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

[Gill W]

I had got to the point where I had had just about enough of the P & O board

I hadn't been logging on that often, as it is usually quiet on the board over the Christmas period, and it had also got to the point that it was impossible to use effectively.

So I wasn't suprised when they took the board down on the 4th January. With it remaining offline for so long, I felt that they must have sorted out all the problems, but when it came back online, there was still the missing post issue!

I think the board will be gone for several months, and if it comes back at all, it would be in a vastly different form, i.e. they need new software to start with.

I wasn't really missing the board, but I was missing the people.

As far as I know, no one had my contact details, but I was looking at another forum ( cruise critic I think) and a post alluded to a new forum set up by David, and a link was in Facebook.

I do have a Facebook account, but I haven't used it for three years. Anyway, I braved Facebook to find the link, and here I am.

It is nice to see the familiar names, and hopefully, over time, even more of the old hands will find us, and also some newbies as well

[qbman1]

I have a sneaking suspicion that now they have seen the success of this site, which is effectively doing the same job as theirs, P&O will not bother to resurrect their vastly inferior model

[Kendhni]

That could be a sad loss ... no more free internet access to keep in touch with home

[jacksparrow]

I agree Ken, it was good for free access onto the P & O site but even that was hit and miss when at sea.... invariably it was so slow that I gave up before getting connected. But that was using the ships computers, I assume it would be the same if you were using your own machine aswell.....

[JenniC]

Someone asked the question on FB yesterday and P&O replied


P&O Cruises Hi Keith. Unfortunately we don't have any news yet, but we'll keep you posted via Facebook, Twitter and the message currently being displayed on the community page. Thank you.
12 hours ago · Like

Message on Community page is 9 days old!!!!!

[Kendhni]

I am guessing we are several weeks, if not a few months, away from it coming back. We need to start a book as to when we all think it will come back

My vote goes for April 1st

[JenniC]

Mine goes for never and the message will stay on the site until someone learns how to use te edit button

[Dancing Queen]

I'll go with February 29th .... when's the next leap year

[CaroleF]

I've had a look at the P&O Facebook page on a few occasions and there seem to be an awful lot of posts that are just moans about this or that on P&O. I'm surprised that they see it as a good marketing tool. There is no real information from other cruisers like there is on here. People don't know what they're missing.

Carole

[jacksparrow]

Not all of us are on facebook or twitter (me for one) so it would be nice if P & O would update their message occasionally.

[Jaczs+]

Maybe just maybe they have made the right decision this time and rather than rush in all guns blazing they are going to take their time and give us a forum like this one which is user friendly and glitch free.

Now that we have this site I would rather they take their time and get it right.

[wolfie]

Sadly I don't think that P&O will ever resurrect another forum. They seem to be quite happy to carry on with Facebook and Twitter.

This one is doing their job for them; it has all the relevant sections, required of a cruise forum, and will, in time, hold as much information as the P&O site did from the contributions of members that have now migrated here to share their expertise on all aspects of cruising, and also to have a really good debate on other topics; oops almost forgot the friendly banter which was a huge part of the P&O forum and has now continued on here.

However, I do hope that it does reappear as administrating a site such as this must entail a great deal of work, more so as the membership grows with regular posters.

[Meg 50]

we need to persuade them to put a link to this in their 'sorry we're closed' notoice

[david63]

Have already tried that Meg - to no avail

[Dennis The Menace]

Admin have gone a bit quiet on me too so not sure they'll forward details to our missing regulars.

I did wonder. It was good of them to forward emails to Ken & David when it was clear the purpose of us contacting them was in connection with setting up a new forum. However, I guess it has certain conflict of interest and security issues to actually point people in the direction of an alternative/unofficial site?

If that is the case though, hopefully it does mean they are committed to bringing the P&O forum back.

