Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[Neuhoftraveler]

1 hour ago, ace2542 said:

Assume that Johnson is correct for a second and the current infection rate is around 11000 with 11 dead in UK the death percentage is 0.1 for UK.

Neither Johnson (I assume you mean the UK PM) nor anyone else knows how many cases there actually are or have been, in the UK or most other places.  Nor is there reliable information on what number of the many UK deaths daily are attributable to covid-19.  The figure of 11 dead is merely those known to be covid-19 cases.  In other words, we don't know the denominator (total infections) or even the numerator.  Anyone who feels comforted by the known numbers is whistling in the dark (not to say past the graveyard).

 

That doesn't mean Cunard passengers or future passengers should panic.  It means they should stay put, at least until facts become clearer.  As to the safest place being on board QM2 or any other cruise ship, I doubt there is a single medical or public health professional who would agree, without firm evidence that not one single passenger on the vessel in question has been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.   All it would take is one.

[LittleFish1976]

Cunard, as well as other Carnival umbrella cruise lines are suspending operations for four weeks. Just announced by Carnival Corp.

 

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/four-additional-carnival-corporation-north-american-brands-1

Edited March 14, 2020 by LittleFish1976

[QM2_SYD]

I am on Queen Elizabeth at the moment and the captain has just advised that our next cruise to New Zealand (ex Sydney 15 March) has been cancelled. Very disappointed!

[VK3DQ]

17 minutes ago, QM2_SYD said:

I am on Queen Elizabeth at the moment and the captain has just advised that our next cruise to New Zealand (ex Sydney 15 March) has been cancelled. Very disappointed!

 

 

Hi 

 

Any word on the next couple of sailings we are booked on the April 1st departure

 

regards

John

[lissie]

Just now, VK3DQ said:

 

 

Hi 

 

Any word on the next couple of sailings we are booked on the April 1st departure

 

regards

John

 

NZ has closed to cruise ships until 30 June - literally being announced now by the PM https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/411738/live-ardern-briefs-media-following-covid-19-cabinet-committee-meeting This will can the QE itineraries I'd say. 

[VK3DQ]

8 minutes ago, lissie said:

 

NZ has closed to cruise ships until 30 June - literally being announced now by the PM https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/411738/live-ardern-briefs-media-following-covid-19-cabinet-committee-meeting This will can the QE itineraries I'd say. 

 

Well I would say that thats the case... darn!!  Oh well should get money back have insurance for airfares with Virgin so should not be an issue there   Just need offical word from Cunard

 

Regards

John

[Colin_Cameron]

3 hours ago, Canuker said:

Can anyone enlighten me, please to the thinking here.

You believe there’s thinking involved?

[LGC100]

2 hours ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

Neither Johnson (I assume you mean the UK PM) nor anyone else knows how many cases there actually are or have been, in the UK or most other places.  Nor is there reliable information on what number of the many UK deaths daily are attributable to covid-19.  The figure of 11 dead is merely those known to be covid-19 cases.  In other words, we don't know the denominator (total infections) or even the numerator.  Anyone who feels comforted by the known numbers is whistling in the dark (not to say past the graveyard).

 

That doesn't mean Cunard passengers or future passengers should panic.  It means they should stay put, at least until facts become clearer.  As to the safest place being on board QM2 or any other cruise ship, I doubt there is a single medical or public health professional who would agree, without firm evidence that not one single passenger on the vessel in question has been exposed to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.   All it would take is one.

Just read a tweet from a passenger on QM2 in Fremantle. They aren't allowing anyone new to board but they are allowing the passengers to get off and back on again in Fremantle. How crazy is that. As you say they can't guarantee they won't come into contact with Covid-19 in Fremantle. https://twitter.com/klasact1/status/1238624255316824078?s=21

 

[lissie]

11 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

You believe there’s thinking involved?

 

I used to skeptical too - but this article changed my mind https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca Its more than slightly claustrophobic being stuck in NZ - but I can see the bigger picture now. 

[resordanis]

39 minutes ago, lissie said:

 

I used to skeptical too - but this article changed my mind https://medium.com/@tomaspueyo/coronavirus-act-today-or-people-will-die-f4d3d9cd99ca Its more than slightly claustrophobic being stuck in NZ - but I can see the bigger picture now. 

Ok QE cancelled tomorrow. Official letter received. No refund just 125% FCC. Not happy with this as we don’t have ships based here a great deal.

 

 

[lissie]

1 minute ago, resordanis said:

Ok QE cancelled tomorrow. Official letter received. No refund just 125% FCC. Not happy with this as we don’t have ships based here a great deal.

 

 

The QE is based in Australia next summer - I do wonder how much the prices will go up. We are booked on the trans Pacific expect that to be canned soon 

[resordanis]

7 minutes ago, lissie said:

The QE is based in Australia next summer - I do wonder how much the prices will go up. We are booked on the trans Pacific expect that to be canned soon 

I realise that as we have cruised with Cunard a few times. Yes, we did pay a cheap price on this one, but you are quite correct next year could be a different. I didn’t cancel, they did and I do hope a change of heart might happen and we get a full refund.

[LittleFish1976]

 

Not sure if everyone has missed my post above which details the news release that Cunard have suspended operations for 30 days with the restart date to be advised. The medical experts, including a UK govt representative today said he expects the number of cases there to peak in two or three months. Why would any cruise line start up again until the peaks, at the very least, have passed. I'm pretty certain there'll be no cruising for at least three months, and that's probably optimistic. It's probably cheaper for the lines to do it this way than to have to constantly be on tenterhooks waiting for the next infection disaster to unfold i.e. Princess) and to have passenger numbers low while still having to continue all operating expenses.

