Will P&O now delay announcements for future cruise pauses?

[jeanlyon]

Yes I saw the announcement about Aurora's US trip being unable to book.  And if Canada is shut to cruises, that would rather stimey those cruises.

[No pager thank you]

1 hour ago, tring said:

 

Thanks for that information.  Seems to have put that idea down then.  Molecrochip did say he expected an announcement about Gala 2 at the end of this month and they tend to get bad news out before good things.  Only two Tuesdays left now, so I will be putting my bets on next Tuesday.

 

Unless they delay the Gala Two announcement........

 

I think that they will time it so that it comes in to the positive discussion about the roadmap and Gala 2, and not too long before they start dropping hints with confirmed dates about the launch of Winter 2022/23.  So probably the 23rd February - as a guess.  What they announce will be confirmed by the roadmap I think. 

 

You may recall that Paul Ludlow did several versions of his video for a previous stoppage to account for different possibilities.

 

Ideally, they will want people to shift their monies to these cruises as opposed to take the cash.  There are still some people who have not booked at all for next year yet, from the current brochure.  Their 25% bonus will have been eaten up by now with the increases in fares unfortunately, so the best bet will be to either take the money or recycle deposits on to a Winter 2022/23 cruise with a small but real FCC benefit.

[No pager thank you]

57 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

I wonder whether PandO will extend the date by which FCC's have to be used?  Another tranche of cancellations, it looks Aurora and Arcadia's N American cruises are off, and as each day goes by another day less in which to use up any FCC.   

 

Or will they just "expect" people to use up their FCC when winter 22/23 is released?

I reckon that this will be tightened up soon, otherwise it could go on forever.  When a cruise actually sails would be a good time to set a clear deadline I think, probably from the next brochure time series.

 

Interestingly, if someone still doesn't redeem their FCC, I would imagine that P&O would have to return it as cash, linked to the original Package Tour Regulations.  Old ground I know, but as no one has to request a refund, it should be automatic. If someone doesn't redeem their FCC, then it should go back to cash. 

 

You can see one of "those adverts" in a few years time. 

 

Did you have a holiday which wasn't fully refunded during the pandemic - call free on XX, no win no fee, and no paperwork needed! 

 

Assuming said firm is still in business of course!

 

[yorkshirephil]

11 minutes ago, No pager thank you said:

I reckon that this will be tightened up soon, otherwise it could go on forever.  When a cruise actually sails would be a good time to set a clear deadline I think, probably from the next brochure time series.

 

Interestingly, if someone still doesn't redeem their FCC, I would imagine that P&O would have to return it as cash, linked to the original Package Tour Regulations.  Old ground I know, but as no one has to request a refund, it should be automatic. If someone doesn't redeem their FCC, then it should go back to cash. 

 

You can see one of "those adverts" in a few years time. 

 

Did you have a holiday which wasn't fully refunded during the pandemic - call free on XX, no win no fee, and no paperwork needed! 

 

Assuming said firm is still in business of course!

 

The terms of my contract with P&O states that if I don't use the FCC by 31-12-21 a refund will be arranged. I would imagine they will change the date to extend the use of FCC as there will be so many of them now and when they put that in the terms I don't think anyone expected covid to drag on like it has.

[tring]

1 hour ago, No pager thank you said:

I think that they will time it so that it comes in to the positive discussion about the roadmap and Gala 2, and not too long before they start dropping hints with confirmed dates about the launch of Winter 2022/23.  So probably the 23rd February - as a guess.  What they announce will be confirmed by the roadmap I think. 

 

 

So, is your view that they would get the bad news out (cancellations) next week with promise of better to come, or are you suggesting the cancellations may come on the 23rd, along with the good news?  I would have thought the latter, but Molecrochip did not seem to think that is how it is done and I have no idea about timings and what works best from a business standpoint, which will obviously be what matters.

[majortom10]

Think the bad news will come on 23rd February and the good news will be on 2nd March.

[MX-Drew]

20 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

Think the bad news will come on 23rd February and the good news will be on 2nd March.

As I have said, that is where money is.

[tring]

2 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

Yes I saw the announcement about Aurora's US trip being unable to book.  And if Canada is shut to cruises, that would rather stimey those cruises.

