P & O Australia/Pacific Adventure in the news

[arxcards]

23 minutes ago, Ondine said:

Are they banning cargo ships and tankers or only cruise ships? 

If it was only the Sounds then surely ships could continue to the main ports. I believe they have also been banned in Tauranga in the past.

Do I smell a rat?

Last year, ships like QE (and others) still called at the larger ports of Auckland & Wellington. As far as I can recall, it was Bay of Islands and the fiords that were off limits. Other sat off Tauranga to get cleaned prior to cruising with a modified itinerary.

 

No rat, or even a RAT. It is common for ships to remain at anchor prior to arriving in port, giving opportunities year-round for inspection and cleaning. Cruise ships are scheduled to cruise for 365 days per year, so unless they plan carefully, they will continue to get bitten by this.

[MicCanberra]

7 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

Yes I think they should.  Over the years, there were lots of ships I would have cruised with, if they had better minor maintenance scheduled.

If I had more time and money, I would have cruised more as well. Maintenance here or NZ would'nt  be the issue as I would be not be cruising here.

[MicCanberra]

1 hour ago, Ondine said:

Are they banning cargo ships and tankers or only cruise ships? 

If it was only the Sounds then surely ships could continue to the main ports. I believe they have also been banned in Tauranga in the past.

Do I smell a rat?

No, but I think it may be the weed.

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, MicCanberra said:

If I had the time and money, I would have cruised more as well.

I still travelled.  I just made other choices.

[bazzaw]

I have reached the opinion that the cruiseline Companies don't really give a RATS about these kind of situations when they happen . Obviously they would rather that they didn't occur - nobody in business likes bad PR  - although NO PR can sometimes be worse than bad PR - but they know that there is a never ending queue of eager customers waiting for the next cruise  " Shutup - and take my money".  

[shireboi]

https://www.9news.com.au/national/cruise-australia-new-zealand-hull-cleaning-passengers-sent-to-hobart/8fd50144-17b5-4dc0-b6b5-ed02eda12921

 

https://www.9news.com.au/national/cruise-australia-new-zealand-hull-cleaning-passengers-sent-to-hobart/8fd50144-17b5-4dc0-b6b5-ed02eda12921

[shireboi]

 

 

SO much for this couple wanting to get married 

[Yaya_in_Oz]

Well that puts a different slant on things if its accurate. P and O should have been better prepared and have the hull cleaning done already but at least they offered a full refund prior to departure.

 

I wouldn't need to be asked twice if a full refund had been offered before embarkation after all the horror stories I've read on here. Not easy for any international passengers on board but I'd just hop a bus, train or plane and go home. As the couple getting married said 'it takes awhile to save up for the cruise' so given 50% FCC means you still have to save up another 50% to cruise on an alternative date.

Yes, you'd miss out on all those joyful sea days!

[MicCanberra]

Poor planning by the line.

[boeckli]

From the ABC's news website

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-25/cruise-ship-turned-away-from-nz/103151078

[arxcards]

3 hours ago, Yaya_in_Oz said:

Well that puts a different slant on things if its accurate. P and O should have been better prepared and have the hull cleaning done already but at least they offered a full refund prior to departure.

 

I wouldn't need to be asked twice if a full refund had been offered before embarkation after all the horror stories I've read on here. Not easy for any international passengers on board but I'd just hop a bus, train or plane and go home. As the couple getting married said 'it takes awhile to save up for the cruise' so given 50% FCC means you still have to save up another 50% to cruise on an alternative date.

Yes, you'd miss out on all those joyful sea days!

The refund prior to departure was based on them losing a port or two because of a butt scrape, but they were still going to get a NZ itinerary. That was plan B, and now they have begun plan C swaps NZ for Tassie. I know the T&C's say they can alter an itinerary, but apart from bad butt scraping weather, this was something they could have controlled.

[arxcards]

24 minutes ago, boeckli said:

From the ABC's news website

 

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-11-25/cruise-ship-turned-away-from-nz/103151078

ABC contacted passengers that can't count ...

"The money is to spend on the ship during the cruise. It is the most expensive hotel on the planet. The $300 would not even buy a carton of beer. It is $11 for a beer on this boat.

[MicCanberra]

Angry people never make good witnesses, $11 a beer seems high for P&O, but the sentiment behind the statement is right, they knew they would need a scrape and yes the weather was bad but they have pretty good weather forecasts.  A few days out they would have known they couldn't get the scrapping done, just as they knew they couldn't hang around and wait. 

[Yaya_in_Oz]

8 hours ago, arxcards said:

The refund prior to departure was based on them losing a port or two because of a butt scrape, but they were still going to get a NZ itinerary. That was plan B, and now they have begun plan C swaps NZ for Tassie. I know the T&C's say they can alter an itinerary, but apart from bad butt scraping weather, this was something they could have controlled.

All true.

