QV415C in June Problems

[Isitme]

I had a call earlier on from TA with 3 options.

 

1 Take a different cruise with Cunard

2 Take the offer on the table (4 days in dock in Barcelona and $100 OBC)

3 Full refund

 

I don't understand why they don't offer more OBC. Some people will take into account the hassle value of cancelling flights and hotels, dealing with insurance etc and the financial loss (excess etc). As it stands I think they will struggle to fill the ship. Its not very attractive as it stands, at least more OBC would make it more attractive.

 

I have never sailed with Cunard. Also, I have never had an experience like this with other cruise companies so hard to compare how Cunard have handled it compared to others. However, with their original derisory offer and the way it has been handled it has put me off Cunard and I doubt if I would consider them in future.

[Isitme]

54 minutes ago, foodsvcmgr said:

To be fair, Cunard are in a rather difficult spot schedule wise.

The non-repetitive nature of each weeks sailing puts them at risk of additional voyages being impacted if there are any delays completing the work.

Not really possible to scrub the entire week like a typical cruise beginning and ending in the same port.

Now of course none of this precludes them from doing the right thing with refunds.

I think most people accept things happen and there will be occasions when the itinerary can't go ahead exactly as planned but I would expect the cruise company to be reasonable. In this instance I received an email saying the change was minor and offering $100 OBC. The offer was derisory and calling the change minor was an insult to people's intelligence. It gets their passengers backs up straight away.

[Host Hattie]

At least the full refund option is there now.

I'm surprised they didn't offer it to start with.

[david63]

19 hours ago, majortom10 said:

Don't think you could class QV as a new ship 😀

I know - I got confused as I had just been reading about QA😫

 

It is surprising how different cruise lines within the Carnival group deal with these situations.

 

Not quite the same but last year we were on a Princess cruise which due to bad weather resulted in three ports being cancelled. Not only did we get some OBC but a significant FCC all without any asking and within a couple of days.

[watsonbeau]

As this is the second time QV has had a major issue - Cadiz dry dock and now this, I’d hope Cunard will be scheduling a proper dry dock overhaul to fix any mechanical or engineering issues once and for all.

[aaaaa]

Refunds are not being offered for those on the 14-day itineraries that include the 7-day segment that was revised.

[Isitme]

18 hours ago, aaaaa said:

Refunds are not being offered for those on the 14-day itineraries that include the 7-day segment that was revised.

I feel that it is still a significant change and a refund should be given.

[*Miss G*]

22 hours ago, david63 said:

Not quite the same but last year we were on a Princess cruise which due to bad weather resulted in three ports being cancelled. Not only did we get some OBC but a significant FCC all without any asking and within a couple of days.

We were on a Princess TA in 2022 which was advertised as a Moroccan passage with a stop in the Azores. Not only did we not visit those ports but we did not receive any OBC nor a FCC. We also did not receive a reimbursement for the missed port fees. Needless to say, we have not sailed with Princess since. 

[Pushpit]

In post 38 I put a screenshot from Saturday on fares for this sailing, priced for 2 sharing. Here's today's (Monday) version. Oceanviews are now back on sale and Balcony is down £200 or so, rest unchanged.

 

[maz48]

22 hours ago, *Miss G* said:

We were on a Princess TA in 2022 which was advertised as a Moroccan passage with a stop in the Azores. Not only did we not visit those ports but we did not receive any OBC nor a FCC. We also did not receive a reimbursement for the missed port fees. Needless to say, we have not sailed with Princess since. 

We were on a Princess cruise in 2013, TA back to Fort Lauderdale after their summer time in the UK. Bad weather on embarkation day caused Princess to have us in Southampton for 3 nights, missing Le Havre and the Azores. Some Americans, including elderly ones, were onboard specially to visit the Normandy war graves so were not happy, especially as we watched another cruise ship depart when we should have been doing. Though we were fairly happy not to be going into the challenging weather. In the end everyone received half their fare back as credit. We were quite surprised to be honest, but very pleased of course.  We were able to take a 5 night Caribbean cruise the following year for free. 

