tring Posted June 15 #1 Share Posted June 15 I know there is an email address which can be used to ask P&O for the actual times in port and am pretty sure I got it from someone here initially. I also used it to ask for times in port for an itinerary last year, and they did reply a few weeks later. I cannot now find that email address now though, so does anyone know what it is please? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sonyar Posted June 15 #2 Share Posted June 15 I contact them on Facebook messenger and always get a prompt reply. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin can Posted July 10 #3 Share Posted July 10 We are looking at P & O for the first time and I find this 'cloak and dagger' with actual port times a bit unnerving. To all you regulars on here is there anything to be concerned about, we are looking at Fjords cruise on Iona with some bucket list stops for us but are put off booking as we don't actually know how long we will be in port. It gives the impression P & O doesn't know how long it will be in port?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david63 Posted July 10 #4 Share Posted July 10 10 minutes ago, Tin can said: It gives the impression P & O doesn't know how long it will be in port?? They do know the port times because all the ports are booked years in advance. The reason that they give is that due to "operational reasons" those times may change and they do not want to disappoint passengers. The more cynical answer is that they want you to buy their excursions. You can try Googling the individual ports as many will have the times on their cruise schedule site. If you are planning doing independent tours then don't worry because the tour companies know the times and will work within that time-frame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin can Posted July 10 #5 Share Posted July 10 16 minutes ago, david63 said: They do know the port times because all the ports are booked years in advance. The reason that they give is that due to "operational reasons" those times may change and they do not want to disappoint passengers. The more cynical answer is that they want you to buy their excursions. You can try Googling the individual ports as many will have the times on their cruise schedule site. If you are planning doing independent tours then don't worry because the tour companies know the times and will work within that time-frame. Thank you for the prompt response and the reassurance. I think we will be looking at independent tours so that is good to know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquishTheWhale Posted July 10 #6 Share Posted July 10 It's funny to me that they swear they can't provide port times in advance when every other cruise line manages to do that just fine. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david63 Posted July 10 #7 Share Posted July 10 13 minutes ago, SquishTheWhale said: It's funny to me that they swear they can't provide port times in advance when every other cruise line manages to do that just fine. What I find even more ludicrous is that Cunard's UK website show the same information as P&O (early morning, late afternoon, etc.) but Cunard's Spanish website has the actual times. It's not like parking your car where you just arrive at a car park and park your car (if there is an available space) - ports have to be booked years in advance, which by definition means that the port times are known well before the itineraries are published. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandancer Posted July 10 #8 Share Posted July 10 If you do a Google search and put the exact cruise details, date etc in the search bar it will bring up some websites which give the information you are looking for. I did this for our Princess cruise. Unfortunately I can’t give the address as I think they may be a travel agency and I’m not allowed. Begins with G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david63 Posted July 10 #9 Share Posted July 10 18 minutes ago, sandancer said: I did this for our Princess cruise Princess normally, in my experience, show port times on their website Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandancer Posted July 10 #10 Share Posted July 10 I was looking for more port information than arrival and departure times. It was very helpful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tring Posted July 10 Author #11 Share Posted July 10 (edited) Regards my initial question on the thread, I have now been in touch with P&O and it seems they now have a policy of not giving our port times, though last summer I had been sent the times for a September cruise on request, with the proviso that times could change obviously. @Tin can In my experience the only reliable online sites with accurate information is the port authority sites for each port on the cruise, so are worth searching for online Some port authorities publish a full schedule with times the ships are booked into port, though on other sites they are not available, or a port site cannot be found. Approximations can be obtained on many websites as well as the P&O itineraries, but they are generally only approximations. Of course those times can and do sometimes change. Private trips can always be a risk and vehicles could break down or traffic conditions cause extra delays, for instance, but obviously much less risky if the tour is due to return to the port a fair while before the approximate times given for sailing time, such as a morning excursion on a full day port call. Everyone has to make their own decision regards taking a private excursion, but if for some reason there is a delay returning, big costs could be incurred on accommodation and future travel to a subsequent port. Given the very high cost of things in Norway, that is a bigger risk than most other ports, so is worth taking into account imo. There is also a chance that the ship will not get into port for some reason, so worth making sure any excursion can be cancelled and refunded if necessary. Another way of getting a bit more info is to look at the times of the P&O excursions, and their duration, on your login. You will need to click on the red "book" tab to get those times, but can then leave that page by going back, so will not be booking anything, but probably best to check the excursion has not been popped into your "basket" by mistake. Hope you enjoy the cruise. Edited July 10 by tring 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solentsam Posted July 10 #12 Share Posted July 10 You could look at your cruise planner and see what P&O excursions for that day in port, see the earliest starting time and longest duration, might give some sort of idea. