Arcadia delay

[kruzseeka]

Not quite sure what's going on with Arcadia.  Friends on board got an email before sailing saying they would have a two day stop in Malaga for maintenance work, missing out Messina later in the cruise to stay on schedule.  They arrived Malaga on 27th and they've only just left around midnight 30th.   There was some notification about fishing lines snagged round a propeller.  Surely that wasn't the original problem they were notified of before the cruise commenced.  Still hoping to make Venice, Dubrovnik and Split but a day later than planned. We shall see. 

They've been told to claim off insurance!  Well, that was reference to the original delay with loss of Messina. Imagine they may get some obc after this further delay as I'm assuming another port will have to be dropped to make the return to Southampton on time.

[wowzz]

Lots more detail about this on the P&O fb pages. 

[kruzseeka]

6 hours ago, wowzz said:

Lots more detail about this on the P&O fb pages. 

 

Not on fb - any more relevant details please?

[the english lady]

They have now left and are on their way. Sicily cancelled, rest of the ports are due to be reached. I think there was a problem, hence the stop in Malaga, but once divers went down they were able to see a bigger problem than thought. Think the fishing net caused problems with the azipod. 

[Clodia]

I've been following on Facebook; they left late Sunday night and are a day late in remaining ports. No offer of compensation which had led to some complaints on FB page. 

[kruzseeka]

Thanks for the updates.  Yes, I'm surprised that they haven't had some obc - we had some for a similar delay cause by fishing lines round a propeller on a US/Canada cruise.   

[Scorpio41]

Why are people always wanting compensation?  One port has been cancelled., the ship is repaired, and everybody is safe. 

You are on a cruise ship, in the sunshine, on holiday.

 

On my cruise last year I missed two ports, one due to high winds we couldn't dock, not even the with the use of tugs, the second we were waiting for our trip to leave by tender when the seas got very choppy, trip cancelled and these became sea days. It happens roll with it.

[Eglesbrech]

32 minutes ago, Scorpio41 said:

Why are people always wanting compensation?  One port has been cancelled., the ship is repaired, and everybody is safe. 

You are on a cruise ship, in the sunshine, on holiday.

 

On my cruise last year I missed two ports, one due to high winds we couldn't dock, not even the with the use of tugs, the second we were waiting for our trip to leave by tender when the seas got very choppy, trip cancelled and these became sea days. It happens roll with it.

If you lose ports due to the weather as you have then you do indeed just have to roll with it. That is out-with the control of the company.

 

Personally I think that maintenance is a different matter. If you go with the “roll with it” view then how far would you let the cruise company go with changing the cruise you booked and paid for? Missing one port, two ports, a complete change to what you booked, no ports at all (and on short cruises yes this has happened). Where is the line?

 

Some of the folks on here can be a bit blaze about ports being dropped as face it most of us who use CC have been on multiple cruises, so the port we missed this time we might get to visit the next. For some people a cruise is a once in a lifetime treat and there might be a place they really want to see - then it is missed because of ships maintenance. I know all the arguments about the t&cs etc however people who are not cruise anoraks (cc members you know who you are) will probably not read all the small print so wont be aware that this can happen. That’s probably why people want compo and not to have the hassle of claiming off their personal insurance.

 

If if there is no cost to companies to just change things then there is no incentive for them to provide the cruise in full that pax booked. Just my opinion.

 

 

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

It's pretty simple really.  If it's outside the control of P&O compensation isn't due.  If it's in any way down to them (inadequate maintenance etc) it is. The T&C may protect them but not necessarily. 

 

Goodwill gestures always go down well though. 

[majortom10]

My only argument is when you miss a port whilst cruising with P&O they do not have to pay port/tax fees to the port authority that they have missed. P&O charge for these in the cruise fare but they are never given back to the customer they are kept as pure profit. In the past when we have missed ports whilst cruising with Princess the port fees and taxes you are reimbursed within 24 hrs to your onboard account.

[wowzz]

Of course good insurance cover will pay out for missed ports [ours is £100 pp], but it does not really offset the disappointment of missing a port that you may have set your heart upon visiting.

[kruzseeka]

I merely question why in this instance, no obc has been forthcoming thus far based on

1) their knowledge before sailing that some maintenance was necessary and Messina had to go and

b) our previous experience - incidentally on Arcadia too - when we missed several ports due to bad weather (didn't expect any obc for that as has been previously mentioned, it was outside of the control of P&O) but when we had a fouled propeller due to fishing lines (interestingly the same problem!?!) we were given obc.

