Cancelling Cruises because of the C word

[Javert1969]

28 minutes ago, Little Mell said:

We are the same. Supposed to be travelling Tuesday on N004 and really need to call today. With the Spanish ports closed, and lisbon reportedly only allowing cruise ships to take on supplies, how can that not be a significant change to the itinerary? Only leaves 6 hours in Gibraltar as far as I can see.  P&O person told my husband yesterday it was still planned to go ahead

 

 

 

Apparently even this morning P&O are telling people that Ventura is going ahead with different itinerary.  Possibly that means it's sea days only or something like that.

 

Even if that's true, which I doubt, I'm afraid we have no choice but to cancel due to health condition.

[TinyDavid]

15 minutes ago, Javert1969 said:

 

Apparently even this morning P&O are telling people that Ventura is going ahead with different itinerary.  Possibly that means it's sea days only or something like that.

 

Even if that's true, which I doubt, I'm afraid we have no choice but to cancel due to health condition.

Also due to go Tuesday not cancelled yet anyone have an idea where it is going now as not had much luck getting through

[terrierjohn]

10 hours ago, Presto2 said:

I'll move over … just worried about not being in touch with my CCcruise buddies.

 

Am trying to think how to link P&O to Cornwall or Devon but am failing …..

 

Isn't Falmouth a deep water anchorage that might be home to some cruise ships for the foreseeable future?

[devonuk]

7 minutes ago, TinyDavid said:

Also due to go Tuesday not cancelled yet anyone have an idea where it is going now as not had much luck getting through

I find it very concerning that P&O haven’t notified passengers either way with regard to next Tuesdays sailing on the Ventura!!

[Canberra forever !]

4 minutes ago, devonuk said:

I find it very concerning that P&O haven’t notified passengers either way with regard to next Tuesdays sailing on the Ventura!!

I agree, we are booked on Tuesday too ...I’ve been on hold now with P&0 for just on an hour as we want to cancel, I’ve emailed and Facebook messaged but no response and I don’t want to find we lose our money because we are in the 48 hours zone ...I’ve been trying to get through to P&O since Thursday ! I do feel for them and I know they must be swamped but this is stressing me out !!!

Edited March 14, 2020 by Canberra forever !
Added comment

[Harry Peterson]

11 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Isn't Falmouth a deep water anchorage that might be home to some cruise ships for the foreseeable future?

Could be. The River Fal has been used for storage for years, but I'm not sure it's up to the size of today's cruise ships. Certainly they can't stay in Southampton.

[staygulf]

4 minutes ago, Canberra forever ! said:

I agree, we are booked on Tuesday too ...I’ve been on hold now with P&0 for just on an hour as we want to cancel, I’ve emailed and Facebook messaged but no response and I don’t want to find we lose our money because we are in the 48 hours zone ...I’ve been trying to get through to P&O since Thursday ! I do feel for them and I know they must be swamped but this is stressing me out !!!

Try emailing your cancellation 

[Javert1969]

8 minutes ago, Canberra forever ! said:

I agree, we are booked on Tuesday too ...I’ve been on hold now with P&0 for just on an hour as we want to cancel, I’ve emailed and Facebook messaged but no response and I don’t want to find we lose our money because we are in the 48 hours zone ...I’ve been trying to get through to P&O since Thursday ! I do feel for them and I know they must be swamped but this is stressing me out !!!

 

I assume you booked directly with P&O?  Otherwise you are supposed to call the agent you booked with.

 

Other than that, as staygulf said, maybe send them an email (not sure of the email address?) telling them that you have been on hold for hours and you are confirming that you want to cancel/reschedule.

 

Also - if you are cancelling for over 70 or health reasons, I don't think the 48 hour limit applies.  At least that's the way I'm reading it because the email about that had nothing about any 48 hour limit in it.

 

In any case, I still strongly suspect they are actually cancelling all cruises and they just haven't announced them all yet because a) they are hoping people will rebook in the meantime and b) call handling reasons - they don't want everyone on every booking phoning them up at the same time.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Javert1969

[Hampshire Steve]

I see that Britannia's fly cruise today has just been given the (same day) cancellation notice. I am awaiting the one for N004 and guessing they are playing brinkmanship over us cancelling for 100% FCC or them having to refund,  every hour you can't get through on the phones means them converting and keeping payments.

