Getting off the ship at ports

[Eglesbrech]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Why do you expect P&O to change? Everyone due to sail anytime up to early December have already had to pay their balance, so if you are hoping for a change of heart from them, I think you are in for a big disappointment.

Or perhaps P&O are in for a big disappointment if too many people decide to defer / cancel.

[Cristaltips]

My thoughts exactly! 

1 minute ago, Eglesbrech said:

Or perhaps P&O are in for a big disappointment if too many people decide to defer / cancel.

 

[terrierjohn]

27 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

Or perhaps P&O are in for a big disappointment if too many people decide to defer / cancel.

My thoughts as well, but I have grown accustomed to P&O not making sensible decisions.

[Sir Cumference]

I have a cruise booked for December and booked knowing full well that the current practice of only being allowed off the ship on organised tours will probably still be in operation during that cruise.

 

I will be more than happy not to leave the ship and will enjoy the relative quietness of the ship if most passengers are on tours.

 

In order for me to even consider going on a ships tour, I'd need to be assured that the coaches were only half full with seating well spaced out.

 

Like everyone else, I know what the worst case scenario is likely to be with regard to excursions - but, unlike some, am more than happy to accept them. A quiet day on board with almost everyone else ashore is my idea of heaven.

 

I accept though, that it might not be yours!

[Eglesbrech]

10 minutes ago, Sir Cumference said:

I have a cruise booked for December and booked knowing full well that the current practice of only being allowed off the ship on organised tours will probably still be in operation during that cruise.

 

I will be more than happy not to leave the ship and will enjoy the relative quietness of the ship if most passengers are on tours.

 

In order for me to even consider going on a ships tour, I'd need to be assured that the coaches were only half full with seating well spaced out.

 

Like everyone else, I know what the worst case scenario is likely to be with regard to excursions - but, unlike some, am more than happy to accept them. A quiet day on board with almost everyone else ashore is my idea of heaven.

 

I accept though, that it might not be yours!

But many booked well before these restrictions were unilaterally imposed by P&O.

[Cristaltips]

36 minutes ago, Sir Cumference said:

I have a cruise booked for December and booked knowing full well that the current practice of only being allowed off the ship on organised tours will probably still be in operation during that cruise.

 

I will be more than happy not to leave the ship and will enjoy the relative quietness of the ship if most passengers are on tours.

 

In order for me to even consider going on a ships tour, I'd need to be assured that the coaches were only half full with seating well spaced out.

 

Like everyone else, I know what the worst case scenario is likely to be with regard to excursions - but, unlike some, am more than happy to accept them. A quiet day on board with almost everyone else ashore is my idea of heaven.

 

I accept though, that it might not be yours!

  
Totally agree, but my February cruise was booked last March when our cruise on Oceana was cut short due to COVID. It is a 35 night cruise costing us a lot of money - too much and too long to take a punt on whether we’ll be allowed off the ship. We are going on another cruise in November and are happy to stay on the ship if needs be, we booked on that understanding and accept those terms and it’s only two week and a reasonable cost.

[picsa]

41 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

But many booked well before these restrictions were unilaterally imposed by P&O.

And the $64k question for P&O is will people continue to book with those restrictions.

 

There will be some new bookings being made for late 21 early 22 on the basis of ‘to hell with it I just want to get away’, and some on the basis of ‘whatever, we normally take an excursion anyway’.

 

But will people still be booking on that basis for cruises later into 22 and into 23 or will the be holding back and seeing what happens with the policy.

[Bazrat]

There seams to be a bit of negativity on this thread, first the cruise I am on is fully booked (TA) most of the excursions are fully booked, and on another site the excitement is building so if your undecided about booking a cruise now ignore the seasoned cruisers on here, and check out other sites to get a true reflection on what’s going on.

[Eglesbrech]

29 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

There seams to be a bit of negativity on this thread, first the cruise I am on is fully booked (TA) most of the excursions are fully booked, and on another site the excitement is building so if your undecided about booking a cruise now ignore the seasoned cruisers on here, and check out other sites to get a true reflection on what’s going on.

True reflection - proof of that statement?

Virtually every social media site is simply opinion and congeture.

[Bazrat]

3 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

True reflection - proof of that statement?

Virtually every social media site is simply opinion and congeture.

Unfortunately your opinion seams to be the glass half empty one mine is the opposite 

[Eglesbrech]

Just now, Bazrat said:

Unfortunately your opinion seams to be the glass half empty one mine is the opposite 

In your opinion.

[Bazrat]

13 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

In your opinion.

