Cancelling Cruises because of the C word

[galeforce9]

19 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

I cancelled on 14/03/20 online requesting a full refund and got the screen showing I would receive a refund with 45 days, but nothing since. No cancellation invoice either.

Me too - through travel agent - no cancellation invoice or any communication from anyone including the agent 

[galeforce9]

12 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Me too - through travel agent - no cancellation invoice or any communication from anyone including the agent 

Interesting since I posted this last night my well known cruise travel agent did send a communication out about general delays but related to the booking I had cancelled.  Coincidence?  If not, glad they are listening and reading 

[terrierjohn]

12 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Me too - through travel agent - no cancellation invoice or any communication from anyone including the agent 

 

28 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

Interesting since I posted this last night my well known cruise travel agent did send a communication out about general delays but related to the booking I had cancelled.  Coincidence?  If not, glad they are listening and reading 

Me too on both, but I chased up my own agent and she passed it onto to Admin who responded immediately, BUT only with the confirmation cancellation of the 2021 cruise I cancelled and re-booked by transferring my April 2020 booking. Now waiting for a further reply about the other 2 bookings involved in this swap.

I do realise that P&O must be busy firefighting this crisis, but will they be busier than brochure launch day, when I normally get a confirmation booking in a couple of days.

[Roger88]

I am sure that 2021 will be the year of cruising cause the damand will be sky high. These people are saving money and next year they will be looking for a place to spend them. Those who had their cruises canceled will go cruising as soon as its available again. Especially with all those fantastic deals for 2021 - people will go insane. 2021 will be the year of cruise industry. Keep your pockets safe 

[mrsgoggins]

11 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I am sure that 2021 will be the year of cruising cause the damand will be sky high. These people are saving money and next year they will be looking for a place to spend them. Those who had their cruises canceled will go cruising as soon as its available again. Especially with all those fantastic deals for 2021 - people will go insane. 2021 will be the year of cruise industry. Keep your pockets safe 

You think?  I’m not too sure.  In my own case we have only been cruising for 6 years but have ‘packed them in’ during that time, and now I’m viewing it differently and thinking ‘Scotland looks good’ and ‘I love the Cotswolds’ (out of season 😉). Maybe it’s an age thing too though, and won’t it be good just to have choices again?

[devonuk]

19 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I am sure that 2021 will be the year of cruising cause the damand will be sky high. These people are saving money and next year they will be looking for a place to spend them. Those who had their cruises canceled will go cruising as soon as its available again. Especially with all those fantastic deals for 2021 - people will go insane. 2021 will be the year of cruise industry. Keep your pockets safe 

Fantastic deals? Really? The ships are already rammed for 2021 but I’ve noted a real lack of decent deals other than what’s already out there...

[miniyorkie]

13 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Me too - through travel agent - no cancellation invoice or any communication from anyone including the agent 

Good Morning - i think the email from a  T/A  was actually to try to prevent people from calling the agents regarding cancelled cruises and refunds. I also received an email on 1st April regarding our cancelled March cruise, welcome but in my opinion a week too late. Seems the T/A is at the mercy of P/O, regarding the refund, as they hold the purse strings. Surely if P/O had commenced refund payouts someone on CC would have received by now?  and if not, why has the process not yet been started.?  Are P/O just biding time and not doing ANY refunds for at least 45 days and then to begin the refund process. I am rather confused why this is taking so long. I have had no  written confirmation re the  refund, only a verbal request on 16/3/2020.  The car parking booking cancellation  at Manchester airport was very prompt and hassle free. 

Edited April 3, 2020 by miniyorkie
spelling

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

57 minutes ago, Roger88 said:

I am sure that 2021 will be the year of cruising cause the damand will be sky high. These people are saving money and next year they will be looking for a place to spend them. Those who had their cruises canceled will go cruising as soon as its available again. Especially with all those fantastic deals for 2021 - people will go insane. 2021 will be the year of cruise industry. Keep your pockets safe 

I’m not so sure cruising will be popular after this crisis. Coronavirus is not beaten yet and stands every chance of re-emerging in a second wave later on in the year. Travel insurance companies will be reluctant to cover for cruises where illnesses cost them more money to recover and repatriate passengers. The over 70s will be viewed as an extreme risk either not worth taking or charge an astronomical amount for cover. The days of Cruising as we know it have gone. Before this crisis is over some of the big players, and Carnival could be one, will go to the wall. Now is the time to hold and shield your money, not throw it away on some dream of a different kind in the distant future.

[staygulf]

6 minutes ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

I’m not so sure cruising will be popular after this crisis. Coronavirus is not beaten yet and stands every chance of re-emerging in a second wave later on in the year. Travel insurance companies will be reluctant to cover for cruises where illnesses cost them more money to recover and repatriate passengers. The over 70s will be viewed as an extreme risk either not worth taking or charge an astronomical amount for cover. The days of Cruising as we know it have gone. Before this crisis is over some of the big players, and Carnival could be one, will go to the wall. Now is the time to hold and shield your money, not throw it away on some dream of a different kind in the distant future.

