Megabear2

Thank you for the clarification on how you view the situation. Clearly that is more reasonable than how you worded it previously. Sadly it's not quite so black and white as following the current rules as this thread and the Britannia one also show that the rules can change in a heartbeat, however I assume from your current post you support and would comply with any new ones introduced including any future reintroduction of compulsory testing and masking if P&O decide they become necessary. Thank you.

Have a great cruise.

Oh goodness, so your total quarantine will have been 19 days until you board your flight. Are you alone or is your travelling companion sharing your room ashore, I know in Italy they split families so hopefully Malta is a little more accommodating, particularly as you are a long way into your illness. I do wish you better and hope all goes well with you getting home. I appreciate it's not the main thing on your mind at the moment but perhaps further along you might feel able to give us an update on how your insurer handles your case and what they required from you.

I'm so sorry to hear this. I hope you get home soon. Unfortunately your experience is not unique I know of a great number of people this is happening to, not just on P&O. I'm glad they are looking after you well. Assumedly your insurer will now be treating you under the medical section of your policy rather than the confinement section. Not much comfort I know but at least if you are ashore with a positive test in hotel quarantine it should make your claim far easier. May I ask how many days did you quarantine on the ship before disembarkation?

I'm not supporting the suggestion I'm merely stating the facts that the cruise lines are being draconian in following rules they are making up on the hoof. Their rules have stated categorically through the mask regime no exemptions. I saw a lady with a visor barred from her cruise earlier late last year because it didn't meet the rules set by P&O. She was very tearful but eventually accepted she would need to wear her mask. We did see her about the ship and she was masked. Whether she was happy or uncomfortable I have no idea.

I was one of the unfortunates who stayed positive for close on three weeks. I became very unwell and at the point I was coughing blood was sent to a so called "hot clinic" where a PCR test was carried out. Astonishingly at 16 days it was still positive so my records recorded it and the cruise company accepted it. Interestingly my Aurora cruise was cancelled at the same time early in my illness and they automatically cancelled on the health declaration and the FCC appeared in 48 hours. Obviously the PCR result being a freak made my life easier as Celebrity had just stopped their FCC regime at the point I was ill.

You can get certified testing but if you go to book all companies state if you have symptoms they will not book a test for you. These are apparently tests for fit to fly certificates. I tried to use one of these for proof I had covid at the end of March to ensure I had it recorded on my medical records and was refused a test.

Your insurer treated you well, particularly if you also received FCC, as most policies seem to say if you receive remuneration of any kind from your tour ope4ator, airline, hotel etc you are not paid out from them. Reading this, please correct me if I'm wrong, you received both a confinement payout and FCC? Was there a daily set amount in your policy and a maximum claimable? Some insurers appear to have not been paid out under the confinement section stating it specifically does not cover covid confinement.

When did this happen? Presumably just down to bad weather not a a shortage.

Thank you for your insight from someone affected. I find it sad so many don't understand or just couldn't care less. Figures here are announced via the local paper each week. We have 23 hospitalised at last Friday. I think I.might retire from this topic now it's wandering. If I have any useful information for people be it from insurers, the FCA or P&O I will post then if it seems relevant.

I don't disagree but they'll lose all their money now they are restricted on moving cruises. I'm.not suggesting a right or wrong approach merely a more flexible one for these auto immune people who've been trapped into protecting their money for an age and are now having to travel.or maybe lose the lot. If one of these people God forbid contracts the disease and dies the repercussions for the cruise line will.be enormous, particularly if the press get wind of it.

It's not a problem to me but clearly is to the immune deficiency people some of whom are only just getting brave enough to go out. The poor lady on the Ventura Masks thread might have wanted to know so she didn't book for instance.

Totally true but some of those people booked months or years ago and P&O may have lulled them into a false sense of security. There is no openness on how many cases there have been onboard, probably because cruise lines don't want to put people off. Anyone reading the website updates may well think it's far safer for them than it actually is. It isn't them being stupid just too trusting.

I'm sorry you are in a predicament. Unfortunately no cruise is guaranteed as mask free as if there are any outbreaks the rules can change immediately whi h is what has occurred on Ventura and Britannia's current voyages. No one can say positively that a cruise will not be affected.

