P&O restrict non vaccinated passengers on all cruises until March 22.

[daiB]

Emails have been sent to some cruisers cancelling their cruises because the company are having to restrict non jabbed passengers.

 

Not sure abut most cruises in term time but it will hammer Half term and Christmas cruises.

 

I take it they have had medical advice to force them into this.

 

 

Dai

[davecttr]

Quote from the email i just received from P&O

 

All guests aged between five and 17 years old will need to have completed their vaccination course a minimum of 14 days prior to sailing or will require a negative PCR test within 120 hours prior to travel

 

[Bgees]

The email I got did not mention the PCR testing at all, just that they assumed our children were not fully vaccinated (they are) and that they were cancelling our cruise.

[picsa]

25 minutes ago, daiB said:

I take it they have had medical advice to force them into this.

More likely their insurers. 
 

If / when Covid hits one of their ships, which with winter approaching is increasingly likely, then if I was them I wouldn’t want to be carrying unvaccinated passengers and the associated risks and costs. 

[Guest]

I think the way they have gone about this is all wrong. There are many families out there who have children under 17 who are fully vaccinated. Surely asking them first would have been better customer service? 

[davecttr]

6 minutes ago, Glitterati said:

I think the way they have gone about this is all wrong. There are many families out there who have children under 17 who are fully vaccinated. Surely asking them first would have been better customer service? 

Apparently Cunard are relaxing the final payment date for all cruises up until next spring to 30 days.

 

What about P&O

[Harry Peterson]

Seems entirely sensible, given the risks otherwise involved to other passengers - and to P&O from a potential legal action in respect of negligence.

 

The negative test option removes any reasonable complaints.

[Gettingwarmer]

The protocols are different depending where you are travelling to and how you are getting there. Several pages on P&O website. It seems they are not changing date of final balance.

https://www.pocruises.com/travel-health-advisories

 

https://www.pocruises.com/cruise-with-confidence/preparing-to-sail

 

https://www.pocruises.com/cruise-with-confidence#faq

Edited September 30, 2021 by Gettingwarmer

[Dermotsgirl]

53 minutes ago, davecttr said:

Apparently Cunard are relaxing the final payment date for all cruises up until next spring to 30 days.

 

What about P&O

That apparently applies up until the end of March. I'm hoping they extend that policy. My Cunard cruise is due to depart in the last week of May. As I booked through an agent, the balance due date for me is late January, which seems VERY early, and is already making me feel uncomfortable.  Hopefully Cunard will extend this policy..... but no consolation to people on P&O cruises. Seems strange that one brand can delay the balance due date, but not the other

[P&O SUE]

1 hour ago, Glitterati said:

I think the way they have gone about this is all wrong. There are many families out there who have children under 17 who are fully vaccinated. Surely asking them first would have been better customer service? 

I agree, terrible to just assume!

[crazy cat lady 83]

22 minutes ago, P&O SUE said:

I agree, terrible to just assume!

Not sure how correct this is but they are saying for children to be double jabbed not single which the UK isn’t offering to children. 

[lolabarola]

This is hugely disappointing for families with children, looking forward to Xmas together in the Caribbean.  And unsurprisingly this becomes policy within two weeks of the final payment date. So P and O have the benefit of, in our case, cruise costs for 6 people, plus excursion costs. How many other families have paid out only to have holidays cancelled when those within P and O were surely aware of the imminent change. Shabby behaviour.

[kevboy]

Just to clarify :- Its only the caribbean cruises that are affected. Unvaccinated children can still go elsewhere but are subject to a PCR test. Vaccinated means double jabbed - not just one jab.

I am absolutely gutted for my young Grandchlidren who have now been cancelled twice within 3 weeks of going during the last 18 months. My party of 4 cabins are now not going on Caribbean cruise 22 Oct.

kev

[SargassoPirate]

I wish more venues would go "vaccinated only".....let those who refuse to get vaccinated find other ways to amuse themselves.

[Billish]

4 hours ago, SargassoPirate said:

I wish more venues would go "vaccinated only".....let those who refuse to get vaccinated find other ways to amuse themselves.

You have missed the point. P&O are requiring chikdren to be double vaccinated,  but the UK government will not allow children to be vaccinated twice !

[Ardennais]

30 minutes ago, Billish said:

You have missed the point. P&O are requiring chikdren to be double vaccinated,  but the UK government will not allow children to be vaccinated twice !

To be fair, the post which you quote wasn’t referring to cruises in particular.   I took it to mean venues in general in this country. 

[Billish]

1 minute ago, Ardennais said:

To be fair, the post which you quote wasn’t referring to cruises in particular.   I took it to mean venues in general in this country. 

I stand corrected.  Thank you.

I just thought SP was being a little insensitive to those who have had their holiday plans ruined by the new P&O policy.

[Ardennais]

11 minutes ago, Billish said:

I stand corrected.  Thank you.

I just thought SP was being a little insensitive to those who have had their holiday plans ruined by the new P&O policy.

Having cruised for many years when our three were teenagers, I can well understand the disappointment. However, I understand the reasons for the policy. My daughter is a teacher, and it’s quite frightening how many teenagers at her school have had Covid since the beginning of term. Some of her GCSE classes have absence rates of around 50%. 

[Dermotsgirl]

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Having cruised for many years when our three were teenagers, I can well understand the disappointment. However, I understand the reasons for the policy. My daughter is a teacher, and it’s quite frightening how many teenagers at her school have had Covid since the beginning of term. Some of her GCSE classes have absence rates of around 50%. 

Latest ONS figures say that 1 in 21 children aged 10-14 currently have the virus. Mind boggling figures 

[Bgees]

8 hours ago, Ardennais said:

Having cruised for many years when our three were teenagers, I can well understand the disappointment. However, I understand the reasons for the policy. My daughter is a teacher, and it’s quite frightening how many teenagers at her school have had Covid since the beginning of term. Some of her GCSE classes have absence rates of around 50%. 

But wasn't that the point of having a PCR test 72 hours before sailing, and an LFT at the port so that cases should be caught before passengers board? Just because you are vaccinated doesn't mean you can't pass it on or catch it.

[Ardennais]

32 minutes ago, Bgees said:

But wasn't that the point of having a PCR test 72 hours before sailing, and an LFT at the port so that cases should be caught before passengers board? Just because you are vaccinated doesn't mean you can't pass it on or catch it.

Well yes, but there are still cases. All I know is that Covid is rife in schools around here (which is why I don’t even do the odd day of supply now) and it’s nigh on impossible to implement social distancing in schools. The government hasn’t yet decided whether under 18s need a second jab. I really don’t know what the plans are for the clubs on P&O family friendly ships and how full they might be but on this point, I support P&Os policy. Of course, some children have been double jabbed for their own health reasons or based on their living arrangements. It is disappointing, but anyone booking cruises since the pandemic began should have been fully aware that things can suddenly change. I have a great deal of sympathy with those who booked at launch before March 2020, such as John who has lost his cruise and adapted cabin or those who are facing additional costs due to testing in the Caribbean etc.