P&O Payment terms

[No pager thank you]

For information, we have just received an email from P&O about our next cruise.  Balances are now required 30 days from the scheduled date of the sailing.  This is something that many have asked about for some time.  Better late than never.

 

It would be useful for those with TA bookings in particular to check that this flexibility will be passed on to them as it may reduce stress.

 

One would have thought that the reality of if a cruise might sail, and if so under what circumstances, will become clearer within 30 days if the sailing date, whereas reliably guessing anything 90 days out is very difficult in the current circumstances.

 

The negative is that those passengers who choose to wait to move their sailings until 2022 will have more to pay to do so.  Our view is that we will hold out for the cash refund of the deposit value nearer the time.  I think it unlikely that the cruise will sail and so this flexibility will eventually come, but our balance will remain safe in our current account in the meantime!

[ann141]

Its nice to hear of a positive thing that P and O have done to help people (though it will help them too I expect)

[tring]

This is useful and some  mentioned it applied to their 19th June cruise.  We go a week later, so are hoping it will also include us.  We booked through an agent, so will post if we hear anything.

[Dermotsgirl]

This is a long overdue change from P&O.

[jaydee6969]

T&C's on P&O website have been changed to reflect this:-

 

 

P&O Cruises Select Price and Early Saver holidays due to sail on or before 30 June 2021:

If you're booked on a P&O Cruises holiday due to sail on or before 30 June 2021 that is unaffected by our latest pause and wish to cancel, P&O Cruises shall be entitled to levy a cancellation charge as a percentage of the price paid in accordance with the following scales. 

P&O Cruises Select Price and Early Saver:

Period before departure within which written notice of cancellation is received by P&O Cruises	Cancellation charges (percentage of price)
From the date of booking until 31 days before departure	Deposit
30 to 16 days	75%
15 to 4 days	90%
Less than 4 days	100% (or 100% FCC if fail pre-screening or testing)

 

Saver:

 

Period before departure within which written notice of cancellation is received by P&O Cruises	Cancellation charges (percentage of price)
From the date of booking until departure, including failure to embark.	100% (or 100% FCC if fail pre-screening or testing)

[Rupert2251]

Important information about April – June holidays

Changes to balance due dates

In light of the on-going situation regarding COVID-19 and the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guidance on cruising, we want to reassure your customers that we will only recommence sailing when it is the right time to do so.  We have therefore taken the decision to relax our balance due payments terms on all holidays departing April – 27 June 2021 to 30 days prior to departure.

[Castle25]

As i wrote on the other thread - P&O are 'saving' themselves a lot of money by doing this.  If you have only paid £200 deposit for  a £4k holiday then instead of getting an extra £1k to spend on another cruise, you will only get £50.  Yes i know you have the money in your account but you are not getting 25% interest.  This will 'bite' when people go to rebook the following year or 2 and the 'new' holiday is £750 dearer, this would have been covered by the FCC for the full amount paid but under the new scheme it wont.  If you know you are going to go on  'new' cruise in the coming years, then you might as well get some 'free' money from P&O by paying the balance....

[Son of Anarchy]

A welcome move by PandO for the cruises that are planned up to June.  Good to see that they are doing 100% FCC for those that fail pre-screening or testing.  I hadn't noticed any prior mention of that.

Edited January 7, 2021 by Son of Anarchy

[Adawn47]

Neither had I. The later balance payment works well for us. End of May for our June 25th cruise. We should know more about the jab situation by then too. Feeling more relaxed now.

Avril

[molecrochip]

Glad this has been announced. I hadn’t said anything because I wasn’t sure which months this would cover. 
 

Policy could be extended. Note that it’s also says FCC for failing pre boarding screening.

[Adawn47]

18 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Policy could be extended. Note that it’s also says FCC for failing pre boarding screening.

I didn't notice that on my email. Just checked again and it's definitely not there, just the later balance payment.

Avril

Edited January 7, 2021 by Adawn47
added text

[tring]

19 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

 

Policy could be extended. Note that it’s also says FCC for failing pre boarding screening.

 

That is very good IMO.

 

I seem to remember a while back that you thought fjords cruise may start a bit earlier than some EU cruises.  Do I remember correctly and if so do you still think Fjords might start before some other destinations?  Would mean Iona in most cases.  I am thinking it could be much easier to keep tour groups away from the local people as lots of outdoor type things to do, hence not a likely infection risk.  We booked Iona leaving late June as we would be happy to go on a couple of trips there and stay on the ship at scenic locations, so not too bothered about restrictions, which are now looking like they will remain in place for a while.

