Cruise Parking - Iona

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, AndyLovesCruises said:

**UPDATE**  

 

So having booked this some weeks ago, I reached out to the company this morning as I wanted to find out the exact drop off point.  The website just says the 'short stay car park'

 

I jumped on google maps and there was no short stay car part at Berth 46 the listed car parks that I could see were 

 

CPS Car Park

AB Car Park

Triangle Car Park

Platform Car Park

 

I jumped onto Portside meet and great as they had a chat box and left them a message asking for a name or a post code, the replied a few hours later.  Here my question :

 

Do you have the postcode or address for the short stay car park at Ocean Terminal? All the booking info just says look for the signs but an address would be most helpful. On google maps around Ocean terminal Berth 46 cannot see any short stay car parks. 

 

They just told me its 100 yards from the Berth, when I asked for a name or postcode they just repeated the answer but then said 200 yards from the berth.  I pressed again and said it was a bit strange

 

there reply was : 

 

• Every terminal has its own short stay capark across the road from the ship..the is the SHORT STAY CARPARK............

  9:51
• No idea why you find it strange!!!

  9:52
• is this your level of customer service?

  9:52
• Please book elsewhere ....

  9:52
• I think I will 🙂

 

Now am I being a difficult customer? Maybe.  Having traveled from S'hampton a few times its usually gridlock on a saturday with 3-4 ships in port.  I'm traveling with my wife and toddler so really don't have time to fath around, all they needed to do was maybe add a few images to their website and making the process simpler than '1,2,3' and I would have gone with it.  

 

Needless to say I canceled the booking and managed to find a spot with CPS.  Its cost me another £50.00 but id rather pay double to be fair.  I wont be leaving my Cayenne in their hands for a week! 

Whilst it’s true that every cruise terminal has a short stay car park a very short distance from it, they have handled your query very poorly and I’m not surprised that you have stuck two fingers up to them, especially with a car like yours.
 

Incidentally, whenever we see one, my wife drops hints that the Cayenne might be a nice car when we next change, but I’d be concerned about my driving licence, not to mention the 25mpg that I’d probably achieve on a good day (a relative had a Macan GTS and used to get that)  😂 

[Cloudyrain]

But there is a short stay car park at the berth clearly signed right next to CPS. I mean the attitude isn’t great, but they are people who do the driving or accounts who respond, it’s not a massive company with dedicated call centre etc. That’s why most of their business is through Holiday Extras.

[AndyLovesCruises]

1 minute ago, Cloudyrain said:

But there is a short stay car park at the berth clearly signed right next to CPS. I mean the attitude isn’t great, but they are people who do the driving or accounts who respond, it’s not a massive company with dedicated call centre etc. That’s why most of their business is through Holiday Extras.

 

A small family run business should know better..  It is what it is though.  

Edited August 3, 2023 by AndyLovesCruises

[Cloudyrain]

3 minutes ago, kalos said:

 

You said you booked with H X and if I was you a review would be left on their site .

I that's how they treat you when booking ,then imagine any damage or complaint 

post cruise ?  

You are well out of it !

I booked with them (via HX), there was a minor complaint (parking charge) and HX dealt with it within days and it was resolved brilliantly. I still use them and recommend them. 

[AndyLovesCruises]

Just now, Cloudyrain said:

I booked with them (via HX), there was a minor complaint (parking charge) and HX dealt with it within days and it was resolved brilliantly. I still use them and recommend them. 

 

And I'm sure they will be fine for your in the future, but not for me... 

[Cloudyrain]

Just now, AndyLovesCruises said:

 

A small family run business should know better..  It is what it is though.  

I’m not disagreeing, but I feel for businesses like this: especially in the fact their name is being associated with the other dodgy company of a similar name. 

