A couple's dream cruise in Europe turned into a nightmare after they claim they were given a dirty cabin, incorrectly labeled food, and had to put up with the stench of sewage.
Lynda and David Cobby were left furious with P&O Cruises after paying £3,400 for the getaway to see northern Europe, including the Norwegian Fjords, reports Nottinghamshire Live.
However, the couple, both 57, said the trip to celebrate their early retirement turned "shambolic and farcical" soon after heading off on May 5 and left them with "awful" memories.
Lynda said: "I think the whole theme is that it was just shambolic and farcical. It's just left us feeling really frustrated, angry and stressed."
The problems with the cruise began when the couple boarded the ship and were given a cabin over a smoking area. David has problems with his breathing since having Covid, and the couple had previously contacted the ferry operator to ask specifically not to be near any smoke.
The couple, from Harwood, said P&O told them their request had been marked down and if they were given an unsuitable room they could ask to be moved at reception. However, they said staff told them they could not do anything until head office confirmed how many cabins were still available.
The couple were then moved to another cabin on May 6, but said both were "dirty", and had to be cleaned by the couple with their own wipes and spray. Lynda and David also criticised the quality and choice of food on the ship, and items identified as vegetarian were not.
David said: "We had to wipe everything down before we sat down. If you picked up any cutlery or glasses, you had to check they were clean because we've got pictures of glasses with lipstick stains on them."
When the boat left for the second cruise, Lynda and David were moved to a third cabin, which they claimed was noisy and occasionally smelt like sewage. Although P&O staff attended, the couple say they felt "dismissed".
Lynda added: "We'd taken early retirement, that's one of the reasons we did the cruise, because these were places we always wanted to go, and the opportunity came up and we took it.
"It was supposed to be something that we could really enjoy, you know, we have got some nice memories but that's when we got off the boat, but most the memories that we've got are really awful."
The couple have since filed a formal complaint to P&O Cruises. A spokesperson said: “We are so sorry to hear of the disappointment expressed by Mr & Mrs Cobby. We have responded to all points raised and hope we have resolved it to their satisfaction.”
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