P&Os new cancellation policy - shockingly bad

[jones721]

Can I clarify something:

 

• if P&O have cancelled your cruise (as they have mine on April 3rd), then you still get the 125% FCC as detailed in the email from them?
• if you decide to cancel, then the FCC is 110%?

Basically, am I still going to get 125% FCC for my cancelled April cruise or has it now fallen to 110%?

 

Thanks!

[bobstheboy]

It is clear they are trying not to give refunds. Is it because if all cruises for the next three months were cancelled and the majority wanted refunds they would go under ? 

[tring]

I do not think any of us realistically think there will be any cruises going for a few months at least.  Thing to do is sit tight and wait until the cruise is cancelled, then claim a full refund.  If P&O do go bust you can still claim the cost back from a CC company (if a CC was used to book the cruise), if not ABTA will pay up.

 

The losers will potentially be people who accept a FCC as vouchers are not considered to be worth anything and a cruise booked with one will not be covered by CC or ABTA if P&O go down..  You would also not be insured for any cancellation or disruption for coronavirus if you book another cruise now and who knows what will happen in the future, given further waves are expected, though as there should be immunity in the population so it may be no worse than a normal flu season.  Just a bit of a gamble, but with a high stake for a slightly higher gain considering there are no good offers now.   

[Happy2b@sea]

This is what Carnival are about to do in the States.

 

https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/trump-micky-arison-to-make-carnival-cruise-ships-available-for-use-in-fight-against-coronavirus-outbreak/

[Shirlthesinger]

2 hours ago, jones721 said:

Can I clarify something:

 

• if P&O have cancelled your cruise (as they have mine on April 3rd), then you still get the 125% FCC as detailed in the email from them?
• if you decide to cancel, then the FCC is 110%?

Basically, am I still going to get 125% FCC for my cancelled April cruise or has it now fallen to 110%?

 

Thanks!

If they have cancelled your cruise, you can get a refund.  Personally I would go for that.

[tring]

7 minutes ago, Happy2b@sea said:

This is what Carnival are about to do in the States.

 

https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/trump-micky-arison-to-make-carnival-cruise-ships-available-for-use-in-fight-against-coronavirus-outbreak/

 

Interesting.  Hotels have been mentioned as extra hospital space in the UK though.  I see Trump mentioned Carnival Cruise Lines - he may mean that but, given his reliability, could equally mean Carnival Corporation.

[barriead]

I really do not understand the logic in offering reduced FCC....surely the outcome will be more people wanting to get a  refund of all they have already paid.

I am also keeping an eye on Travel insurance policys (if you can get one, my Staysure policy ends in June) and they are only going in one direction and possibly will have medical exclusions.....it might well be that many of us stop cruising for quite a while until everything settles, who knows when that might be.

So many things happening...but I remain chilled...somewhat.🍷

 

 

Edited March 19, 2020 by barriead

[Captain_Morgan]

12 hours ago, Happy2b@sea said:

This is what Carnival are about to do in the States.

 

https://wsvn.com/news/us-world/trump-micky-arison-to-make-carnival-cruise-ships-available-for-use-in-fight-against-coronavirus-outbreak/

 

Just to mention, Carnival Cruise Line leased ships to the federal government during the recent hurricane catastrophe in the Caribbean to the tune of $300,000,000 so I have a hard time believing that Mickey is going to do anything for 'cost'....not to mention this is a great way to maintain a revenue stream without having to ask for a loan / bail out...

[tring]

32 minutes ago, Captain_Morgan said:

 

Just to mention, Carnival Cruise Line leased ships to the federal government during the recent hurricane catastrophe in the Caribbean to the tune of $300,000,000 so I have a hard time believing that Mickey is going to do anything for 'cost'....not to mention this is a great way to maintain a revenue stream without having to ask for a loan / bail out...

 

Also won't have to pay mooring fees while out of service as cruise ships.

 

May be not asking for a loan/bailout but Trump does seem to give benefits to those whom he likes.

