Broadside

3 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

Or, the problem could easily be solved by doing away with Formal night  dress codes......what's the purpose of formal nights anyway.....there are no grand balls or parties or any special entertainment.....strictly an outdated and old fashioned  nuisance that needs to be done away with......

Better for Princess to ditch smart casual night and make every night Formal 

This might work in the RCI MDR

but not on the Love Boat Line 😃

On 5/3/2020 at 9:26 PM, Harry Peterson said:

"Thank you for your email. 
We merely suggest smart/casual for dinner – we don’t really have any rules.   In general, the rule would be whatever you are comfortable in and if that means your Hawaiian shirt then that’s fine!
Hope this helps."

 

I'm not in any sense advocating Hawaiian shirts on P&O, but smart casual is bound to take over from formal as the older passengers are replaced by younger ones. 

Hawaiian shirts would be applicable for  the tropical theme nights 

Bring back the Great British Sailaway 

Just now, jake 26 said:

 

ABTA's advice and guidance seems sound as offering an FCC alternative to a cash refund helps protect the industry. So P&O are offering a 100% cash refund or 125% FC C when they cancel a cruise.

 

I can't comment on 'many reports' of obstructive and misleading behaviour by P&O and TAs as I haven't seen any.

 

P&O did make a change but the fact that people could cancel their cruise of their own volition and opt for a FCC instead, before P&O cancelled is a merit in my book.

 

I'm aware of the glitch in prebooked items refunds, but if you book online you receive a receipt with a transaction no. So you can follow that through to a refund solution when things settle down. I'm in the same position with prebooked excursions and restaurant reservations, but if they aren't refunded with my cruise refund I shall follow it up using the receipt data.

 

FCCs are happening and hopefully it will help in the industry's recovery, but  conjecture about their validity is not helpful without substance to back it up.

Your first paragraph is not ABTA's advice.  The point is P and O's 110 % or 125 % FCC ( seems to change all the time ) is not  neccesarily the same entity as the potential ABTA refund protected credit note. Please dont spread fake news.

If you havent seen any please read other threads.

Of course there is a reciept for a payment, that is not relevant. The fact is they are not currently being refunded.

Establishing the T and C's of  the FCC is not conjecture.

Just now, jake 26 said:

 

Just now, jake 26 said:

So it seems the refund process is in motion.

I still don't understand all the posts about ABTA and FCCs. That may happen but, currently, as far as P&O is concerned, it's 'fake news'.

P and O have stated in their own media releases they are now acting on ABTA's advice and guidance

There are many reports of P and O and Travel Agents being obstructive and misleading about offering a full cash refund to customers

P and O changed their policy about refunds for people unable to travel due to govt advice at the time.

P and O are currently ( for over two weeks ) unable to refund prebooked excursions and restaurant bookings on non cancelled cruises.

FCC's are already happening! A lot of the posts are about what protections, if any ,a FCC has and if they are even the same as a potential " ABTA protected credit note " if people want to make their free choice to take one.

48 minutes ago, mercury7289 said:

My cruise booking is in accordance with the terms and conditions of booking.

 

Cancellations are covered in clause 40 and 41.

 

This includes a compensation entitlement based on the time period between P&O cancelling and the intended sail date.

 

ABTA have nothing to do with it, there roll is to act as an insurance.

 

They are in effect a third party.

 

They are not entitled or able to change the terms and conditions of my contract.

 

I will be holding P&O, as they would me, to strict conformity of the contract.

 

Which entitles me to a full refund of all monies paid.

How does that relate to whether protected refund credit notes are the same as P and O 's Future Cruise Credits? 

1 minute ago, wowzz said:

It depends how you interpret the article. ABTA are saying that if holiday credit notes are not used by the end of July, they can be converted into cash. P&O are members of ABTA, ergo they would (should) abide by ABTA rulings. 

I do not believe that is clear at all that " Protected Refund Credit Notes" have the same and equivalent terms and protections as P and O's  "FCC" for example -  P and O are offering 110 % / 125 % on their FCC's, they also started offering FCC's before ABTA made this annoucement. 

2 hours ago, wowzz said:

Thanks - if FCCs can be redeemed for cash at the end of July,  which the article says, I could live with that as a compromise,  although I wouldn't be happy. 

I don't believe the article says that at all specifically about P and O's FCC - Please provide your source?

Very important that you don't spread fake news - please consider carefully and post responsibly at all times. 

4 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

An interesting article in today's Daily Mail gives lots of info about these ABTA "refund credit notes" or FCCs as P&O call them.

I am not sure whether P and O's "FCC's" and the refund credit notes ABTA refer to have the same terms and protections?

I believe they are different offers and entities.

Just now, funinhounslow said:

 

If we do get offered a credit note on a “take it or leave it” basis following a cancelled cruise, presumably we could go down the S75 or chargeback route with our credit card company - goods paid for and not provided...?

I am not an expert but I believe we could certainly try.

Also and this is where it gets very very complicated   -   there has been a lot of discussion around whether a chargeback / S75 is still available to use after the customer has made a "new booking" with an FCC or Credit Note. 

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

It is not what customers want to hear but the current situation is leaving most travel companies with major liquidity problems, and ABTA are looking to provide a way to prevent that happening whilst still giving customers some sort of guarantee that they will receive recompense, eventually.

Its a bit like social distancing, we don't like it but it is essential to prevent the spread engulfing the NHS's ability to cope and come out the other side with the least number of deaths. ABTA's plan is similar, in trying to avoid as many failures as possible, so the travel industry is capable of surviving as well.

