Cancelling Cruises because of the C word

[daiB]

11 minutes ago, staygulf said:

Where have PANDO said that you can move your booking to next year without cost? Does that apply to anyone who is past their final payment date? Or just to those who can provide a medical letter. Your wording is ambiguous I’m afraid. Please enlighten us. 

 It’s on the website I think. I have not looked, only reported what number of people have posted. It may well be those who have not paid in full yet.

[jeanlyon]

Right here

 

We understand if this situation has led you to think about cancelling your upcoming cruise. 

If you are concerned about travelling within balance due date due to medical reasons, we are now able to look at transferring your booking, if you can provide a letter from a medical practitioner/Doctor on headed paper which confirms that you are unfit to travel on your cruise.

Simply call us on 03453 555 111 (local call charges apply) and we can discuss your options. If you booked with a travel agent, they will be able to help.

[staygulf]

3 minutes ago, daiB said:

 It’s on the website I think. I have not looked, only reported what number of people have posted. It may well be those who have not paid in full yet.

Your post implied that anyone could benefit. It’s only those who can provide a doctor’s letter. This is not as generous as other Divisions of  Carnival 

[jeanlyon]

I think it will change on a daily basis.  Those who haven't paid their balance are free to move to a much later cruise.  Those that have paid, like us, are in the above situation.  My husband is over 80 and quite possibly could get a letter from our doctor.

[daiB]

18 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

Hi, normally agree with you Dai but what about those who have already paid a balance (who have one of the medical issues that are at risk) but are now being told by P&O that, despite what the website says, they will have to go or contact their insurance company.

 

I personally feel let down tonight by a company that I have usually stuck up for and have 2 future cruises booked with. (NB This doesn't affect us, thank God, but it does affect family members)

Hi Presto,

Not sure what you are disagreeing with. I am only reporting what people are say they have done. I have to made a comment either way apart from the fact that in other areas of the internet people are not discussing it in the same terms as on here.

i agree that some special arrangements should be made fr the circumstances you mention

[glittergal1]

1 hour ago, ann141 said:

What is getting to me is that those of us who are sailing in the next few weeks I feel are being treated badly compared to those who have only paid the deposit and are being allowed to transfer their cruise (to not one thats necessarily dearer that is normally the case,) I feel it is good that those who have paid the balance are being able to transfer if they get a letter from their doctor.When I enquired about upgrading from an inside to a balcony cabin I was told it would cost over £1000 more.Balcony cabins are now being sold for only £250 more than we paid for our inside and at least people buying now know that there is a slight possibility of being confined to their cabin!Sometimes upgrades are available at a cost once onboard if people don t turn up and as we will now be Caribbean tier for the first time we could have been first in the queue to enquire if upgrades were available.As it is we chose the coach option which means we probably won t arrive until after 2pm! I realise we are lucky to go on a cruise and healthy enough to not have to cancel but the fact that until recently the cruise was showing as Sold Out and now advertising really cheap prices feels we are being treated unfairly.Rant over!

For our cruise the balconies are over £100 LESS than we paid for our inside however for us to upgrade they wanted £900  we cant cancel as we have fully paid 

[staygulf]

Although there is a lot of anti PANDO feeling on here, let’s not forget that it is really Carnival that is playing games here. When you book a PANDO cruise you are booking with Carnival. It is absurd that Carnival is adopting one policy in some of its trading divisions and another policy in others. 

[daiB]

5 minutes ago, staygulf said:

Your post implied that anyone could benefit. It’s only those who can provide a doctor’s letter. This is not as generous as other Divisions of  Carnival 

Never said it was.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

16 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I was told today by my Ta that if you have a medical issue and you contact either your TA or P&O with a letter from your doctor saying you are unfit to cruise, then you can either book a different cruise or take a Future Cruise Credit with no time limit.  (until they say otherwise).  If you have booked through a TA then through them, or if you booked direct, then contact P&O

 

Doesn't help us as neither of us have a medical issue that would prevent travel, but my guess is this will change on a daily or weekly basis.

