Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, Victoria2 said:

Extra obc will have no impact on us other than yet more dosh to spend. I see it as a “thank you for sailing with us” gesture. Category  of stateroom is irrelevant.

 

No amount of extra obc would sway me if we decided to cancel or transfer a booking.

 

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Will this sway you.

 

Will the impact depend on cabin category. 

 

Looking at cruise I'm on

 

Britannia inside $900 OBC worth 26% of cost of cruise

Queens Grill $900 OBC worth 5% of cost of cruise

 

No incentive if you cancel or transfer to another cruise

 

 

The extra OBC wont effect us asbwe need to return from Capetown to UK, flying is no differernt still mixing with lots of people. So unless Cunard cancel were sailing 

 

However Cunard is a business, it doesn't hand out money to say thank you for sailing it hands out money to change behavior,  to try and influence people not to cancel. So they must believe it will influence some people, just not either of us.

[Meliador]

My TA just got off the phone with Cunard (US). They are using the same approach as the UK's updated policy. Fairly flexible for what I personally needed, so am happy with the outcome.

 

 

[Hawaii136]

Just cancelled my May 13 cruise ( USA). Will get 60% back on my CC, the rest I can apply to any future cruise departing before end of 2021.  I have 90 days to decide on which voyage to book. Must be a new booking. 

[beaveh]

7 hours ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

"Additional" On Board Spending? That word "additional" doesn't appear on our email.  We already have $300 pp ($600 stateroom) OBS. Will we expect $1200? It's not clear.

 

Our cruise, is ex Southampton April 16th.  I am assuming that there will be a good number of potential customers who will take the money and FCC and run which leaves the next question: will Cunard run a cruise with potentially just 50% or fewer on board passengers?

 

And next question: what of excursions in Spain and Portugal (Granada and Seville)? Will those still run and if not because of Spanish crackdown on movement just what is the point of sailing down to Spain only to have to stay on board at the ports? You may as well just stay in Southampton and look at the docks from your balconies.

 

I can see Cunard cancelling all cruises On Queen Victoria between now and September.

 

I'll wait until 3 days beforehand and make a decision then.

Yes, I think it’s a case of watch this space and see what happens.

Cunard and P&O haven’t started their European season yet, so I’ll be reading people’s reports on here to see how things go. I’ve got a bit more time than you as we go on 31st May and I do feel I’ve got more flexibility with the new T&C’s to leave it till the last moment then maybe transfer to another cruise if things don’t look good.

 

I’m the eternal optimist, so I’ll stick with it and daydream of a complementary cabin upgrade for sticking with the cruise 🙂 

[Vogatrice]

Any whispers or speculation yet about itinerary changes, specifically for Transatlantics? Wouldn't hurt my Canadian feelings if they moved the New York departure to Halifax...though Haligonians might not be impressed to have a bunch of people disembarking into their town. I can envision the New York Harbor being closed soon though.

[david,Mississauga]

35 minutes ago, Vogatrice said:

Any whispers or speculation yet about itinerary changes, specifically for Transatlantics? Wouldn't hurt my Canadian feelings if they moved the New York departure to Halifax...though Haligonians might not be impressed to have a bunch of people disembarking into their town. I can envision the New York Harbor being closed soon though.

 

I would also like to see Halifax as an origin and destination for crossings.  A few years ago we were able to travel Southampton-Halifax on one of the few crossings that called there two days before New York.  There were some e/b crossings that also included Halifax. The extended 14-night crossing we are booked on for 31 July calls in Halifax two nights after departing New York.

 

I don't think Haligonians would mind people embarking or disembarking there - as long as people aren't ill, of course. They are used to thousands of people on some days, especially in Sept. and Oct. A while back we arrived in Halifax by train and noticed five ships in port. The port authority said there were 11,000 passengers that day - and that wasn't a record.

[devonport]

I think this a fair offer from Cunard, I am on the Cape Town - Southampton on April 1st 2020.

I like others will decide nearer the date to see if we go ahead, it will depend what countries/islands get infected.