 

It's not a matter of shouting for compensation just clarity about whether planned maintenance - determined before even sailing from Southampton which results in a lost port (and probably now two as they were in Malaga longer than originally planned) is a matter that should generate a goodwill gesture from P&O.   This clearly wasn't weather related.  

Edited July 1, 2019 by kruzseeka

[Scorpio41]

7 hours ago, majortom10 said:

My only argument is when you miss a port whilst cruising with P&O they do not have to pay port/tax fees to the port authority that they have missed. P&O charge for these in the cruise fare but they are never given back to the customer they are kept as pure profit. In the past when we have missed ports whilst cruising with Princess the port fees and taxes you are reimbursed within 24 hrs to your onboard account.

 

Once we had Kirkwall cancelled due to another ship using the Berth and no ability to tender. With in hours P&O had arranged to go to Belfast the following day with trips all organised.

 

 

[majortom10]

On our last cruise on Princess we missed 2 ports of call one to Dublin and ship broke down and second was Kirkwall when a storm was coming across Atlantic towards Scotland so port was cancelled due to the weather. We received obc for port fees/taxes not paid for both ports and also compensation for missing Dublin.

[jeanlyon]

How on earth can it be maintenance if they got a fishing net round the prop?

[Scorpio41]

3 hours ago, kruzseeka said:

 

 

It's not a matter of shouting for compensation just clarity about whether planned maintenance - determined before even sailing from Southampton which results in a lost port (and probably now two as they were in Malaga longer than originally planned) is a matter that should generate a goodwill gesture from P&O.   This clearly wasn't weather related.  

 

I agree with a goodwill gesture, something showing all passengers their patience is appreciated.  OBC keeps the money in house so it doesn’t cost P&O a huge amount.

[kruzseeka]

26 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

How on earth can it be maintenance if they got a fishing net round the prop?

 

That's what I wondered too.  The original message (before sailing) which cancelled Messina mentioned maintenance in Malaga.  If the propeller was snagged wouldn't it need sorting straight away - not over a week later after sailing from Southampton?  I don't get it unless the fishing line was an additional issue.  

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

We received obc for port fees/taxes not paid for both ports and also compensation for missing Dublin.

The refund for port fees, taxes etc may be due to the way Princess price their cruises for the US market. IIRC, cruises in the US are often priced nett of port taxes,  and these are then added to the cruise cost. There is therefore the expectation that refunds will be given if a port is missed.  In the UK fares have to be advertised inclusive of fees, so there is  less expectation of a refund. 

Having said that, I would think it quite reasonable that P&O should refund pax the appropriate amount resulting from a missed port.

[dorsetlad]

Is it actually a given that if P&O have to cancel a port visit at short notice, they do not have to pay at least a portion of the port fees. If we cancel a cruise at short notice, we don't get our fare refunded. Just saying.

[kruzseeka]

 

1 hour ago, dorsetlad said:

Is it actually a given that if P&O have to cancel a port visit at short notice, they do not have to pay at least a portion of the port fees. If we cancel a cruise at short notice, we don't get our fare refunded. Just saying.

 

It remains to be seen whether any gesture is forthcoming but unfortunately it does all seem to be loaded in one direction doesn't it?  Even if it were £100 p.p. obc for a future cruise it would be a recognition that at least some of the delay was down to maintenance ie P&O's responsibility.  It would perhaps encourage future bookings and as said before, obc costs P&O a fraction of the value to passengers.  It wouldn't suit everyone if they don't want to go on another P&O  cruise but it would be something.  

Eglesbrech, post #8 makes some excellent points - at what point do lost ports, changed itiinerary  which are not weather related, strikes etc - ie unforeseen circumstances,  generate some 'pay back' for passengers in whatever form?  It's goodwill  at the end of the day.  

On the plus side they are now steaming ahead at 22 knots just reaching Sicily but still have a way to go to Venice which I think is the first stop now.  For the sake of those on board, I hope they make the rest of their destinations and have good weather and can make the most of their time on board.  Good luck!    

Edited July 2, 2019 by kruzseeka

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, dorsetlad said:

Is it actually a given that if P&O have to cancel a port visit at short notice, they do not have to pay at least a portion of the port fees. If we cancel a cruise at short notice, we don't get our fare refunded. Just saying.

If a port is cancelled whilst you are on a cruise through port authority reasons and not a P&O decision they do not pay any port fees/taxes so that amount times number of passengers 2000/3000+ is banked by P&O as profit and is a considerable amount of money.

