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Original poster

P&O Ferries - will you use them?

71 replies

Inextremis · 09/04/2022 21:15

I'm just wondering if anyone is planning to make future bookings with P&O after their appalling treatment of their employees? I can understand it if you booked months back and it would be highly inconvenient to change - but if there was an alternative route/carrier, would you book with P&O in the future? If you would, do you feel OK with that?

OP posts:
Malibuismysecrethome · 09/04/2022 23:04

We just went via Eurotunnel as we were worried about inexperienced seamen on the ferry crossing. I can imagine the devastation in ports where families have worked on ferries for generations.

user1471443411 · 09/04/2022 23:10

No, to be fair I very seldom use ferries anyway, and mainly used Brittany Ferries.

RishiRich · 09/04/2022 23:19

No. The blatant, openly self-congratulatory way they broke the law in treating their employees in such a disgusting manner is nothing I wish to support. Stena Line and DFDS will get my money instead.

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HappyAsASandboy · 10/04/2022 01:14

If I have a choice of providers I would choose someone else.

However, I am due to travel with them soon (ish) and am going ahead with that booking because it has cost a lot of money and I won't be able to get a refund (unless they don't sail, by which time I'll be stuffed because the alternative routes have already sold out ....)

coronafiona · 10/04/2022 02:21

No but I hate boats and think ferries and inherently dangerous for some reason. I'd rather fly or take the train to France.

IamTheEvilPea · 10/04/2022 02:26

No

Aurorie11 · 10/04/2022 07:28

@HappyAsASandboy

If I have a choice of providers I would choose someone else.

However, I am due to travel with them soon (ish) and am going ahead with that booking because it has cost a lot of money and I won't be able to get a refund (unless they don't sail, by which time I'll be stuffed because the alternative routes have already sold out ....)

@HappyAsASandboy be prepared for them to cancel. My Aunt and Uncle were due to travel with them early next week having booked way before the recent events and couldn't afford to cancel. P&O cancelled on them Friday afternoon. I had a panicked call from them and managed to book them an alternative crossing with Stena. They are waiting for a refund from P&O who said crossing wasn't happening. It was so late to the crossing date my Aunt and Uncle would have had to pay for their accommodation
Matchingcollarandcuffs · 10/04/2022 07:33

No. And cancelled my Easter holiday as due to travel with them. Going to rebook ferry for the summer, cancel and get whatever refund from P&O I can and never use them again.

It's a shame as we head to Folkestone/Hythe/Deal a lot and were planning on going over Easter but that whole area of Kent is completely gridlocked. Our poor friends down there can't get to their local supermarket/petrol station due to all the parked up freight.

The knock on of this is just so damaging.

I would rather have been told that prices need to increase and why tbh

undermilkjug · 10/04/2022 07:33

I was due to travel with them in the summer. I've cancelled and rebooked with Brittany.

Paranoidandroidmarvin · 10/04/2022 07:36

Before covid we went over to France once a year. Also on P&O.
We are starting to go back again. And I will use the train rather then use them.
I understand companies doing what they have to do to survive. I understand that. But the way they did it was awful. Not just for the staff as that was was just disgusting.
But also to the people that booked and paid for the space on their ferries. They took these bookings knowing that they wouldn’t be sailing.
Double the awfulness. Nope. Won’t do that again.

Nutellaonall · 10/04/2022 07:38

I am booked on with them for June so can’t avoid as it’s a holiday than has been deleted two years in a row now but after that no.

InkySquid · 10/04/2022 07:39

We cancelled (losing money in the process) and rebooked with Stena. The cost of cancellation was worth it to not have a month of will they/won't they sail and announcing cancellations with a few days notice when rearranging becomes problematic.

User748956 · 10/04/2022 07:42

No because they will probably collapse soon and then I would have the bother of getting a refund.

AlistairCamel · 10/04/2022 07:45

No

BoffinMum · 10/04/2022 07:45

No because I don’t trust them any more - roll on roll off roll over ferries always a safety concern.

SilverSplitsTheBlue · 10/04/2022 07:49

We are driving to France in August, definitely scrolling past any P&O sailings. Despicable. When asked if he would do anything differently in the future, the guy in charged thought about it, then replied "No"

Hotcuppatea · 10/04/2022 07:50

No and I use ferries several times a year to Ireland and France.

StarlightLady · 10/04/2022 08:00

Regular visitor to France and definitely not.

Invisablewoman · 10/04/2022 08:05

Annoyingly we'd booked a non refundable sailing with them for the summer before this all happened so will have to suck that up - but if I could have cancelled it I would have.

FatEaredFuck · 10/04/2022 08:06

No, just like I wouldnt use Ryannair again after they cancelled all those flights.

skippy67 · 10/04/2022 08:08

@Neverreturntoathread

I’ll buy whatever ticket is cheapest for my journey. And so will everybody else.

Just like we all buy cheap plastic tat from China made by beaten-up political prisoners, and wear clothes made by children in Indian sweatshops…

☹️ Don’t wanna be a downer but what is point of singling out P&O? If you wanna spend your money ethically start with Russian petrol and Chinese plastic.

I agree with all of this.
avocadotofu · 10/04/2022 08:21

Definitely not!

SniffMyQuiffyHair · 10/04/2022 08:26

No, they have shown they have no morals. Kent is in chaos . Lorry drivers are stranded and probably don't want return to the UK, there are easier jobs for them to take
They have no facilities and their produce is rotting, there is miles and miles of them, not just in Dover but stagard all down the motorway, much more than is shown on tv. If they go into the service stations they have to the back of the queue rather than rejoin it, guess where their waste is going...
Poor buggers
Family holidays are ruined and others have suddenly lost their income
I'm worried about the safety element too, a whole new crew on the ships?
Nah, I'm not risking it, I can't think of one reason why I would travel with them
Sorry for the rant but im fucking pissed off

maeveiscurious · 10/04/2022 08:40

https://uk.style.yahoo.com/on-this-day-herald-free-enterprise-ferry-disaster-zeebrugge-140322335.html?guccounter=1&gucereferrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvLnVrLw&guceereferrersig=AQAAAN4lVULWd6npBrGVVrx1OYmxRYQMJvTgGcb6ZeLUC1tPOGWCRuXcgalgHpA5HbFF9g8kcEqy5rqHMEwajmm9pejWqMMaYyX1ucBL32rWpfYRq1wz0RVPVoo_Cn0N0K0DeXDDC-zL0D1Pk2u74GRiFyCYbidfFWrN1NDcYjoyiaYv

This gave me nightmares for years I would want to ensure that the crew were well trained, established and not temporary.

On that basis I would be choosing a carrier who has a good staff record.

Qw3rk13 · 10/04/2022 08:44

Ditto. Long time ferry user from childhood. Zeebrugge terrified me for years to the extent I still sit near a clear way out to a deck. No way on earth will I be using P&O again. I’m staggered at their blatant disrespect for safety let alone common decency in its treatment of staff. Most of the managers will never step foot on a ferry, as such safety appears to be way down on their priority list.