Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[T5LHR]

1 minute ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

 

When did you apply for the cancellation 

 

I didn't. I am, sorry was, on the 6th May back to back from Southampton. So, fell into the new round of cancelations. 

 

I did email when this all started, asking what my options were in terms of cancelation, for the cash or what level of FCC as there were a few different versions at the time, but never got a reply. 

 

This one looks to have been triggered by the new round of Cunard cancelations as it states: 

 

"

**Important information - Cancellation of your booking**

 

As the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve, Cunard has made the decision to take the preventative measure of extending the suspension of all voyages an additional month from April 11 up to and including May 15, 2020. This has meant that your upcoming voyage has unfortunately been cancelled.

 

We wanted to make you aware that the cancellation confirmation email you will receive shortly will show that there are cancellation fees that are owed.
Please disregard this as no cancellation fees will be incurred."

[T5LHR]

2 minutes ago, speedwell said:

QM2 still at anchor off Durban

 

Yep... Not being allowed in for fuel and provisions by all accounts. 

[Windsurfboy]

Refunds TL5HR post above.

 

I was on the April 1st Capetown to Southampton,  this was cancelled on 15th March in a letter that only mentioned FCC. I have never received a cancellation invoice. 

 

I emailed customer services saying I  wanted a full refund.

 

I was then too busy trying to get back to UK.

 

I only found out about cancellation form , ie forfeit of FCC from this forum. I filled it in a week ago. Still no response from Cunard.

 

Any one else on this cruise what is experience. 

[sogne]

3 hours ago, T5LHR said:

 

Yep... Not being allowed in for fuel and provisions by all accounts. 

Now in Durban 2 disembark 6 SA crew refuel and provision

[ellie1145]

17 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Had a call from our travel agent a couple of hours ago. They had a call from Cunard about our 14th March QM2 voyage from Fremantle to Southampton that was cancelled on 14th March (perhaps still 13th March in the UK)

 

Cunard informed them that the refund would be paid direct to our credit card. Only after the call ended the travel agent realised that would difficult as Cunard didn’t have our cc info. We paid the TA and they paid Cunard.. They called back and the response was along the lines of ‘Ah! ... Yes ... Umm. ... We’ll send them a cheque.’

 

So it looks like no matter what, refunds will go direct to the customer. And even if not to an ideal timetable, things are progressing.

Which cheque you would presumably have to leave your home to take to a bank? Not the best solution! Why can’t they get the correct details from you?

[ellie1145]

20 hours ago, Clagmeister said:

Wow. I would have thought there would have been consistency in the Industry. Presumably your bookings were through UK processes. In terms of hotel and cruise port parking, I have already had my money paid back.

Yes, through a well known cruise agent. All done via UK processes.

 

As we don’t fly until May 21st ( or rather, we WON’T fly) it’s a waiting game.

 

Oh, and Virgin are still selling our flight!

 

 

Edited March 31, 2020 by ellie1145

[deck chair]

Hi

 

Don't know if this has been posted.  One passenger  on the ship has tested positive for COVID19.   All passengers have been restricted to cabins.   Food will be delivered to cabins.  How unsettling this must be for the passengers and weeks to go until Southampton.

 

Deck Chair

[bluemarble]

4 minutes ago, deck chair said:

Hi

 

Don't know if this has been posted.  One passenger  on the ship has tested positive for COVID19.   All passengers have been restricted to cabins.   Food will be delivered to cabins.  How unsettling this must be for the passengers and weeks to go until Southampton.

 

Deck Chair

 

The latest I'm reading is that the quarantine om QM2 has been lifted. Passengers are no longer restricted to their cabins. Apparently the person that tested positive for COVID-19 was cleared upon being retested. This is according to facebook postings from a passenger on board from about an hour ago.

[deck chair]

Thanks Bluemarble!  Good to hear.  I'm glad I got off in Freemantle after 46 days!  (The first port call.)

Deck Chair

[LGC100]

5 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Refunds TL5HR post above.

