P&O extend pause to April

[molecrochip]

Thats a whole year cancelled folks.

 

Additional cancellations are R103, R104, A107, A107A, A107B, A107C, A108, A108A, A108B, A108C, B108, B109, B110, G106, G107, G108, G109, G110, N104, N105, N106, N107, J102, & J104

[molecrochip]

Just to add some context: issue here is international ports of call and their desire to receive cruise passengers. It's not P&O's ability to be ready, or a concern about the UK population being ready to cruise - especially with potential vaccines on the horizon.

 

I believe the hope is to run some new, shorter, UK cruises in March / April.

[Captain_Morgan]

To be expected, albeit disappointing as with an entire season in the Caribbean scrubbed and Cunard already cancelled into the Spring it only makes sense that seasonal itineraries will be re-evaluated moving forward as well.

 

Suffice it to say, cruising is likely to look a whole lot different than it did when we last sailed

[Son of Anarchy]

I kept thinking, well PandO and Cunard survived two world wars.  But of course this time, the ships have been idle instead of helping the war effort.  Must be a terrible time for crew who haven't been maintaining the ships.  And all the suppliers for the cruise ships...

[Son of Anarchy]

3 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Just to add some context: issue here is international ports of call and their desire to receive cruise passengers. It's not P&O's ability to be ready, or a concern about the UK population being ready to cruise - especially with potential vaccines on the horizon.

 

I believe the hope is to run some new, shorter, UK cruises in March / April.

Thanks for the clarification.  I'll settle for a short notice scenic cruise!

[cruisenewbie1976]

 

 

6 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Just to add some context: issue here is international ports of call and their desire to receive cruise passengers. It's not P&O's ability to be ready, or a concern about the UK population being ready to cruise - especially with potential vaccines on the horizon.

 

I believe the hope is to run some new, shorter, UK cruises in March / April.

Do you know when these are likely to be announced? We've just had Iona cancelled for March and trying to plan so all isn't lost. Was going to book something in UK but would happily do a short UK cruise! 

Edited November 24, 2020 by cruisenewbie1976
Correction

[molecrochip]

To be fair to P&O, I think by pushing back past the Easter Holidays and to late April is a good step.

 

The current feeling is that the general UK mass vaccination program should almost be finished by the end of April therefore this may mean that cruising doesn't have to look too different to what we've had previously.

 

The biggest restriction likely to remain is the ability to go ashore independently in countries were a mass vaccine program is not as far progressed.

[molecrochip]

I don't suspect P&O to announce any short cruises until after Christmas.

 

My feel is end of January. By then we should know the impact of Christmas and the start of of the mass vaccination program.

[jeanlyon]

Yes agree.  Italy's numbers are really bad.  Spain seems to be doing a bit better.  Sweden is bad.  think that's the main problem.  Got the ships, but nowhere to go.

[jeanlyon]

4 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

I don't suspect P&O to announce any short cruises until after Christmas.

 

My feel is end of January. By then we should know the impact of Christmas and the start of of the mass vaccination program.

If they have cancelled to April 2021, why would they do short cruises in Jan/Feb?  Can't see that myself.

[ann141]

2 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

If they have cancelled to April 2021, why would they do short cruises in Jan/Feb?  Can't see that myself.

I think Molecrochip means that P and O won't announce any new 'short' cruises until end of January? I suppose their thinking is that if they arrange them now, they may have to cancel nearer the time

[cruisenewbie1976]

3 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

If they have cancelled to April 2021, why would they do short cruises in Jan/Feb?  Can't see that myself.

He said in March/April. Suppose it brings a bit of money in and gives the staff chance to get back into the swing of things before "proper" cruises start. And if the issue is with the European ports, rather than the UK, and a significant number of people have been vaccinated here, why not do some UK only cruises? 

[jeanlyon]

Not sure how many people would want to cruise the UK in February Brrrrrrrrrr!!!

[tring]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

Just to add some context: issue here is international ports of call and their desire to receive cruise passengers. It's not P&O's ability to be ready, or a concern about the UK population being ready to cruise - especially with potential vaccines on the horizon.

 

 

We are booked on Aurora to New York and back in September.  If I understand it correctly, the CDC have said cruises of more than 7 days will not be allowed from/to US ports until the 1st November 2021 and HAL + Princess have duly cancelled all cruises of more than 7 nights during that time and are contacting people with back to backs as they can only keep one of those cruises booked.

 

This would appear to put paid to plans for our cruise in September, do you agree and if so, do you expect P&O to cancel soon or sit on it for a while before taking that step?

Edited November 24, 2020 by tring

[jeanlyon]

I suppose the vaccine might make a difference, so I guess I would wait until your balance is due and think about it then.

