P&O's technical problems

[CaroleF]

We all know about the IT problems that seem to surround P&O and that the abolition of the Community Forum was going to make everything better - well I was on the phone to Bolsover yesterday afternoon booking a cruise (Wow!). When the TA had sorted out what we wanted (balcony cabin on Adonia for the Baltic next September) she told me that the P&O system had been down for a lot of the morning but she would see if it was back so she could see the availability of cabins. It was up and running and though according to the P&O site - I had done a dummy booking to see which balcony cabins were available, according to that only one on A deck - actually there were several cabins on A and B deck available and I plumped for one on B deck. I wasn't sure if the fact that the open deck was above A deck would mean that we might hear loungers being moved around at some unearthly hour in the morning so that was why I went for B deck. Looking at other grades of cabin on the website, each one seemed only to show one cabin whereas in the past you could see several in each grade.

Anyway we did the rest of the details of the booking and I asked if the TA could tell me the booking reference - not that it mattered as I would have it on the paperwork. Guess what? The system had gone down again! I said to the TA it was a good job that it wasn't the first day of booking from a new brochure - she said "Oh my goodness, don't even suggest it!"

On another point, I can't believe how much extra the suites are on Adonia. As I said we have booked a top grade balcony cabin (well you never know we might get upgraded - yes I know and we might win the lottery too - and the cheapest suite was nearly £4000 more! I'm hoping the prices of the balcony cabins don't go down too much but we had a Future Cruise Deposit to use and you can't use it on a Getaway so there is no use waiting for that.

Carole

[arcadialover]

The suites on Adonia are very expensive. We spoke to one couple who had booked a suite and had been upgraded to the Penthouse. I hope the price of your cruise dosen't go down too much. Ours did and did P&O care, NO, all they prattled on about was that I had got free parking and had been able to choose my cabin location and that should the vanatge fare go down then I will get the price difference. The only problem is the vantage fare never seems to go down, strange that.

[Manoverboard]

Hmm ... ' Top Tip '.

We have stayed in B54 and B117 ... they are absolutely identical bar a minor outside obstruction and a very large price difference as these are offered as upgradeable Getaways.

We have also booked B121 but that's right on the aft and a story for another day.

ps ... we were also on A Deck when she was Princess Royal but were not affected by noise.

[emjay45]

The suites on Adonia are very expensive. We spoke to one couple who had booked a suite and had been upgraded to the Penthouse. I hope the price of your cruise dosen't go down too much. Ours did and did P&O care, NO, all they prattled on about was that I had got free parking and had been able to choose my cabin location and that should the vanatge fare go down then I will get the price difference. The only problem is the vantage fare never seems to go down, strange that.

I was very interested in your post, as in April 2011 we booked a cruise on the Adonia. We booked a penthouse suite. Cruises weren’t selling well and they brought in the Getaway prices. I noticed there were only 2 penthouse suites booked on our cruise. They reduced the other suites by over £6000 it may have been more. They all sold. I kept checking ( I know I shouldn’t have) to see if the penthouse suites were being reduced. Suddenly nearing the point of the balance being due ALL of the remaining penthouse suites sold!!!! They were still asking £20,000 each for these. However surprisingly they then had availability in the other suites which had previously been sold. I was convinced the people who had paid probably half the amount we had paid had been upgraded to the penthouse suites and they were then going to sell the other suites because they were reduced. I wrote to P&O and told them of my suspicions and asked why they expected us to pay twice the amount for the same suite. They denied absolutely upgrading people and said they NEVER upgrade to the Penthouse suites!!!!! I cancelled the cruise and lost our deposit. Sorry to everyone who has heard me moan about this before but I KNEW they weren’t telling the truth and now I have confirmation.

[Manoverboard]

For our Adonia cruise in 2011 we had booked a cheapo 14 night Getaway deal but P&O phoned to offer us a suite for an addition £1,000 ... I declined their kind offer but it does not follow that somebody would have been upgraded to a Penthouse Suite to accomodate us if we had accepted that offer.

We recently had a suite on Aurora but in spite of them all being sold, according to their website, I am convinced that some of them were not occupied.

At the end of the day it is bad publicity for P&O not to sell their top cabins and with that thought in mind it would probably be virtually impossible for any of us to know the truth.

[emjay45]

The truth is MOB that you can't trust P&O and I don't

[david63]

The truth is MOB that you can't trust P&O and I don't

Does that make them any different to any other company?

[emjay45]

The truth is MOB that you can't trust P&O and I don't

Does that make them any different to any other company?

I don't know David but when I ask a representative of a company a direct question I don't expect to be lied to.

[johnds]

I don't know David but when I ask a representative of a company a direct question I don't expect to be lied to.