The problem I have is we booked via a cruise agent in the UK, they booked flights and have four nights booked in a hotel, one day safari booked, we have also booked by ourselves Robin Island and Table Mountain.  Our travel agent said we would lose the flight/hotel money that's £1500 british pounds if we cancel, plus train/coach fares, so decisions need to be made.

[Alibobs]

8 hours ago, bodsfanclub said:

Totally agree. Well said. 
 

email from Cunard this am re our 21.6 cruise. £900 additional onboard credit if we would like to sail - which is our plan. If we wish to change itinerary we can transfer to another cruise later in the year - which is our second choice plan. Or we can cancel and get fcc for use up to jan 2022. Which would be our third choice option. The itinerary change or cancellation option is available from now until 48 hours before we sail. 
 

folks need to remember that this is all out of cunards control and like every business need to think about their bottom line. Perspective is necessary. 

I am booked to travel in May and will do so unless advised not to by our government. I would be disappointed to have to do this but at the end of the day a cruise is something I can live without 

I feel Cunard's options for us are more than fair and we are fortunate to have a choice

 

[Lanky Lad]

I am not traveling until August so I just manage to qualify for the incentive.  Hopefully, things will be back to normal by then.

[3rdGenCunarder]

30 minutes ago, devonport said:

I think this a fair offer from Cunard, I am on the Cape Town - Southampton on April 1st 2020.

I like others will decide nearer the date to see if we go ahead, it will depend what countries/islands get infected.

The problem I have is we booked via a cruise agent in the UK, they booked flights and have four nights booked in a hotel, one day safari booked, we have also booked by ourselves Robin Island and Table Mountain.  Our travel agent said we would lose the flight/hotel money that's £1500 british pounds if we cancel, plus train/coach fares, so decisions need to be made.

 

I think most people looking at cancelling will have items not bought through Cunard and not refundable. If I cancel my crossing, I can cancel the hotels for the week in England before the crossing, but I will not recover money spent on the train tickets and theater tickets I've already bought. Still, I was beginning to think Cunard would do absolutely nothing, so I reckon I'm in a better position than I was a week ago.

 

[Bedruthen]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I think most people looking at cancelling will have items not bought through Cunard and not refundable. If I cancel my crossing, I can cancel the hotels for the week in England before the crossing, but I will not recover money spent on the train tickets and theater tickets I've already bought. Still, I was beginning to think Cunard would do absolutely nothing, so I reckon I'm in a better position than I was a week ago.

 

We have cancelled our May and June transatlantic over to USA and back. We have trains and accommodation plus car hire all booked separately to unravel, all part of a five week road trip. Luckily most of it except Amtrak is free cancellation, but with other costs, we will be out of pocket by a few £100. Looking at using the FCC, we are not seeing anything that we want to do, so are prepared to probably forfeit that as well. What price health and peace of mind though.

[Vogatrice]

how can I tell if I have a "saver" fare or not? The original deposit was non-refundable from the get-go, is that a key to identifying this as a saver fare?

 

I could call my TA but I suspect she's busy today...🙂

[oskidunker]

 No budging on final pay dates   . Ridiculous 

[Bedruthen]

12 minutes ago, Vogatrice said:

how can I tell if I have a "saver" fare or not? The original deposit was non-refundable from the get-go, is that a key to identifying this as a saver fare?

 

I could call my TA but I suspect she's busy today...🙂

With a saver fare, you don’t get to choose a cabin number

[hypercafe]

Just read where US is thinking of restrictions on travel to and from Europe. So much for the QM crossings

[bluemarble]

15 minutes ago, Vogatrice said:

how can I tell if I have a "saver" fare or not? The original deposit was non-refundable from the get-go, is that a key to identifying this as a saver fare?

 

I could call my TA but I suspect she's busy today...🙂

 

"Saver Fare" is UK terminology. If you booked under the terms and conditions for Canada/US, you do not have a Saver Fare. We are still waiting for the North America version of this information to be posted which presumably will be free of the UK-specific "Cunard Fare/Early Saver Fare/Saver Fare" terminology.

