Cancellation policy close to sailing QM2

[klgt1891]

Does anyone know what happens if you cancel very close to sailing, ie when everything is paid off? The website says you forfeit 100% of the fare, is that also the case if passengers test positive for covid, does anyone know? Do they issue a credit note instead? Or would the only way to recoup the fare to be by claiming back from insurance and hoping for the best? I am asking because I have a family member sailing who is worried about covid risk on board 🙂 

[Underwatr]

The current policy is that if you test positive for COVID you are to contact your travel insurer for a refund. According to my travel agent Cunard refunds port fees and taxes in a late cancellation but nothing else.

 

My cruise contract actually says that a travel credit is possible in the case of COVID but it also says that the COVID policy stated on another web page actually takes precedence. That other web page says to use your travel insurance.

 

We had to cancel our November QM2 cruise two days before boarding (medical but not COVID) and Cunard Care replied within 24 hours of me submitting the necessary paperwork that they will be sending checks within two days.

In my experience travel insurance pays out for cancellation and trip interruption very quickly; it's the medical expenses that sometimes take longer.

Edited December 2, 2022 by Underwatr

[Host Hattie]

I'm not sure where you are based but you would need to check what your travel insurance policy covers. 

 

[ballroom-cruisers]

The insurer will likely want to see some evidence that you were in a position where you were unable to travel on your booked cruise, and if it is for a medical reason (Covid or anything else) they will likely take time to assess the validity of the cancellation, and that it is a reason covered by the policy taken out. How long the insurer will take before the cheque for lost deposit, lost full balance or fraction of that depending on how long before departure the cancellation was made, will be different for different insurance companies. If they are dealing with a lot of claims under the current Covid wave of claims, may mean waiting a little longer than similar claims a few years ago. Nevertheless Cunard will likely only return money according to their cancellation policy and any loss consequential to that will need to be claimed from the travel policy. Anyone without a travel insurance policy would have to cover that loss themselves.

 

Cunard's cancellation charges are in the section "Cancelling your voyage" at:

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/flexible-cancellation-policy

Edited December 2, 2022 by ballroom-cruisers
Add sentence

[Underwatr]

Ah, but beware.
In the US the cruise contract includes this paragraph:
 

In the event of a conflict between this Passage Contract and the Carrier’s Standard Policy for Cancellations, Refunds & Final Payment, and as described on the Carrier’s website, the description of such policies on the website controls.

 

This has the effect of enabling Cunard to change the terms of the contract by changing the information on the webpage and the passenger has agreed to that. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Morgans]

I don't think you can just change your mind about travelling once your balance is fully paid so you lose the 100% of monies paid.  Not sure that Future Cruise Credits are available any more. Perhaps others can advise.

Regarding testing  positive for Covid -

1) Depends on the terms of the contract and whether you are in UK or USA (may be different rules and regs,)

2) You will need travel insurance which covers Covid. Most insurers appear to want proof of a Positive PCR test.

 but  If you get Covid you are not allowed to see the doctor so how do you prove it for the Insurance company?

Happy to be corrected ....

[klgt1891]

Thanks so much everyone, this was helpful.

[majortom10]

On 12/2/2022 at 5:18 PM, klgt1891 said:

Does anyone know what happens if you cancel very close to sailing, ie when everything is paid off? The website says you forfeit 100% of the fare, is that also the case if passengers test positive for covid, does anyone know? Do they issue a credit note instead? Or would the only way to recoup the fare to be by claiming back from insurance and hoping for the best? I am asking because I have a family member sailing who is worried about covid risk on board 🙂 

If cancellation is because a member of party is only worried about COVID risk then you will lose all monies paid and you would not get a FCC and I don't think any insurance would pay out just because you are worried about catching COVID and not actually got it.

[outlawuk]

Sadly I had to cancel the QV World Cruise for this year and cancelled just before the final large payment was due and lost the entire deposit. I gather I might not be alone in this loss and upset but I suppose there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. My worry was that if I allowed things to drift beyond tthe payment date that Cunard might Demand the total payment from me then sue, so I cancelled when I could. Great great shame this was especially as I was on the short Hamburg trip with friends immediately before and had to get off when I should have been staying on. Oh and as to Pol Acker, (wrong place to comment I know), I saw the boxes in the corridors waiting to be put into the cabins. It was Pol Acker.

[ace2542]

31 minutes ago, outlawuk said:

Sadly I had to cancel the QV World Cruise for this year and cancelled just before the final large payment was due and lost the entire deposit. I gather I might not be alone in this loss and upset but I suppose there is absolutely nothing I can do about it. My worry was that if I allowed things to drift beyond tthe payment date that Cunard might Demand the total payment from me then sue, so I cancelled when I could. Great great shame this was especially as I was on the short Hamburg trip with friends immediately before and had to get off when I should have been staying on. Oh and as to Pol Acker, (wrong place to comment I know), I saw the boxes in the corridors waiting to be put into the cabins. It was Pol Acker.

Also consider that Cunard/TA will sell or attempt to sell the cabin again AFTER KEEPING your money. Instead of cancelling and losing all the money just no show. They can't resell the cabin if you no show on the day.

[Host Hattie]

49 minutes ago, outlawuk said:

Sadly I had to cancel the QV World Cruise for this year and cancelled just before the final large payment was due and lost the entire deposit.

Sorry to hear you had to cancel, that must have been very disappointing. Can you claim on your travel insurance for your deposit ?