Edited January 7, 2021 by tring

[molecrochip]

Re the FCC: P&O have included it in their updated Ts & Cs. See Jaydee’s post above.

 

Re Norway: The first few cruises may be scenic only / technical calls but I believe it’s expected that Norway are opening on 1 June for bubbled ship excursions only. It may only be selected ports.

 

There are plenty who will take a weeks scenic break even with the restrictions.

[wowzz]

4 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

Re the FCC: P&O have included it in their updated Ts & Cs. See Jaydee’s post above.

 

Re Norway: The first few cruises may be scenic only / technical calls but I believe it’s expected that Norway are opening on 1 June for bubbled ship excursions only. It may only be selected ports.

 

There are plenty who will take a weeks scenic break even with the restrictions.

I think the scenic break idea would work. However,  I'm not so sure how many would be prepared to accept total lack of social interaction with anyone other than in their travelling party, for the entire cruise. 

[davecttr]

I have 2 Iona Norway cruises booked for this year, apart from the onboard issues I have to consider what to do if the itinerary changes after final payment. It has calls at Olden and Gieranger which means lots of scenic fjord cruising. If the good folks in those ports don't want cruise ships and they substitute boring coastal cities I won't want to go.

[Adawn47]

5 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I think the scenic break idea would work. However,  I'm not so sure how many would be prepared to accept total lack of social interaction with anyone other than in their travelling party, for the entire cruise. 

Hmm, yes and no. Wouldn't say no to a scenic cruise but, we have a 12 nights cruise booked  on Arcadia at £3,398 and I would be a tad miffed if all we got for that was a 7 night meander around Norway. 

Avril

[molecrochip]

I don’t think it has anything to do with what local ports want. Seems to be a Government decision.

 

Not expecting any scenic cruising to be cut. In fact, the opposite May apply if they need to fill time!

[Son of Anarchy]

1 minute ago, molecrochip said:

I don’t think it has anything to do with what local ports want. Seems to be a Government decision.

 

Not expecting any scenic cruising to be cut. In fact, the opposite May apply if they need to fill time!

A hint in there?😉

[yorkshirephil]

Any sort of cruising would be great, it might not suit me but I am sure a lot of people would jump at the chance.

[jaydee6969]

55 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

Any sort of cruising would be great, it might not suit me but I am sure a lot of people would jump at the chance.

 

Agree with that, would jump at the chance to get on board.

[joeecco]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

I don’t think it has anything to do with what local ports want. Seems to be a Government decision.

 

Not expecting any scenic cruising to be cut. In fact, the opposite May apply if they need to fill time!

Whilst we would be happy with a scenic cruise, many may not. And like Avril mentioned above, some will question the pricing of their holiday if it becomes a sightseeing trip. What are P&O thinking in regards to this do you know? 

[tring]

2 hours ago, molecrochip said:

I don’t think it has anything to do with what local ports want. Seems to be a Government decision.

 

Not expecting any scenic cruising to be cut. In fact, the opposite May apply if they need to fill time!

 

Will we have an idea of what the cruise will consist of before balance payment needs made a month before?  Also would we be able to cancel if a big difference like only two ports?

 

We too are more interested in Olden and Geiranger, but more re the journey up the fjords than docking there.  Would want a couple of stops though, even if only bubbled tours allowed.  We sail on 26th June.

[SarahHben]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Re the FCC: P&O have included it in their updated Ts & Cs. See Jaydee’s post above.

 

Re Norway: The first few cruises may be scenic only / technical calls but I believe it’s expected that Norway are opening on 1 June for bubbled ship excursions only. It may only be selected ports.

 

There are plenty who will take a weeks scenic break even with the restrictions.

Do you think they would still sail into the Fjords even if they don’t dock?

[joeecco]

10 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

Do you think they would still sail into the Fjords even if they don’t dock?

They’d be silly not to surely? If that’s the route they had originally planned then they may as well continue with that. Bobbing about in the North Sea doesn’t seem to meet the grandeur of the fjords haha! 

[yorkshirephil]

14 minutes ago, SarahHben said:

Do you think they would still sail into the Fjords even if they don’t dock?

For sure, some of the sail-ins are the best parts of the Fjords and wouldn't be putting anyone at further risk