How Cunard could keep my goodwill, my business AND my money

[Mabbiesmum]

I booked our cruise, roundtrip transatlantic departing 18th April, about 18 months ago to secure the cruise and cabin I wanted at the price I was happy to pay.

 

Current cancellation terms mean that I could only move to 2021 at a much higher cost.

 

If Cunard would offer the same cruise and cabin for 2022, two years hence,at the same price by which time I'm sure we all hope this nightmare will be over - I would be much more willing to let them keep my cash.

 

As things stand I am just waiting for the, inevitable, cancellation and subsequent refund.

Edited March 22, 2020 by Mabbiesmum

[Austcruiser84]

4 hours ago, Mabbiesmum said:

I booked our cruise, roundtrip transatlantic departing 18th April, about 18 months ago to secure the cruise and cabin I wanted at the price I was happy to pay.

 

Current cancellation terms mean that I could only move to 2021 at a much higher cost.

 

If Cunard would offer the same cruise and cabin for 2022, two years hence,at the same price by which time I'm sure we all hope this nightmare will be over - I would be much more willing to let them keep my cash.

 

As things stand I am just waiting for the, inevitable, cancellation and subsequent refund.

 

I can imagine that like most travel businesses, Cunard has a lot of logistics to sort and those passengers who were due to sail over the coming fortnight will be prioritised. 

 

As you say, just wait until they cancel your cruise and see what happens from there. These are  unchartered waters and while disappointing to be sure, there's little that can be done but wait and see what they offer. 

[siforest65]

11 hours ago, Mabbiesmum said:

I booked our cruise, roundtrip transatlantic departing 18th April, about 18 months ago to secure the cruise and cabin I wanted at the price I was happy to pay.

 

Current cancellation terms mean that I could only move to 2021 at a much higher cost.

 

If Cunard would offer the same cruise and cabin for 2022, two years hence,at the same price by which time I'm sure we all hope this nightmare will be over - I would be much more willing to let them keep my cash.

 

As things stand I am just waiting for the, inevitable, cancellation and subsequent refund.

I fully agree with you. I wish they’d be a bit flexible and allow either transfer to an already booked cruise or to carry onboard booking benefits across to a new booking. As it stands an fcc puts us at a big financial loss with drop of on board credit.

 

I’m airline staff and think when this is all over, my revised t and c’s of employment will make keeping a house over my head a bigger priority than cruising.

[Roger88]

I have said it many time before in other threads. If it was me. I would rather get a full refund and choose another way to spend my vacation. I understand that it all sounds quite sad n stuff but this is a reality we wall live in today. I would prefer to stay with cash rather than with virtual credit or a Futurecruise which I might not even take 

[Doubt It]

There are other effective and enjoyable ways to travel the world, than cruising.

 

Having now done escorted tours, self organized tours including private cars and driver/guide etc - I now realize how limiting and fake cruising really is.

 

There are a few locations where ship travel is the best (norway coast, south america coast, arctic, antarctica) but generally cruising is a very superficial way of travel.

 

If destinations are the primary purpose of the trip, (not always the objective of many cruisers), then there are other ways to acquire a more immersive and real experience of a particular location.

 

Our cruising future is very small going forward because we have found a more real way to see the world via escorted and private touring. Yes, it can be more expensive, but yes it is more real.

 

 

[navybankerteacher]

On 3/22/2020 at 4:40 PM, siforest65 said:

I fully agree with you. I wish they’d be a bit flexible and allow either transfer to an already booked cruise or to carry onboard booking benefits across to a new booking. As it stands an fcc puts us at a big financial loss with drop of on board credit.

 

I’m airline staff and think when this is all over, my revised t and c’s of employment will make keeping a house over my head a bigger priority than cruising.

I think one legacy of this experience will be strong reluctance on the part of people to book cruises much in advance.  Failure to provide flexible options  might save the cruise lines money today, but they will pay for it in future.  Much slower bookings and fewer overall cabins sold without steep last minute fare reductions will be the likely payback for inflexible treatment now. 

[BlueRiband]

On 3/25/2020 at 8:09 AM, Doubt It said:

There are other effective and enjoyable ways to travel the world, than cruising.

 

Having now done escorted tours, self organized tours including private cars and driver/guide etc - I now realize how limiting and fake cruising really is.

 

There are a few locations where ship travel is the best (norway coast, south america coast, arctic, antarctica) but generally cruising is a very superficial way of travel.

 

If destinations are the primary purpose of the trip, (not always the objective of many cruisers), then there are other ways to acquire a more immersive and real experience of a particular location.

 

Our cruising future is very small going forward because we have found a more real way to see the world via escorted and private touring. Yes, it can be more expensive, but yes it is more real.

 

 

Everyone has different objectives when they vacation.  You've now taken a different direction but I disagree with the assessment of cruising as "fake" with DIY as "real".   Yes, a port call is limited but it does give one a snapshot or overview of an area.  Constraints of time and/or money would keep a lot of people from booking air and land arrangements to visit five places on their own, but a sailing with five ports of call is a very nice way to get an overview of an area.  When I was working and needed a no-stress vacation the idea of boarding a ship and having one check-in and one unpacking had great appeal. 

[gkbiiii]

I think we are coming full circle, to the "Jet Set" of the 1960's & beyond. 

[Solent Richard]

On 3/27/2020 at 12:14 PM, BlueRiband said:

Everyone has different objectives when they vacation.  You've now taken a different direction but I disagree with the assessment of cruising as "fake" with DIY as "real".   Yes, a port call is limited but it does give one a snapshot or overview of an area.  Constraints of time and/or money would keep a lot of people from booking air and land arrangements to visit five places on their own, but a sailing with five ports of call is a very nice way to get an overview of an area.  When I was working and needed a no-stress vacation the idea of boarding a ship and having one check-in and one unpacking had great appeal. 

 

Hi BlueRiband.

 

I guess we could debate these issues and variations till the cows come home and each of us could offer alternatives.

 

While Cunard will always see me returning it has certainly seen me branching out and trying new cruise lines as there became a distinct lack of itinerary variety and actually continuing 'same-same' to the life onboard: though of course I realise that is perfectly acceptable to some folk who maybe lack the initiative to look elsewhere.

 

My wife and I had already decided to lessen the cruise elements of our 4/5 yearly vacations in favour of a more shore-side balance with even less unpacking. 

 

But as I say, cruising is still in my DNA.

 

Best wishes to you all in the Big Apple. Our thoughts are with you.

 

 

 

[Trevor33]

My Partner and I have booked the 108 night World Cruise on Queen Victoria departing 10 January 2020. We and the whole World are shocked and saddened by the Coronavirus and especially for those affected and having lost a loved one. I guess many have seen the current offer on Cunard's website offering options to move existing bookings etc. Having spoken with Cunard today at great length it appears that the information on their website is different to what I have been told relative to cruise departures departing after 31 August 2020. We have been told by Cunard today that although we can transfer our cruise to a cruise of lesser value or even more than one future cruise the condition is that the new booking(s) need to be at least equal in cost to the original that may/may not go ahead. Can anyone that has similar advice/in a similar situation please update this post with a reply regarding their experience with Cunard. Whilst Cunard are not responsible for the current situation we are concerned that our trip although 8 months away may still have serious amendments to the itinerary rendering it a "Non World Cruise". Cunard advises in its Booking Conditions that a cruise would only be considered null and void if the Itinerary had a "Significant Change". The problem here is that although Booking conditions are supposed to be clear to all parties there is no explanation of the term"Significant Change". Has anyone else encountered this or had a clear written explanation of what this means?