chrisg1uk

I don't now how true this is, maybe someone who witnessed it can verify. Last Dec 27th, one flight leaving the UK was delayed by one hour due to a family of 7 kicking off about not being able to sit together on the flight. They had not booked seats.

 

Allegedly, the check-in assistant advised them to review the situation with cabin crew once on-board. Maybe this suggestion was made so that they would move away from the check-in desk? Don't know. Anyway, once on board, they really kicked off, so much so that other passengers agreed to move from their seats just so that the flight could take off. No doubt, as the ship (Azura) was leaving Barbados that evening, these other passengers would have been anxious not to miss the boat, as it were.

 

Personally, I think the pilot should have thrown them off the flight for causing so much disruption (if it's true, that is).

I have no idea whether the story is true and agree with your thoughts but on all the flights i have been on I have seen the cabin crew trying to do a bit of musical chairs to rearrange seating if they can. Those that I have witnessed have been fairly good natured and folk have generally helped but there are a minority who think they are special and expect everyone to fall in with their wishes.

I hope they do the people who live there need all the income they can get.

So agree. One of the poorer islands without any further problems.

To the best of my knowledge you can only book the Retreat once in board. On certain cruises (Caribbean) you can only book for the whole cruise on boarding with odd days only available after everyone is on board and they have seen how many "whole cruise" passes they have sold.

I would think, if you do get overdraft charges, P&O would pay them or add them to your on board allowance, once they know they are at fault. Be interested what the outcome is.

 

Keith (Southend)

So would I. As others have said, they should reimburse all charges incurred as a result of their error but if they substantial it is likely they would ask for some sort of evidence ie copy of bank statement. They should not however reimburse you through increasing your OBC (unless that's what you want them to do) as the error is is a processing one.

Most annoying. If we see people wandering around with trays we always make a point of saying"there's seats here" in case they don't like to ask.

 

This is a bit like the people on trains who sit on the outside seat even though the train is crowded hoping no one will ask to squeeze past them. Or those that spread their laptop out on the seat next to them.

They will probably finish their brekkie and wander back to their "reserved" sunbeds .... generalisation I know but wouldn't bet against it.

The one that gets me are the couples to sit diagonally across from each other at a table intended for 4 in a very good effort to put off anyone having the cheek to ask to use the spare seats. The buffet at breakfast is certainly not a place for the feint hearted. I actually was talking to someone who told me that this is what her and her husband do all the time (as if it was good) - I didn't really know what to say! All these tactics on what is supposed to be a relaxing holiday ..... too much planning for me,

I don't think you can really blame someone who arrives earlier and is allowed to embark, its down to P&O to sort it out. Its them that give the boarding time and ultimately them that ignore it. No passenger can board unless allowed to do so. Its similar to a number of things that P&O say and don't follow up. That is what causes upset amongst passengers.

Absolutely right. Like so much else, P&O issue advice but don't follow it up. I am assuming they don't see it as a problem - perhaps it isn't in the greater scale of things. But, as a basic traveller ie I don't have to drive for lots of hours, I don't stay in an overnight hotel the night before and I don't have any children with me (BUT for clarity, I do like them - I was 1 once and brought up 2 more!) - I don't understand why if I have an early time I should have to wait while those who arrive earlier than requested clog up the process. Allocating your own boarding time even for a fee won't work because those who don't get the time they want will again just ignore it.

Originally Posted by Florry View Post

I said I'd feed back about Britannia embarkation so here goes: we arrived at the terminal at about 11 parked and got a 'C' card. I think we waited about an hour before check-in opened for non-priority. As we were 'C' we were one of the first to be called by which time the lounge was full. By the time we got through security and sat down on-board it was 12.30 and we have been told cabins will be ready at 1pm. I didn't get an email about arrival times and there are tour groups on board. My check-in time was 2pm. I am posting this in the interest of knowledge share, we are all free to decide what we do about check-in times unless forced to do otherwise; so if you disagree with the fact I chose to check-in early please don't bother telling me so because I don't care ()

The last 3 words say it all. And are I fear quite typical about many things,

OK, so what would you do if you were flying? It's no different.

 

We are not talking about arrival time, we are talking about boarding!! You may be able to checkin, but you will not board until your allotted time.

