P&O using Thomas Cooks A 330 aircraft

[daiB]

thanks hun - I think the TA mentioned it was thom cook but I remember her also saying that they will be charging for films too? :eek:

 

That must be new, I am sure we did not pay to see Charlie Chaplin and the Keystone cops. Not bad but the steam projector kept snapping the film, perhaps it got too hot. But it was alright, as they had a man with a bucket of water standing by. Or was that for the camping gas the food was heated up on??:rolleyes:

 

 

:)Happy Cruising:)

 

:cool:

Dai

[bandit0000]

Hi Bex

For the Ventura 2008 Caribbean itin, you can now upgrade for £199 total pp.

I have heard they sell out fast though.

I have been told by my TA that the flight should be with First Choice, (good reputation 33" seat pitch),although because this is so far off they cannot guarantee it at this stage.

I am pinning my hopes on this as I am not prepared to pay extra to upgrade, (I have strong opinions that they should offer a decent flight without having to upgrade).

I have emailed P&O regarding their flights, but no one has got back to me

yet, I'll let you know if I get a response.

Hope this helps,

Lisa:)

[Elaine0138]

We paid for the flight upgrade, as it more than likely that we will be on a Thomas Cook flight. TC flights are sooo cramped.

[Brian Raine]

PADDIWAG, we were allocated those seats on the way out to Acapulco in Dec 2006, bacbreaking in the least. My wife is claustrophobic and has trouble flying at the best of times.We asked for and received a move forward , as the plane was not full. My complaint was why did the check in poeple not notice there were spaces further up the plane when we asked for an aisle.middle row seat. I am disabled and have trouble sitting within the restraints of these seats so I need an aisle seat.

With regard to paying for the movies, we were asked for £5 to upgrade to all the films, we could watch The Devil Wears Prada or Pirates of the Carribean(very apt)on the way back we were offered headphones (for free) with the attendant telling his associate "make a note to charge P&O for all the *phones handed out".

When P&O replied to my litany of complaints they did advise they were thinking of changing to another charter airline (Air KAZAKSTAN comes to mind)

[pringle8]

I would have expected it, if I had booked a Thomson Cruise... (I never would)

 

Regards,

 

People like you "luc2cruzuk" really really cheese me off.......you are a stuck-up total pain-in-the neck!!!! You think you are so much better than everyone else and would never lower yourself to go on a Thomson Cruise........heaven forbid!

 

Unless you have been on a Thomson Cruise, then you have absolutly no right to slate them then way you have in your post.

 

I have sailed with Festival, Airtours, Thomsons, NCL, RCCL, Princess, P&O and Celebrity and I can honestly say that the Thomson cruise was one of the most enjoyable cruises I've ever taken (maybe because people like you weren't on it!!!)

 

So before you go looking down your toffee nose at anyone that would have the audacity to go on a Thomson cruise, I suggest you try it out before issuing these stupid comments.:mad:

[seattlelover]

Well seattlelover,

 

So its our fault:mad:. Do you think that P&O cruisers just lie down and cry hit me again when things are wrong.:mad: Have you read the CC (P&O) boards every winter.

 

Well if you have not P&O have because they do react and perhaps if you read Lisa's post you may see a change is coming. Or can you not see in that direction.

 

I get a bit ********* off :mad:with those who do not like P&O for some reason always having a go.

 

Some of us have chosen to cruise with P&O because we like it that is our choice and we do not deserve to be attacked because of that choice.

 

I would never be aggressive to someone who always went with RCI or Princess and I would never put their cruise line down or them for choosing it.

 

I wonder what it is that engenders such loyalty. They must be doing something right.

 

Enjoy your cruising I know I shall enjoy mine.

 

 

 

Dai

 

Dai,

 

Yes i have read the CC boards every winter (well, the past 3 at least). Perhaps by introducing First Choice the flights will start to improve? I think I am right in saying though other airlines will still be used? FYI, yes, I can see in that direction...

 

I am against P&O still charging full price even if you choose to book a scheduled flight. I don't think they are being very reasonable, just racking in the extra £££.

