MERGED: 2023 Full Schedule Announcement

[exlondoner]

36 minutes ago, Reggiefan said:

Has any reason been offered for the delay? We are talking about a release for the year 2023. Surely, enough time has passed for Cunard to get its 2023 plans in order. 

 

Perhaps they are catering to those of us who don't like to book too far ahead - just in case.

[Cathygh]

I would think the actual cruise ports and dates are sorted. I am sure this is a capacity of staffing issue. I read that the new call centre staff should be ready this week for the P&O 2023-4 launch, which is being staggered through out November, followed by the new QE 2022 cruises at the end of November. So perhaps they think not many will book if they launch in December so January makes sense, logistically. Not forgetting the IT system will crash....

[showingdiva]

I agree with Cathygh.  Putting covid uncertainty aside (if possible), all the major cruise lines know exactly where their ships are going years in advance.  The port I work in has multiple bookings for 2024 already.  With Cunard in the UK, they share the same call centre with P&O Cruises, who launch their 2023 summer itineraries this week.  They have been busy training new staff to assist with that.  Cunard also have the QE rescheduling and the launch of the new ship that they will want to time from a PR perspective without being swamped by passengers and TA also trying to book summer cruises.  Then there are those with FCC or changing cruises for a multitude of reasons and numerous enquiries about .. well, everything.

 

 

[Reggiefan]

So a possible reason for the delay is the lack of call-center personnel to accept reservations by phone? That's seems like a relatively small problem that should have been addressed by this time.

[Host Hattie]

I'm having difficulty believing that's the reason, that's been the situation for the last few years and all they would need to do is make sure the releases are a few weeks apart not months.

[Ray66]

On 10/29/2021 at 7:58 PM, majortom10 said:

I think the delay is due to the fact that by Summer 2023 the new Cunard ship will be built and sailing so Cunard want to make a big announcement of the name of the new ship before they release 2023.

 

Expected delivery date is December 2023 according to this:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2755243-cunard-new-build/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-60729518

 

 

 

[majortom10]

2 minutes ago, Ray66 said:

 

Expected delivery date is December 2023 according to this:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/topic/2755243-cunard-new-build/page/2/?tab=comments#comment-60729518

 

 

 

The date the new ship sails has been in the public domain as early January 2023. What we are discussing is the release of Cunard's Summer 2023 programme for all their ships which has usually been released by now. But rumour has it that it has been delayed so that they can name the new ship before 2023 programme for all ship's is released.

[SummmerInKefalonia]

The new ship won't be on the summer 2023 programme.

Expected delivery date is December 2023.

[delgirl]

I am wondering  if it is more to do with ffc. We have a deposit from our cancelled Iceland cruise last year. We have to use it by 13th December. Was waiting for 2023 to be released and use it then. I reckon they want them all used up by next year. Have booked 9 nights to Hamburg, bruges and amsterdam as we don't want to travel too far as virus is still uncertain. Hopefully will be ok by next aug.

[Windsurfboy]

 

2 hours ago, delgirl said:

I am wondering  if it is more to do with ffc. We have a deposit from our cancelled Iceland cruise last year. We have to use it by 13th December. Was waiting for 2023 to be released and use it then. I reckon they want them all used up by next year. Have booked 9 nights to Hamburg, bruges and amsterdam as we don't want to travel too far as virus is still uncertain. Hopefully will be ok by next aug.

 

I have a nastyfeeling you are right. My cruise was cancelled in June, was hoping to use FCcto book a 23 cruise. Nothing in 22 left in QG . So stuck

 

 

[babs135]

We have a cruise booked for July next year but there is a (small) chance that we will have to either cancel or transfer it.  I really was hoping that the 2023 itineraries would be out sooner rather than later so that we can see whether we could do a straight swap or not.  Balance is not due until April but as we are committed to other matters in March we would need to make a decision by the end of January, beginning of February.

Surely itineraries will have been released by then?

[Windsurfboy]

Just talked to Cunard

 

Firstly said that because of all their pauses they will be  extending validity of FCC to give people time to book 2023. Emails on way. Logical,  they'd be in trouble issuing FCC , then not releasing cruises so invalidating FCC

 

Secondly that they had been told , by an email 28th oct that 2023 would come out in November, didn't have specific date.

