P&O November cruises not available

[Selbourne]

8 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

That would cause a problem if, by any chance, the cruises went ahead. They wouldn’t be able to adequately social distance on a full ship. 

I suppose that ‘sold out’ may not mean ‘full’ under the new criteria. It could be that they have sold the maximum number of places that they feel they can accommodate with some form of social distancing in place?

[Dermotsgirl]

Just now, Selbourne said:

I suppose that ‘sold out’ may not mean ‘full’ under the new criteria. It could be that they have sold the maximum number of places that they feel they can accommodate with some form of social distancing in place?

The cynical part of me thinks they want to get as much money in as possible now, and think about the thorny issue of social distancing later!
 

But, yes, it is possible they have reached their ‘limit‘.  If so, it would be helpful to know what sort of capacity they would intend sailing at, so people know what sort of onboard experience they will have. 

[molecrochip]

5 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I suppose that ‘sold out’ may not mean ‘full’ under the new criteria. It could be that they have sold the maximum number of places that they feel they can accommodate with some form of social distancing in place?

I suspect this could be the case.

 

I noted both sold out on the same day earlier this week. Same can be said for transpacific cruise sectors in Arcadia and Aurora worldwide for next couple of years.

[Selbourne]

4 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I suspect this could be the case.

 

I noted both sold out on the same day earlier this week. Same can be said for transpacific cruise sectors in Arcadia and Aurora worldwide for next couple of years.

So I guess it could also be that they know full well that those cruises won’t go ahead (due to itineraries etc) so have marked them as sold out rather than cancelled, so they don’t have to refund those already booked until much later? 

[molecrochip]

1 hour ago, ann141 said:

From what Molecrochip has posted you might be on the maiden cruise!!

 

1 hour ago, No pager thank you said:

Yes, there is definitely something strange going on...

 

I would say that our planned Christmas and New Year cruise on Iona is still on sale, which I would imagine is a popular choice (in normal circumstances).

 

I'll have another look later to see if anything changes😀

P&O will try anything to avoid cancelling this cruise. Cancelling Christmas is so emotive and damaging. It would also mean launching a ship in 2021 rather than 2020.

[Manx buoy]

2 hours ago, Dermotsgirl said:

Both itineraries include stops in Florida, where the virus is currently on the rampage. Things can change, but it’s unlikely to be a place to consider visiting for a while yet.
 

 

 

The Feb one is just Caribbean not America unless they’ve changed it and not told us

[Dermotsgirl]

41 minutes ago, Manx buoy said:

The Feb one is just Caribbean not America unless they’ve changed it and not told us

I was looking at Feb 2022! 

[Ardennais]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Ventura’s two long cruises in Jan/Feb are showing as sold out.

I booked our January 2020 35 night Ventura cruise late last September, and there was reasonably good availability then - so if they’re already sold out for next year, people have been booking earlier this time around. 

[Eddie99]

I wasn’t sure where to post this, and didn’t think it warranted a new thread.

 

It’s a CC article from yesterday, giving the latest known position wrt when the various lines, worldwide, intend/hope/plan to resume.  There’s quite a variation!

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5206/

[ann141]

26 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

I wasn’t sure where to post this, and didn’t think it warranted a new thread.

 

It’s a CC article from yesterday, giving the latest known position wrt when the various lines, worldwide, intend/hope/plan to resume.  There’s quite a variation!

 

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/5206/

Interesting. Thank you

.I notice that Hurtigruten have had 33 cases of Covid onboard (with 4 people in hospital!) so have cancelled the next cruise.I think it will make other cruise lines extra cautious before re starting

[mat5664]

2 minutes ago, ann141 said:

Interesting. Thank you

.I notice that Hurtigruten have had 33 cases of Covid onboard (with 4 people in hospital!) so have cancelled the next cruise.I think it will make other cruise lines extra cautious before re starting

 

I think this will be the nail in the coffin (no pun intended) for Cruising this year and early next.  First cruise line to resume  and crew end up in hospital and who knows how many passengers will be affected as they had all disembarked.

[ann141]

2 minutes ago, mat5664 said:

 

I think this will be the nail in the coffin (no pun intended) for Cruising this year and early next.  First cruise line to resume  and crew end up in hospital and who knows how many passengers will be affected as they had all disembarked.

I think so too.33 cases reported so far and I think there were only 160 people onboard!

[Chrisdriving]

Not good news at all, i have given up on our Nov 20 cruise and am even wondering if our July 21 would happen or resemble some sort of normality.

 

When this all blew up in March i would never of believed it possible it would impact our cruise at the end of the year.

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, ann141 said:

Interesting. Thank you

.I notice that Hurtigruten have had 33 cases of Covid onboard (with 4 people in hospital!) so have cancelled the next cruise.I think it will make other cruise lines extra cautious before re starting

I think that the larger cruise lines may have been waiting for the first ships venturing out to test the waters for them.  If this is the result more cancellations ahead, me thinks.

Avril 

[No pager thank you]

5 hours ago, molecrochip said:

 

P&O will try anything to avoid cancelling this cruise. Cancelling Christmas is so emotive and damaging. It would also mean launching a ship in 2021 rather than 2020.

