Decision date for Sept 25th cruises.

[Valfan]

16 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

Sailings up to end September have only 60 days balance payment.

I'm confused. It's less than 60 days now until the late Sept cruises sail, and cbjroms said 21 hours ago, in Post #122 "Balance will need to be paid in a few weeks" for their late Sept Iona cruise.

[Mark36]

Hi Booked on 25th Sept IONA sailing, Booked direct with PO and final payment date for myself is 26th August   30 days before cruise.

[cbjroms]

@mark36 - thinking that P&O will not have sold 100% passenger capacity and that ship will be only 50% to 75% full. Do you have any idea on this?

[Mark36]

1 minute ago, cbjroms said:

@mark36 - thinking that P&O will not have sold 100% passenger capacity and that ship will be only 50% to 75% full. Do you have any idea on this?

Hi I have no idea of capacity but have a look at the balcony prices at the moment they either have not sold a lot or are looking to fill it up just my guess.

[Bin man]

Hi Mark as a matter of interest when did you book the cruise ?

[Mark36]

4 minutes ago, Bin man said:

Hi Mark as a matter of interest when did you book the cruise ?

HI Original booking made December 2019

[Bin man]

Did they inform you that they had moved to 30 days when you booked it or was that at a latter date 

[Jennizor]

We are on the Britannia 25th September cruise. Balance due 28 August. This was booked on 29th June, although TA has asked for it a couple of weeks earlier. Don’t mind this but will try to assess the current situation before I pay it. 

[Mark36]

Hi Just got following from PO web site.

 

P&O Cruises Select Price and Early Saver holidays due to sail on or before 4 October 2021:

If you're booked on a P&O Cruises holiday due to sail on or before 4 October 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
30-16 days	75%
15-4 days	90%
Less than 4 days	100% (or 100% FCC if fail pre-screening or testing)

[jeanlyon]

You could probably still move your cruise though to next year.

[jeanlyon]

I do hope this restriction will be lifted before we sail next April.  I do not want to go on organised excursions, neither do I want to spend the whole 19 nights on board the ship.

[Mark36]

I am looking at outdoor excursion's only for 25th sept, Apart from the coach there and back I am not doing any in door tours. Hopefully this will reduce risk of catching Covid again had it once hopefully never again it was horrible.  

[Britboys]

4 hours ago, Mark36 said:

Hi I have no idea of capacity but have a look at the balcony prices at the moment they either have not sold a lot or are looking to fill it up just my guess.

I may be proved wrong but I think prices will always be keen on Iona and Arvia as they have 5200 berths to fill on a limited range of frequent itineraries. The situation will be even worse at the moment due to Covid putting people off booking and the vaccination requirements meaning that families may not have been booking...

[wowzz]

3 hours ago, Britboys said:

I may be proved wrong but I think prices will always be keen on Iona and Arvia as they have 5200 berths to fill on a limited range of frequent itineraries. The situation will be even worse at the moment due to Covid putting people off booking and the vaccination requirements meaning that families may not have been booking...

I totally agree. Trying to fill 10,000 berths a week, with mundane itineraries in the current environment must be a nightmare for the marketing department. 

But, the more bad news you hear about 4-6  hour delays at UK airports,  the brighter the future looks.

How soon before the first "Cruise away, not delay away" advert appears. 

[Tracyjj0]

P&O are obviously trying to get some revenue in. I booked B123 9th October earlier this week and although people, booking earlier this year, don’t have to pay balance until 30 days before departure, I had to pay in full. Got a great price for the 3 of us though, paid less for a balcony than I was quoted for inside a couple of months ago 😃 (We’re joining a larger group of family members who booked last year)

Edited July 31, 2021 by Tracyjj0
Put wrong month

[terrierjohn]

36 minutes ago, Tracyjj0 said:

P&O are obviously trying to get some revenue in. I booked B123 9th October earlier this week and although people, booking earlier this year, don’t have to pay balance until 30 days before departure, I had to pay in full. Got a great price for the 3 of us though, paid less for a balcony than I was quoted for inside a couple of months ago 😃 (We’re joining a larger group of family members who booked last year)

All passengers booked on B123 had to pay the balance 90 days in advance, so you are not being disadvantaged in any way.

[Tracyjj0]

48 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

All passengers booked on B123 had to pay the balance 90 days in advance, so you are not being disadvantaged in any way.

Ah, I must be getting my cruises mixed up (got a few booked) I wasn’t saying I’d been disadvantaged - I was fine about paying in full. Can’t wait to get back onboard 😀

[Valfan]

22 hours ago, Mark36 said:

Hi Just got following from PO web site.

 

P&O Cruises Select Price and Early Saver holidays due to sail on or before 4 October 2021:

If you're booked on a P&O Cruises holiday due to sail on or before 4 October 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
30-16 days	75%
15-4 days	90%
Less than 4 days	100% (or 100% FCC if fail pre-screening or testing)

I can't imagine anyone deciding to cancel a cruise when they can just move their deposit to another cruise and worry about it later. That's what I'm just about to do. Too much uncertainty just now.

[Tracyjj0]

On 7/30/2021 at 2:38 PM, Mark36 said:

Hi Booked on 25th Sept IONA sailing, Booked direct with PO and final payment date for myself is 26th August   30 days before cruise.

