P&O changes positive test coach policy

[Chrish2]

52 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

I have read this also and that security were called onto the ship. In future will P&O have to make sure all coaches are processed separately and not allow anyone through to boarding until all results are returned? This isn't the first time it has happened.

 

I can see there been some heated discussions especially as they reversed their policy the first time it happened. Personally I think everyone on the coach should be removed and anything other than that opens P&O to avoidable risk. The only way to mitigate this risk is to demonstrate the counter measures on the coach are highly effective (which is different than "we tried out best").

[CarlaMarie]

I agree the coach passengers should be removed. However I think we were all still under the impression that P&O wouldn't be doing this after they changed their policy, but clearly since then Public Health England have advised differently and P&O should inform all future passengers using coach transfers what the actual policy is. 

 

As they are well aware that one positive means that everyone will be removed, I don't understand why they allow coach passengers on before all results are known. It would certainly save time and prevent any delays that were seen on Ventura if they hold everyone until they have the all clear. 

[Pencil62]

Would the ship at Southampton wait for a heavily delayed Eavesway coach even if they use Intercruises now?

[my marina bay]

We have delayed booking the coach from the North West because of the uncertainty of passengers testing positive particularly young children and teenagers. Our cruise with PO is only next September however we are booked on Princess early May and their policy is no different. We cannot drive down so will get the train the day before and stay overnight in hotel. As you can book single transfers may get coach back will see. Its just inconvenient but better than being turned away or turfed off ship because of other coach passengers.

 

On a different note someone said Intercruise hadn't been running coaches recently due to covid so would be interested to know if they've started again like Eavesway. It was a shame when EW pulled out, PO  tripled the money they wanted from them to stay as preferred provider so EW told them where to stick it. The coaches we've used with IC since then have been mixed. It's usually OK going down but coming back any sharabang can turn up.

 

As to whether a ship waits for a coach no matter which company is being used, that all depends on the tide, the weather and the Captain who has final say.

[Harry Peterson]

3 hours ago, Pencil62 said:

Would the ship at Southampton wait for a heavily delayed Eavesway coach even if they use Intercruises now?

Presumably not - that was always the way P&O 'persuaded' customers to use their own chosen modes of transport.

[my marina bay]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

Presumably not - that was always the way P&O 'persuaded' customers to use their own chosen modes of transport.

And neither will the Captain wait for a very delayed Intercruise coach if the weather and tides determine departure.

[Jukat]

On 10/15/2021 at 12:18 PM, Pencil62 said:

.On previous occasions when we have used this service Eavesway have been the operator. Their website has lots of information regarding their Covid policy such as proof of negative test before boarding, social distancing, fewer/shorter stops etc. P@o, however now use Intercruises and unless I'm looking in the wrong place I can see nothing regarding Covid protocol on their website. I wonder if anyone has recently used them since International cruising resumed and how was it handled. Thanks, Jacko.

Lady who was on coach & removed from ship due to one pax testing positive has posted on a p&o fb page that it was intercruise coach with lots of passengers which prevented social distancing on the coach & some of passengers  & driver did not wear masks. She has said that when told to disembark after 4hours on board this was clearly stated as reason by P&O for removal of all passengers from ship on this occasion. P&O have rang her since to discuss this issue with her.

On the thread others are commenting that 2 coaches should have been used to transport the numbers travelling to Southampton. 

You are right about Eavesway & their covid policy on website, very detailed & clear expectations for safe travel. We took obc & booked & paying for Eavesway coach ourselves & I'm glad now we chose to book them but we will contact them prior to travel to confirm that they are meeting all their covid policy Safe travel commitments. 

[watsonbeau]

I am seriously getting the jitters as am booked on Inter Cruise coach. Eavesway don’t operate where I live so no choice. 
 

I have tried contacting them by web form - no reply - so will try ringing them tomorrow. 

[Jukat]

13 minutes ago, watsonbeau said:

I am seriously getting the jitters as am booked on Inter Cruise coach. Eavesway don’t operate where I live so no choice. 
 

I have tried contacting them by web form - no reply - so will try ringing them tomorrow. 

We are travelling to an Eavesway pick up point & staying in Travel Lodge night before. We had thought about changing to train to Southampton but work on lines when we travel means we couldn't get into Southampton Station so would have to do bus transfer from another station. Don't fancy that with large cases for a lengthy cruise.

I think P&O will be in discussion with Intercruise about safe travel protocols.