I would definitely prefer it wasn't happening, but these are not normal times.

 Your comparison with the NHS and social distancing I think  is very inapropriate.

- It is not clear that P and O FCC's are even failure proofed credit notes. I believe a lot of reports are that they have to be used on cruises and no cash back ever. 

- A lot of ABTA members are deliberately misleading their customers by stating they have to accept refund credit notes

- Why would anyone trust ABTA again? The long term reputational damage if they continue with this will be worse than some holiday firms going under in the short term

-  Even if there is a now a "change in law" this will only unleash an unprecidented amount of litigation between customers / suppliers / travel agents / Cruise Lines / Credit Card Companies / ABTA / ATOL / CAA / Trading Standards / possibly judicial review if they try and retrospectively change the law etc

- Why should the customers provide an interest free loan to the travel industry? 

Just now, terrierjohn said:

Which failed company are ABTA failing to compensate its customers? 

I don't think the ABTA guarantee covers the current situation where P&O are only providing FCCs and not refunds. But I could be wrong.

I meant ABTA are currently failing to ensure its currently solvent members are processing refunds. ABTA seem happy for their members to quote ABTA guidance as the justification to not refund.

Just now, AndyMichelle said:

When this started, the first thing my accountant told me was to cancel the next day's payment run.. 

I refused, saying we could afford the payments. 

He explained that nobody knows how this will affect any of us and I should prepare for no income indefinitely.. 

I paid to keep the trust I have taken years to build, he called me foolish... 

I guess P&O have been having similar conversations but have taken the advice to 'stuff' their customers... 

I hope they are the fools and not me... 

Andy 

Where these payments for services already supplied or refunding payments where you have not supplied any service to the customer and they had already paid you in full? 

Just now, terrierjohn said:

That is probably true, but if ABTA are now skint after bailing out Thomas Cook, then I imagine they will have to withdraw their promise to bail out any future failure, and where does that leave travel companies and their customers?

The point is that that ABTA are  right now failing to bail out failure despite their guarentees.

The future will sort itself out maybe with a pandemic exclusion on cash refunds who knows. 

4 hours ago, AndyMichelle said:

There is a big difference between 'want' and 'need'... 

ABTA are effectively telling the government that they can't afford to bail out all these travel companies, so obviously are advising them to hold on to as much money as possible.. 

Horrible for all of us on the end of it, but this was not planned or bad management... 

As I keep saying, everybody will suffer, it ain't gonna be pretty... 

Andy 

ABTA are not allowed to break contract Law because they "need" Money

ABTA are calling for a massive bail out for their members from the government , cash injections etc seemingly on top of what has already been announced.

 At the same time ABTA are calling for retrospectively changing the law and calling  for changing their own previous guarentees so their members can bank and hold on to millions / billions of customers money for up to two years whilst providing nothing in return before refunding it.

ABTA want to pretend at the same time they are also some kind of  "Consumer" organisation offering advice , guidance and fair and impartial dispute resolution to customers ?

P and O now quote ABTA advice as a justification for their disgraceful actions.

This is rotten to the core.




 

Just now, Selbourne said:

Interesting. Is that for the Iona Maiden or a different cruise? Perhaps it’s affecting every cruise? How long before we are told that T’s & C’s have changed and refunds for pre-booked excursions / select dining can no longer be made in cash and have to be Future Cruise Credit? I say this partly in jest, but anything is possible in the current climate. 

It is for different cruises,  not the Iona Maiden 

2 hours ago, Selbourne said:

As well as reneging on their promise to refund in full those passengers (such as us) who cannot cruise due to government advice (which would also invalidate travel insurance - which P&O insists that you have), I now have another issue. 
 

I have been trying for several days to cancel restaurant reservations made (and paid for) on my Cruise Personaliser for the Iona Maiden cruise. Booking conditions allow a full refund if cancelled prior to 48 hours in advance of the booking but there appears to be a convenient ‘technical problem’ which is currently preventing cancellations. I know that P&O IT is beyond useless, but the current climate (and P&O’s current attitude) makes me suspicious that this is rather convenient for them. 
 

As I said in another post, whilst I have every sympathy with P&O’s plight, which is not of their making, customers money should not be held hostage in order to prop up their cash flow.

The same thing is happening for excursion cancellations

Just now, wowzz said:

Just now, Broadside said:

 

What are the cancellation terms for a booking made with FCC? 

I assume the same as if you were making a normal 'paid' booking.

Then what did you mean by stating this ? :

Just now, wowzz said:

It's not a waiver as such, but if you agree to FCC, you will nullify your ability to obtain a cash refund.   

As you are upgrading your cruise line from NCL , I would recommend upgrading your attire at the same time . 

Just now, wowzz said:

It's not a waiver as such, but if you agree to FCC, you will nullify your ability to obtain a cash refund.   

What are the cancellation terms for a booking made with FCC? 

2 hours ago, Tablelamp said:

Based on what P & O told us six days ago, I am awaiting the required letter from my doctor stating that I have an underlying health condition which precludes me from cruising. There will be a charge for this letter and now P and O are saying that they have change their minds and are now only offering a future cruise credit which I will be unable to use as my holidays are already booked for 2021.   This is absolutely shocking behaviour by P and O and after being a loyal customer for many years they have lost me as a passenger for good.

Consider charging P and O for the letter cost? 

Can you use OBC as a future cruise credit? 

3 hours ago, ghstudio said:

Very self explanatory controller.....one of those buttons is the ejection seat.....another plays the star spangled banner so you have to get up......and a couple are for when you go as a couple.

 

 

Which button plays The Love Boat Theme?