Room Service Charges

:( Although I currently prefer Princess cruises for a number of reasons,I have been on several P&O cruises previously. I have just noticed that P&O are introducing a fee for using room-service and will be charging for food ordered via room service. To my knowledge this is the only cruise line of this standard operating this policy.

What do you think out there? If like me you think this goes against the inclusive ethos of cruising should P&O be made aware of people's feelings in no uncertain manner?

Yes it does. It seems to be a unique P&O phenomenon -- all part of "rip off Britain" I suppose !

The cult of charging more for less on P&O started in the Lord Sterling era. He did a good job for the shareholders, less so for the paying customers. No doubt there are many people at Terminus Terrace brought up in his culture who want to carry on in the vein of charging more for less.

Why Carnival allows it I don't know. Perhaps TT convinces them that it is sound business or P&O. Maybe Carnival is happy to let P&O be a guinea pig, in order to see what they might get away on other lines.

The only recourse I am afraid is not to engage, ie to forego the chargeable items as far as possible in order to send the strongest message that it is just not on. Depressingly I have already seen people say things like "Is £2-50 really too much to ask to have steak and chips delivered to your cabin ?" Well I'm afraid the answer is yes, it is too much when it used to be free. People like that have more money than sense and they make it bad for everyone else. If P&O get away with this where does it go next ? All the shuttle buses chargeable, perhaps ? 'Premium dishes' on the dinner menu that carry a surcharge ? A 'small' fee to see 'named artists' in the theatre ?

P&O seem to pull this one whenever they can - why, because they are used to British pax putting up with it. Would Americans accept UK fuel prices?. No way, but we are correctly assumed to be easy push overs. The last time I sailed P&O they constantly tried to put a charge on courtesy coaches - complementery on all ships I have been on before. So many people complained loudly at the pursers desk that they finished up not charging for any. Complain at the pursers desk on this one as well, complain to the captain when he greets you at his wellcome party, ask to see the hotel manager and complain to him. On an individual cruise this will not probably alter things as it is company policy, but these things do get noticed. Be British and you will end up paying for every fresh tablet of soap.

David.

P&O seem to pull this one whenever they can - why, because they are used to British pax putting up with it. Would Americans accept UK fuel prices?. No way, but we are correctly assumed to be easy push overs. Be British and you will end up paying for every fresh tablet of soap.

 

David.

Here, here, I agree totally. Passengers need to make a stand-am I alone in thinking that cruises are relaxing and often make good sense value wise because of their all inclusive nature? It seems petty to charge for a continental breakfast to your room- and personally it does put me off of cruising P and O- it seems as if that would only be the tip of the iceberg

Up to now we have been very loyal to P & O. We have previously cruised on the Oriana, the Aurora and the old Arcadia several times. 'Fly the flag' and all that. However we have just cancelled our January 2006 cruise on the Arcadia because of these charges and other negative feedback we have read on various boards. I don't mind paying for good service but I am not prepared to be ripped off. There is too much complacency and acceptance by us Brits. I suppose it's the good old 'stiff upper lip' syndrome and 'don't complain' philosophy of my parents' generation.

If we had been going with Stelios on his cheap EasyCruise ship I wouldn't mind a pay as you go deal but the basic cost of the Arcadia trip would have been about equal to the cost of a new small car and that's before we started with all the 'extras'. We have now rebooked with 6 star Radisson on a 2 for 1 basis for quite a bit less than it would have cost us with P & O. That includes free 24 hour room service, booze with meals and in cabin bar set up.

When I explained to the staff at P & O why we were cancelling they seemed neither interested nor concerned. I suppose their feeling is that some other mug will come along in our place.

P&O are displaying all the characteristics of a monopoly supplier with its shabby, arrogant, we know what is best approach towards its clientele.

However, like all monopolies they are failing to see the writing on the wall.

This year we have Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean offering cruises from the UK. Once the traditional British reluctance to try something different is broken down, and cruisers sample these, IMO superior offerings, P&O will see it client base disappearing in droves.

One only needs to look at what happened to M&S.

Cb

P&O are displaying all the characteristics of a monopoly supplier with its shabby, arrogant, we know what is best approach towards its clientele.

However, like all monopolies they are failing to see the writing on the wall.

This year we have Princess, Celebrity and Royal Caribbean offering cruises from the UK. Once the traditional British reluctance to try something different is broken down, and cruisers sample these, IMO superior offerings, P&O will see it client base disappearing in droves.

One only needs to look at what happened to M&S.

 

Cb

Couldn't agree more Cb

Slack, sarcastic, arrogant, greedy, overindulged, unaccountable - I though all these things of the white-uniformed staff of the purser on Aurora in 2004 (but not of most of the equivalent on Sapphire Princess in April 05). It seems from this Board that it equally describes the company which they represent, P&O.

But does anyone really think that either the indivduals or the company care enough to notice?

Phillip Toddy

Slack, sarcastic, arrogant, greedy, overindulged, unaccountable - I though all these things of the white-uniformed staff of the purser on Aurora in 2004 (but not of most of the equivalent on Sapphire Princess in April 05). It seems from this Board that it equally describes the company which they represent, P&O.

 

But does anyone really think that either the indivduals or the company care enough to notice?

 

Phillip Toddy

I was going to say that they will care at the AGM when the shareholders see that their dividends from their investments are falling, but the trouble is that there are so many diehard P & O cruisers out there who will accept everything that is dished out without criticism that I don't think this will happen. Furthermore, not only do they accept everything but woe betide anyone who criticises the sacred cow, however objectively or honestly that may be. There's only one way the message will go home and that is for everyone, like myself, to vote with their feet.

