So will the P&O Forum come back......

[Dennis The Menace]

.......and if so, how long will it take?

[Dennis The Menace]

I think it will, fingers crossed.

But reckon it could take months, possibly 2 or 3.

[Debbie W]

I hope it will come back but how many people will use it is anyone's guess. CN, in particular, seem to have profited from the Community's demise and it may be that people just won't bother with the new version of the forum.

My guess would be a minimum of 3 months before it reappears

[Lulucat]

I hope it will, but who knows? I didn't even consider joining anywhere else (apart from here of course) and sad to say, I have read CN over the last few days. I don't think I can think of the words to describe just how banal it is. I have also read some of the comments on Facebook and am so pleased I have never considered going down that route - and they have the cheek to say the P&O forum had some 'nasty' comments - unbelievable!!

[The Invigilator]

Mmmm I think it will be a while having said they seem to be taking the stance that the forum is responsible for the problems with the general website so maybe they will shut it down and rely on Facebook. Lulucat are you on Facebook?

[Lulucat]

No Invigilator, I am not on Facebook and never will be. None of the comments I have ever heard about the use of Facebook has ever remotely made me consider to join and I don't think I ever will. It's great for people who want it - but I don't. I read the comments I am allowed to read without joining, and frankly some of them are bad enough. If we ever thought that the P&O forum had keyboard warriors then I am afraid Facebook has 1000 times as many lol.

[The Invigilator]

OK Lulucat have to admit I have always been a bit wary of Facebook and was "encouraged" by some friends to join and the general face book I love it's been really helpful for things like events at juniors school but also getting in contact with friends and extended family. Sorry to read you have had a rubbish experience on it will catch up on here with you.

[Lulucat]

No, I've not had a rubbish experience, cos I've never been on it!!! I just read some of the really negative posts about the P&O site and think there are some very sad people out there - and I have no wish to discuss with anyone what I've had for breakfast and what I'm doing today. Sorry, but I don't think it would do anything for me. Our family (albeit very small) manages to keep in touch with each other very well without it - and long may that continue.

[david63]

I'm not sure if it will come back or not.

I think that there are some political issues within P&O's IT department. To say that the forum was causing a problem with the main site is only partially true. This problem has been in existence since day one of that forum and has been "fixed" many times.

My thinking is that the problem is to do with the link to the main customer database (the one that holds all of the information about the customers) and is used to log in. This database also holds the members screen name so every time there was a request for data on the forum then that database had to accessed. Some attempt to limit the amount of accessing was to cache some of the data - hence the missing posts problem.

What worries me is that someone thought that the answer to the problem was to reduce the number of entries in the forum database which is why when the forum returned on Tuesday it had been decimated. Anyone with half a brain would know that that was not the answer to the problem but more seriously it shows a total lack of understanding of what the forum/community was all about, and is why I reserve judgement on whether it will come back.

If it does come back then I cannot see it happening in the foreseeable future. Reading one of the posts on FB today Admin was saying that they are reviewing all the options yet they have been saying for several months that there will be changes to the forum in the New Year - but it sounds as if they don't know what they are.

How long does it take to set up a forum? This one was up within 24 hours. I do, however, accept that on a commercial site it will take longer but if there is any real intention then something should be happening by the end of next week in my opinion.

[Lulucat]

Smurfie, I know absolutely nothing about IT, but I just feel that you are right. We get a lot of excuses, but not a lot of action to change things. Personally I think they are happy with Facebook and Twitter because they can control that - as removing the post about pulling the community shows - they can just delete if they want. I really miss the site, but wouldn't join another to try and compensate because it is the community I miss.

I think they will hope the questions will go away - but their website is so crap the word Community will remain as they haven't a clue how to get rid of it. Now that is cynical lol

[Dancing Queen]

I will be very surprised if it comes back and like others think P&O will rely on FB and Twitter, personally I don't like either, as for P&O controlling what appears on FB they are not doing a very good job, the other day someone posted " you b******s owe me money" that isn't what I want or expect to see on any forum.