 

Wait and see when 2023 is released , but if delayed FCC will be extended

Edited November 4, 2021 by Windsurfboy

[david,Mississauga]

On 10/30/2021 at 4:25 PM, showingdiva said:

I agree with Cathygh.  Putting covid uncertainty aside (if possible), all the major cruise lines know exactly where their ships are going years in advance.  The port I work in has multiple bookings for 2024 already. 

...

 

 

 

Changes in voyages that are set well in advance do happen. This has happened to me twice when Cunard decided not to operate  Atlantic crossings that we were hoping to take. (Cruises from Southampton replaced the crossings.) For both of these the changes were made over a year in advance.

 

Anytime I book more than a year in advance I don't get too excited about it in case of changes. I am pleased, however, that the more recent (pre-pandemic that is) voyages that we booked more than  a year in advance actually took place.

 

[majortom10]

22 hours ago, SummmerInKefalonia said:

The new ship won't be on the summer 2023 programme.

Expected delivery date is December 2023.

Sorry but you are incorrect. The NW ship is currently under construction to be delivered to Cunard late 2022 early 2023 and will be available for Summer 2023 programme.

 

[molecrochip]

4 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Sorry but you are incorrect. The NW ship is currently under construction to be delivered to Cunard late 2022 early 2023 and will be available for Summer 2023 programme.

 

I’m afraid Tom, the last date I saw was potentially pushing “Project Halifax” to a late 2023 arrival into service. I don’t believe any substantial work has commenced yet as the project has been delayed by over a year.

 

That has likely necessitated a rejuggle of itineraries for Summer 2023.

[Ray66]

December 2023 is given as the delivery date in Carnival Corporation's document I linked to in my post above.

[SummmerInKefalonia]

The new ship had it's own 2022 & 2023 itineraries and they were cancelled.

It affected the other ships itineraries (for example Queen Victoria was supposed to homeport in Civitavecchia and do cruises in Med in Summer 2022, but was relocated to Northern Europe because of the delay of the new ship). But they had plenty of time to organize the 2023 itineraries. The delay to December 2023 is not a last minute change from what I have heard.

Edited November 4, 2021 by SummmerInKefalonia

[Reggiefan]

The latest information is that the 2023 schedule will be released in early January. The delay seems much too long, but the latest news is that there will be a release in roughly two months.

[Windsurfboy]

On 11/9/2021 at 1:17 AM, Reggiefan said:

The latest information is that the 2023 schedule will be released in early January. The delay seems much too long, but the latest news is that there will be a release in roughly two months.

 

What then will happen to all FCC that expires end 2021 that people were intending to use on 2023 summer launch , normally in November 

[majortom10]

Currently on QE and have been told 2023 programme would be hopefully be released in time for our next cruise which will be 18th January.

[LadyL1]

Thank you for this information. We are also on that cruise, so hopefully will be able to make a reservation(s) with some benefits!

At present waiting for QE spring cruises to be released. Have you heard when this might be?

[LittleFish1976]

16 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

What then will happen to all FCC that expires end 2021 that people were intending to use on 2023 summer launch , normally in November 

I had assumed that Cunard were deliberately putting off release of further new schedules because they expressly wanted people to use their credits that must be used on bookings before 31st December.

[Windsurfboy]

 

7 hours ago, LittleFish1976 said:

I had assumed that Cunard were deliberately putting off release of further new schedules because they expressly wanted people to use their credits that must be used on bookings before 31st December.

 

 but there is no availability for summer 2022, you can't book what isn't there 

[Host Hattie]

On 11/11/2021 at 11:11 AM, Windsurfboy said:

 

What then will happen to all FCC that expires end 2021 that people were intending to use on 2023 summer launch , normally in November 

I thought they had been extended ? I have used ours but the website shows September 2022.

 

[safarigal]

23 hours ago, LadyL1 said:

Thank you for this information. We are also on that cruise, so hopefully will be able to make a reservation(s) with some benefits!

At present waiting for QE spring cruises to be released. Have you heard when this might be?

I had heard that schedule for the replacement voyages for the cancelled QE itineraries will be released on November 18th.