I guess when I read "there may be significant changes to the itinerary" and butt scrape in the same sentence and knowing the cruise lines treat people like mushrooms, all I see is red flags. I would not have embarked and if I was getting married I'd go straight to the airport. However, I can see why most people would have put trust in the cruise line and taken what they said at face value.

I really feel for everyone on board as I am susceptible to ambience and I would find find being holed up with 3000 quite rightly grumpy and disgruntled passengers quite distressing and would get off in Hobart for my own sanity.

I just hope there is some redress for the passengers, I'm not sure if any of this is covered by our consumer laws but all of this is P and O's fault for not having the scape before going to NZ.

[rkmw]

Someone posted on facebook awhile ago that p&o instead of the 50% cruise credit they are going to give them cash instead

Edited November 25, 2023 by rkmw

[rkmw]

6 minutes ago, rkmw said:

Someone posted on facebook awhile ago that p&o instead of the 50% cruise credit they are going to give them cash instead

Edited November 25, 2023 by rkmw

[Aus Traveller]

Does anyone know where the Pacific Adventure's previous cruise went?

[Relaxing Robbies]

17 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Does anyone know where the Pacific Adventure's previous cruise went?

 

17 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Does anyone know where the Pacific Adventure's previous cruise went?

Previous was a 3 day comedy cruise, and before that a 4 day Moreton Island.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, Relaxing Robbies said:

 

Previous was a 3 day comedy cruise, and before that a 4 day Moreton Island.

Thanks for that info. Obviously the on-line TA sites don't show cruises that have already finished. Was the current cruise to be the first one to NZ by the Pacific Adventure this season?

[Relaxing Robbies]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Thanks for that info. Obviously the on-line TA sites don't show cruises that have already finished. Was the current cruise to be the first one to NZ by the Pacific Adventure this season?

Not sure. I got the info from cruisemapper site. They showed the previous itineraries back to October 20th.

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, Relaxing Robbies said:

Not sure. I got the info from cruisemapper site. They showed the previous itineraries back to October 20th.

Thanks for your help. I doubt there would have been NZ cruises prior to that.

 

I am interested because I am going on a Coral Princess NZ cruise with my daughter and her family in January. I am sure she and her husband will be watching the Pacific Adventure fiasco with some concern and I want to be able to reassure them. This is their first cruise for more than 10 years and they have had to get five new passports - not required for a cruise to Tassie. I am somewhat reassured because the cruise immediately before ours, also goes to NZ. 🙂

[MMDown Under]

2 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Thanks for your help. I doubt there would have been NZ cruises prior to that.

 

I am interested because I am going on a Coral Princess NZ cruise with my daughter and her family in January. I am sure she and her husband will be watching the Pacific Adventure fiasco with some concern and I want to be able to reassure them. This is their first cruise for more than 10 years and they have had to get five new passports - not required for a cruise to Tassie. I am somewhat reassured because the cruise immediately before ours, also goes to NZ. 🙂

When is your cruise?  My cruise departs Auckland on 12/1 for Tauranga (13-14/1), Napier, Picton, Wellington, Sydney (2), Melbourne.  It arrives on Auckland on 12/1 on a reversal of that cruise. 

[Aus Traveller]

3 minutes ago, MMDown Under said:

When is your cruise?  My cruise departs Auckland on 12/1 for Tauranga (13-14/1), Napier, Picton, Wellington, Sydney (2), Melbourne.  It arrives on Auckland on 12/1 on a reversal of that cruise. 

Coral Princess from Brisbane on 11th January, Fiordland, Dunedin (15th) Christchurch, Wellington, Napier, Tauranga, Auckland. It will be the first cruise for my three lovely grand-daughters aged 9, just turned 8 and 4.

[Relaxing Robbies]

17 minutes ago, Aus Traveller said:

Thanks for your help. I doubt there would have been NZ cruises prior to that.

 

I am interested because I am going on a Coral Princess NZ cruise with my daughter and her family in January. I am sure she and her husband will be watching the Pacific Adventure fiasco with some concern and I want to be able to reassure them. This is their first cruise for more than 10 years and they have had to get five new passports - not required for a cruise to Tassie. I am somewhat reassured because the cruise immediately before ours, also goes to NZ. 🙂

Yes. I have just been through the same thought process. We are off to NZ on the Grand on Wednesday. Fortunately its current cruise also went to NZ and they had no problems.

 

Now I can get back to worrying about the forecast sea conditions. Looks like we will have to sail through a patch of 5 metre seas.  Oh well, it could be worse I suppose!

[Aus Traveller]

Just now, Relaxing Robbies said:

Yes. I have just been through the same thought process. We are off to NZ on the Grand on Wednesday. Fortunately its current cruise also went to NZ and they had no problems.

 

Now I can get back to worrying about the forecast sea conditions. Looks like we will have to sail through a patch of 5 metre seas.  Oh well, it could be worse I suppose!

5 metre seas for a big ship aren't too bad for experienced cruisers. 🙂