 

I was on the April 1st Capetown to Southampton,  this was cancelled on 15th March in a letter that only mentioned FCC. I have never received a cancellation invoice. 

 

I emailed customer services saying I  wanted a full refund.

 

I was then too busy trying to get back to UK.

 

I only found out about cancellation form , ie forfeit of FCC from this forum. I filled it in a week ago. Still no response from Cunard.

 

Any one else on this cruise what is experience. 

We were booked on the QM2 1st April cruise. Flight, 5 nights CT hotel and cruise all booked through TA. I received a Cancellation email from Cunard on 15th March saying that they would automatically credit our account with 125% FCC. On 20th March our TA sent us a Cancellation Notification but with no information about FCC or refunds. 

 

Through this site I found a link to the 'Forfeit of FCC' on the Cunard web site that they asked anyone who wanted a 100% refund to fill in regardless of how you booked.  Last Thursday (26th March) the form was filled in with an 'up to 45 day' refund period quoted. 

 

I also contacted our TA last Thursday & again Friday to be told that they had passed our refund request to their 'Retention & Rebooking Team'. When I told them that I'd already filled in Cunard's Refund Form and wanted a full refund and wasn't interested in booking another cruise they said I'd be contacted in 48 hours. Well I was - by email. Still waiting for them to discuss the refund on the rest of our package. 

 

We are hoping that Cunard send us the refund direct and then that just leaves the TA for refund of flights and hotel. At the end of the day we have insurance, it was paid for using a CC and the TA is ABTA & ATOL bonded so there are other options to recouping the money. 

 

It's going to be a long slog but we will get reimbursed one way or another even if we have to go through the Retention & Rebooking Team. A 'Refund Team' might be more appropriate. Hey Ho. 

[Neuhoftraveler]

Apparently Cunard still claims it will be sailing out of Southampton as soon as May 16, despite (among other things) the UK lock-down of indefinite duration that in theory would preclude anyone from even getting to the pier:

 

There once was a cruise line called Cunard

Whose managers found it so hard

To be honest with passengers that one day the managers

Just gave up and renamed it Canard.

 

Please forgive me.  (Editorial improvements welcomed.)

Edited March 31, 2020 by Neuhoftraveler

[oskidunker]

They don't want to refund everyone all at once. They know there will probably be no

more cruises until very late this year, if at all

[Covepointcruiser]

Cunard is canceling by direction from controlling company Carnival.   We were booked on another line, Seabourn, under Carnival.   Our travel agent said that a decision would be made on 3/30 and it was.    By 0900 EST Seabourn sent a message stating our 4/20 cruise was cancellled and we had a choice of 125% FCC or a refund.   I immediately canceled my hotel reservations, no problem through Marriott.   I also cancelled my airline reservations, United, no problem with a refund to my CC.    We rebooked another cruise through our TA for 10/26/00.  It was simple and took no more than 30 minutes.

can’t believe Cunard is more difficult.   The few passengers on the QM2 refused to leave the ship stating they could not fly.    They took the risk staying aboard and were informed it would no longer be a cruise but a merchant marine type sailing back to Southampton.

[bazzaw]

Many here remind me of myself - about 6 weeks ago. But I have changed since then - and once bitten, twice shy!! 6 weeks ago, when the virus was only affecting Asian ports ( actually mostly just Chinese ports as it had then yet to make much of an impact on other areas of Asia) , Cunard cancelled all the QE cruises which were to go to Asia and published some extremely cheap fares around Australian waters including a transPacific to Vancouver to start the Alaskan season. And me? - well after being promised a full refund of $20,000 and a 50% FCC but not having a crystal ball, I got sucked into buying a couple of these wonderfully cheap fares. Queens Grill penthouse, wouldn't you know!! BUT - 6 weeks ago seems now like a lifetime ago - and who could have imagined then what is happening now.  Who knows where this is heading and how far it will go?? - I am not sure we can even imagine- there are 7500 million people on the Planet so the virus has plenty to choose from. Just announced on teh News of 12,000 dead in Italy - but Italy has 60 million people! I won't now be even thinking of any kind of travel for the next couple of years or until the future becomes very much clearer than it is today.  