Carnival will not go to the wall. They are shoring up their cash reserves by borrowing $6billion which, with their cash reserves already saved, will see them emerge ready to take on the world again. 

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

9 minutes ago, staygulf said:

Carnival will not go to the wall. They are shoring up their cash reserves by borrowing $6billion which, with their cash reserves already saved, will see them emerge ready to take on the world again. 

There is a lot of debt in there. I wouldn’t be so sure.

Edited April 3, 2020 by PRINCESSTHE BEST

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

Carnival (CCL) (CCL.L) shares dropped 8% in London as the cruise operator priced the stock offering at $8 a share, vs. a close on Monday of $8.80. Carnival said it is decreasing its common stock offering to approximately $500 million from the previously announced $1.25 billion, while increasing its senior debt offering to $4 billion from the previously announced $3 billion. Carnival also is selling $1.75 billion in convertible notes.

Exactly. Hardly a company that’s going to the wall. 

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, devonuk said:

Fantastic deals? Really? The ships are already rammed for 2021 but I’ve noted a real lack of decent deals other than what’s already out there...

The vast majority of the 2021 bookings will have been made prior to the crisis. To cancel now would result in a loss of deposit, so people will leave them untouched. The interesting time will be when the balances are due. I suspect that a large proportion will choose not to pay the balance when the time comes. People’s perceptions of cruises have totally changed as a result of this crisis - and not for the better. The damage will last for many years. 

[Harry Peterson]

9 minutes ago, staygulf said:

Exactly. Hardly a company that’s going to the wall. 

Time will tell. The vast debt mountain building up doesn’t bode well, and the reason for the refund delays is simple - they’re trying desperately to cling on to whatever cash they can, whoever it really belongs to, to survive.

[Selbourne]

33 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

Time will tell. The vast debt mountain building up doesn’t bode well, and the reason for the refund delays is simple - they’re trying desperately to cling on to whatever cash they can, whoever it really belongs to, to survive.

Agreed. I have no idea whether Carnival will survive this or not - I suspect that they will - however I think it is possibly naive to make the assumption that all of their sub brands will survive long term. Rationalisation may be a route forward for struggling conglomerates. 

[AndyMichelle]

9 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Agreed. I have no idea whether Carnival will survive this or not - I suspect that they will - however I think it is possibly naive to make the assumption that all of their sub brands will survive long term. Rationalisation may be a route forward for struggling conglomerates. 

It is also an opportunity for companies to streamline without getting too much negative press. 

I doubt Carnival will go bust, but I wouldn’t be surprised if lesser performing brands/offerings were cut. 

Andy 

[Les_ldh]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

The vast majority of the 2021 bookings will have been made prior to the crisis. To cancel now would result in a loss of deposit, so people will leave them untouched. The interesting time will be when the balances are due. I suspect that a large proportion will choose not to pay the balance when the time comes. People’s perceptions of cruises have totally changed as a result of this crisis - and not for the better. The damage will last for many years. 

Yes, I am one of those that are expecting to cancel my 2021 bookings, but not until the balance is due. I think the main reason people are finding prices for next year so high is that as well as those who booked before all this blew up, many who had booked for this year have moved their bookings forward to next year, meaning demand is exceptionally high for 2021.

 

I’ve only been on one cruise so far to see if I would like it, and have currently got five booked between June 2020 and February 2022. As things stand I’m not expecting to go ahead with any cruise until I am totally happy that it is safe, which won’t be until I, and most of the rest of the population, have been vaccinated, and I have seen a few months worth of cruising taking place without incident.

[crompton21]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

The vast majority of the 2021 bookings will have been made prior to the crisis. To cancel now would result in a loss of deposit, so people will leave them untouched. The interesting time will be when the balances are due. I suspect that a large proportion will choose not to pay the balance when the time comes. People’s perceptions of cruises have totally changed as a result of this crisis - and not for the better. The damage will last for many years. 

 

Many people were saying similar in 2012 after the Concordia but the recovery from that was fairly v shaped.  P and O got through the drop in bookings with a very shabby price promise that turned out to be anything but a price promise.  Many on here were angry and vowed to never use the company again.  Maybe they did/maybe they didn't return but others either did return or new passengers started to cruise and a relatively swift recovery took place.

The initial covid19 events that put the risks of cruising sharply into perspective for some may well be somewhat forgotten should the continued rise in cases and deaths continue to drastically rise throughout the world.

[AndyMichelle]

11 minutes ago, crompton21 said:

 

Many people were saying similar in 2012 after the Concordia but the recovery from that was fairly v shaped.  P and O got through the drop in bookings with a very shabby price promise that turned out to be anything but a price promise.  Many on here were angry and vowed to never use the company again.  Maybe they did/maybe they didn't return but others either did return or new passengers started to cruise and a relatively swift recovery took place.

The initial covid19 events that put the risks of cruising sharply into perspective for some may well be somewhat forgotten should the continued rise in cases and deaths continue to drastically rise throughout the world.

If we can get insured, if it feels safe to do so and the prices stay realistic, we will be cruising again. 

Unfortunately, we don't know when any of the above will be.. 