[Manx buoy]

30 minutes ago, tring said:

 

We are booked on Aurora to New York and back in September.  If I understand it correctly, the CDC have said cruises of more than 7 days will not be allowed from/to US ports until the 1st November 2021 and HAL + Princess have duly cancelled all cruises of more than 7 nights during that time and are contacting people with back to backs as they can only keep one of those cruises booked.

 

This would appear to put paid to plans for our cruise in September, do you agree and if so, do you expect P&O to cancel soon or sit on it for a while before taking that step?

We were on that one changed it to Arcadia in 2022 not rushing back with all the new protocols 

[Eddie99]

Shares have risen significantly!

 

Despite this shorter term decision there must be considerable optimism in the cruise industry that the end really is in sight and that they do have a future

 

I guess there will be a huge amount of planning, “what-if-ing” and contingency arranging over the next few months.  It will be far from normal, for sure

[Adawn47]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Just to add some context: issue here is international ports of call and their desire to receive cruise passengers. It's not P&O's ability to be ready, or a concern about the UK population being ready to cruise - especially with potential vaccines on the horizon.

 

I believe the hope is to run some new, shorter, UK cruises in March / April.

I'm begining to feel less confident now about our June/July Fjords cruise.

Avril

[Purdey16]

Thanks molecrochip, it looked like the early part of the year would be cancelled and it seems to be good with all the vaccinations going on , your list of cancelled cruises doesn’t include mine which was G111 24th April to 1st may on Iona , do you think this could be the first Iona cruise ?

[silkworms]

Looking at the list of cancelled cruises on PandO website it is

interesting that Arcadia is due for a refit during which would have been

Cruise J103/4.  We are booked on J105,  looks like we could be one of

the first out on 20 May.  Excited to think they may be installing a Glass House which

was promised earlier this year prior to Covid.  By the way , the prices

for this cruise have doubled since we booked over 18 months ago.

Really hope we get to go!

 

Terri

[Eglesbrech]

2 hours ago, Adawn47 said:

I'm begining to feel less confident now about our June/July Fjords cruise.

Avril

The following is from Reuters a few weeks ago. Looks like they may have a similar programme to here so the Fjords could well be fine by that time.

 

“Norway to provide COVID-19 vaccine free of charge to Norwegians. - Norway will provide a vaccine against COVID-19 free of charge to its citizens when one becomes available, the government said on Tuesday, and this would become part of the country's national vaccination programme”

 

 

[Eglesbrech]

“While we want to ensure you have the P&O Cruises holiday you've dreamed of, please be aware that we will be significantly reducing the number of guests on our first cruises following the pause in operations to better enable a smooth return to sailing. We have reduced the number of available cabins on these cruises accordingly.”

 

Just found the above on my personaliser for later in 2021. Slightly worrying. So have they reduced or will they reduce further?

[ann141]

10 minutes ago, Eglesbrech said:

“While we want to ensure you have the P&O Cruises holiday you've dreamed of, please be aware that we will be significantly reducing the number of guests on our first cruises following the pause in operations to better enable a smooth return to sailing. We have reduced the number of available cabins on these cruises accordingly.”

 

Just found the above on my personaliser for later in 2021. Slightly worrying. So have they reduced or will they reduce further?

From what I have read previously it appears that P and O will have all ready taken reduced numbers into account for 2021 cruises(by blocking out a certain number of cabins on sale) and could be one reason why some cruises seem overpriced.I think their 'reduced' numbers are about 80 or 85% full which doesn t sound enough to me.I would be happier if they started sailing with 60% at first.Perhaps Molecrochip can tell us more?

Edited November 24, 2020 by ann141

[Eglesbrech]

1 minute ago, ann141 said:

From what I have read previously it appears that P and O will have all ready taken reduced numbers into account for 2021 cruises and could be one reason why some cruises seem overpriced.I think their 'reduced' numbers are about 80 or 85% full which doesn t sound enough to me.I would be happier if they started sailing with 60% at first.Perhaps Molecrochip can tell us more?

I am concerned as my grade was already sold out earlier in the year, now they are saying they are reducing so who will they potentially bump?

 

Hopefully the vaccine will resolve the issue before cruises begin again.

[ann141]

1 minute ago, Eglesbrech said:

I am concerned as my grade was already sold out earlier in the year, now they are saying they are reducing so who will they potentially bump?

 

Hopefully the vaccine will resolve the issue before cruises begin again.

I think what I read(sorry can't remember where)is that P and O have been selling cabins based on reduced occupancy for several months now so hopefully no one should need to be 'bumped off.Others have probably already cancelled the cruise that you are due to sail on so more cabins may be available than there were nearer the beginning of the year when your grade was shown as 'sold out'