P&O please enlighten us with your plans for social distancing

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, kalos said:

 

Have you read this Graham ? 

 https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/07/16/plastic-visors-arent-safe-should-worn-masks-say-swiss/

 

 

Thanks Kalos.

Most people in shops

still wear no face coverings when I go in.

I usually pull the visor well down over my face.

Those in the Telegraph look like they are pulled up offering little protection.

Edited July 22, 2020 by grapau27

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Why would the inside cabins be empty? They are still selling them to passengers aren’t they? Or is it this fable that all those who have booked insides will be magically upgraded to the (already sold) balcony cabins? 😉And if they decide that they aren’t safe for passengers then they are surely not suitable for crew either?

I'm assuming that the cruise will sail at no more than 60% capacity, and that those in the cheap cabins will be bumped off the cruise.. Putting single crew members in these empty cabins will help in terms of social distancing.

Edited July 22, 2020 by wowzz

[Selbourne]

42 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm assuming that the cruise will sail at no more than 60% capacity, and that those in the cheap cabins will be bumped off the cruise.. Putting single crew members in these empty cabins will help in terms of social distancing.

Ah, I see. It’s just that I’ve never bought the theory that all those who booked insides will be upgraded. Far more likely, if capacity has to be reduced, that those in the cheapest cabins will have their bookings cancelled, I should think. P&O does not have a reputation for benevolence!

[AnnieC]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

Ah, I see. It’s just that I’ve never bought the theory that all those who booked insides will be upgraded. Far more likely, if capacity has to be reduced, that those in the cheapest cabins will have their bookings cancelled, I should think. P&O does not have a reputation for benevolence!

I think Wowzz said "bumped off the cruise", thus cancelled, not upgraded. I think we're all in agreement.

[Selbourne]

5 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

I think Wowzz said "bumped off the cruise", thus cancelled, not upgraded. I think we're all in agreement.

You're quite right - we are all in agreement (bar those elsewhere who are convinced they will be upgraded into already booked balcony cabins 😉)

[No pager thank you]

3 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Ah, I see. It’s just that I’ve never bought the theory that all those who booked insides will be upgraded. Far more likely, if capacity has to be reduced, that those in the cheapest cabins will have their bookings cancelled, I should think. P&O does not have a reputation for benevolence!

In terms of lack of benevolence, I still feel that P&O would just as happily bump a balcony passenger if they were paying a lesser price than what the equivalent rate might be for a new booking.  Plus, "insiders" may have the option to pay more to avoid being bumped or conversely get to bump a balcony cabin off in the process. 

 

Some balcony passengers paid a cheap price...off they go...even suites if you extend that logic to its inevitable conclusion...the idea that just the inside cabins get cancelled in block feels too simplistic to me.

 

However, I don't buy that these early cruises are currently full of paying passengers either.  I also took some solace in Molecrochip's suggestion that capacity management might already be in play and that the prospect of being involuntarily bumped might be lower than first feared; reality awaits to be seen.

 

Developing the lack of benevolence theme, P&O are now less than 90 days from a "theoretical" full restart and some people are now paying full balances.  If P&O do not start bumping soon, then they will end up paying out a lot of 25% bonuses (or OBC - note the contract forces them to pay something extra).

 

It might be easier just to find upgrades - or maybe they are already planned....and compensate the prior booked balcony passengers with some tokenistic OBC (or a 10% FCC).

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, No pager thank you said:

In terms of lack of benevolence, I still feel that P&O would just as happily bump a balcony passenger if they were paying a lesser price than what the equivalent rate might be for a new booking.  Plus, "insiders" may have the option to pay more to avoid being bumped or conversely get to bump a balcony cabin off in the process. 

 

Some balcony passengers paid a cheap price...off they go...even suites if you extend that logic to its inevitable conclusion...the idea that just the inside cabins get cancelled in block feels too simplistic to me.

 

However, I don't buy that these early cruises are currently full of paying passengers either.  I also took some solace in Molecrochip's suggestion that capacity management might already be in play and that the prospect of being involuntarily bumped might be lower than first feared; reality awaits to be seen.

 

Developing the lack of benevolence theme, P&O are now less than 90 days from a "theoretical" full restart and some people are now paying full balances.  If P&O do not start bumping soon, then they will end up paying out a lot of 25% bonuses (or OBC - note the contract forces them to pay something extra).

 

It might be easier just to find upgrades - or maybe they are already planned....and compensate the prior booked balcony passengers with some tokenistic OBC (or a 10% FCC).

I don’t really follow the logic of some of that, but agree that anything could happen - and probably will!

[Son of Anarchy]

Out of interest, I just had a look at our December Iona cruise to guesstimate availability for balconies.  We're currently booked in an inside.

 

Lo and behold...all inside and seaview cabins sold out!  Lots of balconies available.

 

Had a look at a couple of earlier cruises, insides & seaviews still available.  

 

Personally, I don't see that in the current situation they have sold out those cabin grades.  Maybe they've decided to bump the insiders, in which case I'd like to think they would offer us the opportunity to upgrade; or they have reached reduced capacity levels.  Or something else of course.

 

Wait & see if I get an email...

[No pager thank you]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

I don’t really follow the logic of some of that, but agree that anything could happen - and probably will!

Fair enough, sorry if my post wasn't particularly clear Selbourne.

 

To summarize, I just feel that, in the end, P&O will be reluctant to bump too many passengers off booked cruises for commercial reasons - no matter which cabin they currently have booked.  They could try all sorts of schemes to avoid this, fair or non benevolent.

 

My working assumption at this time, which may be wrong, is that "fill rates" on cruises are lower than we typically think because some capacity is being artificially protected (i.e. cabins "booked" without fare paying guests) and also because more passengers of all cabin classes are choosing to transfer or their own volition. 

 

Artificial capacity constraints may, in part, be driving higher prices.  

[No pager thank you]

4 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Out of interest, I just had a look at our December Iona cruise to guesstimate availability for balconies.  We're currently booked in an inside.

 

Lo and behold...all inside and seaview cabins sold out!  Lots of balconies available.

 

Had a look at a couple of earlier cruises, insides & seaviews still available.  

 

Personally, I don't see that in the current situation they have sold out those cabin grades.  Maybe they've decided to bump the insiders, in which case I'd like to think they would offer us the opportunity to upgrade; or they have reached reduced capacity levels.  Or something else of course.

 

Wait & see if I get an email...

Just did the same for our Christmas cruise on Iona - G029.

 

All cabin classes currently bookable and strangely the select fare has come down from what it was last month.

 

I have the option, if I choose, of upgrading to a balcony for a couple of grand, or I could just wait and see.  I'll wait and see.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, No pager thank you said:

If P&O do not start bumping soon, then they will end up paying out a lot of 25% bonuses (or OBC - note the contract forces them to pay something extra).

Which is not an issue financially, if they put prices up by 150% ! 

[No pager thank you]

8 hours ago, wowzz said:

Which is not an issue financially, if they put prices up by 150% ! 

True - so as long as enough people have 50% extra cash lying around following the worst recession for 200 years💸

 

I'm still getting my head around the ridiculous quote for Balmoral!

 

I get the sense that where prices will be inflated more is for on board spend items - as by then you have a captive audience who just want to enjoy their holiday (whenever that is).