P&O Ferries Reviews

Travelled to and from Calais 19th July 2022. Heidi on check in was excellent. Friendly efficient and helpful. Then it all went downhill. 40 minutes late leaving due to a technical issue. Purchased a bacon roll on board for £4.50. Almost inedible. Air conditioning not working on boat and one of the food areas closed Return trip two hours sat in Calais old terminal. No information at all until a mad drive from old terminal to new to get an alternative boat. No staff to make sure cars went the right way. Having to cross lines of lorries coming off another ferry. Only when on replacement boat were we told other ferry had a technical issue. Strangely same boat as coming out. While waiting three Irish ferries and two DFDS boats came and went. P&O crossings are cheap and now we know why. I guess the old adage You get what you pay for is true

I was supposed to travel in 2020, my trip was cancelled due to the pandemic (so ot my fault) theu gave me a credit note which I don't want since it forces me to travel and I can't now.
I talked to someone in customer service and she told me the asked her manager and I was allowed a refund (I believe she was lying) and now I check, more than one month later, and the credit note is still in my account, so no refund issued.
I have oneo th until this runs out and when O wrote an email inquiring, I never received any response.
They're plainly stealing from me as oandemic is not my fault and K shouldn't be forced to take a other trip just to not loose the money.

Despite already adding API information for my family TWICE, I have received yet another email from P&O today telling me to add the API information yet again. For some reason, despite a confirmation each time I add it, and then log back on to check it is there, within days the information has disappeared and I get another email. Clearly something wrong with their IT, but rather than sort it out, they just keep asking customers to "do it again". Now, I find out they have cancelled my return ferry and have moved me to a later one. They clearly treat their clients with the same contempt they treated their old UK crews with before they fired them. New middle eastern owners only bought P and O to get ownership of the port at Tilbury [London Gateway] and I guess they will eventually run this once great company into the ground so they can stop doing ferries altogether. I'll help you out on this - next time I'll book the tunnel as your service is so rubbish!!

Awful experience, cannot register API details prior to a trip, an automated service states to do this on check in in, thought the idea of all this was to prevent delays at check in? waste of time, i will not use P&O again if this is the case, luckily we are using the Channel tunnel on the way out, and probably will do moving forward, i suppose this is what happens when you illegally get rid of your staff for cheap labour from abroad.

My daughter and now son in law are currently aboard the P & O Royal Britannia on their honeymoon.
My daughter has sever short term memory loss an I have to say I was very apprehensive when she said she would like to go on a cruise for her honeymoon.
My daughter has a memory score of 0.3% out of 50% for the she processes information and he score is 0.5% for what she is able to remember short term.
I haven't slept since they boarded on Sunday the 10th of July in Southampton.
Prior to the start I was in contact with two lovely, helpful and very professional members of staff from the accessibility team.
They both answered every question I asked and kept me updated.
I would like to to say a massive thank you to Jessica and Jackie.
There was also a wonderful, caring lady at the cruise terminal in Southampton who greeted my daughter and her husband and helped them with everything when they were checking in and getting them through security.
Please say a massive thank to Kirsty as well.

I had asked for the drinks package to be added when they joined the ship.
My daughter called me whilst she what at reception so I could speak to the person on the reception desk.
I explained Ellie's and Jake's learning difficulties but despite this they were told to use the App.
Number one they cannot read or write, number two they did not know how to get on to the WiFi.
They were so nervous to ask anything at reception, that on day two they only had two soft drinks and in this weather.
I told Ellie to go to reception and ask if the drinks plan had been added but was told by the receptionist he didn't know what she was on about.
Where was the patients, understanding and the attentive attitude P & O promote on their telephone recordings when you are on hold.
Yesterday I told Ellie to go back to reception and call me when she was there.
I spoke to a lady called Richelle who tried her best, she contacted the drinks manager and was given a flat no because they has been aboard the ship 3 days.
I believe the same person refused them the drinks package today but was promptly told it was not his decision to make as it had come someone above his status.
They had actually been on board a few hours when I first requested it and less than 22 hours when I sent an email on the 11th asking for the drinks package to be added.
I also told Richelle they could not work the safe and she promised to send someone to help, that person never arrived.

