Has anyone else been overbooked by P&O at any time?

Question

Despite the fact that final payments were made two months ago, P&O called telling us that our group booking for six people on one of their cruises - due to leave the following day, mind you - had to be cancelled because they were overbooked. They've offered a full refund and a free cruise, but that's beside the point. The sheer amount of disrespect and disregard they've shown is infuriating. The night before!!! I'd just like to know if this happens on a regular basis to people with P&O. Surely there are laws against regularly overbooking cruises and flights, aren't there?

Answer 1

Firstly, I am sorry to hear your holiday was cancelled. I have never heard of P&O overbooking before, there is usually a waiting list if a cruise is fully booked. What also susprises me is that they phoned you the night before you were scheduled to leave. Can you guarantee the authenticity of the call you received? Also are you from the UK or US?

In regards to the last answer;

"I'd definitely avoid those smaller cruiselines in the future!"

P&O are definately not a small cruise line. They are renowned for their world class standards and are the UK's leading cruise line. This is why i find it hard to comprehend why they would cancel in such a manner especially the night before!

Their compensation package for you and your group is very generous.

Answer 2

I had never heard of P&O Cruiselines before you mentioned this. I followed the link the first guy sent to read about that in cruise critic and was SHOCKED by what I read. Amazingly that full refund (on a cruise that you didn't get to take) and a free cruise was the most generous offer ever heard of.

The last one on there SeaDream just had me gasping. Did it really say they offered her a 25% discount on the other boat OR a refund. So wait--they offered her the opportunity to pay 175% of the fare that the other passengers paid for her inconvenience. Wow as they say "with friends like that...." What a generous offer. I was in shock. I wasn't shocked in the slightest when she cancelled her next 3 bookings. At a 100-pass ship I don't see how you could lose a passenger that books 4 (or more) a year with you. Seems like you should have done EVERYTHING to keep her as her name was "Frequent Traveler" and apparently usually with that company.

And the fact that this happened the NIGHT BEFORE to you infuriated me. I mean this wasn't 2 months in advance when you could have fixed things. The night before. You probably had non-refundable air tickets (did they offer to pay that?) not to mention the fact that I'm sure you had to completely juggle your schedule around to get this week off and a few hours before you can't even just go into work the next day since you have no schedule! A few weeks in advance you could have told everyone at work not to use your vacation, readjusted the schedule so that you were still on it that week, probably gotten a refund on your airfare.

The night before--everything is set. You've already taken the time off work, paid for the air, arranged babysitter/housesitter, frequently already flown to the departure point.... I know everytime I've cruised I flew the day before and would have been already in that city.

I was rather shocked that with 6 liners they couldn't move you to a different one. For example, on my Carnival cruise there were probably 10 others leaving. Several going to other great ports but at least 1 other ship doing the exact same itinerary just backwards of what my ship was doing. I can't believe with P&Os 6 liners there wasn't another ship they could offer you PLUS a lil credit (maybe $200 shipcredit or 30% on next cruise) knowing that you had already done that.

I cant imagine!! I mean if you think of overbooking--like I'm sure the major liners do it too like RC or Carnival but it seems they have a better backup plan. Like what they can offer you to make up for it.

I was shocked that the other people on cruise critic weren't even offered a full refund. I mean seriously this is a contract. I pay you several hundred dollars. You give me a cruise. If you are no longer offering the cruise, you have no right to the money. It's not my fault I can't cruise. It's your fault I can't cruise. I mean the full refund should be a GIVEN not something they are generously offering. B/c see--if a company says they have cruise ships and take your money then you get there and find out there is no cruise...well we call that a "scam" over here. Taking someone's money while knowing you do not plan to deliver ANYTHING for it should definitely be illegal.

And I keep thinking about my last cruise (my honeymoon) and if they had called me 3 days beforehand (aka the day before my rehearsal dinner) I would have been so stressed over the wedding screaming and crying that I dont know how I would have dealt with a call saying "haha you know your honeymoon--just kidding!"

Yeah as outrageously crappy as it sounds--it seems like full refund and free future cruise is better than anyone else was offered. I guess I'd take them up on it. But I'd definitely avoid those smaller cruiselines in the future!

Answer 3

Here is a forum called Cruise Critic and it looks like you are not the only one.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=9731372

If you like to travel and want to receive whole sale pricing on Dream Trip packages with a group, you can obtain that by learning more at this site.
http://www.earnvacations.com/Freedom/landing1/

Last booking with my family was 69 dollars for a 7 day cruise that let everyone know when it reached its maximum capacity.

Answer 4

I'm sorry .. but what is P&O ???