Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[tilournextadventure]

6 hours ago, Canuker said:

Interesting. The kennels are usually reserved for animals.
Still, good room service, eh?

Well, if you knew my husband, you would understand why we have to stay in the kennels. It's a tad noisy some days but ordering "off-menu" is a lovely perk. 

[Windsurfboy]

Re QM2, still able to book m008b, from Fremantle to UK which leaves Fremantle tomorrow night, got through to enter credit card stage

[beaveh]

I have seen discussions on this thread about decisions about cancelling and taking FCC, but virtually nothing on the Cunards option to transfer to any other advertised cruise up to 48hrs before departure. ( maybe only offered to UK crusiers?)

 

What do people think of this option, as I think it's the one we will take? We are due to depart 31st May, so we could do the same cruise 30th May 2021. I'm going to wait a bit to see if there is a blanket cancel on crusies, then we can take the refund money and book for a short notice cruise later in the year.. If things have calmed down by then.

[pmcl]

4 hours ago, Coathanger said:

And now Singapore has announced it has halted docking of cruise ships. 

We are due to sail on May 9th trans Pacific voyage, and if, as the experts would have us believe ,that the virus will most likely not be under control by then, it would become a nightmare voyage, particularly if the port of Vancouver was to close its doors to us.

If we accept the Cunard offer to cancel, with partial refund and the rest in FCC, our travel agency will impose a hefty $300 fee pp.

An amendment to our booking attracts a fee of $50.00pp.

Our insurance cover does not extend to pandemics or any medically related treatment for same.

Damned if we do and damned if we don'.t

 

[Ray66]

10 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

The FCO website says and so I think the error was the PM's.

 

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/cruise-ship-travel

 

Thanks for the link and clarification.

 

So Wednesday's email about cancelling and re-booking with part refund and FCC is null and void as presumably people over 70 are unable to rebook at this present time. I await further emails.

[IB2]

23 minutes ago, Ray66 said:

 

Thanks for the link and clarification.

 

So Wednesday's email about cancelling and re-booking with part refund and FCC is null and void as presumably people over 70 are unable to rebook at this present time. I await further emails.

The UK Government strategy is clearly going to be to try and manage the epidemic through the working age healthy population, for the large majority of whom it will mean a horrible week in bed, whilst keeping older people and those with medical conditions in isolation at home.  The experts on yesterday's Newsnight suggested we could be looking at a period of at least three months, taking us well into this summer.  So I wouldn't be thinking about rebooking soon, is the best advice.

[resordanis]

We leave on QE on Sunday......wonder if that will happen🙈

we have taken all precautions, but after over 45 cruises, I am a bit nervous about this one though.

[babs135]

We are not due to sail until October and the date for paying the balance is the 18th June.  An impossible question:  would we be better paying the balance in the hope that the cruise will go ahead or if it's cancelled we should be eligible for some sort of refund.  Or would you just cut your losses and cancel, thereby losing only the deposit?

 

Really keep changing our minds on this and, of course, at this point in time there is no definite answer.  

[Linda Hird]

Why am I finding infoe dating back years.....where's the current information on Cunard and the QM2 voyages?

[exlondoner]

13 hours ago, bodsfanclub said:

It’s a shame that most if not all of the posts on here are concerned with monetary gripes and whinging about obc appearing then disappearing. Yes, we work hard to pay for our cruises but at the end of the day they are a luxury we choose to take. The folk who man the desks at all cruise line hq, the port authority staff, the officers and engineers and the bar staff, housekeepers, chefs, restaurant and security staff - all stand to lose their and possibly their family’s only source of income if things get worse. It’s not nice for the many people in the cruise industry to read speculative posts on boards like this about companies going belly up. That’s their livelihood. We owe them a measure of respect by not talking down their companies and employers. I for one will be putting my confidence in the cruise industry by taking my cruise in June and if it’s cancelled, I’ll be rebooking first later in the year. Others may wish to cancel - for whatever reason - and that’s fine too. But please don’t traduce and speculate about the livelihoods and possible demise of the companies who’ve served us well in times past. As my later mother would say - if you’ve got nothing positive to add to the conversation then keep quiet! 

