KetoCruiser

26 minutes ago, Cruzinram said:

When is Cunard going to announce the status of sailings after April 11?  It is only days away. RCL has already extended their Global Suspension.

I am still booked on 12 April sailing on QE  and Australia has now extended the ban on cruise ships until July, still Cunard have not cancelled the cruise. Carnival has cancelled their Australia sailings until July  and Holland America will be announcing their decision on Monday.

Yet again nothing but silence from Cunard.

My husbands new electric bike was delivered on Thursday so I have been lucky and had 2 beautiful bike rides over the last 2 days.  We live in rural mid Wales and the weather has been beautiful. I got to watch the lambs frolicking in the fields. For a few minutes everything felt normal again.  That was until I stopped to pick up my eggs from local farm. They normally leave them in a box at the top of the drive however they have had to move them as someone stole them.  Just don’t believe it.

6 hours ago, kentchris said:

125% for cruises cancelled by P&O UK to date, which is what it appeared ketocruiser was talking about. 

Here’s a copy of post I saw from P&O Australia 

https://www.pocruises.com.au/news-centre/2020/2020-march-25

17 hours ago, ellie1145 said:

 

That’s scandalous. There is no way they can operate this cruise. Are your flights still available? Even if you could get there you have to self isolate for 14 days.

 

They want to push you to the limit so they can give you nothing.

 

So sorry to hear this. Hope they cancel and do the right thing.

What’s even worse is that they are still selling the cruise both in the U.K. and Australia.  It’s shameful.  I must say that my cancelled cruise with Princess was much smoother process . We had no issue getting a refund and they offered 50%FCC as they cancelled within 2 weeks  of the cruise. They also payed our out of pocket expenses for private tours we booked and airport parking cancellation fees. I know who I will be cruising with in the future.  
The attitude of Cunard ( just be grateful that we let you cruise with us) has to change and customer service improve, if they want to survive. We are diamond level in there world cruiser program and my husband has had enough of there don’t care attitude.  We will be trying other cruise lines going forward.

44 minutes ago, kentchris said:

What's your source? P&O's web site says 125% and there's no obvious sign of it being anything else in the conversations on CC's P&O UK forum (or elsewhere).

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

I thought P&O had reduced their offer to 110% FCC

I am on roll call for our upcoming cruise around Australia and one of the Australians posted a copy of the offer, perhaps it’s P& O Australia.

Anyway our cruise is due to start on 12 April and Cunard has still not cancelled. What I did receive from them today was new cancellation policy as it’s 16 days to the cruise, if I cancel today I will get 25% refund and 75% fcc, if I cancel tomorrow I get 10% refund and 90% fcc. If I cancel less than48 hours I get nothing.

It is impossible for the cruise to go ahead as Australia is shut down except for essential travel.  The interstate movement requires 14 day isolation period and foreign travellers cannot enter the country. All are pubs and restaurants are closed, so why won’t Cunard do the decent thing and just cancel the cruise.  

3 hours ago, IB2 said:

You are missing the point; no-one is asking you to give money to the companies.

 

It is simply that the companies don't have enough cash flow to refund all their customers in cash right now.  Just as your bank doesn't have enough money for all its customers to withdraw it at once.

 

If people are patient about refunds or willing to accept future credit, the companies have a better chance of making it through to 2021 when hopefully cruising can resume, if with new restrictions.  If everyone wants their money right away, the companies may collapse and some people could lose their money (certainly future credits become worthless) or, at best, have a long wait while liquidators do their business and governments consider whether to step in.

if they want to keep our money then perhaps they need to look at more incentives. P&O has offered 200% FCC for those who have had their cruises cancelled.  That incentive I would accept.  With the recent changes in exchange rates the £ to $ has dropped by about 10% . I am worse off now than I was when I paid for the cruise. Cunard fares are initially in $ and we then pay in £ based on the exchange rates. If the pound does not bounce back then the cruise costs will go up as well as what I spend on the ship. 

1 hour ago, ThomasFR said:

KetoCruiser, is it possible Carnival / Cunard are driving people to FCC, which may or not be covered under any insurance or guarantee, so when / if a bankruptcy is declared, all FCC goes away? In this manner, upfront fees are never returnable? Is this possible, if you or anyone knows?

Thomas FR

i am not sure what they are thinking, I emailed my MP yesterday as the travel industry are petitioning Government here in U.K. to allow them to stop having to pay refunds and offer future credits instead. I pointed out that normal people are also hurting financially and may need the money to survive over next 3-4 months. No guarantee that we could consider spending money on holidays in the next year if there is a global recession following this crisis.

I also suggested that cruise industry is perhaps not dealing fairly with its customers as they are blatantly selling cruises operating in next few weeks that they know will be cancelled.  Demanding immediate payment then only offering credit when they then finally cancel the cruise.  I for one will be looking for refund as I don’t plan to travel with Cunard in the foreseeable future( unless it’s a deal to good to say no too)

Like you I have concerns that some of the smaller cruise lines will not survive this, I think Carnival are in better position than some, however there is nothing to say that they won’t drop some of there smaller brands and consolidate.  I would hope and expect that they would honour credits with those companies.

2 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Never mind rice, pasta, toilet rolls and all that nonsense.

 

WE'RE OUT OF TONIC!

must get your priorities right, I luckily picked up a couple of extra bottles last week from Tesco, there were not many on the shelf. All the beer had gone though.  Luckily I am also a whiskey drinker, so with a drop of water and an ice cube I’m good to go. 

my husband is tea total so I miss company when I have a drink. Wondering if I could do virtual party or video party.  May have to think this through more.

