star still at port

hi. Been waiting for Pacific Star to depart. Was to be 2pm but still there at 3-40pm. Maybe new terminal not quite ready. Will be interesting to find out reason for delay. Suexxx

:confused: its now 4.30pm and its still sitting there!!!:eek:

Maybe with the official opening today they are getting some special treatment!! Perhaps a special party - more likely some boring speeches. Or maybe they had trouble getting everyone there under their own steam for the first time.

Major problems with loading/unloading of luggage. Large queues because everyone turned up at the same time - and lots of sightseer's as well. Lots of negative press on the tv news tonight.

I am on the star, FINALLY. We were in line from 10am til 230pm in the sun and standing with our luggage. No communication from P & O during this time to say why or what was going on. NEW TERMINAL IS NOT READY.

Only 1 baggage check in bay (For 1300 passengers!) THEN only one walk thru xray (FOR 1300 Passengers). Then 5 desks where you get your cruise card etc. 4 HOURS later! :(

On board and THEN told ship is under reapirs, would be departing 4.30pm, 4.30 comes and goes, then at 645pm announcement that we will now be leaving "sometime early hours of morning" :confused:

No idea how many ports or what port we will miss and no compensation offered.

No one is talking to the passengers as to whats going on.

VERY UNHAPPY feeling aboard.

I was looking at the bright side until the 6.45 announcement - now I can't see a bright side :(

Anyway surely it's got to get better, I really want to bring you guys GOOD news and happiness but can't right now.

I will keep you posted and check in tomorrow

OH SOMETHING GOOD :) The "Welcome Aboard Show" I thought was FANBLOODYTASTIC. I loved the performers!!!!

Talk soon

Melissa

At least the lights of Brisbane look nice...........

Thanks for letting us know what is happening. Hopefully the time that was lost will be made up for once you actually get going and you wont miss too much.

Make the most of the time that you are still in brisbane, enjoy partying with no sea sickness.

hope the rest of your cruise goes as planned

Hi Melissa, Not a good start to your holiday. I SO HOPE they get these teething problems sorted real quick. I am getting on the Star as you are getting off. I don't like the idea of standing in a queue for 4 hours in the sun. Hopefully they have 10 days to come up with some kind of solution or we will be in the same situation as you. what time did they say to arrive at the new terminal ? maybe I'll have to get there extra early.Hope you don't miss any ports due to the bad start.. Have a GREAT TIME !!!

Lea.

I am sorry for your troubles. Seems we knew before you abut the delay. Someone elso found the cruise schedule saying 1.30am. Surely the could have told you. Lets hope they catch up and you have a fantastic time.

We were out this evening and detoured home via Hamilton - and while it's a shame that there's been teething problems with the terminal and mechanical problems with the ship, it did make for a very impressive sight to see the ship sittting there all lit up, in nice surroundings, rather than at a freight wharf. And it was good to be able to get up close to the ship again - even if we weren't getting on it :( There was a black tie function at the Wharf tonight, so lots of people wandering around in tux's and evening wear, all adding to the atmosphere.

Lots of people wandering around the decks of the ship.

Melissa - don't let the delay get you down... Once you get going you'll have a wonderful time and forget all about it. You'll probably skip Noumea and head straight to the Isle of Pines - and really that's no great loss.

Kym

Well I got it wrong didn't I - thought you might have been all getting special treatment on the official opening day - what a joke! The queues on the news last night looked horrific. My hubby's not good with queues - I hope they sort it out before we go in three and half weeks. Melissa, I hope the rest of your cruise goes smoothly and surely they will give you some sort of compensation for last night's delay. I hope you can post occasionally from the ship for us. Good luck and Bon Voyage!!:D

Sherrie

Hi Everybody,

Lea - We were told to be at the new terminal between 10.30 and 12.30. We got there at 10.20 and the line was hundreds of metres long (as you saw on the news).

Some we spoke to had arrived at 6am but didn't get on board much before us.

If I knew what I know now I would turn up at 12.30 (if the ship was going to get away on time) and there would have been less of a line up.

I hope they sort themselves out too. At this stage I won't be travelling P & O again.

The Captain announced today we would be missing Noumea an heading fro Isle of Pines. Some say if you miss noumea it's no biggie (they however have been there and had the opportunity to make that decision).

We are to get $150 credit on our cruise card and shore tours we booked reimbursed. Sorry but that dosn't impress me.

The food on board has been beautiful, the service by waiters exceptional.

It's just starting to get a little lumpy, though some have been seasick since we left port (poor buggers!) But it's still very comfortable.

We have Captains Welcome Party and Dinner tonight (Formal Night).

Anyway, thats the news I have from the Star! I'm sure it will get more positive as I see the beautiful destinations.

Have Fun!