 

I have previously mentioned the position in Eastern coastal provinces of Canada. There is now some concern in Newfoundland and Labrador as they have now found community transmissions, whilst previously cases could be attributed to travel or contact with someone who has travelled,  This does not sound a major problem to us, but does show how well they have kept the virus under control so far.  This is from a government site over there and shows they currently have 27 active cases in the whole province as well as other data further down the page:-

 

https://covid-19-newfoundland-and-labrador-gnl.hub.arcgis.com/

 

From what I saw on another link yesterday, Nova Scotia and Prince Edwards Island are in a similar position with tiny covid numbers.

 

The need for quarantine on entry (even from other Canadian provinces) has done them well so far, but I do not see any of those provinces accepting cruise ships for a long time to come.  As I mentioned recently my niece from Montreal would not have been allowed to go to see my brother without a two week quarantine, even when he had a stroke before Christmas.

 

Lack of vaccines in Canada are also a problem, though not the only one for potential cruising in those provinces I suggest.  My SIL did confirm that the Canadian vaccines have been delayed and, although they are 80 and 71, both with medical conditions, they are way down the priority list.  Hopefully Newfoundland will get a grip on the community transmission, so can keep numbers much as they were previously, though most people are keeping well away from any likely source of infection as best they can.

 

Edited February 9, 2021 by tring

[Britboys]

5 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Think the bad news will come on 23rd February and the good news will be on 2nd March.

As, purely from a personal perspective, I don't look upon any news about Gala 2 as being good news, it's just as well I don't have any more cruises in the pipeline until next year...😊

[majortom10]

2 hours ago, Britboys said:

As, purely from a personal perspective, I don't look upon any news about Gala 2 as being good news, it's just as well I don't have any more cruises in the pipeline until next year...😊

Perhaps not for you personally and to be honest not me either but it will be good news to many P&O "lovers" hearing news about Gala 2.

[Selbourne]

Latest from the Transport Secretary this morning, which doesn’t sound encouraging even for UK holidays this year, let alone overseas ones;

 

It is "too soon" for travellers to start booking holidays, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says.

"First of all, I should say, people shouldn't be booking holidays right now - not domestically or internationally," he tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"The prime minister will say more about the route to unlocking this country, starting when he speaks about it on 22 February.

"But we don't know yet whether that will include information on things like holidays, simply because we don't know where we'll be up to in terms of the decline in cases, deaths, vaccination.

"And not just the vaccination programme here, but the vaccination programme internationally, because people will be going outside of our borders.

"So it's too soon."

[Eddie99]

An article by Simon Calder on that topic 

 

https://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/ravel-home-abroad-covid-uk-b1800163.html

[wowzz]

10 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

Latest from the Transport Secretary this morning, which doesn’t sound encouraging even for UK holidays this year, let alone overseas ones;

 

It is "too soon" for travellers to start booking holidays, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps says.

"First of all, I should say, people shouldn't be booking holidays right now - not domestically or internationally," he tells BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"The prime minister will say more about the route to unlocking this country, starting when he speaks about it on 22 February.

"But we don't know yet whether that will include information on things like holidays, simply because we don't know where we'll be up to in terms of the decline in cases, deaths, vaccination.

"And not just the vaccination programme here, but the vaccination programme internationally, because people will be going outside of our borders.

"So it's too soon."

Looks like the government is doing it's best to totally destroy the UK tourist industry. 

[Selbourne]

I fear that anyone still hoping that next weeks road map will provide an ounce of clarity on when overseas cruises may resume is going to be disappointed. If even UK holidays are now in doubt (which seems odd, but what do I know) then we are still some way off cruise ships with thousands of passengers being deemed a good idea. Just hope that we don’t get some more cruise line casualties in the meantime. 

[MX-Drew]

I can see it now.

 

FOR SALE

As good as new cruise ship

 

Inaugurated2020

Beam42 m.

Tonnage184700 tn.

Occupancy5200

Crew1800

Number of decks19

Length337 m.

