Hi there, a complete newbie here, seems like a really good site.

Wondering if anyone could tell me if I had a reason to be unhappy with my experience described below. It happened several years ago and I gave up trying to complain in the end but it would be nice to have a concrete answer as to whether or not I had valid grouds for complaint.

I had a return journey with P&O Stenna Line from Harwich to Hoek van Holland. On the outward leg, I stupidly left the return half of my ticket on a table and it was gone by the time I'd realised and gone back to look for it.

I went straight to a member of staff and told him of my incompetent error. I was concerned because I now had no ticket for coming back and was wondering if there was some way I could still travel without a ticket (I know this sounds very naive and desperate but I was only 17 at the time and travelling alone so money was sparse, if not non-existant).

To my pleasant surprise, the very friendly member of staff assured me that all would still be OK on the return leg, because they would have taken my passport number at check-in and so would have it on record that I had bought the return ticket with the precise date and time of return.

So when I arrived at check-in for the return leg, I told them of this. Initially, the woman at the desk understood what I meant and searched for my records of booking. But neither my name nor my passport number and details were there. After about 15 minutes of pleading, I was going to mss the ferry so I paid the €50 single ticket again; it was lucky I had enough cash on me otherwise I would've been stuck for the night as I had no debit/credit card at that age.

Naturally, I wrote a letter of complaint as soon as I get home, because I had been misled and told that there was nothing to worry about, and the staff at Hoek van Holland had claimed that my reservation records and passport details were not on file even though I had reserved for a specific crossing. The reply from the company was that they could not refund my €50 for the additional ticket because my name was indeed not on the passenger list for that crossing.

I was unhappy because I had reserved and my name and passport number surely WERE on the passenger list. In my eyes they were just telling me that it wasn't so that they wouldn't have to repay me. I was unable to go any further because it was their word against mine: they said I wasn't on the list when I knew I must have been.

I accept that the whole situation arose because of my own stupidity and I certainly learnt my lesson that day! But that is not what this post is about: I'm wondering if I had valid grounds for complaint because the first member of staff on the outward journey had told me that I would definitely be OK because I was on the list for the return leg despite losing my ticket?

Thanks very much.

To my pleasant surprise, the very friendly member of staff assured me that all would still be OK on the return leg, because they would have taken my passport number at check-in and so would have it on record that I had bought the return ticket with the precise date and time of return.

the first member of staff on the outward journey had told me that I would definitely be OK because I was on the list for the return leg

First quote is an assumption on behalf of the person, second quote is a statement that person made. Which is it?

Personally, I don't think you have any grounds, no. Even if (and it's a big "if") you had been misinformed by the first person and she should have told you from the start that you would have to purchase a new ticket... you would have had to purchase a new ticket. It makes no difference to the ending, the only difference is that you expected a different outcome.

If none of the records when you turned up and subsequently when you complained showed your name on the booking, it looks as the first person didn't check and just assumed you'd be ok, or she was newish and didn't understand the procedure correctly, or you misunderstood one another, it's impossible to tell what exactly happened.

Incidentally, take it from someone with dozens and more crossings under their belt, the first quote is complete and utter tosh. Ferry companies don't take passport numbers down, they have no reason to. Even if they did, all it would mean is that they had your passport number, it wouldn't follow that your booking details would be matched to that.

Thank you for your answer.

I had guessed that this would be case. I wish I had taken the name of the person I'd asked on the first crossing. As this was many years ago, I can't remember the exact words that they said, whether it was definitive or unsure.

I've also taken dozens of crossings and have never given my passport number. Occasionally I haven't even needed to give my passport!

could of been worse you could of been stuck in holland!

Incidentally, take it from someone with dozens and more crossings under their belt, the first quote is complete and utter tosh. Ferry companies don't take passport numbers down, they have no reason to. Even if they did, all it would mean is that they had your passport number, it wouldn't follow that your booking details would be matched to that.

Ferry companies are obliged under EU rules to make a complete manifest of passengers and vehicles, for passengers this is usually done by scanning the machine readable code on a passport. Immigration along with HMCE, have immediate access to this information.