[BoatsandTrains]

Called Cunard today and was able to rebook our April (eastbound) and May (westbound) with no loss of our investment.   We rebooked for August and September next year - the price was a little higher and no complementary gratuities - but plenty of time to watch for better deals.   I have to say I am quite happy with the service.   And, For the first time, we purchased the Cunard Care 😉 

[Roger Ackroyd]

Just had a notification about three Cunard cruises we have booked with a deposit:

A) September New York to Quebec and back

B) September TA New York - Southampton

C) San Francisco to Brisbane February 2021

 

we have been offered transfers to another cruise with no penalties so long as we make a decision by end of August this year. 

 

And if we can’t find a suitable cruise that fits in with our diary and at this rate cruises are going to be sold out with re-transfers what happens then?

Edited March 11, 2020 by Roger Ackroyd

[Canuker]

RA: these 3 cruises are clearly ones you wanted, because you've booked them, albeit with just a deposit thus far.
Isn't an option to stay with them?
Or is Cunard saying you have to switch?
A third option may be to merely hold your deposits 'in limbo' until you find something you like? Unless, of course, they have a sell-by date on them?

[Canuker]

1 hour ago, bluemarble said:

 

"Saver Fare" is UK terminology. If you booked under the terms and conditions for Canada/US, you do not have a Saver Fare. We are still waiting for the North America version of this information to be posted which presumably will be free of the UK-specific "Cunard Fare/Early Saver Fare/Saver Fare" terminology.

I think it's just a gimmick to hoodwink folk into booking earlier than they might otherwise do - at a price very likely higher than subsequently.

[newcruise]

1 hour ago, hypercafe said:

Just read where US is thinking of restrictions on travel to and from Europe. So much for the QM crossings

What is your source?

[Neuhoftraveler]

1 hour ago, Bedruthen said:

Luckily most of it except Amtrak is free cancellation, but with other costs, we will be out of pocket by a few £100. 

Today Amtrak notified ticketed passengers that for travel scheduled before (or through) April 13, change fees are being waived. Services are also being cut.  I would expect this date to be extended if the public health situation doesn't improve before then.  So keep an eye on the Amtrak website (which is pretty miserable to use, though no match for Cunard).

[Neuhoftraveler]

2 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

I will not recover money spent on the train tickets and theater tickets I've already bought.

 

When the Iceland volcano eruption caused flights to the UK to be cancelled some years ago, we found the box office staff at the Royal National Theatre and at the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Fields to be extraordinarily kind in refunding the full cost of prepaid theatre and concert tickets.  Which is to say that there's no harm in asking.

[bluemarble]

15 minutes ago, Canuker said:

I think it's just a gimmick to hoodwink folk into booking earlier than they might otherwise do - at a price very likely higher than subsequently.

 

I'll leave it to others to decide if it is a gimmick or not, but "Saver Fare" in this context, otherwise known as "Late Saver Fare", is actually more of a last-minute fare in the UK with full non-refundable payment due at time of booking. In that respect it's similar to the "Sailing Soon Savings" promotions we get in the US. That's why "100% of fare" is listed as the original cancellation charges and "100% FCC" is listed as the new temporary policy in the table for Saver Fare.

[Canuker]

10 hours ago, ATLJC said:

Wouldn't it be a blanket-wide policy on sailings regardless of where booked?  I only say that because the values of OBC are quoted in Dollars ($) and not Pounds.  We all know the failings of the IT department in regards to Cunard's hopeless website, which could possibly be attributed to the lack of notice of the new policy on the US site. 

I imagine the point made above has already been addressed by someone (if so, my apologies for repetition).
If not, it needs to be said that Cunard's on board accounts are always (repeat, always) kept in US$, regardless of the origin of the passenger or currency of the booking contract. Live in Timbuktu and booked in Greek drachma with a travel agent in Fiji? Your onboard a/c will be in US$.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Canuker