Edited March 20, 2020 by tring

[AnnieC]

This might be of interest to some: https://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&region=2&m_id=s~bd_rvd&w_id=37324&news_id=2041943

 

EU advises holidaymakers to take credit notes for cancelled trips...

ABTA is calling on the Government to follow the European Commission in encouraging customers to accept credit notes for package holidays cancelled due to the coronavirus, as long as they can ask for a refund later if they don't use them.
 

[Britboys]

Over the last few years P&O have made a number of commercial decisions that fly in the face of Customer Interest.  I would be interested to know whether these decisions are purely down to P&O Management or are driven by Carnival Corporation.  Either P&O Management is inept or the American Paymasters see us Brits as a soft touch or easy target...

Edited March 20, 2020 by Britboys

[mercury7289]

2 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Over the last few years P&O have made a number of commercial decisions that fly in the face of Customer Interest.  I would be interested to know whether these decisions are purely down to P&O Management or are driven by Carnival Corporation.  Either P&O Management is inept or the American Paymasters see us Brits as a soft touch or easy target...

Maybe Both!

[annieuk]

We're due to pay the balance of our cruise by the second week of April.  We're not willing to pay out  nearly £10K and hope that the cruise will be cancelled - it's end of July time.  I think we're willing to transfer the booking to more than a year ahead and see what's happening then.  The deposit already paid isn't great and at the moment the deposit required is only 5% so less than we've already paid so not sure what happens to the money P&O will then owe us.  We don't want to have to pay out the balance at the moment.  I can see the logic from P&O's point of view of retaining money but they seem to be going an odd way about it by antagonising their long term cruisers.  

[Gettingwarmer]

Princess has new cancellation terms as from yesterday, different from previously.

 

https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/temporary-cancellation-policy.html

[Britboys]

23 minutes ago, Gettingwarmer said:

Princess has new cancellation terms as from yesterday, different from previously.

 

https://www.princess.com/news/notices_and_advisories/notices/temporary-cancellation-policy.html

Looks like maybe all Carnival brands could be starting to give less generous FCC on cancellations then.  Probably a response to the dire financial circumstances they find themselves in.

[Captain_Morgan]

Safe to say the initial 'generous' offer was just that...initial, and once the larger picture became clear (and they accepted their reality) the screws began to tighten all around.

Although it sounds to me like its a difference of 15% between what was offered in the beginning and what's on offer now, some might not think much of it and others might think its a bigger deal.

I equate this to a sale in a shop that is limited to the first X number of purchases, and then after they reach that number they decrease the value of the sale accordingly.

I'm not advocating the actions of the company but is anyone really and truly shocked?  Many will say they're never going back and others will take in stride, but I can almost guarantee ALL of the lines will be scaling back their initial offers in order to save money wherever they can.

[Son of Anarchy]

4 hours ago, Captain_Morgan said:

 

Just to mention, Carnival Cruise Line leased ships to the federal government during the recent hurricane catastrophe in the Caribbean to the tune of $300,000,000 so I have a hard time believing that Mickey is going to do anything for 'cost'....not to mention this is a great way to maintain a revenue stream without having to ask for a loan / bail out...

 

Apparently Saga have been in touch with the Govt offering the use of their ships at Tilbury for use hospital overflow. 

[Captain_Morgan]

2 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

 

Apparently Saga have been in touch with the Govt offering the use of their ships at Tilbury for use hospital overflow. 

 

And i'm sure they're not going to offer their services for 'cost' either...

[majortom10]

I have had a recent communication with one of the biggest cruise TAs in the UK about my cruise booked with them in May and decrease of recent FCC policy and he has told me to not act at the moment and to wait until closer because there is "slim to none" chance of my cruise going ahead and would then get a full cash refund. Obviously cruise lines are hoping you will accept FCC so they dont have to refund in cash so they can guarantee future bookings and not decrease cash flow. There is also the chance that if you commit yourself to FCC and current prices you will be worse off because cruise prices in 2021 will have to be lowered to get business and interest back in cruising.