Melissa

PS I'm sending an email to and will be writing to P & O to ensure they have my opinion and unhappy thoughts of our experience, In the hope it gets better for you guys and that I will actually want to sail P & O again.

Hi Everybody,

 

Lea - We were told to be at the new terminal between 10.30 and 12.30. We got there at 10.20 and the line was hundreds of metres long (as you saw on the news).

Some we spoke to had arrived at 6am but didn't get on board much before us.

If I knew what I know now I would turn up at 12.30 (if the ship was going to get away on time) and there would have been less of a line up.

I hope they sort themselves out too. At this stage I won't be travelling P & O again.

 

The Captain announced today we would be missing Noumea an heading fro Isle of Pines. Some say if you miss noumea it's no biggie (they however have been there and had the opportunity to make that decision).

We are to get $150 credit on our cruise card and shore tours we booked reimbursed. Sorry but that dosn't impress me.

 

The food on board has been beautiful, the service by waiters exceptional.

 

It's just starting to get a little lumpy, though some have been seasick since we left port (poor buggers!) But it's still very comfortable.

We have Captains Welcome Party and Dinner tonight (Formal Night).

 

Anyway, thats the news I have from the Star! I'm sure it will get more positive as I see the beautiful destinations.

 

Have Fun!

Melissa

 

PS I'm sending an email to and will be writing to P & O to ensure they have my opinion and unhappy thoughts of our experience, In the hope it gets better for you guys and that I will actually want to sail P & O again.

Melissa, I totally understand that you are disappointed at the moment - but I'm sure your view will change.... Just think it could have been worse - your cruise could have been cancelled completely. At least you still get to go to Isle of Pines, Yasawa, Suva & Vila, while we all have to stay back here and be jealous of you!!

To be fair to P&O, aside from the delays caused by mechanical problems, most of the problems yesterday were out of their control. Portside Wharf isn't a P&O facility - they are simply customers (and guinea pigs). The design problems are not P&Os fault, and I'm sure they did their best in the circumstances.

As for missing a port - if you were to continue your cruise as planned, then it would only be the people on the next cruise who would suffer - as you would arrive back at least a day late and their cruise would be delayed as a consequence.

Kym

Hi Melissa,

I am terribly sorry that you had such a nasty experience but please don't let it ruin your holiday or image of P&O. As per Kym above at least the entire cruise was not cancelled. I have had a cruise cancelled about a week before sailing and has it stopped me from cruising? NO, in fact I have been on two cruises since then.

I have also had my own share of holiday disasters including Ansett collapsing the week before my holiday to New Zealand and therefore losing my flights to Brisbane. The only way I made it to Brisbane was via the last seat (yes seat not berth) on the train which took 26 hours to get to Brisbane and had a heap of other disasters on the way (including a guy collapsing in the aisle near me and needing to be removed from the train by the ambo's, a young girl vomitting in the carriage & the smell never leaving and a cattle train derailed just before Brisbane) finally arriving in Brisbane 2 hours late and meaning that I only made it to the airport 10 minutes before check in closed for my flight! We then had our hire car delivered about 6 hours late in Wellington ruining almost an entire day of our travelling. Does this mean I would never go on a train or to New Zealand again, no way! Or that I let it ruin the fantastic time we actually did have in New Zealand, again no way!

Please shake off the annoyance and enjoy the rest of your cruise. Should you not complain, NO WAY! Write the letter to P&O and share your concerns. But focus on that when you get back so that only the first day of you holiday is "ruined" and not the entire holiday. Believe me it is better for you to have missed Noumea than Isle of Pines and hopefully you will get the chance to see Noumea another time when you cruise.

Alright I'll stand back now and wait for everyone to yell at me!

Cheers,

Chaz:)

Chaz, not yelling but laughing about how much went wrong in one trip. Bet you weren't laughing when you were experinecing all those problems. Wow what a disaster!

I was talking to my husband on our drive home from work. As I have been to Noumea I guess I would only be a little disappointed but would imagine that I would be really sad if it was my first visit. Please don't let it ruin your trip. Sulk about it when you get home. :)

What was the real reason for the delay-mechanical or the black tie party? Did you guys get to participate in that? Melissa, I think you should get more than $150 (per person, I hope not per cabin). $300 would be more like it.

Chaz, not yelling but laughing about how much went wrong in one trip. Bet you weren't laughing when you were experinecing all those problems. Wow what a disaster!

Have to admit wasn't laughing at the time it was happening and was getting a little stressed that I was going to miss the plane. I asked my Mum (Suey) afterwards what she would have done if I didn't arrive in time and she said go without me after all she had all my money as well!! I think she was kidding!!! I had considered getting off the train at Rockhampton and driving the rest of the way but at that stage we had caught up most of the time we were late from the previous issues and didn't know about the cattle train. We started slowing down after Rocky often coming to a complete stop while they were trying to clear the tracks. But it was too late then & I couldn't get off.

