Roger Ackroyd

Booked a Southampton to Sydney leg of 2023 world cruise. FCC was not showing on my account - some £4000 - but we paid the deposit assuming it will surface before final payment. Was disturbed to see that we were described as First Time Cruisers on the deposit receipt even though we are Platinum members.

Phoned up to double check what was going on. The guy I spoke with couldn’t find any of my details (name, world club number etc) in the computer. After 40 minutes, by which time he had roped in another person they finally located me in the system and had worked out what FCC I should have. I was hoping that a revised receipt of the booking might have arrived by now but all I got was a duplicate of the first receipt showing zero FCC.

It would appear I will have to call again to get some resolution to this. 

For us the real problem, at the moment, are the protocols which may be in place once cruising recommences.

Masking (masked up in all common areas?)

Social distancing (how on earth would that work in lifts for example or when queuing for any function?)

Dance (how could these events happen if the above two protocols are in place?)

Dining (sharing of tables verboten?)

Library (touching books OK?)

Social events (Bridge, art classes, dance training?)

Theatre (every two seats cordoned off and resultant inability to accommodate all those wishing to view?)

Excursions (A BIG question mark here. Other countries will be way behind in their vaccination programmes. Will they allow any disembarkations whatsoever or will possible excursions be limited to sitting in hermetically sealed coaches [driver and guide vaccinated?] being driven around and not being allowed off the coach?

And, finally, if all or any of the above were in place how on earth could any ship accommodate 2000 passengers? Surely the number would have to be limited to 50%?

And a question. If these protocols are in place and, like me, you find them too onerous and offputting can I request and expect a refund?

I know we all want to be optimistic about 2021 but with the new "partial" lockdown just announced within the UK and with the threat that it will last 6 months, i.e. until end of March 2021,  I won't be confident in booking any cruises before the coast is totally clear and I know exactly what protocols will be in force on board.

And that may well be 2022 at the earliest.

Hello folks,

we had booked San Francisco to Brisbane on QV in Feb 2021 back in March this year. Although the brochure and website didn’t advertise Brisbane as a disembarkation port we were surprised to be assured on the phone that we could book it. We did and have the paperwork to prove it was all logged.

OK. Cruise has since been cancelled.

Now we are hoping to replicate the same segment on QV for Feb 2022 but on calling Cunard today we are told Brisbane is not logged as a disembarkation port - yet. As our daughter lives in Brisbane we would much prefer to disembark in Brisbane rather than in Sydney and then have to take a flight up to Brisbane. Does anyone have experience of new disembarkation ports being posted later or trying to persuade Cunard to let us get off at a port not logged as such?

peripheral question. If we disembark in Sydney(a 2 day stay) do we get off on Day 1 or Day 2, I.e. would we have a chance of doing an excursion from the ship on Day 1 and then disembark on Day 2?

thanks in advance for any advice.

Having read the front page review of the cruise on the MSC Grandiosa - which looks desperately like a paid for puff piece - I regret to say that I would never want to cruise under those conditions. Despite the author’s apparent gleeful enthusiasm on what was just a 2 day cruise on a ship that was only 1/3rd full I read only a sense of highly regulated control with the continuous use of the mask on board precluding any sense of community and shared enjoyment.

I hate to say it but the new controls just imposed by the U K government which are set to run right through until Spring 2021 will have a terrible knock-on effect to thousands of businesses and that includes the cruise companies. I have one cruise left - the Baltic in July - and that is now looking very fragile. With such restrictions as indicated above I won’t be going.

As our San Francisco to Brisbane cruise was a leg of the QV world tour it has- inevitably and not unexpectedly - been cancelled. Refund applied for. 

I rather despair that we will ever get down to Australia to see our daughter. The alternative is flying both ways which I understand is not possible at the moment - or in a style that would deem it at all attractive. 

2022?

2023?

the years are running out and the insurance requirements may well be so prohibitive that we may well have seen an end to our cruising days. That it should have come to this is sad and most frustrating.