Actually just reading your posts hence my post but if you think your posts are positive than I could make the effort of reposting your comments than you can pick out the positives

[Eglesbrech]

3 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

Actually just reading your posts hence my post but if you think your posts are positive than I could make the effort of reposting your comments than you can pick out the positives

My posts are my idea of realism and looking at the facts in a dispassionate way rather than trying to be “glass half empty”. In that respect they are positive because they look at things as they are, not as some would wish them to be.
 

Your “glass half full” could be interpreted as an expression of extreme naivety and wishful thinking.

 

Both are simply opinion. Who knows which version is correct.

[OOHSUITUSIR]

It is a disgrace , their website says you have to take P&O excursions , but many of them have free time to shop etc .It is a money making scam. We are only going because after 3 cancelled cruises we are stir crazy, I refuse to submit to the blackmail , i'll stay on board

 

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

There seams to be a bit of negativity on this thread, first the cruise I am on is fully booked (TA) most of the excursions are fully booked, and on another site the excitement is building so if your undecided about booking a cruise now ignore the seasoned cruisers on here, and check out other sites to get a true reflection on what’s going on.

Not sure which positive fora you refer to?   I find a high degree of naivety on the facecloth  one, and an equal amount of concern that passengers are not being kept informed of how P&O intend to re-start international cruising. Seacations have been successful but they are due to end very soon and  P&O need to provide some answers to genuine questions of concern about what the new protocols will be. With international cruises starting in less than 3 weeks, and other lines announcing plans for passengers to go ashore, and how testing for return to the UK will work, it definitely appears that P&O are losing touch with their passenger base.

Incidentally I am regularly berated on here for being far too positive and optimistic, that my glass is running over

 

[Bazrat]

I stand by my comment that there is negativity on this site by a minority, but the accusation that I am naive is laughable because I don’t believe in that P&O is failing me sorry but I don’t and your version of realism is just in your mind.

The point of P&O losing touch with there base just wander which base is that, as far as I know bookings are up so they must be doing something right.

 

[terrierjohn]

17 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

I stand by my comment that there is negativity on this site by a minority, but the accusation that I am naive is laughable because I don’t believe in that P&O is failing me sorry but I don’t and your version of realism is just in your mind.

The point of P&O losing touch with there base just wander which base is that, as far as I know bookings are up so they must be doing something right.

 

Bazrat, have you been taking lessons from daiB by any chance?

[Cristaltips]

25 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

I stand by my comment that there is negativity on this site by a minority, but the accusation that I am naive is laughable because I don’t believe in that P&O is failing me sorry but I don’t and your version of realism is just in your mind.

The point of P&O losing touch with there base just wander which base is that, as far as I know bookings are up so they must be doing something right.

 

Bookings may be up in anticipation as we’re all desperate to cruise again. At this stage of the game, we’ll wait to see how many of those bookings evolve into final payments being made. Time will tell. Glass half empty? No, a realistic outlook, not rose tinted 

[Dermotsgirl]

1 hour ago, Bazrat said:

Unfortunately your opinion seams to be the glass half empty one mine is the opposite 

Do we have to start this again?

 

 

 

[daiB]

7 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Bazrat, have you been taking lessons from daiB by any chance?

Leave me out of it. 

 

By the way from all the accounts i have read IONA is a fantastic ship with very few negative points. App bookings excepted.

 

But then again Bazrat is totally correct without any prompting from me.

[daiB]

1 hour ago, terrierjohn said:

I am regularly berated on here for being far too positive and optimistic, that my glass is running over

 

I have to say since I have been away from the forum your jokes have got better. The one above is a cracker.

[Bazrat]

Well when hopefully we sail in October and I am sitting there with a hopefully nice pint of beer watching the sun sets over the Caribbean, I will say to myself they was right P&O got it all wrong ( actually I will not pass the naysayers another thought).

[Bazrat]

3 minutes ago, daiB said:

I have to say since I have been away from the forum your jokes have got better. The one above is a cracker.

Hiya mate any more tips to stir the hornets nest 😜

[daiB]

However i do tend to agree with most that we have no clarity regarding shore excursions. It does seem somewhat odd that you can go on a trip to a venue and be set loose but not walk off the ship. Someone has spotted something on the P&O website saying that the position regarding trips is constantly under review  including the trips already booked. So although they may be advertised as having “free time” this may not be a reality The truth is that no one knows for certain what is going to happen next week never mind in the next 3 months. I will now say what i have said for years I don’t care where the ship goes or if I get off. Therefore I shall completely enjoy my next 3 cruises on Ventura back to back to back.

[daiB]

4 hours ago, Eglesbrech said:

But many booked well before these restrictions were unilaterally imposed by P&O.

Not sure where you get your facts as i am not aware of any cruise line ex UK going to other countries who are guaranteeing that trips will be normal. Some ships are visiting ports but only UK ports. The conditions at the moment are such that no one can be hard and fast about what will happen next.