candle in the wind

I am poised to book an Alaska Cruise with Cunard for June. From what I was told by Cunard a couple of years ago the insurance is only valid for the length of the cruise and is not offered door to door like I would prefer. My usual insurance company only does door to door and declined to insure the trip to and from the port, so I could have Cunard Care in the middle. When filling in the online forms Cunard Care is YES or No. I remember a few years ago JIMSGIRL took out CC insurance and was happy with it and made a point of saying she answered all the questions honestly and her pre existing conditions were covered. I could phone Cunard but I like to book direct online and I need something in writing as regards my coverage.

thank you for any help or insights.

3 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Thanks, our forecast is pretty dreadful and we're locked down so there'll be plenty of tv watched this weekend !

Any suggestions for Netflix/iplayer or Amazon Prime gratefully received. We're up to Series 4 of Bosch.

The Capture, on Prime. Knives Out [lighter whodunnit], The Shield [from a few years ago], The Good Fight, [follow through from The Good Wife, but better IMO], The Man in the High Castle seems to be enjoyed by people I know, but was very slow, not my cup of tea.

These are on Prime Canada, I don't know about the UK. 

We are doing OK in Ontario, Mr Candle has been ill but gradually improving since April, two negative Covid tests, but several symptoms. Our small city is affected like any other place, restaurants suffering, clothing chains closing for good. I worry for the economy. My son drove for 3 days from Alberta to Ontario to start a job on Monday. Far from complaining we are thrilled that he has a job. Our supermarkets have been so good, no food shortages, some empty shelves of paper products at times, but more on the way. Keep safe, keep well, All.

On 5/5/2020 at 3:25 PM, majortom10 said:

We have cruise on QM2 in October balance due in June, not going to pay, convinced that cruise will not happen and Cunard just want an interest free loan off me.

I am late to the party as I only just read this, but I phoned Cunard a couple of weeks ago as the balance on the September voyage I had booked was due in the middle of May and I was told the payment deadline had been moved ahead to the middle of July. It was made clear if I had not cancelled by that date the very next day would start as a 50% penalty. [I had given them my CC to take the balance on the payment day]. I don't know if this information is of any use to you, I don't imagine it is only being done for this particular QM2 voyage.

8 hours ago, Trevor33 said:

Am pleased, sounds like you have managed to get a reply from Cunard. Seems like they are mostly taking things in order. Is anyone still waiting - I saw the ABTA piece on either Sky or BBC saying refunds should be within 14 days - Did anyone else see this? I am waiting to hear from Cunard since February 24th - Happy Easter!

Happy Easter and Passover to all. Be well.

On 2/25/2020 at 4:26 PM, Reuben's 3rd said:

Reading this topic, I became concerned. We had purchased future cruise credits while on the Queen Victoria last November. At Christmas, we decided to do the QM2 crossing leaving New York on July 31 2020. Early January, our agent booked us. Cunard's invoice specified that we could not use Cunard's future cruise credits for the deposit. No problem, I would apply them to the final payment. Last Thursday, I checked the President's Day Sale. Those rates would save us in excess of $1200 Cdn, and so I had my agent rebook this for us. I then read this topic, became concerned, and had him check for me; Cunard told him that because this was the President's Day Sale rate, I would loose the $600 US in onboard credits, the only reason that we had bought these deposits in the first place.

 

I checked the certificates. As someone else has stated, they say “The Future Cruise Deposit is not combinable with Last Minute Deals, Sailing Soon Savings and other fares offered inside final payment.” Sailing is July 31. This was not a “Last Minute Deal”. Cunard has “Sailing Soon Savings”, but this was not one of them. Final payment is due April 2, 2020, so this is not a fare offered inside final payment. If other people's certificates read as mine does, then Cunard was not living up to the terms of the deal as agreed on purchase.

 

I was ready to go up the food chain, but thought that I should first check, using the contact number shown on my certificate, 1-800-728-6273. I reached a pleasant young woman. I explained that I wished to confirm that I would not loose my onboard credits. She checked, came back telling me that I would. I pointed out that the President's Day sale was not one of the specified exclusions. She checked with her supervisor. Her supervisor applied our credits to our amount outstanding, and gave us our onboard credits. I asked what confirmation I would receive, and she said that it would be sent to my travel agent. He has sent me a copy, complete with onboard credits.

