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

[Dermotsgirl]

The right decision from P&O and at least people booked on the summer cruises now have certainty. 
 

Although it’s very sad that international cruising will be paused for approaching 18 months. (At least) 

[arlowood]

We have 2 cruise's affected both arranged through our regular TA. Will definitely want a refund on our 1st May Aurora cruise but still pondering on the August Baltic cruise whether to take the 125% FCC.

Does anyone know if we will have to  direct our refund request through the TA or can we use the web form directly?

[Dermotsgirl]

Even if you booked via a TA, you still use the web form for the refund request 

[arlowood]

12 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

We have done around Britain cruise and absolutely loved it and would do it again  

Let's hope P&O have got Nicola Sturgeon onside. On past performance it would not surprise me if she issued some form of embargo on accessing Scottish ports just to be awkward😜

[MX-Drew]

9 minutes ago, arlowood said:

Let's hope P&O have got Nicola Sturgeon onside. On past performance it would not surprise me if she issued some form of embargo on accessing Scottish ports just to be awkward😜

Not bringing politics into this but the way things are going it may not be up to her. 🤣

[Adawn47]

22 minutes ago, arlowood said:

We have 2 cruise's affected both arranged through our regular TA. Will definitely want a refund on our 1st May Aurora cruise but still pondering on the August Baltic cruise whether to take the 125% FCC.

Does anyone know if we will have to  direct our refund request through the TA or can we use the web form directly?

I've just used the web form and there's a dropdown box for how you booked. P&O or TA.

Avril

[Selbourne]

More details in the link below. Believe me, I take no pleasure whatsoever in saying that this is almost word for word what one or two of us have been predicting would happen for months, but only state this so that those who have dismissed our views as pessimistic / negative etc might reflect. I feel very sad for those whose dreams of a summer overseas cruise have been dashed, but am hopeful that those affected are now able to make alternative plans. 

 

https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/news/cruise/po-cruises-plans-uk-staycation-sailings-this-summer

[terrierjohn]

We are not desperate for the deposit refund, so will hold fire until P&O provide details of these round Britain cruises and on board restrictions, then decide if we fancy using the. FCC for one of these.

[terrierjohn]

2 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

More details in the link below. Believe me, I take no pleasure whatsoever in saying that this is almost word for word what one or two of us have been predicting would happen for months, but only state this so that those who have dismissed our views as pessimistic / negative etc might reflect. I feel very sad for those whose dreams of a summer overseas cruise have been dashed, but am hopeful that those affected are now able to make alternative plans. 

 

https://www.travelweekly.co.uk/news/cruise/po-cruises-plans-uk-staycation-sailings-this-summer

You were proved right unfortunately, however I wonder if P&O have been advised by someone in govt. that unless there is a dramatic improvement in the EU vaccine roll out, then returning holidaymakers will be subject to quarantine, which has tipped their hand to decide that trying to operate overseas cruises will not be practical.

[Selbourne]

1 minute ago, terrierjohn said:

You were proved right unfortunately, however I wonder if P&O have been advised by someone in govt. that unless there is a dramatic improvement in the EU vaccine roll out, then returning holidaymakers will be subject to quarantine, which has tipped their hand to decide that trying to operate overseas cruises will not be practical.

Possibly, although I must confess that I hadn’t even considered quarantine when assessing that overseas cruises weren’t going to happen this summer. I just couldn’t see them happening full stop, for all sorts of reasons. I might be wrong, but if quarantine was likely to be required on return from overseas holidays to Europe, you would hope that the government would be flagging this now, given the thousands of people who have been rushing to make overseas holidays bookings following the announcement of the provisional roadmap?
 

 

[Selbourne]

13 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

We are not desperate for the deposit refund, so will hold fire until P&O provide details of these round Britain cruises and on board restrictions, then decide if we fancy using the. FCC for one of these.

I just had a quick look at the P&O website and it mentions new health protocols but provides no detail, that I could find. I haven’t been paying too much attention, as we have nothing booked now and aren’t in a rush to book anything, but are things such as mask wearing in public areas, dining alone etc pure speculation (perhaps based on what other cruise lines have stated) or has P&O released some detail that I have missed? 

[Adawn47]

15 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I feel very sad for those whose dreams of a summer overseas cruise have been dashed, but am hopeful that those affected are now able to make alternative plans. 

 

My cruise has been affected Selbourne, and the only plan we have made is to make no more plans as they keep getting scuppered.😏

Avril

[mercury7289]

16 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

We are not desperate for the deposit refund, so will hold fire until P&O provide details of these round Britain cruises and on board restrictions, then decide if we fancy using the. FCC for one of these.