If you get the said letter would you not be duty bound to inform your insurance company?. Your card would then be well and truly marked for future cruises.

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, daiB said:

Hi Presto,

Not sure what you are disagreeing with. I am only reporting what people are say they have done. I have to made a comment either way apart from the fact that in other areas of the internet people are not discussing it in the same terms as on here.

i agree that some special arrangements should be made fr the circumstances you mention

Probably thought that you think that it is all happening as P&O are saying it is - which it isn't

 

 Just cross and grumpy tonight with P&O and thought you were sticky up for them.

 

Thanks for your agreement that special arrangements need to be made. Like you, we love P&O and just don't get their PR people at the moment.

 

 

[Presto2]

3 minutes ago, staygulf said:

Although there is a lot of anti PANDO feeling on here, let’s not forget that it is really Carnival that is playing games here. When you book a PANDO cruise you are booking with Carnival. It is absurd that Carnival is adopting one policy in some of its trading divisions and another policy in others. 

 

Totally agree ------- one rule for one brand and one for another. They obviously think that the British are easier going ….

[staygulf]

4 minutes ago, daiB said:

Never said it was.

However most have simply moved their booking to next year as P&O have said can be done at no cost. 

 

this is what you said. I asked you here they have said that. 

[jeanlyon]

2 minutes ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

If you get the said letter would you not be duty bound to inform your insurance company?. Your card would then be well and truly marked for future cruises.

 

Why would you inform the insurance company if P&O are simply changing your cruise?  My husband's medical conditions are already declared, but might make him vulnerable to this virus.

[glittergal1]

1 hour ago, ann141 said:

I dont really want to cancel and when I phoned up there were only 8 balcony cabins left.More people may cancel before next week but I feel it would be fairer to let those of us who are already sailing pay a cheaper cost to upgrade than offer the cheaper rates to fill the cabins to those prepared to take a risk

 We cant cancel because we are fully paid up,  Balcony cabins are now selling for over £100 LESS than we paid for our inside, when we asked to upgrade they wanted an extra £900 

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

9 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

 

Why would you inform the insurance company if P&O are simply changing your cruise?  My husband's medical conditions are already declared, but might make him vulnerable to this virus.

It’s a bit like a road traffic collision, you have to inform them that you’ve been involved, whether or not you claim. I’m not saying it’s exactly the same with travel insurance but I can see a ‘get out of paying’ clause if you fail to let them know what’s going on.

Edited March 6, 2020 by PRINCESSTHE BEST

[jeanlyon]

Well, I see what you are getting at, but they already know of his medical situation, so all I would be telling them is that P&O have changed our cruise because of the danger of the virus.

[staygulf]

1 minute ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

It’s a bit like a road traffic collision, you have to inform them that you’ve been involved, whether or not you claim. I’m not saying it’s exactly the same with travel insurance but I can see a ‘get out of paying’ clause if you fail to let them know what’s going on.

I think you are assuming that the insurance company had not already been informed of a pre existing condition. That in itself would mean you are not insured anyway. 

[jeanlyon]

In fact, no, why would I tell them anything.  They know about the medical side and there is nothing to tell them.

 

Now my friend's case is different.  she has no pre-existing, but has gone down with viral bronchitis that is taking a long time to get rid of,so  therefore her insurance company will need to be told about that.

Edited March 6, 2020 by jeanlyon

[Daveuj]

2 hours ago, Presto2 said:

 

Not just elderly people but also those at risk as identified by public health ……. e.g. diabetics

Me too.