Just my opinion - could be wrong.

 

[Javert1969]

1 minute ago, Hampshire Steve said:

I see that Britannia's fly cruise today has just been given the (same day) cancellation notice. I am awaiting the one for N004 and guessing they are playing brinkmanship over us cancelling for 100% FCC or them having to refund,  every hour you can't get through on the phones means them converting and keeping payments.

Just my opinion - could be wrong.

 

 

Apparently the people on board already are being allowed to stay on but it's coming directly back to Southampton and nobody new can get on.  All on board pax will also get the 125%

[staygulf]

6 minutes ago, Javert1969 said:

 

I assume you booked directly with P&O?  Otherwise you are supposed to call the agent you booked with.

 

Other than that, as staygulf said, maybe send them an email (not sure of the email address?) telling them that you have been on hold for hours and you are confirming that you want to cancel/reschedule.

 

Also - if you are cancelling for over 70 or health reasons, I don't think the 48 hour limit applies.  At least that's the way I'm reading it because the email about that had nothing about any 48 hour limit in it.

 

In any case, I still strongly suspect they are actually cancelling all cruises and they just haven't announced them all yet because a) they are hoping people will rebook in the meantime and b) call handling reasons - they don't want everyone on every booking phoning them up at the same time.

https://www.pocruises.com/contact-us

[Denarius]

2 minutes ago, Javert1969 said:

 

I assume you booked directly with P&O?  Otherwise you are supposed to call the agent you booked with.

 

Other than that, as staygulf said, maybe send them an email (not sure of the email address?) telling them that you have been on hold for hours and you are confirming that you want to cancel/reschedule.

It is at times like this that booking via a reputable travel agent comes into its own. I have been booking cruises and other holidays via a local travel agent for over 20 years, and have resisted all temptation to book direct. They have done a good job for me over the years and I want them to stay in business. A couple of days ago I decided to cancel an upcoming P&O cruise and rang them to do so, confirming it by email, and then left them to it. I recieved email confirmation an hour or so later that they had cancelled. All quite painless.

[grush240]

1 hour ago, davecttr said:

Yes, that is the advice I saw on the TV

 

Don't swamp 111 unless you are really ill.

Agree with that if you can which is everybody on here use the 111 online not the phone. This has a Q&A on it pretty good really.

[Burgmeister]

I noticed from the P&O website (the page that deals with Covid-19 issues) that they have cancelled a cruise from Dubai and everyone booked automatically received a 125% FCC. Would people, in that situation, be entitled to a full refund instead?

 

Currently people on the FCO list can cancel for a full refund. If they wait and their cruise is cancelled will they still get the full refund or only the 125% FCC - in which case would they be better off cancelling now? 

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, Burgmeister said:

I noticed from the P&O website (the page that deals with Covid-19 issues) that they have cancelled a cruise from Dubai and everyone booked automatically received a 125% FCC. Would people, in that situation, be entitled to a full refund instead?

 

Currently people on the FCO list can cancel for a full refund. If they wait and their cruise is cancelled will they still get the full refund or only the 125% FCC - in which case would they be better off cancelling now? 

If they cancel a cruise they HAVE TO offer a refund. It’s UK law.

[tring]

5 minutes ago, Burgmeister said:

I noticed from the P&O website (the page that deals with Covid-19 issues) that they have cancelled a cruise from Dubai and everyone booked automatically received a 125% FCC. Would people, in that situation, be entitled to a full refund instead?

 

Currently people on the FCO list can cancel for a full refund. If they wait and their cruise is cancelled will they still get the full refund or only the 125% FCC - in which case would they be better off cancelling now? 

If they cancel you are entitled to a full refund from the holiday company (P&O in this case), but no obligation to give any compensation under the circumstances at present.  That is accurate information from a reliable source.

 

If  company won't (or cannot) refund - e,g, some may go bust, then would be able to claim from a credit card or ABTA.

