Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[IB2]

1 minute ago, samiam1 said:

 

It would have to be Carnival Corp. and Carnival PLC - Cunard is just a subsidiary and extremely unlikely the former two giants will be in that position.

Of course.  And it's a big company.  But its business is going to be closed for months, and more importantly, its model dented for years.

 

Of course, in such exceptional circumstances there may be state aid available.  Or maybe they can weather it.  Or maybe someone buys the ships and starts afresh.  Who knows.

 

But you can see from the share price - down from £3.50 to now under £1.30 that shareholders are worried.

[exlondoner]

23 minutes ago, IB2 said:

The expert view, in so far as anyone knows right now, is that spread may diminish but is unlikely to reduce during the summer, because Corona starts with a bigger R number than SARS or normal flu.  And if it does disappear, like flu it'll be back in the winter.

What is the difference between diminish and reduce? I should have thought that, when used intransitively, they were synonyms.

[nrc]

My husband and I have a transatlantic trip booked that sails from Ft. Lauderdale next Tuesday, 3/17.  I am more concerned about getting home from Gatwick than I am about the voyage itself, particularly since there are now restrictions about flights from Europe to the US.  I understand that US citizens are ok to fly from GB airports.

[ace2542]

5 minutes ago, IB2 said:

Of course.  And it's a big company.  But its business is going to be closed for months, and more importantly, its model dented for years.

 

Of course, in such exceptional circumstances there may be state aid available.  Or maybe they can weather it.  Or maybe someone buys the ships and starts afresh.  Who knows.

 

But you can see from the share price - down from £3.50 to now under £1.30 that shareholders are worried.

Not being sick or anything but the majority of the Cunard customer base is in the at risk age bracket. A large number of them may not survive. I am sure carnival will survive but Cunard as a brand may not which would be sad.

[mattswiss]

Just canceled our TC end of May. 60% cash back, 40% cruise credit.

This was to be our 30th anniversary cruise. Hubby is over 60. I would rather him being safe and enjoy another 30 years with him. Waiting time on the phone: 15 minutes.

i did the right thing...😷😷

[LGC100]

1 hour ago, longton said:

I've just had an email from Cunard telling me there was a mistake in their email re cancellation I received yesterday.

 

It says that for my voyage M009 Cape Town to Southampton departing on 1 April there will be no additional on board credit. So $900 disappeared overnight!

We're booked on M009 and haven't received any emails from Cunard but the Covid-19 Flexible Booking Terms is plastered across the home page of their website and there are no exclusions that I can see. We're going ahead with the cruise but $900 would be useful!

[PORT ROYAL]

7 minutes ago, LGC100 said:

We're booked on M009 and haven't received any emails from Cunard but the Covid-19 Flexible Booking Terms is plastered across the home page of their website and there are no exclusions that I can see. We're going ahead with the cruise but $900 would be useful!

 

 

Under Exclusions

 

The onboard spending money offer is NOT available to guests booked on the following voyages M008A, M008B, M009, M009A, Q009N, Q010N, Q011N, Q012N, Q013B, Q015N, Q015C, Q016N, V009 and V009A.

Edited March 12, 2020 by PORT ROYAL

[Windsurfboy]

A lesson in how to make a bad situation worse

[LGC100]

Yesterday they had only excluded Q prefixed cruises for the obc offer. Today they've moved the goalposts and excluded a load of QM2 cruises including ours - M009. 

Presumably the new cancellation terms still apply and we can cancel for 10% cash and 90% FCC?

Feeling now like cancelling altogether. They give one day and take away on the next.

 

[Windsurfboy]

The $900 would have been nice but wouldn't influence my decision to cancel. However if this was just a holiday and I didn't have to get back to UK from Capetown by some means, this here you , oops sorry we'll  take it away,  would make me feel like cancelling.  A much bigger negative effect than the $900 inducement not to cancel.

[LadyL1]

Just been on hold to Cunard for 42 minutes. When I got through to cancel a voyage in May, I was told the system was down and to call back later.

With Princess cancelling all cruises in the next 2 months, is it just time before all lines follow? With so many ports not letting cruise ships dock and Norway appears to be shut now, the outlook is depressing, but health must come first to the masses.

[LGC100]

On 3/11/2020 at 10:01 AM, LittleFish1976 said:

 

So if you're on any of those voyages, it's bad luck? That seems very harsh - we're all in the same situation of being loath to submit ourselves to the danger which coronavirus poses to some of us. I think that's very unfair. I haven't commented before now on this matter and I'm a big supporter of Cunard but I think to exclude these particular cruises is the wrong thing to do. Totally unfair.

