INDIE - rescue stranded Brits?

[BMT]

Just spoke to P&O to ask whether, in view of problems flying home, we could board the Oriana from Gib to UK - pay the cruise fare of course.

 

Replied 'they don't do segments'.

 

Interesting, as an agent in Gib was advertising this very segment last week!!

 

Obviously, P&O feel no loyalty to Brits. Companies like this make me sick!!

 

I would hope that RCCL would help out if they had available accommodation!! They do seem to come to the fore in emergencies!!

[fubarsbabe]

I hope you get home soon and safely, although i've never heard of a cruise line except stelios doing segments ?

Apparently there is also now a facebook page set up to help people get home with people offering to drive them, put them up etc.

[fubarsbabe]

Just read this about thomson using its cruises to bring back holiday makers.

 

Thomson and First Choice are using coaches and cruise ships to bring back British holidaymakers who are stranded abroad. Customers in Alicante and Malaga will travel via coach to northern France, before catching ferries to Britain and being transported to their respective domestic airports.

The operator, which has 40,000 British customers stranded aboard, is also using its cruise ships, Island Escape and Thomson Dream, to bring back passengers. Island Escape, which is currently in Madeira, will bring its passengers home by sea instead of by air. It is also picking up 300 non-cruise passengers from Madeira whose flights have cancelled.

Thomson Dream will also be used to ferry passengers from Majorca to Barcelona, where further transport has been organised.

[MIcruiser99]

You would hope that in times of emergency, companies would make exceptions and help out those stranded if they had extra cabins.

[rdharbis1]

Never been to Europe, so I am curious.

Are car rentals and driving between countries so difficult that it is better to remain stranded at an airport for days when you are only a day journey by land? :confused::o

[livylotte]

Never been to Europe, so I am curious.

Are car rentals and driving between countries so difficult that it is better to remain stranded at an airport for days when you are only a day journey by land? :confused::o

 

 

I think driving from Spain or Italy to the UK is not difficult - we always do it but driving that kind of distance it's not the norm for many people in the UK, I guess folks in the US think it's not far at all!

 

Europe isn't a country, it is many different countries which means that picking up a car in one country and dropping off in another is very expensive and not all car hire companies offer it. I know this because I looked into this recently for a cruise from Barcelona. Also, I imagine the car hire companies will limit this option to only a certain % of their fleet - they wouldn't want all their cars heading off to another country - it would be a major logistical operation to get them all back!

Plus I would imagine, the sheer number of people looking at alternative ways of getting home at the moment will mean that even if this is doable all the rental cars will have already been hired.

[Sue L]

Europe isn't a country it is many different countries.

 

Picking up a car in one country and dropping off in another is very expensive and not all car hire companies offer it. I know this because I looked into this recently for a cruise from Barcelona. Also, I imagine the car hire companies will limit this option to only a certain % of their fleet - they wouldn't want all their cars heading off to another country - it would be a major logistical operation to get them all back!

 

Plus I would imagine, the sheer number of people looking at alternative ways of getting home at the moment will mean that even if this is doable all the rental cars will have already been hired.

 

 

Heard on one of the reports that there was not a rental to be had. Most of the companies were reporting complete sell outs of their fleets because those affected are taking this option.

[Garyorient]

Obviously, P&O feel no loyalty to Brits. Companies like this make me sick!!

 

I would hope that RCCL would help out if they had available accommodation!! They do seem to come to the fore in emergencies!!

 

 

Why should they? They are an American company aren't they?

[Sue L]

Why should they? They are an American company aren't they?

 

 

No they are a British company

[Garyorient]

No they are a British company

 

No, they are owned by the Carnival corporation as far as I am aware.

The last time I looked that was an American company.

I would be delighted to be proved wrong.

[verbal]

No, they are owned by the Carnival corporation as far as I am aware.

The last time I looked that was an American company.

