P&O Shore Experience

[lambinator1982]

I am on Arvia for the 14 night Med cruise on 26th May(K411)

 

They are selling a shore excursion which is a transfer to PortaAventura. Where you can experience Ferrari Land and ride Europe's fastest Rollercoaster Red Force.  

 

The problem is that after we purchased this transfer and paid for park entry tickets (not included) I later found out that Ferrari Land does not open until 4PM. The duration is listed as 9 hours and starts at 8:30am. If you do the maths we are due back at 5:30pm - the same time as sail away. Google says will take an hour and fifteen to get back - so If lucky will get 15 mins to enjoy Ferrari Land. Looking at PortaAventura's website 4PM is the earliest they open 

 

I called the call centre (about an hours wait) they basically said their tour operator advised them that there will be time to experience both parks, so they have sold it to their customers. 

 

[BouncingWheel]

I have seen P&O sell excursions to sites that are closed for renovations. They just cancel and give refunds before arriving in port. I think there is a set list for ports and they just repeat without full checks on the finer details such as if it is actually open or it’s current hours.

[Megabear2]

9 minutes ago, BouncingWheel said:

I have seen P&O sell excursions to sites that are closed for renovations. They just cancel and give refunds before arriving in port. I think there is a set list for ports and they just repeat without full checks on the finer details such as if it is actually open or it’s current hours.

Not much use to the OP as he's bought the park tickets as advised by p&O and presumably they weren't cheap.

[BouncingWheel]

If the details provided are correct then I am sure that the transfer will be cancelled and the OP will need to get a refund for the park tickets if poss. The call centre probably provided a standard response. Not great comms at all but if the transfer is for a place that is usually open but on this day not until 4pm then as the OP says Maths dictates that it won’t work. As I said, not the first time.

[david63]

It is also possible that the opening hours are adjusted to take cruise passengers into account. I have known attractions to be open only to cruise passengers outside of normal operating hours.

[happy v]

I would check with Port Adventure. I have also been on excursions which opened out of hours for us 

[Thejuggler]

Why are people so quick to use the word 'scam'?  Its not a scam.

 

P&O rely on information from the attraction.  The company haven't set out to deliberately get money off passengers under false pretences knowing they can't honour the promise but will subsequently keep any money paid.

 

It may not be possible to do the trip, if it isn't you get a refund.  If you have bought attraction tickets based on the advert above you need to raise it with P&O, as you have done.

 

Posting it a scam as fact potentially puts the post on the wrong side of a fine legal line.

[nosapphire]

If it's any consolation, similar thing happens on other lines too.

All cruise lines rely on their Port Agents, who in turn rely on their chosen tour operators.

Nowadays, nobody seems to double check, just assuming that the description given is accurate.

Not unusual topre-book a ship's tour for a specific destination, get on board and find a letter in the cabin saying tour cancelled because the specific destination is closed on that day.

Laugh or cry - evidently nobody looked at the day the ship would be in port.🙄

I have been on a ship's tour where it turned out that it was impossible to do all the promised actions supposedly included in the tour, simply because the time allowed was not long enough (needed at least another hour to fit it all in).

(Got a full refund on that, by arguing that the tour itself was "not as described".)

[lambinator1982]

19 hours ago, david63 said:

It is also possible that the opening hours are adjusted to take cruise passengers into account. I have known attractions to be open only to cruise passengers outside of normal operating hours.

I'm not sure in this case as how would they know who came via a cruise and who did not? park tickets are not included and had to be purchased separately

[lambinator1982]

6 hours ago, Thejuggler said:

Why are people so quick to use the word 'scam'?  Its not a scam.

 

Apologies for using the 'S' word and causing offence 

[jeanlyon]

I would see if you can get a refund from Port Adventura.

[lambinator1982]

Yeah we can, My friend booked, so he has cancelled. I might still go so will rebook-  Portaventura got a 20% off deal if booked by the 5th

[seahorse001]

On 5/2/2024 at 4:40 PM, lambinator1982 said:

I am on Arvia for the 14 night Med cruise on 26th May(K411)

 

They are selling a shore excursion which is a transfer to PortaAventura. Where you can experience Ferrari Land and ride Europe's fastest Rollercoaster Red Force.  

 

The problem is that after we purchased this transfer and paid for park entry tickets (not included) I later found out that Ferrari Land does not open until 4PM. The duration is listed as 9 hours and starts at 8:30am. If you do the maths we are due back at 5:30pm - the same time as sail away. Google says will take an hour and fifteen to get back - so If lucky will get 15 mins to enjoy Ferrari Land. Looking at PortaAventura's website 4PM is the earliest they open 

 

I called the call centre (about an hours wait) they basically said their tour operator advised them that there will be time to experience both parks, so they have sold it to their customers. 

 

Hi. Where are you docking & what month?  Port Aventura is just outside Salou? Been there a few times. TBH I don't think you would have time to see the two parks anyway. They are fairly big but not as gigantic as some.

First of all I think the parks hours change in the summer months too close later, so maybe check again ? 

Could you maybe go & just concentrate on one park? Shame to miss it - great day out 😊

[seahorse001]

On 5/2/2024 at 4:40 PM, lambinator1982 said:

I am on Arvia for the 14 night Med cruise on 26th May(K411)

 

They are selling a shore excursion which is a transfer to PortaAventura. Where you can experience Ferrari Land and ride Europe's fastest Rollercoaster Red Force.  

 

The problem is that after we purchased this transfer and paid for park entry tickets (not included) I later found out that Ferrari Land does not open until 4PM. The duration is listed as 9 hours and starts at 8:30am. If you do the maths we are due back at 5:30pm - the same time as sail away. Google says will take an hour and fifteen to get back - so If lucky will get 15 mins to enjoy Ferrari Land. Looking at PortaAventura's website 4PM is the earliest they open 

 

I called the call centre (about an hours wait) they basically said their tour operator advised them that there will be time to experience both parks, so they have sold it to their customers. 

 

Sorry I just noticed it's May 😅

[lambinator1982]

It's funny they have made changes to the wording since I made a complaint (I have not had a proper response so far)

 

 

visitor.

And if time permits, don't miss the opportunity to combine your visit with Ferrari Land, one of Europe's most iconic theme parks, for a thrilling day of adventure.

Join us for a day of endless excitement and entertainment at PortAventura, where the adventure never ends! 

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