...but the trouble is that there are so many diehard P & O cruisers out there who will accept everything that is dished out without criticism that I don't think this will happen. Furthermore, not only do they accept everything but woe betide anyone who criticises the sacred cow, however objectively or honestly that may be ...

There certainly are some like that. If you look at P&O's own Cruise Connections messageboard (which in my opinion is a total joke in every respect), you do get all this B/S whereby any criticism, however justified or constructive, is siezed upon by a number of regulars as tantamount to heresy (in fact I do wonder if they are all 'real people' or whether some are in fact P&O's own PR staff trying to keep the mood always positive.)

However on the ships I invariably find that people in general are much more realistic. A lot of the regular travellers are actually hyper critical and notice every deterioration in value for money. Some might argue that many -- especially some of the old 'Posh Club' membership -- are too critical for their own good.

P&O still provides a good product for the British cruiser. The organisation is generally good, as is the food and service. Entertainment can be patchy, but there are usually some highlights. The ships are generally well kept and maintained. Cruising traditions are maintained more than on some other lines. And above all the atmosphere is relaxed and laid back, and not at all 'in your face', which appeals to many Brits.

For many people, especially older, long-standing P&O-goers, there would have to be a very considerable deterioration before they would go elsewhere. However, like all the lines, P&O also needs to attract new customers and keep them, and that is where they will falter if they do not remain competitive in all respects. As someone points out, other lines are tapping the lucrative UK market by offering cruises which start and finish at a UK port.

If other Carnival companies steal P&O's trade, then Arison will just switch the ships to where the demand is. But non Carnival lines may also steal P&O's trade, and that is why Carnival Corp. should rein in the Lord Sterling-esque zealots at Terminus Terrace who seem to think that any revenue raising gambit is good business.

Its Easy we dont use cabin service anymore.We do alternative dining anyway.

Firstly I dont work for P & O!! I have been cruising with them now for approx 15/16 years. Over the years there have been changes. Mostly for the better although others see it differently. Of course this is just my personal opinion. I do believe in the Arcadia they are aiming at a much younger group (whether we are included in this group I don't know being in our 40's)!! But if we are only in our 40's now we were very young when we first started cruising. Of course everyone says it's not like it was on the Canberra whichever ship you are on and thank god for that I say. Canberra like the QE2 are very graceful ships. They look so sleek and elegant and were/are not top heavy. But by the end of it's days Canberra was ready to be retired (I don't think she should have been scrapped, maybe made into a museum or a floating hotel or casino or something, such a shame to see her scrapped)!! The ships today are much more modern. But like everything in life things have to change with the times. I have used room service for a pot of tea sometimes whilst sitting on the balcony late afternoon, but I shall not pay a £1 for tea to be delivered. However a while back they introduced teas and coffee's in the likes of raffles etc. At first we were outraged that they wanted to charge. But of course it is our choice to take tea/coffee in raffles from time to time. If we didn't want to pay then we could take ourselves off to the self service area for a cup of tea free gratis. The conservatory/orangery aren't as quite relaxing as tiffanys/raffles!! That is all the room service I have ever had. So I suppose to a certain degree the room service fee is not going to affect me that much and as such I'm not overly bothered about it. I do enjoy on certain evenings eating in the alternative eating areas. Of course you don't have to. The food in the main restaurants in my opinion is more than adequate. But it is nice for a change. We tend to go on the evenings when there is entertainment in there. Caravan it has to be said are the best we have seen in there so far. I have noticed that the price alters each time we go on board though. It started off as a small surchage and I believe it is now £6.75 per person. I wonder if this is to do with popularity rather than money grabbing?? If it were free/small surcharge then they would have queues of people trying to book and not everyone would get in causing a riot!! Charging will naturally deter some people thus creating spaces for those willing to pay!! I do object to the adding gratuities to the on board account. They are doing this to us on the QM2, but my husband is going to pay a visit to the pursers desk to tell them that we will be settling our own tips directly. I am very sceptical that the correct people get all that is being taken. If they introduce the same idea on P & O across the fleet then I shall be doing the same with them. Also P & O suggest £3.75 per day per person. Cunard suggest £7 per person per day. Nearly double what P & O suggest. As I have said this is just my own opinions. I have to say that I really do believe that P & O is good value for money. I on the other hand do not fly so only cruise out of Southampton, thus my choices are limited. I have never come back off of a cruise and said I'm never cruising with P & O again. Never felt the need to. There have been times when I've been unhappy with some things. Not that bad that I need to go and rant and rave down at the reception desk like you often see. I am not the type to make a scene in public though so would probably ask to speak to someone behind closed doors. But even that I have not had to do. I wasn't happy the holiday that I lost all my informal dresses in a suit carrier and the staff were very helpful. I wasn't very happy either when I saw a lady in a dress exactly like mine even down to the crease in the arm sleeve I wished I had never put in, but hey the dress was from house of fraser and I couldn't prove anything. Now there was one dress in the bag that was unique and if I had seen her in that then I would have evidence. I think incident must be the only time I have had cause to complain on board and out of god knows how many cruises I have done this isn't bad IMHO!! Even then I could not felt their helpfullness. It was a christmas cruise too and I had quite a few nice dresses in the bag. It taught me something though. To watch my luggage go through with the porters and to pack my evening wear in a proper suitcase!!

Elaine