Arcadia cancellations!

[jeanlyon]

Well I suppose until they actually sell the ship, they have to sell cruises.

[molecrochip]

6 hours ago, snaefell said:

We booked a Med cruise on Arcadia for May 2023(I must admit to being sceptical that it would happen at the time),held back from booking a Transatlantic in September 2024 as I thought that was just stretching optimism too far.

I find it strange that in cruising circles this seems to be accepted as normal practice,surely anybody advertising something for sale that isn't really available would be frowned upon usually!

Not unusual in hotel circles either. Most chain hotels are owned by third parties. When they change brand, usually a hotel is debranded the last day of operation for said brand. At midnight it leaves an unbranded hotel full of guests.

 

In some cases guests are told in advance, but not always. At least one major operator keeps hotels on their website up until 23:59 local time as they profit from every direct booking.

 

Oceana didn’t go to Newcastle for stripping - she went as it was cheap berthing. Same as Azura. Less crew required on static ship. Oceana was called back from Newcastle early to be unloaded in Southampton. Azura took her place.

 

Not that much gets unloaded. Hotel IT/Stock/Branded items mainly. Most other stuff transfers and is included within valuation. I remember the sale of Oriana specifically including the 7 or 8 grand pianos!

 

Aurora still expected to H&W for dry dock. I understand the rumour about cleaning, repairing and painting the hull may be true.

[Pippa04]

10 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Not unusual in hotel circles either. Most chain hotels are owned by third parties. When they change brand, usually a hotel is debranded the last day of operation for said brand. At midnight it leaves an unbranded hotel full of guests.

 

In some cases guests are told in advance, but not always. At least one major operator keeps hotels on their website up until 23:59 local time as they profit from every direct booking.

 

So? The only comparison is that both offer overnight accommodation. I presume you're not suggesting that you could set off on a P&O cruise and wake up one morning on a Cunard one...

The majority of people treat cruises as something special which warrants careful planning,  timing, saving etc - particularly worldies. If Arcadia does leave the fleet let's hope announcements aren't left too late for them to make alternative arrangements.  Not too much to ask?

[jeanlyon]

Cruising has lost its specialness for us.  When Adonia and Oriana left the fleet, our only alternative was Aurora or Arcadia to swap to.  That was OK at the time, but I would have my money back now.

[snaefell]

10 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Not unusual in hotel circles either. Most chain hotels are owned by third parties. When they change brand, usually a hotel is debranded the last day of operation for said brand. At midnight it leaves an unbranded hotel full of guests.

 

In some cases guests are told in advance, but not always. At least one major operator keeps hotels on their website up until 23:59 local time as they profit from every direct booking.

 

Oceana didn’t go to Newcastle for stripping - she went as it was cheap berthing. Same as Azura. Less crew required on static ship. Oceana was called back from Newcastle early to be unloaded in Southampton. Azura took her place.

 

Not that much gets unloaded. Hotel IT/Stock/Branded items mainly. Most other stuff transfers and is included within valuation. I remember the sale of Oriana specifically including the 7 or 8 grand pianos!

 

Aurora still expected to H&W for dry dock. I understand the rumour about cleaning, repairing and painting the hull may be true.

It happened to us in the USA once,what had been a Holiday Inn when we booked became a Best Western,our holiday carried on as planned,just with different branding,the holiday didn't disappear as a result like the cruise would.

[Megabear2]

8 hours ago, Pippa04 said:

presume you're not suggesting that you could set off on a P&O cruise and wake up one morning on a Cunard one...

That would be one hell of an upgrade!

[bobgiles]

On 5/19/2022 at 9:52 AM, bobgiles said:

 

As promised update on our refund.

 

We got back from our Celebrity cruise yesterday and checked the post.....no cheque!

Checked credit card and a refund of the initial deposit received a couple of days ago.

Will chase TA today reference the main balance.

 

Bob.

 

Still not got our main refund, however we chased the TA as per our last post to be told P&O had a "new" refund form for the TA's to use.

 

Apparently they were getting great success using it and he could see on their system they had requested our refund last week using said form. And as we had received the credit card portion on the 15th he was confident they (the TA) would get the rest back by the end of the week.

 

Well today we chased them again as nothing received, only to be told by a different TA rep that "yes I can see we have had your money back, hasn't anyone contacted you for your Bank details?" 

 

Considering how often we have chased the TA over this matter I must say we were not impressed!

 

Anyhow, bank details given and they say we should expect the money by Tuesday next week.

 

Will report back then.

 

Bob.

[bobgiles]

21 hours ago, bobgiles said:

 

Still not got our main refund, however we chased the TA as per our last post to be told P&O had a "new" refund form for the TA's to use.

 

Apparently they were getting great success using it and he could see on their system they had requested our refund last week using said form. And as we had received the credit card portion on the 15th he was confident they (the TA) would get the rest back by the end of the week.

 

Well today we chased them again as nothing received, only to be told by a different TA rep that "yes I can see we have had your money back, hasn't anyone contacted you for your Bank details?" 

 

Considering how often we have chased the TA over this matter I must say we were not impressed!

 

Anyhow, bank details given and they say we should expect the money by Tuesday next week.

 

Will report back then.

 

Bob.

 

Full refund for remaining balance in Bank Account this morning from TA.

 

Bob.

