Cancelling Cruises because of the C word

[TinyDavid]

7 minutes 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.

I agree my sister was also travelling but had to cancel yesterday due to health consideration, they told her that they were not aware the Spanish ports had refused docking and the cruise would go ahead just be honest with people most are very loyal to the brand but what they are doing now is testing our patience  

[Javert1969]

10 minutes ago, Burgmeister said:

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

 

I think the point may be that in such circumstances, you are legally entitled to a refund, but, it might be that P&O can give you their 125% offer automatically, and then say that if you want the refund instead you need to contact them to request it.

 

 

[Presto2]

I'm not being a cheer leader for P&O but I do think it must be an absolute nightmare for any and all travel companies at the moment. It is all changing so quickly that it is hard to keep up. Jet 2 have had to turn planes around mid air as Spain have closed borders - no one seems to know what is going. Why everyone didn't just close borders all at the same time is beyond me but that would have meant the leaders from all countries working together ...

 

Re mass gatherings. Does anyone know how many a mass gathering is ? Just asking out of curiosity

[Cathygh]

Spain has now banned all flights into the country, including those mid way. Russia has also closed its borders. At this rate we will be the only country left with open borders

 

[staygulf]

6 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

I'm not being a cheer leader for P&O but I do think it must be an absolute nightmare for any and all travel companies at the moment. It is all changing so quickly that it is hard to keep up. Jet 2 have had to turn planes around mid air as Spain have closed borders - no one seems to know what is going. Why everyone didn't just close borders all at the same time is beyond me but that would have meant the leaders from all countries working together ...

 

Re mass gatherings. Does anyone know how many a mass gathering is ? Just asking out of curiosity

I think 500 people had been mentioned, but I suppose it’s up to Boris and his band of advisers. 

[Presto2]

6 minutes ago, Cathygh said:

Spain has now banned all flights into the country, including those mid way. Russia has also closed its borders. At this rate we will be the only country left with open borders

 

 

In some ways it is a worry that the UK seem to be out of step with everyone else and the government seemingly being complacent at the moment.

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, staygulf said:

I think 500 people had been mentioned, but I suppose it’s up to Boris and his band of advisers. 

 

Now why does that not fill me with confidence :-(

Oh well, off out to the pub for lunch -- might as well 'make hay while the sun shines' !

Edited March 14, 2020 by Presto2

[Vampiress88]

I do feel for p&o as I agree I bet it is a nightmare for them. 
 

but they seem to have a lot of long term reoccurring customers. 
when we come out of this all we are probably going to remember what was done and said and not all us will be very forgiving. Honestly and transparency for customers goes a hell of a long way. People don’t want things sugar coated we want straight simple answers. 
 

what I’d like to know and only cos I am nosy but for these that will be still boarding and have, like Britannia, boarded recently where do they stand? As they have technical gone on the cruise but that is one massive significant change. 
ive seen them say they will automatically get 125% fCC but if I was on that ship I would be livid that they had still gone ahead. It’s not like they haven’t known how many ports and boarders are closed. I would want my money not future credit. 

[Elaine0138]

3 hours ago, indiana123 said:

Andy.. what prompted my question was we are sure we saw on TV  that we are not to call 111 unless we get bad respiratory symptoms or if we have  suspected symptoms that don't subside in seven days ie most cases unreported.

 

Did anyone else see it, or are we mistaken?

 

You are correct  they are asking people NOT to call 111 unless your symptoms persist for more than 7 days.

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, Vampiress88 said:

I do feel for p&o as I agree I bet it is a nightmare for them. 
 

but they seem to have a lot of long term reoccurring customers. 
when we come out of this all we are probably going to remember what was done and said and not all us will be very forgiving. Honestly and transparency for customers goes a hell of a long way. People don’t want things sugar coated we want straight simple answers. 
 

what I’d like to know and only cos I am nosy but for these that will be still boarding and have, like Britannia, boarded recently where do they stand? As they have technical gone on the cruise but that is one massive significant change. 
ive seen them say they will automatically get 125% fCC but if I was on that ship I would be livid that they had still gone ahead. It’s not like they haven’t known how many ports and boarders are closed. I would want my money not future credit. 