Andy 

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Agreed. I have no idea whether Carnival will survive this or not - I suspect that they will - however I think it is possibly naive to make the assumption that all of their sub brands will survive long term. Rationalisation may be a route forward for struggling conglomerates. 

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

The vast majority of the 2021 bookings will have been made prior to the crisis. To cancel now would result in a loss of deposit, so people will leave them untouched. The interesting time will be when the balances are due. I suspect that a large proportion will choose not to pay the balance when the time comes. People’s perceptions of cruises have totally changed as a result of this crisis - and not for the better. The damage will last for many years. 

I agree although:-

If the government lift the ADVICE for over 70s and health issues not to cruise then I think lots of cruisers in this category will return when it is safe to do so and when insurance will be valid again.

 

[grapau27]

21 minutes ago, crompton21 said:

 

Many people were saying similar in 2012 after the Concordia but the recovery from that was fairly v shaped.  P and O got through the drop in bookings with a very shabby price promise that turned out to be anything but a price promise.  Many on here were angry and vowed to never use the company again.  Maybe they did/maybe they didn't return but others either did return or new passengers started to cruise and a relatively swift recovery took place.

The initial covid19 events that put the risks of cruising sharply into perspective for some may well be somewhat forgotten should the continued rise in cases and deaths continue to drastically rise throughout the world.

This is true but the same can be said about going to any all inclusive resorts or hotels in 

Spain

Italy

Canary Islands and even in this country.

What about football crowds,pop concerts etc etc.

Lots of people in confined spaces.

A vaccine would be a game changer.

Edited April 3, 2020 by grapau27

[crompton21]

9 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

This is true but the same can be said about going to any all inclusive resorts or hotels in 

Spain

Italy

Canary Islands and even in this country.

What about football crowds,pop concerts etc etc.

Lots of people in confined spaces.

A vaccine would be a game changer.

I totally agree, and would perhaps add USA and any form of transport other than your own car to the list of current no no's.  

[Selbourne]

24 minutes ago, crompton21 said:

 

Many people were saying similar in 2012 after the Concordia but the recovery from that was fairly v shaped.  P and O got through the drop in bookings with a very shabby price promise that turned out to be anything but a price promise.  Many on here were angry and vowed to never use the company again.  Maybe they did/maybe they didn't return but others either did return or new passengers started to cruise and a relatively swift recovery took place.

The initial covid19 events that put the risks of cruising sharply into perspective for some may well be somewhat forgotten should the continued rise in cases and deaths continue to drastically rise throughout the world.

I don’t see the Concordia incident as being remotely comparable to the current situation. Tragic though it was, we could all see that it was as a result of one rogue Captain and we never once considered stopping cruising because of one isolated incident. The Coronavirus situation is of an entirely different magnitude. I believe that cruising has been one of the fastest (if not the fastest) growing sectors of the travel market and that has all come to a staggering halt. Whilst it is true that all travel has come to a halt, none has had all the bad PR that cruise ships have. Cruising will no doubt resume but I believe that the industry will be set back 5 to 10 years as a result of this. I take no pleasure in saying this, but fear that it is going to be a sad fact. 

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

I’m not so sure cruising will be popular after this crisis. Coronavirus is not beaten yet and stands every chance of re-emerging in a second wave later on in the year. Travel insurance companies will be reluctant to cover for cruises where illnesses cost them more money to recover and repatriate passengers. The over 70s will be viewed as an extreme risk either not worth taking or charge an astronomical amount for cover. The days of Cruising as we know it have gone. Before this crisis is over some of the big players, and Carnival could be one, will go to the wall. Now is the time to hold and shield your money, not throw it away on some dream of a different kind in the distant future.

 

2 hours ago, staygulf said:

Carnival will not go to the wall. They are shoring up their cash reserves by borrowing $6billion which, with their cash reserves already saved, will see them emerge ready to take on the world again. 

I am not convinced that Carnival will not go to the wall as yes they have managed to borrow cash but at 11.5% interest and have to put up their ships as collateral they are very vulnerable especially if there is not an uptake of cruises once they are free to cruise again. That is why there is no current confidence in the share price.

[crompton21]

16 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

 

I am not convinced that Carnival will not go to the wall as yes they have managed to borrow cash but at 11.5% interest and have to put up their ships as collateral they are very vulnerable especially if there is not an uptake of cruises once they are free to cruise again. That is why there is no current confidence in the share price.

 

Carnival, Easyjet and IAG from 01/01/20.  There isn't confidence in the share price of airlines either....

 

 

Edited April 3, 2020 by crompton21

[AndyMichelle]

26 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

 

I am not convinced that Carnival will not go to the wall as yes they have managed to borrow cash but at 11.5% interest and have to put up their ships as collateral they are very vulnerable especially if there is not an uptake of cruises once they are free to cruise again. That is why there is no current confidence in the share price.

I think it depends on the time scale.. 

Many companies have put finance in place for a while, which is great, but if it is prolonged... 

Nobody knows... 

Lets hope its over quickly and we can all enjoy a cocktail in the Crows Nest... 

Andy