Pacific Star

[Kiwi Kruzer]

CANCELLED

 

Just announced via a passenger on the ship over talkback radio that the cruise is cancelled due to technical difficulties.Passengers will receive a full refund plus can claim on all travel and accomodation expenses.

[aussiedisneyfan]

Poor buggers. That is the first time that I have heard of them paying for travel and accommodation expenses. Most travel insurance won't pay because of cancellation due to mechanical so they are lucky P&O are doing it.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Poor buggers. That is the first time that I have heard of them paying for travel and accommodation expenses. Most travel insurance won't pay because of cancellation due to mechanical so they are lucky P&O are doing it.

 

 

I wonder just how much P&O will pay?

Many had worked a Queeensland/Gold Coast holiday around this cruise and now have to purchase a flight to get over for what they have booked.

Will P&O pay for that?

They jolly well should!!!!!!!!!

[Justgottago]

P&O have just announced that the cruise has been cancelled for "Technical reasons". Passengers will receive full refunds. They have already had a $150 each credit which should cover 2 days bar bills! However there are passengers rightly complaining that they are heavily out of pocket for air fares to Auckland and hotel bookings here before the cruise and also their return flights to NZ, and as David mentioned many may have prepaid so much travel in Queensland that they have to fly over to utilise it rather than cancel the whole trip. P&O are reported as having said that they will consider some reimbursement to these people.

 

As DW said on hearing the news "we got the End of the Golden Weather" on our 30 June cruise where the ship was perfectly functional and the weather literally superb. btw for my Aussie mates "The End of the Golden Weather" is the title of an iconic NZ play.

Derek

[DennisN]

Australia and New Zealand deserve better than this.

 

A cruise line run by incompetent fools.:mad:

 

There was a time when P&O had a well deserved reputation as one of the world's great shipping lines.

 

Not any more.

 

We are seriously considering forfeiting our deposit on our Pacific Dawn cruise and taking the cruise to Singapore on the Rhapsody of the Seas.

[SouthAussie100]

just wondering why does the Star cruisecam date and time stamp appear to have stopped at Aug 08 2320 ? Still alongside Auckland. Do they turn it off when the ship isn't actually going anywhere ? It was on a bit when they were repairing the damage in Brisbane.

[frog cruiser]

When I get some news re next cruise.If I get a phone call you will be the first to know.

I will live in hope but not die in despair.

[MsMinx]

That's a shame that it's been cancelled :(

I'm guessing the August 15th Brisbane stop is now out the window too?

I was really looking forward to going to Portside to see her off :(

But i'm nowhere near as disappointed as the current "passengers" must be - nor as anxious as the next group would be either! :(

P&O have copped a bad run of luck this week haven't they?:(

[Kiwi Kruzer]

Reading between the lines ,as you have to do with P&O Australia, it looks like Star is headed for another drydock.......

Here is the latest press release.....

 

Pacific Star Cruise Cancelled

Thursday, 9 August 2007, 9:48 am

Press Release: P and O Cruises

MEDIA STATEMENT

Thursday August 9, 2007

 

Pacific Star Cruise Cancelled

 

P&O Cruises has this morning cancelled Pacific Star’s scheduled eight night cruise from Auckland to Brisbane to enable further repairs to the ship.

 

P&O Cruises Chief Executive Officer Ann Sherry apologised to passengers for the cancellation of their cruise.

 

“We realise this experience has been very frustrating for our passengers and apologise unreservedly for the disappointment and inconvenience we have caused them,” Ms Sherry said.

Ms Sherry said the ship’s 1145 passengers would receive a full refund and a 25 per cent credit on a future cruise. The ship would also waive all onboard expenses incurred by passengers since their embarkation on Tuesday.

 

Pacific Star had been scheduled to depart Auckland on Tuesday February 7, but has remained in port to enable repairs to a ventilation duct.

 

“We had expected to sail last night but it became apparent during the course of the night that there was still need for a further review of the problem area.

 

“We have taken the view that the prudent thing to do is to move Pacific Star into dry dock so that this issue can be fully addressed.

 

“While this has inconvenienced our passengers, we are a company that always errs on the side of caution in the interests of passenger safety,” Ms Sherry said.

 

Ms Sherry said the company would be focusing its efforts today on assisting its passengers to return home.

 

The eight-night cruise from Auckland to Brisbane was scheduled to visit Mystery Island, Noumea and Isle of Pines.

 

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0708/S00170.htm

[frog cruiser]

That's a shame that it's been cancelled :(

I'm guessing the August 15th Brisbane stop is now out the window too?