As I have mentioned on here earlier look at Regulations 15 and 16 of the Package Travel Regulations 2018

[Harry Peterson]

18 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

In some ways it is a worry that the UK seem to be out of step with everyone else and the government seemingly being complacent at the moment.

I don't think it's complacent.  It's taking a calculated risk that putting the economy ahead of allowing thousands of older people (and those with existing health conditions or with compromised immune systems) to die won't rebound on them.

 

They may be right (and the PM is very careful to try to shed any blame by always appearing flanked by advisors) - but the political flak if people object to seeing all those people die could be enormous.  On the other hand, the savings to the state (all those pensions and NHS costs no longer payable) could also be enormous, and that's part of the financial equation being considered.

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, Harry Peterson said:

I don't think it's complacent.  It's taking a calculated risk that putting the economy ahead of allowing thousands of older people (and those with existing health conditions or with compromised immune systems) to die won't rebound on them.

 

They may be right (and the PM is very careful to try to shed any blame by always appearing flanked by advisors) - but the political flak if people object to seeing all those people die could be enormous.  On the other hand, the savings to the state (all those pensions and NHS costs no longer payable) could also be enormous, and that's part of the financial equation being considered.

 

That is strange - I thought I was the only cynical person who was thinking along those lines...…...

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

That is strange - I thought I was the only cynical person who was thinking along those lines...…...

Nope. There’s quite a few of us!😜

[Burgmeister]

29 minutes ago, Elaine0138 said:

You are correct  they are asking people NOT to call 111 unless your symptoms persist for more than 7 days.

Or if your symptoms deteriorate and you need hospital treatment.

[pete14]

6 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I don't think it's complacent.  It's taking a calculated risk that putting the economy ahead of allowing thousands of older people (and those with existing health conditions or with compromised immune systems) to die won't rebound on them.

 

They may be right (and the PM is very careful to try to shed any blame by always appearing flanked by advisors) - but the political flak if people object to seeing all those people die could be enormous.  On the other hand, the savings to the state (all those pensions and NHS costs no longer payable) could also be enormous, and that's part of the financial equation being considered.

For a change, I fully agree with you Harry. UK policy seems to be not only putting the economy first but using us, especially the elderly, as guinea pigs in the quest for ‘herd immunity’ which has not even been proved to exist or to be attainable. If a vaccine becomes available by the end of the year, herd immunity will not matter. I fear my elderly mother who chooses to live alone may be one of those to be sacrificed in this experiment. 

[Burgmeister]

34 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

In some ways it is a worry that the UK seem to be out of step with everyone else and the government seemingly being complacent at the moment.

Italy have imposed severe restrictions and it doesn't seem to be working out too well for them. Their death rate (from the number of confirmed cases - and that's all we can work with) is very high because their hospital system can't cope.

 

People have died in the UK and, unfortunately, many more will. The Government knows this. As they have said, they are not trying to stop the virus (they know they can't) they are trying to let it spread in a more manageable manner so that the NHS will hopefully be able to cope a bit better (it will still be overloaded).

 

According to the WHO the international death rate is approximately 1.5% but the rate at which people require hospital treatment is 20% (15% require oxygen and 5% require intensive care) - that's a hell of a lot of people turning up all at once.

 

Will it work? Who knows. Let's hope it does but only time will tell

 

Anyway, this isn't particularly cruise related so I apologise for that and will refrain from commenting further on the Government's  response to the virus in general.

[Harry Peterson]

11 minutes ago, pete14 said:

For a change, I fully agree with you Harry. UK policy seems to be not only putting the economy first but using us, especially the elderly, as guinea pigs in the quest for ‘herd immunity’ which has not even been proved to exist or to be attainable. If a vaccine becomes available by the end of the year, herd immunity will not matter. I fear my elderly mother who chooses to live alone may be one of those to be sacrificed in this experiment. 

