Stopped at the quay-side from embarking on Southampton cruises

[bbtablet]

A running statistic that I would find informative is how many passengers are being turned away at the start on each P&O (and Cunard) cruise out of Southampton, for whatever reason.

 

This could be for failure to create and complete the required documents online; filling out forms incorrectly; failure to provide proper vaccination proof; failing the  quayside COVID test, coming down to Southampton on a "contaminated" coach, etc.

 

This must be the most traumatic way to lose your cruise (and in some cases your money).

 

 

[majortom10]

Dont think many would be refused boarding for not filling in required documents. We have done 3 cruises since August (2 x Cunard and 1 x Princess) and have never been asked for any documentation whether it be insurance or asked to see our PLF, they just asked have you got insurance and have you completed a PLF and ticked boxes. Anyone that tries to get on a cruise without full vaccination proof is an idiot and deserves all they get, then there are those that fail the LFT test and I think if they do they are given a PCR test and if they fail that they are refused boarding and sent home. I am sure there are a number who have had this happened and it must be very upsetting also those that have been in close contact with somebody that has failed test  i.e. coach travel. I dont think they lose their money as I think the monies paid for your cruise is turned into a FCC for future use which is at least something.

[Britboys]

41 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

A running statistic that I would find informative is how many passengers are being turned away at the start on each P&O (and Cunard) cruise out of Southampton, for whatever reason.

 

This could be for failure to create and complete the required documents online; filling out forms incorrectly; failure to provide proper vaccination proof; failing the  quayside COVID test, coming down to Southampton on a "contaminated" coach, etc.

 

This must be the most traumatic way to lose your cruise (and in some cases your money).

 

 

Just wondering how/why you would find this information useful 🤔. Not being critical, just genuinely wondering...

[nosapphire]

I think I recall that in the early days of cruises restarting with round-UK there were a few people who assumed (despite the booking conditions) that as it was not going "abroad" they did not need to bring a passport... think they may have been turned away.

While the cruise lines almost certainly hold this type of information, can't imagine them making it public as a statistic, as it would serve no useful purpose to them or to us.

[Mad4WDW]

What would be more useful would be some kind of record of how many cases are occurring on the ships sailing from the UK, broke down by company and ship so we can make at least a slightly more informed decision if it’s something we want to do, just a thought 

[terrierjohn]

55 minutes ago, Mad4WDW said:

What would be more useful would be some kind of record of how many cases are occurring on the ships sailing from the UK, broke down by company and ship so we can make at least a slightly more informed decision if it’s something we want to do, just a thought 

Again I think this is something the cruise lines will not want their prospective passengers to know. They may have to report it to some part of the health service, but they wont want it in the public domain.

[bbtablet]

Thanks for the comments.

I would not find the information useful - I said I would find it informative.

There are plenty of older folk who do not have computers or smart phones and we of course therefore don't hear from them on this forum. 

I have absolutely no expectation of being able to access the information via the cruise companies themselves!

Nevertheless I wonder how many do lose their cruise nowadays due to naivety, not-knowing, didn't think it mattered, wasn't like that last time, nobody told me, etc - it used to be just if you forgot your passport!

[Mad4WDW]

11 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Again I think this is something the cruise lines will not want their prospective passengers to know. They may have to report it to some part of the health service, but they wont want it in the public domain.

That’s my point, the CDC make ships sailing in US waters report cases onboard and the CDC publish that list. Our government should do the same so we can make more informed choices

[Megabear2]

I dont think our government is even aware cruise ships are sailing with the lack of information on their websites.  Perhaps we should tell them we are hosting a few parties ...

[zap99]

14 hours ago, Britboys said:

Just wondering how/why you would find this information useful 🤔. Not being critical, just genuinely wondering...

I banged my right index finger. The resultant bruise caused some swelling and discomfort. Close examination showed the fingers on my right hand were marginally thicker than those on the left. I would find it informative to learn if this was a common phenomena, or is it just me.🤔

[kalos]

11 hours ago, bbtablet said:

Thanks for the comments.