 

 

How do you think we feel? Booked on M009 from Cape Town to Southampton on 1st April and yesterday we were being given $900 obc. Today Cunard have added our cruise M009 to the exclusion list and so we get nothing. 

 

Its put a sour note on a cruise we've been looking forward to for ages. It's not a good way to treat your customers and is it legit to move the goalposts overnight? They published yesterday and that was read and understood by us and many more. If there was an error then that's their problem and they should honour what they published yesterday. 

[CanadianKate]

I just heard that Crystal has cancelled the remainder of its WC and the passengers will be getting off in Perth. With India shut and other ports not available it was only a matter of time before they were forced to make the call. With the Cunard WC going around Africa instead of through the Suez, all port options haven't been shut off yet but I'm wondering if they'll do the same while they are still in Australia. 

[Windsurfboy]

QM2 leaves Fremantle on 14th so they have only 2 days to decide. Once it's on the way to Mauritius it's committed.  Hopefully they don't  cancel.  I can't see them wanting to leave it in Australia for the season a limited market and it will be winter there, normally no Australia cruises in winter. Hopefully they will want to get it back to home waters .

 

But Capetown,  Namibia then straight home is on the cards

 

[Bedruthen]

It difficult to understand why the brands under the Carnival umbrella are not taking a collective approach. I have been impressed by the way that Princess has handled the situation, they have shown great crisis management under what have been the most trying circumstances. As a result, I suspect that they will retain the loyalty of their customer base and attract a good deal of new ones. On the other hand, this piecemeal catch up approach by Cunard and the uncertainty it causes is leaving their customers unnecessarily anxious. Witness today’s debacle of offering OBC and then withdrawing it, it reflects badly on the leadership and needlessly alienates what is fundamentally a loyal customer base.

We cancelled our transatlantic cruise today. We don’t know if we should have waited to see if Cunard follow Princess and cancel their cruise timetable through to May, as we would have preferred a full refund rather than the FCC. However with less than 2 months before departure, we have to be aware of  cancellation deadlines that apply to all parts of our holiday - we have Amtrak bookings, 30 separate hotel bookings, dog kennels, cruise parking, plus a care package that we had arranged for  my 97 year old father all to consider. So we had to make the call. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

14 minutes ago, Bedruthen said:

It difficult to understand why the brands under the Carnival umbrella are not taking a collective approach. I have been impressed by the way that Princess has handled the situation, they have shown great crisis management under what have been the most trying circumstances. As a result, I suspect that they will retain the loyalty of their customer base and attract a good deal of new ones. On the other hand, this piecemeal catch up approach by Cunard and the uncertainty it causes is leaving their customers unnecessarily anxious. Witness today’s debacle of offering OBC and then withdrawing it, it reflects badly on the leadership and needlessly alienates what is fundamentally a loyal customer base.

We cancelled our transatlantic cruise today. We don’t know if we should have waited to see if Cunard follow Princess and cancel their cruise timetable through to May, as we would have preferred a full refund rather than the FCC. However with less than 2 months before departure, we have to be aware of  cancellation deadlines that apply to all parts of our holiday - we have Amtrak bookings, 30 separate hotel bookings, dog kennels, cruise parking, plus a care package that we had arranged for  my 97 year old father all to consider. So we had to make the call. 

 

The companies under the Carnival umbrella are both siblings and competitors. But I agree that a unified approach would look a lot better.

 

I was about to tell my TA to cancel, but now I think I'll wait and see. Unless they renege, Cunard has me in the 50%refund/50%FCC stage for a few more weeks. I'd love to see that change to 100% refund. Once I make the decision on the crossing, I have only a few hotel reservations to cancel. But with all you've got organized, you have to start unraveling your plans sooner rather than later. I hope you can cancel all or most of it without penalties.

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by 3rdGenCunarder

[IB2]

13 minutes ago, Bedruthen said:

It difficult to understand why the brands under the Carnival umbrella are not taking a collective approach. I have been impressed by the way that Princess has handled the situation, they have shown great crisis management under what have been the most trying circumstances. As a result, I suspect that they will retain the loyalty of their customer base and attract a good deal of new ones. On the other hand, this piecemeal catch up approach by Cunard and the uncertainty it causes is leaving their customers unnecessarily anxious. Witness today’s debacle of offering OBC and then withdrawing it, it reflects badly on the leadership and needlessly alienates what is fundamentally a loyal customer base.

We cancelled our transatlantic cruise today. We don’t know if we should have waited to see if Cunard follow Princess and cancel their cruise timetable through to May, as we would have preferred a full refund rather than the FCC. However with less than 2 months before departure, we have to be aware of  cancellation deadlines that apply to all parts of our holiday - we have Amtrak bookings, 30 separate hotel bookings, dog kennels, cruise parking, plus a care package that we had arranged for  my 97 year old father all to consider. So we had to make the call. 