[Dark Knight]

IF they bring it back, then I would suspect a much narrow forum, less chat and much more focus on ships, cruises and the company
also I would wager much ,much tighter controls on what is posted, I thing it will be a CRUISE site and nothing else

[kaymar]

Latest news from facebook is :-

"Hi Sandie. We currently don't have any news on the forum. As we've mentioned before, we are weighing up the options available to us. We are hoping to have an update very soon, and rest assured we'll let you all know as soon as we have some news. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you all for your support.
19 hours ago ·

Elaine Brady. But a former member has set up a site and it hasn't taken him long to do it! I don't understand why it is taking so long for you guys?
19 hours ago ·

P&O Cruises Hi Elaine. The forum has to interact with many other areas of our website, so it's not necessarily as simple and just 'throwing in' a new one. As mentioned we are looking at all available options and platforms and we will come back with news as soon as we can. Thank you "

So, nothing soon, then, if at all

[qbman1]

P&O Cruises Hi Elaine. The forum has to interact with many other areas of our website, so it's not necessarily as simple and just 'throwing in' a new one. As mentioned we are looking at all available options and platforms and we will come back with news as soon as we can. Thank you "

What a bunch of chimps !

Sounds to me like they have absolutely no intention of resurrecting the old forum, at least not in its original format. I agree that David has done such a sterling job on here, he is effectively doing the job for them so there is absolutely no incentive for P&O to do much at all

[ArtemisMiss]

I agree Ken, it was good for free access onto the P & O site but even that was hit and miss when at sea.... invariably it was so slow that I gave up before getting connected. But that was using the ships computers, I assume it would be the same if you were using your own machine aswell.....

Ken,

You are correct about it being as slow on a passenger's own computer as on the ship's machines. One benefit of using your own equipment is that when you log on to system you can download emails or whwhatever so you can view later and you can prepare things on notepad and use copy and paste which, on P&O's own machines, you can only do by being logged in to the paid for service.

AM

[Kendhni]

P&O Cruises Hi Elaine. The forum has to interact with many other areas of our website, so it's not necessarily as simple and just 'throwing in' a new one. As mentioned we are looking at all available options and platforms and we will come back with news as soon as we can. Thank you "

What a bunch of chimps !

Sounds to me like they have absolutely no intention of resurrecting the old forum, at least not in its original format. I agree that David has done such a sterling job on here, he is effectively doing the job for them so there is absolutely no incentive for P&O to do much at all

I can understand what they are trying to achieve, that does not mean I necessarily agree with it, but is it not better that they spend a bit of time getting it right this time rather than doing a rush job that does not resolve the issues. Now that we have Davids site, I would prefer them to take that as the breathing space they need. There is a massive difference between setting up a standalone site or simple web page to integrating one into a corporate structure.

[Dancing Queen]

Admin have gone a bit quiet on me too so not sure they'll forward details to our missing regulars.

I did wonder. It was good of them to forward emails to Ken & David when it was clear the purpose of us contacting them was in connection with setting up a new forum. However, I guess it has certain conflict of interest and security issues to actually point people in the direction of an alternative/unofficial site?

If that is the case though, hopefully it does mean they are committed to bringing the P&O forum back.

Well DTM there is nothing to stop us putting the link to this forum on the P&O fb page every now and again, I believe other groups have done this and the links have not been removed, if only one or two of the regulars that haven't joined us yet see them it will be a result.

It isn't so much about working to increase the membership at the moment but more that we are giving those missing the CC a choice of joining us if they want to.

[Mo2013]

P&O have had years to sort out their forum - it is incredible that they have not. It is a shame for all its users.

[Dancing Queen]

IF they bring it back, then I would suspect a much narrow forum, less chat and much more focus on ships, cruises and the company
also I would wager much ,much tighter controls on what is posted, I thing it will be a CRUISE site and nothing else

Personally I would think that would be a big big mistake DK but you are probably right

In just a week I think this forum is proving that people want a cruise forum but they also want a community, something that has been sadly lacking over the last couple of years because of the sites format as well as other problems

[Romig1]

I regularly read the official P&O page, and I'm getting quite miffed with the people moaning that the P&O Forum isn't available, purely because they are unable to contact friends/relations on a ship!

If contact is so important, the folks on the ship could actually PURCHASE internet time!

GRRRR!

[JenniC]

Or contact them when in port - plenty of cafes with free wifi - follow the crew -