Today I spoke to Lisa Rutherford a Personal Cruise Advisor.
Lisa did exactly what said she would do.
In just a short time Lisa and her manager had contacted the ship. A massive thank you to you both.
They had received an email from a lovely member of staff called Nitin.
Nitin met with Ellie and Jake, Nitin has sorted everything out for Ellie and Jake.
They both say Nitin was so warm and friendly and did not make them feel scared, nervous or as if they were being a nuisance.
From the bottom of my heart thank you Nitin, I might finally get to sleep tonight.
Nitin, Ellie and Jake called to ask me to say thank you for being so patient and kind.

To all the people I have mentioned in a positive way thank you so much and I hope you receive the recognition you so rightly deserve.

To the drinks manager I hope you receive further training. I also hope when a request is put to you again you spend a little more time thinking about it and maybe ask about the passengers circumstances.

They dealt with my complaint within 2 days and refunded me in full without the usual delays from big organisations or saying they were not really responsible.

A breath of fresh air

Well done P&O Ferries

I have been beset by a multitude of failings and my ferry is yet to leave. We were mis-directed by an angry French man and faced almost certain death by lorry. Upon boarding a vessel that looks as though it should have been retired in the 70s, I was again disappointed to discover we were to be delayed. I was then assaulted by the vilest attempt at an all day breakfast wrap that has ever passed my lips. The supposedly ‘hot’ wrap was still chilled in the middle and the excessive, low quality cheddar that filled the wrap was unmelted and still in cubes! To further my frustrations, the delay was increased from an hour to just under two. All in all, my experience so far has been deeply unpleasant.

The low point of our European vacation was the embarkation and disembarkation experience at Dover ferry terminal. No problems, smooth at Calais, but interminable, disorganised and inefficient on the English side. Each individual we encountered was polite and seemed like they wanted to help, but their whole system for foot passengers needs to rebuilt from scratch.

Returned CaDo on P&O having travelled out DoCa on Irish Ferries. Irish Ferries so bad = never again but that’s another review.
P&O have been my crossing of choice for over 20 yrs and I was so glad to get back into what I thought would be familiar seagoing surroundings for the return to Blighty. That was until I went for a bite to eat. What on earth has happened to the restaurant?
I so looked forward to getting my usually excellent P&O fayre only to find it’s no longer the restaurant it once was. I may as well have grabbed a sarnie at a service station before boarding as that’s what the so-called food market now resembles, it’s now a grab & go pre-prepared affair dished up in sealed containers and packaging. It looks like the cheery and very capable catering staff must have been among those so unceremoniously dismissed earlier in the year. What a shame and such a disappointment.
That said the quality, decor and cleanliness of the ship along with the general appearance and bearing of all of the staff was most definitely a significant improvement on my Irish Ferries experience.
Dear P&O, will the restaurant be making a comeback?

Don’t travel with P&O just go with DFDS.
Email says check in 45 minutes before departure. On the day text message from P&O saying if your not checked in 1 hour before departure you will be unable to board. Then ferry delayed by 1 hour anyway.

Dover to Calais was an hour and a half late then Calais to Dover was an hour and a half late the air-conditioning was not working in the club lounge that was one lady on duty who did not know whether it was teatime or breakfast there were no sandwiches food was appalling the air-conditioning not working made it unbearable in the club lounge I have travelled with P&O for years
They have gone from 100 to 0
I will never travel. With P&o again

We took the ferry Hull to Rotterdam at the start of June - it was excellent. Everything about the trip went smoothly. Boarding was easy, well organised and on time. The cabin was great, the meal in the bistro was excellent and all the staff were lovely. If you live in the north, it's the best way to travel to europe.

I've used P&O ferries lots before the pandemic and just started picking up pur delayed bookings this year.

The company has always been efficient and helpful. Nothing has changed on this most recent trip.
The food in the buffet is still good but not as good as it was.

Entertainment is better (sometimes) and the cabins are nice. Overall great value for many so I can't complain.

I was downgraded to an inside cabin which was dirty and flooded in the night. I was promised a refund in the difference of cabin prices and compensation for the loss. Despite 3x emails and an official complaint I still do not have a reply or refund.

This was the first time I had sailed from Scotland to Northern Ireland. Thank you to all at P & O for making this such an easy process. The check in was simple and quick and we were off exactly on time. There were enough facilities on board. and caring and professional staff.
One question: Is it possible to have an alternative coffee provider rather than Starbucks??
I will definitely sail with you again.