I do so agree with you. I have also been taken aback by the apparent relish displayed in some quarters at worst case scenarios - all cruises being cancelled, Cunard going bust, Carnival going bust, all cruise companies going bust, no cruises for several years etc. Perhaps some of these may happen, though there is no way of knowing, but I certainly would be very distressed if they did, not rub my hands together with glee.

[Mapmuppet]

Whilst we are booked to go on QM2 in July and have been 'blessed' with the OBC, I need to cancel a cruise for some elderly friends who do not have access to the Internet.   The customer services number 03454 550300 is not working, is there an alternative number they can call ?

 

Thanks

[Canuker]

9 hours ago, sydgal said:

Hi Canuker,

If the cruise goes ahead, I will post in a new thread my experiences. This will be my 5th Cunard cruise and second on Queen Elizabeth. My 1st was QE2 in 1994, very rough transatlantic on 4th September 1994. We were confined inside due to the sea conditions.

Have done QM2 and QV as well. Love the Cunard experience. Very special.

Here’s hoping we sail.

Thanks John for your best wishes

Looking forward to your thoughts, sydgal.
Thank you.

[larrythelabrador]

It's a tricky one! Our balance is due in 5 days for Q018 to Alaska, still pondering what to do! 😬  If we cancel now our booking agents won't refund the £700 for flights & hotels 🙂   If we pay & Cunard cancel the cruise we will get it all back.

[alc13]

I also received the email with cancellation and rebooking terms - welcome, since we are still booked on the Apr 16 QV cruise.  I clicked through to the website and saw the same information there, but it struck me that the tone there was more promotional than cautionary.  Cruise with us for ultimate flexibility! 

 

I think Cunard is hoping against hope that they can salvage the spring cruise season.  Other lines are more realistic and have already canceled them.  I expect Cunard to do the same as more and more ports announce closures.  But we'll see, and we do appreciate the current booking flexibility if they don't.

 

 

[bodsfanclub]

1 hour ago, babs135 said:

We are not due to sail until October and the date for paying the balance is the 18th June.  An impossible question:  would we be better paying the balance in the hope that the cruise will go ahead or if it's cancelled we should be eligible for some sort of refund.  Or would you just cut your losses and cancel, thereby losing only the deposit?

 

Really keep changing our minds on this and, of course, at this point in time there is no definite answer.  

Wait until the beginning of June. If things pan out then you can pay and go. If they dont you can cancel or transfer the deposit into a FCC to a later date. If you pay and then Cunard cancel they will refund you. If you pay and the situation is such that things are no better or god forbid worse, Cunard will turn the money into FCC and you can put it towards a future cruise. If you are of a nervous disposition or feel you are in an at risk group then again, wait until the beginning of June and make a decision then. A lot can change in several months.

 

We sail on 21 June on QM2. Thats three months away. We  intend to sail but if Cunard postpone or cancel we have a back up plan to transfer to a voyage in September. 

 

If you are booked through a reputable travel agent, you should not worry. ABTA protection. If you are booked and paid on a credit card, again, protection from the worst case scenario.

 

My personal feeling is this:-

 

The virus is here to stay possibly for ever. Immunity will build up to it over time. It may well turn into a seasonal thing - CMO said so this am in the UK. Strains will get isolated and vaccines will come on stream. It may take some months/years. So, what to do? You can put your life on hold or you can get out there and live it. We are hand washing, keeping an eye on our elderly relatives and carrying on as normal. That includes taking holidays. 

 

But the most important thing is do what you feel comfortable with. 

Stay safe and keep healthy!

[exlondoner]

5 minutes ago, bodsfanclub said:

 

But the most important thing is do what you feel comfortable with. 

Stay safe and keep healthy!

And don’t blame Cunard for any of this. They are just as much victims as we are, and a company, not a charity.

[Windsurfboy]

2 hours ago, Ray66 said:

 

Thanks for the link and clarification.

 

So Wednesday's email about cancelling and re-booking with part refund and FCC is null and void as presumably people over 70 are unable to rebook at this present time. I await further emails.

 

 

I don't think  Cunard will stop over 70s from sailing, hope not , if they do they will have to offer 100% refunds not FCC. 

[bodsfanclub]

4 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And don’t blame Cunard for any of this. They are just as much victims as we are, and a company, not a charity.