Herd immunity is the excuse they're using for deliberate inaction to cut the financial costs - though they're starting to backtrack already.  The World Health Organisation has already criticised the UK approach (basically do nothing, but wash your hands a lot) and we're out on a limb - though Johnson can blame his experts, even though he's the one who makes the decisions.

 

Herd immunity will NOT help the elderly, the sick or those with compromised immune systems. By the time herd immunity kicks in many of them/us will be dead.

[Javert1969]

25 minutes ago, Harry Peterson said:

I don't think it's complacent.  It's taking a calculated risk that putting the economy ahead of allowing thousands of older people (and those with existing health conditions or with compromised immune systems) to die won't rebound on them.

 

They may be right (and the PM is very careful to try to shed any blame by always appearing flanked by advisors) - but the political flak if people object to seeing all those people die could be enormous.  On the other hand, the savings to the state (all those pensions and NHS costs no longer payable) could also be enormous, and that's part of the financial equation being considered.

 

It's not even as simple as the economy vs lives - if the entire globally economy collapses, lots of people will die indirectly from the indirect consequences of it, possibly even more than the total who will die from Coronavirus.

 

There are already more people dying of starvation every day in the world than died in total from Coronavirus, or at least that was true about 2 or 3 weeks ago but probably not true now.

[janny444]

B.J. uses 3/4 words mantra that he repeats over and over and over again..."Let's get Brexit" done is now replaced with "Wash Your hands".

Keep repeating it and everyone will believe what you tell them...Oh yeah 🤥

[davecttr]

Interesting from the Beeb - Germany has ordered 10,000 ventilators and Italy 5,000. They cost $17,000 dollars each

 

How many have we ordered? Apparently we have one small manufacturer with 40% of the market.

[Hampshire Steve]

N004 Just got the P&O email - Cancelled

 

We’re sure you’re all very aware of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Together with our medical experts and colleagues in our Southampton office, we are closely monitoring this dynamic and evolving situation, including reflecting the very latest advice from the World Health Organization, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Public Health England. Many national authorities are also implementing their own measures, and this has resulted in an increasing number of international travel restrictions and port closures. We have to inform you that the Spanish authorities have now closed all ports to cruise ships, which means that we will no longer be able to adhere to Ventura’s planned Spain and Portugal itinerary. As soon as we received this notification of the Spanish port closures, we investigated alternative routes so that we could still give you a holiday with us, but sadly none were feasible. In light of this we are sorry to announce that we will be cancelling the cruise. You will be entitled to 125% Future Cruise Credit to be applied against any new booking up to the equivalent value. Your Future Cruise Credit can be used for a new booking made before 31 December 2021 and can be redeemed against any P&O Cruises holiday sailing before 31 March 2022. If the Future Cruise Credit does not meet your needs, you can as an alternative opt to receive a full refund. If  you choose this option, regardless of whether you booked with P&O Cruises or through a travel agent, you will receive this refund via the original method used for payment. For credit cards you will be refunded within a week, and cheques should be within two weeks. The refund will be issued to the lead guest on the booking. Once again, we are so sorry for this disappointing news and we look forward to welcoming you on board in future. If you have cancelled your cruise in the last 24 hours, please ignore this email. Yours sincerely,

Edited March 14, 2020 by Hampshire Steve

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, Hampshire Steve said:

N004 Just got the P&O email - Cancelled

Which one was that?. We’re on N008 Ventura to the Canaries. Can’t see that happening. Have doctor’s letter ready to send off. 

Edited March 14, 2020 by staygulf

[Hampshire Steve]

1 minute ago, staygulf said:

Which one was that?. We’re on N008 Ventura to the Canaries. Can’t see that happening. Have doctor’s letter ready to send off. 

Portugal & Spain this Tuesday

[TinyDavid]

😢

[tring]

1 hour ago, Javert1969 said:

 

I think the point may be that in such circumstances, you are legally entitled to a refund, but, it might be that P&O can give you their 125% offer automatically, and then say that if you want the refund instead you need to contact them to request it.

 

 

 

Yes.  This is what has happened with two cruises we had booked with Fred.  I am about to email them (as per their instructions) to request the refund.