More Cancellations Imminent?

[Adawn47]

2 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Just wait for the mass increase of cases in the USA with all these protests going on.  They had a big spike yesterday and those figures wouldn't include the protests.

And we complain. Thank heavens for small mercies.

Avril 

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Just wait for the mass increase of cases in the USA with all these protests going on.  They had a big spike yesterday and those figures wouldn't include the protests.

Friends in Phoenix Arizona went out for a meal at a restaurant last night.

[NoFlyGuy]

4 hours ago, Snow Hill said:

5 members now including chair of NERVTAG, the respiratory group within SAGE, all eminent experts in their field. Starting to see SAGE members distancing themselves from the Government 

Been listening to the daily briefing. Seems there are around 50 members, so 10% say they have concerns. Maybe others will follow, I don't know.

Of course the government is wary as well and it's a difficult balancing act and the measures are quite small.

Boris and co only have control of what happens in England. Most Covid-19 matters are devolved to local administrations in the other parts of the UK.

We will see how much the rules diverge over the weeks ahead.

Scotland have already loosened their lockdown rules ahead of England.

[Windsurfboy]

If there are 50 Sage members with different opinions,  if we wait for all  of them to say it's safe it will certainly be to late. 

[CCFC]

Think there are 60 of them and 4 are not in agreement.

[jeanlyon]

I am back to work at my office on Monday, having worked at home since March.  So that's a definite improvement!

[zap99]

24 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

If there are 50 Sage members with different opinions,  if we wait for all  of them to say it's safe it will certainly be to late. 

50 members, 50 opinions. Simple really, if you want to stay locked up in your house you are free to do so. Those who want to get on with life can now do so a little easier.

[cruisenewbie1976]

25 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I am back to work at my office on Monday, having worked at home since March.  So that's a definite improvement!

Are you all going back or is it a partial return? I'm working at home but they're talking about having half of us back in the office at a time as rather than 6 to a bank of desks, they can only have 2. Still not sure how that accommodates half of the office mind. 

[zap99]

29 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I am back to work at my office on Monday, having worked at home since March.  So that's a definite improvement!

So Jean, lunch at the Fortescue on Fridays again. Crab salad for me please.

[jeanlyon]

9 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Are you all going back or is it a partial return? I'm working at home but they're talking about having half of us back in the office at a time as rather than 6 to a bank of desks, they can only have 2. Still not sure how that accommodates half of the office mind. 

There aren't many of us and my other colleague will be on leave, so only me in the office with screens up and my boss in the other office.

 

5 minutes ago, zap99 said:

So Jean, lunch at the Fortescue on Fridays again. Crab salad for me please.

To busy to go to the Fort!!  But yes please!

[zap99]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

There aren't many of us and my other colleague will be on leave, so only me in the office with screens up and my boss in the other office.

 

To busy to go to the Fort!!  But yes please!

I first went there about 50 years ago when my diving club used to stay at Hope Cove. Me and my wife were down that way last year. I know, let's go to the Fort for lunch. Crikey have the prices gone up.😁

[grapau27]

6 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

And we complain. Thank heavens for small mercies.

Avril 

Just saw some pictures from Titusville US for the space launch.

It was packed.

[pete14]

49 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Just saw some pictures from Titusville US for the space launch.

It was packed.

Space station and rocket have both passed over us in last 30 minutes. 

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, pete14 said:

Space station and rocket have both passed over us in last 30 minutes. 

We had a very clear and lengthy view of the space station as it passed over, but couldn’t see the rocket, which must have been too low in the sky and hidden behind trees. Shame as I’ve seen the space station before. I was lucky enough to attend a night time Space Shuttle launch in Florida around 20 years ago, something I will never forget. 

[pete14]

6 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

We had a very clear and lengthy view of the space station as it passed over, but couldn’t see the rocket, which must have been too low in the sky and hidden behind trees. Shame as I’ve seen the space station before. I was lucky enough to attend a night time Space Shuttle launch in Florida around 20 years ago, something I will never forget. 

We also got a good view of the space station. The rocket was a few minutes later, fainter and lower in the sky. I presume it was the rocket, it was at the expected time and from the expected direction. There was little else it could have been.

[Selbourne]

14 minutes ago, pete14 said:

We also got a good view of the space station. The rocket was a few minutes later, fainter and lower in the sky. I presume it was the rocket, it was at the expected time and from the expected direction. There was little else it could have been.

Yes it would have been. I think it was passing directly over the bottom of Spain, so quite a way away and very low in the sky, whereas the space station was over South West England so more overhead and a lot brighter. We have trees at the end of our garden so can’t see the low horizon, so missed the rocket unfortunately. All very exciting though. 

[pete14]

8 hours ago, Selbourne said:

Yes it would have been. I think it was passing directly over the bottom of Spain, so quite a way away and very low in the sky, whereas the space station was over South West England so more overhead and a lot brighter. We have trees at the end of our garden so can’t see the low horizon, so missed the rocket unfortunately. All very exciting though. 

We have seen the space station a few times but never a rocket going to join it. Only a faint moving light in the sky but it was what it is, not how it appears.  🚀🛰🛸

[Ginb56]

Our end of Sept cruise hasn’t been cancelled yet and I doubt we’ll continue with it due to lack of Covid insurance cover now. The balance is due in 3 weeks so hope we hear news before then so can go down the refund route. But I’ve a feeling P&O will be wanting autumn cruises to go ahead.
 

Also has anyone heard mention of any likely price reduction as a sweetener to encourage any remaining passengers to keep their booking, considering the likely restrictions on board and perhaps itinerary limitations? We’re paying full whack currently for a deluxe balcony and it won’t be the holiday experience we’d originally booked, but may consider still going with a healthy token discount. 
 

