Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[Canuker]

As far as I can see today (Feb 21, the first day these alternative cruises have been on offer), the circumnavigation is completely sold out. In fact, I checked in the early hours here in ENAm and it was shown as sold out - in every category. No NAm TAs, nor Cunard NAm was even mentioning it - or any of these new alternatives. It looks like the OZ/NZ market swallowed this up virtually 100%, in less than 24 hours through their local vendors.
The transpacific is still available as I type, but all suites are already gone. Balconies are going for US$70 pppn.
What a frenzy.

[icat2000]

2 hours ago, Canuker said:

As far as I can see today (Feb 21, the first day these alternative cruises have been on offer), the circumnavigation is completely sold out. In fact, I checked in the early hours here in ENAm and it was shown as sold out - in every category. No NAm TAs, nor Cunard NAm was even mentioning it - or any of these new alternatives. It looks like the OZ/NZ market swallowed this up virtually 100%, in less than 24 hours through their local vendors.
The transpacific is still available as I type, but all suites are already gone. Balconies are going for US$70 pppn.
What a frenzy.

Yeap its all sold out. There was availability yesterday when I was looking at it. But all gone today. Must have been some mad bookings happening. Price was very good. 

[Two4Sea]

Recheck over the next few days to see if agents/clients actually follow through on their tentative holds with hard cash deposits. I once watched a maiden voyage sell out in 24 hours only to have space 2 days later.

 

Bill

[KetoCruiser]

9 hours ago, icat2000 said:

Yeap its all sold out. There was availability yesterday when I was looking at it. But all gone today. Must have been some mad bookings happening. Price was very good. 

 

Luckily the circumnavigation cruise went on sale in UK lunchtime on the 20th Feb and we managed to bag a bargain.  We were on QE cruise from Southampton to Australia just before Christmas and were not expecting to return this quickly.

 

Anyone else on this cruise let me know as there is no roll call set up as yet

 

Tracey & Tony from Wales U K

[bazzaw]

There was literally a shark feeding frenzy here on Friday last!!! 🙂

[Poole Boy]

Latest update from QE, we were not allowed to leave the ship in Rabaul PNG today.

 

We arrived late due to a medical evacuation a couple of days ago, and sat alongside for most of the afternoon while the local officials decided if we could disembark or not.

 

Finally the answer came that we could not disembark, so we are now off to our next port in PNG, hopefully we will have better luck tomorrow

Edited February 23, 2020 by Poole Boy
spelling

[LittleFish1976]

5 minutes ago, Poole Boy said:

Latest update from QE, we were not allowed to leave the ship in Rabaul PNG today.

 

We arrived late due to a medical evacuation a couple of days ago, and sat alongside for most of the afternoon while the local officials decided if we could disembark or not.

 

Finally the answer came that we could not disembark, so we are now off to our next port in PNG, hopefully we will have better luck tomorrow

Do you happen to know the reason for PNG's refusal? Is there someone on board who has travelled through parts of Asia that they consider risky or that they consider to be a risk in another regard? I'm interested to know as I'm looking at booking today for a last minute cruise.

[Poole Boy]

2 minutes ago, LittleFish1976 said:

Do you happen to know the reason for PNG's refusal? Is there someone on board who has travelled through parts of Asia that they consider risky or that they consider to be a risk in another regard? I'm interested to know as I'm looking at booking today for a last minute cruise.

I think every one is being cautious, we all has our tempratures taken a couple of days ago and filled in a health and travel questionnaire.

 

No reason to believe we are a risk as we have complied with all the pre arrival requests, but on this occasion they did not want us to dock. Hopeful for our remaining ports will be able to go ashore

[Host Hattie]

Thanks for the update from the ship. How disappointing, I hope you're more successful in other ports.

 

[LittleFish1976]

4 minutes ago, Poole Boy said:

I think every one is being cautious, we all has our tempratures taken a couple of days ago and filled in a health and travel questionnaire.

 

No reason to believe we are a risk as we have complied with all the pre arrival requests, but on this occasion they did not want us to dock. Hopeful for our remaining ports will be able to go ashore

 

Thanks, Poole Boy. Hopefully, it's a case of PNG just being (understandably) cautious as per some of the smaller island nations' recent decisions.

 

The scenery from the boat must be stunning, all the same.

 

[Canuker]

Missed the boat.

Now Feb 23 here, 3 days after the frenzy unleashed.
Things seem to have calmed down somewhat.
I can't now find spots for any of the "replacement" sailings, except the transpacific, which is still offering I, OV & B at the prices mentioned in post #96 (no suites).
I've also checked 2 big online NAm TAs and only one has picked up on these sailings, yet still lists the defunct East Asia trips as well. The other presents as if none of this had happened at all.
Perhaps there's a lesson here, that just because you're big and popular, doesn't mean you are on the ball or offering all the best prices and selection. And Cunard themselves, with their policy of you-can-only-book-through-your-own-country's-version-of-our-website  has also left many in NAm high and dry.
We missed the boat.
Bon voyage, OZ, you incredibly lucky blokes.

Edited February 24, 2020 by Canuker

[Canuker]

Threats & Opportunities.

 

So, the three-day saga is all done and dusted now, as of February 24.

The transpacific is now showing as sold out.
6 cruises completely sold out in 3 days.
The passengers got what they wanted - fabulous value for money.
And Cunard got what they wanted: a vote of confidence from the global cruising public, despite the challenges the industry is currently facing.