[Cloudyrain]

Just now, AndyLovesCruises said:

 

And I'm sure they will be fine for your in the future, but not for me... 

that’s fine that it’s not for you - whoever you go with you need to be happy with so that you don’t worry about it when you are away 😊

[kalos]

2 minutes ago, Cloudyrain said:

I booked with them (via HX), there was a minor complaint (parking charge) and HX dealt with it within days and it was resolved brilliantly. I still use them and recommend them. 

If your happy with your choice that's all that matters .

[Megabear2]

55 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Yes you are being difficult, both Ocean and Mayflower have short stay car parks that are clearly signposted as you drive out of the luggage drop off zone, but I doubt they have their own specific postcode or address.

In fairness I wouldn't know that either.  I rely entirely on a full postcode and directions on my paperwork when driving to a booked car park anywhere.

[9265359]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

Yes you are being difficult, both Ocean and Mayflower have short stay car parks that are clearly signposted as you drive out of the luggage drop off zone, but I doubt they have their own specific postcode or address.

 

No AndyLovesCruises was not being difficult.

 

Every single parking company I have booked with in the last few years has given a postcode and address, and often these days a grid location and a 'what three words' location, as the last thing any decent company wants is for their customer to have any difficulty locating them on a day when they might be rushing.

 

If you were being generous the parking company's response was unprofessional, and if you were not then insulting and incompetent. But then this is a company that appears to have a lax attitude to the law.

[terrierjohn]

17 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

No AndyLovesCruises was not being difficult.

 

Every single parking company I have booked with in the last few years has given a postcode and address, and often these days a grid location and a 'what three words' location, as the last thing any decent company wants is for their customer to have any difficulty locating them on a day when they might be rushing.

 

If you were being generous the parking company's response was unprofessional, and if you were not then insulting and incompetent. But then this is a company that appears to have a lax attitude to the law.

My post was in reply to the posters demand for a postcode, as I indicated I very much doubt the short stay car park has it's own postcode, but Ocean terminal does have a postcode, and once you are there, it is easy to follow the signs to the short stay car park, failing that there are plenty of staff around at the luggage drop off point who will be able to direct you to the short stay car park, and many thousands of passengers do manage to find their way to the meet and greet location.

[9265359]

20 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

My post was in reply to the posters demand for a postcode, as I indicated I very much doubt the short stay car park has it's own postcode, but Ocean terminal does have a postcode, and once you are there, it is easy to follow the signs to the short stay car park, failing that there are plenty of staff around at the luggage drop off point who will be able to direct you to the short stay car park, and many thousands of passengers do manage to find their way to the meet and greet location.

 

And I would very much suggest that a car park has a post code - as before, all the car parks that I have booked online have had postcodes, and for example Ocean Terminal has a different postcode (SO14 3QN) to the CPS office at Ocean Terminal (SO14 3QP) and so it is pretty likely that a designated car park at that location would have a post code.

 

But irrespective of that, your suggestion that they follow the signs to *the* short stay car park is rather presumptive - are you absolutely certain there is a single short stay car park near Ocean Terminal and it is not possible that there is more than one short stay car park?

 

And are you really suggesting that someone sets off and hopes that a member of staff points them to the correct car park. No chance of that ever going wrong...

 

As before, any company with decent customer service would have a postcode for the location of the car park on their website, and if by chance the car park didn't have a postcode then they would have an alternative to let people know where it was, such as a grid location, a 'what three words' location, or even a plain old simple map with an arrow pointing to it.

 

But did this company have any of those, nope they did not. And when asked they got abusive about it.

 

That is not good customer service, and certainly not the sort of customer service that you want from someone driving off in your car to hopefully store securely for a couple of weeks.

 

[terrierjohn]

55 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

 

And I would very much suggest that a car park has a post code - as before, all the car parks that I have booked online have had postcodes, and for example Ocean Terminal has a different postcode (SO14 3QN) to the CPS office at Ocean Terminal (SO14 3QP) and so it is pretty likely that a designated car park at that location would have a post code.

