced to hold on long past the 90 days and effectively have been loyal and relied on P&O to treat them fairly.  The cruise may well be a long way from what they booked many months ago, particularly those who rebooked from cancelled voyages.  You would not expect someone to order a red Ford car and turn up three months later on delivery to be told it's a blue Toyota which is effectively what P&O are suggesting with these Caribbean cruises.

 
exactly.

 

I’ve now asked 3 times for info. Two of the replies are duplicates, basically cut & paste. So I’ve now been raised a complaint. I’ve ordered the red Ford & don’t want the blue Toyota.

 

As my wife wasn’t keen on a cruise it took some persuading her to book. It was for our 60th birthdays. We’ve pushed it back from January this year to January 22. After the way we’ve been treated, there is no chance of me using P&O again, plus the whole episode leaves a real bad taste in my mouth.

 

The issue is the contempt with which they treat their customers. It would be far better to be totally honest & put people in actual picture. It’s not that we don’t actually know what they are doing - stringing people along whilst they are waiting to see what happens!

 

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33 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

If you were P&O, what would you say to customers?

I think under the circumstances that P&O could not provide the information at payment time that 100% FCC (not 125%) would be a fair compromise. If the protocols are not acceptable to me I would accept that if it was offered. Will P&O offer it I would say they won't.

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3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

You have to remember that P&O have slowly been moving to a system of implementing the rules of the country that they visit as far as arrival, testing, exploring and leaving come. So you might get FCC but you won't get your money back as P&O are only enforcing foreign laws as required to call.

 

WIth regard to policies on board ship, again you are unlikely to have much luck. The policies are in place for everyone's safety. This is something that P&O can justify under their booking terms.

 

My suggestion is that if you're not likely to be happy with the rules then don't pay the balance at 90 days.

mmmmmm too late - already paid....looks like oi am getting a ford cortina......in brown .....with a suede roof

Edited by Castle25
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7 hours ago, Dgtrainer99 said:

After the way we’ve been treated, there is no chance of me using P&O again, plus the whole episode leaves a real bad taste in my mouth.

 

The issue is the contempt with which they treat their customers. It would be far better to be totally honest & put people in actual picture. It’s not that we don’t actually know what they are doing - stringing people along whilst they are waiting to see what happens!

 

P&O are no different to any other cruise company in this pandemic. It's sad to see you won't be cruising again. Would you have been any happier if you had been told that they no longer make red Fords?

 

There is actively no contempt for customers. P&O are very aware of the needs of customers to understand what will be happening however this has to be balanced with giving out information that transpires to be wrong. Let me give you an example:

  • P&O announce freedom to tour alone in the Caribbean, people book independent tours, then UK or overseas Government change rules..... unhappy customers.
  • P&O announce bubbled tours only in the Caribbean, people cancel cruises, then UK or overseas Government change rules..... unhappy customers.
  • P&O say nothing or provide basic details until they are sure what they are saying is accurate..... unhappy customers.

P&O have taken the third option. Another example: P&O announced some countries require bubbled tours in order to disembark. They didn't say which. Yesterday, Britannia left on a cruise to the Med. P&O still do not know if passengers can disembark alone in Italy so provided clarification in cabins than its bubbled tours only. They left it as late as possible to give as much chance for independent excursions to apply. For clarity: Italian authorities will make their decision before Britannia arrives and P&O will undoubtedly relax matters where possible.

 

There is no right answer in this pandemic. These are very fluid times.

 

As for compensation, clauses 40, 43 and 45 of the booking Terms and  Conditions  cover all of the changes P&O can make without giving compensation.... which is quite a lot. Current version here:  https://www.pocruises.com/legal-and-privacy/booking-terms-and-conditions although the version you signed up to will be similar.

 

I'm sorry if this all sounds harsh but I still want there to be a cruise industry in two years time.