Having read the various new on board protocols issued by a number of cruise companies that are planning limited cruises around Europe we have come to the conclusion that cruising has now become an experience that is to be avoided. Mask wearing in supermarkets is bad enough but having to wear one throughout the ship would be unbearable. Add in the distancing at meals and all social events as well as the probability that many of the ports will refuse docking and where they do shore excursions will be severely limited and one has to say that lobbing ££££££s into a “holiday” that would be nothing more than moving from A to B in the most unpleasant way imaginable makes no sense.

We are due to take part of the world cruise in February (the start is ex Southampton in early January). Even if it does sail - unlikely in my opinion - we would not want to be part of a cruise with such restrictions. 

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

What the CMA say and P&O do are two entirely different things. There are many still waiting for refunds  from March. I contacted P&O yesterday to politely ask them if they would defer our August 8th balance to September 30th because of the FCO statement, our ages 73/75, and being unable to purchase travel insurance because of said FCO advice. Very nice young lady but non-committal. If they are so sure cruises will go ahead from 16th September what is the problem with my request?  I am becoming a very confused, disappointed and increasingly annoyed loyal P&O cruiser.

Avril 

Quite. It's a Catch-22 thing.

FCO tells us that no-one should cruise - therefore you can't get insurance.

P & O still expect balance of payments despite not confirming that the cruise will actually go ahead  or what conditions will be like once on board (i.e. unlikely to be able to offer anything like what appears in the brochure or on-line).

You don't pay the balance - lost deposit

You pay the balance - P & O eventually cancel the cruise. You wait months for refund.

And even if the FCO restriction is lifted what price insurance now for over 70's?

15 minutes ago, No pager thank you said:

Next week marks the start of the period where customers will be forced in to making the choice as to whether to cancel / transfer their 15th October cruise, or to proceed to make a full balance payment.

 

I understand that many on this forum are skeptical about cruise travel prior to a vaccine being available, or, at very least the EU CLIA guidance restrictions being withdrawn to protect the holiday experience.  This is a personal choice.

 

However, I would be grateful for your opinions on what you think broader customer sentiment will be, for instance is it more:

 

1) The "opening up" inspired confidence that cruises might still depart, therefore pay the balance and look forward to the holiday? OR,

 

2) Has the rouse around FCCs, poor experience around refunds spread widely enough in to customer knowledge base; therefore do not give P&O any more money on the promise of a holiday voucher?

 

I find public perception, beyond anger over refunds, hard to read on social media.  Hard to know for certain of course, but what does your instinct tell you about how others, in general, read the situation?

 

Thank you in advance.

In all honesty I don't see how it can possibly go ahead. As Ann suggested above, contact P & O and ask for a balance extension.

In the light of the FCO statement of yesterday you will also need to check your travel insurance. Cruising against FCO edicts negates your insurance.

Another headache for the cruise lines to try and battle is the question of the lifts (elevators).  Limiting numbers? Staff on hand on every deck to count numbers on and off?

Nightmare choices.

7 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I would have thought that all the crew left on board would be keeping things up to scratch.  However, I can see another list of cancellations coming in August possibly.  Theatres aren't even open, so how can you cram loads of people on a ship and put shows on?

There is a very long list of things I would want to know before paying any balances. Here's a few

A) Will masks be compulsory on board in public areas?

B) Will social distancing be enforced?

C) What arrangements are to be made about dining? Would we be able to share with others on tables of 4+?

D) What would the arrangements for shows look like?

E) Casinos and one-armed bandits open or closed?

F) Bars?

G) Tendering at ports?

H) Ports refusing liners?

I) Itinerary changes?

....

there are plenty more but if any of the above pertained I wouldn't want to cruise. And my guess is that plenty of regular cruisers are beginning to weigh up the likely experiences on board and finding that it won't be worth the ££££ involved. And I speak as one who has cruised a far amount over the last 10 years and have already had 3 cruises cancelled this year and two booked for next.

