More Cancellations Imminent?

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, funinhounslow said:

They need a photo of your face against a plain background with no shadows on either. You may need to experiment a bit to comply with the no shadows requirement but that’s it. 
 

Take your hat and sunglasses off, DON’T SMILE and you’re done. 

As you say quite easy to please the criteria demanded of the website, I found the best way was to take a standard photo following the background rules, then crop it to just head and shoulders, easy peasy.

[jeanlyon]

I renewed my husband's passport online, took his photo, uploaded it, paid the fee, sent the passport back.  Got the new one in 4 days!!  I didn't even crop the picture.

 

Re next cancellations, I spoke to a guy at P&O re my October cruise and he suggested I wait until about 3 days before I am due to pay balance (20th July) as he expected more cancellations.

Edited May 23, 2020 by jeanlyon

[Josy1953]

1 hour ago, Manx buoy said:

I love your optimism that the refunds will be completed in June or do you mean June next year🤔

I didn't mean that the refunds will be completed by June, I meant that I think that they will announce the next tranche of cruise cancellations in June.

 

They are currently only dealing with refunds up to the end of July and I think that until they are completed they will not announce a planned restart date for cruises.

 

 

[ann141]

33 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I renewed my husband's passport online, took his photo, uploaded it, paid the fee, sent the passport back.  Got the new one in 4 days!!  I didn't even crop the picture.

 

Re next cancellations, I spoke to a guy at P&O re my October cruise and he suggested I wait until about 3 days before I am due to pay balance (20th July) as he expected more cancellations.

I think we are on the same cruise Jean and I will wait until the day before balance is due before before transferring it!I would much prefer a refund (even if it means a long wait!!)

[No pager thank you]

40 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Re next cancellations, I spoke to a guy at P&O re my October cruise and he suggested I wait until about 3 days before I am due to pay balance (20th July) as he expected more cancellations.

There will be uproar if we get to 17th July and no one knows about their cruises from 1st August.  And, little doubt the refunds will still be "in process."

 

No one knows of course how long the next suspension is going to be and if it might be targeted in some way, seems unlikely to me but then they will be desperate to get something going.

 

As an aside, following this quarantine business, a Britain and Ireland cruise possibility seems to be opening up.  If you can get a Irish Sea crossing on a ferry, then why not (in time) a cruise?  There are a number of good answers to that, slightly rhetorical of course.

 

Mind you slightly better a prospect than pitching up on a tender on a wet and windy Wednesday in Whitby?🤣

Edited May 23, 2020 by No pager thank you
Typo

[No pager thank you]

2 hours ago, funinhounslow said:

Take your hat and sunglasses off, DON’T SMILE and you’re done. 

Thanks. Yes, when having your picture taken just think, "I'm still waiting for my P&O Refund" and your facial expression will be fine.😤

Edited May 23, 2020 by No pager thank you
Typo

[ann141]

11 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

I was considering Max Spielmann this time as it's more convenient. They take your photo, you give them your passport and they do the rest, all for £25 + passport fee. I know it can be done for less but it's worth it to me for peace of mind.

Avril 

£25 may sound like a rip off and it may be easy to renew a passport online but one thing this covid crisis has made me realise is that sometimes its worth paying a bit more for convenience (And this is from someone who previously would stay up until nearly midnight for a grocery delivery to save a few pounds!)It has also made me think that we tend to book an inside cabin on cruises because the price difference between that and a balcony cabin is huge (even though we could afford a balcony) so if our next cruise goes ahead I will be on the phone to pay for an upgrade!Our passports are due for renewal soon and if I am in town and am walking past Max S I may join you in the queue Avril (I also tell myself it will help the staff keep their jobs)

[jeanlyon]

I can honestly tell you, we are not particularly "techie" and it was so easy.  You don't need to pay £25 at all.  I did send my passport by Signed For though.

[wowzz]

39 minutes ago, ann141 said:

£25 may sound like a rip off and it may be easy to renew a passport online but one thing this covid crisis has made me realise is that sometimes its worth paying a bit more for convenience (And this is from someone who previously would stay up until nearly midnight for a grocery delivery to save a few pounds!)It has also made me think that we tend to book an inside cabin on cruises because the price difference between that and a balcony cabin is huge (even though we could afford a balcony) so if our next cruise goes ahead I will be on the phone to pay for an upgrade!Our passports are due for renewal soon and if I am in town and am walking past Max S I may join you in the queue Avril (I also tell myself it will help the staff keep their jobs)

Don't forget Max S kiosks are also in many supermarkets, so you don't actually have to go into one of their stores.

 

[ann141]

2 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Don't forget Max S kiosks are also in many supermarkets, so you don't actually have to go into one of their stores.

