Refunds for pre-booked shore excursions etc

[tootscm]

Currently booked on Iona for 23 May but it's looking increasingly unlikely we'll be sailing. Will probably defer cruise but have pre-booked and paid for shore excursions and fine dining options so went online to cancel the orders and get refund. 

 Message reads: "We are currently experiencing a technical difficulty with order cancellations, so you will not be able to cancel at this time. Please do not call the Contact Centre as they are currently unable to assist with this. We are fixing this as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

I understand and sympathise with the position cruise companies are in so I will just have to wait. But some customers might need that money now depending on their personal circumstances - if they are self employed for example..

[pete14]

27 minutes ago, tootscm said:

Currently booked on Iona for 23 May but it's looking increasingly unlikely we'll be sailing. Will probably defer cruise but have pre-booked and paid for shore excursions and fine dining options so went online to cancel the orders and get refund. 

 Message reads: "We are currently experiencing a technical difficulty with order cancellations, so you will not be able to cancel at this time. Please do not call the Contact Centre as they are currently unable to assist with this. We are fixing this as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

I understand and sympathise with the position cruise companies are in so I will just have to wait. But some customers might need that money now depending on their personal circumstances - if they are self employed for example..

Unless they sort the IT system, you may have to wait for the cruise to be cancelled. In the email telling of a cancellation, they give a link that gives you the choice of a full refund or 110% OBC to be applied to your next cruise. If you choose the refund, it may take a few weeks to arrive.

[Selbourne]

53 minutes ago, tootscm said:

Currently booked on Iona for 23 May but it's looking increasingly unlikely we'll be sailing. Will probably defer cruise but have pre-booked and paid for shore excursions and fine dining options so went online to cancel the orders and get refund. 

 Message reads: "We are currently experiencing a technical difficulty with order cancellations, so you will not be able to cancel at this time. Please do not call the Contact Centre as they are currently unable to assist with this. We are fixing this as quickly as possible and apologise for any inconvenience caused."

I understand and sympathise with the position cruise companies are in so I will just have to wait. But some customers might need that money now depending on their personal circumstances - if they are self employed for example..

There is no IT issue. It’s a cover to help protect their cash flow. It’s been like that for weeks. Sadly you might have to wait until your cruise is cancelled before you can claim a refund and, even then, there’s a 60 day delay from when you request it to when you receive it. Whilst I have sympathy with P&O’s current plight, behaviour like this leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. 

[terrierjohn]

25 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

There is no IT issue. It’s a cover to help protect their cash flow. It’s been like that for weeks. Sadly you might have to wait until your cruise is cancelled before you can claim a refund and, even then, there’s a 60 day delay from when you request it to when you receive it. Whilst I have sympathy with P&O’s current plight, behaviour like this leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. 

Yes it does Selbourne, but I guess when the chief accountant is trying his best to keep the company afloat, he is willing to let this happen.

[Selbourne]

21 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Yes it does Selbourne, but I guess when the chief accountant is trying his best to keep the company afloat, he is willing to let this happen.

Fully understand why they are doing it, but I’d have a lot more respect if they were honest about it rather than lying. That being said, their IT is so bad that it’s the most believable excuse that they can give, short of telling the truth!

[wowzz]

49 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Whilst I have sympathy with P&O’s current plight, behaviour like this leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. 

Given the current parlous state of Carnival, I do think that their behaviour, is, to an extent, understandable.  

If they publicly stated that they were delaying payments due to liquidity issues, any forward bookings would disappear, and the entire line would struggle to survive.

[Selbourne]

6 minutes ago, wowzz said:

If they publicly stated that they were delaying payments due to liquidity issues, any forward bookings would disappear, and the entire line would struggle to survive.

That’s true. I’m just relieved that I have at last been able to apply for a 100% cash refund, but will be even more relieved when I actually receive it!

[devonuk]

2 weeks ago... Cancelled 2 excursions for a July 2020 Iona cruise and got the money back within 2 days. I then cancelled the entire cruise just before the balance due date and therefore got a deposit future cruise credit for 125%... 

Oh my, how times have changed!!

[reece.twigg-white]

We are due to sail in July on Britannia, but me and the husband have decided to cancel as the balance is due next week and we would rather have that money sat in our account than theirs.

 

But we have two excursions booked and paid for, if I was to ring p and o and cancel the cruise, will those excursions automatically be refunded as part of the process?

 

Thanks for your help!

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, devonuk said:

 I then cancelled the entire cruise just before the balance due date and therefore got a deposit future cruise credit for 125%... 

Oh my, how times have changed!!

Is that now automatic for deposits under the new t&Cs?

[Suebiker]

14 hours ago, Selbourne said:

There is no IT issue. It’s a cover to help protect their cash flow. It’s been like that for weeks. Sadly you might have to wait until your cruise is cancelled before you can claim a refund and, even then, there’s a 60 day delay from when you request it to when you receive it. Whilst I have sympathy with P&O’s current plight, behaviour like this leaves a very bad taste in the mouth. 