[ann141]

42 minutes ago, glittergal1 said:

 We cant cancel because we are fully paid up,  Balcony cabins are now selling for over £100 LESS than we paid for our inside, when we asked to upgrade they wanted an extra £900 

We are the same.What i meant was that whereas some people may be hoping P and O will give them the option to cancel which they will take we don t want to cancel even if given that option.We are fully paid up and hopefully sailing next week!The bit that gripes me the most is the fact that people booking now are getting a really cheap deal knowing they might end up being confined to their cabins whereas we didn t have this foreknowledge when we booked but are having to pay a lot more if we want to upgrade!Under normal circumstances I can understand why P and O have this upgrade policy but these aren t normal times

Edited March 6, 2020 by ann141
add on

[wowzz]

For the sake of of perspective, there are probably less than 200 participants on this forum. So, of no significance,  realistically to P&O . Whilst I fully realise the concerns of the individuals here, as a contrarian,  look at things from the other point of view.

On a professional travellers forum, posters have been saying how reputable hotel chains,  that at the beginning of this crisis, had been taking a lenient attitude towards cancellations, are now adopting a far more hard line approach. ie you booked a room, paid a low price by booking in advance, and if you now want to cancel,  fine, but no chance of getting your money back.

Business is not a charity - when you book  a holiday/cruise  you enter into a commitment. Unless the holiday/cruise company are specifically told to cancel, why would you expect to be able to renege on your part of the contract, just because you have decided that your risk factor is too high. You cannot arbitrarily decide to cancel and demand your money back.

Just to be clear, I am just playing devil's advocate, but it seems to me that many people (not all) are being a little over zealous in their desire to cancel. Can't say I've noticed the same paranoia regarding AI holidays, which in many ways are much worse for transmission of the virus, with hundreds of people checking in and out every day.

[glittergal1]

3 minutes ago, ann141 said:

We are the same.What i meant was that whereas some people may be hoping P and O will give them the option to cancel which they will take we don t want to cancel even if given that option.We are fully paid up and hopefully sailing next week!

We dont want to cancel either however we would like an up grade but not at the costs they have said.

If we did have  the option to cancel  because we had only paid a deposit then we would  certainly cancel   and re book a balcony for less . That is what is so frustrating we would have loved a balcony when we originally booked but couldnt afford one but now they are cheaper than the cost of the inside we booked its well *************** (you can fill in the swear words) 

[ann141]

Just now, glittergal1 said:

We dont want to cancel either however we would like an up grade but not at the costs they have said.

If we did have  the option to cancel  because we had only paid a deposit then we would  certainly cancel   and re book a balcony for less . That is what is so frustrating we would have loved a balcony when we originally booked but couldnt afford one but now they are cheaper than the cost of the inside we booked its well *************** (you can fill in the swear words) 

My sentiments exactly

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, daiB said:

Hi Selbourne,

 

It is of interest that your assertion that P&O may suffer because they are not doing what you think they should do is based on a few posters on this forum.  As someone else has pointed out, unfortunately this section of CC is not well populated. On a different site with many more members, and active members, your view is not being expressed. There are people worried and some have posted that they have cancelled cruises. However most have simply moved their booking to next year as P&O have said can be done at no cost. 
The main concern is about price drops and people wanting to get a cheaper deal.
The other point of interest is that on the Official P&O Facebook page, where people do express forthright opinions there is little chatter about the subject or that was the case yesterday when I last looked.. 

We have 4 cruises booked this year, one with Marella, as it stands we will be going on them all. Well we will not be cancelling them anyway.

 

This is on case where everyone must make up their own mind and I certainly would not advise anyone either way.

Dai, I am sure you must be aware that Facebook have been closing down threads about Coronavirus as fast as they appear, so that's why there are few postings.

Are you not the least bit concerned that Princess and Carnival have now fallen intoi line with all the RCI lines and are prepared to transfer fully paid bookings to a new cruise, or as credit against an existing booking.  If P&O want to retain their passengers goodwill, surely they should be following suit.

[davemorton]

Im just wishing they would give me the massive extra on-board spend that another branch of Carnival are giving to cruisers for my two (possibly three if prices stay this low, as might as well book another one) cruises this year.