 

[majortom10]

10 hours ago, wowzz said:

The refund for port fees, taxes etc may be due to the way Princess price their cruises for the US market. IIRC, cruises in the US are often priced nett of port taxes,  and these are then added to the cruise cost. There is therefore the expectation that refunds will be given if a port is missed.  In the UK fares have to be advertised inclusive of fees, so there is  less expectation of a refund. 

Having said that, I would think it quite reasonable that P&O should refund pax the appropriate amount resulting from a missed port.

It doesnt matter whether your cruise fare is cruise price plus port fees/taxes added or included in the price as P&O do at the end of the day it is paid one way or another by P&O. When we missed a port on a P&O cruise having had port fees/taxes refunded in the past by Princess and I asked about  Port fees/taxes they initially tried to say that passengers dont pay Port fees/taxes but by P&O. After considerable amount of time and conversation they admitted that the Port fees/taxes were included in the cruise fare and if a port was cancelled they kept the money's paid by cruisers.

[the english lady]

Ok so hows about they raise  the cost of each cruise by £1000 or so. Have a few days set aside every few months so the ships can stay in Southampton and have bits of work done . Everytime they have something like fishing nets caught around azipods that cause more damage than what they originally thought (which i think was the case here) which causes delay or missed ports etc 50% of the cost of the cruise is returned to each passenger. Would that keep everyone happy. Ofcourse pando would not be around for very long then, so hey ho  no cruises from Southampton except in the summer. Not much choice of where to go in the summer either and stupidly high prices. 

We are talking about a business here. Businesses have to turn a profit these days (for all you shareholders). They may have been told we cant get the piece of equipment to you in Southampton and give you time to fit it, but we will be able to get it to you here, so you do not have to cancel the entire cruise (how much moaning would that generate) just spend a few days here (longer than planned but more damage than originally thought)

People want cheap cruises , heavens above that pando puts up any of its prices at all whatsoever.

Nobody likes a cruise that is not what one originally planned, but life happens . You either have to accept it or not. We dont know yet what pando may or may not offer the people on this cruise. 

No cruise line is perfect. I am forever reading on the American boards of cruises either being cancelled at short notice (because its suddenly chartered) or people boarding and finding that possibly worse, there are 1000 people onboard that is a group, that take over various parts of the ship for "their" activities.

Pando usually do come through in someway for cruises that are totally screwed. If you want port fees returned go on a line that returns them (but charges you more for the base price of the cruise and everything onboard)

Just wanted to vent. I shall shut up and go away now.

[Eglesbrech]

5 minutes ago, the english lady said:

Ok so hows about they raise  the cost of each cruise by £1000 or so. Have a few days set aside every few months so the ships can stay in Southampton and have bits of work done . Everytime they have something like fishing nets caught around azipods that cause more damage than what they originally thought (which i think was the case here) which causes delay or missed ports etc 50% of the cost of the cruise is returned to each passenger. Would that keep everyone happy. Ofcourse pando would not be around for very long then, so hey ho  no cruises from Southampton except in the summer. Not much choice of where to go in the summer either and stupidly high prices. 

We are talking about a business here. Businesses have to turn a profit these days (for all you shareholders). They may have been told we cant get the piece of equipment to you in Southampton and give you time to fit it, but we will be able to get it to you here, so you do not have to cancel the entire cruise (how much moaning would that generate) just spend a few days here (longer than planned but more damage than originally thought)

People want cheap cruises , heavens above that pando puts up any of its prices at all whatsoever.

Nobody likes a cruise that is not what one originally planned, but life happens . You either have to accept it or not. We dont know yet what pando may or may not offer the people on this cruise. 

No cruise line is perfect. I am forever reading on the American boards of cruises either being cancelled at short notice (because its suddenly chartered) or people boarding and finding that possibly worse, there are 1000 people onboard that is a group, that take over various parts of the ship for "their" activities.

Pando usually do come through in someway for cruises that are totally screwed. If you want port fees returned go on a line that returns them (but charges you more for the base price of the cruise and everything onboard)

Just wanted to vent. I shall shut up and go away now.

I would agree with some aspects of what you are saying. If customers are too strident and demanding then you get to exactly what you describe above, unaffordable cruising.

 

If however customers are too accepting of anything that organisations choose to do which changes their holiday, if they act too much like doormats then they will of course get walked all over.

 

It is a balance. 

[kruzseeka]

They've made Split today - it was supposed to be Venice, Dubrovnik, Split a day later than originally but seem to have called in at the closest Adriatic port first.  Divers going down again today.