Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[pmcl]

4 minutes ago, rog747 said:

Just be patient - they will get in touch - Your summer cruise is a way off yet.

For some of us, this cruise also involves long flights etc, so there is a lot more involved than packing a suitcase and off we go.

Cunard know Vancouver for example,  is closed to cruise ships. I understand they are super busy, but they would go a long way to appeasing a lot of people if they were more proactive in updating their websites with regards to this situation.

Or are they being indifferent because they have our money and refunds from the company will come in the form of FCC?

[bazzaw]

21 minutes ago, pmcl said:

For some of us, this cruise also involves long flights etc, so there is a lot more involved than packing a suitcase and off we go.

Cunard know Vancouver for example,  is closed to cruise ships. I understand they are super busy, but they would go a long way to appeasing a lot of people if they were more proactive in updating their websites with regards to this situation.

Or are they being indifferent because they have our money and refunds from the company will come in the form of FCC?

On the Aussie Cunard website they are still taking bookings for these cruises !!!! and people are reporting that having rung the Cunard number they are being told that the cruise is still going ahead ( or has not yet been cancelled) . Australia is CLOSEd, NZ is CLOSED, Canada is CLOSED - but Cunard will not admit defeat . Princess cruises has 18 ships compared to Cunards piddling three !!!!!

[bazzaw]

7 hours ago, sfred said:

After the cancellation of QE's 15 March sailing from Sydney yesterday, I see on marinetraffic.com that she is southbound at 13.4 knots off the NSW coast this morning.  Destination is vague -- "bass straight" in grey type.  Does anyone know where she is going?   

She is going home to Southampton!!!!

[bazzaw]

2 hours ago, pmcl said:

Unlike its sister company Princess cruises, the silence from Cunard with regards to plans beyond March 15th is deafening.

Princess have put up on their website a list of cancellations and modifications from now until May 10th.

The lack of communication from Cunard should be a concern for all of those booked on her ships.

Cunard passengers should be loudly voicing their displeasure at such treatment, through social media or whatever platform is available, for the rest of the cruising world to see  how (IMO) inept the back-office component of this business appears to be.

Thoughts anybody?

 

I agree completely  - up until now Cunards totally incompetent attempt to have a Company website was notable and well known!!!  Princess has 18 ships with a far wider range than Cunard's three ships. Cunard needs an injection of Princess Executives to sort their management out!!!! 

[bazzaw]

42 minutes ago, rog747 said:

Just be patient - they will get in touch - Your summer cruise is a way off yet.

True - but meanwhile Cunard has the money !! - and a LOT of it!!!! 

[IB2]

6 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

True - but meanwhile Cunard has the money !! - and a LOT of it!!!! 

Have a read about the forum, and you will see that they have one or more pressing issues to worry about than cruises four months off.  Which aren’t even officially cancelled yet.  You’ve only paid the deposit, so stay calm.

[bazzaw]

26 minutes ago, IB2 said:

Have a read about the forum, and you will see that they have one or more pressing issues to worry about than cruises four months off.  Which aren’t even officially cancelled yet.  You’ve only paid the deposit, so stay calm.

Wrong - I have paid full payment for a cruise on o2 June - I paid it 2 months ago! 

[VK3DQ]

Our Cruise is 16 days away and we have paid in full with airfares and other expenses clocking up about another $2k... we want our cash back in a timely manner. and we all worry about the future of Cunard and others

 

Regards

john

[IB2]

Just now, bazzaw said:

Wrong - I have paid full payment for a cruise on o2 June - I paid it 2 months ago! 

Fine, but just be realistic and recognise that your July holiday will be a long way down their to do list, in a global crisis.

[bazzaw]

QE is now off Eden and about to enter Bass Strait - it will be interesting to see if she returns to Southampton via the Cape or through the Suez Canal. Suez would be shorter - but only if she can get a "slot" 

[resordanis]

42 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

True - but meanwhile Cunard has the money !! - and a LOT of it!!!! 

 

42 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

True - but meanwhile Cunard has the money !! - and a LOT of it!!!! 

Totally agree with you BAZZAW. Cunard cancelled our cruise Saturday afternoon for Sunday sailing. Still waiting for the representatives to contact us as per their email.

our TA advised this afternoon that refunds could be some time as they are difficult to communicate with.

we have friends who had their cruise cancelled just before they sailed on Saturday and already have had communications re their refunds with another cruise line.

We have had 3 very long cruises with Cunard but unhappy at this moment.

.

Edited March 16, 2020 by resordanis

[VK3DQ]

Having paid via debit card we will have to request that the bank recover funds as goods / Services have not and cannot be provided 

 

I seriously think that at some stage in the future the lines funds are going to become a little stretched....

 

I'm so sorry for them but we cannot afford to take a large loss on this

BTW I spoke to Cunard on the phone today they told me that my April 1st cruise was still going to take place 

 

Now that is a great all fools day joke!!

Regards

John

Edited March 16, 2020 by VK3DQ

[resordanis]

6 minutes ago, VK3DQ said:

Having paid via debit card we will have to request that the bank recover funds as goods / Services have not and cannot be provided 

 

I seriously think that at some stage in the future the lines funds are going to become a little stretched....

