Has P&O lost your trust

[cruisebore]

With the debacle surrounding leaving ports early and what some might say the duplicity of their Vantage pricing policy. Has P&O lost your trust, and is the new pricing policy honest and transparent enough for them to regain it?

 

Cb

[daiB]

With the debacle surrounding leaving ports early and what some might say the duplicity of their Vantage pricing policy. Has P&O lost your trust, and is the new pricing policy honest and transparent enough for them to regain it?

 

Cb

 

Well the first one was a whole load of tripe and the second had no effect on us. So no not at all. You did ask. :)

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[cruisebore]

Well the first one was a whole load of tripe and the second had no effect on us. So no not at all. You did ask. :)

 

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

 

tripe (tr p). n. 1. The rubbery lining of the stomach of cattle or other ruminants, ?????

 

Explicame for favour

 

Cb

[terrierjohn]

Yes P&O have lost my trust as regards the Vantage/Getaway saga and until I see some significant reductions for early booking they are unlikely to regain it.

 

However I think that the reduction in service standards, ships cleanliness and food quality are far more important to me than early port departures.

 

Combine both the above and I now find that P&O cruise quality is probably fairly priced for the best getaway deals but well below what they expect me to pay to secure an accessible balcony cabin.

[Wiltonian]

tripe (tr p). n. 1. The rubbery lining of the stomach of cattle or other ruminants, ?????

 

Explicame for favour

 

Cb

 

Common colloquialism, even in Lancashire! :rolleyes:

 

Stuart

[jeanlyon]

I'm not sure I had "trust" in P&O to start with. In what way would I trust them or not?

 

Re Vantage / Getaway, I think it was a major marketing error and I think the new pricing structure is going to cause an equal amount of fuss.

 

Early ports annoy me a lot. However, I note that my next cruise with them, the port times seem to be a lot better. We cruise with Fred as well, so like to chop and change anyway.

[Thejuggler]

P&O have taken the term 'confusion marketing' to new levels and appear to be trying to get out of a hole by investing in a larger digging implement.

[tartanexile81]

Despite the controversy surrounding the fares, P&O hasn't lost our trust. We like to try different lines but overall we prefer what P&O offers and so have always looked forward to and enjoyed every cruise. We had a land holiday a few months ago and it made us realise what great value P&O offers, even though we always pay full price. Mind you we don't enjoy meeting some of the moaners on board and they seem to have multiplied since all this vantage / getaway fare business!

 

We were recently on an IOTS cruise and believe you me, it made us trust P&O even more :D.

Edited November 5, 2013 by tartanexile81

[daiB]

P&O have taken the term 'confusion marketing' to new levels and appear to be trying to get out of a hole by investing in a larger digging implement.

 

You would have said that whatever they came up with.

 

Or do you have your own 'cunning plan'

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[daiB]

Despite the controversy surrounding the fares, P&O hasn't lost our trust. We like to try different lines but overall we prefer what P&O offers and so have always looked forward to and enjoyed every cruise. Mind you we don't enjoy meeting some of the moaners on board!

 

We were recently on an IOTS cruise and believe you me, it made us trust P&O even more :D.

 

You do not need to go on a cruise to meet them... Just come on here. :) :)

 

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app

[qm2lover]

Yes, we have lost faith with P&O. And so too have our family and friends.

We dont even bother looking to P&O nowadays. (After nearly 30 years)

 

There is a world out there and we have found much better options and wish we had 'jumped ship' a few years earlier instead of staying doggedly loyal to P&O.

But not everything suits everyone. (We like Indy, even though we didnt expect to!) We also like other lines just like P&O used to be only better.

 

If and when P&O come up with a particular itinerary we want to do (so long as we look at the brochure that year and dont miss it!) we will of course give them another go..........

[Scriv]

Well I think P&O have made a very good attempt to address and sort out the Vantage - Getaway debacle and I think the new pricing structure seems a lot fairer and seems to make sense.

 

I am feeling very positive about it and hope things will now settle down and move on. I do hope so as I really like P&O.

[Winkster]

Has P&O lost my trust? In a word, no.

 

The whole vantage vs getaway issue hasn't worried me at all. We like the look of a cruise, we check the price and if we like the price, we book the cruise.

 

I make the decision on price based on whether I feel it's good value. If it was good value for me then, I ignore the price from that point onwards. Life's to short to constantly monitor prices to see how much extra I've paid. I've got enough stress in my life without looking for more!

