P&Os new cancellation policy - shockingly bad

[Mattsudds]

P&O have this morning sent customers details of a new cancellation policy which applies to all cruises. In the past week they had been allowing flexible cancellations, and for funds that would be lost under a penalty, you could have that part as a future cruise credit. There were special cancellation policies for those now advised against cruising - I.e. over 70s and those with underlying health conditions. 

 

As of this morning, that has all changed. The ‘offer’ is now cancellation as per what you got at the time of booking or 110% future cruise credit. The other options is free transfer of booking. This means that over 70s for instance who want to cancel a cruise in May basically now cant get their money back. 

 

I think this is an absolutely disgraceful move by P&O. When this crisis is over I hope passengers remember which companies treated them well and which didn’t. 

[broomieknowe]

P&O could have made this situation so much easier.We have cruise booked for 30th April so will wait till P&O cancel as there are no flights going to Malta from Glasgow till at least May.Will not be booking with them again.

[Mattsudds]

P&O Know that there are a whole group of passengers who have been told not to cruise for the next 12 weeks and they are basically trying to force them to move the booking or lose some or all of their money. When everyone else is allowing full refunds, I am really shocked and disgusted at P&Os approach. I hope that they retract this new policy very quickly and go back to the much more balanced one that was in force just yesterday. 

[wowzz]

I know I have been guilty of opening a new thread in the past, but I do think that this thread is unnecessary,  and should be merged with the current cancellation thread. Mods, can you oblige? 

[Mattsudds]

9 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I know I have been guilty of opening a new thread in the past, but I do think that this thread is unnecessary,  and should be merged with the current cancellation thread. Mods, can you oblige? 

 

I started a new thread deliberately because the cancellation policy has this morning materially changed. I think it is easier for participants in discussion to see that and for reactions to the change to come in a thread on it. However if the mods view is that because these threads are all about cancellations and refunds, they should be together then so be it. 

[tinkercat]

My cruise is booked for the 26th April, if I wait for them to cancel the cruise will I not now get a full refund or an extra 25% FCC?

[Mattsudds]

The full new policy is taken below and directly from the P&O website. 

 

—————————————————

 

Should you wish to cancel your holiday, our cancellation policy gives you ultimate flexibility. Here’s a guide to what you need to know:

• If you’re booked on a P&O Cruises holiday sailing before 1 September 2020, you may now cancel up to 48 hours prior to departure.

• Cancelled bookings within balance due will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) equivalent to 110% of the full balance – see the table below for further details.

• Your Future Cruise Credit can be used right up to the end of next year (31 December 2021) and can be redeemed against any P&O Cruises holiday sailing until the end of March 2022.

For all fare types.

*For fly-cruises, departure day is the date of the flight departure.

If you do not wish to take advantage of New Temporary Policy you may cancel under the terms of our original policy.

The above policy applies to all of our guests, including those aged 70 or over, or with an underlying health condition.

This new policy supersedes any information you may have received over the last few days. If you have already submitted a transfer or cancellation based on the previous policy before today, we will honour this and we will be in touch with confirmation in due course.

[Tablelamp]

Based on what P & O told us six days ago, I am awaiting the required letter from my doctor stating that I have an underlying health condition which precludes me from cruising. There will be a charge for this letter and now P and O are saying that they have change their minds and are now only offering a future cruise credit which I will be unable to use as my holidays are already booked for 2021.   This is absolutely shocking behaviour by P and O and after being a loyal customer for many years they have lost me as a passenger for good.

[Les_ldh]

I agree that this is very poor from P&O. I have 5 cruises booked with the first being in June. I will wait for P&O to cancel this one, as I am sure they will have to, and get a full refund. The others were booked with a 5% deposit so I’ll take the hit on those and cancel them all. Another customer lost.

[Son of Anarchy]

Only one word for it: Disgraceful.

 

Pando should be ashamed of themselves.

[PompeySailor]

So we are booked on IONA for June 13th

We have come to the realization this cruise will probably not happen, so that’s a none issue and we will accept that.

 

My parents (UK Citizens and both over 70) obviously advised not to travel

They are paid in full so are within the 90-57 day 50% refund window.

 

They also have travel insurance 

 

Forgive my lack of knowledge with P&O as we predominantly sail other lines,  am I correct in thinking that if my parents cancelled before April 16th, remain in the 50% refund bracket (original policy) 

If they were to accept the 110% FCC can this be applied to an existing booking (March 2021) of lesser value, and if yes, what happens to the overage 

 

TIA

[Tablelamp]

3 minutes ago, Les_ldh said:

I agree that this is very poor from P&O. I have 5 cruises booked with the first being in June. I will wait for P&O to cancel this one, as I am sure they will have to, and get a full refund. The others were booked with a 5% deposit so I’ll take the hit on those and cancel them all. Another customer lost.

 

Les,

I have a cruise booked in May.  From what you say, and I think it is quite likely, that P and O will cancel.  Will I then get a full refund?

[tinkercat]

If I booked through a travel agent and not directly through P&O, do I get the refund back off my travel agent. also my online travel agent has been asking for people to not contact them due to being very busy and to wait until we have to, I don’t think it is our fault now if we now can’t get a complete refund.

[Les_ldh]

19 minutes ago, Tablelamp said:

 

Les,

I have a cruise booked in May.  From what you say, and I think it is quite likely, that P and O will cancel.  Will I then get a full refund?

If P&O cancel you will get a full refund. That is the law. 

[Danamis]

2 minutes ago, Les_ldh said:

If P&O cancel you will get a full refund. That is the law. 

