Where do I stand on cancelling a free cruise?

[Wondercruise23]

Hi All, hoping someone may be able to help?

 

I am due to travel with P&O on Saturday. ln the last hour, they have called me to advise that my standard balcony was overbooked, and they would like me to take an inside cabin instead. For my troubles, they have said they will refund 100% of the cruise.

 

This isn't something I had to haggle for; I was offered this straight out of the gate, which was a result. I have agreed to the refund and downgrade and had my inside cabin number confirmed.

 

My one request was that I wanted them to help me book a spot for the two of us in the retreat for the full two weeks, as I thought I could use £350 of the refund towards this. However, the lady couldn't promise me a spot as we are less than 72hrs away from sailing.

 

For various reasons, we haven't really been looking forward to this cruise for some time now. We had a poor experience on the same ship last September and have things going on at home that make us wonder if it's even worth going.

 

My question is, now that they have promised a 100% refund, if we no show on Saturday, will they come after us for the cost of the cabin? Do they have any legal right to chase us to repay the money, as we only got the money back by agreeing to the downgrade?

 

Thank you for even reading this far, any insight would be appreciated!

 

 

[Harry Peterson]

That looks to be a very tricky one, and the answer, as always, will depend on the terms and conditions. You’ll have been bound by the original terms, and it’s possible they cover this situation, but did you agree to any new terms, verbally or in writing, when you made the second ‘free’ booking?

[CruisingConnor]

Sorry not to have an experience-based answer for you, but I can’t imagine them coming for you to pay for no-showing. Indeed, the T&Cs when I last perused them were all about the fact that you would lose all you’d paid if you no showed. Not that they’d come for more on top of that. 
 

Perhaps more pertinently - save for some emergency, I couldn’t imagine no-showing on a free cruise!

 

I would go, and try to get into the Retreat on board. I’m not sure what ship you’re on but I’d have thought it very unlikely to be fully booked at this time of year. 

[tring]

57 minutes ago, Wondercruise23 said:

Hi All, hoping someone may be able to help?

 

I am due to travel with P&O on Saturday. ln the last hour, they have called me to advise that my standard balcony was overbooked, and they would like me to take an inside cabin instead. For my troubles, they have said they will refund 100% of the cruise.

 

This isn't something I had to haggle for; I was offered this straight out of the gate, which was a result. I have agreed to the refund and downgrade and had my inside cabin number confirmed.

 

My one request was that I wanted them to help me book a spot for the two of us in the retreat for the full two weeks, as I thought I could use £350 of the refund towards this. However, the lady couldn't promise me a spot as we are less than 72hrs away from sailing.

 

For various reasons, we haven't really been looking forward to this cruise for some time now. We had a poor experience on the same ship last September and have things going on at home that make us wonder if it's even worth going.

 

My question is, now that they have promised a 100% refund, if we no show on Saturday, will they come after us for the cost of the cabin? Do they have any legal right to chase us to repay the money, as we only got the money back by agreeing to the downgrade?

 

Thank you for even reading this far, any insight would be appreciated!

 

 

 

Not sure about your current situation, but had you not agreed to what was offered, you would have been entitled to a refund along with compensation.  Accepting what was offered has lost you the right to that compensation, so unlikely you would get anything else now, even if you do not go on the cruise. 

 

Hence a good deal for P&O, as they are unlikely to have sold the inside cabin at this late stage and if you do travel, you will likely give them some extra cash for purchases on the ship, (such as the retreat), rather than them paying you the compensation in cash.  So they still gain by not having to pay that.

 

Out of interest, which ship were you due to sail on and for how long?

 

 

Edited January 3 by tring

[Wondercruise23]

Thank you Harry, Connor and Tring.

We are due to sail on the Azura for 2wks round the Canaries, so will be receiving around £2,500 back and will only have to pay for excursions, which is really fantastic! The catch being that we have an inside instead of a balcony, which we are quite unsure about as we've only ever had balconies before, so are hoping it will be OK.

It sounds really terrible, doesn't it, to say that we're considering not going, so we are really trying to talk ourselves into it!

If we do decide not to go, I just wondered if they would then hold back the refund so they didn't lose out on the money that we would otherwise have spent on board, as in our experience, P&O have always been quite shocking for their money-grabbing ways.

 

Edited January 3 by Wondercruise23

[paulatsea]

14 minutes ago, Wondercruise23 said:

Thank you Harry, Connor and Tring.

We are due to sail on the Azura for 2wks round the Canaries, so will be receiving around £2,500 back and will only have to pay for excursions, which is really fantastic! The catch being that we have an inside instead of a balcony, which we are quite unsure about as we've only ever had balconies before, so are hoping it will be OK.

It sounds really terrible, doesn't it, to say that we're considering not going, so we are really trying to talk ourselves into it!

If we do decide not to go, I just wondered if they would then hold back the refund so they didn't lose out on the money that we would otherwise have spent on board, as in our experience, P&O have always been quite shocking for their money-grabbing ways.

 

Go !
You might be able to upgrade to a balcony again on board if there is a no show perhaps ?  - even at a cost it would be worth it ? 
I expect you would be first in line given the circumstances ?
if it was us we would be very disappointed not to have a balcony like we usually do - but for free we would go anyway and and make the best of it.

Edited January 3 by paulatsea

[Winifred 22]

Sorry I would have been all over that a free 2 week Canary Island cruise and a refund. What’s not to like. If you don’t really like the inside cabin it was free. The only possible thing I thing would be perhaps they  no longer honour the refund as you chose not to go ? But I really have no idea. I am sure others will have an opinion of more use. 