 

Now, at one point in our conversation, she tried to tell me that July 31 was “sailing soon”, which is of course a matter of opinion, but given that Cunard does have “Sailing Soon” named sales, I begged to differ on this interpretation. The certificate capitalizes “Sailing Soon Savings”, implying to me that it refers to something named that. So, be persistent. It worked for me.

Thank you for your generous sharing of information, the sailing I am looking at is in September. I am following up with Cunard and will come back to this board when I hear back. 

3 hours ago, exlondoner said:

It seems strange that, if I have understood correctly, in the US, the FCDs can be used, but you lose the benefits. I should have thought that both Cunard themselves and a competent travel agent should point that out before someone commits themselves.

 

i also wonder if there might be some result, once on board, in going to have a sorrowful moan to the onboard travel people, to see if they might get the obc reinstated in the unfortunate circumstances. After all, they were the ones who seem to have failed to make the conditions clear upon purchase.

Whether a competent TA or a Cunard representative point out before a booking that this "advantage" cannot be used is not the point, it is not good business to move the goalposts after a purchase has been made in good faith. No customer should have to present a sorrowful face to try to coax a Cunard employee to give what was agreed on.

5 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

For UK bookings the terms are clear, Future Cruise Deposits can't be used for Late Saver bookings. 

Our Future Cruise Credits were bought last September and stipulate The Future Cruise Deposit is not combinable with Last Minute Deals, Sailing Soon Savings and other fares offered inside payment. The voyage I was looking at was in September 2020, so not applicable to the aforementioned. They were bought onboard the QM2 and are covered by North American bookings.

1 hour ago, 57eric said:

I am totally confused by this thread.  First, regardless of what the FAQs may say, the actual FCD certificate says no such thing.  Or, at least, they didn't when I bought mine.  "The Future Cruise Deposit is not combinable with Last Minute Deals, Sailing Soon Savings and other fares offered inside final payment."  Period.

 

Second, what ISN'T a promotional fare?

 

Finally, the OP states "Our intent was to at least try to use the prepaid $600 as part of final payment".  Could this be the root of the problem?  I thought they are called Future Cruise Deposits because they have to be used for the deposit.

I emailed the Cunard Representative who has been allocated to me to confirm what the original poster had said and here is the answer verbatim "Yes, the FCD does lose the OBC on promotional offers". 

28 minutes ago, Bigmike911 said:

 

I must be missing something here. If you got a promotional fare, I would presume you saved at least the amount of your on-board-credit, or it would not make sense to book the fare. To me the principle value of the Future Cruise Credit/Deposit is that it gives you the ability to book a cruise with a very low down payment $300 per, versus 25% of the total fare. On my next two voyages that is a savings of $5000 plus on each voyage. I book early, get the accommodation I want with out having to spend a huge amount of cash up front. If i didn't get any OBC it would still have value to me. 

The deposit was non-refundable and $100. How would anyone know what a promotional fare is? There are so many sales as already pointed out, and not all are equal. I am sure I am not alone in buying the FCD for the OBC. 

21 minutes ago, Canuker said:

So the advantage of their FDC is.....?

The advantage goes to Cunard as some deposits are left in for longer than a year. Strange time to chose to do this as there is a distrust in cruising following the publicity given to Coronavirus onboard cruise vessels. 

3 hours ago, 2Oldpeopleinlove said:

Hi.

we just let a friend who is a TA book our transatlantic for next December under the President’s Day sale. She was told that, if we used the $600 credit we bought in board last a December, we would lose our OBC because the fare was “so low.” This was certainly never discussed as a possibility or term, and it feels scam-ish to me.

 

Has anyone else here experienced this? Is it accurate generally? The result is that, if I had booked exactly the same cabin under the also-offered Three for One sale with its free gratuities, the fare minus OBC would have been identical. If so, then it’s a particularly unsavory kind of manipulation we should all be aware of.

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. It is the last day of the President's Day Sale and I was going to go ahead and book a Fall Voyage. I checked with Cunard North America who confirmed that the FCD does lose the onboard credit on promotional offers. I had stated which voyage I was going to book so there was no misunderstanding, this was a promotional voyage. Cunard have had our $600 US, since last Fall. I am no longer going on that NY-Quebec trip and have time to think over a reimbursement.