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59 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

 

  • P&O announce freedom to tour alone in the Caribbean, people book independent tours, then UK or overseas Government change rules..... unhappy customers.
  • P&O announce bubbled tours only in the Caribbean, people cancel cruises, then UK or overseas Government change rules..... unhappy customers.
  • P&O say nothing or provide basic details until they are sure what they are saying is accurate..... unhappy customere

I'm sorry if this all sounds harsh but I still want there to be a cruise industry in two years time.

Moley, that all makes good sense, but it clearly leaves passengers wondering what to do, which is not good for  customer service.

Option 4 would have been far better:-

Provide a weekly update of the latest thinking even it was no change, and of possible target dates for when firmer decisions might be possible.

I don't think that would have compromised any govt or trade body discussions, but it certainly would have made P&O seem far more customer focused than they have been.

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The fact they are all the same does not make the cruise companies right.  If they annoy the customer base enough, there still won't be a cruise industry because no one will take a chance on not being screwed again.  Not everyone who has been trying to get answers from P&O is worried about being able to wander around on their own, many have expressed concern they cannot actually afford all these bubbled organised tours plus testing etc.  Others have tried to book tours only to find there are none available as they are all sold out. How can P&O truthfully say these people have to just shut up and accept it? 

 

If these bubbles are the only way to go at least ensure everyone on the cruise can book excursions at a reasonable cost as promised. Perhaps they should have offered the 30 day payment option for all these cruises if they wished to remain fluid.  As it stands the brand is at serious risk of ostracising the very people they need to keep happy to survive.  Talk of compensation would not have arisen if the had kept on top of things, particularly as they have been virtually uncontactable for months.

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My issue is with the payment date. Just paid 90 days out for my Azura cruise leaving Christmas Day. 
 

We were considering moving it until they announced independent shore exploration was allowed. 
 

However reading this thread makes me think that it is not as clean cut as that? I know it is dependent on the port, but a bit more correspondence from P&O would have been useful. I emailed the CS team last month about whether they were adding more reasonable excursions, as they had mentioned they would do, and I was told they were not doing this. 
 

So now we are stuck, we have paid our balance and may be forced in certain scenarios to fork out £50pp for a trip in x amount of ports. 
 

I understand P&O are just working on the information that is provided to them, but keeping us in the dark has not been the best customer experience. 
 

Hoping for some more information soon! I know a lot can change in 3 months! 
 

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4 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Would you have been any happier if you had been told that they no longer make red Fords?

Short answer, yes! 

 

I would also have expected to hear "We are sorry the red Ford you ordered and paid for is no longer available but we are pleased to be able offer you a blue Toyota which has the following specifications.  Would you like to accept this or receive your money back as we can no longer offer you the product you ordered"  ... or at least that's the way every other type of company does business.

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I am well aware that there are MANY complications to running cruises at the moment - i know that any cruise could be one with no ports visited and as such have appropriate additional cruise insurance for this.  But having to pay to get off the ship (Tests and/or Excursions) is not something that i have budgeted for and so my trip will possibly become unaffordable because of this as,  i dont want 14 days on the boat not able to get off because i cannot afford it..  It might not be a huge change to P&O and their T&Cs but it is to me, i should be able to at least change for free to a cruise in the future or be offered a refund.

Yes it could still be in place in 2 years time but people booking now will know this and have to accept it.  As someone who booked pre pandemic, i feel that we are being penalized for booking early...... 

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1 hour ago, Castle25 said:

But having to pay to get off the ship (Tests and/or Excursions) is not something that i have budgeted for and so my trip will possibly become unaffordable because of this as,  i dont want 14 days on the boat not able to get off because i cannot afford it..  It might not be a huge change to P&O and their T&Cs but it is to me, i should be able to at least change for free to a cruise in the future or be offered a refund.

And here in a nutshell is the problem people wanted solved before they had to pay in full for something which may now be totally unsuitable. 

 

Of course the cruise companies want to give as accurate information as they possibly can, but by delaying to a schedule that seems to suit only them or those not worried about finances they are causing massive stress and worry to others.  There are many on these boards who say people shouldn't book a cruise if they are concerned about money, but the truth is with mass market selling of the product there are thousands who do want to stay within their budget and may not have all the cash required to meet the additional costs.