 

But irrespective of that, your suggestion that they follow the signs to *the* short stay car park is rather presumptive - are you absolutely certain there is a single short stay car park near Ocean Terminal and it is not possible that there is more than one short stay car park?

 

And are you really suggesting that someone sets off and hopes that a member of staff points them to the correct car park. No chance of that ever going wrong...

 

As before, any company with decent customer service would have a postcode for the location of the car park on their website, and if by chance the car park didn't have a postcode then they would have an alternative to let people know where it was, such as a grid location, a 'what three words' location, or even a plain old simple map with an arrow pointing to it.

 

But did this company have any of those, nope they did not. And when asked they got abusive about it.

 

That is not good customer service, and certainly not the sort of customer service that you want from someone driving off in your car to hopefully store securely for a couple of weeks.

 

When you find the specific postcode for the short stay car park at Ocean Terminal, do please let me know..

[9265359]

19 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

When you find the specific postcode for the short stay car park at Ocean Terminal, do please let me know..

 

Perhaps you could provide a description of the precise location for it and then I might be able to - you know, perhaps a grid reference, a 'what three words' reference, or even a plain old straightforward map with an arrow.

 

Without those, then how would I know if I was referring to the same short stay car park as you were. 

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, 9265359 said:

 

Perhaps you could provide a description of the precise location for it and then I might be able to - you know, perhaps a grid reference, a 'what three words' reference, or even a plain old straightforward map with an arrow.

 

Without those, then how would I know if I was referring to the same short stay car park as you were. 

Ocean terminal only has one short term car park, so it ought to be easy, but try as I may I could not find any other postcode for anything in Ocean terminal. But maybe it's not surprising that the car park does not have a POSTcode, since who would want to write to a car park!

[9265359]

19 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Ocean terminal only has one short term car park, so it ought to be easy, but try as I may I could not find any other postcode for anything in Ocean terminal. But maybe it's not surprising that the car park does not have a POSTcode, since who would want to write to a car park!

Hmm, “ought to” is a recipe for disaster and the CPS key collection kiosk (which I doubt receives much mail) does have a postcode.

 

But you are continuing to ignore the issue.

 

Even if there isn’t a postcode there was no need for the company to be rude and unprofessional by failing to provide alternative directions.

 

As before for the umpteenth time, why didn’t they provide a grid location, a map, a photo, frankly anything at all that would ensure their customers did end up at the right place.

[kalos]

14 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

why didn’t they provide a grid location, a map, a photo, frankly anything at all that would ensure their customers did end up at the right place.

 

Our son sometimes gets jobs such as delivering rail tracks to places in the middle of nowhere .

After getting sat nav directions to the nearest village  ,they do e-mail a satellite image photo

with where to turn on arrival . I cannot see what their problem was if others can do it .

[terrierjohn]

29 minutes ago, 9265359 said:

Hmm, “ought to” is a recipe for disaster and the CPS key collection kiosk (which I doubt receives much mail) does have a postcode.

 

But you are continuing to ignore the issue.

 

Even if there isn’t a postcode there was no need for the company to be rude and unprofessional by failing to provide alternative directions.

 

As before for the umpteenth time, why didn’t they provide a grid location, a map, a photo, frankly anything at all that would ensure their customers did end up at the right place.

What is the CPS kiosk postcode, I note that their website gives the standard Ocean terminal postcode SO14 3QN. I also note that P4C only gives the same code for Ocean and the standard SO15 1HJ for Mayflower, but as I have repeatedly said, there are plenty of terminal staff and porters who will give the uncertain directions to the short stay car park.

I guess the staff member now regrets the rude and offhand comments he/she made, but at least it shows that the chat line was human and not an inflexible chatbot.

Edited August 4, 2023 by terrierjohn

[kalos]

5 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I guess the staff member now regrets the rude and offhand comments he/she made, but at least it shows that the chat line was human and not an inflexible chatbot.

