P&O Pacific Jewel – I well advise anyone considering booking a cruise to steer well clear of these lot. In recent weeks there have been two massive and serious failures that had the potential to cause serious death or injury to passengers.

Carnival Cruises have spammed me, that was a mistake. More on this later.

I went on a cruise at the end of January on the Pacific Jewel – a P&O ship. The food was fantastic and the crew excellent. They made the mistake of wanting feedback on my return, this is what I wrote.:

They sent me a feedback form to fill in, so I did. There was a lot more.

“get some new security staff, they are a total bunch of clowns.

maybe a new captain, throw an ice cube in his way he would maybe think he was on the titanic. slowed down without neccessity and cited, would you believe, safety reasons? The sea really was dead calm all the trip.

The over use of OH&S to justify charging for items was beyond belief, water stations should be everywhere, but no, you lot want to sell it. I am fully qualified OH&S and considered the whole thing abysmal and an excuse for selling only.

Ice Cream. A staple in any desert, oh yes, you lot want to sell it, what the hell is the problem with an ice cream machine I ask?

All in all it was nothing more than a marketing scam on board.

If you really want to know, on advice from the cruise director wrote a request to the Captain to visit the wheelhouse. Guess what, I didn’t get the courtesy of a reply at all. Not good manners.

These lot think they can cook hamburgers. Dear me, they have no idea on how to cook an Aussie hamburger, had to fight for fried onions, and as for BBQ sauce – there was some on board but nowhere near the BBQ.

I was seriously thinking of getting off the Boat at one stage.

And why have art sales on board?”

All they ever seemed to be able to do was stick their hands in your pocket every time you woke up. The internet access prices is total extortion to say the least.

I offer some advice when going to New Caledonia on a cruise

Do not buy Francs at all – Australian currency is fully interchangeable there.
Book a tour on arrival – don’t use the ships tours – they are overpriced to hell.
Eat on the ship – food there is total crap – no decent food to be found
If you can only travel and eat then you are in for a cheap holiday. Outside that you are being ripped off.

This morning 19th March 2013 I received an email from Carnival Cruises. The first thing they did was deny ever sending it. Bear in mind I have never had anything to do with Carnival Cruises in my life. I knew immediately they were using the P&O mailing list. The conversation goes something like this in reverse order:

From: xxx@novamagic.com
To: captainscircle <captainscircle@princess.com.au>

Subject: Re: spam [<AD29026>]

and that you fool is why it is spam. I have no membership number. I joined nothing at all.
I repeat myself – dont ever spam me again.
And you are senior customer solutions coordinator? Where the hell did they find you?

From: captainscircle
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 9:00 AM
To: xxx@novamagic.com
Subject: Re: spam [<AD29026>]
Hello, Based on your email address, I am unable to locate your membership number and therefore remove from our mailing list. Can you please provide your first name, surname and date of birth so I can locate your membership number and action your request. Kind Regards,Heather Seaman
Senior Customer Solutions Coordinator – Princess Cruises
Carnival Australia
15 Mount Street, North Sydney NSW 2060
For urgent enquiries, please call our Customer Service centre on AU: 13 24 88 or NZ: 0800 780 717 between 7am to 7pm Mon to Fri, and 8am to 4pm Saturday’s (AEDST).

Original Message:
From: xxx@novamagic.com
Sent: Tuesday, 19 March 2013 8:32:30 AM
To: captainscircle <captainscircle@princess.com.au>
Subject: Re: spam [<AD29026>]

dont be a smart arse – you will end up in court

From: captainscircle
Sent: Tuesday, March 19, 2013 7:24 AM
To: xxx@novamagic.com

Hello

Thank you for contacting Princess Cruises Captain’s Circle Helpdesk.

Please advise your Captain’s Circle Membership number so that we can action your request.

Kind Regards

Heather Seaman
Senior Customer Solutions Coordinator – Princess Cruises
Carnival Australia
15 Mount Street, North Sydney NSW 2060
For urgent enquiries, please call our Customer Service centre on AU: 13 24 88 or NZ: 0800 780 717 between 7am to 7pm Mon to Fri, and 8am to 4pm Saturday’s (AEDST).

Original Message:
From: xxx@novamagic.com
Sent: Monday, 18 March 2013 11:46:18 PM
To: captainscircle@princess.com.au
Subject: spam

you have sent spam mail to this email address. I have never given you any authority to send me anything.
Dont do it again.

Carnival PLC – Celebrating 75 years of cruising holidays from Australia
_______________________________________________________________________

It goes on:

Me: ” I am on P&O mailing list as I sailed with them sadly.

You have used this mailing list for spamming purposes that I already know.

Therefore, I know I have never signed up on any at all.

Its all spam. And you are guilty of it. I have no interest in your excuses at all on this

You lot are crooked, deceitful and liars. You could go through all your lists you openly admitted to things”

Havent heard a word back from them.

It is clearly marketing spam and nothing less.