As I said, as long as your happy, nothing to worry about. Enjoy your cruise.

Reading the OPs list of what was expected they look likely to be disappointed on a lot of the things they were looking forward to such as cocktail parties and sequence quizzes. I feel very sorry for them.

Or you could be an unfortunate close contact to someone. It's been happening elsewhere and the positive person is asked about table companions etc. On my Celebrity and Princess cruises we were effectively tracked on excursion buses and in restaurants.

Thaats pretty standard wording to be honest and is great if you have the required positive test. You're right, hearing of some people's experiences on here and elsewhere including one of my best friends I'd want to know what sort of proof my insurer would require. I'm glad you are happy and it is suitable for your needs.

That's a very interesting question! I recall someone on a Cunard cruise I was on pre pandemic asking to leave early and being allowed to, but post pandemic I'm not sure if they have to notify local officials.

See my amended comment above re your cover - here's presumably your policy's updated terms. If I test positive for COVID-19, am I covered to cancel my trip? Yes, if you're forced to cancel your trip as a direct result of a positive COVID-19 test, you’re covered for cancellation. You'll need to provide confirmation and evidence of a positive test result.

Well that's great. I assume you have checked with them and have their confirmation in writing just to be safe. Your approach to the questionnaire is exactly what's under discussion about how it spreads so quickly. You are on my cruise so at least will have tested by requirement.

It's not optional on the most expensive cruises. If I test positive 48 hours before I fly, I'm into possible £8,200 loss. Admittedly I will have a positive test but it's not a PCR. I'm thinking of paying extra to get that as my fit to fly rather than the one requested by P&O, at least if the worst happened I'd have a PCR result.

Dave, I believe the AXA policy is particular to TUI and therefore Marella. It is a specially negotiated policy for that company and not a "normal" AXA policy. Therefore I should expect that Marella will have spoken to AXA before changing their terms which of course is the correct thing to do. I've asked Holiday Extras if P&O have done the same with them: stoney silence! Read into that what you may.

That's fine if your insurer guarantees your cover. It would appear however the cancellation is based on proof you have covid whereas P&O policy is not apparently medically confirmed and is just computer driven. The case I mentioned previously which made me look at it was a lady who declared she had a cough. She did not have nor ever had covid but was on antibiotics from her doctor for a chest infection. She was refused boarding. Her sister and family had to travel without her as they hadn't answered the questionnaire with yes anywhere. The lady appealed and was told by P&O no appeal or discussion allowed as it was for the ship safety. She is now fighting her insurer who says no cover because she hasn't got a positive covid test. It continues but is understandably very distressing and difficult. We have three policies here, Allianz through our bank, Post Office for me as all singing and dancing nothing not covered and Avanti for my husband because of winter sports cover with health conditions. All three say you require proof of a positive covid test to claim under their covid section, including denied boarding. It also has to be confirmed by a PCR, the observed LFT requested by P&O for my Caribbean fly cruise does not suffice.

As this is descending into but you had no guarantees argument, let's stop arguing amongst ourselves and answer a couple of questions to see what we thought we were buying: 1. Did you book believing your money was safe and you weren't at risk of losing it in its entirety, ie FCC would be paid to cover you? 2. If FCC was always going to disappear did you book expecting your money would be totally covered in some other means, ie your insurer would indemnify you in full for your loss? 3. Did you book thinking if you were quarantined on your cruise you would receive FCC for your lost days? 4. If FCC for quarantine disappeared did you believe your insurance policy would pay out for your lost days due to confinement? If so did you think it was under the specific covid section or the "normal" confinement to cabin section? 5. In light of all the possible connotations and problems associated with the now in place policy are you confident your money and holiday is safe? 6. Who has actually read their covid insurance policy in detail to ensure you have the cover P&O are suggesting you will be covered under? 7. Who is happy to risk the entire cost of their holiday on a ridiculous health questionnaire that a computer algorithm decides on - are you really happy to answer truthfully and possibly lose every penny you have spent or spends months arguing with an insurance claims company and P&O? 8. In light of this new policy and vague referral to your insurers would you now book a cruise under these terms? Terms and conditions aside, I'd say these are pretty reasonable questions a lawyer would ask his opposing P&O lawyer. Anyone want to answer these on here to get a straw poll opinion of what they though?