[Rupert2251]

There was an incident with Intercruises this week on a Princess cruise. Passengers arrive with negative tests, went to show the driver who said not to bother. They tested negative at the port, boarded, unpacked then received a phone call telling them to pack again. Someone had tested positive from the coach and they were disembarking everyone. 

[daiB]

5 hours ago, Jukat said:

Lady who was on coach & removed from ship due to one pax testing positive has posted on a p&o fb page that it was intercruise coach with lots of passengers which prevented social distancing on the coach & some of passengers  & driver did not wear masks. She has said that when told to disembark after 4hours on board this was clearly stated as reason by P&O for removal of all passengers from ship on this occasion. P&O have rang her since to discuss this issue with her.

On the thread others are commenting that 2 coaches should have been used to transport the numbers travelling to Southampton. 

You are right about Eavesway & their covid policy on website, very detailed & clear expectations for safe travel. We took obc & booked & paying for Eavesway coach ourselves & I'm glad now we chose to book them but we will contact them prior to travel to confirm that they are meeting all their covid policy Safe travel commitments. 

Was the first incident not on Eavesway? Intercruise were not working then.

[Cruisemeister2002]

A few years ago on the last night of our cruise my wife went down with Norovirus. We had travelled to Southampton by coach. On the ship I had informed the medical staff of my wife's condition and she was confined to the cabin. I stayed with her and was asked if we would require a breakfast in our cabin as we would be disembarking early along with other passengers who had Norovirus and a taxi would take us home. The breakfast for me, as my wife was still unwell, didn't arrive. We disembarked and guess what ? No taxi. I left my wife basically hanging on to the luggage trolley whilst I made my way to the main P&O Office. They told me they had to rebook all taxi's and that they would soon arrive. Some half hour or more later none had arrived. Again I made my way to the P&O office and requested that I get a taxi and then send them the receipt to re-emburse me. They agreed and we went to the taxi rank which was just outside where we had been waiting. We returned home and I paid the £260 taxi fare. I recieved the refund a couple of weeks afterwards and a hamper from P&O for the problems incurred. What I have said is more to do with the travelling back in a taxi rather than the problems that arose from my wife getting Norovirus. It meant the taxi driver coming into contact with my wife. I didn't get Norovirus although I was slightly queasy for a few days, so maybe I got a mild dose.

[watsonbeau]

The cruise lines need to be coming clean about all this. They recommend the coaches as one of the online perks so should ensure the coach companies  follow the rules to minimise risk - or ditch coaches as one of the perks. 
 

Irrespective there is no excuse for not keeping all passengers on a coach together ashore until all tests and any PCR to verify have been done. No joke to get onboard, unpack and get as far as your evening meal to then get hauled off mid drink. I do feel for those who have endured this situation. No need for it as not rocket science surely to avoid that scenario, given that they have had several similar occurrences with coaches but they have obviously learned nothing !

[Cathygh]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

Was the first incident not on Eavesway? Intercruise were not working then.

In the thread on face ache the lady says this was last week on an Intercruises coach

[Rupert2251]

2 hours ago, daiB said:

Was the first incident not on Eavesway? Intercruise were not working then.

Not Eavesway!

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Rupert2251 said:

Not Eavesway!

I do think Dai is correct, the very first coach incident was on Eavseway, which led to the tighter protocols they now offer, the recent one on Ventura however was intercruises.

Edited October 17, 2021 by terrierjohn

[CarlaMarie]

27 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I do think Dai is correct, the very first coach incident was on Eavseway, which led to the tighter protocols they now offer, the recent one on Ventura however was intercruises.

 

I hadn't realised the first incident which I think was on Iona had involved an Eavesway coach.

 

What I don't understand is why yet again some passengers have not worn their masks on the coach? It not only puts their own cruise in jeopardy if anyone should test positive, but also that of their fellow coach passengers.  

[terrierjohn]

14 minutes ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

I hadn't realised the first incident which I think was on Iona had involved an Eavesway coach.

 

What I don't understand is why yet again some passengers have not worn their masks on the coach? It not only puts their own cruise in jeopardy if anyone should test positive, but also that of their fellow coach passengers.  

The first incident was a seacation cruise and I don't believe intercruises started operating until the international cruises re-started.

[daiB]

I am hearing thats it was not P&O who made the decision on passengers being put off the ship but it was Public Health England. To whom the incident had to be reported. Also this happened to a Princess sailing on Tuesday.with the same result.

