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Have I made a big mistake?


sez809

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Below is a copy of my post, from earlier today, on the P&O FB page. I am sincerely not trying to scare monger, or cause problems. I am seriously, genuinely concerned. I did not state that I will be on the Aurora, if that has any bearing on the matter.

 

 

Have I made a terrible mistake? I am really really worried now...

This weekend I booked online, direct with P&O, for next August , Canaries cruise. Have most often cruised Princess before, and decided to try P&O after asking advice of others.

 

I popped into a local travel agent to grab a printed brochure, just something I wanted to have to pass the time until we go!! The first place I went, "researching family cruises for August 2013", offered me RCI and Celebrity, but said P&O brochures were hard to get hold of, and he wouldnt recommend them anyway. He said that as P&O had slashed prices so much to get passengers, they were now attracting a very rough element, to the point where his clients have reported drunken fights, gang type elements and even furniture being thrown off of deck into the sea.

 

This is so NOT the type of holiday we want; its just myself, husband and 14 yr old daughter. We want a relaxing break not having to skulk around and hide from drunken louts. I realize that not every element will be perfect, and there will always be some people who abuse facilities etc but really???

 

Can any of you, or even P&O yourselves, help to alleviate my worries now? I am thinking of sacrificing my deposit, I have been scared off that much by this long standing travel agent. :-(

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I don't know what cruises the Travel Agent's clients had been too, I can only tell you our experience of a two week cruise to Western Med in June onboard the Ventura.

 

We had a lovely holiday, with about 3,000 other lovely people, we didn't see anyone the slightest bit tipsy, let along gangs fighting and throwing furniture into the sea. Sounds like a lot of old baloney to me.

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Anyone fighting or throwing furniture over the side would be confined to cabin and removed from the ship at the next port.

 

I have never seen a fight on a P&O ship; I've never seen anyone throw furniture over the side.

 

I've never seen any gang-type elements... although on the adults-only ships, a formal night can look a bit like a meeting of senior London gangsters as just about every guy is wearing a DJ & bow tie :)

 

VP

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I think you have to question the Travel Agents motives in telling you these "stories".

 

Yes, this did go through my mind. Of course, i was being somewhat "naughty" in that I did not say I had already booked, he was most definitely not going to sell me P&O, whatever. I mentioned that I have cruised Princess several times, to which he continued to suggest Celebrity or RCL. Maybe he has a blanket Carnival ban?

 

Thank you for all your reassurance. I have a year to wait (although am off on the Grand Princess in a matter of days!:D), and I will follow these pages closely!

 

Regards

 

Sarah

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We have our 12th P&O cruise coming up and I have never seen anything like you mention, nor have I seen gangs of people, or disreputable people. I would really question the motives of the TA - could it be that he was on commission to sell certain cruises. What he said is absolute rubbish.

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Yes change your TA he is talking rubbish.

 

I suspect it is more to do with P&O reducing discounts to 5% and stopping the heavy discounting to passengers. Of course a number of TA's would not have passed on this discount and kept it for themselves they will be the ones most upset.

 

If you do enough research you will find isolated insidents of bad behaviour on all cruise ships, on all cruise lines.

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

 

Dai

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I've never seen what you've been told to expect. Have a look at my blog for some reviews of cruises with P&O.

 

Thank you for your link; most informative! It also led me to research on another UK cruise forum, where most Aurora reviews seemed positive, with just a few bemoaning lower standards, poor food etc. I have yet to find reference, online, to the behaviour mentioned by the ta.:confused:

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This does seem to be what I am now finding, daiB! As I said, I have booked directly with P&O so have circumvented the need for an agent, and was just grabbing myself the printed brochure, for reference!

 

As an aside, may I thank people on this forum for being so helpful and pleasant to talk to? I also used to post (mainly questions, in truth) on the Princess forum, but no longer do so due the unpleasant arrogance of some of the participants on there!

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Thank you for your link; most informative! It also led me to research on another UK cruise forum, where most Aurora reviews seemed positive, with just a few bemoaning lower standards, poor food etc. I have yet to find reference, online, to the behaviour mentioned by the ta.:confused:

 

The only incident which I can recall being discussed on here was on on Ventura 3 years ago at Christmas and it involved 2 people fighting. They were thrown off the ship and had to make their own way home.

 

This is often brought up by those having a go at P&O.

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

 

Dai

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Go and enjoy your cruise on the beautiful Aurora. The TA clearly doesn't want to sell Carnival UK cruises due to the reduced commission. There was an isolated incident on Ventura a year or so ago, but that kind of behaviour is not tolerated on board.

 

Aurora especially is a mid-sized traditional family ship. You will have a ball.

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Thank you for your link; most informative! It also led me to research on another UK cruise forum, where most Aurora reviews seemed positive, with just a few bemoaning lower standards, poor food etc. I have yet to find reference, online, to the behaviour mentioned by the ta.:confused:

 

Hi sez809, there are no disreputable elements on P&O YET, I don't sail until October!:D:D:D Phil

 

I think we can accept that that goes without saying.:rolleyes:

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

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Hi Sarah,

 

We've (husband, myself and 3 children aged 15, 13 & 13) just returned from a P&O Canaries cruise on Oceana, also a 'family friendly, mid-sized ship' like Aurora, and I can assure you that we didn't witness anything remotely like the incidences your TA mentioned. Indeed we were surprised, that despite it being the school holidays, how few children there appeared to be onboard, the majority of passengers were 'older' than ourselves, and behaved implicitly!! You will have a lovely time I'm sure :)

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Aurora is my favourite P&O ship. Not too big, more like a comfy jumper you like to pull on and cuddle into.

I find her a friendly ship, relaxed but elegant, more as you would imagine a traditional cruise ship to be not like the large floating hotels. Although for certain cruises they too have their plus points.

 

We have cruised on her earlier this year and are back on her in 26 days. :eek: just two days more than the length of our cruise. It's coming round quick.

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Sounds a bit like sour grapes to me. Never heard anything so ridiculous. That agent needs reporting to P&O!

 

Initially, I was a little worried about Ventura, after the bad press a few years ago. I couldn't have been more pleasantly surprised. There were some large family groups onboard, but we never saw the slightest bit of trouble, but lots of camaraderie and genuinely nice people. I'm sure Aurora will be the same. :)

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I have read and seen reports on TV of men (and women) behaving badly. I really believe these are isolated incidents. Carnival has a real "party" reputation but I know people who have been on about a dozen Carnival cruises and have never seen any problems. I think the TA you visited likely has a better deal with some lines and therefore bad mouths those he doesn't.

 

I bet you will have a fantastic cruise!

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I have read and seen reports on TV of men (and women) behaving badly. I really believe these are isolated incidents. Carnival has a real "party" reputation but I know people who have been on about a dozen Carnival cruises and have never seen any problems. I think the TA you visited likely has a better deal with some lines and therefore bad mouths those he doesn't.

 

I bet you will have a fantastic cruise!

 

I think you might be confusing Carnival Cruise Lines with the parent company Carnival Corp (and it's UK subsidary which owns Cunard, P&O, Princess, Hal and Seabourn among others). P&O are nothing like Carnival Cruise Lines!

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I am sorely tempted to email P&O, just saying that local (unnamed) agent has told me this, and that I am very concerned about my family holiday. Just to find out what their "official" line would be, of course.....not trying to tell tales, you understand!!

 

 

Sarah

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Definitely no bad behaviour on Oriana l7 nights over Christmas/New Year. Nice friendly atmosphere though.

 

The worst incident we saw was a lady who complained to the Maitre'd that her comnpanion had more feta cheese on his salad than she did. This caused great concern... does this count!

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