CRUISE REFUND RECEIVED

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

I don't have a problem booking another cruise with them as I like the onboard staff.  However, their offices and IT leave a lot to be desired.

 

Going by FB, Cunard and Princess are just as bad.

Reports of Refunds frustration on RCL too.

We will cruise P&O again because of the ship's and crew.

[jeanlyon]

Call me silly, but I don't think they are trying to hang on to the money.  I just think they are overwhelmed with the amount and the different types of payment, plus working from home, plus their stupid systems.

 

Yes, read about RCL.  Fred Olsen are also taking 60 days.

[ohnonotmeagain]

25 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

When/if I cruise again it is going to be difficult to forgive PO for this shambles, but reading about other lines, they are all the same, trying to hang on to our money PO have worn me out and so far all I have is promises and it's  day 70.

 

I have a cruise booked with Princess in November, paid out £2000 already, balance due in August. The cruise is a certainty to be cancelled, destination Sydney, so my battle for a refund will start again. 

 

Wouldn't  it be nice to return to the days when planning, booking and looking forward holidays was a pleasure ?

Actually Princess are NOT any better. Cancelled on 12/3/20, got some refunded but still waiting for FCC to be applied to personalizer. Some still waiting as nothing refunded. Not in any order,just like P&O.

 

[jeanlyon]

Ah but they probably are in order - their order!  So there's the date you cancelled or thought that your TA cancelled, but didn't.  There are those who rang up (like me) to cancel due to age and conditions.  There are TAs who DID  cancel.  There are those with credit card details.  Those who have given bank details.  I could go on.

 

Sue is doing Britannia cancellations

Angela is doing Ventura cancellations

Amy is doing Aurora cancellations

 

See what I mean!!!🤣

Edited May 23, 2020 by jeanlyon

[grapau27]

38 minutes ago, Canberra forever ! said:

No reply yet from Sarah Wing and no money either, day 73 and 71 (2 cruises cancelled on different days)...... not going to chase her until Tuesday, being kind as it is the weekend.

Happy Bank Holiday everyone.....should be in the Baltic on Azura right now 🙁 but never mind this time next year will be on Ventura in the Baltic 🙏🏻🤞🥳 keeping positive !

Nothing wrong with sending a polite reminder as it certainly helped me and she is very helpful.

If she is not at work you will get an email back saying out of office and when she is back.

[grapau27]

35 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

When/if I cruise again it is going to be difficult to forgive PO for this shambles, but reading about other lines, they are all the same, trying to hang on to our money PO have worn me out and so far all I have is promises and it's  day 70.

 

I have a cruise booked with Princess in November, paid out £2000 already, balance due in August. The cruise is a certainty to be cancelled, destination Sydney, so my battle for a refund will start again. 

 

Wouldn't  it be nice to return to the days when planning, booking and looking forward holidays was a pleasure ?

Princess have already cancelled for this year and Australia is not letting anyone in this year so I would ring Princess for clarification asap.

[bobstheboy]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

Princess have already cancelled for this year and Australia is not letting anyone in this year so I would ring Princess for clarification asap.

My cruise is part of a Southampton to Sydney cruise, which was due to leave in October. The full cruise has been cancelled, but my leg, Singapore to Sydney is still listed and unbelievably still for sale ! Due to depart Nov 14th and a certainty to be cancelled but for some unknown, hasn't been yet.

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, bobstheboy said:

My cruise is part of a Southampton to Sydney cruise, which was due to leave in October. The full cruise has been cancelled, but my leg, Singapore to Sydney is still listed and unbelievably still for sale ! Due to depart Nov 14th and a certainty to be cancelled but for some unknown, hasn't been yet.

Pauline on the phone to her cousin in Adelaide Australia.

Her cousin said Australia definitely not letting anyone into Australia this year.

If it were me I would get in touch with Princess asap.

[bobstheboy]

6 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Pauline on the phone to her cousin in Adelaide Australia.

Her cousin said Australia definitely not letting anyone into Australia this year.

If it were me I would get in touch with Princess asap.

I have and all they say is the cruise is scheduled to go ahead ! As I said they are still selling it and we think PO is bad.