[cocktail1954]

On 5/8/2022 at 2:51 AM, yorkshirephil said:

I think you have hit the nail on the head there, this is also my experience with P&O. I cancelled a cruise in Jan this year after twice trying to get information from P&O. As an experienced cruiser I know when I am talking to someone who doesn't have much idea as most of us do. I accepted being fobbed off once and called back the next day hoping to get a more experienced person to help, no such luck. I asked to speak to a team leader/manager, told there was no one available and to ring back another time. After spending over an hour on the phone that was enough, cruise cancelled. 

Who do you call for information? Tried the number listed on “contact numbers” which stated we would not be able to be connected. We need to know if testing is done on the ship, as we need Negative test prior flying home to the states, and the terminal testing appears full. Thanks for any answers. Our TA is off till June 6.

 

[margsbolton]

Still 12 weeks off my cruise on Arcadia to Norway and I notice that it is no longer selling cabins. Unless it is full perhaps ??? Does anyone have any info on this matter ??

[mickey1959]

18th August cruise sold out!

[molecrochip]

A number of Arcadia and Aurora cruises are completely full across the next couple of months.

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, molecrochip said:

A number of Arcadia and Aurora cruises are completely full across the next couple of months.

As in 100% full, or ‘full’ to the reduced capacities (allowing for quarantine zones etc)?

[mickey1959]

On 5/29/2022 at 7:59 PM, Selbourne said:

As in 100% full, or ‘full’ to the reduced capacities (allowing for quarantine zones etc)?

I've noticed British Isles 19th July has been taken off sale again, there was plenty of availability left!!

[mickey1959]

21 minutes ago, mickey1959 said:

I've noticed British Isles 19th July has been taken off sale again, there was plenty of availability left!!

Arcadia.

[Slugsta]

5 hours ago, mickey1959 said:

Arcadia.

 

The 5thJuly cruise doesn't seem to be showing either.

[Jazzytelly]

Oops doesn’t sound good unless they are all sold out, which they could be. I hope they are as we have a cruise booked on her late next year

Edited June 7, 2022 by Jazzytelly

[mickey1959]

Has any one had any updates on Arcadia's 5th July restart?

[Triggertravel]

We are booked on this cruise and we have been informed of a port change we will not be visiting skyolden and instead visiting stavanger and when we sail across to Iceland it has been swapped round so instead of finishing in Reykjavik it starts in Reykjavik . But in all honesty Iam still not so sure this cruise will happen . I hope Iam wrong ,

[mickey1959]

Just now, Triggertravel said:

We are booked on this cruise and we have been informed of a port change we will not be visiting skyolden and instead visiting stavanger and when we sail across to Iceland it has been swapped round so instead of finishing in Reykjavik it starts in Reykjavik . But in all honesty Iam still not so sure this cruise will happen . I hope Iam wrong ,

It's only 2 weeks away,you should be ok!!!

[mickey1959]

7 minutes ago, mickey1959 said:

It's only 2 weeks away,you should be ok!!!

What makes you think it won't go ahead, or might not?

[Triggertravel]

I think it’s me being more negative towards p&o more than anything a lot of port cancellations seam to be happening for what ever reason,and we’ve been affected by this, and reading on this forum so have slot of other people ,it just wouldn’t surprise me if they cancelled a few days before we are do to board . For the first Time in 20 years we have started looking at other cruise lines . But iam hoping it goes ahead and p&o try and win me over again 

[showingdiva]

33 minutes ago, Triggertravel said:

I think it’s me being more negative towards p&o more than anything a lot of port cancellations seam to be happening for what ever reason,and we’ve been affected by this, and reading on this forum so have slot of other people ,it just wouldn’t surprise me if they cancelled a few days before we are do to board . For the first Time in 20 years we have started looking at other cruise lines . But iam hoping it goes ahead and p&o try and win me over again 

 

I am hoping P&O keep Arcadia a few more years for a number of reasons, not least that mid-size ships are still popular (I work with a lot here in Scotland), she's adult only, has a good layout, and from a personal point of view, she has a very special place in my heart.

 

But .. aside from currently booked on Iona next year, - I say currently, because another cruise line can offer me an identical cruise a couple of weeks later for hundreds of pounds less, so a swap may be on the cards  - P&O as a brand aren't doing anything for me now.

 

Either way, and despite their previous record with Oriana and Oceana, I do think (hope) Arcadia will fulfill at least her 2022 and possibly 2023 season with them.

[Slugsta]

2 hours ago, showingdiva said:

 

I am hoping P&O keep Arcadia a few more years for a number of reasons, not least that mid-size ships are still popular (I work with a lot here in Scotland), she's adult only, has a good layout, and from a personal point of view, she has a very special place in my heart.

 

But .. aside from currently booked on Iona next year, - I say currently, because another cruise line can offer me an identical cruise a couple of weeks later for hundreds of pounds less, so a swap may be on the cards  - P&O as a brand aren't doing anything for me now.

 

Either way, and despite their previous record with Oriana and Oceana, I do think (hope) Arcadia will fulfill at least her 2022 and possibly 2023 season with them.

We have booked 30 nights to New York in September 24, so would like her to still be with the fleet then 🤞

[BigAl94]

Aurora didn't dry dock at H&W in Belfast as expected. Anyone hear why?