[bazzaw]

8 hours ago, bluemarble said:

 

The latest I'm reading is that the quarantine om QM2 has been lifted. Passengers are no longer restricted to their cabins. Apparently the person that tested positive for COVID-19 was cleared upon being retested. This is according to facebook postings from a passenger on board from about an hour ago.

Actually, it is unclear to me about just how anybody could be tested on QM2 for coronavirus. Do they have test kits? 

[deck chair]

Hi  

 

I understand the ship recieved the test kit from South Africa.   Not sure.

 

Deck Chair

[kentchris]

The SA authorities carried out tests on QM2 before they would allow her to enter Durban, in the same way as they carried out tests on Arcadia before she could enter to refuel. There was a report from a local news source linked to a day or more ago on this thread.

[longton]

Not sure why QM2 needed to enter Durban since foreign passengers and crew cannot enter South Africa, unless it was to let South Africans off.

 

Why couldn't they refuel offshore and get going?

 

The ship should be Cape Town today so well behind schedule.

[Host Hattie]

It was to let South African crew members disembark.

[Essiesmom]

2 hours ago, longton said:

Not sure why QM2 needed to enter Durban since foreign passengers and crew cannot enter South Africa, unless it was to let South Africans off.

 

Why couldn't they refuel offshore and get going?

 

The ship should be Cape Town today so well behind schedule.

Cape Town refused her. They knew that at least a week ago.  EM

[Bigmike911]

21 hours ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

Apparently Cunard still claims it will be sailing out of Southampton as soon as May 16, despite (among other things) the UK lock-down of indefinite duration that in theory would preclude anyone from even getting to the pier:

 

There once was a cruise line called Cunard

Whose managers found it so hard

To be honest with passengers that one day the managers

Just gave up and renamed it Canard.

 

Please forgive me.  (Editorial improvements welcomed.)

A bit of humor is warranted, and needed in these days of uncertainty. Thank you. 

[sogne]

3 hours ago, longton said:

Not sure why QM2 needed to enter Durban since foreign passengers and crew cannot enter South Africa, unless it was to let South Africans off.

 

Why couldn't they refuel offshore and get going?

 

The ship should be Cape Town today so well behind schedule.

wind was NE 30+ knots for much of the time she was anchored so much so that she got underway at least twice to make life more comfortable

 

almost certainly ruled out as an option because of weather conditions

[chrisruthsmith]

This is a question regarding transferal of booking for cruises sailing after August 31st.  
Cunard state that you can 

• Transfer your booking to any Cunard voyage 
• Transfer your booking to a voyage of higher or lower value 
• Transfer your booking an unlimited number of times (and not just once).
• Transfer your bookings free of charge,

So far I have only paid the deposit for the full world cruise, and the balance isn't due till mid October.  if I chose to transfer my booking by Aug 31st am I right in assuming that I could just book another cruise which is approximately the same as, (or even less) than the deposit I have paid for the full world cruise?

 

 

[devonport]

I should have been boarding QM2 today in Cape Town, obviously all cancelled my TA has said I will get a full refund flights, hotel etc once they get refunded by Cunard.

I have told my TA I want a full Cunard refund and I have also filled the request form in via Cunard site, as of today no refund has been returned to my cc.

My question is: 

To date has anyone received any refunds to their cc?

 

I have heard rumours or 60 day wait? 

 

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

I am booked on the Queen Elizabeth's pacific coastal cruise from San Francisco to Vancouver that is scheduled to depart on May 30, 2020. I reserved a Queens Grill suite. Of course, I realize that the Canadian ports are closed through June and this cruise will be cancelled. However, a Cunard concierge contacted my travel agent today and asked if I have any special requests. It seems strange that they would bother to contact my travel when this cruise won't take place.

 

Chuck