I would be delighted to be proved wrong.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carnival_Corporation_%26_plc

 

You are both right:)

[cruisinfanatic]

P&O Cruises is a British-American owned cruise line, based in Southampton, England, and operated by Carnival UK

[NorbertsNiece]

No they are a British company

 

I don't think so..... can't find anywhere that states otherwise..... that the RCCL company head office is based in Florida.

[Saveapenny]

Why should they? They are an American company aren't they?

 

So American company couldn't help out brits and other europeans stranded?

Really bad of P&O ...only sailed once with them and its this so of public spirit that can put you off a company for good.

Plus have the cruise companies thought about it at all...No people on the ships means no spends...If they at least bring people back to the home countries they would at least have people spending ...might cushion the financial blow of this.

The reports here by the financial times say so many will go bankrupt over this inc. Airlines, Tour operator and cruise companies...Just hope its the mean spirited ones that go bust

[andrzej5914]

So American company couldn't help out brits and other europeans stranded?

Really bad of P&O ...only sailed once with them and its this so of public spirit that can put you off a company for good.

Plus have the cruise companies thought about it at all...No people on the ships means no spends...If they at least bring people back to the home countries they would at least have people spending ...might cushion the financial blow of this.

The reports here by the financial times say so many will go bankrupt over this inc. Airlines, Tour operator and cruise companies...Just hope its the mean spirited ones that go bust

 

I'm not sure if it's true for Europe, but it's very possible that just like here in US the cruiselines are prohibited by federal laws to sell segment tickets. For example, if they picked up passengers in San Diego for Alaska cruise, they can't sell a ticket to San Francisco, their first stop. It would take an act of Congress to give a waiver to this law.

 

Like I said, I'm not sure if this is true for EU but perhaps someone will let us know.

 

btw, the UK Navy is coming to the rescue. They are sending many ships to pick up Brits from the continent, so perhaps this is a moot point.

 

Also, Spain's airports are open and Spain offered to become the major hub to bring many Europeans stranded all over the world there and also many Americans stranded in Europe to their homes in Americas. They are adding trains, busses from all over Europe to accomplish this task, but folks, these things don't happen in a day or 2, it takes time to set it up.

[BMT]

Does it matter who actually OWNS P&O? The fact is that about 95% of their income is from British passengers. They are biting the hand that feeds 'em.

 

And if it is US owned, well, we always support the US - think Afghanistan, think Iraq etc. - wouldn't hurt a US Company to help Europeans out would it? Happy to take our money..............

 

But whoever owns it, should be ashamed. Happy to operate in Europe at fares double and treble those in the States...........?

 

Good for Thomson - will certainly be having a close look at their brochures!!

[Mydnite]

I'm not sure if it's true for Europe, but it's very possible that just like here in US the cruiselines are prohibited by federal laws to sell segment tickets. For example, if they picked up passengers in San Diego for Alaska cruise, they can't sell a ticket to San Francisco, their first stop. It would take an act of Congress to give a waiver to this law.

 

Like I said, I'm not sure if this is true for EU but perhaps someone will let us know.

.

 

Not the case here :)

[BMT]

But Thomsons have risen to the occasion. Took 300 people stranded in the Canaries back to the UK.

 

Of course some Navy ships have been sent over - is it my imagination that an election is imminent? :D

[critterchick]

No, they are owned by the Carnival corporation as far as I am aware.

The last time I looked that was an American company.

I would be delighted to be proved wrong.

 

Independence of the Seas is owned by Royal Caribbean International (RCI), a susbsidiary of Royal Caribbean Cruiselines, Ltd (a British company). The corporate headquarters for RCI (the subsidiary) are in Miami, Florida.

 

And P&O is owned by Carnival Corporation (which I believe is a US company) and has no relation to RCI or RCCL.

 

Sorry, I thought you were talking about Independence of the Seas ("INDIE" in the title threw me off). But I'm curious why this is posted on the RCI boards...