Bennybluehat

I can’t see how any cruise company will be allowed to start up again any time soon. As this episode has shown, and given it’s a comparatively small ship, it’s impossible to get all crew and passengers onboard and be 100% sure no one has taken the virus with them. Testing isn’t accurate enough at this stage. You can’t quarantine all passengers and crew for 10 days before the ship sets sail so I really can’t see what options the cruise lines have. Many countries are either riddled with the virus or they won’t want ships visiting and insurance will either be non existent or crazy money. We need a vaccine and soon!

Let’s face it, there won’t be any more cruises until a vaccine is available. Whether there’s any cruise companies left to cruise with by that point is another matter.....

22 hours ago, gkerlin said:

April 25 QM crossing canceled in March.
Refund requested on April 26.

 

Checked in  early June was promised by June 15. About June 20th, I called again and was promised by June 30.

 

Called yesterday I was told it should have been processed already and they would check into it and get back to me this morning.   No word today as promised so I’ll call again tomorrow.

 

Disappointing.

No refund for us yet either. I have no idea what they are playing at but it’s really starting to hack me off now. It’s not acceptable, I never though Cunard would stoop this low.

2 hours ago, majortom10 said:

50 days since Cunard refunded me twice for my cancelled May cruise on QM2.  Returned overpayment by cheque which they have not yet cashed and contacted them on Facebook about it with no response. Unbelievable what a total mess they must be in and does anyone know what they are doing. Losing confidence in Cunard day by day.

We were meant to be on the exact same cruise and we haven’t had a single penny off Cunard for the cancellation. How on Earth are they deciding who to pay and who not to? I thought it might be order of cruise but if you have had your refund that can’t be the case. Maybe you should forward your extra payment to us if Cunard don’t want it!! I’m getting worried why we haven’t had our refund.

17 hours ago, firegal2539 said:

I will never sail Cunard. I have been waiting for a full refund of a cruise that was booked almost two years ago. I cancelled the cruise the first of March and I have seen small amounts of money be returned to me but they still owe me more. This is 120 days (4 months) and what Cunard said is everything is being refunded piece meal, a little here and a little there. My flight that was booked through them is still on American Airlines as I am taking it. I have called and called, asking them to cancel the flight and refund my money and so far nothing has happened.

 

This isn't a prestige cruise line if they can't take care of their passengers.

Why are they paying it bit by bit and not the full amount at once? We are still waiting for our refund, 90 days on Wednesday, and I got a feeling I will have a fight on my hands to get it. Not acceptable at all.

Sorry if this subject has been covered time and time again but how much longer will I have to wait to get my refund back? This is now day 84 after I had the cancellation invoice sent to me and still no sign of any refund. How long have you had to wait and has anyone had to wait longer than 90 days? Should I be contacting Cunard? Getting worried now a lot of businesses are going under due to the virus and I may never get my money back.

6 minutes ago, netpj said:

We were on the world cruise on QM2 which had to end in Australia.  We have yet to hear anything from Cunard UK about refunds etc. despite trying our best to contact them.  Apparently, cruisers who booked via North American office have at least been hearing from them but not sure if actual refunds received yet.  

Thanks for the replies. I’m not overly concerned about not receiving our refund yet, I’m sure it will be sorted out in due time. I just feel more reassured we haven’t been forgotten about knowing others out there are in the same boat ( if only we were! ).

How long on average are people waiting for their refunds? We should have been in New York today before completing the return voyage to Southampton on QM2 but as of yet no refund.

A memory I will never forget was the cruise on Aurora to Northern Norway. There’s no guarantee you will ever see the Northern Lights and I would have been happy to have seen the slightest activity but the display Mother Nature put on for us that night was truly spectacular. We took a private tour in Alta with a Sami as our guide which was a huge privilege in itself but I could only have dreamt of the light show we got that night, not to mention it coinciding with a meteor shower at the same time. It was definitely one of the best experiences I have ever had and it wouldn’t have happened if we hadn’t taken that cruise. 

If you have paid your full balance using a credit card & your cruise is cancelled & a refund is given, how then do you get that money back off the credit card company?

8 hours ago, staygulf said:

And if you end up being caught out like those on the Diamond Princess or those now on the Grand Princess who can’t rock and will probably be quarantined on land, will your employers be generous enough to not count that as part of your holiday allowance?

No, i just wont get paid for any extra time off, not even my employer who arent the most generous in the world will class that as "holiday allowance".

11 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

If you have only paid a deposit, then some people are cancelling and losing their deposit.  If, like us, you have fully paid, then we are just waiting.  If we cancel because we just don't like the thought of it we lose a lot of money, so we are planning on going unless all travel is stopped, in which case we would be refunded.

We feel exactly the same. Unless we are turned away or the ship doesnt sail then we are going. Not only is the price of the cruise, accomodation at Southampton, parking etc (all of which is already arranged ) a big concern but also being a couple who both work full time it is difficult to reschedule time off at a later date.

I know but there’s an awful lot of everything to scroll through on that thread that’s why I’m asking 1 specific question.

