Brittania - register interest

[majortom10]

Spoke at length today to P&O regarding pre-registration and they told me that there is no preferential treatment if you pre-register direct with P&O rather than an agent. When you pre-register with an agent they then pre-register with P&O and it all goes on the same list in pre-registration booking order. They told me the reason why TAs dont ask for a deposit straight away even though they have to pay one to P&O when registering is that even if you pull out and dont accept booking they gamble on selling that cabin to somebody else. He also told me that half of the cabins on Britannia are already waitlisted for the maiden cruise with pre-registrations.

Edited February 16, 2014 by shilly3191

[Holker01]

Don't know who you spoke to at P&O but that is not how it works!

[wilson2579]

Don't know who you spoke to at P&O but that is not how it works!

 

How does it work then Holker as I am thinking of pre registering.:confused:

[daiB]

How does it work then Holker as I am thinking of pre registering.:confused:

 

It works exactly as described above and has for a number of years ever since P&O introduced the new method of direct booking with pre registration.

 

The main problems come with things like maidens, and the 175 in 2012.

 

Those who miss out always think they have been badly done by.

 

If there are 10 cabins in a grade and they have 10 pre registrations then there are no cabins left.

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[Holker01]

The point I am trying to make is that those 10 cabins should not be assigned to any passengers before 26th march! TAs up and down the country could have, say 50 pre registrations for those cabins, that would be in addition to the pre registrations that p and o have taken direct. What we are led to believe is that at 8.00 am on 26th march those cabins will be available to book, whether it be p and o staff that grab them for clients that have registered direct or TAs for their clients, it shouldn't make any difference, as it should be a case of whoever is luckiest to grab them at 8am on 26th march.

[terrierjohn]

Spoke at length today to P&O regarding pre-registration and they told me that there is no preferential treatment if you pre-register direct with P&O rather than an agent. When you pre-register with an agent they then pre-register with P&O and it all goes on the same list in pre-registration booking order. They told me the reason why TAs dont ask for a deposit straight away even though they have to pay one to P&O when registering is that even if you pull out and dont accept booking they gamble on selling that cabin to somebody else. He also told me that half of the cabins on Britannia are already waitlisted for the maiden cruise with pre-registrations.

 

Don't know who you spoke to at P&O but that is not how it works!

 

The point I am trying to make is that those 10 cabins should not be assigned to any passengers before 26th march! TAs up and down the country could have, say 50 pre registrations for those cabins, that would be in addition to the pre registrations that p and o have taken direct. What we are led to believe is that at 8.00 am on 26th march those cabins will be available to book, whether it be p and o staff that grab them for clients that have registered direct or TAs for their clients, it shouldn't make any difference, as it should be a case of whoever is luckiest to grab them at 8am on 26th march.

 

Not sure why you object to Shillys comment, it seems to be broadly in line with you're now saying. Presumably P&O will be keeping a check on the numbers of registrations both direct and via TA's, if TA's are having to pay a deposit. So if they say half the cabins have been pre reserved, that's surely just a summation of the 2 lists.

[daiB]

Not sure why you object to Shillys comment, it seems to be broadly in line with you're now saying. Presumably P&O will be keeping a check on the numbers of registrations both direct and via TA's, if TA's are having to pay a deposit. So if they say half the cabins have been pre reserved, that's surely just a summation of the 2 lists.

 

There must be something wrong here ....we agree:rolleyes:

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

[terrierjohn]

There must be something wrong here ....we agree:rolleyes:

 

 

Gan Canny

 

 

Dai

Dai, I never disagree with you, I just hold differing opinions.

[Wull92]

We spoke to P&O when prereg was opened up. We were told if you wanted to prereg for Britannia it had to be direct with them. Travel agent will be able to book on the 26th or 27th depending on Your grade. I asked my TA to phone them and ask but they were told it was not open to prereg for TA just direct customers. I phoned them back to ask if I could prereg my interest in a specific cruise (not maiden) and then after I paid deposit to them ask them to hand it back to my TA for completion (this has been done before) as I get a good discount from bank TA and free lounge access. P&O told me that this could not be done, they want all preregistration and completion going through them from start to finish.

 

Don`t shoot the messenger this is what P&O staff have told me.

 

Rregards to all

 

W&P

[Holker01]

When a TA has a pre registration, it is kept in house, it doesn't go on any 'list'. P and O will have there pre registrations as will hundreds of TAs up and down the country. It is impossible for P and O to know exactly how many pre registrations TAs have. That is why, if its done fairly, at 8.00 on 26th march, it should be fastest finger 1st ( so to speak).

[majortom10]

We spoke to P&O when prereg was opened up. We were told if you wanted to prereg for Britannia it had to be direct with them. Travel agent will be able to book on the 26th or 27th depending on Your grade. I asked my TA to phone them and ask but they were told it was not open to prereg for TA just direct customers. I phoned them back to ask if I could prereg my interest in a specific cruise (not maiden) and then after I paid deposit to them ask them to hand it back to my TA for completion (this has been done before) as I get a good discount from bank TA and free lounge access. P&O told me that this could not be done, they want all preregistration and completion going through them from start to finish.

 

Don`t shoot the messenger this is what P&O staff have told me.

