184 P&O CRUISES 2016
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Mobility scooters will only be permitted
on board if passengers have booked into a
wheelchair accessible cabin, or selected suites
or mini-suites, as these are the only types of
accommodation where mobility scooters can
safely be stored. The minimum door width
of suites and mini-suites is 53cm. At the time
of booking, please let us know if you intend
bringing a mobility scooter with you, and we
will in turn provide you with a questionnaire for
completion to ensure that the accommodation
you have booked is appropriate. We are unable
to accommodate mobility scooters in any other
cabin due to the safety risks posed by storing
these items in a small space, which may hinder
easy access in to and out of the cabin.
P&O Cruises reserves the right to refuse
passage to any passenger who has failed to
notify P&O Cruises of their requirement for
special treatment or assistance or of reduced
mobility or disabilities (including the requirement
to use a wheelchair or mobility scooter). For
further information about travelling with
disabilities, please call our Customer Contact
Centre on 0843 374 0111 or email us at
.
Mobility ashore
When choosing your cruise please bear in mind
that it may not be possible for wheelchair users
to get ashore at ports of call. At the majority
of ports visited by our ships, we deploy a short
ramped low-level gangway, commonly referred
to as the ship’s brow, to give all wheelchair
users easy access to shore. We do our very best
to make sure that all passengers get ashore in
as many ports as possible, although there will
be times when it is not possible to deploy the
ship’s brow. This is normally due to ports with
a large tidal range, where a relatively shallow
ramp may unavoidably become too steep to
use safely during the course of the day with tidal
movements. Some examples of ports with a
large tidal range (but not an exhaustive list) are
Lisbon, Montevideo and San Francisco.
When the ship is anchored away from the
quayside, indicated by the symbol, and where
conditions permit, you will be taken ashore
by the ship’s launches (or ‘tenders’). There is a
possibility, in exceptional circumstances, that
launches will also be used to get you ashore at
ports featuring the symbol. Every effort will
be made to offer access ashore via the tenders
but you must have some independent mobility
in order to step into and out of the tenders, and
navigate a small flight of steps in some instances.
Please note that for health & safety reasons,
the crew are unable to lift passengers. We will
transfer wheelchairs into the tender or onto the
quayside as appropriate, provided no individual
part of the wheelchair weighs more than 20kg
when disassembled. You or your travelling
companion will be responsible for assembling
and disassembling your wheelchair, but the crew
will endeavour to assist where practical and safe
to do so.
Our shore excursion descriptions set out to
offer practical advice based upon our operating
experience. We would strongly advise you to
read the excursion descriptions to make sure
that your chosen excursion is suitable for your
individual personal requirements. We use our
best efforts to obtain appropriate transport
although it is not always possible for us to secure
fully accessible vehicles. Please note that due to
applicable safety requirements, the design of the
ship or port infrastructure and equipment,
in certain ports of call it may not be possible
for us to offer a shore excursion programme,
or shuttle bus service, suitable for passengers
who are not able to board a coach via the steps
with only the aid of their travelling companion.
Taxis are usually available for hire close to the
ship’s berth should passengers wish to travel
independently. Please call our Customer Contact
Centre to discuss mobility during land tours as
not all our tours may be suitable for passengers
with reduced mobility. For further information
on accessibility please visit our website at
pocruises.com/mobility
Money matters
Cash on board
If you require cash whilst you are on board you
can charge this to your on board account. There
is a daily limit of £250 against a registered credit
or debit card.
On board account
For your convenience all of our ships operate a
‘cash free’ environment with everything priced in
pound sterling. To make any purchases on board
you just need to present your cruise card.
Our ships do not accept cash, except at the
Reception desk for purchase of foreign currency
and the settlement of your account. In order
for charges to be posted on to your account
you will need to register your credit card or
Visa/MasterCard Debit card at check-in. All
transactions will be charged to your account in
pound sterling.
Registering a payment card
The check-in team will ask you for your credit or
debit payment card. We accept the following
major cards: Visa, Visa/MasterCard Debit,
MasterCard, and American Express & Diners
Club. We are unable to accept Solo, Maestro,
Switch or any pre paid credit cards. Even if you
wish to settle your on board account with cash
at the end of your cruise, a payment card must
still be registered at embarkation.
Settling your on board account with cash
You may choose to settle your account with
cash; however a payment card must still be
registered. If using cash, your account must be
kept in credit at all times. You may add credit
to your account at any time by calling at the
Reception desk and making an additional cash
deposit. You may credit your account with any
major currency; this will then be credited to
your account in pound sterling at our current
exchange rate. We are unable to accept either
personal cheques or traveller’s cheques. We are
also unable to accept €100, €200 and €500
notes at any time, this includes at the Casino. We
are unable to accept money transfers to the ship
either prior to embarkation or whilst on board.
Settling your on board account by card
If you have a credit card or Visa/MasterCard
Debit card registered all you need to do is to
check your final statement on the morning
of disembarkation. If you are happy with your
account you need take no further action. The
final amount will be settled to your registered
credit or debit card. If you do have any queries
you should raise these with the Reception desk
prior to your departure from the ship. You have
the ability to charge items to your account
on the day of disembarkation until you finally
leave the ship – these charges will show as a
second settlement on your credit or debit card
statement.
Avoiding issues with your credit or
debit card/holding charges
Whilst you are on board your daily spend will be
authorised with your card provider at the end of
each day to cover your spend for the previous
day. Your card provider, as part of their standard
procedures, may retain these authorisations for
up to 28 days and this is outside the control of
P&O Cruises. Until these authorisations are
released, the available funds in the account
could be affected. Payment is not taken from
your account until it is finally settled on the day
of disembarkation. You may therefore wish to
contact your card provider on your return to
release these authorisations. Prior to leaving for
your cruise it is recommended that you advise
your credit or debit card provider of your trip away
and that you will be on board a ship and visiting
different countries. This will help avoid raising a
security alert and your card being declined.
A-Z of cruising