 

I'm so sorry for them but we cannot afford to take a large loss on this

 

Regards

John

We certainly can’t either! They said they will cover accommodation etc for us but at this stage I do not think so as their has been no communication. I also booked thru a TA, Princess have said that they will pay all agents fees, but I haven’t read that from Cunard, hopefully I also don’t have to pay a cancellation fee.

Edited March 16, 2020 by resordanis

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

 

Perhaps it would be nice to see Cruise Critic step in and help , perhaps informing the lines that they should be doing all they can to keep passengers informed of what their intentions are , no secrets please

 

 

What about it CC??

 

Regards

John

[Grandma Nomad]

I spoke to Cunard today and was told they should know in a couple of weeks if my cruise is cancelled. Only trouble is the cruise starts in a couple of weeks.

[Clagmeister]

I managed to get through to Cunard this morning within a minute of the lines opening. They were lovely and will be giving me a full refund for our QV cruise in April as we are prohibited from cruising under the UK government 70 plus ruling. The charming Cunard team member did say that I was to ignore the cancellation notice when it arrives (it has)  because this would show a cancellation penalty but a full refund would be made to my card within 7-10 days.

[ace2542]

45 minutes ago, Clagmeister said:

I managed to get through to Cunard this morning within a minute of the lines opening. They were lovely and will be giving me a full refund for our QV cruise in April as we are prohibited from cruising under the UK government 70 plus ruling. The charming Cunard team member did say that I was to ignore the cancellation notice when it arrives (it has)  because this would show a cancellation penalty but a full refund would be made to my card within 7-10 days.

Same conversation I had but i have yet to receive a confirmation email from our cancellation yesterday.

[pmcl]

50 minutes ago, Clagmeister said:

I managed to get through to Cunard this morning within a minute of the lines opening. They were lovely and will be giving me a full refund for our QV cruise in April as we are prohibited from cruising under the UK government 70 plus ruling. The charming Cunard team member did say that I was to ignore the cancellation notice when it arrives (it has)  because this would show a cancellation penalty but a full refund would be made to my card within 7-10 days.

I doubt if passengers in the 70+ age group from the southern hemisphere will be so lucky.

The office here is non responsive both to email and phone calls., and our TA hasn't heard from them either.

So yes for CC to step in would certainly be a big help.

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, VK3DQ said:

Hi Folks

 

Perhaps it would be nice to see Cruise Critic step in and help , perhaps informing the lines that they should be doing all they can to keep passengers informed of what their intentions are , no secrets please

 

 

What about it CC??

 

Regards

John

I'm pretty sure they know that anyway ...

I seriously doubt there is anything that Cruise Critic can do except keep people informed.

However please contact community@cruisecritic.com if you want to discuss it.

[aussiedisneyfan]

Just got an email and on the website now...

 

Cunard voluntarily suspends operations until 11 April.

As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19, and following the recommendation by the Cruise Lines International Association for cruise lines to voluntarily and temporarily suspend operations from U.S. ports for 30 days, Cunard is suspending any new cruises until 11 April, 2020.

Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria will be returning to Southampton, with no new voyages and no new guests or crew embarking. Queen Elizabeth’s itineraries have been suspended whilst she is in Australia.

We will continue to constantly monitor the evolving situation over the coming weeks and, as ever, our priority in any decisions we make will be to protect the health and wellbeing of our guests and crew.

[longton]

My cruise Cape Town to Southampton on QM2 is cancelled. It was due to depart 1st April.

 

In the cancellation email I was offered FCC of 125% for cruises booked before 31 December 2020.

 

On Cunard.com it now states:

 

If you have a Cunard voyage booked that was due to depart prior to 11 April 2020, we’re very sorry to have to cancel your plans. We are pleased to offer you a 125% Future Cruise Credit to be used for a new future cruise sailing any time before the end of March 2022 – simply book by 31 December 2021. 

 

Contradictory messages.

[Coathanger]

Key item is the option to request a full refund via: https://www.cunard.com/en-au/request

 

Relevant FAQ below.

[alc13]

Just received email here in the US that Cunard is suspending operations until April 11.  The website has been updated, too.  QM2 and QV are returning to Southampton.  QE seems to be staying in AU.

 

Correction - the email link goes to the (fully informative) UK site.  The US site has not been updated.

Edited March 16, 2020 by alc13

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, alc13 said:

Just received email here in the US that Cunard is suspending operations until April 11.  The website has been updated, too.  QM2 and QV are returning to Southampton.  QE seems to be staying in AU.

 

Correction - the email link goes to the (fully informative) UK site.  The US site has not been updated.

We have received the same email despite the fact that I cancelled by cruise yesterday telephone in a 39 minute conversation.

[pmcl]

So pleased they finally got around to updating their Aus. website.

Don't know however where the Trans Pacific cruise will terminate  as Vancouver is closed, and there may be closed ports en-route to our "surprise " destination.

I hope their updates now become more regular, especially in light of other cruise lines being more pro-active with regards to communication with their passengers.

But at least they have at last acknowledged our existence.