Anyone Try to Cancel Hours After Booking?

[Salacia]

Here's how I see it. The OP had a crossing booked with her dog. The plans for the extended stay in the UK changed. She couldn't get a refund so she decided to do a R/T crossing with a 4 day stay in the UK. She booked the return crossing after deciding that her dog would do okay on the R/T.

 

Right after she booked the return crossing.....for whatever reason......changed her mind. Now she was hoping to at least get a refund for the return crossing.

 

How'd I do???

 

Ok, I'll play...

No, it wasn't a crossing that she had booked, it as a 2 months stay in Europe for business purposes that was changed. No mention of what was to happen to her dog during those two months. Then the question changed to what to do with her dog while she was away for 3 weeks. And then, the latest question about cancelling a booking within hours of booking? Do you feel your leg being pulled? Or as the Cousins say, a wind up?

 

The OP stated:

"This was not supposed to be a "vacation trip". Actually, I don't do "vacation trips", and not on a transatlantic, which I use for travel. Because of responsibilities and changes in plans, I am unable to stay the 2 months in Europe originally scheduled for business purposes.

 

Since I cannot be reimbursed for the fare, I have a conundrum: Leave my pup behind for 3 weeks or take him with me. He's been on QM2 before, and does very well in the kennel. He would feel abandoned if I leave him behind." copied from http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2079309

 

Quite a few contradictions that I can't quite work out, and I've devoted about all the time I have to this convoluted quandary, but I wish all the best to good dogs everywhere :)

Edited August 6, 2014 by Salacia

[brigittetom]

Salacia.....thank you for humoring me....actually that was very nice of you considering you had to go back for the research.

 

I'm with you, I'm confused now and I give up. I have enough problems trying to get ours set up....one goes to private doggie camp....two of them need someone to come in for petting and feeding daily. The plants fend for themselves. :)

[BlueRiband]

If the OP's travel plans are this fluid to the point that they change within hours of booking then travel by sea is not the best option for her or her dog. She just got an expensive lesson on the meaning of "non-refundable".

[Underwatr]

My guess (not sure I understand the rationale for the treatment of this one person here): OP booked the westbound crossing back to home after final payment and then tried to get kennel space for the dog and was unable.

 

EDIT: I just looked up the booking terms at cunard.com and the 50% cancellation penalty occurs between 31 and 60 days before sailing.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Underwatr

[Salacia]

My guess (not sure I understand the rationale for the treatment of this one person here): OP booked the westbound crossing back to home after final payment and then tried to get kennel space for the dog and was unable.

 

EDIT: I just looked up the booking terms at cunard.com and the 50% cancellation penalty occurs between 31 and 60 days before sailing.

 

No, the OP said that she booked kennel space when she booked her crossing.

See http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2079309 posts 10 & 11.

[BlueRiband]

In another thread the OP asked for a full list of Cunard and Carnival employees. I can only guess she wants to know to whom she should argue her case for a refund. I cannot imagine what kind of "emergency" - other than a major medical problem - could arise within hours of booking that could not be resolved by the sailing date. She didn't mention that and anybody facing a health crisis isn't worried about a cruise line corporate hierarchy.

 

If she booked within the 31-60 day window to sailing, then found she couldn't get kennel space, then surprise, surprise. Kennels sell out on day 1 when booking opens and there is a wait list. Priority for availability due to cancellations rightly goes to those who booked early at full freight.

 

Perhaps next we'll read posts from those moaning that they are "barred" from Saver and other late fares since they need kennel space and it's always sold out.:rolleyes: Or say that they're going to remove staff gratuities if there is no kennel space because they didn't get "good service".:eek:

Edited August 6, 2014 by BlueRiband

[Underwatr]

The OP originally booked an eastbound TA with a westbound around 2 months later. No doubt she had accommodations for the dog on both of those crossings. Now the business reason for the transatlantics has gone away but it it too close to departure to cancel the eastbound, but probably not too close to cancel the westbound. In the other thread she was contemplating booking a westbound a few days after the eastbound arrives in Soton. This is all spelled out in the other thread other than having canceled the original westbound.

 

That's why I'm surmising that the trip that needs to be canceled is the rebooked westbound, and you and I know that if the OP booked a westbound 31-60 days before sailing there is likely to be no room in the kennel.

Edited August 6, 2014 by Underwatr

[Salacia]

The OP originally booked an eastbound TA with a westbound around 2 months later. No doubt she had accommodations for the dog on both of those crossings. Now the business reason for the transatlantics has gone away but it it too close to departure to cancel the eastbound, but probably not too close to cancel the westbound. In the other thread she was contemplating booking a westbound a few days after the eastbound arrives in Soton. This is all spelled out in the other thread other than having canceled the original westbound.

 

That's why I'm surmising that the trip that needs to be canceled is the rebooked westbound, and you and I know that if the OP booked a westbound 31-60 days before sailing there is likely to be no room in the kennel.

 

Yes, I agree that anyone familiar with the kennels (or even those who read this forum) would know how quickly the limited space in the kennel sells out. And since the OP has said that she has often booked her dog in the kennel, she would be in a position to know late bookings will most likely mean the kennel has long been sold out.

 

And she did write "yes, of course" when asked if she had already booked kennel space - otherwise comments would have included a caution that kennel space is likely to be unavailable (most likely waitlisted only) for late bookings. Perhaps it is being on the waitlist that prompted the question about cancelling - i.e. if the dog doesn't get a booking in the kennel, the OP is considering cancelling her booking? The situation really isn't clear to me, so I can only hypothesize, and I know that isn't terribly helpful - so I'll stop. :)

[VoyagerHS]

:eek: I come back to this board to find all this! Why such an interest in my particular case? In such detail too!

 

It was just a general query really. I have no intention of cancelling now.

 

I hope you've all enjoyed yourselves!