P&O Cruises has launched a social media campaign to highlight the fact it is a separate company from P&O Ferries which has been lambasted for sacking almost 800 seafarers last week.
A tweet from the cruise line displays one of the many messages it has received, reflecting how some consumers have confused the company with the controversial ferry firm.
“We’ve received a lot of messages like the one above during the past week,” says the Twitter message.
“Some people have thought that this relates to P&O Cruises. But it doesn’t.
“Our names may both begin with P&O. But that’s where the similarity ends.
“We are separate organisations and have been for 20 years.
“Our amazing crew is proud to welcome our guests on board delivering holidays of a lifetime, every time, all across the world.
“That’s what we do best.”
Earlier, it posted a video with a similar message, emphasising how it is Britain’s biggest cruise line and part of Carnival Corporation & plc.
The video also mentions Arvia (pictured), which will be the latest ship to join the fleet when it is launched in December.
This is us, P&O Cruises. pic.twitter.com/glWbVFoC2r
— P&O Cruises (@pandocruises) March 25, 2022
Meanwhile, the prime minister has backed calls for P&O Ferries boss Peter Hebblethwaite to step down, after his appearance at the joint hearing of the transport and business select committees.
Earlier on Friday (March 25), transport secretary Grant Shapps called on the chief executive of P&O Ferries to resign, after Hebblethwaite told MPs on Thursday that the ferry operator knew it was breaking the law by not consulting with unions before dismissing its UK seafaring staff without notice.
Asked if Boris Johnson supported Shapps’ call, a No 10 spokesman told the BBC: “Yes.”
Shapps also reminded the House of Commons that P&O Cruises had no relation to P&O Ferries as confusion first emerged.
Furthermore, the BBC reported that the transport committee has published minutes of a meeting between the chief executive of DP World – the parent company of P&O Ferries – and Shapps in November 2021.
The transport secretary was warned that Irish Ferries was a new ‘low-cost competitor’ that would pose a challenge to the business.