P&O Cancelling Cruise Bookings!

[shopaholic6]

Does anyone know what impact the lockdown extension will have on cruises booked to sail after 21st June? Will it mean less people can sail and some people may be told they can’t go? 😩😩

[jaydee6969]

I think we need to wait until we get an official announcement from no.10 this evening, before any ramifications are known.

 

I have not seen what P&O have sold these first staycation cruise as capacity wise, other than when you log in to my.pocriuises.com it states that they have significantly reduced the number of guests on the first cruises.

 

P&O will be able to respond once all the details have been released by the government on any changes etc.

[Britboys]

Only those 'in the know' within P&O will know how many places have been sold on post-21st June 'staycation' cruises. Personally, I think any cruise line that has already sold more than the 50%/1000 pax has been very shortsighted. By the time these went on sale we had already seen how quickly the current circumstances can change...

[Bobblehat71]

8 minutes ago, Britboys said:

Only those 'in the know' within P&O will know how many places have been sold on post-21st June 'staycation' cruises. Personally, I think any cruise line that has already sold more than the 50%/1000 pax has been very shortsighted. By the time these went on sale we had already seen how quickly the current circumstances can change...

 

Yes , Given the uncertainty of everything Covid related over the last 18 months I'd be very surprised if have based their max occupancy on something that may or may not happen post June 21st.

 

As they have just reduced the price of one of the July 3 nighters , I'm not convinced they have  even sold out the 50% occupancy yet.

[wowzz]

14 minutes ago, Bobblehat71 said:

 

Yes , Given the uncertainty of everything Covid related over the last 18 months I'd be very surprised if have based their max occupancy on something that may or may not happen post June 21st.

 

As they have just reduced the price of one of the July 3 nighters , I'm not convinced they have  even sold out the 50% occupancy yet.

To be clear, it is 1000 or 50%, whichever is less.

[shopaholic6]

Great thanks everyone 😎😎

[littlemisshoney]

1 hour ago, wowzz said:

To be clear, it is 1000 or 50%, whichever is less.

I thought it was max 1000 or 20%  of normal capacity. We only booked 1st July cruise on Britannia last Tuesday was was told that standard balconies were sold out and on wait list but were able to sell me next grade up (for same price after a bit of squeezing ha ha). Waiting to see what P and O communicate tomorrow, fingers crossed it still goes ahead. I'm fine with 1000 guests with restrictions, was one of the reasons we booked the earliest date. Plenty lf time for a "proper".cruise late summer. 

[Megabear2]

Bit of a pig's ear for us. 10 family members, 5 households are not going to divide well under Rule of 6!  Sailing on 11 July Britannia cruise and seeing each other for the first time since February 2020 we had hoped a nice opportunity to celebrate all the special anniversaries and birthdays we've missed.   We wait to see what P&O do with us!

[Pink-belle]

51 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Bit of a pig's ear for us. 10 family members, 5 households are not going to divide well under Rule of 6!  Sailing on 11 July Britannia cruise and seeing each other for the first time since February 2020 we had hoped a nice opportunity to celebrate all the special anniversaries and birthdays we've missed.   We wait to see what P&O do with us!

On the Government briefing it did say although it was a 4 week extension, if it was possible restrictions would be relaxed earlier, so I guess that’s your only hope to be able to sit together. 
P&O have said it will be Government allowed group size at time of sailing. 

[Megabear2]

Unfortunately four of the group are now talking about cancelling. Looks like that 30 year wait for all my brothers and sisters to holiday together just went out the window.  

[MX-Drew]

16 hours ago, shopaholic6 said:

Does anyone know what impact the lockdown extension will have on cruises booked to sail after 21st June? Will it mean less people can sail and some people may be told they can’t go? 😩😩

We are not in lockdown! I wish people would stop saying that. We can go to the shops, pubs, restaurants etc. Even weddings can have over 30 guests from June 21st.

We have restrictions.

[amfc_lenny]

33 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

We are not in lockdown! I wish people would stop saying that. We can go to the shops, pubs, restaurants etc. Even weddings can have over 30 guests from June 21st.

We have restrictions.

Agreed it’s not lockdown it’s restrictions. 
 

I feel for megabear2 and I think a lot of ppl are in similar circumstances.

 

For us we’re getting married in august and have to pay final balances in the next few weeks to caterers, venue hire, dj, photographers etc, for something that may not be what we want. 🤷‍♂️

[shopaholic6]

54 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

We are not in lockdown! I wish people would stop saying that. We can go to the shops, pubs, restaurants etc. Even weddings can have over 30 guests from June 21st.

We have restrictions.

Restrictions then!!!!

[shopaholic6]

1 hour ago, MX-Drew said:

We are not in lockdown! I wish people would stop saying that. We can go to the shops, pubs, restaurants etc. Even weddings can have over 30 guests from June 21st.

We have restrictions.