Need a crystal ball to see what plans P&O are making for the new normal life on board (and new Covid victim care) so we can make an informed decision later this month. Anyone else in a similar situation with Sept/Oct cruises and the do we/don’t we feeling?

[Son of Anarchy]

4 minutes ago, Ginb56 said:

Our end of Sept cruise hasn’t been cancelled yet and I doubt we’ll continue with it due to lack of Covid insurance cover now. The balance is due in 3 weeks so hope we hear news before then so can go down the refund route. But I’ve a feeling P&O will be wanting autumn cruises to go ahead.
 

Also has anyone heard mention of any likely price reduction as a sweetener to encourage any remaining passengers to keep their booking, considering the likely restrictions on board and perhaps itinerary limitations? We’re paying full whack currently for a deluxe balcony and it won’t be the holiday experience we’d originally booked, but may consider still going with a healthy token discount. 
 

Need a crystal ball to see what plans P&O are making for the new normal life on board (and new Covid victim care) so we can make an informed decision later this month. Anyone else in a similar situation with Sept/Oct cruises and the do we/don’t we feeling?

 

We're due to sail at the beginning of September, balance due next week.  Haven't heard anything re sweetener(s) to retain the booking.  In fact, we booked an Early Saver fare, and since booking ES fares are now longer available (at the moment).  Effectively increasing the price (the OBC for Select was nowhere near the ES fare when we booked) in our case.

 

What would be a nice gesture though, as there is lots of cabin availability, would be the ability to request a specific cabin prior to sailing, in the event that that cabin isn't sold on a Select fare.  Just a thought PandO...

[Ginb56]

From the various threads, there seems to be a thought that the first allowed cruises would be balcony only cabins (imagine you’d get an automatic upgrade Son of Anarchy?) so access to fresh air - and possibly only alternative cabins used so you’re less likely to share air con bugs quite so much or be in such close proximity on balconies and corridors. Also that some cabins/areas will be kept as a medical wing in case of any Covid cases emerging on board. How true all that is remains to be seen...! 

 

I’ve no idea how cost effective that is for P&O but if they don’t reveal soon how it’s all going to work, offer some good incentives and say which will be the first likely cruises to run (even if they can’t be precise yet on the ports allowed), then they risk losing many more of the hanging-on-for-now bookings for Aug onwards. At the moment, by saying nothing, people aren’t prepared to take the risk and are still ‘jumping ship’.

[Son of Anarchy]

There was mention on another thread that the industry was looking into having specific quarantine areas.  Heard nothing more.  Having looked at cabin availability for our next one (nothing better to do), they could probably set aside a quarantine area, indeed they may well have already done so.

 

Re our next one, guaranteed a balcony.  If we could opt for an aft one (several available), we would probably be quite happy to stick with that.  But if we're allocated a side balcony, won't say no to an upgrade!  Although we knew that there was a possibility that our cruise won't go, that has now changed to a very high probability.  Ever hopeful....

 

 

[terrierjohn]

31 minutes ago, Ginb56 said:

From the various threads, there seems to be a thought that the first allowed cruises would be balcony only cabins (imagine you’d get an automatic upgrade Son of Anarchy?) so access to fresh air - and possibly only alternative cabins used so you’re less likely to share air con bugs quite so much or be in such close proximity on balconies and corridors. Also that some cabins/areas will be kept as a medical wing in case of any Covid cases emerging on board. How true all that is remains to be seen...! 

 

I’ve no idea how cost effective that is for P&O but if they don’t reveal soon how it’s all going to work, offer some good incentives and say which will be the first likely cruises to run (even if they can’t be precise yet on the ports allowed), then they risk losing many more of the hanging-on-for-now bookings for Aug onwards. At the moment, by saying nothing, people aren’t prepared to take the risk and are still ‘jumping ship’.

That will be even less cost effective than not paying out refunds on time. Anything less than 90% capacity, at previous prices, and I assume the ships operate at a loss.

I have not seen any forward pricing on any cruise lines that indicate anything other than the normal modest cost increase, so I am assuming they all intend to operate at similar levels in the future.

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, Ginb56 said:

Anyone else in a similar situation with Sept/Oct cruises and the do we/don’t we feeling?

Not September/October,  ours is November 6th but we're having the same discussions.  The final balance is August 8th so we're lucky enough to be able to wait it out until July 31st when we should know if there are to be any more cancellations. Still slightly undecided, but we're leaning more towards paying the balance and hoping the cruise goes ahead or FCC and going to Norway in March/April as an extra cruise treat  next year. Of course all this becomes moot if there are to be more cancellations. Oh dear😞. 

Avril 

 

[No pager thank you]

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

 

We're due to sail at the beginning of September, balance due next week.  Haven't heard anything re sweetener(s) to retain the booking.  In fact, we booked an Early Saver fare, and since booking ES fares are now longer available (at the moment).  Effectively increasing the price (the OBC for Select was nowhere near the ES fare when we booked) in our case

We are in the same position. 

 

Unfortunately, P&O abolished the sweetener that they initially offered in March, which left a more bitter taste in the mouth (pardon the pun) than if they had never bothered; personally I can't see much advantage to them being too generous after balances are paid.  Particularly the farce that August Cruises now theoretically get the bonus OBC, September no - go figure?

 

May I ask, have you received the P&O balance payment reminder yet... usually these come through around 10 days before, but nothing this time?  Always careful to turn the automatic payment business off, so it just makes me wonder if we are not too far away from an announcement - hope that I am being overly pessimistic of course.

[Son of Anarchy]

No reminder so far.  Forgot about that.