Don't fall ill on an Archers Cruise!!!
My friend and I have recently returned from a cruise booked through Archers Direct, "Baltic Capitals". This was aboard the Costa Luminosa. Our departure date was 24th May 2014.
I unfortunately was taken ill only 24 hours into the cruise and diagnosed with pneumonia. I was told by the ships medical staff that my condition was potentially life threatening and that I was too ill to continue with the cruise. I was taken to a hospital in Helsinki but the doctor there felt I did not need to be admitted into their hospital but advised continuing with the cruise and receiving treatment in the onboard hospital.
HOWEVER Costa's refused to let me travel any further and my friend and I were unceremouniously disembarked onto the quay side in Helsinki in the rain!! We were offered no further advice or assistance and were left to make our own way home at our own expense. Costa had been in touch with my insurance company but because the ship was due to sail, and I believe financial penalties are incurred for late departures, we were given 15 minutes to pack our cases and get off!!
I have contacted Archers since and they seem very uninterested in our treatment. They seem to find it acceptable that 2 women, one of which was very poorly, were abandoned in a foreign country and left to find their own way home. Out of curtesy I have honoured the 28 day period Archers requested to investigate this matter but they have been unable to offer any explanation for my abysmal treatment.
I was extremely ill when I arrived home and need four weeks off work, two of which were on complete bed rest.
All that said, the Cruise was very poor, full of bad mannered Italians who pushed and shoved to get to the buffet. My advice is stay away and shame on you Archers!!!