They may think FB is the future but imo nothing can replace the community spirit we had on the forum ( although hopefully this forum will once the grapevine begins to work )

[Mrs007]

I do hope that P&O don't give up on the Community Forum, I really don't want to join Facebook or Twitter to be able to keep up with everyone. This is a brilliant substitute for the interim but it would be almost impossible I expect, to make all of the members aware of David's new site (maybe not such a bad thing in a few cases ). I always have a cruise around the P&O site (pardon the pun) when I login to the forum and I expect others do too. So no forum no opportunist glancing at offers or late deals, which in my case could result in trying other cruise lines more often, surely from a business level alone it makes sense to get the forum up and going again

[Dancing Queen]

I'm not so sure it will be impossible to let other forum members know we are here Dot ( it may just take a while ) I have e-mailed forum friends that I had addresses for and asked that they forward the link to anyone they have in their contact list the grapvine is a wonderful thing.

I wondered if it was worth putting the link on the P&O page ( this would be David's decision though ) as by doing so it will most certainly bring a few idiots here, I'm more than happy to do it with his approval.

[Mrs007]

That would be great Dancing Queen if David's agreeable, especially as a lot of our friends who we keep in contact by PM may not be on our email contact list.

[Romig1]

I'm not so sure it will be impossible to let other forum members know we are here Dot ( it may just take a while ) I have e-mailed forum friends that I had addresses for and asked that they forward the link to anyone they have in their contact list the grapvine is a wonderful thing.

I wondered if it was worth putting the link on the P&O page ( this would be David's decision though ) as by doing so it will most certainly bring a few idiots here, I'm more than happy to do it with his approval.

When you say "P&O page" do you mean the P&O website? They could add a link to this board under that message you get when you try and access the community. They won't though.

[Dancing Queen]

I was meaning the P&O official fb page R.

I've just tried sending David a pm to ask but I think I'm doing something wrong as it didn't send - oh well I'll figure it eventually, maybe like on other forums you have to make so many posts before it is activated.

[Romig1]

Jenni has already posted the link on Official P&O FB

[Mrs007]

Perhaps P&O Admin will join

[Dennis The Menace]

And if there is someone particular that we are still unable to make aware of this interim forum, then Matt in Admin will forward our email addresses to them if we ask, suggesting they get in touch.

If you want to let me know the P&O user name of anyone that falls into that category ( and a description of their avatar as a validation for admin so they dont email the wrong person) then I'll happily email Matt a list.

As long as we don't make a habit of it/inundate him with loads of emails, I'm sure he would oblige.

[Romig1]

Good idea Den. He can only say no can't he?

I would suggest that Wina doesn't send him the list....I suspect he's sick of receiving her emails!

[The Invigilator]

DTM that's a nice idea - I have sent details to DN, Shirleybee and Stephen has anyone done AOTH? I'll send him the info just in case. There is someone who I don't have an email address for and that's Emjay she isn't on Facebook i am sure she would love to join - does anyone have her details?

[Romig1]

I'll contact Kaymar about this forum....he may have emjay's details. I think he's the most likely.

[ArtemisMiss]

Have just found this group from the link posted on facebook.

I can contact Keithy Onelife and a few others I have emails for.

[Romig1]

Have just found this group from the link posted on facebook.

I can contact Keithy Onelife and a few others I have emails for.

Thanks ArtemisMiss. Hope to see Keefy on here.

BTW, are you ArtemisMiss cos you miss her??

[CaroleF]

I really hope the Community site does return - but until it does it's really fantastic having this site. I've tried the Facebook page but it's hopeless. Absolutely no use for researching a particular cruise, reporting on a cruise - well no use for anything much really. Someone at the moment is moaning that P&O have removed free internet access for passengers. Well there never was free internet access was there, only free access to the P&O site where you could post on the Community Forum.

As someone says the language some people use on Facebook is amazing - or perhaps I'm just too old! I can't see some of that language being allowed to remain on the P&O community forum but they allow it on Facebook.

I too have used Crowsnest but it's no substitute for the P&O Forum and this one is so much better!

Carole