[simon881]

Has anyone received a better compensation offer from Cunard regarding the itinerary change? (and the refund of port fees for the missed ports) My TA has contacted them but I have yet to hear back.

[aaaaa]

11 hours ago, simon881 said:

Has anyone received a better compensation offer from Cunard regarding the itinerary change? (and the refund of port fees for the missed ports) My TA has contacted them but I have yet to hear back.

Nothing more here.  If you have success, please post again. 

 

I'm not sure about a refund of port fees, as the ship is now scheduled to be in port for more days than it would be if the ship were to follow the original itinerary.

[Pushpit]

There have been further price reductions on V415C.

 

Balcony is now £1598 - was £2118

Balcony Club now £3098 - was £3198

both prices for 2 sharing.

 

Cunard's UK website still shows the previous map, including trip to Corsica, but the online itinerary confirms 3 nights / 4 days in Barcelona, Sardina, Naples, Rome, and agrees with the Cruceros schedule shown in post 41 above.

 

 

[Isitme]

On 5/21/2024 at 4:31 PM, simon881 said:

Has anyone received a better compensation offer from Cunard regarding the itinerary change? (and the refund of port fees for the missed ports) My TA has contacted them but I have yet to hear back.

We were on the 7 day cruise and Cunard have agreed on a full refund. We were not offered anything in excess of the offer from last week ($100 OBC)

[Isitme]

On 5/21/2024 at 4:31 PM, simon881 said:

Has anyone received a better compensation offer from Cunard regarding the itinerary change? (and the refund of port fees for the missed ports) My TA has contacted them but I have yet to hear back.

Did Cunard ever come up with a better offer than the derisory $100 OBC?

[aaaaa]

On 5/27/2024 at 4:19 AM, Isitme said:

Did Cunard ever come up with a better offer than the derisory $100 OBC?

Not in my case, despite multiple contacts.

[aaaaa]

Related to the itinerary change, while the ship is docked overnight (e.g., while the ship remains docked in Barcelona for three nights on this voyage), can passengers leave and then return to the ship at any time of day/night?

[Pushpit]

10 minutes ago, aaaaa said:

Related to the itinerary change, while the ship is docked overnight (e.g., while the ship remains docked in Barcelona for three nights on this voyage), can passengers leave and then return to the ship at any time of day/night?

Yes. Sometimes they will mention in the Daily Programme that the entrance is closed between 01:00 hrs and 06:00 hrs, or perhaps that the second gangway normally used by staff is to be used in the early hours. But at somewhere like Barcelona, where going out for an evening meal at a restaurant means eating at 11pm or later, I would expect there to be 24 hour access.

[exlondoner]

Judging by recent experience in Funchal, there will be 24 hour access, but not 24 hour shuttle buses.

[Pushpit]

Fares have clearly tumbled on this cruise. First figure is the fare just after the change was announced, the second is today's fare, 2 people sharing, UK point of sale, pounds sterling.

 

Inside - was £1398,  now £1098

Oceanview was not available, now £1198

Balcony was £2118, now £1298

Club was £3198, now £2898

PG was £2698, now £2398

QG was £4598, now £2998

[reeves35]

2 hours ago, Pushpit said:

Fares have clearly tumbled on this cruise. First figure is the fare just after the change was announced, the second is today's fare, 2 people sharing, UK point of sale, pounds sterling.

 

Inside - was £1398,  now £1098

Oceanview was not available, now £1198

Balcony was £2118, now £1298

Club was £3198, now £2898

PG was £2698, now £2398

QG was £4598, now £2998

Is it weird that Britannia Club is GBP500 more than Princess Grill and only GBP100 less than Queen's Grill?

 

[addo]

I have checked frequently but still no excursions available for the 3 days in Barcelona.

[aaaaa]

No excursions have been posted for the new port stop, Cagliari, either.  And, the voyage (on the US site, at least) is still called "France, Italy And Adriatic" even though the ship will no longer stop in France.

[foodsvcmgr]

Cagliari is easily walkable from the pier if no tours appear.

Be sure to enjoy a local lunch, ravioli seems the specialty there whereas pizza is near nonexistent.