Will P&O now delay announcements for future cruise pauses?

[jeanlyon]

Mine is October 2021 and I am just beginning to think that it might be possible without "compulsory" excursions.  We will see.

[Selbourne]

41 minutes ago, Glitterati said:

I wonder how ships will deal with the sunbed situation when they start going again. Usually you are penned in like sardines on the pool deck! It makes sense to me to allow suite and Ligurian tier guests to use The Retreat. I also wonder whether they will only allow waiter service for drinks now across all bars to limit queuing.

 
I’m sure there are people working all this out as we speak! 

Given that P&O are hardly known for their generosity, or lavish benefits for Suite passengers, I can’t see them doing this. They will be sure to sell out the Retreat at full cost (or even inflated prices) to those clamouring for a bit of space!

[Guest]

Just now, Selbourne said:

Given that P&O are hardly known for their generosity, or lavish benefits for Suite passengers, I can’t see them doing this. They will be sure to sell out the Retreat at full cost (or even inflated prices) to those clamouring for a bit of space!

It would be a nice perk though, most other lines have at least a Suite only sunbathing area! 

[Guest]

P&O posted this on their Facebook page. Doesn’t look like we will get an announcement tomorrow, just the 2022 itineraries  

[Selbourne]

3 minutes ago, Glitterati said:

P&O posted this on their Facebook page. Doesn’t look like we will get an announcement tomorrow, just the 2022 itineraries  

Thanks for posting that as I hadn’t seen it. I had no doubt that today’s announcement would provide zero clarity on the resumption of cruises. Sadly, it’s just so far down the list of priorities as not to even feature in conversations yet. 

[tring]

1 hour ago, Selbourne said:

Thanks for posting that as I hadn’t seen it. I had no doubt that today’s announcement would provide zero clarity on the resumption of cruises. Sadly, it’s just so far down the list of priorities as not to even feature in conversations yet. 

 

1 hour ago, Glitterati said:

P&O posted this on their Facebook page. Doesn’t look like we will get an announcement tomorrow, just the 2022 itineraries  

That seems to end half way through!!!  OK they will provide an update, so where is it, or at least, when will it be given!

[Selbourne]

2 minutes ago, tring said:

 

That seems to end half way through!!!  OK they will provide an update, so where is it, or at least, when will it be given!

I think that’s it TBH. No further update imminent (other than the next batch of cancellations) as they can’t possibly derive any clues from today’s announcement as to when cruising will resume. 

[tring]

27 minutes ago, Selbourne said:

I think that’s it TBH. No further update imminent (other than the next batch of cancellations) as they can’t possibly derive any clues from today’s announcement as to when cruising will resume. 

 

It is the cancellations I was hoping for when I started to read their comment.  Any chance we will get that tomorrow, as per Moley's theory of getting the bad news out before the good.

[joeecco]

3 minutes ago, tring said:

 

It is the cancellations I was hoping for when I started to read their comment.  Any chance we will get that tomorrow, as per Moley's theory of getting the bad news out before the good.

I think it will next Tuesday now for 2 reasons.

 

1) it gives them a week to think about cancelling a larger bulk.

 

2) the current ‘sale’ of lower deposits and extra OBC ends next Monday 1 March. So if they cancel the day after then people using new FCC to rebook aren’t getting extra OBC. 

[Britboys]

40 minutes ago, tring said:

 

That seems to end half way through!!!  OK they will provide an update, so where is it, or at least, when will it be given!

I think this statement - which was also released by Cunard - is just an attempt to try and limit the number of pax making contact with them to ask what is happening after the Govt Road Map has been announced...

[Britboys]

7 minutes ago, tring said:

 

It is the cancellations I was hoping for when I started to read their comment.  Any chance we will get that tomorrow, as per Moley's theory of getting the bad news out before the good.

That's assuming there is some good news coming Barbara...🤔😀

[Selbourne]

1 hour ago, joeecco said:

I think it will next Tuesday now for 2 reasons.

 

1) it gives them a week to think about cancelling a larger bulk.

 

2) the current ‘sale’ of lower deposits and extra OBC ends next Monday 1 March. So if they cancel the day after then people using new FCC to rebook aren’t getting extra OBC. 

I think you might be correct on both counts. 

[tring]

I have just come to this site and assume there was no P&O announcement this morning, unless I have missed something on another thread.  Oh well another week then I assume from past performance.  It would help if they would only give an indication of when they will speak.

[hollyjess]

Are P.O. Waiting for us to part with more money for unconfirmed cruises before making an announcement?

[Adawn47]

Just now, hollyjess said:

Are P.O. Waiting for us to part with more money for unconfirmed cruises before making an announcement?

If they are, I think they are going to be sadly disappointed. 

Avril

[jeanlyon]

If they lift travel restrictions in May, our balance is due in July and I still think they will keep the compulsory excursions and only eating in your own bubble rules, as the Government is wanting to stop any foreign variant from being brought either on board or home.  If that's still the case, we wouldn't go.