 

The ships, particularly the larger ones, are filled in the main by passengers travelling in the low to mid range cabins with suites and high priced accommodation filled by those luckier to be able to say damn the costs.  The lack of care and thought for those on a budget is something P&O really should have considered. There is a lot of difference in a trip around the Med calling at only a handful of countries than a 14 night fly cruise to the Caribbean with maybe 7 or 8 countries involved.  The costs could become very large for some people once testing and "bubble tours" come into the equation.

 

It is short sighted to say we want to wait to give you the information at the last minute because you will have simply caused distress or worse anger which may at some point rebound on the innocent parties either passing on perceived bad news or at worst onboard the ships.

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Just about sums it up I think - the cruise lines do need to remember that not everyone has a bottomless pit of money -  so what started off as something affordable to a set amount of budget,  can suddenly become way over budget if it then becomes compulsory to book an excursion for each port/testing etc - with the only alternative to choose to stay on board to save money that way. Many excursions are generally overpriced - yet they keep saying they will offer more affordable choices. 
 

if they continue to annoy the average consumer who has a finite budget I think they will find the average consumer will either go to a different cruise line, cruise less or opt for a land based holiday.  They need to be careful what they wish for !! Appreciate the Covid issue changes from day to day and place to place but nonetheless they need to be mindful of the consumers point of view since it’s the fare paying passenger who keeps them in a job.

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On 9/26/2021 at 5:14 PM, molecrochip said:

 

P&O are no different to any other cruise company in this pandemic. It's sad to see you won't be cruising again. Would you have been any happier if you had been told that they no longer make red Fords?

 

There is actively no contempt for customers. P&O are very aware of the needs of customers to understand what will be happening however this has to be balanced with giving out information that transpires to be wrong. Let me give you an example:

  • P&O announce freedom to tour alone in the Caribbean, people book independent tours, then UK or overseas Government change rules..... unhappy customers.
  • P&O announce bubbled tours only in the Caribbean, people cancel cruises, then UK or overseas Government change rules..... unhappy customers.
  • P&O say nothing or provide basic details until they are sure what they are saying is accurate..... unhappy customers.

P&O have taken the third option. Another example: P&O announced some countries require bubbled tours in order to disembark. They didn't say which. Yesterday, Britannia left on a cruise to the Med. P&O still do not know if passengers can disembark alone in Italy so provided clarification in cabins than its bubbled tours only. They left it as late as possible to give as much chance for independent excursions to apply. For clarity: Italian authorities will make their decision before Britannia arrives and P&O will undoubtedly relax matters where possible.

 

There is no right answer in this pandemic. These are very fluid times.

 

As for compensation, clauses 40, 43 and 45 of the booking Terms and  Conditions  cover all of the changes P&O can make without giving compensation.... which is quite a lot. Current version here:  https://www.pocruises.com/legal-and-privacy/booking-terms-and-conditions although the version you signed up to will be similar.

 

I'm sorry if this all sounds harsh but I still want there to be a cruise industry in two years time.

It’s not harsh. It’s when you ask a question 3 times & receive cut & paste answers that tell you nothing. It’s better to tell people that we’re waiting as late as possible to inform people & the timescales are … It’s not that we don’t understand.

 

The issue for me is becoming a point of principle & sorry to disagree but it is contempt. They are looking at the balance sheet, (as all companies do) & after a poor period trying to maximise revenue.

Edited by Dgtrainer99
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It's interesting if you read the boards for many of the other lines. There is clearly a huge problem with communication from any of these companies.  It certainly does look like we've got your money, tough is now the industry standard. The people on this board are just a sample, the scary bit comes when the thousands who are currently in ignorance of potential costings get the full news and see the big picture.  The companies really are pushing their luck on all of this, particularly if they have family groups etc.  I'm a fool and will most likely come back but there are going to be hundreds who won't.

