Cancelled cruise

[Bill Dawes]

I have to say Malc that this fiasco has made us very wary of booking any holidays at the moment, the rot set in with Covid when we had a holiday on the Norfolk Broads booked with Hoseasons, they point blank refused any refunds and it was impossible to contact them by phone or email, eventually the government intervened and the travel industry were forced to change, Covid and lockdowns not their fault I appreciate bit it's a sad reflection on modern business tactics that they have to be forced to refund money to a customer that lost out through no fault of theirs either, companies have considerable access to funding from many sources that the individual does not.

Is it me just getting old but why is the simple pleasure of spending your hard earned money so much hassle these days.

Still starting to make some headway with P&O albeit after many months and much worry.

Keep you posted

Bill D.

[Malc1]

13 hours ago, Bill Dawes said:

albeit after many months and much worry.

shed the worry, there's no point .  it will be what it will be  .  keep at it but simply move on  .  if you recover monies then great but if not, well, you've had some entertainment value from the postings on here  ....  as you know, I own and operate a mildly successful on-line travel business AND I for one wouldn't dream of putting myself thru' all this likely post covid anxiety and wasted times getting to and fro and being at the sodding airport 3 hours before the flight stuff  ..... the flights are ok tho', provided it takes off ...........

Book a ferry crossing ( we do those too of course ) and take your car .  you're in control .  Ireland's nice and English speaking and easy to cope with .  and beautiful countryside to explore too 😇

Malc

[Herbie]

2 hours ago, Malc1 said:

Book a ferry crossing ( we do those too of course ) and take your car .  you're in control .  Ireland's nice and English speaking and easy to cope with .  and beautiful countryside to explore too

That's exactly what we do and we love it. Over the years we've driven all around Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Hungary, to name just a few. We don't book hotels in advance, if we fancy turning left we do, if we fancy turning right, we do - complete freedom and autonomy.

[RONNIE W HODGEKINSON]

Personally.. I Would RIGHT IT OFF As The biggest Humungous Mistake in Your Life Because There not going to give you back your money and all it would do is give you and your Dear lady Stress Stress and More Stress...I Know you are saying well Its not really Bothering us Now but in Reality IT IS...!!!! its Like insurance companies They are Quick to Take your money but if you need to make a claim They will Sit Down go through your insurance documents Particularly your answers to see how they can weasel out of paying up...In Reality After Reading all your efforts to get some or part of your money back THE ONLY CHANCE lies with Watchdog Why Not Contact One of the Research Executives working within the programme and see what they can do for you.. Unfortunately That in my opinion is your Only Hope..

[Malc1]

Bill  .  for what it's worth  .  P&O Ferries is NOT the same business as P&O Cruises  .  Ferries is owned by DP World the Emirates guy who sacked 800 crew maybe a year or so back 

P&O Cruises has a very strong link trading with TUI that is more or less German Govt owned / controlled and is both ABTA and ATOL 

If you really can't get anywhere with P&O then i would say " go for " TUI and / or issue some sort of writ on the German owners .  wake 'em up a little ( if you dare ) 

BUT ABTA and ATOL are your first port of call and if you manage to awaken them from their slumbers then, well, well done ............  you might get somewhere in the end but it's probably a long long wait .  Most passengers really do just chuck in the towel and abandon hope ....  they seem totally immune from bad press coverage and don't care a sh..it about let down pax 

Good luck with it all, just don't stress ....... and expect zero .... and hope for a little better 

Good luck

Malc

[Bill Dawes]

Thought I would let you know that following contact with chief exec of P&O it is all sorted, full refund of cruise, excursions and travel insurance.

Just shows persistance pays.

Bill D.

[Sundance]

[Malc1]

4 hours ago, Bill Dawes said:

it is all sorted

how long did it all take timewise ?  .  stresswise is probably incalculable tho'

Malc

[Bill Dawes]

Hi Malc, from the incident where we were cancelled to a few days ago.

Incident was where we were completing an on line medical declaration, just two days before cruise was due to start on 6 October 2022.

Yes it was a little worrying, we are not rich so the £5000 plus cost was a big deal for us.

However having worked in a stressful job for many decades I am very resilient.

Bill D.

 

[Malc1]

10 hours ago, Bill Dawes said:

Hi Malc, from the incident where we were cancelled to a few days ago.

Incident was where we were completing an on line medical declaration, just two days before cruise was due to start on 6 October 2022.

Yes it was a little worrying, we are not rich so the £5000 plus cost was a big deal for us.

However having worked in a stressful job for many decades I am very resilient.

Bill D.

 

Blimey, just that 8 months then .  well done to you and your persistence and resolve .......... many just " give up "

well done

Malc

[Bill Dawes]

Last contact with P&O before I found email address for Paul Ludow  (that's amazing in this day and age of do not reply messages) Paul is President of Carnival UK and P&O.

The response from guest support prior to this was to tell me to go back to ABTA (we had already done this) P&O closing down any further discussions.

So many thanks to Paul and his assistant Lee for sorting out in a satisfactory manner.

There was no way we were going to give up, we were absolutely convinced we had a very strong case.

Thanks all for support.

Bill D.

[Steviebobs]

On 6/30/2023 at 2:39 PM, Bill Dawes said:

Last contact with P&O before I found email address for Paul Ludow  (that's amazing in this day and age of do not reply messages) Paul is President of Carnival UK and P&O.

The response from guest support prior to this was to tell me to go back to ABTA (we had already done this) P&O closing down any further discussions.

So many thanks to Paul and his assistant Lee for sorting out in a satisfactory manner.

There was no way we were going to give up, we were absolutely convinced we had a very strong case.

Thanks all for support.

Bill D.

Well Done Bill !! Stuck it out like a Brit!! Seriously though, if I was in your situation I would do the same. I theoretically, could write off £5K but hell, where is the sport in that. Go for the Juggler. I love to write letters to CEO's it normally works. I have done a few. I tend to add a little humour rather than being the 'wingeing Brit'. Seems to work. I cruise and would hope to never be faced with your experience. It will make me even more aware of pressing the wrong button in future though. We should all thank you for benefiting from your experience

I reiterate, well done, getting your £5K back instead of losing it is, as they say in football parlance, a £10K swing. Keep smiling my friend!!

Steve