P&O SUE

On 4/11/2020 at 5:53 PM, glittergal1 said:

OMG we have just booked Azura May 2021 in place of our cancelled May 2020 cruise 

we decided on 2 weeks instead of 1 week on this time

reading about these smells im devastated to realise weve booked such a ***** ship  

I’ve  been on Azura three times and never had a problem and had fantastic cruises each time. I just had heard reports recently about the smell but knew a refit was planned for about now. That’s why I was asking - it’s not a ***** ship!

7 hours ago, pete14 said:

Only use a debit card and no longer a credit card but just wondering whether any refund credited to your credit card account is automatically used to clear any balance owed, however caused, rather than credited back to your bank in full, thereby leaving a credit card balance owing? If a debit card is used and a refund credited to the bank, if the account is overdrawn, this will be cleared first. Not wanting to cause alarm but I am curious. Of course, if a credit card is paid off in full every month, just like a bank account that is not overdrawn, this will not apply.

As someone who until last year worked in banking - it is not possible for the banks to clear one account from another. Your credit card and cheque account are treated separately and the banks have no powers to transfer money between your accounts. (Unless of course you have a regular standing order set up)

1 hour ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

I believe we were booked on the same cruise and I cancelled (age grounds) on 16th March when P&O were still saying refunds up to 45 days.  Today I checked my Spam folder and there was the cancellation invoice, dated 25th March, but although it states 'Thank you we have received your payment to date of GBP £3256' it also shows underneath Cancellation Charges a total of £2930.40, with no further explanation.  That reads to me like they are planning on refunding me 10% only!

 

Was your cancellation invoice different?

I had a fit when I saw my cancellation notice too but there was another one saying to ignore it  !

13 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Personally, we use the MDR / Select Dining options for the evening meals and the buffet for breakfast and lunch / snacks and have never been ill once.

Same for us too but we do go to breakfast quite early. (That last bit in response to pushing /shoving)

1 hour ago, Vampiress88 said:

you got your internet fixed yet? 
not going well if your washer has gone too and they do say it comes in threes 

Nope, pathetic isn’t it?! Luckily I sorted myself a sim only contract with O2 with just a couple of clicks on their app. It comes with lots more data then I used to have. So at least I have internet from data although no WiFi.

Won’t see anything tomorrow as Bank Holiday I guess . John will phone again Tuesday🙄 

I’ve just seen another post on Facebook suggesting round Britain cruises. If our October cruise was changed to that I’d go, after all if the weather is a bit iffy (and we’ve been on cold weather short cruises that we’ve enjoyed) half the fun for us is enjoying all the ship has to offer.

Happy Easter to you all. It’s lovely and warm in my garden and as someone said earlier it’s surreal thinking of what’s going on outside of my little bubble,

Just had video call with my son and grandson so that was lovely.

Been absolutely glorious here in Kent. John and I had a Belgium beer in the garden and tried not to think we should be in Belgium now! I’m telling myself it would have rained all weekend if we’d gone! 
Thanks goodness for Argos online as I had to order a washing machine as mine broke, should be here Tuesday! 

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

 

She should be in refit now, but events have taken over.  Haven't seen anything regarding when it's been re-scheduled for.

No I would hope they’d put her in for, say, September but I suppose the ship yard may have other ships booked in then.

Some people have suggested P&O may send a couple of ships out at a time so you would like to think Azura will have her re fit before they send her out again.

I have had my Azura cruise for this October booked for nearly two years. I have heard the complaints about the sewage smell on the ship.

Last time we were on the ship was 2016 and there was a slight smell near the art gallery (P deck) but obviously didn’t affect us that much. I do remember thinking I wouldn’t have wanted a cabin near there.

I wasn’t worried for my October cruise as the refit was planned for April and I hoped it would be sorted as the smell seems to have moved to further around the ship now.

Obviously this re fit is not happening now. Any thoughts? Do we think it will still go in for a refit as soon as this situation calms down? We’re booked in a forward cabin on B deck - any smell up that high?

I know it’s possible this cruise won’t sail at all but if it does be just my luck it’s ruined due to the awful smell! I just don’t want to cancel at the moment as my insurance still covers me for the virus but if I move it it won’t !

So much to consider at the moment..! 

9 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

This goes back to many previous discussions about value for money.. 

It's one of the reasons a lot of us cruise. 

From as little as £50pppn we get fed, entertained, taken to interesting places and meet interesting people... 

A caravan holiday in the UK could cost you more... 

Andy 

 

I’ve started watching ‘four in a bed’ recently where B&B owners try each other's B&Bs and score them. I was shocked to see some of them were £170 a night!!!

38 minutes ago, devonuk said:

Now I’m confused...? I thought the whole idea WAS to use it against a NEW cruise? Perhaps I’m just reading your reply wrongly? 

 Oh sorry it’s early! And the hubby keeps talking to me when I’m trying to post! Yes as Selbourne said above!

16 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just watching Carry on Cruising... Hilarious 

Andy 

I saw that fairly recently for the first time in years and the first since I started cruising - I did enjoy it! Shame I missed it! 

I watched a video by Paul Ludlow yesterday and although he confirmed you couldn’t use the FCC against a new cruise he did say it’s taking a while and if you’ve re-booked since this all happened it should be applied eventually.

41 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Try as you may to persuade me that a holiday in the UK can be a good alternative to cruising, you are all failing.

Cruising is the only way we can go abroad without any hassle, unpack in Southampton and gently sail south to the sunshine and hot weather.  Lots of ports to visit, even if we have been before, that we can leisurely wander around, while knowing we have a luxury floating hotel to head back to whenever we want, with all the entertainment venues and bars that we could desire.

