First P&O Sailing - Is it usually like this?

[Bazrat]

2 minutes ago, Britboys said:

So, you only got off because Graham & Pauline got on eh? Bit extreme...😉😂

Bit extreme but you may have a point 😀😄😅🤣

[Harry Peterson]

Another vote for using a TA from me - but certainly not the one used by the original poster. And, for most of us here, I suspect, only the one specialist agent with just the one location.

 

Not only do they very much know what they’re doing, because they specialise in cruises, but they’ll negotiate a discount over and above all the P&O discounts.  And, most importantly of all, they’ll get you a specific cabin on the first booking day, which P&O refuse to do. They’re also easy to deal with, unlike P&O.

 

It was suggested somewhere in this thread that if you book through an agent, P&O won’t deal direct with any complaints about the cruise. I can assure you that they will, and do.

[Purdey16]

I would of loved to of met graham and the lovely Pauline 🙂

[Jennizor]

We have used our TA for over 15 years now. We always get a discount in addition to the one offered by P& O. On the cruise I booked last month we got £100 each more discount and an extra £100 each OBC. The paperwork is always sent within hours of booking and they always make sure everything is in order in the weeks before sailing. We always use their Scottish office and several of the staff remember me from previous bookings. 

[Cathygh]

On 4/18/2022 at 5:11 PM, BouncingWheel said:

I'm glad to reassure. We too were so apprehensive about it because of all the problems pre-boarding we had that we were worried about all possible IT issues screwing up the holiday and spending so long at the reception fixing things.

However, we were presently surprised and I am sure you will find others thinking the same if you search the princess boards from last summer.

Maybe it is an expectation setting thing. Set the bar low with the onboard IT process to make it easier to impress with the onboard medallion technology though I guess I may have ruined that now😁.

Very wise advice, thank you. I just need the arrival group page to be available and get our pre embarkation tests booked. Oh and the packing. 

[Fionboard]

The TA I have used many times is great when booking but appalling if you have a post booking problem or query like I have had this time.  Impossible to contact anyone. I have had quicker and better service when booking direct with P&O so will do that in future.  You are lucky if you have found a reliable TA.

[wowzz]

49 minutes ago, Fionboard said:

You are lucky if you have found a reliable TA.

Many of us on here have found a reliable TA !

[Red Ray]

Been on 2 cruises 'post Covid' - Iona & Azura - and found the staff as good as they have ever been. I always make a point of addressing them by their first name and have never had any issues. Having a friend who worked in Manila and being a massive cricket fan always seems to help!

[Yorkypete]

9 hours ago, Harry Peterson said:

Another vote for using a TA from me - but certainly not the one used by the original poster. And, for most of us here, I suspect, only the one specialist agent with just the one location.

 

Not only do they very much know what they’re doing, because they specialise in cruises, but they’ll negotiate a discount over and above all the P&O discounts.  And, most importantly of all, they’ll get you a specific cabin on the first booking day, which P&O refuse to do. They’re also easy to deal with, unlike P&O.

 

It was suggested somewhere in this thread that if you book through an agent, P&O won’t deal direct with any complaints about the cruise. I can assure you that they will, and do.

Can I ask where you got the info re P&O dealing with you if you have booked through a TA? We had a query  and complaint. P&O were very nice but insisted they could not discuss ANYTHING with us as it was  confidential between them and the TA. Any contract we were told was between us and the TA and NOT P&O.

 It is a two contract system. Us with the TA and the other between the TA and P&O.

[Fionboard]

Not being able to contact my TA, got through to P&O really quickly and my query was answered and addressed immediately. 

[Harry Peterson]

49 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

Can I ask where you got the info re P&O dealing with you if you have booked through a TA? We had a query  and complaint. P&O were very nice but insisted they could not discuss ANYTHING with us as it was  confidential between them and the TA. Any contract we were told was between us and the TA and NOT P&O.

 It is a two contract system. Us with the TA and the other between the TA and P&O.

The only information I have is that on each occasion that we've had to raise issues about a cruise (leaving aside straightforward booking issues) we've always ended up dealing directly with P&O.  Agents usually act as little more than post boxes anyway, so it was just cutting out the middle man. so to speak.  Some of the discussions with P&O have involved legal issues, usually around the terms of the contract, and settlements have always been direct with them.  The agents have never been involved in the discussions.