And a good moment to buy some shares in the traded companies, perhaps?
Carnival, for example, closed below US$38 today (its lowest price since October 2014), giving it a dividend yield of 4.8%.
Add to that a $100 OBC, claimed say once a year on any of its brands, for holding 100 shares  and there's another 2.6%, for a total annual yield of 7.4%. More if you cruise more often/longer with a Carnival brand.
Tempting.

Edited February 25, 2020 by Canuker

[alc13]

Carnival stock price might go lower.  News from Europe this morning shows coronavirus appearing in the Canary Islands and Spain, as well as Italy.  More lockdowns likely, extending into the spring cruising season.

[annmarz]

Anyone else on the Cancelled circumnavigation of Japan itinerary wondering when we will be credited our cruise fare?

[QM2_SYD]

I would say that refunds will take some time. My voyage from Sydney to Singapore was cancelled and all I have received so far was an email cancellation notice showing a $2700 cancellation fee! I have since spoken with Cunard who said to ignore that notice so I am waiting to see what refund actually gets processed.

[annmarz]

On 2/25/2020 at 10:05 PM, annmarz said:

Anyone else on the Cancelled circumnavigation of Japan itinerary wondering when we will be credited our cruise fare?

To answer my own question:  A Cunard rep just told me that I can expect a refund within 10-15 days of the date of cancellation.

[alc13]

A lengthy notice re COVID-19 policies just arrive via email.  It should be accessible at this link in the US -

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-us/contact-us/travel-health-advisories

[Ray66]

I just got that email too. But it says our upcoming voyage is 1st August 2021 on QV. We do have that booked but our upcoming voyage is on the QM2 in May!

[Bedruthen]

20 hours ago, Ray66 said:

I just got that email too. But it says our upcoming voyage is 1st August 2021 on QV. We do have that booked but our upcoming voyage is on the QM2 in May!

And will you be travelling. We are seriously considering cancelling our two transatlantic sin May and June.

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

I received the same e-mail from Cunard yesterday. I am booked on the Queen Victoria's cruise that departs from Southampton on April 26, 2020. The cruise is scheduled to visit Guernsey, Belgium, Holland and France. These ports are alright now, but who knows if they will be okay at the end of April? I am watching the news closely.

 

Chuck

[Vogatrice]

If our May transatlantic sails as scheduled, and my family and I remain healthy, we will 110% be on board. We are not cancelling, and will only stay on shore if we are told we can't board her. We're watching the news of course, but will not cancel preemptively. We are moving to Italy and can't wait to get to our new home (which is well outside the red zone.)

 

Precautions: compulsive hand washing, less than normal socializing, flu and pneumonia vaccinations, traveling to New York in our private car, not an airplane (but that was always the plan.) Traveling from Southampton to central Italy in private cars as well. Adjust as needed, but currently we don't believe the risks are above our risk tolerance. Frankly, I think Italy is handling containment and testing very well, and they should be ahead of the curve on epidemic control compared to countries that start to see cases later than they have. Care must be taken while traveling, but we think we'll be safer once there.

 

That's today's perspective, anyway. Time will tell, but we're pushing forward for now. Let's all agree to USE the hand sanitizer on board!

[ace2542]

7 hours ago, Vogatrice said:

If our May transatlantic sails as scheduled, and my family and I remain healthy, we will 110% be on board. We are not cancelling, and will only stay on shore if we are told we can't board her. We're watching the news of course, but will not cancel preemptively. We are moving to Italy and can't wait to get to our new home (which is well outside the red zone.)

 

Precautions: compulsive hand washing, less than normal socializing, flu and vaccinations, traveling to New York in our private car, not an airplane (but that was always the plan.) Traveling from Southampton to central Italy in private cars as well. Adjust as needed, but currently we don't believe the risks are above our risk tolerance. Frankly, I think Italy is handling containment and testing very well, and they should be ahead of the curve on epidemic control compared to countries that start to see cases later than they have. Care must be taken while traveling, but we think we'll be safer once there.

 

That's today's perspective, anyway. Time will tell, but we're pushing forward for now. Let's all agree to USE the hand sanitizer on board!

I am the same as you sir. My father is 81 he has had his flu and pneumonia jabs. We have 2 days in nyc then TA in late april. We are not worrying about nothing. We are flying from UK but it will be ok. We get onboard the ship use hand sanitizer and everything will be fine. If we get refused permission to board I will want and will settle for nothing less than my money back. I am worrying about being refused boarding not being on the ship.

[GillCC]

On 2/27/2020 at 3:37 PM, annmarz said:

To answer my own question:  A Cunard rep just told me that I can expect a refund within 10-15 days of the date of cancellation.

Did they say how the refund will be issued? Will it be to the card used to pay for the holiday? That will a big balance on a credit card that can’t be withdrawn as cash!

[exlondoner]

20 hours ago, Bedruthen said:

And will you be travelling. We are seriously considering cancelling our two transatlantic sin May and June.

 

As things are at present, why exactly?

[Dahani]

On 2/28/2020 at 5:48 PM, alc13 said:

A lengthy notice re COVID-19 policies just arrive via email.  It should be accessible at this link in the US -

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-us/contact-us/travel-health-advisories

We had that email from Cunard and an identically worded one from P&O.