I think it's not a case of desperation for a refund, rather a case for taken back control of one's money

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, Selbourne said:

I just had a quick look at the P&O website and it mentions new health protocols but provides no detail, that I could find. I haven’t been paying too much attention, as we have nothing booked now and aren’t in a rush to book anything, but are things such as mask wearing in public areas, dining alone etc pure speculation (perhaps based on what other cruise lines have stated) or has P&O released some detail that I have missed? 

The announcement states that more details of dates, prices and experience on board will be announced later this month.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, MX-Drew said:

Interesting that P&O are still offering 125% FCC after all the "news" on here about them dropping to 110% 

Maybe they are hoping that people will use the FCC to book one of the rearranged short UK cruises... It will be interesting to see what sort of price they pitch them at.

[Adawn47]

12 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

You were proved right unfortunately, however I wonder if P&O have been advised by someone in govt. that unless there is a dramatic improvement in the EU vaccine roll out, then returning holidaymakers will be subject to quarantine, which has tipped their hand to decide that trying to operate overseas cruises will not be practical.

You could be correct John. I did wonder why there was a sudden and lengthy 6 month cancellation announced. P&O normally work in shorter increments. 

Avril

[MX-Drew]

1 minute ago, Adawn47 said:

You could be correct John. I did wonder why there was a sudden and lengthy 6 month cancellation announced. P&O normally work in shorter increments. 

Avril

The thing that is different in this round of cancellations is that they are releasing "replacement" cruises. 

[SarahHben]

We still have our Norway cruise next May so will probably wait to see the round U.K. itineraries and either book one of them for this year or transfer our deposit to a 2023 cruise once they are released later this year.

[Dermotsgirl]

9 minutes ago, mercury7289 said:

I think it's not a case of desperation for a refund, rather a case for taken back control of one's money

Totally agree.

I mentioned yesterday that my refund from Fred Olsen last year has paid for my new patio . If I hadn’t gone for the refund, the money would be sitting in FO’s coffers, and I might not have a new patio 

[Adawn47]

7 minutes ago, mercury7289 said:

I think it's not a case of desperation for a refund, rather a case for taken back control of one's money

I've requested our £250 refund, purely because we already have a cruise booked for October 2021🤞 and won't be considering another one until 2022, and who know if we will be fit enough to travel. This has taught me to start booking last minute cruises instead.

Avril

[Dermotsgirl]

5 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

I've requested our £250 refund, purely because we already have a cruise booked for October 2021🤞 and won't be considering another one until 2022, and who know if we will be fit enough to travel. This has taught me to start booking last minute cruises instead.

Avril

I’ve previously booked as soon as cruises are released - recently that’s two years in advance.

I don’t think I’ll be doing that for a while.

 

I am curious about the short cruises that P&O are hoping to do. At present, I feel it is unlikely that I’ll book , as there’s still too many variables and uncertainty. But, if the cruises do run, I’ll be interested in reading objective reports about the onboard experience etc 

[Chrisdriving]

Really pleased they have cancelled our July cruise, we can request a refund now, do not want FCC. 

[bee-ess]

Nor good news for us - we are booked on Azura on SEPT 2ND !!. They have only cancelled Azura cruise up to August 31st and our cruise will almost certainly not run as they will not take Azura to Valetta for a short 6 week season so we are now left in limbo with a payment date of June 3rd as the 30 day payments are only for cruises up to August 16th.

Cannot see why they did not cancel the whole Azura Med season as part of the pauses today.

[hollyjess]

Just cancelled our June cruise. Hopeful for Christmas and New Year cruise on Arcadia.

 

[Son of Anarchy]

3 minutes ago, bee-ess said:

Nor good news for us - we are booked on Azura on SEPT 2ND !!. They have only cancelled Azura cruise up to August 31st and our cruise will almost certainly not run as they will not take Azura to Valetta for a short 6 week season so we are now left in limbo with a payment date of June 3rd as the 30 day payments are only for cruises up to August 16th.

Cannot see why they did not cancel the whole Azura Med season as part of the pauses today.

I've wondered that.  Previously Molecrochip said that re-positioning Azura to Valletta without pax wasn't a problem as it enables the crew to self-isolate en-route.  Of course at that time, it would of been a much longer season in the med once the pax start arriving.  I suppose the bean counters have done their sums, and maybe it still pays to operate from Valletta if only for six weeks.