Sorry but your not selling me on a cold and wet week in the UK, however beautiful the scenery might be, when the mist lifts. 

I agree John, I think many cruisers have been cruising for many years and have been to the same ports again and again. It’s all relatively new to me compared to some here.

While I think there’s some beautiful places in the Uk I’ve come home recently thinking the holiday wasn’t as good as a cruise! Plus I’ve been doing some pricing up for October in the Uk in case my cruise is cancelled- and the prices are dearer than cruises!! Often just B&B too. 
Add to that my husband hates long distance driving and cruises are still our favourite holidays.

Just checked my screenshot against the cancellation invoice and it was 4 days later.

7 minutes ago, wowzz said:

No, I've been checking my junk box, but nothing, just the normal one from Russian ladies looking for a good time.

😱😂

7 hours ago, wowzz said:

After almost two weeks (yes, I know, hardly any time at all) I'm still waiting for sone sort of acknowledgement that my  refund request has been received. How difficult is it for a competent IT department to send out an auto-reply ?

 

Did you get an email that looked like the invoice you get when you book a cruise? That’s what I got but it went in my junk folder so I didn’t see it for a few days. 
I took a screenshot of the actual form I submitted because it didn’t look like a confirmation!

Must admit I’m surprised the excursions are given as OBC as any excursions I book I like to book in advance of the cruise. You can’t use your OBC in advance so it’s a bit annoying. 
I know you can apply for the direct refund but it is annoying as normally refunds go straight back into your account within a few hours! I know because I have cancelled a couple including one this year.

18 hours ago, funinhounslow said:

 

Yes and I think it's all too easy to take it all for granted. If you (re)read Bill Bryson's books about the UK he points out what is under our nose and how lucky we are...

 

In answer to the question, how about Liverpool? Some world class museums (Tate Liverpool, Maritime Museum, Museum of Liverpool, and the Walker Art Gallery), architecture (Three Graces, Georgian Quarter, two Cathedrals, and the Philharmonic pub, now Grade 1 listed), history, sport, eating out and entertainment. The Mersey Tunnel tour is unmissable.

 

Get out of the city and take day trips to Formby for its red squirrels, Port Sunlight and Chester, or get some fresh air and walk the Wirral Way.

 

I grew up not far from there and met my parents when they took a UK cruise that included Liverpool. It was interesting reading the Cunard guide to my home town, and my parents said that all the passengers were raving (if a Cunard passenger can "rave") at what a fantastic day they'd had - for many it was the highlight of the cruise...

Love Liverpool! Been several times for football but as it’s so hard to get tickets nowadays we’ve been a few times just for a break. Sometimes combining it with football and sometimes just to see the sites. The National Trust do a fantastic personal tour of Lennon and McCartney’s childhood homes that you have to book in advance. 

The Anglican cathedral was impressive and unlike some others actually free to get in!
Everytime we come back we think next time we’ll see such and such!

Have often thought about going to Southport so we get the coastal side then travel into the city by train!

33 minutes ago, zap99 said:

Newquay is ok as long as you don't actually go there. Last year we had a few days at Tolcarne beach hotel. It was a great hotel about half a mile from Newquay. That's near enough. In my youth we had some great breaks in Newquay. It used to take ages to get there from London, but that was in a Ford Anglia.😁

Blimey that brings back memories! One of my first holidays with OH was a hotel just outside Newquay. The drive was horrendous! About 8 hours it was for us that day! 
We went to Devon last October for 4 nights and visited some lovely National Trust properties including the former home of Agatha Christie.

We enjoyed our time there but the journey home was horrendous as an accident had shut the M5 which made every road in the area stuffed!

3 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

If you fancy Highland Perthshire then the train line is right in the middle of Pitlochry which is a great little place to visit.

 

It has a pretty rep theatre which shows 5 different shows each week in summer, so something different each night. There are 2 distillery’s and a brewery within walking distance and another a bus ride away with a world class chocolatier en route.

 

There is a massive hydro electric power station with a salmon ladder and visitor centre.

 

As a base you can get a train into the city of Perth if you want some shopping or more choice of restaurants.
 

Alternatively just sit and enjoy the scenery.

Would you believe I spent my honeymoon in Pitlochry! We went up by train and hired a car to travel round. Saw a Noel Coward play in the theatre and went to the salmon ladder.

On my wish list for a couple of years now is Edinburgh. I’d like to see the Royal yacht. We live in the South East so quite a journey, I could do it by train easily. 
I loved Northumbria when we went especially Bamburgh castle and Alwnwick Castle gardens. Would love to go there and the Lake District again but hubby doesn’t like driving long distances and as I don’t drive I don’t think it’s fair to ask him.

Hence why cruising ticks his boxes combined with a two hour journey to Southampton!

On 4/7/2020 at 12:39 PM, Josy1953 said:

You never know.  I was in a hotel in Nova Scotia talking to the receptionist when a man asked where in the UK was I from, I told him Stoke and he said that he served with someone from Stoke in WW2 perhaps I knew him.  When he said the name it was my uncle, we have surname that is common in Devon but in Stoke we are all descended from my grandad so there was no doubt.  I took a photo of the man and when I got back I visited my uncle and gave him the Canadian's contact details along with the pic and my uncle remembered him and they kept in touch until he died.

That’s a lovely story Josy.

Just went for a quick walk around the block, definitely should do it more as I do feel better when I get home. 
It was eerie, like a quiet Sunday, hardly saw anyone but heard a few lawn mowers and a jet washer.

51 minutes ago, PORT ROYAL said:

 

Shocking the parties were broken up by the Police? 😉

Shocking they had them of course! 😄 One involved fireworks and a bouncy castle!