Exiled Brummie

Thank you for your help Megabear2. Bill D.

Well persistance pays, finally complained to head of P&O and Carnival UK, got reply next day with apologies. Now have full refund of all our money, cruise, excursions and travel insurance. Wonder why I didn't do this to start with but perhaps we needed to go through the usual procedures first. Needles to say delighted with result and restored our faith in P&O somewhat. Thanks to all those that helped with advice on this forum. Bill D.

Just been wondering about this, 'Free insurance' must surely have many limitations. My wife and I both have several Pre-Existing long term medical conditions, all controlled by medication so we are are fit and active despite these conditions. In such circumstances do Saga refuse cover or require an additional premium? The other issue making us hesitate to look at a Saga cruise is cost compared to many others, not just a few percent either. I know a lot is included but even allowing for this the cost still makes me gulp. Are Saga really that much better? (compared to say P&O, our last cruise line) Bill D.

Hi all, I had a post running back to last October regarding our cruise cancellation after we had ticked the yes box to the medical declaration because I was recovering from a cold. To cut a long (and ongoing) story short, how is P&O doing now, there were many posts back a few months ago about poor service on board etc which has put us off rebooking with P&O if and when they arrive at a satisfactory conclusion to our complaint. Bill D.

Hi all, well seem to be locked in a stalemate between P&O saying they need evidence that Insurance company have refused to pay before they will consider any compensation and insurance company saying they want similar evidence that P&O are refusing compensation, unsure which way to jump in case we damage our case with one or the other. Any assistance from you guys that have been through this would be appreciated. Got back onto ABTA after their disappointing response (they said they could not interfere with members T&Cs) no response yet, every step seems to take several weeks for a response.

Well this offer was worded 'I can set up a FCC for you', this on the basis of evidence from our insurance that they have not or will not compensate for cancellation. (this was covered by several postings here which showed the situation was an uninsurable event) A FCC presumably will not compensate for excursions and insurance which are of course paid for. What actually does a FCC give you anyway, does it fully cover cost of a similar cruise or an allowance towards, sounds a good deal for P&O either way to me whereas we have incurred a considerable loss for no fault of ours, I'm sure a decent lawyer would blow holes in the P&O case. Still thinking carefully our next step. Bill D.

Another update guys, following complaining to Executive Documents who responded they instructed P&O to re open file, I have today had email off P&O. My hopes that they had accepted complaint were soon dashed as it was basically a page of blah blah, referring again to our insurance policy. They have paid no heed to my comments on 'uninsurable event' , 'we know passengers with identical issue had been paid', 'change of Ts&Cs' etc etc. So I am no further forward basically although they did mention in passing about a FCC being available, this is the first mention we have had right from the start about a FCC. My continuing complaint to ABTA has not been answered yet. Where to next, need to sleep on it. Bill D.

Thanks Megabear2, Had email response from Executive.Correspondence today saying sorry issue remains unresolved and they have reopened case file. Not a result yet but not an immediate knock back. No, Holiday Extras were adament they could not help, either by full refund or even an allowance towards a next policy, you can understand we were mighty peeved at this, with hindsight perhaps we should have persued it further. Staysure policy was for this cruise only. I will see what P&O have to say about my claim for insurance costs but will keep your advice up my sleeve in event of a refusal, good point you made I think, it was P&O that caused the insurance to be wasted money. Bill D.

Yes excursions were booked through P&O. As far as insurance cost I thought I had seen a post here from someone that got recompense for their travel insurance as well. My wife and I have several pre-existing medical conditions although all well controlled with medication so we are otherwise fit and active, however travel insurance abroad and especially for a cruise is eye watering. over £700 for us on this particular cruise. We are even more pigsick about this because when we originally booked in 2019, which of course was cancelled due to Covid we could get no refund of the travel insurance or indeed any sort of discount or allowance towards the next one, a similar amount to above if I remember correctly, so all that money paid on two occasions for no benefit, interestingly the insurance company before was??? yes Holiday Extras. They didn't get our business for the next one, not that it mattered the way things have turned out. This sort of dishonurable way of doing business is all too common these days, the original Covid cancellations when travel companies were refusing any sort of refund was eventually sorted out by some complaints authority (who was that?) that cracked down and made them pay up. We had a Hoseasons boating holiday booked on the Broads and we spent countless hours try to get through by phone, email, letter before they were forced to pay up. I have a degree of understanding if not sympathy for businesses in this situation but businesses have ways and means of raising funds and support from banks that the private individual does not. And by the way isn't this 'apologies for delay, blah blah due to Covid' wearing a bit thin now, sounds like an excuse to me. Thanks guys for assistance so far, will keep you updated as I know all these posts are helpful to others as well. Bill D.

Email gone off to ABTA specifying various changes to terms that have occurred, changes to medical declaration, withdrawal of FCC etc etc and failure of P&O to respond to our complaint dated 13 November 2022 asking why all this is not worthy of investigation, also my knowledge of other cruisers with identical issue with medical declaration who have had success with ABTA so what is different about our complaint and finally the damage this is doing to the ABTA image. Also sent off copies of correspondence and the whole sorry saga to Executive Correspondence address given on this forum. So lets see what gives next. Bill D.

We had an acknowlegement on 02 July 2021 for deferred cruise taking place on 08 October 2022. They highlighted terms which were basically unable to accept guests that had tested positive for covid, were self isolating or require various other medical assistance non of which applied to us at the time of the medical declaration fiasco. They also stated travellers must have fully comprehensive cruise insurance including amongst others, cover for repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. All included in our cover which I suggest is pretty standard stuff other than, as it turns out, cruise cancelled by P&O. Bill D.

Very enlightening thank you. I realise I did not explain (I may have done on my original posting) that we originally booked our cruise in 2019 for a Canary Isles trip in October 2020, a 40th wedding anniversay treat, we all know what happened then, P&O agreed for us to postpone until 2022 as was not happy that we would get the holiday we booked with all the onboard restrictions in place for 2021 and no guarantee we would be allowed to disembark when we got to destinations. I will certainly take your advice and go back to ABTA. Watch this space. Bill D.

Thanks again megabear2, no apology needed for questions, very grateful for them. Yes we sent a whole load of stuff to ABTA including Staysure response. Interested in comment about fair policy, could you expand on what P&O operated from September to December. I am just compiling a complaint now via Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com as previously suggested. Citing awareness of many other similar complaints on this site and response from their much promoted Holiday Extras company. Also said in view of the time it has taken P&O so far I have given them 10 working days to respond. Claiming cost of cruise, excursions and insurance. Bill D.

Thanks for quick response Megabear2, yes we originally went through our insurance (Staysure) as suggested by P&O. Staysure responded stating that as it was P&O that cancelled, it is P&O that are liable and our insurance does not cover that. This ties in with previous posts, even the much promoted (by P&O) Holiday Extras who I believe gave the same response. Bill D.

Hi bee-ess, I have posts under 'P&O cancellation medical declaration' You will see the problems I and others have had with this, in my opinion, unfair and brutal way of treating customers who giving an honest answer were just cancelled with no further questions as to exact problem or opportunity to explain. I was not ill with Covid which is what they said was of concern (just getting over a simple cold) and had carried out several lateral flow tests, nor would they accept our offer to carry out whatever tests P&O required (they had stopped compulsory tests by this time) so very interesting to hear that the pre-cruise medical declaration is no more. My problem is one of many on the same subject on this website. Incidentally our cruise was from Southampton but also to Canaries, you will have had or still on yours so hope you had/having a great time. Be interested to hear how you got on as another complaint I have heard is the service not up to what you would expect from P&O Bill D.