I would not find the information useful - I said I would find it informative.

There are plenty of older folk who do not have computers or smart phones and we of course therefore don't hear from them on this forum. 

I have absolutely no expectation of being able to access the information via the cruise companies themselves!

Nevertheless I wonder how many do lose their cruise nowadays due to naivety, not-knowing, didn't think it mattered, wasn't like that last time, nobody told me, etc - it used to be just if you forgot your passport!

 

I should imagine the people without latest technology do what they have done for many 

years and simply phone a cruise specialist or travel agent who will /should guide them 

through the booking and any pit falls as that is what we did ourselves years ago . 

 

[kalos]

25 minutes ago, zap99 said:

I banged my right index finger. The resultant bruise caused some swelling and discomfort. Close examination showed the fingers on my right hand were marginally thicker than those on the left. I would find it informative to learn if this was a common phenomena, or is it just me.🤔

 But on the other hand things were ok ?

[Britboys]

7 hours ago, zap99 said:

I banged my right index finger. The resultant bruise caused some swelling and discomfort. Close examination showed the fingers on my right hand were marginally thicker than those on the left. I would find it informative to learn if this was a common phenomena, or is it just me.🤔

Just you Zap - you're a freak of nature...😉😂

[john watson]

On 12/10/2021 at 12:11 AM, bbtablet said:

 

I have absolutely no expectation of being able to access the information via the cruise companies themselves!

Nevertheless I wonder how many do lose their cruise nowadays due to naivety, not-knowing, didn't think it mattered, wasn't like that last time, nobody told me, etc - it used to be just if you forgot your passport!

 

One can always send in a Freedom of Information request to Carnival House and ask for a statistical breakdown of P&O passengers denied boarding at Southampton and the reasons for each month through a time period.

 

Realistically P&O have people at the cruise terminal to assist you with administration where people do not have the technology to help you in the boarding process or are not up to modern cutting edge standards.  They cannot help where passports are missing but I suspect they could help with vaccination records at a push by setting you up on an NHS app account.  Personally this latter situation is avoidable by technophobes simply requesting a printed version being sent to their home address using a landline or mobile.

 

Regards John

Edited December 25, 2021 by john watson

[molecrochip]

1 hour ago, john watson said:

 

One can always send in a Freedom of Information request to Carnival House and ask for a statistical breakdown of P&O passengers denied boarding at Southampton and the reasons for each month through a time period.

 

Realistically P&O have people at the cruise terminal to assist you with administration where people do not have the technology to help you in the boarding process or are not up to modern cutting edge standards.  They cannot help where passports are missing but I suspect they could help with vaccination records at a push by setting you up on an NHS app account.  Personally this latter situation is avoidable by technophobes simply requesting a printed version being sent to their home address using a landline or mobile.

 

Regards John

No they can’t. As a private company, they are not subject to the FOI laws.

[john watson]

7 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

No they can’t. As a private company, they are not subject to the FOI laws.

 

I never said whether private companies are or are not subject to FOI laws.  I said the OP can send in a FOI request and yes they can.  They just write it on a piece of paper and send it off to the address with a postage stamp on the envelope.

 

Regards John

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, john watson said:

 

I never said whether private companies are or are not subject to FOI laws.  I said the OP can send in a FOI request and yes they can.  They just write it on a piece of paper and send it off to the address with a postage stamp on the envelope.

 

Regards John

But because private companies i.e P&O are not covered by FOI laws like Molecrochip rightly said what would be the point because P&O will either ignore the letter or send response saying they are not covered by FOI law so will not give any info on people denied boarding and the reasons why so a totally pointless exercise.

[john watson]

11 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

But because private companies i.e P&O are not covered by FOI laws like Molecrochip rightly said what would be the point because P&O will either ignore the letter or send response saying they are not covered by FOI law so will not give any info on people denied boarding and the reasons why so a totally pointless exercise.