 

As for shore times, we're generally early off and early back. Only once would I have liked a bit more time (in Dubrovnik) but there would still have been more than a days worth of things to do so even with more time ashore, I would have done all I wanted.

 

I really enjoy the shore days but really, for me, a cruise is about the sea days.

 

We had an amazing, relaxing time on our last cruise, enjoyed some fantastic food and wine and made friends for life.

 

So no. I haven't lost any trust in P&O whatsoever and am very happy with them.

 

But thanks for asking!

[kevinyork]

Well I think P&O have made a very good attempt to address and sort out the Vantage - Getaway debacle and I think the new pricing structure seems a lot fairer and seems to make sense.

 

I am feeling very positive about it and hope things will now settle down and move on. I do hope so as I really like P&O.

 

But the new pricing structure omits the key issue......what will the late availability fares be like? When they are half the Premium fares then people will once again be disgruntled. Its too early for the Jury to decide.

 

Why have different fare descriprions. If I fly with Ryanair the price is the price on the day I book. Same with the train from my station. If the price is too high I dont book.

[cruisebore]

But the new pricing structure omits the key issue......what will the late availability fares be like? When they are half the Premium fares then people will once again be disgruntled. Its too early for the Jury to decide.

 

Why have different fare descriprions. If I fly with Ryanair the price is the price on the day I book. Same with the train from my station. If the price is too high I dont book.

 

Our experience of Ryanair is that the early booker gets the best (lowest) fares. Their policy appears to be that if you leave it late you pay top dollar. Perhaps they would rather fly with empty seats than encourage last minute booking. If so a sensible policy.

 

Cb

[majortom10]

Yes I have lost total trust and confidence and will not be booking anymore cruises with them in the future. Oriana in March, booked in May 2012, will be our last and we have seriously considered cancelling that. We have usually done at least 2 cruises sometimes 3 a year with P&O but have not sailed with them at all during 2013 instead cruising with Princess which is a far better cruising experience with better food and entertainment and full days in port.

Edited November 5, 2013 by shilly3191

[jymmer]

Has P&O lost my trust? In a word, no.

 

The whole vantage vs getaway issue hasn't worried me at all. We like the look of a cruise, we check the price and if we like the price, we book the cruise.

 

I make the decision on price based on whether I feel it's good value. If it was good value for me then, I ignore the price from that point onwards. Life's to short to constantly monitor prices to see how much extra I've paid. I've got enough stress in my life without looking for more!

 

As for shore times, we're generally early off and early back. Only once would I have liked a bit more time (in Dubrovnik) but there would still have been more than a days worth of things to do so even with more time ashore, I would have done all I wanted.

 

I really enjoy the shore days but really, for me, a cruise is about the sea days.

 

We had an amazing, relaxing time on our last cruise, enjoyed some fantastic food and wine and made friends for life.

 

So no. I haven't lost any trust in P&O whatsoever and am very happy with them.

 

But thanks for asking!

 

 

 

Wow Winkster, I totally ditto everything you have just said!

 

Melissa

[annieuk]

No, not at all, not in any way! We started cruising with P&O in 2005 and have our 13th cruise with them coming up next year. We like their product, we have enjoyed every single one of our cruises and really we have no moans! We always book early - we are fussy about which cabin and which dining sitting we have. I like being able to look forward to a cruise - booking last minute, not knowing which cabin we would be in, or which dining sitting we would have is not for me.

 

We have just been notified that our cabin grade on our cruise next year has been reduced and so we have an extra £280 OBC - in addition to the £300 we already have and that doesn't include the OBC we get for having Carnival shares!

 

If people don't like what P&O offer, fair enough, go elsewhere, there's so much choice out there. Reading some of the postings on here would scare a new cruiser stiff and make them wonder what on earth they have booked.

 

So, to go back to the original poster's question - no we have not lost trust in P&O. If we are happy with the price when we book, then we stay happy. If some people get a fantastic deal booking a few weeks away from cruising, good luck to them.:)

[Somerset Cruiser]

Our experience of Ryanair is that the early booker gets the best (lowest) fares. Their policy appears to be that if you leave it late you pay top dollar. Perhaps they would rather fly with empty seats than encourage last minute booking. If so a sensible policy.

 

Cb

 

What does filling an aeroplane with 150 passengers for a 2 hour flight and crewed by 8 staff has to do with filling a cruise ship with 3000 passengers for a 2 week trip and crewed by 1000 staff.