Ah, so I wasn’t going mad then!😆

[terrierjohn]

22 minutes ago, Tracyjj0 said:

Ah, so I wasn’t going mad then!😆

No, September cruises were 30 days, October 90 days.

Edited July 31, 2021 by terrierjohn

[L751]

4 hours ago, Tracyjj0 said:

P&O are obviously trying to get some revenue in. I booked B123 9th October earlier this week and although people, booking earlier this year, don’t have to pay balance until 30 days before departure, I had to pay in full. Got a great price for the 3 of us though, paid less for a balcony than I was quoted for inside a couple of months ago 😃 (We’re joining a larger group of family members who booked last year)

We had to pay beginning of this month for the same cruise, we booked last year

[Castle25]

deleted

Edited August 22, 2021 by Castle25

[Megabear2]

Is there any news from P&O regarding the testing requirements of Spain and the other countries that the ships will visit?  UK is still regarded by Spain as high risk and their requirements for UK visitors is as follows:

 

"documentation certifying that you have undertaken a COVID-19 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT - e.g. PCR, TMA, LAMP or NEAR) within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain and tested negative. Antigen tests can only be used in certain limited circumstances (as outlined in section ‘k’ of the ‘Entry requirements for entry in Spain from third countries’ on the Spanish Ministry of Health ‘Travel and COVID-19’ page) and are not accepted if you are travelling from the UK to Spain for tourism purposes (see Reason for travel to Spain below for further information).

proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain (date(s) of vaccination must be specified), with a vaccine authorised by the European Medicines Agency or by the World Health Organisation."

 

So this means PCR testing is necessary. Not sure of the itineraries exactly but the test P&O gives for free at the dock is lateral flow and currently this will not allow you into Spain as above.  PCR tests take a considerable amount of planning. We have today seen the crackdown on cowboy operators.  I require one for an upcoming Celebrity cruise. The nearest test station with an appointment for me is 60 miles away due to capacity issues! I am now using Boots as one of the recommended suppliers, it costs £99.00 but at least Celebrity say they will refund that cost.  Have P&O given any info yet?  I am keen to book an Iona cruise November time but until P&O state their policy on tests and costing am very reluctant. The Marella CC board is full of confused people as well.  My fear has always been that these costs for tests and the logistics of them will weigh heavily on the individual both financially and logistically.

 

Today I note an expert on Sky news telling travellers to avoid the Caribbean due to the reluctance of people there to get vaccinated. There was mention of St Lucia, Jamaica and Dominica going on the red list as well. I have outstanding communication with the Executive Office at P&O and Cunard on this issue regarding their Caribbean sailings. Strangely no reply ...

[terrierjohn]

51 minutes ago, Megabear2 said:

Is there any news from P&O regarding the testing requirements of Spain and the other countries that the ships will visit?  UK is still regarded by Spain as high risk and their requirements for UK visitors is as follows:

 

"documentation certifying that you have undertaken a COVID-19 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT - e.g. PCR, TMA, LAMP or NEAR) within 72 hours prior to arrival in Spain and tested negative. Antigen tests can only be used in certain limited circumstances (as outlined in section ‘k’ of the ‘Entry requirements for entry in Spain from third countries’ on the Spanish Ministry of Health ‘Travel and COVID-19’ page) and are not accepted if you are travelling from the UK to Spain for tourism purposes (see Reason for travel to Spain below for further information).

proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to arrival in Spain (date(s) of vaccination must be specified), with a vaccine authorised by the European Medicines Agency or by the World Health Organisation."

 

So this means PCR testing is necessary. Not sure of the itineraries exactly but the test P&O gives for free at the dock is lateral flow and currently this will not allow you into Spain as above.  PCR tests take a considerable amount of planning. We have today seen the crackdown on cowboy operators.  I require one for an upcoming Celebrity cruise. The nearest test station with an appointment for me is 60 miles away due to capacity issues! I am now using Boots as one of the recommended suppliers, it costs £99.00 but at least Celebrity say they will refund that cost.  Have P&O given any info yet?  I am keen to book an Iona cruise November time but until P&O state their policy on tests and costing am very reluctant. The Marella CC board is full of confused people as well.  My fear has always been that these costs for tests and the logistics of them will weigh heavily on the individual both financially and logistically.

 

Today I note an expert on Sky news telling travellers to avoid the Caribbean due to the reluctance of people there to get vaccinated. There was mention of St Lucia, Jamaica and Dominica going on the red list as well. I have outstanding communication with the Executive Office at P&O and Cunard on this issue regarding their Caribbean sailings. Strangely no reply ...

As far as Spain is concerned I thought that if you were double jabbed there was no need for a PCR test.

 

The Spanish government requires all arrivals to Spain from the UK to present on entry a pre-travel declaration form and one of the following: a negative COVID-19 test; or proof of vaccination. 

Edited August 23, 2021 by terrierjohn

[wowzz]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

As far as Spain is concerned I thought that if you were double jabbed there was no need for a PCR test.

You are correct. 

Megabear is scare mongering.

Thousands of people are flying to Spain and the Canaries every week, with no testing required.

Edited August 23, 2021 by wowzz