Who has decided to take a summer staycation cruise?

[Pink-belle]

3 minutes ago, Dermotsgirl said:

I've got into the habit of not looking too far ahead.

 

Probably the best thing to do is to enjoy the cruise due to go on the 27th, then start thinking about what's going to happen with the next one when you come back. By then, we should have a better idea about the direction the infections are travelling, so you can manage your expectations accordingly.

 

I've enjoyed reading about other cruise lines re-starting. However, as P&O has been my main cruiseline over the years, I'll be very interested to read about your experiences on your upcoming staycation 

I will share my experience, I’m not expecting it to be perfect, after all, the procedures are new to all of us. Crew as well as pax.   But it will be wonderful.  So excited to be back on board. 😀
 

[sandancer]

I have booked this week using BLC discount. I can’t believe they would allow anyone to use the discount code right now knowing they would be first to be cancelled. However, in the wonderful world of cruise lines, we should never be surprised 

[Pippa04]

I find the accusations against P and O on this thread quite astounding.  I know people are upset that their cruise has been cancelled but let's actually look at the facts.

P and O came up with the idea to do Staycations and start off slowly with 30% capacity to begin with and a gradual increase once they saw how the crew and passengers coped.  Perfectly sensible and careful way to start off.  These went on sale on 22 March and quickly sold out.  One month later on 23 April the government suddenly came up with the idea that ships could sail with 50% capacity or 1000 passengers whichever is least.  Knowing that the government change their minds more often than their underwear I presume P and O waited to see how it would all pan out.  Possibly not the best decision with hindsight, but to accuse P and O of greed, purposely overbooking, bumping off people who say they booked within 30 seconds of sales starting etc is ridiculous.  They came up with what seemed an inspired idea to start their business going again and the rules were changed.  Not their fault.

[Kat747]

Well it seems this morning we have been able to check in/ print e tickets and get our luggage labels for the cruise on 11th so maybe we have been kept on it. I did speak to our TA and they said all cancellations had now been actioned so fingers crossed

[Pink-belle]

24 minutes ago, Ardennais said:

Wimbledon, on the other hand, have waited until they had firm confirmation of the numbers that they could admit. I have regular emails from them and it was only last week or the back end of the previous week that they opened ticket sales. It’s too late for me to make any arrangements and I wouldn’t really want to travel on a train to London at the moment. But they will be oversubscribed as per usual. They’ve sent regular communications throughout and have been open about the whole process. 

We are, on the whole, compliant reasonable people.  Openness  about the process and regular communication would be respected by all of us. Going forward it would also help with our perceptions of companies. 

I am fortunate that up to now, I have not been adversely effected by cruise cancellations.  Happy to receive the FCC with the additional 25% for the cancelled cruises.
 That said when my sailing for June 21 with Princess was cancelled, their offer to transfer to next years equivalent cruise, same fare, same OBC and even the same stateroom I had picked, was a welcome bonus, just knowing it was done.

There is no doubt these Seacations could have been handled better.  I have read the email sent to cancelled customers and had I received it, yes, I would be disappointed, but I would have appreciated the tone of the email. 
However, the purpose of the email was for it to be sent to All effected cruisers as soon as possible.  To stop the will I won’t I speculation.  Then follow up with a personal telephone call. The thing is they never communicated that fact.  So if you didn’t receive an email you were left in limbo.  In this world of social media, that’s really not acceptable. 
 

I booked direct I listened to a lot of conditions of booking, at no time were “if” “limits” mentioned.  So passengers booking could not have been any wiser, and like me would have assumed a booking was a booking and you would be on the ship if it sailed. 
once the 1000 limit was reached, those booking or already booked, could have been advised and offered the option of sit tight and wait.  Or be given options of alternative sailings that hadn’t yet reached the 1000 limit.

 

I stay away from conversations about politics and religion at dinner and holiday forums.

[Pippa04]

1 hour ago, Pink-belle said:

 

I booked direct I listened to a lot of conditions of booking, at no time were “if” “limits” mentioned.  So passengers booking could not have been any wiser, and like me would have assumed a booking was a booking and you would be on the ship if it sailed. 
once the 1000 limit was reached, those booking or already booked, could have been advised and offered the option of sit tight and wait.  Or be given options of alternative sailings that hadn’t yet reached the 1000 limit.

 

 

I think the problem for P and O was that this 1000 limit was introduced a month after these cruises went on sale.  Yes, they could have advised people that there was a possibility that their booking may be in danger as new rules had been brought in but with all the indications being that we would be opening up on June 21st I can understand why they didn't want to put customers through all that worry and uncertainty.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing but they really were caught between a rock and a hard place.

[ToxM]

29 minutes ago, Pippa04 said:

I think the problem for P and O was that this 1000 limit was introduced a month after these cruises went on sale.  Yes, they could have advised people that there was a possibility that their booking may be in danger as new rules had been brought in but with all the indications being that we would be opening up on June 21st I can understand why they didn't want to put customers through all that worry and uncertainty.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing but they really were caught between a rock and a hard place.

 

But I think all the cruises stayed on sale even after they had the new info. Halting bookings and then re-opening with an explanation throughout the process would have been much better imo. 

 

I don’t have a booking, but like most of us have had cruises cancelled, and I am not sure I can imagine how upset I would be if I had a cruise cancelled now that was actually still going ahead!

[littlemisshoney]

Anyone had a refund yet? My ta said P and O hoping to refund within 45 days!

[majortom10]

8 minutes ago, littlemisshoney said:

Anyone had a refund yet? My ta said P and O hoping to refund within 45 days!