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin can Posted July 10 #13 Share Posted July 10 3 hours ago, SquishTheWhale said: It's funny to me that they swear they can't provide port times in advance when every other cruise line manages to do that just fine. To be honest I have only ever sailed with Royal Caribbean and when booking on the website you know exactly when the ship arrives in port and when it leaves. We are really looking forward to booking our Iona Fjords cruise but this 'arrives morning and leaves afternoon' thing leaves me very nervous. Technically this could be the ship arriving at 11am and departing at 1pm or worse. For people to spend thousands of pounds on a cruise and not know something as basic as time in ports seem very odd indeed. I can tell though from switching across from the Royal forum that you folks here love the P & O brand and enjoy your cruises so I'm guessing it must all work out ok in the end. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david63 Posted July 10 #14 Share Posted July 10 As some degree of reassurance you will certainly know the day before arriving at a port what the arrival/departure times are (subject to unforeseen circumstances) and if I remember correctly there will be a sheet with the times for every port waiting for you in your cabin - unless that is another one of the cutbacks. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyGiraffe Posted July 10 #15 Share Posted July 10 On 6/15/2024 at 4:38 PM, tring said: I know there is an email address which can be used to ask P&O for the actual times in port and am pretty sure I got it from someone here initially. I also used it to ask for times in port for an itinerary last year, and they did reply a few weeks later. I cannot now find that email address now though, so does anyone know what it is please? I used the "contact us" form on the website for our cruise last month. As far as I can tell they're still sending out the planned times as long as you acknowledge in your message that they're subject to change. The times we were sent were more or less correct to the published time in Horizon the night before and the actual arrival time, maybe an hour out on one port. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquishTheWhale Posted July 10 #16 Share Posted July 10 7 hours ago, Tin can said: To be honest I have only ever sailed with Royal Caribbean and when booking on the website you know exactly when the ship arrives in port and when it leaves. We are really looking forward to booking our Iona Fjords cruise but this 'arrives morning and leaves afternoon' thing leaves me very nervous. Technically this could be the ship arriving at 11am and departing at 1pm or worse. For people to spend thousands of pounds on a cruise and not know something as basic as time in ports seem very odd indeed. I can tell though from switching across from the Royal forum that you folks here love the P & O brand and enjoy your cruises so I'm guessing it must all work out ok in the end. The information is available if you ask for it- someone on a social media group for my cruise obtained the times by emailing and shared them with us all. They send it with a caveat that it could change, but we all know that's how cruising works. You won't get 11am-1pm port times, it's been a while since my Fjords cruise on Britannia but they were full days. P&O is quite a different product to RC, but it's also a much cheaper one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david63 Posted July 10 #17 Share Posted July 10 15 minutes ago, SquishTheWhale said: P&O is quite a different product to RC, but it's also a much cheaper one. I don't think that price has anything to do with this as the same system operates in Cunard - it is Carnival UK that is creating this. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SquishTheWhale Posted July 10 #18 Share Posted July 10 1 minute ago, david63 said: I don't think that price has anything to do with this as the same system operates in Cunard - it is Carnival UK that is creating this. I wasn't talking about the port times specifically- just referencing the fact the poster was trying P&O after being used to Royal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tin can Posted July 11 #19 Share Posted July 11 13 hours ago, SquishTheWhale said: P&O is quite a different product to RC, but it's also a much cheaper one. Yes you’re right the price is considerably cheaper, I was actually quite shocked at the difference. Royal itineraries from Southampton seem to attract a premium cost and the current itineraries are a bit disappointing. For us the difference will be good and new, we are looking forward to trying P & O. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt Pugwash Posted July 12 #20 Share Posted July 12 I mentioned this in a post a while ago you can go on to the Official Port Authority Websites where they will every Cruise Ship in port and the Arrive and leaving Leaving Times but NEVER P&O times whatever the Ship. Thy will list the P&O Ships in on what date but no times. Must come under the Secrets act, everybody else can do it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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