The roadmap out of lockdown was extended. Therefore we are not out of it. Therefore we are still in it.

[Pink-belle]

44 minutes ago, amfc_lenny said:

Agreed it’s not lockdown it’s restrictions. 
 

I feel for megabear2 and I think a lot of ppl are in similar circumstances.

 

For us we’re getting married in august and have to pay final balances in the next few weeks to caterers, venue hire, dj, photographers etc, for something that may not be what we want. 🤷‍♂️

I’m sorry you are in that situation, my cousin is the same having moved his wedding day  twice since April 2020.  He rescheduled to October 21 and they have declared that will be the day they get married, no matter what.  
is there any chance of a dance floor and the DJ outside?  Do you think you can make it work? 
 

Megabear2 sorry things not working out.  Did you read on one of the other threads, MSC allow groups larger than 6 if travelling together, households not mentioned, but might be worth looking in to

[Megabear2]

Thanks for the info on MSC. We are looking into it as suggested.

 

Regarding weddings I feel for these people. Our friends were married 2 weeks ago.  The 30 people were actually 25 as the ceremony conductors, registrar and photographer took up 5 people. As guests we socially distanced, were not allowed to stand and were not allowed to mix in any way, and asked not to stand or move to take photographs. That was just the ceremony. The reception we were seated in groups of 6, not allowed to leave our tables apart from to go to the lavatory and not allowed even with masks on to stand and mix. The bride and groom were allowed a first dance to recorded music with masks on which they also retained for cutting the cake. For entertainment we had quizzes, bingo and table games.  For them it was a huge relief as it had been cancelled and rearranged 5 times and they had a good day.  The strangest thing was that those staying overnight had paid £125 for a room but could not have breakfast at a table and had it delivered in a paper bag. This despite the day before they could sit in groups of 6.  The rules appear to be crazy.

 

Our cruise problem is small compared to things like this and I wish the happy couple well and keep my fingers crossed for them that the situation clarifies before their big day.

[Sea Green]

Just had an email from P&O cancelling our cruise for 18 July as they can now no longer comply with social distancing rules. Seems they have overbooked and now need to reduce passenger numbers. 

[Sea Green]

So I have just had an email from P&O cancelling my booking for my 18 July Britannia cruise 😞   

 

It seems they have overbooked in the hope that lockdown restrictions would be eased on 14 June, and they now have to cut down passenger numbers to comply with social distancing / max passenger numbers.  

 

Cruises affected up to 19 July are:  B113N, B113P, B113Q, B113R, B114N, B114Q

 

[Pink-belle]

5 minutes ago, Sea Green said:

So I have just had an email from P&O cancelling my booking for my 18 July Britannia cruise 😞   

 

It seems they have overbooked in the hope that lockdown restrictions would be eased on 14 June, and they now have to cut down passenger numbers to comply with social distancing / max passenger numbers.  

 

Cruises affected up to 19 July are:  B113N, B113P, B113Q, B113R, B114N, B114Q

 

So sorry this has happened to you Sea Green, it’s been discussed on the staycation thread.  You aren’t the only one.

[tesni]

Oh no, I'm sorry to hear that - how disappointing 😩

[Lolabunny488]

This has happened to me too! 

[Britboys]

So sorry for everyone this affects. P&O (and the other lines that have done the same) should only have booked up to the reduced numbers until this week, when they knew they would find out what restrictions would apply going forward. They could then have reopened booking if they were allowed to have more pax on board.

[yorkshirephil]

1 minute ago, Britboys said:

So sorry for everyone this affects. P&O (and the other lines that have done the same) should only have booked up to the reduced numbers until this week, when they knew they would find out what restrictions would apply going forward. They could then have reopened booking if they were allowed to have more pax on board.

That is what they should have done Andrew, however they were edging their bets and selling the cruises at a higher price than maybe they would have got at short notice. They took a gamble and sadly it hasn't worked out. In all fairness the exit plan for covid was supposed to be irreversible so they saw an opportunity. As you say other lines have done the same thing.

[Host Sharon]

28 minutes ago, yorkshirephil said:

That is what they should have done Andrew, however they were edging their bets and selling the cruises at a higher price than maybe they would have got at short notice. They took a gamble and sadly it hasn't worked out. In all fairness the exit plan for covid was supposed to be irreversible so they saw an opportunity. As you say other lines have done the same thing.

Irreversible yes but the dates were always a 'not before', never a definite date.

[Britboys]

1 hour ago, yorkshirephil said:

That is what they should have done Andrew, however they were edging their bets and selling the cruises at a higher price than maybe they would have got at short notice. They took a gamble and sadly it hasn't worked out. In all fairness the exit plan for covid was supposed to be irreversible so they saw an opportunity. As you say other lines have done the same thing.

Sadly for P&O though Phil, this just seems to be another gaffe that appears to suggest they don't give a damn about their customers. After the refunds debacle you would think they would try to build up confidence, not destroy it further...