 

I don't dislike the P&O cruise itself and my 'having a go' is my opinion, same as you have yours. I have never had a go at the cruise expereince itself, I have written reviews and made some comparisons. But since my experience of a P&O cruise along with the charter flight that went with it I have decided to broaden my horizons and check out other cruise lines who do offer the choice of a cruise/flight package or cruise only. I feel this gives me better value for money and more choice.

 

I stand by my 'blinkered passengers continuing to sail' comment. Hardly attacking, just voicing an opinion - the same as you and everyone else who uses message forums. There are some people who won't have a bad word said against P&O. This may be because they don't have another cruiseline to compare them with. Or just because they simply think P&O can't improve on what they do.

 

If I dislike P&O that much, then why am I going on the Oceana weekender this weekend?

 

Bev

[daiB]

Dai,

 

Yes i have read the CC boards every winter (well, the past 3 at least). Perhaps by introducing First Choice the flights will start to improve? I think I am right in saying though other airlines will still be used? FYI, yes, I can see in that direction...

 

I am against P&O still charging full price even if you choose to book a scheduled flight. I don't think they are being very reasonable, just racking in the extra £££.

 

I don't dislike the P&O cruise itself and my 'having a go' is my opinion, same as you have yours. I have never had a go at the cruise expereince itself, I have written reviews and made some comparisons. But since my experience of a P&O cruise along with the charter flight that went with it I have decided to broaden my horizons and check out other cruise lines who do offer the choice of a cruise/flight package or cruise only. I feel this gives me better value for money and more choice.

 

I stand by my 'blinkered passengers continuing to sail' comment. Hardly attacking, just voicing an opinion - the same as you and everyone else who uses message forums. There are some people who won't have a bad word said against P&O. This may be because they don't have another cruiseline to compare them with. Or just because they simply think P&O can't improve on what they do.

 

If I dislike P&O that much, then why am I going on the Oceana weekender this weekend?

 

Bev

 

 

 

 

I think we will have to agree to differ. I would not be so concerned if you said that P&O customers will see no improvement if they continue to use the Caribbean cruises with out complaining when things are bad. That is true, but I still do not accept the term "blinkered" as I find it derogatory.

 

I would never say that P&O were perfect far from it, but because I like many others prefer to travel with them does not in any way make us wrong.

 

I will always defend P&O when I think the attack is wrong, and as I said in my last posting I would never attack anyone else or the cruise line they use. So I would agree with, pringle8 above although he/she took their times in replying.

 

Yes some of the charter flights are poor and some of the blame should go to P&O but equally they should be allowed to do something about it.

 

Enjoy Oceana, we are on her in August for the first time. We have been on Adonia and had a great time.

 

When we have done all the P&O cruises that we want to do I shall no doubt have a go at other lines. The trouble is there is so many. Caribbean and back, US and back, Black Sea, Venice, Eastern Med, World, Baltic etc.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

 

:cool:

Dai

[Vampire Parrot]

My wife and myself decided to try P&O last year, and we sailed on the Arcadia (wonderful ship) across the Atlantic last October/November. On the trip, we met Dai... :cool:

 

I'd already discovered that if we took the P&O flight home, we'd be on a charter flight from Barbados with "charter legroom". (i.e. none). I phoned P&O, and found that if we flew back a few days later, we'd be able to come back on a Virgin Atlantic 747, flying premium economy, for a rather expensive supplement... and if I didn't use P&O to book the flight, I wouldn't get any kind of discount/refund... given what my spine does to me if I'm forced to remain effectively immobile and cramped for 10 hours, I had no choice other than to bite the bullet & pay the extra to fly back on Virgin Atlantic. Well, either that or not go across the Atlantic on the Arcadia, which was something we REALLY wanted to do! (And it was fantastic!!)

 

Premium Economy in a Virgin Atlantic aircraft is excellent. Even regular Economy class on a VA flight is pretty good....

 

So... if we take a cruise from the UK, we'll still go on a P&O ship - for all the right reasons. But if we take a cruise which involves a flight to/from the port, we'll consider other cruise lines which don't require us to use the charter flights they have pre-booked.

 

P&O : are you listening?????

