Anyone upgraded cabin on board? (Looks like our guaranteed double bed may be single)

[Barnum42]

Via a travel agent I've book a week long cruise on P&O Oceana in a guaranteed inside cabin with a double bed. The travel agent correctly pointed out the cabin will be assigned by P&O but failed to mention that on Oceana this will not guarantee us a double bed as that ship has many fixed twin beds.

 

P&O say it's nothing to do with them, and that the travel agent should have told us we would not be guaranteed a double bed.

 

The travel agent is currently replying with copy and paste details, and despite another sales person saying we should have been told the bed was not guaranteed, the customer relations department are not backing that up.

 

Their only suggestion is to pay £300 to switch to a Select fare and pick a cabin with a double bed.

 

Problem is, the travel agent has miss-sold us the cabin.

 

I'm looking ahead in the expectation that we are now gambling on whether we get the double bed we were sold or are given twins. If it's the latter, has anyone experience of upgrading once on board? I imagine they are happy to take more money off you, but how much?

[Pink-belle]

I won't comment on the saver/select or travel agent aspect.

 

However, just something to consider, the inside staterooms on Oceana are small, we had one some years ago. We found the layout worked far better with the beds in a twin formation. A metre of floor space between the beds seemed much better than half a metre on either side of the bed.

[Pennbank]

I won't comment on the saver/select or travel agent aspect.

 

However, just something to consider, the inside staterooms on Oceana are small, we had one some years ago. We found the layout worked far better with the beds in a twin formation. A metre of floor space between the beds seemed much better than half a metre on either side of the bed.

 

You could always push the beds together and reorganise the tables your self, however I doubt the steward/ess would be able to supply double quilts etc.

[Eglesbrech]

Depends when you are sailing and if the ship is full. If a double bed is an essential requirement for you then I would try to change before you go.

 

Our last Ventura cruise the ship was full to the extent that they could not move ours neighbours who had a plumbing issue.

[P&O SUE]

You could always push the beds together and reorganise the tables your self, however I doubt the steward/ess would be able to supply double quilts etc.

 

 

No you can't push them together, that's the point!

 

 

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[wowzz]

For 7 nights is it really a problem. Mrs W would be upset if we were given a double rather than 2 singles, but we wouldn't lose any sleep over it!!

 

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[Pennbank]

No you can't push them together, that's the point!

 

 

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Hate to disagree with you, but have done with having a similar problem. Even though the brochure etc said it could not be done. The Stewardess was very helpful.

[P&O SUE]

Hate to disagree with you, but have done with having a similar problem. Even though the brochure etc said it could not be done. The Stewardess was very helpful.

 

 

That's interesting as the info for my Oceana cruise says fixed twin, can't be used as double. Always had double before but not been on Oceana before.

Our cruise is only for four nights so we're not really bothered. We'll see when we board!

 

 

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[Pennbank]

That's interesting as the info for my Oceana cruise says fixed twin, can't be used as double. Always had double before but not been on Oceana before.

Our cruise is only for four nights so we're not really bothered. We'll see when we board!

 

 

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That is what was said on my allocated cabin, however the beds turned out not to be fixed but The beside tables meant that when they were moved there was one that could not be plugged in. As I said the stewardess was very helpful and put them together . However she was unable to supply Kingsize quilts and bedding.

[insanemagnet]

however the beds turned out not to be fixed but The beside tables meant that when they were moved there was one that could not be plugged in.

 

So no different to some of the cabins on Oceana which are advertised as doubles, where the bed side table is a double unit and so can only be placed in the middle (creating twin beds). If put to one side either the beds need to be against the wall or the unit turned sideways so you can't open the drawers.

 

As I said the stewardess was very helpful and put them together . However she was unable to supply Kingsize quilts and bedding.

 

That doesn't sound very helpful and sounds like they were not trying very hard. It is unbelievable there was not one spare double quilt and two double sheets available on the whole ship. They would hold loads of extras for every eventuality.

[Pink-belle]

Oceana has staterooms that are "different" to normal staterooms.

 

It is all detailed with actual room numbers on the P&O information pages.

 

Apparently the rooms are narrower and longer than the usual rooms, one of the twin berths may even be pulled down from the wall each evening. So I imagine very narrow.

 

If this bothers you (it would me) another good reason to book select. That said I would be interested in seeing photos of these rooms. Maybe they have more room overall?

[tartanexile81]

We have had fixed singles on another ship and they were indeed fixed down to the floor. It was a narrow room and they couldn't sit side by side, they had to be off-set.

 

There are so many ifs and buts and maybe with savers, I just couldn't do it. It just makes for peace of mind to book select

[Pennbank]

So no different to some of the cabins on Oceana which are advertised as doubles, where the bed side table is a double unit and so can only be placed in the middle (creating twin beds). If put to one side either the beds need to be against the wall or the unit turned sideways so you can't open the drawers.

 

 

 

That doesn't sound very helpful and sounds like they were not trying very hard. It is unbelievable there was not one spare double quilt and two double sheets available on the whole ship. They would hold loads of extras for every eventuality.

 

Disagree,

She could have reported that I was disobeying regulations of some sort or another. Obviously there is some reason that the cruise line did not want the cabin to be a possible double. May be health and safety reason. My stewardess was in my opinion very helpful in allowing the beds to be together.

Yes she probably could have some how obtained some double sheets etc but then that could have meant involving another member of crew or her boss ! Which could have prevented the configuration of cabin I wanted.

