P&Os new cancellation policy - shockingly bad

[Slugsta]

We are due to cruise in July and paid the balance to our TA last week. I believe we are still outside of P+O's final payment date. We paid the balance taking into account the terms that were offered for cancellation and now the goalposts have been moved. I will discuss this with OH but suspect we will probably still sit tight and wait to see what happens - I think there is a still a high chance that P+O will have to cancel anyway, but we will go if we can. 

 

Insurance is a separate issue as my annual policy is due to expire 3 days into the cruise and InsureandGo are no longer offering any coronavirus cover for new policies. My plan is to wait and see regarding this too as the current policy means I have cancellation cover, at least.

[wowzz]

13 minutes ago, Slugsta said:

We are due to cruise in July and paid the balance to our TA last week. I believe we are still outside of P+O's final payment date. We paid the balance taking into account the terms that were offered for cancellation and now the goalposts have been moved. I will discuss this with OH but suspect we will probably still sit tight and wait to see what happens - I think there is a still a high chance that P+O will have to cancel anyway, but we will go if we can. 

 

Insurance is a separate issue as my annual policy is due to expire 3 days into the cruise and InsureandGo are no longer offering any coronavirus cover for new policies. My plan is to wait and see regarding this too as the current policy means I have cancellation cover, at least.

Not a hope in hell of July cruises going ahead. OVMV.

[jeanlyon]

Agree. Not a hope.  I wonder why you would have paid your balance early?

[Adawn47]

Welcome back Jean😊

Avril 

[jeanlyon]

Thank you Avril.  I don't think I will be paying my balance in July for October, let alone for a cruise in July.  My gut feeling is there will be no cruises this year and even if they wanted to, I don't see the ports opening in Europe.

[Adawn47]

15 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Thank you Avril.  I don't think I will be paying my balance in July for October, let alone for a cruise in July.  My gut feeling is there will be no cruises this year and even if they wanted to, I don't see the ports opening in 

I'm still hopefully hanging on in there for November. The balance is due begining of August, so 4 months yet. Fingers crossed.

Avril

[majortom10]

I have a balance due end of June for a cruise in October on QM2 but if I dont pay it will lose £350 deposit.

[jeanlyon]

I think you can carry it forward as an FCC.

[majortom10]

16 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I think you can carry it forward as an FCC.

According to Cunard's policy which is exactly the same except for words Cunard and P&O changed for cruises after August 2020 you can transfer booking to another booking but they are not as yet offering FCC.

[jeanlyon]

I guess we will have to wait until then.  Mine is b eginning of July.

[Tablelamp]

Nice to see you again Jean,

I am due to go in May, so am hoping P and O will cancel and then, hopefully, I will have a full refund.  Not so worried about my September cruise to Canada as I’ve only paid the £50 deposit.  (Booked it whilst on board),  How much do you bet that P and O won’t be offering these low deposits in the future.

Christine

[jeanlyon]

and you.  I must watch what I post obviously.

[Adawn47]

I'm hoping for a full refund if my November cruise is cancelled that's why I'll pay the balance when it's due. I don't want FCC because I got a really good deal on this one and I doubt very much they'll be one half as good next year. It will probably cost much more for less days. 

Avril 

[jeanlyon]

there is no way I am paying the balance.  I've only paid £156, and I can afford to lose that and have no holiday.  I am not jeopardizing another nearly £3K.

[Adawn47]

This booking was a saver fare, so if I cancel it myself I still have to pay for the holiday. I only get my insurance 3 month before we travel so that's not there to fall back on. Best for me is pay for the cruise and go or if P&O cancel get a refund. 

Avril 

[wowzz]

55 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

This booking was a saver fare, so if I cancel it myself I still have to pay for the holiday. I only get my insurance 3 month before we travel so that's not there to fall back on. Best for me is pay for the cruise and go or if P&O cancel get a refund. 

Avril 

I may be wrong, but why do you think you have to pay for the holiday? If you cancel, you lose the deposit,  but nothing else. Others may correct me if I am wrong.

And, next time,  always have insurance in place the moment you book a holiday. 

[Adawn47]

4 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I may be wrong, but why do you think you have to pay for the holiday? If you cancel, you lose the deposit,  but nothing else. Others may correct me if I am wrong.

And, next time,  always have insurance in place the moment you book a holiday. 

I know wowzz, it's a lesson learned. I've always done it that way and never had a problem . I just got too complacent over the years. You'd think at my age I'd know better.😕  Saver fares are different. When I checked the cancellation fees soon after all this started it was 100% cancellation fee. They might have changed it now under the circumstances but i highly doubt it. I really want to go in November so I'll pay the balance and keep everything crossed. Thanks for the kick up the backside wowzz. I'll be good next time. 😉

Avril 

[wowzz]

3 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

I know wowzz, it's a lesson learned. I've always done it that way and never had a problem . I just got too complacent over the years. You'd think at my age I'd know better.😕  Saver fares are different. When I checked the cancellation fees soon after all this started it was 100% cancellation fee. They might have changed it now under the circumstances but i highly doubt it. I really want to go in November so I'll pay the balance and keep everything crossed. Thanks for the kick up the backside wowzz. I'll be good next time. 😉

Avril 

Avril - sorry if my post came over too strong.  I've just always had insurance in place before booking a holiday,  as there never seemed a reason not to. 