Consider that Princess's management has had rather longer to work through the implications of this crisis than the other parts of Carnival.  Nevertheless it seems pretty clear that all the brands are heading in the same direction.  Now I'd be somewhat surprised if the QM2 leaves Australia.

[Windsurfboy]

24 minutes ago, IB2 said:

Consider that Princess's management has had rather longer to work through the implications of this crisis than the other parts of Carnival.  Nevertheless it seems pretty clear that all the brands are heading in the same direction.  Now I'd be somewhat surprised if the QM2 leaves Australia.

 

But what will QM2 do in Australia in winter.

 

I've done Capetown to UK quite a few times on ships that originate in Australia.  Majority of passengers were combining a cruise with a journey to visit friends and family.  Can't  see many cancellations, which is why no $900. Other passengers will be world cruisers wanting to get back to UK.  Capetown to UK a minority. So why cancel a nearly full ship. That's my hope or perhaps wishful thinking. 

[ace2542]

5 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

But what will QM2 do in Australia in winter.

 

I've done Capetown to UK quite a few times on ships that originate in Australia.  Majority of passengers were combining a cruise with a journey to visit friends and family.  Can't  see many cancellations, which is why no $900. Other passengers will be world cruisers wanting to get back to UK.  Capetown to UK a minority. So why cancel a nearly full ship. That's my hope or perhaps wishful thinking. 

Go round NZ which has only a handful of Corona cases for the moment, they might be able to get some revenue in before idling the ship.

[rog747]

M009 from CPT to SOU is not nearly full -  there is a loads of availability at cheaper than ever fares - I've canx'd and spoke to Cunard today and she said that the cancellations for it are immense. Madeira has stopped all cruise ships at the moment so that call plus Tenerife are both under review - what a shame plus I am puzzled why of all cruises they are not now honouring the $900 OBC they were giving - bizarre 

Edited March 12, 2020 by rog747

[VK3DQ]

6 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

But what will QM2 do in Australia in winter.

 

I'v

 

In Australia our winter is far the best time to cruise .. the WET season at Christmas time is by far the worst time to cruise , with good marketing QM2 could have a very good winter season down under ...just look at how fast the QE sailings sold out a few weeks ago

 

Regards

John

[Windsurfboy]

3 minutes ago, VK3DQ said:

 

In Australia our winter is far the best time to cruise .. the WET season at Christmas time is by far the worst time to cruise , with good marketing QM2 could have a very good winter season down under ...just look at how fast the QE sailings sold out a few weeks ago

 

Regards

John

 

 

That may be true ,but historically no cruise line has ever sailed round Australia in the winter

[IB2]

The point is that the risks to their reputation and finances from continuing cruises are becoming too great.  They are already dishing out $ in refunds and compensation, and having to purchase flights etc. to get people home from different airports. Increasingly port cities don't want cruise ships calling while the crisis continues, and cruise companies are then having to compensate those on board for a changed itinerary.  And there is a flood of cancellations.  No one will want to go cruising this summer with many countries in lockdown. Even if the ship is safe, there's the flight risk, and stayover hotels etc. And the US can only cover up the true scale of its disastrous domestic position for so long.

 

And it only takes one virus sufferer on board and their costs magnify hugely.

 

As businesses they are realising they would be better cutting their losses, laying up their ships, sending their staff off home and minimising their costs.  

Edited March 12, 2020 by IB2
+

[VK3DQ]

3 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

 

That may be true ,but historically no cruise line has ever sailed round Australia in the winter

 

P & O Australia do and have done for years , and now Carnival Australia are here all the year round  also some Princess ships have been based here year round ...the winter market has not yet been tapped ...with RCL and their private Island happening soon I expect they will wish to operate year round also

 

Interesting times we live in

 

Regards

John

[ace2542]

Just now, IB2 said:

The point is that the risks to their reputation and finances from continuing cruises are becoming too great.  They are already dishing out $ in refunds and compensation, and having to purchase flights etc. to get people home from different airports. Increasingly port cities don't want cruise ships calling while the crisis continues, and cruise companies are then having to compensate those on board for a changed itinerary.  And there is a flood of cancellations.  No one will want to go cruising this summer with many countries in lockdown.  And the US can only cover up the true scale of its disastrous position for so long.

 

And it only takes one virus sufferer on board and their costs magnify hugely.

 

As businesses they are realising they would be better cutting their losses, laying up their ships, sending their staff off home and minimising their costs.  

Most contract staff can be sacked but the naval and engineering staff will have to be put on paid leave to ensure their skills are retained.