I agree, although I do fear that the chances of this being possible are now in the region of 20-30% (ish) - the uncertainty being if the second wave is much less potent than expected, and if there is no flu season either (like Australia), which allows resources to go in to managing community spread.

 

I just hope that if P&O are forced to cancel the Christmas cruises then they do give plenty of notice, because alternative holiday options will get booked up, if indeed this is possible either.  I haven't decided yet what I will do in terms of paying up, I have mixed feelings about the matter.

 

I'm pretty fed up with P&O at the moment - it's not their fault if they have to cancel Christmas, which is emotive and bad for PR, but I've started to get used to the idea that I might not have that to look forward to at the end of a trying year.

[bee-ess]

I really think that P&O should drastically reduce the time to pay balances - 90 days is far too long in this climate and even longer if you book with TA's. Customers are in a hopeless position having to pay so early with no idea of what will happen or how long they will have to wait for their money back in the event of cancellation. We have 2 FCC's already with no slots to book them in until the 2022/3 cruises are available so it will be a refund for us next time, wish we had done that with the other 2 we have lost. I would say that balances should be paid 28 days before sailing in this climate.

[Bazrat]

13 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

I really think that P&O should drastically reduce the time to pay balances - 90 days is far too long in this climate and even longer if you book with TA's. Customers are in a hopeless position having to pay so early with no idea of what will happen or how long they will have to wait for their money back in the event of cancellation. We have 2 FCC's already with no slots to book them in until the 2022/3 cruises are available so it will be a refund for us next time, wish we had done that with the other 2 we have lost. I would say that balances should be paid 28 days before sailing in this climate.

I agree with you about the 90 day rules but what would you do if people waited till 28 days before than decided not to go, you might have a lot of empty cabins and the company would lose a lot of money.

[molecrochip]

10 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

I really think that P&O should drastically reduce the time to pay balances - 90 days is far too long in this climate and even longer if you book with TA's. Customers are in a hopeless position having to pay so early with no idea of what will happen or how long they will have to wait for their money back in the event of cancellation. We have 2 FCC's already with no slots to book them in until the 2022/3 cruises are available so it will be a refund for us next time, wish we had done that with the other 2 we have lost. I would say that balances should be paid 28 days before sailing in this climate.

I agree.

 

Been looking at some older posts, the TA mentioned up the thread, has stoped selling cruises in advance of a possible announcement before. The cruises they have taken off sail are those in the window whereby final payment is due to them but not yet if booked direct.

 

You may recall my comment about enhanced FFC only due if P&O have the funds. The TA mentioned above does not use P&O to collect final balance but instead Collects it themselves, holds it for a few weeks before paying across.

[No pager thank you]

15 minutes ago, Bazrat said:

I agree with you about the 90 day rules but what would you do if people waited till 28 days before than decided not to go, you might have a lot of empty cabins and the company would lose a lot of money.

I see your point, but what about the rule around being able to transfer the cruise up to 48 hours notice? 

 

Yes, in this scenario P&O keeps the customers money (perhaps temporarily) but effectively loses its ability to resell the cabin, so also incurs a "penalty."

 

When the CMA starts to actually enforce the 14 day refund requirement, as opposed to send open letters, then many of these companies will change balance due dates.  The benefit of holding on money for longer will be offset by the impact of the regulator action (and PR damage).

[No pager thank you]

38 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

I really think that P&O should drastically reduce the time to pay balances - 90 days is far too long in this climate and even longer if you book with TA's. Customers are in a hopeless position having to pay so early with no idea of what will happen or how long they will have to wait for their money back in the event of cancellation. We have 2 FCC's already with no slots to book them in until the 2022/3 cruises are available so it will be a refund for us next time, wish we had done that with the other 2 we have lost. I would say that balances should be paid 28 days before sailing in this climate.

100% agree, I've been saying this for a while.  A number of competitors have swallowed this pill already.

[hollyjess]

Does anybody have any idea when P and O are going to update us on the current position regarding November sailings as it's getting very close to paying the balance?

[amfc_lenny]

37 minutes ago, hollyjess said:

Does anybody have any idea when P and O are going to update us on the current position regarding November sailings as it's getting very close to paying the balance?

don’t think I’ll be paying my balance, anytime soon as I think with the hurtigruten news there’s now very little chance of p and o being running by then. 
 

 

[No pager thank you]

39 minutes ago, hollyjess said:

Does anybody have any idea when P and O are going to update us on the current position regarding November sailings as it's getting very close to paying the balance?

Unfortunately, there hasn't been any further update yet - only rumours so far.

[wowzz]

4 hours ago, hollyjess said:

Does anybody have any idea when P and O are going to update us on the current position regarding November sailings as it's getting very close to paying the balance?

I know you have asked this question elsewhere, but realistically I dont think anyone here thinks November cruises will be happening.  

[terrierjohn]

12 hours ago, hollyjess said:

Does anybody have any idea when P and O are going to update us on the current position regarding November sailings as it's getting very close to paying the balance?

Being cynical I would have to say not before the balance payment dates of enough of them, so that P&Os cash reserves can be enhanced.