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by tring

[BestGuessed]

Just looking at the last page of this thread and throwing into the mix that we are onboard Oceana at present.
Spain closed its borders yesterday before we docked in Malaga so we were turned away. We had three further ports in Spain on our schedule. The ship then headed idly along the Spanish coastline and we received permission to dock in Gibraltar late yesterday afternoon. That is where we are now. Passengers have been allowed off the ship but are not to cross the border into Spain.

We are supposed to be sailing again later today but we have no idea where to. My husband and I just feel it is time that we were taken back to Southampton so we can thereafter get home. We get no regular updates as to what is likely to happen, mostly silence which is very unnerving. We would never have boarded last Sunday if we had known what lay in store but P&O were offering no cancellation policy at that stage so we would have lost all our money.

The change to their policy only came into force after we had sailed.

[staygulf]

3 minutes ago, tring said:

If they cancel you are entitled to a full refund from the holiday company (P&O in this case), but no obligation to give any compensation under the circumstances at present.  That is accurate information from a reliable source.

It’s not just a reliable source it’s law. Package Travel Regulations 2018 Regulation 13

Edited March 14, 2020 by staygulf

[staygulf]

4 minutes ago, BestGuessed said:

Just looking at the last page of this thread and throwing into the mix that we are onboard Oceana at present.
Spain closed its borders yesterday before we docked in Malaga so we were turned away. We had three further ports in Spain on our schedule. The ship then headed idly along the Spanish coastline and we received permission to dock in Gibraltar late yesterday afternoon. That is where we are now. Passengers have been allowed off the ship but are not to cross the border into Spain.

We are supposed to be sailing again later today but we have no idea where to. My husband and I just feel it is time that we were taken back to Southampton so we can thereafter get home. We get no regular updates as to what is likely to happen, mostly silence which is very unnerving. We would never have boarded last Sunday if we had known what lay in store but P&O were offering no cancellation policy at that stage so we would have lost all our money.

The change to their policy only came into force after we had sailed.

Pursue a claim for a price reduction under Regulations 15 and 16 of the Package Travel Regulations 2018. 

[tring]

10 minutes ago, staygulf said:

It’s not just a reliable source it’s law. Package Travel Regulations 2018 Regulation 13

 

Lets face it a lot of people just make things up.  I have a close contact who is a retired professional in consumer law, so was indicating the reliability.  You appear to have accused me of not giving reliable information which is incorrect.

 

Are you aware some people would have booked before and others after the most recent change in the regs.  so will be covered by the different versions there are differences?  I do not intend to continue this conversation.

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by tring

[AnnieC]

12 minutes ago, staygulf said:

It’s not just a reliable source it’s law. Package Travel Regulations 2018 Regulation 13

Isn't that about as reliable a source as you can get?

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, tring said:

 

Lets face it a lot of people just make things up.  I have a close contact who is a retired professional in consumer law, so was indicating the reliability.  You appear to have accused me of not giving reliable information which is incorrect.

 

Are you aware some people would have booked before and others after the most recent change in the regs.  so will be covered by the different versions there are differences?  I do not intend to continue this conversation.

 

And you have accused me of something I have not done. I was making no accusations at all. Just pointing out that UK LAW demands a refund

[Burgmeister]

Sorry everyone, I didn't intend to start an argument. Thank you all for your helpful responses.

 

I was aware that under normal circumstances people were entitled to a refund but I wasn't sure whether there where extenuating circumstances coming in to play here

[Little Mell]

We need to cancel for health reasons. Really disappointed with P&O. We sail with them in 3 days. We know from CC that spain is closed to cruise ships. P&O have not communicated this to us nor told us what revised itinerary might be.  I think it's a bad move on their.part as we.will have.to take the 100% refund.  And f they then cancel monday, we would probably not sail with them again.

[staygulf]

1 minute ago, Little Mell said:

We need to cancel for health reasons. Really disappointed with P&O. We sail with them in 3 days. We know from CC that spain is closed to cruise ships. P&O have not communicated this to us nor told us what revised itinerary might be.  I think it's a bad move on their.part as we.will have.to take the 100% refund.  And f they then cancel monday, we would probably not sail with them again.

You may find that the Government announces a ban on mass gatherings which would prevent them from sailing anyway