We are due to cruise in 2 months time and generally we are healthy & are middle aged. Unless our cruise company cancels the cruise or we were to contract coronvirus prior to this we have no intention of cancelling. There seems to be quite a few people who are cancelling their up and coming cruises so I’m wondering what people’s reasons were for this. I can understand it if you have underlying medical issues or of a certain age but are others who are like us cancelling aswell & for what reasons?

So what would happen if for example you caught the virus, went into quarantine, got over the virus & then had a cruise to go on shortly afterwards? Would you still be allowed onboard if you have had the virus but are now, as far as you are aware, free from it?

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Just got through to P&O. 

After balance has been paid, you cannot transfer to a later date. 

Couldn't get much else out of them, they kept saying normal T&C's apply and to keep checking the website for updates. 

They would not confirm or deny if they would reimburse if they refused us boarding... 

Andy 

Surely if you turn up for your cruise & P&O cancels it for whatever reason, then you should be entitled to your money back. If not they could cancel cruises all the time & make a stinking fortune from it. If they can’t take you to these infected areas they could at least let you onboard & we could all sail around the Isle of Wight for a fortnight!!

I will be on a QM2 transatlantic voyage on May 8th which is VE Day. I am hoping Cunard will be doing various things onboard to celebrate & remember. I am aware that not all passengers onboard will be British but I will be very disappointed if nothing is in place for these commemorations especially given Cunards roll in both World Wars. Has anyone any information regarding this?

1 hour ago, MrBri said:

Does anybody know the publisher of the world atlas which is provided in the cabins on Arcadia? My father in law wants a copy as he found it a fascinating read on his recent first cruise. I have suggested that any atlas has the same world maps but he wants that particular one!!

They provide an atlas in the cabins on Arcadia? The only reading material we have had provided for us by P&O in our cabins is the Gideons Bible, a laundry price list & the muster station route on the back of the door!!

"Swing low sweet chariot"

COME ON ENGLAND!!!

On 10/1/2019 at 7:38 PM, Presto2 said:

 

If I've said this before, please forgive me, but in August on Celebrity EDGE (NOTE NOT P&O) we tendered to Mykonos. Other ships did not and left. We did an excursion where we sailed to a few beaches that morning. It was very windy and choppy on the way out ……….. on the way back it was scary (and I like a rough sea). Believe me, when that little boat turned side ways as the waves hit it as we turned to harbour it really felt that it was at a 45 degree angle. Scary.

 

The weather had changed and it was by the grace of God that we all got back to the EDGE safety ….. and thanks to the professionalism and expertise of the Captain and crew.

 

The weather can change so quickly and credit to the Captain of the Azura  he did not put people at risk and decided that it was better for them to stay ashore (with the criticisms from the press) than risk them coming back to the ship.

 

People who moan about things like this really do not seem to understand that 'nature' / the 'sea' can not be tamed by even the best Captain. A cruise is NOT a land holiday - do your homework people.

 

 

I totally agree. Obviously it wouldn’t be a pleasant experience and nobody would want to be in that situation but instead of blaming the Captain, P&O, and anyone else you can think of, I think people need to think long and hard whether a cruise is actually for them. The seas can be wild and unforgiving and should be respected and I don’t think most people are prepared for the conditions they find themselves in. Tenders especially can give a rough crossing and I have witnessed very elderly and immobile passengers trying to board them with great difficulty, probably not the wisest thing to do. People need to take responsibility for their own actions and judge whether being in the middle of the ocean, maybe in very extreme conditions is what they really want and are prepared to deal with. 

We always book direct never with a TA and we have received the booklets, i seem to remember you have to opt in to get them somewhere on the personaliser. We received 1 for our forthcoming cruise about 3 weeks ago.

We have a member of our forthcoming cruise who requires a very low salt diet. As I understand the basics of desalination I am not totally sure that this removes ALL traces of salt making it safe for our friend to drink. Anyone know if 100% of the salt is removed in the process?

Has anyone asked P&O to accomodate them for a low salt diet and how does it work? Are you given a choice of meals or will you be offered only 1 that is low in salt? Thanks in advance.

4 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Definitely PG in the cabin recently as I had a horrible experience...

I made Michelle a cup in near darkness, she spat it out... How ungrateful I thought.

It was Camomile tea in identical PG packaging.

Alright on its own, but not with milk when she was expecting a proper brew.

She insists I did it deliberately!! As if I would😀

Andy

Well of course you wouldn’t do something like that on purpose 😉 I’m sure we had Tetley last time we were onboard but I’m quite partial to a nice cup of PG tips aswell! I won’t be quite as happy if they do more cutbacks and they start using Lidl’s saver bags! I do take my own coffee as I find the complimentary stuff revolting. I also take the little concentrated squash bottles with me on P&O cruises as there is nothing like that provided unless you pay for soft drinks.

20 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

Hot chocolate is served in the late night buffet.

We take them back to the cabin with a handful of digestive biscuits...

Andy

Digestive biscuits?! All we ever seem to find in the late night buffet is soggy pizza and left over desserts! We have often commented on how a cookie or equivalent would be good with a late night hot drink. Maybe we go in too early or too late but I will definitely be hunting the digestives out on our next cruise! 🍪🍩🐷