Getting Cold Feet on our April 26, 21 booking

[Cranky64]

As I have mentioned we have never been on a cruise before but have been traveling to Europe for over 30 years. This year we had to cancel a 3 week Central Europe self drive vacation and a trip to New England due to Covid. We really only lost about $400 worth of non refundable service fees.  This morning the news was pretty bad, filled with more covid doom and gloom. El Paso is even instituting a curfew.    

 

We booked Queens Grill suite so you know this is not an inexpensive trip and we have placed a $2000 deposit already with a final payment due on Feb 25th. I guess what troubles me the most is if we have to quarantine in Southampton for 14 days in May or if we will be unable to continue on to France. Any sort of quarantine period would make this trip imposable for us.  

 

My questions are: 

1. Do you think Cunard will cancel or postpone the booking if the 14 day quarantine is still in place? 

2. If I do decide to cancel this booking do I lose 100% of my initial deposit? The Cunard website is not 100% clear to me and I might call them later today for clarification 

 

Thanks Again

 

H. Green

[Oulton Jim]

Wish I could give answers to all parts for you -here is my current understanding. 

 If you instigate the cancellation BEFORE there is a cancellation by Cunard -you will lose the deposit. 

 I am unable to offer advice IF there should be a 14 day self-isolation when landing in England.

 These are the current terms offered to anyone wishing to exchange their cruise to a later date:-

 

• Transfer your booking to any Cunard voyage currently on sale (and not just to those within the next 12 months).
• Transfer your booking to a voyage of higher or lower value (and not just of a higher value, as is usually the case).
• Transfer your booking an unlimited number of times (and not just once).
• Transfer your bookings free of charge, as we will waive the current £100 administration charge for each transfer made.

  Personally I would sit tight until approaching the time when the balance has to be paid and IF there was still a degree of uncertainty [for example -the 14 day self-isolation rule] -then I would find a cruise some time ahead and switch. PS -I am guessing that if it is Cunard who cancel your cruise then you may well be offered 125% against a future cruise. 

Edited October 27, 2020 by Oulton Jim

[Host Hattie]

 

US deposits are usually refundable, what does your booking confirmation say @Cranky64 ?

[majortom10]

TBH your only definitive answer would be to either contacting your TA or if booked direct with Cunard as these will give you your options.

[Underwatr]

It's always been possible to book Cunard from the US with a refundable deposit. I'd almost go so far as to say deposits are always refundable until close to final payment but I haven't really paid attention to the latest low-price booking terms. Cunard recently moved the refundable deposit expiration to about a month before final payment, but at any rate you're still outside that date.

[bluemarble]

48 minutes ago, Underwatr said:

It's always been possible to book Cunard from the US with a refundable deposit. I'd almost go so far as to say deposits are always refundable until close to final payment but I haven't really paid attention to the latest low-price booking terms. Cunard recently moved the refundable deposit expiration to about a month before final payment, but at any rate you're still outside that date.

 

Cunard has been offering what they call "Value" fares with non-refundable deposits the past few years for a few months after new schedules were announced. In the past, those could only be booked by calling Cunard or through a travel agent. Recently, similar fares have started showing up as being bookable through the Cunard US website.

 

Here's an example from the booking process on the US website for an inside cabin on QM2 voyage M110. You have your choice of what they are calling a "Limited Time" fare with a non-refundable deposit (and other restrictions) or a higher "Cruise" fare with a refundable deposit.

 

 

This looks somewhat similar to the "Saver" and "Cunard" fares in the UK (although the "Cunard" fare in the UK also has a non-refundable deposit). I don't know how long the "Limited Time" fares will be available in the US though.

Edited October 27, 2020 by bluemarble

[MCC retired]

If you booked in the US , you probably booked the N1B rate Code (with the reduced deposit , Grats , Dinner and Drinks).

That deposit is 100% refundable by Cunard up until Final Payment .

If you booked the non-refundable deposit KG5 rate code ( which is currently showing Sold Out for Q5) you would have 

a Cabin Guarantee , none of the NIB goodies , but would save about $200p/p from the cruise fare.