35 minutes ago, JohnoClark said:

Will this dark (but not black)  suit and my wife's outfit be OK for the Gala nights on QM2

I would give it a thumbs up!

14 hours ago, roscoe39 said:

that is a terrible racist policy, talk about xenophobia

I had to check for myself to find that it doesn't matter where you have been living and for how long it is the passport that matters. I am sure the companies involved thought long and hard before coming up with these rules, but the feelings of Asian people isn't imagined, it is there in black and white. I do hope Cunard give people the option of backing out of cruises if they feel unsafe, and those that feel they are over reacting might be able to get a deal.

7 hours ago, diba said:

I got my two kennels! 🙂  Thanks for all your input.  I will take some medication with me for my pup for sea sickness as well as some very light anxiety - natural - meds.  I hope I made the right decision.  🙂

Well done and wishing you all a good journey. 

Good luck in getting those kennels. I did the same thing over 30 years ago, taking 2 dogs and 3 cats from South Africa to the UK, but by air. They went ahead and were met by a business which took them into quarantine for 6 months, all of which had to be paid for and since only certain kennels were licensed to do this we couldn't visit that often due to the journey. Thank goodness quarantine is no longer necessary.

8 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

Have a great time round the world on Queen Mary 2 and round South America on Queen Victoria.

Hopefully the delay to QM2 won't dampen spirits too much.

I imagine for those raring to go, even an hour's delay is frustrating, but lots of days to enjoy after that.

Am I alone in thinking that anything more than a couple of weeks is enough, even on the QM2?

Perhaps my vision is being clouded by having xx amount of pets that need ++ care and attention.

Bon Voyage to all!

Merry Christmas Host Hattie and all Cunarders.

Another year another opportunity.

7 hours ago, BigMac1953 said:

Nostalgia isn't what it used to be!

True, some of the contributors are names from the past and I still enjoyed their comments.

Thanks for the answers. I will be on board 1st September and I will see if I can put down a deposit as I did once before.

I may be wrong but I was under the impression FCC's were discontinued and only bookings are now taken on board to get the OBC. I asked about it last year and that was the answer, but maybe they have been reinstated.

On 7/29/2019 at 11:19 AM, Windsurfboy said:

I wonder how many of the Embarkation issues are to do with people arriving earlier than instructed. 

 

When we arrived at Southampton two weeks ago, at 1200 as instructed the terminal was full, Cunard was boarding everyone so as to clear terminal. Creating problems for priority boarders arriving on time,  who got no priority for QG at security.  But if Cunard had turned away early arrivals they would be slated for that.  Can't win.

How often do we have queries from new cruisers about boarding times that are answered by the regulars on this forum with " Board any time you like, I did...………" 

Great review, Grills looks comfy.

We haven't been very lucky on our last couple of voyages being that Coriander was not offered. QM2 tends to do the selection of meals 3 days in a row and they haven't included Coriander. I asked one of the managers of King's Court who gave us the day that Indian Food was offered in the buffet, and we ate there on that day, but it seems that a schedule is followed for the pop-up meals in the evening. Hint for anyone from Cunard reading this 1 September for 1 week, any night is good for us. 

On ‎5‎/‎9‎/‎2019 at 2:31 AM, David rut said:

Thrown out of bed?? That sounds quite scary. Hoping for calmer seas.

 

thanks everyone for all the wonderful pointers. I didn’t realize you had to take the tablets before you wake up so that will no doubt be a big help for us.

 

we can’t wait. Thanks again everyone 

Being thrown out of bed is quite unusual, but rough seas do happen and on my first Transatlantic I had to throw myself onto the bed to avoid being thrown on. To see what the 

 The only time I dealt with Cunard directly was when I had pre-paid a future deposit. Everyone was helpful and charming, but one of my flight bookings was cancelled, and they couldn't see that on their screens when I told them, but as I had already checked with Air Canada Cunard did follow up and reinstated my flight, but you have to be vigilant. I feel ChezR's frustration, but perhaps in time she/he will weigh the pros and cons.