 

I wouldn t pay £25 just for the photos but if it includes them sending the passport off etc I think it is something I would consider doing

[Adawn47]

37 minutes ago, ann141 said:

I wouldn t pay £25 just for the photos but if it includes them sending the passport off etc I think it is something I would consider doing

Exactly. £25 includes everything, not just photos. They fill in all the bumph required  check it and send everything away with your passport. I know a few who have used their service and all have been totally satisfied.  I always second guess myself so I would be constantly worrying if I forgotten anything or done something wrong so it would have to be returned. What's  £25 for the sake of my peace of mind. It's only once every 10 years,

Avril 

[Son of Anarchy]

The Ole Lady & I have both renewed passports ourselves online, as have several friends.  I appreciate there is an element of peace of mind to pay Max to do it, but £25?

 

Also, a few years back one of my work buddies paid the Post Office extra for their check & send service when renewing his kids passports.  Passport sent them back, something wrong with the paperwork.  He complained and eventually got refunded the extra that he'd paid.

 

BTW, when renewing a photo card driving licence, you can opt to use your passport photo.  The driving licence computer talks to the passport computer, so you don't have always have send in a new photo for your driving licence.

Edited May 23, 2020 by Son of Anarchy

[jeanlyon]

24 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

Exactly. £25 includes everything, not just photos. They fill in all the bumph required  check it and send everything away with your passport. I know a few who have used their service and all have been totally satisfied.  I always second guess myself so I would be constantly worrying if I forgotten anything or done something wrong so it would have to be returned. What's  £25 for the sake of my peace of mind. It's only once every 10 years,

Avril 

Whatever floats your boat, but it's difficult to make a mistake because as soon as you put your passport number in, it knows you and has your details.  

[BrianI]

Remember that if you apply on line it costs £75.50. Applying by paper form costs £85.

 

https://www.gov.uk/passport-fees

 

Brian

 

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Whatever floats your boat, but it's difficult to make a mistake because as soon as you put your passport number in, it knows you and has your details.  

Indeed, and the web site automatically determines if your photograph is acceptable.  There really is nothing for anybody to check.

[jeanlyon]

I had forgotten the fee was less as well.

[funinhounslow]

If you can register with CC and participate in the forums, you will certainly have no difficulty renewing your passport online. Honestly it’s a painless process. You can treat yourself to a meal in the Epicuran with the money you’ll save...

 

Just be careful to avoid shadows in your picture and you’ll be fine. 

[terrierjohn]

51 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Indeed, and the web site automatically determines if your photograph is acceptable.  There really is nothing for anybody to check.

But worriers will still wonder if they filled it in correctly. When really even if they did it's much easier to sort that out yourself by e Mail or phone, than having to revisit Max, even if he were still open.

[Adawn47]

2 minutes ago, funinhounslow said:

If you can register with CC and participate in the forums, you will certainly have no difficulty renewing your passport online. Honestly it’s a painless process. You can treat yourself to a meal in the Epicuran with the money you’ll save...

 

Just be careful to avoid shadows in your picture and you’ll be fine. 

It's nothing to do with the technical side of it. I just prefer the simplest way for me personally. Sit down and have photo taken, hand over my passport and debit card,  job done and on to other things. Many on here will be shaking their heads but it's how I'd prefer to do it for varying reasons already stated.  To us it's worth it. No two people are alike.

I think they will probably be our last passports😉

 

 

[cruisenewbie1976]

8 hours ago, No pager thank you said:

There will be uproar if we get to 17th July and no one knows about their cruises from 1st August.  And, little doubt the refunds will still be "in process."

 

No one knows of course how long the next suspension is going to be and if it might be targeted in some way, seems unlikely to me but then they will be desperate to get something going.

 

As an aside, following this quarantine business, a Britain and Ireland cruise possibility seems to be opening up.  If you can get a Irish Sea crossing on a ferry, then why not (in time) a cruise?  There are a number of good answers to that, slightly rhetorical of course.

 

Mind you slightly better a prospect than pitching up on a tender on a wet and windy Wednesday in Whitby?🤣

The blanket quarantine policy will be over well before the current cruise resumption date. Not saying that it means they'll go ahead from August but I doubt it'll be because of quarantine rules if they do cancel more cruises. 

[mercury7289]

2 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

The blanket quarantine policy will be over well before the current cruise resumption date. Not saying that it means they'll go ahead from August but I doubt it'll be because of quarantine rules if they do cancel more cruises. 

Thanks Boris!

[cruisenewbie1976]

31 minutes ago, mercury7289 said:

Thanks Boris!

You're welcome Victor. 

[mercury7289]

32 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

You're welcome Victor. 

No foot sorry!

[Turn the Tide]

13 hours ago, No pager thank you said:

There will be uproar if we get to 17th July and no one knows about their cruises from 1st August.  And, little doubt the refunds will still be "in process."

 

Yes but remember that P&O waited until 30th March to move the pause date from 11th April out to 15th May therefore less than 2 weeks before the deadline at the time.

[wowzz]

21 minutes ago, Turn the Tide said:

Yes but remember that P&O waited until 30th March to move the pause date from 11th April out to 15th May therefore less than 2 weeks before the deadline at the time.

Exactly,  and many of us are still waiting for our refunds!