[carlanthony24]

Definitely still go don’t turn down a free cruise. Like people have said you may get no shows and be able to transfer to a balcony.

[paulatsea]

Also hopefully some sunshine and drinks will help you feel a bit more cheerful re the things going on at home. Hope it works out for you - let us know !

[Wondercruise23]

Thank you all, we've sat and mulled it over and agree that we'd be mad not to take advantage of it!! I think normally we would be, it's just been a long few months and life has beaten us down a bit.

We're going to make the most of it and enjoy the winter sun, thanks again for the lovely responses. This is my first post and I'm so pleased that everyone has been so kind and helpful 🙂

[tring]

11 minutes ago, Wondercruise23 said:

Thank you all, we've sat and mulled it over and agree that we'd be mad not to take advantage of it!! I think normally we would be, it's just been a long few months and life has beaten us down a bit.

We're going to make the most of it and enjoy the winter sun, thanks again for the lovely responses. This is my first post and I'm so pleased that everyone has been so kind and helpful 🙂

 

Enjoy the cruise, the sun is worth it at this time of year.

 

Also, welcome to the forum, hope you find it is use in the future and you may be able to offer useful information to others.

 

Edited January 3 by tring

[purplesea]

I would go, get away from this awful weather and enjoy the sunshine.  

Hope you have a lovely time. 

We are joining Azura on the 19th for 2 weeks so will overlap with you by a day.

[AndyMichelle]

53 minutes ago, Wondercruise23 said:

Thank you all, we've sat and mulled it over and agree that we'd be mad not to take advantage of it!! I think normally we would be, it's just been a long few months and life has beaten us down a bit.

We're going to make the most of it and enjoy the winter sun, thanks again for the lovely responses. This is my first post and I'm so pleased that everyone has been so kind and helpful 🙂

So glad you are going, it sounds like you need it. 

Be prepared for the best night's sleep you have ever had in an inside. 

We prefer a balcony, but have had some great bargain holidays in the' blackout box'... 

Have a fantastic time. 

Andy 

[Bill Y]

1 hour ago, Winifred 22 said:

Sorry I would have been all over that a free 2 week Canary Island cruise and a refund. What’s not to like. If you don’t really like the inside cabin it was free. The only possible thing I thing would be perhaps they  no longer honour the refund as you chose not to go ? But I really have no idea. I am sure others will have an opinion of more use. 

A good point if you have not already received the refund then its not a case of pursuing through the courts, they have his @Wondercruise23's money. I assume that it's a cash refund not OBC or FCC so no need to spend it?

 

As regarding being bounced on the phone into making an instant decision without having time to access the T&C's or even having them, Is this not why the distance selling regs were introduced? so has the option of declining the material change and having compensation been lost? Others may advise.

 

Look on the bright side you would not be sunbathing on a your balcony for most of the way down or back. If you have set your heart on the retreat I am sure they will be able to fit you in crossing the bay of Biscay.

[Francisdrake]

Don't worry about the inside cabin, they aren't that bad you get a cracking night's sleep with no light pollution in the morning,

[GINGERWILDCAT]

2 hours ago, Wondercruise23 said:

Thank you all, we've sat and mulled it over and agree that we'd be mad not to take advantage of it!! I think normally we would be, it's just been a long few months and life has beaten us down a bit.

We're going to make the most of it and enjoy the winter sun, thanks again for the lovely responses. This is my first post and I'm so pleased that everyone has been so kind and helpful 🙂

Can’t you go, get your cabin and refund then first stop get a flight home from there?🤣

[gsmt47471015]

I have to agree about sleeping well in an inside cabin , we usually end up over sleeping  when we have been in one , just like sleeping in a hotel room with blackout curtains .

If you don't use your cabin for things other than showering and sleeping you wont miss the balcony. and if its free , well why not !!! 

Have a great trip and hope things at home improve for you 👍 

[Camberley]

I hope you enjoy the cruise. Yes the inside cabin would indeed be a pain compared to the balcony you wanted in normal circumstances - but for a free cruise, the sun and everything else in this case I am sure this will not adversely affect the whole experience once you get settled in. 
 

But do ask at Southampton on Saturday about a balcony and reiterate to them how you were initially downgraded etc and if there is now a balcony free…. as there may well be no-shows.

[Sussexboy]

Go and enjoy it. Sometimes getting away from problems at home helps put them in perspective. They don’t go away, but you get fresh energy and insight to deal with them on your return. Have a great time and recharge those batteries!

[elmsliebev]

On 1/3/2024 at 9:10 PM, Bill Y said:

 

 

Look on the bright side you would not be sunbathing on a your balcony for most of the way down or back. If you have set your heart on the retreat I am sure they will be able to fit you in crossing the bay of Biscay.

Azura is already in the Canaries. We were on the repo cruise in October, in an inside cabin and had a great time. Certanly slept well, and had no problems finding plenty of peaceful outside space to relax.

[insidecabin]

They were probably polling people to get volunteers to take alternative cabins if you said no or wanted compensation on top of the refund they would have moved onto the next on the list.

 

Package regulations provide for claiming unrecoverable costs which for a fly cruise is going to be things like preflight hotel,  parking, maybe prepaid lounge...

By accepting the alternative P&O no longer have that liability.

 

Hope your flight went well and you enjoy the cruise.

 

We looked at this for a late deal and they had no availability for quite a while.

[paulatsea]

Wondercruise23 - how did the cruise go ? Did you enjoy it ?