 

Mind you, if by June, Government is lifting all legal restrictions, then maybe cruises can go back to normal.

Edited February 23, 2021 by jeanlyon

[Adawn47]

4 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

If they lift travel restrictions in May, our balance is due in July and I still think they will keep the compulsory excursions and only eating in your own bubble rules, as the Government is wanting to stop any foreign variant from being brought either on board or home.  If that's still the case, we wouldn't go.

Similar problem as the balance for our June cruise is due the end of May, so waiting with baited breath whether it will be cancelled or not.

Avril

[jeanlyon]

Avril, if this plan works, then I will assume our October cruise will go, but hopefully without all the restrictive stuff.  Yours is a more difficult one to predict.

[tring]

24 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

 

Mind you, if by June, Government is lifting all legal restrictions, then maybe cruises can go back to normal.

 

I think it will depend a lot on what countries visited want.  Although Boris was saying in a clip on 24 hours news this morning that he was optimistic with the June date for holidays, it does not from what I understand mean there will not be criteria to comply with, like testing, "vaccine passports" etc., and cruising is very different again to fly holidays which have operated quite a bit in the pandemic.

 

Sad though.

 

Edited February 23, 2021 by tring

[Adawn47]

9 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Avril, if this plan works, then I will assume our October cruise will go, but hopefully without all the restrictive stuff.  Yours is a more difficult one to predict.

We have one in October too which I'm hoping will be fine, but the June one is a transfer from last years cancellation. The dining would be no problem as we always have a table for two, and we could just about manage the escorted tours, but I'm not sure about other restrictions. As with everything over the last twelve months, it's wait and see.

Avril

[No pager thank you]

The roadmap states the earliest possible date where international travel may be allowed, from 17th May.

 

Clearly, most people on here accept that international cruise travel will not, sadly, be able start on that date for a whole range of reasons.

 

However, what we do know is that no cruises can take place until at least that date, as that is now the earliest possible.  We are supposed to be going on the 16th May, but that has now been ruled out by Boris and co.  So why delay further the cancellation of our cruise?  We sussed it wasn't going months ago.

 

I do take the point that the full balance is not due until April, but that is not the point.  We may now be allowed to go on a self catering holiday in England, but, we most customers who don't follow this closely just need to know. 

 

In reality, we will book an alternative when it's safe, but that holding statement is another own goal IMHO.

P&O are just figuring out the best timing to get as many low value FCC transfers on to the 2022/23 brochure.  But get on with it (!)...we all know about the Vera secret now...

 

See you next Tuesday at 10😉

[cruisenewbie1976]

17 minutes ago, Adawn47 said:

We have one in October too which I'm hoping will be fine, but the June one is a transfer from last years cancellation. The dining would be no problem as we always have a table for two, and we could just about manage the escorted tours, but I'm not sure about other restrictions. As with everything over the last twelve months, it's wait and see.

Avril

How things have changed. Everything we book now is on the basis that it might not go ahead. Imagine being told, before covid came along, that we would find out whether our cruise was going ahead, a few weeks before you're due to go 🥴

[Dermotsgirl]

A few days ago, the message was the the easing of restrictions would be data driven and not date driven.

 

Yet yesterday’s announcement was light on data benchmarks and heavy on dates. 
 

Now, a lot of people are gearing themselves up to dates - indeed, there are people on social media who are convinced that it’s over on 21st June. Everything open, no restrictions, no masks, no social distancing and a complete return to December 2019.

 

Johnson, ever the populist, is talking up his optimism for 21st June.

 

I think it’s going into over promising territory again..... and I had genuinely thought he had learnt from the last year 🤷‍♀️
 

[Dermotsgirl]

4 minutes ago, cruisenewbie1976 said:

How things have changed. Everything we book now is on the basis that it might not go ahead. Imagine being told, before covid came along, that we would find out whether our cruise was going ahead, a few weeks before you're due to go 🥴

I moved my remaining cruises to 2022, but I’m not booking anything new until I can be more sure that it will proceed, rather than thinking it won’t proceed. 

[cruisenewbie1976]

3 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

A few days ago, the message was the the easing of restrictions would be data driven and not date driven.

 

Yet yesterday’s announcement was light on data benchmarks and heavy on dates. 
 

Now, a lot of people are gearing themselves up to dates - indeed, there are people on social media who are convinced that it’s over on 21st June. Everything open, no restrictions, no masks, no social distancing and a complete return to December 2019.

 

Johnson, ever the populist, is talking up his optimism for 21st June.

 

I think it’s going into over promising territory again..... and I had genuinely thought he had learnt from the last year 🤷‍♀️
 

I do agree but I think there'd have been uproar from a lot of people had he not given rough dates. It does worry me though given our experience from past promises.