I was really looking forward to going to Portside to see her off :(

But i'm nowhere near as disappointed as the current "passengers" must be - nor as anxious as the next group would be either! :(

P&O have copped a bad run of luck this week haven't they?:(

 

You was looking forward to the port side party I was looking forward to watching you from the boat:mad:

[MsMinx]

Full refund + 25% off another cruise + all onboard expenses free!! OUCH!!! P&O are going to feel that one in their wallet, especially as they're probably still trying to recover some of the costs of the previous cruise & having to fly all passengers to Brisbane to board!!! Not a good week at all for P&O!

[Justgottago]

[Here is the latest press release.....[/color]

 

Pacific Star had been scheduled to depart Auckland on Tuesday February 7, but has remained in port to enable repairs to a ventilation duct.

http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/BU0708/S00170.htm

 

February???? My calendar says that this is August.:confused:

 

This link is to the NZ Herald web page story (the Herald is the Auckland morning newspaper). http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10456687

[MsMinx]

You was looking forward to the port side party I was looking forward to watching you from the boat:mad:

 

I know :( Poor bugger :( Hopefully P&O can give you a positive answer!!! Fingers crossed for you :o

[qld cruiser]

Poor buggers. That is the first time that I have heard of them paying for travel and accommodation expenses. Most travel insurance won't pay because of cancellation due to mechanical so they are lucky P&O are doing it.

 

 

Hi ADF, last July we were on Star out of Auckland, and because of mechanical problems, we were many hours late getting back into Auckland.

all the flights were gone etc.

about 18 of us were QLD passengers.

P&O got us on a flight to Sydney, then on to Brisbane. arriving at almost 11.pm.

I had to get a hotel, taxi there and back next morning. to find our flight from the day before had not been cancelled...to cut a long story short..I paid out another $800.00 in accommodation ,airfares and taxis.

I went to my TA from where I bought the travel insurance, and she contacted P&O. THEY REFUNDED ME THE TOTAL AMOUNT.

even though they were only obligated to get us to Brisbane.

I had booked the rest privately.

I am most grateful to them for doing that.

 

but.......we are in a different situation than most of the passengers this time.

we are retired and can take off at anytime. most on this cruise are still at work, can only get their holidays at certain times. and are now stuck with no holiday.

I feel very sorry for them, as we all know how excited we get looking forward to a cruise..

 

kindest regards, Lorraine:) :)

[Kiwi Kruzer]

From the NZ Herald

 

Cruise liner passengers angry at ruined trip

 

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/story.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10456748

[Paremata]

Message on http://www.stuff.co.nz its cancelled full refund etc just like before. Has to go to Dry Dock.

[ianqld]

Looks like it is on the move again.The Port Authority has it sailing at 14:00 today (an hour ago) for Vanuatu from Queens Wharf ?????????????

The camera also shows it is on the move.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

 

How strange.......

What are they up to?

[Riffraff]

My theory is they're heading back to Brisbane for dry dock..I was wondering if they'd take her to Devonport where they fixed Pacific Sky, but since they've sailed past there now I'd say she's coming back here.

Poor Star - I hope she has a better season when she comes back to NZ for the summer.

[Riffraff]

..... and could they please inject some colour back into her webcam??? :)

[NSWP]

I feel sorry for Frog and other Pac Star Cruisers. Why have Carnival (who own P&O) allowed this ship to become so unseaworthy..they should have sold it a couple of years ago when it was nearly stuffed, now it is.

 

Wonder how long Pacific Dawn will take to reach such a condition, couple of years I reckon.

 

Cheers.:cool:

[MsMinx]

I just heard a news report on the radio that it was cancelled due to a sewage problem. No mention at all of rust, sorry, 'corrosion'........ :confused:

 

The sewage problem / smell is a familiar story though from what i've heard on these boards.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

My theory is they're heading back to Brisbane for dry dock..I was wondering if they'd take her to Devonport where they fixed Pacific Sky, but since they've sailed past there now I'd say she's coming back here.Poor Star - I hope she has a better season when she comes back to NZ for the summer.

 

I was wondering about the drydock at Devonport as well,but I dont think that is big enough.To repair Sky,they had to surround her with a boom and then pump all the water out.That was at the wharf at Devonport.

 

Just watching her sail past Orewa now.

Very strange,she appears to have done a couple of zig zags.

Usually by the time the ships get up here they just head out in a straight line.

[SouthAussie100]

funny the cruisecam still says "alongside at Auckland" !:confused:

[aussiedisneyfan]

I feel sorry for Frog and other Pac Star Cruisers. Why have Carnival (who own P&O) allowed this ship to become so unseaworthy..they should have sold it a couple of years ago when it was nearly stuffed, now it is.

 

They only bought it 18 months ago!!