CUNARD cancellation policy - misrepresentations on this Board.

[bbtablet]

In several threads on this P&O site there are inaccurate and plainly wrong comments being made about Cunard cancellation costs which if taken as being true could cause readers to make incorrect decisions based on these posts which, no doubt given in good faith, should not have been posted.

Many people have booked cruises and paid their 100% (as I have) and are now wondering what their options are in the light of the latest developments.

 

The following is from the CUNARD web pages (I expect P&O may be similar but YOU must check if it is relevant). I am myself booked on a Cunard cruise due to leave on January 14th 2022. I have until December 14th to cancel and receive all my money back except the (relatively small) deposit, OR full amount paid transferred forwards to a future cruise. People are writing in these threads that 90% will be lost etc even if I cancel today - this is nonsense and it is not acceptable for people to make these claims to add "I think".

 

Please study the following if you are in this situation of a cruise coming up before next May, especially if you  paid Cunard or Early Saver fare, and you are not sure of your position.

Cancelling voyages due to sail on or before 30 April 2022.

If you are booked on a Cunard voyage sailing on or before 30 April 2022 and wish to cancel, Cunard will levy a cancellation charge as a percentage of the fare paid in accordance with the following scales.

The Cunard Fare and Early Saver.

Period before departure within which written notice of cancellation is received by Cunard	Cancellation charges (percentage of fare)
From the date of booking until 31 days before departure	Deposit (or transfer to another voyage free of charge)
30 - 16 days	75%
15 - 4 days	90%
Less than 4 days before departure or failure to embark.	100% (or 100% Future Cruise Credit if a guest on the booking fails pre-screening or testing)

Saver fare.

Period before departure within which written notice of cancellation is received by Cunard	Cancellation charges (percentage of fare)
From the date of booking until departure, including failure to embark	100%

[Dermotsgirl]

I believe that Cunard have changed their final payment date to a month before sailing ( for cruises sailing up to 30th April)

 

That’s why you can transfer your cruise or only lose  your deposit up until 14th December.

 

My next Cruise with Cunard is due to sail in late May, so the standard conditions of the balance payment date 90 days before sailing apply to my cruise. If I paid the balance on the due date in February, I would lose a large chunk of my money if I subsequently wanted to cancel. 
 

in fact, I need to make my decision at the end of January, as my travel agent requires payment a month before the balance due date.

 

it’s looking more likely than ever that I won’t be paying the balance. I don’t think I’ll be able to bring myself to shell out a large sum of money 4 months before an undefined experience in an ever changing situation. 

Edited November 29, 2021 by Dermotsgirl

[jimbo1683]

Ts&Cs vary by country so that may be a source of inconsistencies that have been posted.

[terrierjohn]

3 hours ago, bbtablet said:

In several threads on this P&O site there are inaccurate and plainly wrong comments being made about Cunard cancellation costs which if taken as being true could cause readers to make incorrect decisions based on these posts which, no doubt given in good faith, should not have been posted.

Many people have booked cruises and paid their 100% (as I have) and are now wondering what their options are in the light of the latest developments.

 

The following is from the CUNARD web pages (I expect P&O may be similar but YOU must check if it is relevant). I am myself booked on a Cunard cruise due to leave on January 14th 2022. I have until December 14th to cancel and receive all my money back except the (relatively small) deposit, OR full amount paid transferred forwards to a future cruise. People are writing in these threads that 90% will be lost etc even if I cancel today - this is nonsense and it is not acceptable for people to make these claims to add "I think".

 

Please study the following if you are in this situation of a cruise coming up before next May, especially if you  paid Cunard or Early Saver fare, and you are not sure of your position.

Cancelling voyages due to sail on or before 30 April 2022.

If you are booked on a Cunard voyage sailing on or before 30 April 2022 and wish to cancel, Cunard will levy a cancellation charge as a percentage of the fare paid in accordance with the following scales.

The Cunard Fare and Early Saver.

Period before departure within which written notice of cancellation is received by Cunard	Cancellation charges (percentage of fare)
From the date of booking until 31 days before departure	Deposit (or transfer to another voyage free of charge)
30 - 16 days	75%
15 - 4 days	90%
Less than 4 days before departure or failure to embark.	100% (or 100% Future Cruise Credit if a guest on the booking fails pre-screening or testing)

Saver fare.

Period before departure within which written notice of cancellation is received by Cunard	Cancellation charges (percentage of fare)
From the date of booking until departure, including failure to embark	100%

I think that since P&O still operate a balance payment 90 days prior to sailing, that their cancellation terms will be far more onerous than the current Cunatd terms.

[bbtablet]

Yes terrierjohn - I have now checked that out and was surprised that P&O were not being as generous as Cunard.

Even more reason why I wanted to emphasise that the terms I was referring to were Cunard. The reason I put it here in the P&O threads section was that there are threads on here talking (inaccurately) about Cunard terms (confusingly!).