[Presto2]

We had booked (and paid for) a short break in a lodge with Hoseasons for early April. We have paid in full. They are offering the chance to move the holiday free of charge but are not offering a full refund if you cancel and they are sticking to their terms and conditions re a partial refund if we don't wan to change the date.

 

Thought it was interesting to compare what land holiday companies are doing

[AJ28]

On 3/19/2020 at 1:05 PM, 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.

Our cruise, on Britannia, is due to leave 12th April and so far hasn't been formally cancelled by P&O.  I am waiting patiently to receive an email telling me that it is so I can claim a refund.

[jake 26]

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I have had a recent communication with one of the biggest cruise TAs in the UK about my cruise booked with them in May and decrease of recent FCC policy and he has told me to not act at the moment and to wait until closer because there is "slim to none" chance of my cruise going ahead and would then get a full cash refund. Obviously cruise lines are hoping you will accept FCC so they dont have to refund in cash so they can guarantee future bookings and not decrease cash flow. There is also the chance that if you commit yourself to FCC and current prices you will be worse off because cruise prices in 2021 will have to be lowered to get business and interest back in cruising.

 

I think there is a lot of common sense in that advice.

 

We thought hard about what to do about our April cruise on Aurora which is cancelled, and decided that a refund rather than FCC is the best option because we feel that our interest and confidence in cruising is compromised by the current situation. We have other P&O cruises booked but will look at the way we feel nearer to the time, and as the day to day situation is changing hourly it is impossible to know how the future will pan out.

 

So when it all goes back to normal many people will be reticent to book for various reasons, one of which is the bad press that cruising has attracted, and I think there will be low prices and sweeteners to attract customers back.

[AJ28]

22 hours ago, barriead said:

*I really do not understand the logic in offering reduced FCC....surely the outcome will be more people wanting to get a  refund of all they have already paid*.

 

I am also keeping an eye on Travel insurance policys (if you can get one, my Staysure policy ends in June) and they are only going in one direction and possibly will have medical exclusions.....it might well be that many of us stop cruising for quite a while until everything settles, who knows when that might be.

So many things happening...but I remain chilled...somewhat.🍷

 

 

Yes, it has put me off agreeing to a FCC rather than full refund.  I work in a school so have restrictions on when I can cruise and the replacement cruises I have looked at during my holidays both this year and next do not inspire.  I do like ffiord cruises though so would have considered one of those perhaps.  Not any more.  Now I will wait for my cruise (12th April) to be cancelled so I will be refunded.

[Britboys]

It does seem that many of the mainstream cruise lines have recently changed their flexibility to make it less advantageous for pax to transfer bookings.  Many are now only offering the cost of the cruise by way of FCC - no enhancement at all. 

[Eglesbrech]

21 hours ago, AnnieC said:

This might be of interest to some: https://www.travelmole.com/news_feature.php?c=setreg&region=2&m_id=s~bd_rvd&w_id=37324&news_id=2041943

 

EU advises holidaymakers to take credit notes for cancelled trips...

ABTA is calling on the Government to follow the European Commission in encouraging customers to accept credit notes for package holidays cancelled due to the coronavirus, as long as they can ask for a refund later if they don't use them.
 

Interesting link, thanks.

 

I think they have a real nerve to even ask for this. Cruise and travel companies have always rigidly applied their terms and conditions to customers, regardless of the reason for cancellation: they are actually quite ruthless about the application of terms that have always been to their advantage. Now they are on the wrong side of it and they want to change those T&Cs, now it affects them let’s change the goalposts.

 

While the travel companies may need the money so will some individuals who have lost their jobs, are self employed or on zero hours etc. 
 

Add to that the fact that some people may not be able to get travel insurance in the future and the FCC is worthless piece of paper. If they do an equality impact assessment this policy change would disproportionately affect some protected groups.