 

When you send a FOI request to some body not covered by the Freedom of Information Act you can sometimes get a positive outcome.  My brother comes for Christmas every year with three daughters and they do like to eat.  I sent him a Christmas card this year with a Freedom of Information request in it enquiring why they need to be doing this again this year and outlined the things he should answer.  I got a rude response and saved a fortune.

 

Happy Christmas John

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, john watson said:

 

When you send a FOI request to some body not covered by the Freedom of Information Act you can sometimes get a positive outcome.  My brother comes for Christmas every year with three daughters and they do like to eat.  I sent him a Christmas card this year with a Freedom of Information request in it enquiring why they need to be doing this again this year and outlined the things he should answer.  I got a rude response and saved a fortune.

 

Happy Christmas John

You are just wasting everybody's time.

[john watson]

12 hours ago, wowzz said:

You are just wasting everybody's time.

 

Basically what I am saying is that if you wish to know something P&O are doing you simply need to pose that question to them direct in whatever way you wish; phone, writing or email and wait for a response. On this forum if you anyone appears to say I am wrong I always very carefully study their allegation before giving a full and frank answer.  Invariably I think to myself that I need to dicker. Not everybody will be reading my post, I know that.

 

Merry Christmas John

[zap99]

13 hours ago, wowzz said:

You are just wasting everybody's time.

We had a special file for spurious correspondence. We filed it in the bin.

[Cruisemeister2002]

On 12/9/2021 at 9:20 PM, Mad4WDW said:

What would be more useful would be some kind of record of how many cases are occurring on the ships sailing from the UK, broke down by company and ship so we can make at least a slightly more informed decision if it’s something we want to do, just a thought 

Gerald Ratner springs to mind.

[Mad4WDW]

On 12/27/2021 at 12:02 PM, Cruisemeister2002 said:

Gerald Ratner springs to mind.

Only just saw this lol Yeah but Ratners act of self sabotage if that’s what you’re referring to isn’t the same as what I’m suggesting. I’m suggesting that there should be independent overview of the industry by an agency like the CDC. This way the case numbers can’t be hidden and people can make more informed choices based on information that is available rather than promo BS on cruise line websites. 

[Bazrat]

Interesting subject unfortunately. I just wasted 5 mins of my life reading it 🥱

[Gizmo19]

On 12/9/2021 at 9:20 PM, Mad4WDW said:

What would be more useful would be some kind of record of how many cases are occurring on the ships sailing from the UK, broke down by company and ship so we can make at least a slightly more informed decision if it’s something we want to do, just a thought 

I agree and as a point of reference perhaps, on our pre Christmas fly cruise around the Canary Islands and Madeira (not P&O i should add), just 3 passengers tested positive at the pre return LFT the day before our flight back to UK. All the crew were clear. The captain made a ship wide results announcement later that same day.  This was a very small percentage of the overall passengers and crew. Not great for those affected, but re-assuring at least for some. We have only done 2 cruises since covid reared it head (one of which last June  was a UK staycation cruise), but we have found the standards of care and cleaning onboard very good. Equally there are frequent announcements about social distancing, masks and handwashing, and the MDR adhere to the distances between tables etc. We found the UK airport more of an issue with the lengthy shoulder to shoulder queuing with people talking and coughing,  snaking around for 20 plus minutes to the scanners at departure lounge security.   As a final point to simply consider, as it was just a 7 day cruise, it is quite possible that the 3 had boarded the ship with covid, but passed the pre flight LFT requirement because their infection was in the very early stages at that actual point. So, they had been circulating on board so to speak during those 7 days. I doubt any cruise line can cater for that on a short cruise, nor would they have the ability to account for post cruise infections in their stats. Overall, we have felt safer on board than going shopping in our nearest city. But, we have been very careful about social distancing and mask wearing.