Just a thought - can you not transfer your deposit to a cruise in 2022, which would mean that you would not have to pay the balance until late  2021 ? That way you do not have to pay out any cash for another year. 

[Adawn47]

7 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Avril - sorry if my post came over too strong.  I've just always had insurance in place before booking a holiday,  as there never seemed a reason not to. 

Just a thought - can you not transfer your deposit to a cruise in 2022, which would mean that you would not have to pay the balance until late  2021 ? That way you do not have to pay out any cash for another year. 

I didn't take offence wowzz. I knew you were right. We already have a cruise booked for  October 2021, which I shall immediately be getting insurance for☺. As I said, I really don't want to cancel, unless it's absolutely necessary. We're  still hoping to go. We've been looking forward to it.  There's still time yet before we  have to make that decision or P&O will make it for us.

Avril 

[dgs1956]

8 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

I didn't take offence wowzz. I knew you were right. We already have a cruise booked for  October 2021, which I shall immediately be getting insurance for☺. As I said, I really don't want to cancel, unless it's absolutely necessary. We're  still hoping to go. We've been looking forward to it.  There's still time yet before we  have to make that decision or P&O will make it for us.

Avril 

I don't suppose its possible to transfer your 2020 deposit to the cruise you have booked in 2021.

[Tablelamp]

A nightmare trying to get through to P&O.  Hopefully, my May cruise will be cancelled.  I wonder what the quickest, easiest and most secure way will be of getting a refund.  Any ideas anybody?

[MickD]

Apparently P&O call centre at the moment is refusing refunds stating they have taken advice from ABTA.

This is complete nonsense ABTA are lobbying the government at the moment to have the travel package act temporarily changed so that holiday companies can refuse refunds and give out credit notes or FCC’s with full protection on them incase the companies go bankrupt.

They are telling Boris that if everybody wants refunds many firms will go bankrupt.

At the moment the law still stands that they must give a full refund within 14 days if a holiday is cancelled by them.

But apparently P&O are not sticking to the law and don’t want to hand out refunds.

So best keep an eye on the abta website for any developments.

My cruise is due April the 12th so the day it’s cancelled will be emailing them for a full refund, and will be obviously keeping email with date on incase the law is temporarily changed after I’ve sent the email.

obviously if it’s changed before they cancel my cruise I will have no option but to take the FCC 

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, dgs1956 said:

I don't suppose its possible to transfer your 2020 deposit to the cruise you have booked in 2021.

Reading some posts on various threads I assumed that it had to be a new booking. My head is spinning and I don’t know which end is up at the moment. P&O are changing their policy hourly it seems. There's a lot going on at the moment and most importantly for me is my family's health, and mine of course. I'm going to concentrate on that first. One worry at a time.😊 don't want to overload the old grey matter. Thank you for your advice.

Avril 

 

[crompton21]

1 hour ago, Tablelamp said:

A nightmare trying to get through to P&O.  Hopefully, my May cruise will be cancelled.  I wonder what the quickest, easiest and most secure way will be of getting a refund.  Any ideas anybody?

 

A call centre would be exactly the sort of place that government advice would be against opening.  Lots of staff in close proximity etc.

 

I know it's hard when you can't get clarity, but you will get clarity at some stage.

[Eglesbrech]

48 minutes ago, MickD said:

Apparently P&O call centre at the moment is refusing refunds stating they have taken advice from ABTA.

This is complete nonsense ABTA are lobbying the government at the moment to have the travel package act temporarily changed so that holiday companies can refuse refunds and give out credit notes or FCC’s with full protection on them incase the companies go bankrupt.

They are telling Boris that if everybody wants refunds many firms will go bankrupt.

At the moment the law still stands that they must give a full refund within 14 days if a holiday is cancelled by them.

But apparently P&O are not sticking to the law and don’t want to hand out refunds.

So best keep an eye on the abta website for any developments.

My cruise is due April the 12th so the day it’s cancelled will be emailing them for a full refund, and will be obviously keeping email with date on incase the law is temporarily changed after I’ve sent the email.

obviously if it’s changed before they cancel my cruise I will have no option but to take the FCC 

I don’t think that they can change or suspend a law retrospectively so the cancellations to date would still be entitled to a refund within 14 days.

 

The flight based cruises also have ATOL protection so I’m not sure how ABTA could have any influence on that safety net, they probably can’t.

 

This is what ABTA are asking for from the government but have not as yet secured so for the moment it should in theory be business as usual.

 

• That refund credits should be allowed as an acceptable and enforceable alternative to immediate cash refunds, with all protections carried forward as part of a ‘Refund Credit Note’. 
• That the 14-day window for refund payments should be extended to a 4-month period.
• That tour operators should not be responsible for providing refunds if these costs are not covered by the suppliers. Where those suppliers cannot or will not refund, there needs to be an emergency Government consumer hardship fund to fulfil refund payments.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Eglesbrech
To add in ABTA info