Newsflash! Old time P&O cruiser books cruise!!

[bazzaw]

He He! - Haven't sailed on a P&O AUS cruiseship since long long time ago. So I just booked a 7 day cruise to Noumea, Vila, Lifou (all of which we have been to many times) on Pacific Encounter in September. This cruise is very similar if not identical to our first ever cruise on the old P&O Pacific Star 🙂   BUT I am not sure what I have booked 🙂 - an outside cabin for 2 - and something to do with an "upgrade" but we weren't asked to select a cabin so not sure how we can get an upgrade? From the selection choices given, it didn't say anything about a guarantee cabin which one of the selection choices did ( but weirdly this selection choice for a guaranteed cabin cost extra?)   So all in all I am not sure what we have bought 🙂 I am certain someone here will enlighten me how this all works - booking with P&O used to be so simple once upon a time. 

[Aus Traveller]

What date in September is your cruise? We are booked on 16th September.

[bazzaw]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

What date in September is your cruise? We are booked on 16th September.

1 Week later !! What a shame!!! 23 September. 

[bazzaw]

I partly get it now - you used to select your cabin as part of the booking process - if a suitable cabin didn't show you could simply not complete the booking process. Now you get your cabin allocation inside the cruise personalizer - SNEAKY !!. Looks like I have bought an obstructed view outside cabin - there was no mention of it being an obstructed view outside during the booking process - only outside cabin mentioned. Anyway doesn't matter much to us - we had an obstructed outside once (cant remember the  ship) and it was quite good 

[SinbadThePorter]

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

something to do with an "upgrade" but we weren't asked to select a cabin so not sure how we can get an upgrade?

 

As I understand it (and I might not understand it), P&O are offering balcony cabins for the price of obstructed window cabins on some cruises, but only if you select either the Value or Value Plus option. Not the Go Fare option.

 

You had to select a balcony. It will then offer it at a price equal to an OV cabin (plus $100 OBC/cabin).

 

If you bought an OV with the Value option, I would give P&O a call and see if they can do anything.

 

You are right though, it seems ridiculously convoluted to me.

 

To avoid these sort of confusions with P&O and to select a particular cabin in the booking process, I usually don't book on the P&O website, but go elsewhere. It makes me feel like a guru.

Edited May 28, 2023 by SinbadThePorter

[Aus Traveller]

39 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

1 Week later !! What a shame!!! 23 September. 

Would have been good to catch up. 😢

[NSWP]

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

He He! - Haven't sailed on a P&O AUS cruiseship since long long time ago. So I just booked a 7 day cruise to Noumea, Vila, Lifou (all of which we have been to many times) on Pacific Encounter in September. This cruise is very similar if not identical to our first ever cruise on the old P&O Pacific Star 🙂   BUT I am not sure what I have booked 🙂 - an outside cabin for 2 - and something to do with an "upgrade" but we weren't asked to select a cabin so not sure how we can get an upgrade? From the selection choices given, it didn't say anything about a guarantee cabin which one of the selection choices did ( but weirdly this selection choice for a guaranteed cabin cost extra?)   So all in all I am not sure what we have bought 🙂 I am certain someone here will enlighten me how this all works - booking with P&O used to be so simple once upon a time. 

Crikey Barry, you have gone from cruising with Cunard Toffs in your tuxedo dinner suit to cruising with….I had better stop there, lol.

[bazzaw]

1 hour ago, SinbadThePorter said:

 

As I understand it (and I might not understand it), P&O are offering balcony cabins for the price of obstructed window cabins on some cruises, but only if you select either the Value or Value Plus option. Not the Go Fare option.

 

You had to select a balcony. It will then offer it at a price equal to an OV cabin (plus $100 OBC/cabin).

 

If you bought an OV with the Value option, I would give P&O a call and see if they can do anything.

 

You are right though, it seems ridiculously convoluted to me.

 

To avoid these sort of confusions with P&O and to select a particular cabin in the booking process, I usually don't book on the P&O website, but go elsewhere. It makes me feel like a guru.

That sounds half-right 🙂 chose the lowest of the options (Value) - this did not give me any cabin selection options until I went into Cruise Personaliser where it only offered me obstructed view outside cabins.  I am now expecting that I MIGHT receive an email offering me a balcony cabin ( for a price? ) - if not am happy to stay with the obstructed outside . Convoluted is right!! 

[bazzaw]

31 minutes ago, NSWP said:

Crikey Barry, you have gone from cruising with Cunard Toffs in your tuxedo dinner suit to cruising with….I had better stop there, lol.

Actually we have always enjoyed our P&O cruises - our first exposure to cruising on Pacific Star ( ship was half empty after a major problem) was probably the most enjoyable we have even been on. 28 day cruise to Tahiti on Pacific Pearl was great. and we loved Pacific Dawn 🙂 Clientele of Princess ships have been the worst!! Mostly old fat farts whose behaviour on the 2 for 1 booze happy hours was disgusting !! 🙂

Edited May 28, 2023 by bazzaw

[Ondine]

10 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

That sounds half-right 🙂 chose the lowest of the options (Value) - this did not give me any cabin selection options until I went into Cruise Personaliser where it only offered me obstructed view outside cabins.  I am now expecting that I MIGHT receive an email offering me a balcony cabin ( for a price? ) - if not am happy to stay with the obstructed outside . Convoluted is right!! 

 

They have the room upgrade sale on until 13th June and the following is some of the rules.  You have to book a balcony at the time of booking so maybe give P&O or TA a call.

