Cunard's Coronavirus Cancellations/Refunds (Merged threads)

[Clagmeister]

6 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

While I accept, and agree, with your comments about the phone system I suspect Cunard’s priority is dealing with the six and a half thousand passengers they have on board that have to be got home from various places around the world. And hotels and flights for the several thousand people already enroute to the ships. Never mind the thousands of crew they will be laying off in the very near future. 

 

You can’t just magic up staff to deal with stuff that has to be done today, and deal with next week, next month, next year as well.

Yes but surely it would be seen as a ' no show' and everything lost if someone has booked, paid and close to departure date, prohibited from cruising  under the UK over 70s ruling  but cannot get through the on the phone to confirm or reject the Cunard offer? Why cannot this be done through Manage my cruises/bookings or am I missing something?

[Clagmeister]

4 hours ago, babs135 said:

Asking for clarification:  We have not had any communication either from Cunard or our travel agent re our cruise in October.  Should we have heard something or is it simply because we are still 3 months away from paying the full balance?

 

We don't want to cancel but I am so confused as to what to do for the best.   

Don't Panic. The pressure is not on your cruise yet .

 

[hypercafe]

Just read in the CNN travel section a list of cruise lines that have shut down all operation for the next 30 days but did not see Cunard. Are they also going to do the same?

[Clagmeister]

46 minutes ago, exlondoner said:

We had a email from our TA yesterday telling us not to ring them They will get to us when they have got people with imminent cruise problems sorted. Seems eminently reasonable

I would broadly agree but not everyone has a TA running around on their behalf and booked directly with Cunard on line. The 70 plus cruising ban for UK nationals is going to prevent me and my wife from taking up our QV cruise on 16 April and we did receive an email last night which clearly asks that we wait before contacting Cunard on the number provided. I plan to honour their wishes but do understand why others may be less inclined to do so.

[turnip eater]

We had an e-mail on Thursday evening requesting that we call Friday morning(March 13th). We phoned Cunard and stated that we were expecting a taxi at 10:30 to take us to Heathrow. We were told that the cruise was going ahead, but check with our insurance provider. We did so and we’re told that we were covered for health issues and disruption.

so we are now in Fort Lauderdale. We received an e-mail at 10:15am today (Saturday 14th). Very sorry but your cruise. QV departing  Fort Lauderdale is cancelled. No new passengers and crew will board in FL. Cunard will be in touch....WHEN? Do we wait , enjoy a few days here and possibly Florida will go into lockdown! Do we try to get out ASAP? (Rhetorical questions)

Looks like the QV will drop off passengers, but not pick UK passengers with UK passports who want to sail home. 

Doesn’t seem to be any joined up thinking.

 

will update

Edited March 14, 2020 by turnip eater
Auto correct, correction

[delgirl]

We are in the same dilemma for our july cruise have to pay balance in 2 weeks time. I want to hang on but hubby is thinking of the £3,000plus we will be paying them in a fortnight. Have had the e-mail from cunard that we can wait until 2 days before and then change to another cruise next year. My dilemma is what if we are not in a position to cruise next year, we will have lost that money. Decisions, decisions don't want to panic but don't want to bail either.

[Clagmeister]

3 minutes ago, delgirl said:

We are in the same dilemma for our july cruise have to pay balance in 2 weeks time. I want to hang on but hubby is thinking of the £3,000plus we will be paying them in a fortnight. Have had the e-mail from cunard that we can wait until 2 days before and then change to another cruise next year. My dilemma is what if we are not in a position to cruise next year, we will have lost that money. Decisions, decisions don't want to panic but don't want to bail either.

I agree. It is not a good state of affairs and who is to say that the thousands who have booked and paid for a cruise but banned from travelling and who have to accept FCC , will be able to get on to their preferred cruises in the next couple of years

[Host Hattie]

6 minutes ago, Clagmeister said:

I agree. It is not a good state of affairs and who is to say that the thousands who have booked and paid for a cruise but banned from travelling and who have to accept FCC , will be able to get on to their preferred cruises in the next couple of years

You don't have to accept FCC, just ask for a full refund.

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/guests-aged-70-and-over-or-with-health-conditions

[Clagmeister]

3 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

You don't have to accept FCC, just ask for a full refund.

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/guests-aged-70-and-over-or-with-health-conditions

Yes and thank you. That full stop at the end of 'Alternatively you are entitled to a full refund'. makes a big difference .

[Windsurfboy]

My wife spoke to an agent on phone,  who said we could only get a partial refund plus FCC. 

 

I've just emailed then quoting policy above. 