[No pager thank you]

To add to the Refund chaos, it is now being reported on official Twitter responses by P&O Cruises that some customers (by the looks of it the 35 night Feb cruise on Ventura) have started to receive letters from US Border Protection giving them 10 days to leave the country, as they were not "exited" properly.  That's months since that should have been sorted.

 

All being investigated apparently. 

 

What a mess!

[Clodia]

My TA rang me this morning. My FCC for both cancelled cruises (April 12th and May 31st) was available on my account so I used more than half of it to rebook for November 2021. The rest I'll think about and take a shorter cruise once cruising restarts.

Regarding the half World Southampton to Sydney in January 2021 he agreed it might not happen, but we agreed to pay the balance in September and that we'd be upgraded and transferred to similar itinerary in 2022 instead.

So more or less sorted. He didn't think October on Aurora would happen, and that my deposit would be rolled into my FCC (I only paid £50 because it was an onboard booking) if I decided not to pay balance in July.

[grapau27]

23 minutes ago, Clodia said:

My TA rang me this morning. My FCC for both cancelled cruises (April 12th and May 31st) was available on my account so I used more than half of it to rebook for November 2021. The rest I'll think about and take a shorter cruise once cruising restarts.

Regarding the half World Southampton to Sydney in January 2021 he agreed it might not happen, but we agreed to pay the balance in September and that we'd be upgraded and transferred to similar itinerary in 2022 instead.

So more or less sorted. He didn't think October on Aurora would happen, and that my deposit would be rolled into my FCC (I only paid £50 because it was an onboard booking) if I decided not to pay balance in July.

Good result and TA sounds good.

[Clodia]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

Good result and TA sounds good.

I'm always impressed by the service I get from this TA whom I've used for about 10 years, but we're not allowed to reveal names on here are we? The personal call and the attention to detail from the cruise consultant were impressive.

[jeanlyon]

To be fair, TA would be pleased to deal with an FCC as they don't lose their commission.  Any good one can do that just by logging into P&O and making the change.

[AndyMichelle]

6 hours ago, peteukmcr said:

Andy, I think you have the patience of a saint. But I truly hope your refunds turn up soon.

 

Now being back off furlough and back at work I have to say business travel is very strange. Only 14 of us (out of around 80) working and instead of managing 6-8 clients, we now have a list of 160! Needless to say a very high percentage of them are not travelling so we're not overloaded with work.

 

Our issue is the airlines and the length of time it's taking them to refund, and just like you see in the press, they are doing their best to get passengers to take vouchers. Our refunds team are working flat out and luckily the way flights are paid for we use what's called a Billing and Settlement Plan which means refunds are automated but the travellers may still have to wait for the airlines to cough up. Trouble is we deal with most of the major scheduled airlines around the world and they all have their own processes for vouchers/refunds and this changes on what feels like a daily basis.

 

Hotels in the UK keep emailing to say here's another 20 reservations we're cancelling because we're staying closed for another month! At least we're not in a refund situation there as 99% of business travellers pay on departure.

 

Although finding hotels for key and essential workers is a challenge, finding ones that are open, and then what proof they require for key workers, and what food and beverage options they can provide. Deliveroo and Uber Eats are thriving.

 

The nearest I've got to sea travel is a client sending people to do maintenance on HMS Echo!

 

Oh and if anyone saw the program about NCL Breakaway (Discovery channel "Mighty Ships") we were on that sailing is April 2013 from Rotterdam to Southampton? 

 

 

Glad you are back at work Pete, I went back 2 weeks ago but, like you, limited staff so it's a bit strange.

I guess it will take a long time for you to get back to normal but it has to end sometime, doesn't it? 

Not stressing, trying to stay happy and be thankful that we are surviving so far. 

Andy 

[mercury7289]

24 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

Glad you are back at work Pete, I went back 2 weeks ago but, like you, limited staff so it's a bit strange.

I guess it will take a long time for you to get back to normal but it has to end sometime, doesn't it? 

Not stressing, trying to stay happy and be thankful that we are surviving so far. 