Tell your TA according to UK law it should be within 14 days or else P&O could be in trouble with CMA again after last years refund fiasco.

[Gettingwarmer]

46 minutes ago, littlemisshoney said:

Anyone had a refund yet? My ta said P and O hoping to refund within 45 days!

Jaydee6969 confirms refund  at Post 78 on "P&O cancelling Cruise Bookings"

[jaydee6969]

1 hour ago, littlemisshoney said:

Anyone had a refund yet? My ta said P and O hoping to refund within 45 days!

 

As mentioned by Gettingwarmer, the credit is showing as pending on my credit card balance via access through the website of card company.  Does not show via app on phone though.

[nosapphire]

Seems simple to me.

Cruise lines (like all holiday businesses) are struggling.

The more bookings they get, the better the balance sheet.

Just like all of us, they knew that "freedom" day was not set in stone, but decided to act as it was in order to get more revenue.

Saga have just (today) announced on their website that they will be reducing the number of guests in order to comply with legislation, and they too are contacting passengers on a "last booked, first bumped" (my phrasing) order.

All the lines must hope that at least 50% of the new bookings, now being bounced, will elect to accept the credit and not take a refund.

Somebody else has already pointed out that anyone who made a new booking must have been aware that things were still very uncertain, so seems unreasonable to start blaming the cruise line for accepting the booking without reminding the customer how uncertain things still are - it has not exactly been a secret.

 

 

[Guest]

Just booked on the Iona for a week in September! 
 

More likely to go ahead than trying to find a holiday to a green list country which may change at last minute!

 

edit: after reading back through this thread, I am now nervous I’ll be booted off if the capacity has to be reduced again! 

Edited June 22, 2021 by Guest

[Guest]

My mistake! The person I’m travelling with said the cabin had come through but it hadn’t 😂

 

Back to the waiting game!

 

Thought it was a bit early! 

[littlemisshoney]

On 6/21/2021 at 1:52 PM, jaydee6969 said:

 

As mentioned by Gettingwarmer, the credit is showing as pending on my credit card balance via access through the website of card company.  Does not show via app on phone though.

TA now saying up to 90 days for a refund. Do P and O confirm you have requested a refund or are we just left hanging? 

[littlemisshoney]

On 6/21/2021 at 12:01 PM, majortom10 said:

Tell your TA according to UK law it should be within 14 days or else P&O could be in trouble with CMA again after last years refund fiasco.

Could you tell me what law that is or tell me where to find more info so I can quote correctly please. TA now saying up to 90 days for a refund, I said that was unacceptable, car parking and travel insurance (we were within 14 day cooling off period on annual cover)  refunded immediately. 

[littlemisshoney]

3 minutes ago, littlemisshoney said:

Could you tell me what law that is or tell me where to find more info so I can quote correctly please. TA now saying up to 90 days for a refund, I said that was unacceptable, car parking and travel insurance (we were within 14 day cooling off period on annual cover)  refunded immediately. 

Gosh, have you taken any action? Glad I just booked a cheap 3 nighter and not a 3 week luxury cruise. First time we have tried P and O (20 years cruising experience, 40+ cruises), not saying any other company would have been better but this experience has put me off P and O sadly.

[lindylooellalouise]

12 minutes ago, littlemisshoney said:

 

Hi my TA has until July 4th to return my deposit I gave for a cruise I booked in October 2018 this cruise was cancelled and rebooked 3 more times until I said enough just please give me a refund and I’m still waiting  so from now on I will only book direct.

[broooce]

Has anyone an idea of what the embarkation times are? I’m in a suite if that makes any difference. Just deciding on whether hotel is likely to be needed the night before

 

thanks

[littlemisshoney]

5 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

Hi my TA has until July 4th to return my deposit I gave for a cruise I booked in October 2018 this cruise was cancelled and rebooked 3 more times until I said enough just please give me a refund and I’m still waiting  so from now on I will only book direct.

Oh my goodness, feel your pain. I filled in form P and O sent me for refund, so hoping as I'm in their system I don't have such a bad experience as yours. Hats off to you for persevering. Did you get your credit card company involved to try and sort it out?

[lindylooellalouise]

5 minutes ago, littlemisshoney said:

Oh my goodness, feel your pain. I filled in form P and O sent me for refund, so hoping as I'm in their system I don't have such a bad experience as yours. Hats off to you for persevering. Did you get your credit card company involved to try and sort it out?

No credit card only debit card but we kept rebooking big mistake I will only ever deal directly with p and o from now on

[littlemisshoney]

2 minutes ago, lindylooellalouise said:

No credit card only debit card but we kept rebooking big mistake I will only ever deal directly with p and o from now on

Yes I've learned in these challenging times if offered a refund always take it immediately. 

[Pink-belle]

16 minutes ago, broooce said:

Has anyone an idea of what the embarkation times are? I’m in a suite if that makes any difference. Just deciding on whether hotel is likely to be needed the night before

 

thanks

So the boarding time is currently “testing” time 😀 the earliest I have heard of is 11:30.  I am sure suites will get the earliest times as usual.  I am in a balcony and have 12:30 if that helps. 

[lindylooellalouise]

1 minute ago, littlemisshoney said:

Yes I've learned in these challenging times if offered a refund always take it immediately. 

Good idea

[Pink-belle]

1 minute ago, littlemisshoney said:

Yes I've learned in these challenging times if offered a refund always take it immediately. 

I always book directly with cruiselines, it’s my preference.  I’ve done quite well with the additional 25%’s of FCC that have built up.