 

btw, do you ever see any complaints about Ryanair :rolleyes:

[cruisebore]

What does filling an aeroplane with 150 passengers for a 2 hour flight and crewed by 8 staff has to do with filling a cruise ship with 3000 passengers for a 2 week trip and crewed by 1000 staff.

 

btw, do you ever see any complaints about Ryanair :rolleyes:

 

Well not quite.... Ryanair have a fleet of 300+ aircraft with a capacity of 57.000 seats. with a constant need to maximise seat occupancy You appear to have missed the point, it was whether it is a wise marketing strategy for P&O to be known for offloading last minute giveaways ( perhaps a better name than getaways)

 

Cb

[Somerset Cruiser]

Well not quite.... Ryanair have a fleet of 300+ aircraft with a capacity of 57.000 seats. with a constant need to maximise seat occupancy You appear to have missed the point, it was whether it is a wise marketing strategy for P&O to be known for offloading last minute giveaways ( perhaps a better name than getaways)

 

Cb

 

I certainly have, are you saying Ryanair are a good example of how to run a business to the satisfaction of its customers.

[janny444]

Yes P&0 have lost my "trust" but not just on pricing...as an earlier comment was made it is on quality of food...service....general overall running of the ships.

We have just returned from a cruise on the Ventura and the cutbacks are really beginning to show.Taken singularly they seem minor but add them all together and it really affects your overall enjoyment of the cruise. For many... but not for me...the end of Silver Service is a big big issue....really caused a lot of upset with the "regular" P&O cruisers We did exactly the same cruise in July but on a different cruise line and the difference between the two really really showed...P&O is an inferior product now in many ways and I am amazed that people only ever cruise with them ... there was so many people on board the Ventura who have only ever cruised with P&O....many for 20 years or more...that were very very upset at what is happening now as to the standards on the ship.

 

Thank goodness I only paid a Getaway fare....certainly wouldn't have been happy at paying a Vantage fare...will I cruise with P&O again...don't think so...not even with a getaway price...there are too many superior cruise lines...even within the same 4 star grading...

[rubydoobydoo]

I wouldn't say they have lost my trust, it is just that I have had my eyes opened by cruising with Celebrity and my priorities have changed

 

I don't want to sail from Southampton again in a hurry as I have found that P and O are now having too many sea days for my taste, top that with unpredictable weather, and I also find the itineraries are not thrilling me either

 

I could not fault the service we had on Azura, far better than our previous cruises with P and O but the food was lacking at the lunchtime buffet

 

I also think the cheap deals are attracting people that are out for a cheap holiday and many more children out of school holidays, maybe Azura is not suitable for me as it is a big family ship and I hate the set up of Brodie's

 

I won't rule out using P and O again but I can't see myself booking a year ahead again, for planning that far ahead or a special occasion I will probably pay more and go with Celebrity as I didn't enjoy the deck parties or fun feel of the ship as I have done in the past

[west2000]

Well not quite.... Ryanair have a fleet of 300+ aircraft with a capacity of 57.000 seats. with a constant need to maximise seat occupancy You appear to have missed the point, it was whether it is a wise marketing strategy for P&O to be known for offloading last minute giveaways ( perhaps a better name than getaways)

 

Cb

 

This is exactly the point. The new structure still does nothing really for the early booker in the way other lines do. I believe people that can will still wait. P&O will not sail ships with many empty cabins so the last minute discounts will end up being very low again. Lead in 'Select Fares' need to drop to encourage early booking again. The OBC offered does not compensate for what can be saved. Not asking P&O to run like Ryan Air but in fairness it is not usually their pricing policy that attracts critisism. Carnival need to observe their direct competitors who offer lower prices to early bookers. Many previously loyal clients have experienced the competition and are happy with their experience. In 2015 they have another ship they will need to fill.

[the english lady]

But the new pricing structure omits the key issue......what will the late availability fares be like? When they are half the Premium fares then people will once again be disgruntled. Its too early for the Jury to decide.

They will be very very cheap when you compare the lead in price to the select and saver fares. However now you will get NO choice at all with them. Except for the grade of cabin that will be it. No free upgrades as with getaway fares. No choice of dining and paying for shuttles. If enough people book the select/saver fares there may not even be the cheap cheap fares for the cruise you want, in the grade you want. Some people do not mind paying select prices, if they know they are getting more for their money than the late bookers.

Of course I guess we will still have people booking select fares , who find out about the with in 90 day fares, and bleat how they feal cheated. One just wishes they did some research first.