 

Rregards to all

 

W&P

 

Well having done 4 previous maiden cruises with P&O and never booked with them direct but with a TA all I can say was that whoever you spoke to at P&O told you a load of bunkum. I have pre registered with Bolsover after speaking to P&O direct and they encouraged me to book with a TA. You are able to pre register with any TA you like of your choice. For interest whatever cruise I have booked with P&O and have done 20+ always booked with a TA and always found them more knowledgable and helpful than any P&O reservation staff. For instance when I initially spoke to P&O direct last week was told "that they dont go on sale for Britannia until 28th March when I pointed out it was 26th for top tiers Peninsular club and general sale on 27th was told oh yes you are right my mistake".

Edited February 17, 2014 by shilly3191

[wilson2579]

The reasons I don't book with T.A. are because you can't deal direct with P and O, I was asked for a much larger deposit and then balance to be paid more than a month before P and O ask for it. The cruise was the same price, I wasn't offered any extras, so where is the advantages. I may be missing something:confused:

[Wull92]

Well having done 4 previous maiden cruises with P&O and never booked with them direct but with a TA all I can say was that whoever you spoke to at P&O told you a load of bunkum. I have pre registered with Bolsover after speaking to P&O direct and they encouraged me to book with a TA. You are able to pre register with any TA you like of your choice. For interest whatever cruise I have booked with P&O and have done 20+ always booked with a TA and always found them more knowledgable and helpful than any P&O reservation staff. For instance when I initially spoke to P&O direct last week was told "that they dont go on sale for Britannia until 28th March when I pointed out it was 26th for top tiers Peninsular club and general sale on 27th was told oh yes you are right my mistake".

 

It might be a call back to P&O then in the morning, just to clarify things yet again,mud comes to mind on that though. I would prefer the 10% discount on cruise price from the bank, rather than a 5% loyalty P&O offer. Fingers crossed.

 

Regards to all

W&P

[icat2000]

I cant access any of the info re the this new ship on the website. When I called PO in Australia they just said it wasn't being made available to Australians yet. Okay. Good one.

 

I try and find out when I'm on the Acadia.

 

Cant even see pricing or schedules.

[Cruise Junky]

I cant access any of the info re the this new ship on the website. When I called PO in Australia they just said it wasn't being made available to Australians yet. Okay. Good one.

 

I try and find out when I'm on the Acadia.

 

Cant even see pricing or schedules.

 

Some UK travel agents have them in their site. Try doing some googling

[icat2000]

Some UK travel agents have them in their site. Try doing some googling

 

Thanks. I changed to Google UK and I can see them now. Keen to try ship out in 2015.

Edited February 18, 2014 by icat2000

[Cruise Junky]

Thanks. I changed to Google UK and I can see them now. Keen to try ship out in 2015.

 

Me too. The ship looks beautiful. Just waiting to see what the other lines are offering

[icat2000]

Me too. The ship looks beautiful. Just waiting to see what the other lines are offering

 

Yeap. I'm waiting on a few lines to realease their schedules.

[Wull92]

Well just off the phone with P&O again about preregistering my interest. They have again confirmed you have to do it via them you also have to give them CC details for deposit hence securing the cruise you want. This is to secure your interest they say, to me thats a booking if deposit is taken.

If you don`t preregister with them ,Yes you can preregister your interest via your TA and your TA will take your wish list and your CC details and they will be phoning on the dates mentioned 26th and 27th March at 8am when it opens. It will be fastest fingers first and their systems will crash a Scrum again.

 

Regards

W&P

Edited February 18, 2014 by Wull92

[pete14]

If it is true that TAs cannot pre register their clients, and I believe that it is, I cannot understand why some on here are risking missing out on a Britannia cruise such as the maiden one just because they prefer to use an agent. On less popular cruises and for the more plentiful cabin grades, booking with an agent to show loyalty to them for great service in previous bookings would seem to be OK but to possibly jeopardise a booking by using an agent seems a little silly. Some will no doubt be successful but it seems that some won't. Even if the system seems unfair, it is the system P&O have decided to use and if people want to book popular Britannia cruises, it is best to follow their system. They will fill the ship for the maiden regardless and it matters little to them who they fill it with. Brutal but true.

[Essex Racer]

Makes total sense to me, if you want a pretty much guaranteed cruise then pre-register with the seller direct, by going through a third party you are reliant on them securing a booking for you.

 

In the past by pre-registering with p&o they have also guaranteed that if your selected grade is full by the time you get allocated then complimentary upgrade to the next level, and the price is fixed, with an agent if your selected grade is full or fluid pricing kicks in then you have to pay the extra amount and I am guessing further delay with phone calls between you and the agent to confirm what you want to do. Don't know how this works this time around.

[jeanlyon]

What's so special about the Maiden cruise. That's the one where they find out all the problems!

[terrierjohn]

What's so special about the Maiden cruise. That's the one where they find out all the problems!

I agree with you Jean, its not called a maiden cruise for nothing, it will be the first time for everything as far as the hotel staff are concerned, and no matter how experienced they are on other ships this will be their first time on this one.

A definite recipe for disaster, far better to wait until they iron out all the problems and start to work as a professional team.

[pete14]

I agree with you Jean, its not called a maiden cruise for nothing, it will be the first time for everything as far as the hotel staff are concerned, and no matter how experienced they are on other ships this will be their first time on this one.

A definite recipe for disaster, far better to wait until they iron out all the problems and start to work as a professional team.

 

Probably best if you and Jean don't pre register for it then.

[daiB]

I agree with you Jean, its not called a maiden cruise for nothing, it will be the first time for everything as far as the hotel staff are concerned, and no matter how experienced they are on other ships this will be their first time on this one.

A definite recipe for disaster, far better to wait until they iron out all the problems and start to work as a professional team.

 

 

I agree. I will not pre register for the maiden either. :)

 

 

 

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