[Mysticalmother]

Tricky. If you specifically asked for a double bed ...as opposed to a double cabin...then yes it would seem your travel agent has misled you into booking a saver fare rather than select. Some ...not all...travel agents push the cheap fare aspect to get a sale rather than actually expaining what the cheap fare means in reality. But cruiseship cabins are usually sold as " sleeping 2..or 3 or 4" not "double" or twin...as in bed. Some cabins on some ships do have fixed beds..which are fixed. We have one with a fixed double bed.....and it has been pointed out to us at the point of booking, by our TA , that the bed can NOT be set up as twins.

I can understand P & O not being interested...it is not their fault.

Whilst I sympathise, it would seem you have 3 options...

Take a chance and accept the consequences.

Rebook a select fare and choose your cabin ( wisely !)

Have a discussion with your TA...and good luck!

[Mysticalmother]

Should have added...the chances of you upgrading on board are very slim....havent heard of that happening on P & O for a long time. Even if they are not actually strictly full, they usually keep what few cabins are unsold free for people who really need a change because of a major problem with their cabin...eg flooding. (It can happen....did with us a few years ago)

[insanemagnet]

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Disagree,

She could have reported that I was disobeying regulations of some sort or another. Obviously there is some reason that the cruise line did not want the cabin to be a possible double. May be health and safety reason. My stewardess was in my opinion very helpful in allowing the beds to be together.

Yes she probably could have some how obtained some double sheets etc but then that could have meant involving another member of crew or her boss ! Which could have prevented the configuration of cabin I wanted.

 

Sorry but that is nonsense.

 

If there was a reason it had to be set up as a twin the steward should have made that reason clear.

 

By just going along with pushing the beds together, but not being prepared to get a double quilt and sheets is just being pedantic, and is pretty poor service.

 

The staff should do what the customer wants (assuming legal and safe).

[Pennbank]

Sorry but that is nonsense.

 

If there was a reason it had to be set up as a twin the steward should have made that reason clear.

 

By just going along with pushing the beds together, but not being prepared to get a double quilt and sheets is just being pedantic, and is pretty poor service.

 

The staff should do what the customer wants (assuming legal and safe).

 

Whose to know.

The cabin stated it had fixed beds, the Stewardess I believe, did me a favour and I was not prepared to get her into trouble. I was happy.

That is the problem these days you try and help someone out then they put the cat among the pigeons and expect more.

[Barnum42]

Thanks for the replies. The travel agent company has now admitted that if we requested a double, their employee should have pointed it out. So we're waiting the results of their listening to the phone recording.

 

As regards saver v select, the £300 difference is quarter the cost of a future cruise, and we'd rather put it towards that.

 

£300 could get us a bottom grade balcony, none of which have fixed twins. However, if we get upgraded to the next level, some of them have fixed twins. The agent said you can't refuse an upgrade on select, so we'd still be in the same problem - albeit the number of fixed twin balcony are much smaller. We've sailed on P&O three times, and twice been upgraded.

 

So we'll wait and see what comes from the agent.

[Barnum42]

That is what was said on my allocated cabin, however the beds turned out not to be fixed but The beside tables meant that when they were moved there was one that could not be plugged in. As I said the stewardess was very helpful and put them together . However she was unable to supply Kingsize quilts and bedding.

Interesting. Should we end up in that cabin, and they are not bolted down, then we'll take that option. My wife usually nicks the duvet off me, so two single duvets may work in my favour :D

[Barnum42]

Our last Ventura cruise the ship was full to the extent that they could not move ours neighbours who had a plumbing issue.

When we were on Britannia, they would not move an older couple in an interior with pullman beds that did not retract into the roof but were up against the wall, causing the husband to bang into it when getting out of bed. However, after he drew blood they found another cabin.

[insanemagnet]

Whose to know.

The cabin stated it had fixed beds, the Stewardess I believe, did me a favour and I was not prepared to get her into trouble. I was happy.

That is the problem these days you try and help someone out then they put the cat among the pigeons and expect more.

If you are prepared to suffer for unexplained 'rules' then good for you, but really your position makes no sense.

 

If in your view the cabin steward would be disciplined for obtaining a double quilt for the 'illegally' moved furniture, then they would be just as much to blame by failing to report your actions to security.

 

It sounds to me more like they couldn't be bothered to help.

[daiB]

Whose to know.

The cabin stated it had fixed beds, the Stewardess I believe, did me a favour and I was not prepared to get her into trouble. I was happy.

That is the problem these days you try and help someone out then they put the cat among the pigeons and expect more.

 

A very reasonable response on your behalf. Well done.

[insanemagnet]

A very reasonable response on your behalf. Well done.

Reasonable to suffer bad service? An odd view.

[Eglesbrech]

When we were on Britannia, they would not move an older couple in an interior with pullman beds that did not retract into the roof but were up against the wall, causing the husband to bang into it when getting out of bed. However, after he drew blood they found another cabin.

 

This was a superior deluxe balcony and they had an extremely bad "plumbing" issue (eg sewage) but they said the ship was full so they just cleaned, put in de-humidifiers and dryers. We also had the plumbing problems but at least our carpets were still dry!

[P&O SUE]

Thanks for the replies. The travel agent company has now admitted that if we requested a double, their employee should have pointed it out. So we're waiting the results of their listening to the phone recording.

 

As regards saver v select, the £300 difference is quarter the cost of a future cruise, and we'd rather put it towards that.

 

£300 could get us a bottom grade balcony, none of which have fixed twins. However, if we get upgraded to the next level, some of them have fixed twins. The agent said you can't refuse an upgrade on select, so we'd still be in the same problem - albeit the number of fixed twin balcony are much smaller. We've sailed on P&O three times, and twice been upgraded.

 

So we'll wait and see what comes from the agent.

 

I have to say your agent doesn't sound very good. On a select you can click "no upgrade" from the moment you book it!