No more balances will be paid by me until firm guidelines are issued by the cruise lines.

2 hours ago, Photo Andy said:

I have read to page 30 of the EU guidelines on Cruise travel during the Covid 19 era and that was enough. A few comments to state, 

less passengers so prices will increase, repatriation - who will pay? isolation so no inside cabins if have to quarantine,  peoples mental health stuck inside will deteriorate, therefore the ship will have less occupancy and costs will increase?

If at boarding you are excluded from boarding who pays? Laboratory testing  at boarding who pays and how long will this take?

Natural ventilation of spaces, doors and windows to be opened daily so no inside cabins as only 1 door?

High risk groups to see GP and have the GP say you are ok to travel, not a GP but this sounds if the cruise companies and travel insurers want to pass the blame to your GP if something goes wrong! If any GP on cruise critic sailing Cunard I would be interested in your opinion regards signing passengers to go on a cruise. Looking at the last few Cunard cruises were on many people many were old - some very fit and active,  some were distinctly frail, are they all to be banned from cruising due to age? Reflecting about cruising it may never recover for many years until this pandemic dies down and is just in the background like many viral and bacterial infections or a vaccine is developed and the World becomes inoculated except the anti vaxers who hopefully do not cruise.  

Spoke to a doctor friend yesterday and she said she would NEVER advise anyone over 65 to go cruising at the present time and certainly not until an effective vaccine is widely available. Nor would she sign any document giving the OK to travel. And I suspect the travel insurance companies will take a similar line by jacking up premiums sky-high.

My cruising is a HOLIDAY not an endurance course to get to the end without catching a bug that might kill me.

Masks?

Social Distancing?

Queues?

If I wanted to experience those I'd just go to my local supermarket. I don't need to spend £thousands floating around worrying if this cruise will be a repeat of the Diamond Princess horror.

Unfortunately I cannot see any “enjoyment” in subjecting oneself to these conditions. I’m 72 and my 10 years younger wife is diabetic and we had looked forward to at least 10 more years of travelling around the world on board ship, visiting those places we could never afford to see when younger (and working hard to save for our pensions). All those plans are now in the bin and I can’t see the regular cruisers who are in the older age brackets ever coming back to the liners. I took a look at Norwegian’s “Health and Safety” strictures just announced and it talks about “reduced numbers” on each boat among all the other guidelines. Not attractive at all. And think for one moment what would happen if just one case of Covid was to break out on a future cruise.

Either way I think the cruise industry is, dare I say it, holed below the waterline.

We are due to take a leg of the QV world tour in February - San Francisco to Brisbane - which leaves Southampton in January. 

In all honesty I don’t see this happening for various reasons.

A) the ongoing and increasing prevalence of the pandemic in the States

B) The unwillingness of the US authorities in allowing cruise ships to dock in any US port

C) ditto the various ports en route across the Pacific might well be unwilling to let in cruise ships

D) the likelihood that onboard facilities will be highly regulated and curtailed

E) the likelihood that passenger numbers will have to be limited, i.e. 50% of capacity

F) and following on from E) who will be turfed off and how that would make any cruise financially viable.

G) who would want to take the risk at any time before 2022 and a vaccine is widely available

H) Insurance. 

This las point may be the killer for many travellers over the age of 70.

Reading the top Cruise Critic article on “social distancing” it is quite apparent to me at least that the cruise lines are in deep doodoo with regards to accommodating to the “new normal”. Running a cruise on half capacity? Financially unviable. How do you turf off 50% of the already fully booked cruises next year? 

And then there’s the lift/elevator problem. I always use stairs even if going up to the Commodore from level 4 but I can’t see that many being willing to do the same. Effectively marooned in your cabin.

Ports of call? Will they want 2000 people unloading into their streets? 

Why would anyone spend ££££££ to sit in your cabin in solitary confinement with little or no socialising?

