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Incredibly disappointed with Cunard.

Ditchcrawler

By Ditchcrawler,
in Cunard Line

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buchanan101

buchanan101

Posted
Posted
22 minutes ago, Ditchcrawler said:

Cunard have backed down.

 

Quote from my TA's email:

 

"You have your balcony cabin as originally booked, they have apologised for the attempt to downgrade and admitted it was an unusual situation"

 

Thank you all for your help. 

 

Frankly, I suspect the outcome would have been more unfavourable without it.

You have your balcony cabin as originally booked, they have apologised for the attempt to downgrade and admitted it was an unusual situation

You have your balcony cabin as originally booked, they have apologised for the attempt to downgrade and admitted it was an unusual situation

Should still be giving you some OBC or at least a bottle of champagne (not Pol Acker) for the stress it has caused you

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david63

david63

Posted
Posted

I would still be inclined to send an email to the address I posted before outlining what has happened and the stress it has put you under if for no other reason than to preventing it happening to anybody else.

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eroller Great Review Rare

eroller

Posted
Posted

Perhaps making the issue public on CC worked in your favor.  They do read these boards and social media.  Better for them to move on to someone else less vocal.  
 

in any case I’m glad it worked out, but it’s still concerning it happened in the first place, and is likely happening to someone else.  Only a very small percentage of cruisers participate on CC so odds are they get someone else not as connected.  

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steve4031 "Live from...." Rare

steve4031

Posted
Posted

I am glad it worked out.  This was a poor showing on Cunard's part.  Since this was booked as part of the honeymoon, I suspect the TA put that information in the reservation.  That should be one of the last cabins to be approached for a downgrade.  

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buchanan101

buchanan101

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, steve4031 said:

I am glad it worked out.  This was a poor showing on Cunard's part.  Since this was booked as part of the honeymoon, I suspect the TA put that information in the reservation.  That should be one of the last cabins to be approached for a downgrade.  

A Cunard Fare should never be approached. 

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Windsurfboy Great Review Rare

Windsurfboy

Posted
Posted

Good news

 

Get your TA to create hell. Let the TA know you wonder if you'd have been better to book direct ,  but given the stress you expect Cunard to make up fot it , and sorting this out is why you use a TA in the future  and not book direct

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richard_london

richard_london

Posted
Posted

Pleased the situation has been resolved.  I know a couple on a Cunard cruise I was on and they were doing back to back cruises, and for the second cruise they were bumped down from their balcony to an ocean view down on 1 deck (this was on the QE) because Cunard had a big (as in number of people) travel agency booking joining the ship.  They were as livid, as I'm sure you were.  So I don't think you are an isolated incident.

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NE John Great Review Rare

NE John

Posted
Posted
2 hours ago, Ditchcrawler said:

Cunard have backed down

Is Cunard still refunding your fare and giving you some FCC? Or are they just saying, in the words of Monty Python, “Never mind”…

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david63

david63

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, NE John said:

Is Cunard still refunding your fare and giving you some FCC? Or are they just saying, in the words of Monty Python, “Never mind”…

More like they have found another mug, sorry passenger, to take their generous offer

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DCThunder

DCThunder

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, NE John said:

Is Cunard still refunding your fare and giving you some FCC? Or are they just saying, in the words of Monty Python, “Never mind”…

I always thought that was Emily Litella...

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bluemarble

bluemarble

Posted
Posted

Just saw a facebook post from a guest on the Queen Victoria May 13th cruise who says they are a bit disappointed after Cunard notified them on Tuesday they have been downgraded from a balcony to an obstructed oceanview (with compensation). Whatever's going on with that cruise has impacted at least one other guest it would appear.

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walkingsoon

walkingsoon

Posted
Posted (edited)

Overbooking exists, and I don't begrudge the cruise lines trying to juice their revenues. But when they get stuck, they should be asking for volunteers first. 

 

This sounds like poor handling on the part of Cunard and the way it was communicated ("wish" to downgrade you) didn't help. I'd probably take that 50% fare reduction to swap a balcony for a window, but I'd certainly like to be asked rather than told.

 

By comparison, Princess has a very generous move over program. I answer those e-mails immediately.

 

 

Edited by walkingsoon
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babs135 Great Review Rare

babs135

Posted
Posted

Phew, what a relief it appears to have been sorted.  Should never have happened in the first place of course.  And as others have said, I would be having a word with your travel agent and asking them that an apology from Cunard for the stress they caused should be in the form of either a meal in one of the alternative dining rooms and perhaps they could kindly throw in some on board credit as well.

Please let us know how the cruise went and whether you'd be happy to sail with Cunard again! And of course, happy honeymoon.

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MCC retired

MCC retired

Posted
Posted

By comparison, Princess has a very generous move over program. I answer those e-mails immediately.

 

I completely agree . Princess often overbooks but offers ever increasing benefits for those who accept these "Move Over" offers until resolved. Cunard as part of Carnival Corp should do the same?

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Windsurfboy Great Review Rare

Windsurfboy

Posted
Posted

I agree,  but the move over , ever increasing inducement takes time, this seems last minute, but given right wording shouldn't take more than a few days if inducement was enough. 

 

But nothing stopping Cunard emailing everyone with balcony, offering healthy inducement and asking for volunteers.  I'm sure if they emailed what must be hundreds, they would get enough willing to have a refund and OBC. This would  be easier for those they can email to directly not via TA. 

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ilv4cruising

ilv4cruising

Posted
Posted

I'm glad everything got resolved for this passenger but I admit I'm truly puzzled on how this happens only a few days before the scheduled departure.

 

My mother was a travel agent and I grew up with the industry (even though I'm not a TA).  I know overbooking on Air travel is common (usually because so many do cancel or are "no shows") but I've never heard of this for a Cruise, yet others are saying it is common.

 

I might be able to understand overbooking before final payment but after final payment I would have thought a cabin would be confirmed.  According to my cancellation schedule I lose 75% of my money if I cancel 1 month before departure and 100% of my money if I cancel 2 weeks before departure.

 

Is it common practice for people to cancel a cruise so close to traveling (other than health reasons) to warrant overbooking?  Just curious to know.

 

Thanks,

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Pushpit "Live from...." Rare

Pushpit

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, ilv4cruising said:

Is it common practice for people to cancel a cruise so close to traveling (other than health reasons) to warrant overbooking?  Just curious to know.

 

I suspect there are quite a few no-shows on cruises, and in some cases people just don't show up. In addition the health issues, people miss connecting flights, their homes get badly damaged just before departure, and couples decide to part ways between booking and departure.  I wouldn't assume that overbooking airline style is warranted here, the numbers can't be high and Cunard have their money.

 

However there's also

- some guest speakers / VIPs often get invited at the last minute and their contract may insist on a balcony. Even Dr. Payne sometimes only gets a few days notice to pack his bags, and I doubt he gets allocated an inside stateroom.

- Plusgrade - which is a airline tool - does change some of the dynamics here, in that it can upgrade people via an auction process, and I can see it would be easy to get the numbers wrong on a full sailing (as this sailing is). So you upgrade someone into balcony on a fat bid, you initially use another person's bid from balcony to club to create space. Then the club bidding passenger refuses to pay the extra.

Edited by Pushpit
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