 

On the contract point, by the way P&O weren't really being very helpful - or accurate - when they told you what they did.  There are indeed two contracts involved (three if you count the one between agent and P&O) but not as they described.  One contract is between you and P&O, and the other is between you and the agent.  So far as the cruise itself is concerned though, the contract is between you and P&O - the agent is simply acting on behalf of the principal, P&O in taking your money and making the arrangements.  The main contract is between you and P&O and their suggestion that they couldn't discuss issues with you is just plain wrong.  And a cop-out!

 

I suppose it suits them to take that line, though, because it's probably easier to convince an agent that there was no problem than the passenger who was directly impacted.  I've certainly succeeded in getting full refunds for cruises which P&O made major changes to before departure, when the agent would have given up.

[grapau27]

11 hours ago, Purdey16 said:

I would of loved to of met graham and the lovely Pauline 🙂

The feeling is mutual Sandra.

I'm pleased you had a wonderful cruise on Iona just like we did.

[Yorkypete]

1 hour ago, Harry Peterson said:

The only information I have is that on each occasion that we've had to raise issues about a cruise (leaving aside straightforward booking issues) we've always ended up dealing directly with P&O.  Agents usually act as little more than post boxes anyway, so it was just cutting out the middle man. so to speak.  Some of the discussions with P&O have involved legal issues, usually around the terms of the contract, and settlements have always been direct with them.  The agents have never been involved in the discussions.

 

On the contract point, by the way P&O weren't really being very helpful - or accurate - when they told you what they did.  There are indeed two contracts involved (three if you count the one between agent and P&O) but not as they described.  One contract is between you and P&O, and the other is between you and the agent.  So far as the cruise itself is concerned though, the contract is between you and P&O - the agent is simply acting on behalf of the principal, P&O in taking your money and making the arrangements.  The main contract is between you and P&O and their suggestion that they couldn't discuss issues with you is just plain wrong.  And a cop-out!

 

I suppose it suits them to take that line, though, because it's probably easier to convince an agent that there was no problem than the passenger who was directly impacted.  I've certainly succeeded in getting full refunds for cruises which P&O made major changes to before departure, when the agent would have given up.

We were waiting for a refund from a cruise  involving the deposit. It was slow coming through and the TA said they were waiting for the money from P&O. We spoke to P&O who said they could not tell us if the refund had been paid to the TA (who happens to be the largest one that works with P&O).  P&O said it was a confidential matter and legally they could not tell us as our contract was between us and the TA not with them. This was six months ago and having checked it out it appears P&O are correct.

 

[Harry Peterson]

31 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

We were waiting for a refund from a cruise  involving the deposit. It was slow coming through and the TA said they were waiting for the money from P&O. We spoke to P&O who said they could not tell us if the refund had been paid to the TA (who happens to be the largest one that works with P&O).  P&O said it was a confidential matter and legally they could not tell us as our contract was between us and the TA not with them. This was six months ago and having checked it out it appears P&O are correct.

 

That's an interesting situation.  Each party presumably blaming the other for the delay.  My issues were resolved pre-Covid, so there were no delays.

[molecrochip]

21 minutes ago, Yorkypete said:

We were waiting for a refund from a cruise  involving the deposit. It was slow coming through and the TA said they were waiting for the money from P&O. We spoke to P&O who said they could not tell us if the refund had been paid to the TA (who happens to be the largest one that works with P&O).  P&O said it was a confidential matter and legally they could not tell us as our contract was between us and the TA not with them. This was six months ago and having checked it out it appears P&O are correct.

 

In a sense, you are both correct. Generally the contract between you and the TA requires that you deal with them up until the point of departure. Thereafter you’re P&Os responsibility.

 

When there are problems then there is occasionally the need to determine whether the issue stems from pre-departure or post-departure.

 

Regarding refunds: you’re required to pay the TA the full amount. They can’t ‘book’/spend their commission element of that payment until 90 days out. This being the point that you lose your money if you cancel.

 

If P&O then cancel, they repay the amount net of commission to your agent and your agent should add the commission on to make up to 100%.

 

Heres where it gets difficult: of late, P&O have protected agents commission due to their cancellations. P&O say that the refund to the guest should work as above and then P&O will refund the commission to the agent in due course. Agents say no, you’re not using our cash flow, and refuse to pay out the commission element until received from P&O.

 

For agents who process the payment straight through P&O, they get paid their commission by P&O once it’s unconditional therefore, agents refuse to repay until they gave their money.