 

Edited October 27, 2020 by MCC retired

[majortom10]

56 minutes ago, bluemarble said:

 

Cunard has been offering what they call "Value" fares with non-refundable deposits the past few years for a few months after new schedules were announced. In the past, those could only be booked by calling Cunard or through a travel agent. Recently, similar fares have started showing up as being bookable through the Cunard US website.

 

Here's an example from the booking process on the US website for an inside cabin on QM2 voyage M110. You have your choice of what they are calling a "Limited Time" fare with a non-refundable deposit (and other restrictions) or a higher "Cruise" fare with a refundable deposit.

 

 

This looks somewhat similar to the "Saver" and "Cunard" fares in the UK (although the "Cunard" fare in the UK also has a non-refundable deposit). I don't know how long the "Limited Time" fares will be available in the US though.

Whatever fare you book in the UK and doesnt matter which cruise line or in fact any holiday the deposit is non refundable

[Cruise NH]

We're booked on this same sailing from NY to UK, so I assume the OP is in the US and can get a refund.  

 

I just checked my booking and my final day to cancel without penalty is 12/27/2020, so you might want to check that out.

 

I don't know why I can't bring myself to cancel it!  Our intention was to travel in the UK and Italy before coming home, I really don't think that's going to be doable, at least not without a lot of restrictions.   Will we even be able to visit sites we want to go to?  I'm thinking not.  

[Cranky64]

Thanks everyone I better understand this now. We did book a cruse fare that is not the discounted fare. I just misread the refund schedule and how it changed towards the sailing date. So it does appear that we can get a 100% refund before February 25 then it drops to a  50% penalty. I just did not understand the graphic.  

Thanks for everyone's help. 

[Underwatr]

The cancellation fee schedule has changed (favorably) due to COVID. See this page:
https://www.cunard.com/en-us/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/interim-cancellation-policy

 

Canceling your voyage – updated August 25, 2020.

If you’re booked on a Cunard voyage sailing on Queen Mary 2 after April 18, 2021, on Queen Victoria after May 16, 2021, or on Queen Elizabeth after December 13, 2021, and wish to cancel, we have reduced our final payment due date for sailings through April 30, 2021, please see below.

For sailings after April 30, 2021, our standard cancelation policy applies. Cunard shall be entitled to levy a cancelation charge as a percentage of the fare paid.

The final payment due date is reduced for sailings through April 30, 2021:

• Voyages up to 30 nights: From 120 days to 60 days prior to sailing
• Voyages 31 nights or longer: From 150 days to 90 days prior to sailing

The Cancelation Fee Schedule will be as follows for sailings through April 30, 2021:

Voyages up to 30 nights:

31 to 59 Days to Sail          50% of net fare

15 to 30 Days to Sail          75% of net fare

00 to 14 Days to Sail          100% of net fare

 

Voyages 31 nights or longer:

64 to 89 Days to Sail          50% of net fare

43 to 63 Days to Sail          75% of net fare

00 to 42 Days to Sail          100% of net fare

[Lakesregion]

On 10/27/2020 at 12:57 PM, bluemarble said:

 

Cunard has been offering what they call "Value" fares with non-refundable deposits the past few years for a few months after new schedules were announced. In the past, those could only be booked by calling Cunard or through a travel agent. Recently, similar fares have started showing up as being bookable through the Cunard US website.

 

Here's an example from the booking process on the US website for an inside cabin on QM2 voyage M110. You have your choice of what they are calling a "Limited Time" fare with a non-refundable deposit (and other restrictions) or a higher "Cruise" fare with a refundable deposit.

 

 

This looks somewhat similar to the "Saver" and "Cunard" fares in the UK (although the "Cunard" fare in the UK also has a non-refundable deposit). I don't know how long the "Limited Time" fares will be available in the US though.

This is the case with theQM2 2022 world cruise. A difference of around $7,000 between the non-refundable and refundable deposit fare which works out to be the amount Cunard loses if one cancels out with the refundable fare. Not overly clever on their part but if one is willing to gamble that the 2022world cruise will not be 100 plus days in the county jail type of cruising it is a bargain price.