 

This is what I have been suspecting for a while.  Whilst I understand P and O have massive problem right now - so does the general public!!!!! Currently I stand to lose my deposit for this years cruise.  I already have a cruise booked for next year and can't afford 2 cruises next year given this current situation. I am self employed and currently have no income til June.  I also have booked shore excursions - I have been trying to get my money back to help with finances.  Whilst I am not happy about losing my deposit  - it is something I will just have to accept.  But  I would be furious if I  lost my money for shore excursions - to me that is just unethical!

[devonuk]

6 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Is that now automatic for deposits under the new t&Cs?

I believe that it’s now not as good as my ‘deal’?

[tootscm]

So here's an update. You can now log into your account and cancel some - not all- of the excursions or meal reservations. It says you will get an email confirming details of the cancellation. The email confirms the item is cancelled - and the refund will be applied as 110% on board credit. Even though this cruise is not yet cancelled! The email does say if you want to request a cash refund instead 'click here'  And guess what happens when you 'click here' - yes, you've guessed it - absolutely nothing! The link doesn't work! Nowhere on the orders page does it say this is what will happen if you cancel. The FAQs on the page still say you'll get a refund to the original card which could take up to 10 working days. And there's no chance of getting through on the phone - the recorded message tells you the contact centre opening times - open - but when you select an option it says the contact centre is closed. 

[PplusA]

We added to a very similar thread yesterday but will post what we found here as well.

The P&O website does have a link to an online form to claim a cash refund for excursions etc but doesn't give any indication as to whether you need to cancel the excursions first. Also, no idea if we will get confirmation of this online form request or do we have to wait 60 days (as this is the time the form says it could take to come through) and hope for the best? By the way we were able to cancel only one of a few we had booked so no idea when and if we can cancel the others or indeed if we need to as we have now submitted the online form for the total amount.

All very professional.

Hope this helps.

[pete14]

38 minutes ago, PplusA said:

We added to a very similar thread yesterday but will post what we found here as well.

The P&O website does have a link to an online form to claim a cash refund for excursions etc but doesn't give any indication as to whether you need to cancel the excursions first. Also, no idea if we will get confirmation of this online form request or do we have to wait 60 days (as this is the time the form says it could take to come through) and hope for the best? By the way we were able to cancel only one of a few we had booked so no idea when and if we can cancel the others or indeed if we need to as we have now submitted the online form for the total amount.

All very professional.

Hope this helps.

I may be wrong, and if so, I apologise straightaway, but I think the form is to be used for excursions booked for the cruises P&O have cancelled and not ones that in theory are still due to go ahead (even though they know they won’t). The purpose of the form, or at least the one I filled in for a cancelled cruise I was booked on, is to request a refund instead of their default position of 110% OBC to be used on a future cruise that does take place. As P&O have cancelled the cruise, there is no need for individuals to cancel shore experiences or speciality restaurant bookings.

[devonuk]

35 minutes ago, pete14 said:

I may be wrong, and if so, I apologise straightaway, but I think the form is to be used for excursions booked for the cruises P&O have cancelled and not ones that in theory are still due to go ahead (even though they know they won’t). The purpose of the form, or at least the one I filled in for a cancelled cruise I was booked on, is to request a refund instead of their default position of 110% OBC to be used on a future cruise that does take place. As P&O have cancelled the cruise, there is no need for individuals to cancel shore experiences or speciality restaurant bookings.

I cancelled my shore excursions for my July Iona cruise then waited a couple days before cancelling the actual cruise and within days the excursion money was back on my credit card 🙂

[PplusA]

2 hours ago, pete14 said:

I may be wrong, and if so, I apologise straightaway, but I think the form is to be used for excursions booked for the cruises P&O have cancelled and not ones that in theory are still due to go ahead (even though they know they won’t). The purpose of the form, or at least the one I filled in for a cancelled cruise I was booked on, is to request a refund instead of their default position of 110% OBC to be used on a future cruise that does take place. As P&O have cancelled the cruise, there is no need for individuals to cancel shore experiences or speciality restaurant bookings.

Hi, when you click on the 2nd link for the online form it takes you to a page that states the form is for refunds for pre-cruise purchases on holidays departing before 31 August 2020 which obviously at this stage haven’t yet been cancelled.

Hope that helps.

[white_bear]

I have just been into "my orders" to cancel excursions on our 31 May cruise which is unlikely to happen.  Have also received email stating that the refund will be applied as 110% OBC on future cruise(s) and "click here" for refund instead.  Nothing happens with "click here".  As previously mentioned, the FAQs on the page clearly state (as do P&O Ts and Cs) that excursions will be refunded to the card used to make the purchase - no mention of 110% OBC!  

[bobstheboy]

They are delaying paying any cash as long as they can. I cancelled on the day restrictions for over 70s was announced, 13th March, cruise date was 27th March. At that time I was told to allow 28 days for my refund, it has now been 38 days, not good enough.