Until there is a vaccine cruising is a non-starter.

19 hours ago, Vogatrice said:

Does anyone know how this situation might work?

• May Transatlantic cancelled after full payment. I chose to roll the cash forward with FCC bonus to October reservation
• Oct Transatlantic cancelled before final payment. The voucher that includes my cash + FCC had not yet been applied to Oct final payment due on June 25
• Travel agent thinks this was a one-time choice, that I cannot now go back and request a refund, forfeiting the FCC of course, for the unused voucher, even though this new sailing is now cancelled

She is calling Cunard but this is her current understanding. If true, and it's a one-time-only choice and all I can do is keep rolling it forward, I will not be happy. I'm done, I have cancelled 3 reservations pre-COVID because I couldn't get a kennel spot, then 2 reservations have been cancelled on me post-COVID. I have one reservation left on the books, for December 8, but I'm not going to make any more bookings until sailings resume. I want my money back.

 

All thoughts welcome.

This was a problem always likely to build up with the continuing cancellation of cruises. FCC is all very well but when those cruises become subject to cancellation as well then I could foresee the kind of mayhem of credits/refunds that will now ensue. Customers who took FCC in the early days are, one suspects, plumping for full refunds now and will wait until the situation becomes much, much, clearer.

We are due to take a leg of the world tour San Francisco to Brisbane in February but I am not yet convinced that QV will leave Southampton on January 10th which would mean that the whole next 3 months would be abandoned. And I don’t feel like being a guinea pig for whatever restrictions come into play when cruising gets back. I’d prefer to wait and see how it all pans out before committing any more money into the Cunard pot.

Morning folks,

just rang Cunard and got the record message that ALL sailings on QM2 and QV are now cancelled until November 1st and on QE until November 23

Hi Sandra,

thanks for the update. That’s good to hear and I will be giving them a call this week as my balance is due Saturday. Just checking through the various bookings, deposits, transfers and additional costs (flight upgrades) I have a right spaghetti of monies to sort out. 

40 minutes ago, macsford said:

Hi Chris and Roger

I hope to have an update when we phone Cunard tomorrow. On Saturday we phoned 3 times and after pressing a variety of buttons with a variety of options (you know how it works!) each time it went to cut off. The intention was to discuss this ridiculous situation with them and ask for a week's extension. We expect to get through tomorrow and reach some amicable agreement.

 

If necessary I shall ask a very devious question : If we transfer our booking to the same thing leaving Southampton on 2 October this year , that would give us an extra 26 days before final payment. It is still showing as for sale. Of course, we all know that will also be cancelled.  I don't remember seeing anything to say we can't do that. Just a lot of trouble for all of us and the same end result.

Just wish I had thought of it sooner.

Will let you know what happens. Sandra

I shall be trying to garner some information as well tomorrow. Be interesting to see what Cunard comes back with (I've already sent an email question on this matter some 5 days ago but no response yet).

1 hour ago, LadyL1 said:

I am pleased to see on the UK website, that the Canadian trips are now NOT showing. We had booked our trip in October when first released and so much looking forward to Quebec, as part of a 25 day holiday/cruise, but now just want to be released from this. The NY days were not appealing.

Already looked at the same for next year, but the grades not available for what we want. Awaiting formal announcement, which will probably lead to more hassle for refunds.  Still patiently waiting for money promised mid March.

Hi Lady L,

Sounds as if we were to be on the same cruises (NY-Quebec-NY - Southampton). We are expected to pay our balance next Saturday but have heard nothing from Cunard to the opposite. Did you pay your balance or are holding off?

2021 sailings selling out? Well, if the majority of 2020 sailings have been cancelled and people took the opportunity to transfer their bookings then I am not surprised that there is little availability for 2021.

And what happens to all those bookings for cruises yet to be cancelled September, October...? Are those clients happy to let Cunard sit on their money until 2022 if 2021 cruises are sold out? How far ahead can Cunard extend the FCC? And if you rebooked with FCC and THAT cruise is cancelled will there be FCC on top of the previous FCC? 