5 hours ago, bazzaw said:

Anybody here has or had a booking on the QE "Around Australia" departure on 12 April??? Have you transferred your booking and received an FCC? According to Cunard, they have temporarily stopped operations until 11 April , so at this time it looks like you don't need to cancel or reschedule

We are supposed to be on the 12 April cruise and Cunard have not yet cancelled it even with the shut down of boarders and ban on all but essential travel they are still hanging us on and still selling the cruise. We are from the U.K. so are unable to enter Australia and we will not cancel as I don’t don’t want future cruise credit.

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

're ABTA and the British travel industry is lobbying the government to change rules so the don't have to offer a refund if they cancel they can give a future holiday credit instead.

 

I urge everyone to contact their MP and object to this change

 I have just sent my MP an email objecting especially in light of the cruise company selling something that they know that cannot deliver just to keep people’s money and only offering credits which could be worthless.   With people out of work for god knows how long, some cruisers will probably need the refund just to make ends meet. If we have another financial crisis  we may not be-able to afford a cruise in the next few years. In light of the currency exchange at moment, I am not sure I could  afford a Cunard cruise in the future as they will be at least 10%  more expensive as the £ to $ exchange rate is so bad at the moment and Cunard prices are in dollars.  

16 hours ago, Canuker said:

Plus, the insurance industry is already going through a period of self re-examination., about risks they will and will not cover.

we are waiting for Cunard to cancel our circumnavigation of Australia cruise due out on 12th April. A 125% FCC is not worth the taking , we will go for a refund as we cannot think about booking any future cruise until the pandemic is over because our insurance will not cover covid19 for holidays booked after 20 March.  Who’s to say what limitations there may be after this is over.
 

There is also a small possibility that Cunard may not survive this crisis in its current form.

9 hours ago, icat2000 said:

Yeap its all sold out. There was availability yesterday when I was looking at it. But all gone today. Must have been some mad bookings happening. Price was very good. 

Luckily the circumnavigation cruise went on sale in UK lunchtime on the 20th Feb and we managed to bag a bargain.  We were on QE cruise from Southampton to Australia just before Christmas and were not expecting to return this quickly.

Anyone else on this cruise let me know as there is no roll call set up as yet

Tracey & Tony from Wales U K

We were in Naples and Messina last year and it’s easy to do your own thing, in Messina we took the train to Taormina from rail station you can take the local bus or a Taxi up to town. It is a beautiful place to visit.

In Naples you can take the local metro (municipal) to piazza garibaldi station for the train to Sorrento which also stops at Herculaneum or Pompei. Alternatively http://www.italytours.eu

have a number of tours at good price.

You could also look on the Italy share shore excursion web site to see if someone is looking for people to share a tour.

No, I did not see any stevia sweeteners only sweet and low and a sucralose one which I think was canderel this had maltodextrin in. I take my own liquid stevia as well as coconut oil and almond milk. The alternative milks they supply are also high carb although you can get cream for your coffee.

I follow a ketogenic diet and restrict my carbs significantly , on my last 2 cruises with Cunard, I notified them before we sailed and they catered for my diet. I don’t normally have a sweet dessert, usually opt for cheese with nuts olives and celery. However I did occasionally ask for strawberries with whipped cream or a pannacotta. On QE the chef made me a lovely sugar free chocolate mousse and trifle. I am not sure which sweetner they used and I did not enquire as it was a treat and I did not eat them every night.

I normally take liquid stevia with me when I travel as well as chocolate made with stevia or 85 % coco solid greens and black, this is if I need something sweet with my coffee.

I generally eat good breakfast before going on excursions and then take a couple of snacks with me, I bring my own on board, generally nuts or seeds etc. I usually don’t bother with meals offered on the tours unless I have researched the place before hand.

There is so much food on a cruise, missing a meal or too probably keeps my weight in check

Wow, they allow butter?!? At home, I eat the grass-fed ones too (Kerrigold). Would love to bring it on board with me but did not imagine it is allowed.

This year when cruising with Cunard, I took my own almond milk and coconut oil as well as coffee and teabags, luckily had port stops in US so could stock up. I also take the squirty water enhancers and no sugar jelly’s plus the essential nut butters and 85% chocolate. I have the fridge cleared out when we get on board to store it all.

I have been keto for 2 years now, and generally have no problem when away cruising. Luckily for me, my triple is single malt with ice and water, so don,t need mixer, I do take water enhancersof various flavours when we cruise to perk up sparkling water etc. ASI try to avoid the sugar free soda.

Problem I generally have is with milk the almond or soya milk provided is generally high carb variety, so end up having half and half in my tea. Cunard let me take my own milk and coconut oil etc on board and I get them to clear out the fridge in room and store almond /coconut milk in it.

Not sure about taking blender on board I guess it would depend on its power wattage, they generally don’t like kettles or irons being brought on board.

Thanks for your report.

 

My experience is the same.

 

As to the steak house... it all depends on the food quality.

If Cunard is able to do something like Moderno on NCL that will be a marvel.

I found both Todd English and Verandah boring and uninviting.

Cafe Carinthia has a great potential (30% utilized).

Completely agree, on QM2 last year and noted that the quality in Britannia restaurant had slipped on the previous year, found the veranda lunch menu very gastro pub like. This year food on QE was much better overall at both venues.