If the company is new ,hopefully they will learn by their mistakes and build a 

"Can do approach " for the future , but for now what is done is done .

[9265359]

27 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

What is the CPS kiosk postcode,

https://goo.gl/maps/eWTWUwof9r3K933Q6
 

27 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

but as I have repeatedly said, there are plenty of terminal staff and porters who will give the uncertain directions to the short stay car park.

 

And again, *the* short stay car park. Are you certain there is no other car park nearby that could be mistaken for *the* short stay car park?
 

Are you absolutely sure, after all the signs for short stay parking at the entrance to thr Ocean Terminal dock road point you away from the terminal and along Town Quay towards the river - https://goo.gl/maps/fuwcqVtSg5GhRPBg9

 

23 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I guess the staff member now regrets the rude and offhand comments he/she made, but at least it shows that the chat line was human and not an inflexible chatbot.

A member of staff that is too dim to simply explain where the car park you believe is trivially easy to find and instead tells the customer to ‘go away. They wouldn’t have needed either the rude and incompetent staff member or an inflexible chatbot if they had simply put some proper directions and a map on their website.

[mickyc123]

Well as I said before I couldn’t fault them in all my dealings with them.

with a further two booked

they are also the only ones  I have found to offer a EV charge I can see at Southampton at present

yes by what has been put clearly the individual should have dealt with the situation a lot better and hopefully they will learn from it

 

but after reading all the differing comments I had to smile if honest

 

All on this group love P@O and the product they DID offer or still  DO offer

 

I worked in a customer delivery and  customer relations field for a Massive uk company so know the frustrations from both sides at times

 

well personally the consistently worst Customer service(shoreside I will add as can’t fault them on the ship)I  have got over the years is P&O 

 

ironic really

 

but still have two up coming cruises with them as it ticks boxes for other bits

 

just know what customer service and IT experience I will get

 

happy sailings everyone
 

 

 

[Selbourne]

40 minutes ago, mickyc123 said:

Well as I said before I couldn’t fault them in all my dealings with them.

with a further two booked

they are also the only ones  I have found to offer a EV charge I can see at Southampton at present

yes by what has been put clearly the individual should have dealt with the situation a lot better and hopefully they will learn from it

 

but after reading all the differing comments I had to smile if honest

 

All on this group love P@O and the product they DID offer or still  DO offer

 

I worked in a customer delivery and  customer relations field for a Massive uk company so know the frustrations from both sides at times

 

well personally the consistently worst Customer service(shoreside I will add as can’t fault them on the ship)I  have got over the years is P&O 

 

ironic really

 

but still have two up coming cruises with them as it ticks boxes for other bits

 

just know what customer service and IT experience I will get

 

happy sailings everyone
 

 

 

That is so true. If anybody judged P&O by the quality of their land based customer service team, they would never book a cruise! Just look at the thread on speciality restaurants - booking before departure to see how inept they are 😂 

[Winifred 22]

4 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

That is so true. If anybody judged P&O by the quality of their land based customer service team, they would never book a cruise! Just look at the thread on speciality restaurants - booking before departure to see how inept they are 😂 

I’ve only had positive experiences of their shoreside team with very pleasant and efficient service. 

[Selbourne]

13 minutes ago, Winifred 22 said:

I’ve only had positive experiences of their shoreside team with very pleasant and efficient service. 

The staff who deal with bookings are great. Never had a problem with them. I was referring to the staff who deal with things that go wrong. Sadly I’ve had to contact them regarding problems with a couple of our cruises and it has been a masterclass in how not to deal with customers.

[molecrochip]

@Selbourne

 

Update on this. CPS should be ready now for 11am.

 

Boarding times are now being given out from 11.45 with effort being made to board from midday. I’m told that they have been slowly getting earlier since Easter, so my experience may not be truely up to date.

 

The push to board earlier is to reduce the requirement for queueing outside.

Edited August 5, 2023 by molecrochip