Quite agree. There was a recent thread about chaos at boarding time in the terminal and a number of folk made it quite clear that for whatever reason they were going to arrive very early irrespective of what P&O asked them to do. However, you are right P&O can't have it both ways, if they are going to enforce boarding times then they will have to start offering better facilities for those who arrive early (as per airports). My guess (fear) us that nothing will really change and most will arrive and expect to get on when they want to. Most hotels will offer late check out if requested.

Personally, I don't care whether I have to wait to board or not. It's not as if the ship will leave without you. Why the impatience to get on and then get off at the end of the cruise. Same with airplanes too!

It sounds as if P&O could do better but this made me smile. Waiting at the gate to board a plane I can't help but watch those who edge closer and closer to the gate as if their life depends on being amongst the first to get on and this is with pre-allocated seating. You are so right ..... it's the fear of missing out.

The reality is that most folk just want to get on board as quickly as possible (from wherever they have come).

On other lines where you self check in and select your own boarding time, what happens when folk then arrive far earlier for whatever reason because their real desired time wasn't available (first come first served I guess)?

Probably everyone ignored their check in time and turned up when they wanted to.

My thoughts too. From I what I have seen a large number of customers generally ignore all times provided by P&O for anything . There are many posts on this forum from people confirming this.

On Ventura in January the lessons were all ballroom and latin. The dancing in the evening was a mixture of all the traditional dances and sequence. Have to admit the sequence dances were very popular and we tried to learn them by following (badly). Maybe depends on teachers or where they are?

Yes, don't you just love the gobblers who wolf down dinners like they're going off the market.

 

David.

But they have to eat quickly so they can get to the show early. :)

Generally very few people take much notice of any times provided for anything.

I am having similar issues (different illness) and have been all over the place. The best I have found is allclear travel.

I don't think you would denied boarding bit perhaps better to ask GP and go with that advice. If they say ok then I am sure they would provide you with a letter confirming this advice if you were worried.

John puts it very politely above. In my experience, cruisers tend to largely ignore times any times allocated by P&O. As an example, passengers were supposed to attend on-board border formalities in Bridgetown recently according to their flight time. By the time it opened at 7am the queues went for hundreds of yards and many on later flights were near the front. Passengers tend to arrive early for everything ... it's the nature of the clientele. Only my view of course.

Indeed, on a recent cruise an experienced couple took the lead and offered to organise trips and visits for a group of us. We met up on early on, people came and went, but there was no pressure to continuously participate. They were marvellous and put a great deal of time into helping the rest of us.

The best one I saw was very recent. There was a couple we had noticed reserving the same loungers every day very early. In St Maarten on our way back to the ship we saw them in town. Couldn't help but check when we got back on ship and sure enough the same small articles were in place reserving "their" loungers. Priceless.

It is interesting however that everyone seems to agree it's a thing that needs controlling but yet so many seem to do it. I can only assume they don't post on this forum.

Oh no, the "how much did you pay discussion will always reign as the most amusing". I can't believe how many times it comes up and the different answers you hear yourself saying. All good fun. :)

Yes the simple answer is to charge drinks etc for all your party to your account and then divvy up after the holiday. I also think it may be possible to "link" accounts in effect to offset your underspend against another member of your party's cost. I would suggest speaking to P&O direct to confirm first though.

https://ask.pocruises.com/resources/carnivaluk/before-you-sail/VenturaD.pdf don't know if that link works but if not it tells you on the P&O site under questions and answers what you can expect on your cruise.

Thanks again both. Why could I find that link - am rubbish at searching.

Thank you both for your help. The sea days being formal would explain the lack of availability in the select dining restaurants on those days.

Some last minute help please.

Going on ventura 2 Jan and getting excited. A couple of questions please:

1) I have heard that in addition to the formal nights there may well be other themed evenings such as a 60's/70's disco. Can't see anything in the cruise personaliser about this but would want to join in (probably). Does anyone know if this type of evening is likely and if so what the themes might be so that we can throw in the right "tops".

2) Looking at some of the threads, it would seem that lots of people already know which evenings will be the formal ones. Can someone point me in the direction of this information or is it just from experience?

Thanks in advance.

Chris