Cunard's Cancellations/Refunds Update 23rd April 2020

[resordanis]

2 hours ago, sydgal said:

Taxation rate for car use is 68 cents a kilometre. $25 pp for meals, soon adds up.

$544 for car use , $50 for meals x 3,claim Sat dinner, Sun breakfast and lunch.

They were offering 4nights hotel with full board so this a cheaper option from them.

Get your TA to submit a claim for out of pocket expenses. Mine did with no problems.

Sydgal

Well, I have just emailed our TA and will let you know when we receive a reply. I agree with you, we are out of pocket and would like to be reimbursed. Our cancellation at the last minute was handled very poorly by Cunard. No communication whatsoever.

We are not first time Cunard cruises, but not sure I will book another Cunard cruise anytime soon. I know of other who were with other lines and they were contacted to see if they were ok.
In this instance (a first for a while) we decided to drive, not fly, otherwise our situation could have been much worse!

Thanks and I will let you know.

[Morgans]

11 hours ago, norm2002 said:

 

You've hit the nail on the head. I can understand that there is a tremendous backlog of refund requests now but, if the contributors to this forum are anything to go by, they haven't even started to refund fares. Why haven't the people on the first cancelled cruises received refunds yet? At the beginning there were not so many refunds to be made so why should it take 60 days plus to refund those?

 

I know it won't happen but, for me, the solution in future would be for cruise lines not to be allowed to use deposits and pre-paid fares for running their business. All payments should be put in a trust account and only taken when the service is actually being provided.

 

We have received a full refund for our cruise (and flights booked through Cunard) due to depart 23 March. The monies were sent to our TA and they then sent it on to us via our bank account. The TA has since closed.  We were one of the first of the cruises to be cancelled I believe and this was approx at the end of Feb.

[bazzaw]

16 hours ago, Liberal_Baggie said:

I'm a little surprised at people on this board expecting quick return of cruise payment money. It will be several weeks as Cunard needs your cash to fund its operations and they will have strict guidelines to how much money they can afford to pay back per week. Some of you may never have run a business but when things are tight you get the cash in and hold onto it for as long as possible. No matter how much a customer moans, you are just in a line there are thousands of people in front of you. I doubt many on this board are in need of urgent cash in anycase. Cunard needs your money more than you do Fact.

Oh yes - and many businesses have continued to sell their product and take their customers money knowing full well that they will be going into Receivership tomorrow.!!!!

[bazzaw]

11 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Also they don't pay travel agents until the the cruise happens. So they even keep all the money until then. 

I suspect that this process is similar to their refund process. Everybody has assumed that Cunards promise of 60 day wait is 60 days from cancellation request?? I suspect ( and so far have not been proved wrong) that the 60 days will be from original departure date of the cruise- and even possibly 60 days from the return date

[bazzaw]

9 hours ago, sydgal said:

Cruise on QE cancelled 14 March. Refund requested 16 March by TA. Received reply from Cunard in Australia that the refund for out of pocket expenses  and airfares was being processed and to expect wait of 60 days for refund cheque. They also requested that the TA fill in another claim form for voyage refund. Delay tactics I think.

For all AUSSIES here - I have finally received official notification from my TA they they have processed cancellation requests to Cunard for my 3 cruises - all by official cruise number. Now the first of these was cancelled by Cunard over two months ago - and the TA full well knew that. But I am convinced that they have a regular "routine" of how to cancel cruises and that involves notifying the cruiseline 2 weeks before the cruise departure. 

[LGC100]

18 hours ago, Liberal_Baggie said:

I'm a little surprised at people on this board expecting quick return of cruise payment money. It will be several weeks as Cunard needs your cash to fund its operations and they will have strict guidelines to how much money they can afford to pay back per week. Some of you may never have run a business but when things are tight you get the cash in and hold onto it for as long as possible. No matter how much a customer moans, you are just in a line there are thousands of people in front of you. I doubt many on this board are in need of urgent cash in anycase. Cunard needs your money more than you do Fact.

You speak for yourself. My cruise was cancelled. I'm entitled to my money back. Cunard have had my money since November last year and they haven't fulfilled their part of the contract. Simple. 

[resordanis]

3 hours ago, bazzaw said:

For all AUSSIES here - I have finally received official notification from my TA they they have processed cancellation requests to Cunard for my 3 cruises - all by official cruise number. Now the first of these was cancelled by Cunard over two months ago - and the TA full well knew that. But I am convinced that they have a regular "routine" of how to cancel cruises and that involves notifying the cruiseline 2 weeks before the cruise departure. 

Congratulations, I am happy for you. Hopefully you will see the refund soon and hopefully we will also hear soon. Keep us up to date please. I know you have a lot more money outlaid  than I have So extremely happy something might be finally happening. 

