Arcadia delays start of cruise in Barbados

John · 11-07-2006, 02:47 PM

Arcadia Cruise J626 - Simply Caribbean had a delayed start from Barbados. The delay was due to a plane carrying passengers from London to Barbados being cancelled due to technical reasons. About 350 passengers were due to arrive on that flight. The cruise had to wait for their arrival the next day.
P&O put the passengers up in the local Hilton hotel and gave them a free bar for the night.

As a consequence of the flight cancellations passengers who had completed the previous fortnight's cruise were notified at Barbados airport that there flight had been delayed due to a cancellation in London. P&O returned all passengers to Arcadia and put them up for the night. As compensation they had a free bar for the night.

**Ally** · 11-07-2006, 04:18 PM

At least all the passengers were taken care of. I dare say there were a few moaners though, that tends to be inevitable.

john bull · 11-21-2006, 09:34 AM

The true account of events for Arcadia returning passengers from Barbados to Gatwick is,
Leave ship 12.00 arrive airport 1.00 flight leaves 10.00.
9 hours at airport with no drink for 6 hours then warm water and soft drinks only, and no food until 8.00 when we were given a burger from an off-airport
outlet. We were given no information as to reasons for delay or expected departure times throughout this period.
As you may suspect I am not impressed with the customer service provided to a first time P@O cruiser.

**Ally** · 11-21-2006, 09:42 AM

WOW..so you didn't return to the ship then or be placed in hotels...I thought that was why the ship left on the next cruise a day late...apart from having to wait for the incoming passengers who were on the plane that you were waiting to fly home on.

The charter flight problem also affected an Oceana cruise a few days later, similar mechanical problems causing late flights and so forth.

I am surprised they didn't return you to the ship, OK it wasn't ideal, but probably better than hanging around in the airport that long. John was obviously luckier as his flight wasn't so badly delayed.

Now that at least 2 (3 including the one you got off and the next one + Oceana) have had flight delays, hopefully P&O can sort out the charter company ThomsonFly and get their act together.