 

According to Molecrochip we will have definite news by 30th. That's when the mess hits the fan properly I fear.  

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On 9/26/2021 at 5:14 PM, molecrochip said:

Another example: P&O announced some countries require bubbled tours in order to disembark. They didn't say which. Yesterday, Britannia left on a cruise to the Med. P&O still do not know if passengers can disembark alone in Italy so provided clarification in cabins than its bubbled tours only. They left it as late as possible to give as much chance for independent excursions to apply. For clarity: Italian authorities will make their decision before Britannia arrives and P&O will undoubtedly relax matters where possible.

And this turned out to be a great example. Britannia left Southampton heading for Italy (via a couple of other ports). P&O had every expectation of being allowed to dock in Italy but it was the tour policy that was in doubt.

 

Today, P&O were told that Britannia was not permitted to dock in Italy. This for a cruise that's already in progress. P&O have implemented backup plans and added stops in Alicante and Valencia however they are hardly Livorno and Civitavecchia.

 

Many will be upset and this isn't P&O's fault.

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28 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

And this turned out to be a great example. Britannia left Southampton heading for Italy (via a couple of other ports). P&O had every expectation of being allowed to dock in Italy but it was the tour policy that was in doubt.

 

Today, P&O were told that Britannia was not permitted to dock in Italy. This for a cruise that's already in progress. P&O have implemented backup plans and added stops in Alicante and Valencia however they are hardly Livorno and Civitavecchia.

 

Many will be upset and this isn't P&O's fault.

TBH Moley for me Valenia and Alicante are far better than Livorno and Civitavecchia, few cruisers need or want to do Rome and Florence more than once.  I cheer when I see an itinerary in the western med that has neither, unfortunately I rarely cheer when reading  a P&O brochure.

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The Britannia situation is sad for those on board who have never seen Rome or the other Italian cities and yes, undoubtedly P&O have done well to organise something else. Not really anything to complain about under the circumstances and as the cruise was underway beyond the control of P&O. Also I believe I read elsewhere on the boards that Spain is due to make a decision on Thursday about their protocols, what happens if these change too we have to wonder?

 

However does this not all serve to justify the jitters amongst the Caribbean bookers who have presumably much larger sums of money at risk and who will also be 4,000 miles from home?  It must be obvious from the comments here and on P&Os face page that many feel trapped by being compelled to go ahead with something they would rather change and will justifiably be worried in case the "rapidly changing situation" traps them overseas on a ship they may not be able to alight from.  The very mention of fluidity, rapid changes and unknown costs will be ringing loud in even the most dedicated cruisers' ears.  If P&O need this fluidity for their plans it doesn't seem unreasonable that their clients like Glitterati would have liked the same before being irrevocably locked in.

 

I hope all goes well for those on Britannia and Iona over the next days and wish them happy voyage and most importantly good health.

 

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It will be really helpful and interesting to hear how disembarking in Cadiz goes tomorrow morning for those on Britannia and for those on Iona due in Vigo, I am sure once they get on shore these blogs will be full of helpful comments.

 

Maybe if Britannia's 2 med cruises go well, they may decide to continue with med and cancel caribbean and offer either refunds or the med instead! As the situation for ports on the 22 Oct 2021 repositioning looks unlikely we will be allowed self exploring once in port.

 

Am I right in thinking that the 30th Sept announcement does not apply to the 22 October 21 cruise?

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On 9/24/2021 at 9:38 PM, molecrochip said:

Practical testing requirements for the Caribbean cruises on Britannia/Azura and also the wider vaccination policy post 31 December 2021 will be announced on 30 September 2021.

From this post I am assuming it will be all Caribbean cruises including the T/A. 

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I have just been allocated cabin number by P and O so 22 Oct 2021 transatlantic cruise  looks like it is going ahead. 

 

Can anyone confirm if booked excursions are refundable or send link to the policy as I am unable to find it on p & o website. I don't want to book 5 excursions and then find out I'm able to explore on my own resources.

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