Andy 

Andy

I guessed you floored It!

Quite right, while the the daises are white, we have happy day's,

As my golf partners used to say at half masted club flags at 7.30 am.

 

Just finished an on line meeting, good result for the local food bank £1000.00 donation.

So pleased to have given the nod.

We all need to and no doubt do, our bit in our locations!

So yes be thankful!

 

 

[annarack]

We are now on day 68 for a cancelled cruise that should have departed 04/04.  I have been actively chasing since day 60 via facebook messenger and email.  Finally got a response today (so they are working Saturdays) saying our refund is being processed and we should receive a cheque within 5-7 days, so that will be 75 days if it turns up.  A cheque sounds right as we booked through a TA.  I have also realised I messed up inputting the amount paid on the refund request form so not entirely sure if I will get the actual amount paid, maybe this did delay our refund for a few days, as I have read that others on the same Ventura cruise have had theirs now.  Fingers crossed the cheque truly is in the post!  Not that I actually want a trip to the bank at the moment...

[Turn the Tide]

8 hours ago, bobstheboy said:

I have and all they say is the cruise is scheduled to go ahead ! As I said they are still selling it and we think PO is bad.

Do they give you the option to move your booking to a later cruise like P&O do?

[Edithclara]

4 hours ago, mercury7289 said:

Andy

I guessed you floored It!

Quite right, while the the daises are white, we have happy day's,

As my golf partners used to say at half masted club flags at 7.30 am.

 

Just finished an on line meeting, good result for the local food bank £1000.00 donation.

So pleased to have given the nod.

We all need to and no doubt do, our bit in our locations!

So yes be thankful!

 

 

Well done to secure the donation.

[mercury7289]

38 minutes ago, Edithclara said:

Well done to secure the donation.

Thank you

Part of group decision.

[grapau27]

53 minutes ago, annarack said:

We are now on day 68 for a cancelled cruise that should have departed 04/04.  I have been actively chasing since day 60 via facebook messenger and email.  Finally got a response today (so they are working Saturdays) saying our refund is being processed and we should receive a cheque within 5-7 days, so that will be 75 days if it turns up.  A cheque sounds right as we booked through a TA.  I have also realised I messed up inputting the amount paid on the refund request form so not entirely sure if I will get the actual amount paid, maybe this did delay our refund for a few days, as I have read that others on the same Ventura cruise have had theirs now.  Fingers crossed the cheque truly is in the post!  Not that I actually want a trip to the bank at the moment...

Why not take a photo or screenshot of what you paid the TA and attach it to an email to confirm the amount you are owed and request a Bacs and give your bank sort code and account number.

You can email the next day if they don't email you back asking if everything was okay and as it is now day 69 when will your refund be sent.

[No pager thank you]

18 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Imagine how many thousands there are.  I do think that different people will be dealing with perhaps different ships, which may explain why some later cruises are getting their refunds before earlier cruises.

As I mentioned a few days ago, I tried to estimate how bad the backlog was, when the claim was that 2000 refunds were being done a day, not seen repeated since. 

 

The problem is that they feel that they have been going full tilt on Refunds now for 2 weeks, but they are starting with a 9 week backlog.  Because they are not approaching the issue in a way which makes any form of logical or straightforwardly communicated sense, the unfortunate ones are having a really drawn out experience.

 

What they can do is to take that video down from their social media channels and stop giving out false hope.

 

Customers will not just have to wait for up to 60 days, plainly more - probably approaching "at least 90 days" in some cases.  Very, very poor, but likely to prove true.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

23 hours ago, mercury7289 said:

 

Bit Confused!

 

Refunds so far, are being reported as having been received via Bac's, Credit or Debit card.

You intimated that you had no contact after cancellation.

Why was your's in cheque form? seems strange 👀

New system perhaps? 👀

 

 

When i cancelled in March due to FCO advice re over 70s, the staff member i dealt with said my 100% refund would be by cheque. I'm still waiting, but will post on here when it arrives.....

[jeanlyon]

Yes I was told that but when I phoned to escalate, a few days later received an email asking for BACS details.

[jeanlyon]

At least!!