 

Room Upgrade Sale Terms and Conditions

*Fares are cruise only, per person in AUD in a complete quad or twin room based on lead categories available at publication date (24 May 2023), inclusive of all discounts, charges, and taxes (which are subject to change). Campaign commences 24 May 2023 and ends 13 Jun 2023. Advertised fares are available until allocation is exhausted and may fluctuate during the campaign period. Campaign offers only available on P&O’s Value and Value Plus fare types only. Fare type inclusions, including applicable terms, are available here: www.pocruises.com.au/plan/how-to-book/pricing-structure. Valid for new bookings and not combinable with any other offer. Supplements apply for other room categories. Fare based on specified departure dates. Different fares apply to other dates listed.

 

#Room Upgrade offer is available on selected cruises only. Offer is based on the price difference between lead oceanview to lead balcony rooms for quad and twin on Pacific Explorer®, Pacific Adventure® and Pacific Encounter®. The balcony room must be booked at time of reservation to secure the upgrade. Offer is subject to availability of rooms in the higher grade. Some rooms have obstructed views. Onboard offerings are subject to change. Charges may apply to some activities, venues and menu items.

[Ozwoody]

Hi Barry

Check your cruise control in the app or on line.

Then "Manage Room",  Mine showed options for an upgrade for our Oct Cruise.

 

Regards.

 

 

[Ozwoody]

Just checked my booking, it now does not show an upgrade, but as we have a balcony, an upgrade would have been suite and their probably booked out now, hence no upgrade available.

 

but a side issue for us is, our cruise is North qld 7 day, which included 2 days docked in cairns port, but personaliser map now says we port at Yorkeys Knob, hope this is not true, we booked this because my wife wanted to see Cairns.😠

 

[arxcards]

1 hour ago, bazzaw said:

Actually we have always enjoyed our P&O cruises - our first exposure to cruising on Pacific Star ( ship was half empty after a major problem) was probably the most enjoyable we have even been on. 28 day cruise to Tahiti on Pacific Pearl was great. and we loved Pacific Dawn 🙂 Clientele of Princess ships have been the worst!! Mostly old fat farts whose behaviour on the 2 for 1 booze happy hours was disgusting !! 🙂

2 for 1 happy hour is long gone. I find P&O and Princess clientele to be somewhat interchangeable these days. We have mostly happy memories from P&O, and find it rather interchangeable with most things Princess, dining room aside. 

[bazzaw]

51 minutes ago, Ozwoody said:

Just checked my booking, it now does not show an upgrade, but as we have a balcony, an upgrade would have been suite and their probably booked out now, hence no upgrade available.

 

but a side issue for us is, our cruise is North qld 7 day, which included 2 days docked in cairns port, but personaliser map now says we port at Yorkeys Knob, hope this is not true, we booked this because my wife wanted to see Cairns.😠

 

Been a long time since we went to Yorkeys Knob - but I think I recall coach transfers into Cairns. 

[Ozwoody]

21 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

Been a long time since we went to Yorkeys Knob - but I think I recall coach transfers into Cairns. 

Hmm the mystery deepens just checked the advert for the cruise and it still shows the ship docking in Cairns, right in the city.

Coaching into cairns will not be the same, two days bussing back and forth seems a bit strange.

 

It looks a bit of a flim-flam show one thing deliver something else.

 

Oh well its still a cruise.🙄

[arxcards]

13 hours ago, Ozwoody said:

Hmm the mystery deepens just checked the advert for the cruise and it still shows the ship docking in Cairns, right in the city.

Coaching into cairns will not be the same, two days bussing back and forth seems a bit strange.

 

It looks a bit of a flim-flam show one thing deliver something else.

 

Oh well its still a cruise.🙄

The shipping movements show all P&O ships docking in Cairns for the remainder of 2023

[Ozwoody]

13 minutes ago, arxcards said:

The shipping movements show all P&O ships docking in Cairns for the remainder of 2023

Great thanks for that, definitely prefer docking in Cairns its self, to way out in the boonies.

Maybe in later visits it may be nice to do the Knob.

[Rassa]

Just now, Ozwoody said:

Great thanks for that, definitely prefer docking in Cairns its self, to way out in the boonies.

Maybe in later visits it may be nice to do the Knob.

There is nothing there.   Was there on a Sunday and the shops were even closed according to a fellow cruiser we bumped into on the way.   May-be some excursions!   $20 on the bus to get to Cairns - don't know if that was return.

[Ozwoody]

9 minutes ago, Rassa said:

There is nothing there.   Was there on a Sunday and the shops were even closed according to a fellow cruiser we bumped into on the way.   May-be some excursions!   $20 on the bus to get to Cairns - don't know if that was return.

Thanks Rassa, definitely want Cairns even more so then.

[Kiwi_cruiser]

I thought you said you where not going to do any more cruises.... 🤣

Mind you after doing this P&O cruise, you will want to go back to Princess / Cunard! if the comments I have read are anything to go by, or if they are true!

[bazzaw]

16 hours ago, Kiwi_cruiser said:

I thought you said you where not going to do any more cruises.... 🤣

 

I am thinking that I can see that the Paranoia Virus is slowly dying. This cruise is just a 7 day quickie from Brisbane - so anything longer or requiring International travel  to the start point is still well off the radar screen until the Paranoia Virus dies completely. . Maybe next year? 

Edited June 1, 2023 by bazzaw

[ceeceeDee]

Sorry, Kiwi, you've been reading the naysayers regarding P&O. We've just returned from 7 days to Cairns on Pacific Encounter. We had an absolute ball and we could find very little to complain about. If you want a rundown search the forum for the thread Help Me Decide. I've gone into detail about the ship and our experience.

BTW we docked in Cairns which was really convenient and an easy walk to the CBD. A stroll along the Esplanade is also highly recommended.