Then when we sat in the foyer of the hotel for such a long time waiting for the car we were getting more and more annoyed. But we just decided to put it all past us and realise that we had a story to tell as a result!

Cheers,

Chaz:)

What was the real reason for the delay-mechanical or the black tie party? Did you guys get to participate in that? Melissa, I think you should get more than $150 (per person, I hope not per cabin). $300 would be more like it.

$150 is the standard compensation paid for missing a port. P&O are not actually required to pay any compensation as their passage conditions state:

"2. We reserve the right, if we think it necessary, to deviate from the ship’s advertised route, to delay or cancel part of, or the whole cruise, to substitute or change the ship or ports of call, to remove the ship from service, to charter out the ship/part of the ship or otherwise limit the availability of cabins, or to tow or assist any vessel or perform any similar act, in our absolute discretion or that of the Captain. In such an event P&O Cruises shall not be required to refund any portion of the fare, make any other compensation or be liable for any other consequential damage, loss, expense, loss of time or inconvenience. Accordingly, you should not make any important arrangements or meetings based on the proposed itinerary of the cruise, which may change without liability to P&O Cruises." (direct from P&O website).

Of course I don't think P&O would directly enforce this but realise what you are up against if you do decide to fight.. We have missed a port before and not received any compensation. It used to be that you needed to miss two ports before getting any monetary compensation.

Cheers,

Chaz:)

PS I am not supporting P&O failure to depart on time but let's face it these things happen! Why not feel sorry for the poor person on board in soggy clothes because their bag fell in the water! I think that would more of an inconvenience than leaving late. Your already on the ship and the party has already started!

What was the real reason for the delay-mechanical or the black tie party? Did you guys get to participate in that? Melissa, I think you should get more than $150 (per person, I hope not per cabin). $300 would be more like it.

The black tie thing appeared to be for the opening of the cinema complex or one of the restaurants that are tennants at the wharf. I don't think it had anything to do with P&O or Pacific Star.

$150 on board credit per adult passenger seems to be the standard compensation with things go wrong, but not in all instances. The two times that we were late arriving in Noumea (about 3hrs one time, 4hrs the other) we got no compensation other than the refunding of our pre-booked shore tours.

Kym

 

Please shake off the annoyance and enjoy the rest of your cruise. Should you not complain, NO WAY! Write the letter to P&O and share your concerns. But focus on that when you get back so that only the first day of you holiday is "ruined" and not the entire holiday. Believe me it is better for you to have missed Noumea than Isle of Pines and hopefully you will get the chance to see Noumea another time when you cruise.

 

Alright I'll stand back now and wait for everyone to yell at me!

 

Cheers,

Chaz:)

I agree, Melissa should certainly go ahead and write her letter, but wait until she gets back and in the mean time enjoy her cruise!

Kym

Hi Melissa,

 

I am terribly sorry that you had such a nasty experience but please don't let it ruin your holiday or image of P&O. As per Kym above at least the entire cruise was not cancelled. I have had a cruise cancelled about a week before sailing and has it stopped me from cruising? NO, in fact I have been on two cruises since then.

 

I have also had my own share of holiday disasters including Ansett collapsing the week before my holiday to New Zealand and therefore losing my flights to Brisbane. The only way I made it to Brisbane was via the last seat (yes seat not berth) on the train which took 26 hours to get to Brisbane and had a heap of other disasters on the way (including a guy collapsing in the aisle near me and needing to be removed from the train by the ambo's, a young girl vomitting in the carriage & the smell never leaving and a cattle train derailed just before Brisbane) finally arriving in Brisbane 2 hours late and meaning that I only made it to the airport 10 minutes before check in closed for my flight! We then had our hire car delivered about 6 hours late in Wellington ruining almost an entire day of our travelling. Does this mean I would never go on a train or to New Zealand again, no way! Or that I let it ruin the fantastic time we actually did have in New Zealand, again no way!

 

Please shake off the annoyance and enjoy the rest of your cruise. Should you not complain, NO WAY! Write the letter to P&O and share your concerns. But focus on that when you get back so that only the first day of you holiday is "ruined" and not the entire holiday. Believe me it is better for you to have missed Noumea than Isle of Pines and hopefully you will get the chance to see Noumea another time when you cruise.

 

Alright I'll stand back now and wait for everyone to yell at me!

 

Cheers,

Chaz:)

You've certainly got lots to remember that holiday by!

I agree with Chaz, put the day down to an experience, contact P & O and then put it out of your mind, relax and enjoy the rest of your holiday.

Rach

The Black Tie function was for the official opening of Portside Wharf, I know because my boss was invited and went but he hasn't been back to the office since so I can't quiz him about it or any of the dramas going on with the Star while they were partying.

I would pay P&O $150.00 to miss Noumea!