Exactly. Im not hearing the same level of disgruntlement being directed at airlines or hotels for trying to carry on a business in these challenging times. I also find it interesting that cruise companies are being singled out for health advisories when there are similar risks from flying and staying in hotels. I think it's the lazy convenience of using terms like 'floating petri dish' that makes it attractive to bash the cruise industry.

 

I say it again. For some people, the cruise ship is a way of getting from A to B - especially transatlantics, I get that, and it's an inconvenience and disruption to those individuals. Also, for those travelling with animals who avail themselves of the kennels on QM2 - not being able to sail might pose a significant issue. But for the rest of us, this is a holiday. An experience. A luxury. Lets not lose sight of the fact that we are blessed in the first instance to even be able to step forth on one of these ships. So if postponement or even cancellation come, it is disappointing but it is also very much a First World Problem!!

[samiam1]

Had no problem cancelling my June WB TA.  Hats off to Cunard, they dealt with it fairly got majority of cash back plus FCC.  Still fightig with a French line over April TA - they are impossible.

[ace2542]

26 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

And don’t blame Cunard for any of this. They are just as much victims as we are, and a company, not a charity.

Yeah they are good lads, lot of good people like Declan and Grant and DJ Chris going to be lost to the industry I think. If this gets resolved quickly they might come back to the jobs they love or probably just move on with life away from it.

[ace2542]

1 hour ago, exlondoner said:

I do so agree with you. I have also been taken aback by the apparent relish displayed in some quarters at worst case scenarios - all cruises being cancelled, Cunard going bust, Carnival going bust, all cruise companies going bust, no cruises for several years etc. Perhaps some of these may happen, though there is no way of knowing, but I certainly would be very distressed if they did, not rub my hands together with glee.

We are all just very disappointed to be honest. Me and my father  had really been looking forward to this for months (TA Apr 25th). There was no way we could have anticipated this. I am sure the cruise lines have deep pockets they will be back. Or maybe they will all go bust and a new cruise industry will rise with new companies in a few years time. Only time will tell, we all just have to hope for the best because it is all beyond our control.

Edited March 13, 2020 by ace2542

[Host Hattie]

1 hour ago, Linda Hird said:

Why am I finding infoe dating back years.....where's the current information on Cunard and the QM2 voyages?

Welcome to Cruise Critic Linda, this thread is as current as it gets ! Which sailing are you on ?

[Host Hattie]

2 hours ago, Ray66 said:

 

Thanks for the link and clarification.

 

So Wednesday's email about cancelling and re-booking with part refund and FCC is null and void as presumably people over 70 are unable to rebook at this present time. I await further emails.

This is the latest comment on the website

 

[Windsurfboy]

16 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

This is the latest comment on the website

 

 

This is as clear as mud,

 

a simple statement as to whether  over 70s allowed to sail is needed and I've asked them , via Twitter. If I  can't  sail back from Capetown,  need and answer asap to make other arrangements. 

 

70 is an arbitrary age, fitness must be more important than age

[CanadianKate]

3 hours ago, pmcl said:

We are due to sail on May 9th trans Pacific voyage, and if, as the experts would have us believe ,that the virus will most likely not be under control by then, it would become a nightmare voyage, particularly if the port of Vancouver was to close its doors to us.

If we accept the Cunard offer to cancel, with partial refund and the rest in FCC, our travel agency will impose a hefty $300 fee pp.

 

 

 

You surmise this could become a nightmare voyage.

 

You are being given a chance to buy peace of mind for $600. Is that a deal to you?

For $600 you no longer have to worry about this trip and can go back to looking forward to future travel, not dreading your upcoming trip wondering if it will go well, go poorly, or not go at all (but after you've traveled to the point of embarkation so you'll still have to isolate at home when you get there.) 

For $600 you no longer have to plan to spend 14 days in isolation on return home so you are buying 14 days of free movement.

 

For $600 you are putting your family's minds at rest. 

 

Sounds like a deal to me. 

 

Finally, I'll leave you with the excellent answer from an infectious disease physician at our children's hospital.The question was regarding whether families should go on their March Break trips to the US, but it applies to all of us who have trips planned. 

 

If you had a trip booked right now to one of these state-of-emergency states, would you go? 

 

I would review my risks. I go on vacation to escape the stresses of work and daily life, and if I am unable to have that laissez-faire approach when I'm away, then I'll probably reconsider.