 

 

[VK3DQ]

Hi Folks

 

Put in a claim on the credit card for goods /services not provided

 

Regards

 

John

[resordanis]

7 minutes ago, resordanis said:

I realise that as we have cruised with Cunard a few times. Yes, we did pay a cheap price on this one, but you are quite correct next year could be a different. I didn’t cancel, they did and I do hope a change of heart might happen and we get a full refund.

New letter, 100% refund is now offered!

 

[VK3DQ]

20 minutes ago, resordanis said:

Ok QE cancelled tomorrow. Official letter received. No refund just 125% FCC. Not happy with this as we don’t have ships based here a great deal.

 

 

Hi

They cannot do that , that is theft you have paid for something that they have not provided, clam on your credit card 

 

Regards''

 

John

[VK3DQ]

2 minutes ago, resordanis said:

New letter, 100% refund is now offered!

 

Ok grab the money and run ,,,(grin)

[anjo]

Considering Cunard has cancelled cruises for 30 days, am I  being too optimistic  in thinking Circumnavigation  of Australia  on 12 April may still go ahead as it doesn't involve any ports in NZ? Will just have to self isolate  for 14 days on return to NZ. Is a cruise considered essential  travel? Tongue in cheek. Anjo.

[bazzaw]

30 minutes ago, anjo said:

Considering Cunard has cancelled cruises for 30 days, am I  being too optimistic  in thinking Circumnavigation  of Australia  on 12 April may still go ahead as it doesn't involve any ports in NZ? Will just have to self isolate  for 14 days on return to NZ. Is a cruise considered essential  travel? Tongue in cheek. Anjo.

That is a remote possibility 🙂 - only time will tell. However I would think that the cruiselines are very gun-shy at the moment and the easiest answer might be to just throw their hands in the air and cancel everything!!!! I would !! 🙂

 

[IB2]

That this is how things would end up has been clear for some days; flagging this was sadly just being realistic.  Two (three if you include the Braemar, pending) cruise ships have played a role in incubating the virus around the world as their passengers return home, and neither politicians nor destination ports want to take any chances, particularly given the vulnerability of the cruising demographic.   It's very sad for those of us with bookings that are now cancelled.

 

The virus is going to spread widely through populations, faster in those countries that have made this a matter of policy (the UK, most of Germany, and by dint of not having done anything else, the US) and slower in those that are trying to lock everything down (Italy, much of Asia).  This will take several months (in 1917/8, when little was done to slow that epidemic down, there were two waves each lasting about three months).  In the short term therefore things are going to get worse.  At the same time, in many countries actions will be taken to try and keep vulnerable people out of harm's way.

 

In terms of timescale, we must therefore surely expect the various 'temporary' actions being taken now to be extended, through at least the spring.  I'd also expect cruising, given the vulnerability of its passengers, to be one of the last actions to be lifted.  Running a cruise that ends up like the two Princess ships or the Braemar is not a profitable enterprise.  Realistically I stand by my expectation that we can write off both spring and summer, and quite possibly most of 2020. And medically, a second wave of epidemic next winter is possible, potentially affecting early 2021.

 

This does mean that the cruise companies are going to be under significant financial pressure.  It's clearly in their interest to offer future credit rather than cash compensation, but for individual passengers I'd suggest taking the cash, if you can.

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by IB2

[ace2542]

9 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Just curious. Why does who the captain is make a difference?

I don't care who is in command of the ship. Picard can do it for all I care. I just want to know about my money situation because I have to decide if I am doing 40/60 refund by this afternoon at best or if I am waiting for the cancellation by Cunard and a full refund as a citizen of a country who is at  most 10 days away from a travel ban the possibility of which Cunard has yet to address and a ban which my last for months even years.

Edited March 14, 2020 by ace2542

[longton]

Our cruise leaving Cape Town on 1 April has now been cancelled. 

 

I haven't yet received confirmation from Cunard in the UK.

 

I want a cash refund. The cruise line may not be around in a few months time.

 

For your info, I am a shareholder in Carnival Cruise Line. I bought 100 shares in July 2019 for £35 a share. They are now worth just under £12.

[Windsurfboy]

3 minutes ago, longton said:

Our cruise leaving Cape Town on 1 April has now been cancelled. 

 

I haven't yet received confirmation from Cunard in the UK.

 

I want a cash refund. The cruise line may not be around in a few months time.

 

For your info, I am a shareholder in Carnival Cruise Line. I bought 100 shares in July 2019 for £35 a share. They are now worth just under £12.

 

 

I'm on that cruise haven't heard anything,  how did you hear can you post it

[sydgal]

Spent all day travelling to Sydney from regional Queensland. I am more than cranky, I can tell you. Cunard have said in their emails at 4:30 pm that the care team would contact me today as they have arranged hotel  for tonight and the next 3 days if required and would arrange flights home.  It’s 8:30 pm, nothing heard.

[resordanis]

4 minutes ago, sydgal said:

Spent all day travelling to Sydney from regional Queensland. I am more than cranky, I can tell you. Cunard have said in their emails at 4:30 pm that the care team would contact me today as they have arranged hotel  for tonight and the next 3 days if required and would arrange flights home.  It’s 8:30 pm, nothing heard.

We are on the same cruise that was supposed to sail tomorrow and I don’t think you will hear tonight. I think up to the TA’s to do that at some stage.