P&O – Branding gone mad! *

The utterly seperate cruise company is doing fine but will ferry travellers vote with their wheels!?

The BTN issue 7 March Cruise News mentioned that Cunard was not the world’s oldest shipping company.  It was founded in 1837 but two years earlier The Peninsular and Orient steamship company took to the sea, P&O.

The name, the brand, has been desecrated by P&O Ferries’ owner DP World, the state-controlled port and logistics company based in Dubai.

Last Thursday, without warning 800 staff were sacked.  Transport Minister Grant Shapps was said to be shocked and angry. The fact that many many travellers and lorry owners have also been severely inconvenienced is of little consequence when jobs are at stake.  

P&O Cruises is nothing to do with the ferry operator in any way except that DP World also owns Southampton port! A boycott of P&O Ferries has also been suggested.  

A really big question is “Does P&O Cruises need rebranding?”

In 2000 Carnival Cruise Corporation purchased P&O Princess Cruises from the previous owner and since that time has invested heavily in seven brand new large cruise ships including Iona and later this year Arvia.

P&O has built up a wonderful reputation as a fine British cruise line appealing to a large cross section of the community.  P&O Ferries is sunk.  It will be quicky sold and rebranded (and forgotten).  Steam on P&O Cruises!

www.poferries.com

www.pocruises.com

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All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Fred Burg, Portsmouth

Whilst I have every sympathy for the ferry staff now is the time to say to P&O Cruises you are throwing your heritage away with these daft new names for the ships and probably paying a “consultant” a fortune. What’s wrong with Canberra, Himalaya and Orcades.