[Bar-fly]

Hi Dai & All

I don't think that people are knocking the P&O product as such, the ships and service do differ within the P&O fleet and regular cruises with P&O like yourself will inevitably have their favourite ship, mine was Victoria unfortunately she is now laid up in Greece waiting on a decision as to her future.

I pointed out in my last mail that P&O don't run poor ships its just that in many small ways they could be so much better, my beef at P&O was about the terrible flight letting down and spoiling the whole holiday and when we write to P&O with what I like to think as "constructive criticism" its because we want P&O to take action in order to continue to be a top cruise company, you yourself said " that some of the charter flights are poor " (that's evident by all the complaints about the airline) and you go on to say " but equally P&O should be allowed to do something about it " thats the point, they don't seem interested in doing anything about it, when we write in pointing out an obvious fault there is nothing constuctive coming back, just woffle.

I think that there is evidence of cost cutting in many small ways by parent company Carnival and P&O seem to accept it, and I like many others do not want to see P&O slipping down the order and becoming an English Carnival with pile it high and sell it cheap holiday camp type fun ships.

In his last mail Vampire Parrot said " P&O are you listening? " I fear they are not.

[Brian Raine]

pringle8 We have cruised with Thomson-Airtours-Page and Moy-International Cruises and Princess/P&O/Celebrity/RCI and hope to do Holland America and Cunard this year and we do not regard ourselves as "stuck up snobs". You get what you pay for, the original main complaint on this thread was the fact so many passengers were treated like cattle by P&O, therefore we expected better treatment and carriage.

We have done the Carribean (our first cruise) with Thomson and it gave me a taste for it , some 30 plus cruises later I'am still doing it, I got sea sick on a cross river ferry, so someone must be doing something right.

[bandit0000]

Hi,

This is the reply I got from P&O regarding their flights. I can agree with the comments, but I think if they are supplying charter airlines with that much business, surely they must be able to do something with regards to getting them make the flights more acceptable, (more legroom).

Lisa

 

Thank you for your email.

 

I can advise that at present, you will be flying with Thomsonfly. However,

this is subject to change and we may use an alternative airline. We

naturally take criticisms of our holidays very seriously and do recognise

that the flights included in these are an integral part of the overall

arrangements. I would wish to assure you that we endeavour to obtain the most comfortable and convenient means of travel to and from our ships.

However, regrettably there is no alternative but to use charter aircraft in

connection with our Caribbean and South American fly-cruise seasons, as

there are a very limited number of direct scheduled flights, which would

connect with our cruise programmes. Additionally, even if there were more flights, we would have considerable difficulty in obtaining some 1900 or more seats in each direction to coincide with the ship’s departure dates.

 

I hope this information has helped to answer your enquiry and look forward

to welcoming you on board soon.

 

Kind regards

 

Cate

P&O Cruises

Carnival UK

[Single Cruiser]

Well I'm off in a couple of days time and since I upgraded to premium I have received the flight tickets details and outbound to Barbados will be flying Thomsonfly with a 39" pitch and free drinks. However the return "short-medium haul" return fligth back from crete is Thomas Cook cattle-class.

 

I'll report back afterwards as carnival use the same planes/charters for OV and P&O just on different days..

[mancunian]

Thanks for saying you will report back.

 

Have a great trip - I am sure you will.

[daiB]

Well I'm off in a couple of days time and since I upgraded to premium I have received the flight tickets details and outbound to Barbados will be flying Thomsonfly with a 39" pitch and free drinks. However the return "short-medium haul" return flight back from Crete is Thomas Cook cattle-class.

 

I'll report back afterwards as carnival use the same planes/charters for OV and P&O just on different days..

 

 

 

39" seems positively palatial, enough room for a party and a lawn and flower beds.

 

Are you on OV1 as I am not sure if OV2 has started yet. We had a great cruise on her as Arcadia, lovely ship.

 

 

:):)Happy Cruising:):)

 

 

:cool:

Dai

[Bar-fly]

Hi Again all

 

Just got back from a cruise on Marco Polo, very nice cruise, and fantastic flights with Lufthasa, good seats and lots of room, thats the way to go, P&O take note.