My experience is that airlines habitually lie

John

[arcadialover]

The suites on Adonia are very expensive. We spoke to one couple who had booked a suite and had been upgraded to the Penthouse. I hope the price of your cruise dosen't go down too much. Ours did and did P&O care, NO, all they prattled on about was that I had got free parking and had been able to choose my cabin location and that should the vanatge fare go down then I will get the price difference. The only problem is the vantage fare never seems to go down, strange that.

I was very interested in your post, as in April 2011 we booked a cruise on the Adonia. We booked a penthouse suite. Cruises weren’t selling well and they brought in the Getaway prices. I noticed there were only 2 penthouse suites booked on our cruise. They reduced the other suites by over £6000 it may have been more. They all sold. I kept checking ( I know I shouldn’t have) to see if the penthouse suites were being reduced. Suddenly nearing the point of the balance being due ALL of the remaining penthouse suites sold!!!! They were still asking £20,000 each for these. However surprisingly they then had availability in the other suites which had previously been sold. I was convinced the people who had paid probably half the amount we had paid had been upgraded to the penthouse suites and they were then going to sell the other suites because they were reduced. I wrote to P&O and told them of my suspicions and asked why they expected us to pay twice the amount for the same suite. They denied absolutely upgrading people and said they NEVER upgrade to the Penthouse suites!!!!! I cancelled the cruise and lost our deposit. Sorry to everyone who has heard me moan about this before but I KNEW they weren’t telling the truth and now I have confirmation.

We arrived early at the mayflower and there was only a few people waiting for check in to open. A P&O lady approached this couple and asked if they were in the Penthouse to which they replied yes. Later that day they were sat on the next table to us at muster and were saying that they had been upgraded from a suite to a penthouse.

[Manoverboard]

Is it possible that they opted to pay for that upgrade, albeit late in the day and at a good price, but decided not to say so for maximum bragging rights ?

[david63]

It is not always the case that someone in a company is necessarily telling you "lies" - it may be that they are telling you what they telling you what they know and that they have not been updated with the latest facts. Yes - I would agree that if that is the case then it is bad management but cannot be classed as deliberate lying on the part of the person that you are speaking to. On the other hand it can be deliberate.

[CaroleF]

Further to my original post, I have just logged on to the P&O site and went to "Your Cruises" and it was completely blank - not one of the 12 cruises we have taken nor the two we have got booked. I assume this is just a glitch and things will be rectified - at some point!

Carole

[Manoverboard]

Standard rules, don't worry about it

[arcadialover]

Is it possible that they opted to pay for that upgrade, albeit late in the day and at a good price, but decided not to say so for maximum bragging rights ?

Anything is possible. I am just reporting what we heard.

[emjay45]

First of all Carole I apologise for hijacking your thread. I do hope all of your technical problems are sorted now.
It has just rankled with me since last year that P&O were not being truthful. Now that we have a few cruises under our belts, I am aware of the upgrade system, and the getaway fares. I don’t like them but while we choose to cruise I have to accept that’s the way it is. What has annoyed me the most is that they were dishonest about their policy of upgrading. If there is one thing I can’t abide it’s people who can’t be upfront and honest.

[mollyh]

I tried several times yesterday to get on P/O site to get prices for 2014 cruises.Hopeless!!.Considering their 2014 brochure is useless -prices not printed- do they really want business?I get more annoyed with P/O every day and it is such a shame as I have had some wonderful holidays in the past.

[Manoverboard]

What are you using ?

I seem to be able to list any and every P&O cruise for 2014 ?

Try me with something you are interested in and I will try to provide you with a link to it.

[mollyh]

MoB.Thanks but I have managed to get logged on to-day.

[CaroleF]

I have found that I can access things on the P&O site if I am on Chrome but not if I use IE.

Carole

[Quizzical Bob]

Try changing to compatibility mode on IE. It worked for me.

From an earlier thread:

Dancing Queen wrote:<br />Hi Jill and Kenmo <br /><br />Bob puts it far better than me but it appears it could be the compatibility mode, if you don't know what this is, when you go to the P&O site on the address bar there is a symbol that looks like a torn sheet of paper, click on this and then log in, it worked for me and Bob too by the sound of it.

<br />You only get this icon if your browser thinks that it might help. I had to access my settings from Tools -> developer tools -> browser mode. You can get there direct by F12 -> Alt-B

[Dark Knight]

there are other cruise lines available


just a thought?

[arcadialover]

there are other cruise lines available


just a thought?

Not much help though if you are trying to book excursions and print off your tickets.

[Jean W]

Another thought - how do Cruisers without the Internet cope?

[david63]

Another thought - how do Cruisers without the Internet cope?

Probably much better