Level of service (guest/crew ratio)Standard 3:1

Space on board (tonnage/guest ratio)Very good 36:1

Offers taken, please contact Paul Ludlow

[wowzz]

8 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

UK holidays are now in doubt (which seems odd, but what do I know)

Totally agree. Certain ministers seem to want a zero infection rate before allowing some semblance of normality, which is impossible. Sooner or later some pragmatism is required.

[Dermotsgirl]

5 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I fear that anyone still hoping that next weeks road map will provide an ounce of clarity on when overseas cruises may resume is going to be disappointed. If even UK holidays are now in doubt (which seems odd, but what do I know) then we are still some way off cruise ships with thousands of passengers being deemed a good idea. Just hope that we don’t get some more cruise line casualties in the meantime. 

At the start of the year I had hoped that, maybe by the summer, there’d be a few short scenic cruises around the U.K. coast. I’m not so sure about that now, and wouldn’t even like to hazard a guess when/if cruising of any sort from U.K. ports will start.

 

The virus seems to be mutating all over the place, and even with a U.K. holiday, I suppose there’s a chance that a mutation will be taken back to a different area, and and risk spreading 

[jeanlyon]

Down here in Devon, we are now down to less than 50 cases per 100K people.  It was worse than that when it was OK to go and stay in a hotel which we did back in October.  If they don't allow hospitality to open up soon, half these places will go under.

 

 

[Roger88]

I think that all those delays are connected with the new working schedule of the company. I am sure that all the future announcements will be made in time and without any delays 

[cruisenewbie1976]

11 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Totally agree. Certain ministers seem to want a zero infection rate before allowing some semblance of normality, which is impossible. Sooner or later some pragmatism is required.

Didn't we go through this sort of thing last year too though? I seem to remember them saying there'd be no holidays, not to book anything, Spain said they'd be closed to tourists all year etc. Then a few months later, the opposite was true. 

The goalposts seem to be moving more than ever at the moment. 

Edited February 10, 2021 by cruisenewbie1976
Typo

[joeecco]

1 minute ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Didn't we do through this sort of thing last year too though? I seem to remember them saying there'd be no holidays, not to book anything, Spain said they'd be closed to tourists all year etc. Then a few months later, the opposite was true. 

The goalposts seem to be moving more than ever at the moment. 

Exactly right yes, and then we made it to Rome in August and then Cyprus in October - all well within the law. 
 

So if it was possible last year, it will be possible this year. The virus is never going away and will mutate but we can’t sit around and wait for it to be over when it never will be. 

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Down here in Devon, we are now down to less than 50 cases per 100K people.  It was worse than that when it was OK to go and stay in a hotel which we did back in October.  If they don't allow hospitality to open up soon, half these places will go under.

 

 

Totally agree. Some ministers are out of touch with reality.

[yorkshirephil]

Just now, cruisenewbie1976 said:

Didn't we do through this sort of thing last year too though? I seem to remember them saying there'd be no holidays, not to book anything, Spain said they'd be closed to tourists all year etc. Then a few months later, the opposite was true. 

The goalposts seem to be moving more than ever at the moment. 

It makes you wonder whether all the doom and gloom is a deliberate ploy, then Boris can give us some good news on Feb 22nd. Apart from the SA strain of covid raising its ugly head things are looking more promising, infection, deaths and hospitalisation are falling at a good rate, there are several studies giving promising results for the vaccine, a few weeks and we are into the warmer weather. I am confident we will be coming out of lockdown soon, albeit slowly. I have pretty much resigned myself to holidaying in the UK this year, but am keeping my fingers crossed for cruising late summer.

[funinhounslow]

5 minutes ago, joeecco said:

Exactly right yes, and then we made it to Rome in August and then Cyprus in October - all well within the law. 

Also managed to get to Cyprus for a diving trip booked well before this mess kicked off. 
 

The faff and expense incurred in getting a negative COVID test three days before departure means I wouldn’t do the same again...

[joeecco]

1 minute ago, funinhounslow said:

Also managed to get to Cyprus for a diving trip booked well before this mess kicked off. 
 

The faff and expense incurred in getting a negative COVID test three days before departure means I wouldn’t do the same again...

I didn’t think it was a faff at all, especially when it means you can go on holiday. I’d do it again tomorrow if I could. As for the expense, we just saw it as part of the flight cost to get there.