The best thing for us all  to do is sit tight and wait for them to cancel us. Our cruise is supposed to be next month. We have three more booked. The next after April's is in June. Would be surprised if that goes ahead... I had made my mind up to have the cash rather than FCC anyway. Will spend the money on the garden instead. Looks like we will be sitting out there a lot this year!

[Son of Anarchy]

1 minute ago, Danamis said:

The best thing for us all  to do is sit tight and wait for them to cancel us. Our cruise is supposed to be next month. We have three more booked. The next after April's is in June. Would be surprised if that goes ahead... I had made my mind up to have the cash rather than FCC anyway. Will spend the money on the garden instead. Looks like we will be sitting out there a lot this year!

That's what we're doing.

Gonna cancel the hotel and parking today though.

[Danamis]

3 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

That's what we're doing.

Gonna cancel the hotel and parking today though.

Yes. We will have to cancel the coach. So many businesses affected.

[livinforcruisin]

I am truly appalled at this decision by P&O. We are booked for May 7th out of Malta. I cannot see how that cruise will go ahead and so will wait for them to cancel the cruise and flights!  Sadly we have 2 more cruises booked with them for May 2021.  After this changed approach I wish now we were not booked with them for next year.  They will be our last P&O cruises for sure.  Terrible way to treat passengers especially the over 70s.

[Javert1969]

Wait - what is the legal situation here?

 

My travel insurance company told me that if it becomes against FCO advice to trave (e.g. over 70, asthma etc)l, the cruise company must offer a refund as an option.

 

P&O appear to be ignoring this now?

[molecrochip]

Just now, Javert1969 said:

Wait - what is the legal situation here?

 

My travel insurance company told me that if it becomes against FCO advice to trave (e.g. over 70, asthma etc)l, the cruise company must offer a refund as an option.

 

P&O appear to be ignoring this now?

No, they are just only dealing with cruises up to 11 April on that premise as legally they have to refund within 14 days.

 

On that basis, I would expect, assuming FCO guidance stays the same, that next Friday 27, we get further cancellations.

 

Logically, the reason for the change to the refund is because of the change in government approach to the virus.

 

The government approach originally was to drag it out to end of July with fewer people affected at anyone time. This has been abandoned. Now, we are likely to see the peak in 3-4 weeks which means by early/mid May, 95% of all cases should have arisen. 
 

Therefore I would expect cruises returning to normal by early June with maybe exceptions for Oceana’s fly cruise season and the need for Azura to undertake a postponed dry dock.

[Javert1969]

2 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

No, they are just only dealing with cruises up to 11 April on that premise as legally they have to refund within 14 days.

 

On that basis, I would expect, assuming FCO guidance stays the same, that next Friday 27, we get further cancellations.

 

Logically, the reason for the change to the refund is because of the change in government approach to the virus.

 

The government approach originally was to drag it out to end of July with fewer people affected at anyone time. This has been abandoned. Now, we are likely to see the peak in 3-4 weeks which means by early/mid May, 95% of all cases should have arisen. 
 

Therefore I would expect cruises returning to normal by early June with maybe exceptions for Oceana’s fly cruise season and the need for Azura to undertake a postponed dry dock.

 

OK - we are booked in Iona in late June.

 

My assumption until I got that email, was that if the cruise goes ahead, but the advice for asthma sufferers to not travel was still in place, P&O would be obliged to refund.  This morning's email appears to suggest that's not correct but maybe they are just playing chicken with us.

[Shirlthesinger]

If you all wait until they cancel, you can have a full refund.  They have to refund if they cancel the cruise.  Obviously they want you to take the FCC, but if you wait, they all will be cancelled.

[Shirlthesinger]

1 hour ago, livinforcruisin said:

I am truly appalled at this decision by P&O. We are booked for May 7th out of Malta. I cannot see how that cruise will go ahead and so will wait for them to cancel the cruise and flights!  Sadly we have 2 more cruises booked with them for May 2021.  After this changed approach I wish now we were not booked with them for next year.  They will be our last P&O cruises for sure.  Terrible way to treat passengers especially the over 70s.

Of course it will be cancelled and then there will be refunds.  It's surely just so that they can get the first lot out of the way until they cancel the next lot.  Eventually they all will be cancelled.

[mercury7289]

6 minutes ago, Shirlthesinger said:

If you all wait until they cancel, you can have a full refund.  They have to refund if they cancel the cruise.  Obviously they want you to take the FCC, but if you wait, they all will be cancelled.

 

4 minutes ago, Shirlthesinger said:

Of course it will be cancelled and then there will be refunds.  It's surely just so that they can get the first lot out of the way until they cancel the next lot.  Eventually they all will be cancelled.

On who's authority?

 

[Les_ldh]

34 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

No, they are just only dealing with cruises up to 11 April on that premise as legally they have to refund within 14 days.

 

On that basis, I would expect, assuming FCO guidance stays the same, that next Friday 27, we get further cancellations.

 

Logically, the reason for the change to the refund is because of the change in government approach to the virus.

 

The government approach originally was to drag it out to end of July with fewer people affected at anyone time. This has been abandoned. Now, we are likely to see the peak in 3-4 weeks which means by early/mid May, 95% of all cases should have arisen. 
 

Therefore I would expect cruises returning to normal by early June with maybe exceptions for Oceana’s fly cruise season and the need for Azura to undertake a postponed dry dock.

It’s not just what’s happening in this country that is relevant though. If the ports of call remain closed there will be nowhere to cruise to, so even if by some miracle the UK is completely clear of the virus cruising will still not restart.