[exlondoner]

5 hours ago, LGC100 said:

You speak for yourself. My cruise was cancelled. I'm entitled to my money back. Cunard have had my money since November last year and they haven't fulfilled their part of the contract. Simple. 

 

And you seem to expect priority over all the others in the same or worse position that need their attention. 

[bazzaw]

10 hours ago, resordanis said:

So extremely happy something might be finally happening. 

I am not getting over-excited yet!! 🙂

[resordanis]

23 hours ago, sydgal said:

Taxation rate for car use is 68 cents a kilometre. $25 pp for meals, soon adds up.

$544 for car use , $50 for meals x 3,claim Sat dinner, Sun breakfast and lunch.

They were offering 4nights hotel with full board so this a cheaper option from them.

Get your TA to submit a claim for out of pocket expenses. Mine did with no problems.

Sydgal

Sydgal thanks I have lodged claim. See how we go.

[LGC100]

14 hours ago, exlondoner said:

 

And you seem to expect priority over all the others in the same or worse position that need their attention. 

I was replying to the arrogant assumption "that I doubt many on this board are in need of urgent cash in anycase. Cunard needs your money more than you do Fact.".

 

You have no idea how urgently I, or anyone else on this board, need our cash back. You have also made the assumption that I expect priority over all the others. No I don't expect any priority but I do expect Cunard to return the money that I saved up hard for. Unlike Cunard I don't have billions of assets in the bank. They are legally obliged to return my money within 14 days of cancelling the cruise but are asking me to wait 45 days. I can only hope that they fulfill their promise and I get my money tomorrow because I am not in a fortunate enough position financially to be able to prop up Cunard and that is indeed a 'Fact'.

 

 

[Windsurfboy]

Good luck

 

Promised 45 days , I'm at 50 days  and still waiting

[netpj]

Has anyone who is following this board and was on the QM2 world cruise heard anything further from Cunard (UK, US or Australia)  or have actually received any refunds and/or FCC for the cancelled days? 

[Shimo]

Hi all, 

 

I’m new to this forum so hopefully I’m in the correct place for this question

 

My wife and I were due to travel with Cunard, westbound Southampton to New York in April this year. It was booked through a specialised cruise agent with 6 further nights in North America and return flights.

 

Obviously it was cancelled and I eventually received a call from the agent where I agreed to re-schedule it for the same time in 2021. I was quoted an additional £548, payable in December.

 

Subsequently I’ve discovered that those who booked cruises directly with Cunard are receiving vouchers to the value of 125%, whereas I’m being charged more. I appreciate that I’m not directly a customer of Cunard so wouldn’t be entitled to this offer but surely the agent would be offered something similar and hopefully pass at least some of it on to their customers. On reflection I shouldn’t have accepted the offer but it was before I found out what Cunard were doing and fell for the line that cruises will be more expensive next year because people have missed out this year. I’ve emailed the agent to query their pricing but didn’t get a reply.

 

Therefore, my question is twofold. Am I being reasonable in expecting to pay less for next years cruise, not more? Secondly, am I legally obliged to take the cruise and pay the extra? I verbally said yes to it but haven’t signed anything.

 

Maybe I’m being a little cynical but I can’t help feeling that I’m being taken advantage of and being used to help the agent recoup some of their recent losses caused by the pandemic.

 

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

•  

[Host Hattie]

It doesn't matter whether you booked directed or via an agent, once the cruise was cancelled you should have received a credit. You can use that to book the same cruise next year but you don't have to. There's lots of information on the Cunard website

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/flexible-cancellation-policy

[norm2002]

36 minutes ago, Shimo said:

Maybe I’m being a little cynical but I can’t help feeling that I’m being taken advantage of and being used to help the agent recoup some of their recent losses caused by the pandemic.

 

It doesn't sound to me that you have been well served by your TA. I don't know whether you booked in the US or UK but a specialised cruise agent, as you described them, should have known what Cunard are doing about cancelled cruises.

Edited May 5, 2020 by norm2002

[kentchris]

1 hour ago, Shimo said:

Am I being reasonable in expecting to pay less for next years cruise, not more?

•  

Have you checked prices for your voyage on Cunard's web site to see what the going rate is? There's plenty of anecdotal evidence of people transferring bookings to next year, or rebooking to use their FCC, so if demand is strong prices will have risen.

[alc13]

1 hour ago, Shimo said:

Hi all, 

 

I’m new to this forum so hopefully I’m in the correct place for this question

 

My wife and I were due to travel with Cunard, westbound Southampton to New York in April this year. It was booked through a specialised cruise agent with 6 further nights in North America and return flights.

 

Obviously it was cancelled and I eventually received a call from the agent where I agreed to re-schedule it for the same time in 2021. I was quoted an additional £548, payable in December.