[watsonbeau]

The crux of the coach issue I think, is what is being defined as ‘close contact’ - in that all passengers on same coach are being defined as ‘close contact’ by the cruise line/PHE, whereas in any other situation you wouldn’t be.  
 

Worringly I am now thinking that on port excursions booked  on board requiring coach travel, some of which are required by the cruise line to disembark, then the same might apply - if someone became +ve then they might well go rounding up all the others who had booked on same tour bus as of course they would know everyone who had been on board.

 

It’s really becoming a minefield. 
 

 

 

 

Edited October 17, 2021 by watsonbeau
Add extra text

[Les_ldh]

13 hours ago, CarlaMarie said:

 

I hadn't realised the first incident which I think was on Iona had involved an Eavesway coach.

 

What I don't understand is why yet again some passengers have not worn their masks on the coach? It not only puts their own cruise in jeopardy if anyone should test positive, but also that of their fellow coach passengers.  

It’s a disgrace that some coach passengers didn’t wear masks on the coach, however to test positive at the terminal they must have been positive before they even got on the coach, so the masks aren’t the issue here. The real issue is why coach passengers are not carrying out the required LFT correctly before boarding the coach.

 

I will not be very happy if this happens to me in two weeks time.

Les.

[Dermotsgirl]

36 minutes ago, Les_ldh said:

It’s a disgrace that some coach passengers didn’t wear masks on the coach, however to test positive at the terminal they must have been positive before they even got on the coach, so the masks aren’t the issue here. The real issue is why coach passengers are not carrying out the required LFT correctly before boarding the coach.

 

I will not be very happy if this happens to me in two weeks time.

Les.

The trouble is, the messaging from the powers that be and the media has been that it’s all over. Combined with the belief that some people hold that the vaccine gives them near immunity, the result has been that less and less people are wearing their masks. 
 

I haven’t seen anything to suggest that people aren’t carrying out the LFTs before boarding the coach. Unfortunately, it’s perfectly possible to get a negative result one day, and then do another one the next day and test positive. So people could be doing their tests the evening before, then testing positive at the terminal.

 

Nobody is going to be happy if someone tests positive on their coach, but, as the autumn and winter progresses it will happen more and more. 
 

Unfortunately, this is one of the risks that people will have to accept if they wish to cruise in the Covid era - or use alternative transport to get to Southampton 

Edited October 18, 2021 by Dermotsgirl

[Dermotsgirl]

13 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

The crux of the coach issue I think, is what is being defined as ‘close contact’ - in that all passengers on same coach are being defined as ‘close contact’ by the cruise line/PHE, whereas in any other situation you wouldn’t be.  
 

Worringly I am now thinking that on port excursions booked  on board requiring coach travel, some of which are required by the cruise line to disembark, then the same might apply - if someone became +ve then they might well go rounding up all the others who had booked on same tour bus as of course they would know everyone who had been on board.

 

It’s really becoming a minefield. 
 

 

 

 

That has crossed my mind about excursions by coach 

[CarlaMarie]

13 hours ago, watsonbeau said:

The crux of the coach issue I think, is what is being defined as ‘close contact’ - in that all passengers on same coach are being defined as ‘close contact’ by the cruise line/PHE, whereas in any other situation you wouldn’t be.  
 

Worringly I am now thinking that on port excursions booked  on board requiring coach travel, some of which are required by the cruise line to disembark, then the same might apply - if someone became +ve then they might well go rounding up all the others who had booked on same tour bus as of course they would know everyone who had been on board.

 

It’s really becoming a minefield. 
 

 

 

 

 

I believe that this has actually happened on a different cruise line, but I cannot remember which one. I am sure I have read about it on here somewhere. 

 

It must be a minefield for all the cruise lines just as much as it is for the passengers with the ever changing protocols and each country having their own requirements.

 

They should however advise their passengers what may or may not happen if such a situation arises with no guarantees, at least then passengers have been warned.

[Pencil62]

After following this thread over the weekend, we've decided to cancel our booking with  Intercruises for our upcoming December cruise. Our Derbyshire based TA has kindly swapped it for some extra on-board spend.  We are now travelling with Eavesway for only slightly more than the obs. We are more reassured now as the lady who took our booking said although they were allowed to fill their coaches they have made a decision not to. She did however warn us that Public Health England state that all passengers on the coach will be denied boarding if one person tests positive. She also referred us to their Covid page on their website which is very informative.   Jacko.