Interesting discussion with a lady on Facebook via the Cunard notification of how “diverse” they are etc etc etc. She was due to cruise on the same one as myself on September 11th ex NY to Quebec and return and was trying to get through to Cunard to confirm that this cruise is definitely cancelled (Canada having closed ports and waters until end of October) because she was due to pay the sizeable balance and didn’t want to cough up if she was then going to have to wait 90 days for a refund. She eventually got through on the phone and was told NOT to pay the balance and that the deposit would be refunded. She asked for email confirmation of this advice. Not forthcoming as yet.

Since my due date for balance payment is June 13th I shall be on the blower Monday morning to see exactly what Cunard are advising. 

The Cunard PR has been disastrous and could be deeply damaging to the brand as I feel previously dedicated customers are now demanding refunds rather than FCC and are not confident in the Cunard management.

7 minutes ago, macsford said:

 

Hi Roger 

We are due final payment by 6 June.

As we intended visiting son and family in Toronto we were to fly back from there instead of Quebec. Same price but Cunard said we had to pay them the full air fare in advance as well as cruise deposit so they are holding more of our money than is usual at this stage.

 

If they do not in the next few days give us notice of cancellation , It looks like we would lose that money if we do not make the final payment. Not acceptable.

Neither is it reasonable to expect us to make the final payment as the cruise obviously will not happen.

 

I emailed Cunard this morning as we booked direct with them. Looks like we are going to have a tense week.

 

Could be interesting to see how quickly various companies respond to the extended closure of Canadian ports .

Sandra

Hi Sandra,

It will be interesting to see what you get back from Cunard - if anything. We have to pay by June 13th so have a week extra to fret.

A) I don't want to lose any deposit by cancelling now

but

B) I don't want to pay £10k final payment when the cruise is obviously not going to happen. It feels as if Cunard is playing a game of cat and mouse with our monies and banking on people choosing to transfer to a cruise next year but whilst that may have been the case early on I get the feeling most are opting for refunds now as the future cruising still looks very doubtful.

Please come back if and when you get a response.

Best wishes

Roger

17 hours ago, macsford said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cruise-ship-october-1.5589821

 

Thank you for that, kmerlin 14

Am I reading correctly that the QM2 departing New York on September 11 finishing with an overnight in Quebec will not be able to continue. Or will there be a way for Cunard to avoid cancelling?

We are booked Transatlantic from Southampton on September 4 followed by  the week from New York to Quebec. It is booked as one journey.

Final payment due next week  so we would prefer Cunard to cancel.

 

Hi, UK cruiser here.

We are booked on the same cruise but flying out to NY, on QM up to Quebec and then taking the QM back to Southampton. If that news is correct - and why wouldn't it be - I would be seriously miffed to discover Cunard expecting me to cough up the considerable balance of £10k+ when it knows that the cruise cannot be run.

The old sceptic in me says that it feels like an exercise in getting money in and hoping the punters will transfer to another cruise in 2021/2 and using that money to refund those who are demanding repayments and not transfers.

OK - another development to think about and which I would assume Cunard would have to take cognizance of very soon.

UK government are planning to impose a 14 day quarantine on anyone returning to the UK from abroad (apart from Eire and Channel Islands I understand). Travellers will have to give addresses of their quarantine (mostly home I presume) and stay indoors for 14 days. The police will be given powers to check up and prosecute on anyone venturing out of quarantine. Let's just leave the political ethics of all this to one side for now but it has to make you think that no one in the right mind is going to travel outside British waters if enforced quarantine is to be the result on return. How could Cunard continue to operate ex Southampton/return or on the Transatlantic run with those provisos?

I am hoping that Cunard will make a further statement VERY SOON concerning September cruises (of which I have two booked on deposit and with full payment due middle of June).