 

Subsequently I’ve discovered that those who booked cruises directly with Cunard are receiving vouchers to the value of 125%, whereas I’m being charged more. I appreciate that I’m not directly a customer of Cunard so wouldn’t be entitled to this offer but surely the agent would be offered something similar and hopefully pass at least some of it on to their customers. On reflection I shouldn’t have accepted the offer but it was before I found out what Cunard were doing and fell for the line that cruises will be more expensive next year because people have missed out this year. I’ve emailed the agent to query their pricing but didn’t get a reply.

 

Therefore, my question is twofold. Am I being reasonable in expecting to pay less for next years cruise, not more? Secondly, am I legally obliged to take the cruise and pay the extra? I verbally said yes to it but haven’t signed anything.

 

Maybe I’m being a little cynical but I can’t help feeling that I’m being taken advantage of and being used to help the agent recoup some of their recent losses caused by the pandemic.

 

Any help/advice would be appreciated.

 

•  
•  

The new cruise may have a higher fare but yes, as others have said, you can apply your 125% future cruise credit towards it.  You can book directly with Cunard, if you like.  Your TA may or may not be fully informed.

[Cruise NH]

4 hours ago, netpj said:

Has anyone who is following this board and was on the QM2 world cruise heard anything further from Cunard (UK, US or Australia)  or have actually received any refunds and/or FCC for the cancelled days? 

 

I haven't received a refund but I did get a call (two in fact) from Cunard last week about the amounts for FCC and refund for the world cruise.  The FCC amount for us, based on what we paid for our cabin, would be $12809 per person or $9607.17 cash per person.

 

They're still looking into why I haven't got my excursion refund (over $3K) and they'll check on where my excess baggage refund is.

 

According to the caller the UK office is supposed to 'load the fcc' to the system this week.

 

 

[Glamorkat]

5 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Good luck

 

Promised 45 days , I'm at 50 days  and still waiting

I was suppose to be within 30 days and I am currently at day 57 and still waiting... the sad thing is my amount they need to refund is no where as large as most peoples and they still can't seem to be bothered. I have gotten refunds from everyone EXCEPT them (including Rail Europe, which is highly unheard of).  Did you also see where another Cruise Company is filing bankruptcy 😞 

Edited May 5, 2020 by Glamorkat

[longton]

3 hours ago, kentchris said:

Have you checked prices for your voyage on Cunard's web site to see what the going rate is? There's plenty of anecdotal evidence of people transferring bookings to next year, or rebooking to use their FCC, so if demand is strong prices will have risen.

 

We have just used some of our FCC to book a cruise in November 2021. Prices were lower than a more or less similar cruise this year and there was availability in ALL grades. We are happy we took FCC.

[majortom10]

We have cruise on QM2 in October balance due in June, not going to pay, convinced that cruise will not happen and Cunard just want an interest free loan off me.

[safarigal]

8 hours ago, netpj said:

Has anyone who is following this board and was on the QM2 world cruise heard anything further from Cunard (UK, US or Australia)  or have actually received any refunds and/or FCC for the cancelled days? 

I booked through the US.

 

I requested a refund for the QM2 World Cruise Fremantle to Southampton segment, and FCC for the Southampton to New York segment.

 

I have received my 125% FCC for the crossing already.

 

I have not received the refund, but was told that Cunard would not process the refund for 60 days - and that the 60 days may not be until 60 days after the official, rather than actual end of the cruise (April 18th vs March 15th). Let's see if anything happens on May 15th!

[BlueRiband]

12 hours ago, kentchris said:

Have you checked prices for your voyage on Cunard's web site to see what the going rate is? There's plenty of anecdotal evidence of people transferring bookings to next year, or rebooking to use their FCC, so if demand is strong prices will have risen.

Prices sure have risen for some sailings since FCCs have to be used by the end of 2021.  The 2021 replacement for my cancelled Alaska cruise in PG has increased a whopping $3.5K. 

[sogne]

We are advising for guests to allow up to 60 days for the refunds to be processed. This is due to the very high volumes of refunds for both Cunard, and our sister brand P&O Cruises, as all ship operations have now been paused until 31st July. Our office is also closed and therefore the workforce is working remotely with a reduced number of staff which is slowing down our usual procedures. We do apologise for any inconvenience this may cause, and we thank you for your patience at this time.

As you booked via travel agent, we are refunding directly back to you via a cheque, unless the money was paid to us directly- if this is the case the money will be refunded back to the form of payment.

Whilst we do not send our refund processed confirmations, please be assured your bookings are set up to be refunded and therefore this will happen.

If there is anything further we can assist with, please do let us know.

Kind Regards

 | Guest Relations

 

I received this this morning at 0930 UK time it is unsolicited and perhaps being sent to other UK  guests.I have not bombarded them with emails or phone calls each one of which could disrupt the refund process for others in order to reply to me. My OH  a retired banker states that 60 days will almost certainly be UK working days not calendar days. I shall just wait  fortunately I do not need the money although I realise not everyone may be this fortunate.