[wowzz]

53 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

In a sense, you are both correct. Generally the contract between you and the TA requires that you deal with them up until the point of departure. Thereafter you’re P&Os responsibility.

 

When there are problems then there is occasionally the need to determine whether the issue stems from pre-departure or post-departure.

 

Regarding refunds: you’re required to pay the TA the full amount. They can’t ‘book’/spend their commission element of that payment until 90 days out. This being the point that you lose your money if you cancel.

 

If P&O then cancel, they repay the amount net of commission to your agent and your agent should add the commission on to make up to 100%.

 

Heres where it gets difficult: of late, P&O have protected agents commission due to their cancellations. P&O say that the refund to the guest should work as above and then P&O will refund the commission to the agent in due course. Agents say no, you’re not using our cash flow, and refuse to pay out the commission element until received from P&O.

 

For agents who process the payment straight through P&O, they get paid their commission by P&O once it’s unconditional therefore, agents refuse to repay until they gave their money.

Sorry  - I'm confused. Previously I booked through an agent who processes payment on behalf of P&O.  P&O cancelled the cruise due to Covid restrictions,  and 10 weeks later I got a cheque from P&O. 

How does that equate to agents refusing to pay? 

[molecrochip]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Sorry  - I'm confused. Previously I booked through an agent who processes payment on behalf of P&O.  P&O cancelled the cruise due to Covid restrictions,  and 10 weeks later I got a cheque from P&O. 

How does that equate to agents refusing to pay? 

I should have been clearer, that was not for a Covid cancellation. 
 

P&O took the unusual step of breaking their agent contract under force majore and refunding everyone direct as they assumed that, due to the working at home requirement, it would not be possible for agents to do.

 

It went badly, as discussed many times on here.

 

I was referring to the standard process which is now back in use again.

[wowzz]

1 minute ago, molecrochip said:

I should have been clearer, that was not for a Covid cancellation. 
 

P&O took the unusual step of breaking their agent contract under force majore and refunding everyone direct as they assumed that, due to the working at home requirement, it would not be possible for agents to do.

 

It went badly, as discussed many times on here.

 

I was referring to the standard process which is now back in use again.

Moley - thank you for the explanation..

As always,  your input is appreciated. 

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I was referring to the standard process which is now back in use again.

When was this reinstated Moley?

[molecrochip]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

When was this reinstated Moley?

I don’t know exactly but know the Aurora and Arcadia refunds recently were back through standard channels.

 

It’s also worth noting that it’s an agents responsibility to notify of cancellation. Some don’t do this until they are ready to refund which is wrong.

5 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I should have been clearer, that was not for a Covid cancellation. 
 

P&O took the unusual step of breaking their agent contract under force majore and refunding everyone direct as they assumed that, due to the working at home requirement, it would not be possible for agents to do.

 

It went badly, as discussed many times on here.

 

I was referring to the standard process which is now back in use again.

The standard process enabled one bulk payment from P&O to each agent which the agent then breaks down and distributes.

 

With payment authorisation being the slow part of the P&O process, this cuts down on the problem.

[wowzz]

41 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

The standard process enabled one bulk payment from P&O to each agent which the agent then breaks down and distributes.

So, if a well known agent just processes payments on behalf of P&O,  that agent is then responsible for repayments, even though they never actually "held" any monies ?

Seems like P&O is abrogating responsibility.

[molecrochip]

5 hours ago, wowzz said:

So, if a well known agent just processes payments on behalf of P&O,  that agent is then responsible for repayments, even though they never actually "held" any monies ?

Seems like P&O is abrogating responsibility.

No, it’s part of the agent responsibilities in the agent contract between P&O and the agent. It’s one of the things they do to reasons earn their commission.

[Mollag]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

No, it’s part of the agent responsibilities in the agent contract between P&O and the agent. It’s one of the things they do to reasons earn their commission.

So who is responsible for replying to all the complaint emails sent to Ludlow and all his sidekicks that they don’t respond to is that P&O or the TA it’s not the TA we’re all complaining about it’s P&O

[Fionboard]

Booking confirmation from my TA and other correspondence clearly states that my contract is with P&O, I.e the provider of the product I am buying. They are merely sales  agents (the clue is in the name!). I book direct now. 

[Fionboard]

6 hours ago, molecrochip said:

No, it’s part of the agent responsibilities in the agent contract between P&O and the agent. It’s one of the things they do to reasons earn their commission.

Have you noticed that TA balance payment date is always earlier than P&O's. Holding money?!!