[outlawuk]

Sadly not because it was the issue in getting insurance that led to the cancellation before final payment due. What really hurt was that previously one could re-book the following year but the new policy is that a trip of equal value must be booked within 6 months. There are no World Cruises in Summer and I would hardly book Queens Grill for a 3 week holiday at World Cruise cost. Some of the 'magic' has gone. Had Cunard allowed a cancellation without losing deposit I think many in that situation would remain loyal, but I do think this was a short-sighted policy change, in the face of their advertising that fares are so flexible. I know someone else who lost £5,000 for cancelling the same cruise, but they were in a decent balcony and we were just to be inside in IF grade! All that said, we enjoyed the short Hamburb trip on QV recently and did book the World again for 2024, but perhaps more fool us. Maybe cruising is an addiction!! I won't fault the crew though, they were great.

[MCC retired]

54 minutes ago, outlawuk said:

Sadly not because it was the issue in getting insurance that led to the cancellation before final payment due. What really hurt was that previously one could re-book the following year but the new policy is that a trip of equal value must be booked within 6 months. There are no World Cruises in Summer and I would hardly book Queens Grill for a 3 week holiday at World Cruise cost. Some of the 'magic' has gone. Had Cunard allowed a cancellation without losing deposit I think many in that situation would remain loyal, but I do think this was a short-sighted policy change, in the face of their advertising that fares are so flexible. I know someone else who lost £5,000 for cancelling the same cruise, but they were in a decent balcony and we were just to be inside in IF grade! All that said, we enjoyed the short Hamburb trip on QV recently and did book the World again for 2024, but perhaps more fool us. Maybe cruising is an addiction!! I won't fault the crew though, they were great.

Booked by 6 months , not sailed by 6 months ?

[outlawuk]

I think I am being trolled. To be clear: Any cruise can be cancelled for another cruise within 12 months, but a cancelled World Cruise is EXCLUDED from this scheme. A cancelled World Cruise must be replaced with a cruise of equal value which sails withing 6 (SIX) months. World Cruises only sail in January.

Edited January 27, 2023 by outlawuk
error made and poor grammar

[North West Newbie]

47 minutes ago, outlawuk said:

I think I am being trolled. To be clear: Any cruise can be cancelled for another cruise within 12 months, but a cancelled World Cruise is EXCLUDED from this scheme. A cancelled World Cruise must be replaced with a cruise of equal value which sails withing 6 (SIX) months. World Cruises only sail in January.

 

For the avoidance of any further doubt, see clause 15 https://www.cunard.com/content/dam/cunard/marketing-assets/pdf/booking-condition-pdf/Cunard Booking Conditions October 20.pdf

[buchanan101]

Interesting one about insurance as the advice is to get insurance when you book to cover having to cancel on medical grounds..but if the trip is more than a year out this is not possible. We’ve booked summer 24 but that’s beyond my current annual insurance - if I was to be uninsurable in the last few months I’d have the same issue. 

shame they don’t let you use the deposit as funding for another cruise but I was amazed to learn that US cruise deposits ARE refundable for  which seems rather strange. I thought the whole point of deposits was that they were showing the purchaser’s commitment. 

[lissie]

On 1/28/2023 at 10:19 PM, buchanan101 said:

Interesting one about insurance as the advice is to get insurance when you book to cover having to cancel on medical grounds..but if the trip is more than a year out this is not possible. We’ve booked summer 24 but that’s beyond my current annual insurance - if I was to be uninsurable in the last few months I’d have the same issue. 

shame they don’t let you use the deposit as funding for another cruise but I was amazed to learn that US cruise deposits ARE refundable for  which seems rather strange. I thought the whole point of deposits was that they were showing the purchaser’s commitment. 

If you have pre-existing conditions, you won't get signed off as fit more than a month or 2 in advance is our experience (partner has pre-existing cardiac issues) - we make sure we have booking that a cancellable with minimum loss prior 

[buchanan101]

11 hours ago, lissie said:

If you have pre-existing conditions, you won't get signed off as fit more than a month or 2 in advance is our experience (partner has pre-existing cardiac issues) - we make sure we have booking that a cancellable with minimum loss prior 

I have atrial fibrillation… well I don’t have it at the moment as recently had a cardioversion. But I’ve taken out insurance for it as an underlying condition. I was discussing with my OH whether having the potential for recurrence of atrial fib was an underlying condition (if not my Amex Platinum card insurance would be fine)… only for atrial fibrillation to reappear in October in NY the day we arrived on QM2. So I’ve bought insurance going forward to cover atrial fib as inderlying condition (I’ve used Staysure who paid out to cover my $1500 ER costs in NY - and atrial fib was listed as underlying condition) 

 

The new insurance asked how many unplanned hospital visits in last 12 months (=1) but insurance still came in at £90 for me (Europe only, excluding Spain, but including skiing).

 

Two of us together for worldwide/cruise/my underlying condition with Staysure had been £330 for a year. Very reasonable. 

[lissie]

4 hours ago, buchanan101 said:

I have atrial fibrillation… well I don’t have it at the moment as recently had a cardioversion. But I’ve taken out insurance for it as an underlying condition. I was discussing with my OH whether having the potential for recurrence of atrial fib was an underlying condition (if not my Amex Platinum card insurance would be fine)… only for atrial fibrillation to reappear in October in NY the day we arrived on QM2. So I’ve bought insurance going forward to cover atrial fib as inderlying condition (I’ve used Staysure who paid out to cover my $1500 ER costs in NY - and atrial fib was listed as underlying condition) 

 

The new insurance asked how many unplanned hospital visits in last 12 months (=1) but insurance still came in at £90 for me (Europe only, excluding Spain, but including skiing).

 

Two of us together for worldwide/cruise/my underlying condition with Staysure had been £330 for a year. Very reasonable. 

We paid about US$1500 for insurance for 90 days trip last year - that covered the USA and cruising but excluded anything to do with Covid (we got Covid just about 6 weeks before travel so we were pretty sure we were fine for Covid) .   At some point they will deny cover and then we'll have to decide whether to travel uninsured (probably)