 

 

[samiam1]

Just now, Windsurfboy said:

My wife spoke to an agent on phone,  who said we could only get a partial refund plus FCC. 

 

I've just emailed then quoting policy above. 

 

 

Everyone needs to stay on top of the situation or lose $$$.

[Radar boomer]

If a cruise is cancelled and we are given fcc, can the credit be applied to another already booked cruise to pay the balance when due. Especially if get 125%...

debating as final payment due April 2nd for July 31st sailing, we are ok with fcc if cancelled as long as we can use it for 1 of our 2 cruises planned in 2021 

 

 

[ospreycruiser]

17 minutes ago, Host Hattie said:

You don't have to accept FCC, just ask for a full refund.

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/guests-aged-70-and-over-or-with-health-conditions

 

What does "cancellation fee" mean in the Cunard document? We are due to pay the balance in 2 weeks time. If we cancel and ask for FCC is it 125% of the money paid so far or 125% of the total cost? I'm a little confused.

[exlondoner]

24 minutes ago, samiam1 said:

Everyone needs to stay on top of the situation or lose $$$.

I think for quite a lot of potential passengers at present the worry is that, by not staying on top of the situation, they may lose their lives. Obviously, this would only be a pretty tiny minority, but it is the worry.

[LGC100]

50 minutes ago, turnip eater said:

We had an e-mail on Thursday evening requesting that we call Friday morning(March 13th). We phoned Cunard and stated that we were expecting a taxi at 10:30 to take us to Heathrow. We were told that the cruise was going ahead, but check with our insurance provider. We did so and we’re told that we were covered for health issues and disruption.

so we are now in Fort Lauderdale. We received an e-mail at 10:15am today (Saturday 14th). Very sorry but your cruise. QV departing  Fort Lauderdale is cancelled. No new passengers and crew will board in FL. Cunard will be in touch....WHEN? Do we wait , enjoy a few days here and possibly Florida will go into lockdown! Do we try to get out ASAP? (Rhetorical questions)

Looks like the QV will drop off passengers, but not pick UK passengers with UK passports who want to sail home. 

Doesn’t seem to be any joined up thinking.

 

will update

Can't you just book a flight home and claim back the cost?

[Host Hattie]

15 minutes ago, ospreycruiser said:

 

What does "cancellation fee" mean in the Cunard document? We are due to pay the balance in 2 weeks time. If we cancel and ask for FCC is it 125% of the money paid so far or 125% of the total cost? I'm a little confused.

It won't be the total cost if you haven't paid it yet.

UK site has details here

 

https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/contact-us/travel-health-advisories/flexible-cancellation-policy

[Guest SilverHengroen]

1 hour ago, hypercafe said:

Just read in the CNN travel section a list of cruise lines that have shut down all operation for the next 30 days but did not see Cunard. Are they also going to do the same?

The likelihood is yes they (and most other cruise lines) will have a period of non operation coinciding with the worst of the outbreak. They will be forthcoming with further information when the decision is made, and when they have everything in hand that needs sorting out right now. I would say at the very least they will want to try and as close to complete their planned world cruises as is possible so they can get as many people as possible in the right place at the right time to catch their connecting flights (where still operating) or else disembark them where they won't be stranded.

[turnip eater]

15 minutes ago, LGC100 said:

Can't you just book a flight home and claim back the cost?

Yes, that’s what we’ve done in the last 10 minutes.....can’t depend on Cunard contacting us here in Fort Lauderdale. So now we have a plan! 😊

[delgirl]

We are both in the sixty age group so not covered by age. The reason I said we may not be in a position to cruise next year is because 6 yrs ago I had breast cancer, all clear at the moment but whose to say I will be next year. Don't normally book this early (booked december) but there was extra onboard spend. I was originally tempted by the extra $600 but not so much now (although $1000 all in is still a bit tempting) but hubby really wants to cancel.

[samiam1]

16 minutes ago, delgirl said:

We are both in the sixty age group so not covered by age. The reason I said we may not be in a position to cruise next year is because 6 yrs ago I had breast cancer, all clear at the moment but whose to say I will be next year. Don't normally book this early (booked december) but there was extra onboard spend. I was originally tempted by the extra $600 but not so much now (although $1000 all in is still a bit tempting) but hubby really wants to cancel.

 

Maybe wait a bit to cruise until we know what the new "normal" will be in about 60-90 days.  By that time it will be Winter in the Southern Hemisphere and we will see what happens.

Edited March 14, 2020 by samiam1

[samiam1]

Cunard will need to park it now:

 

US travel ban from UK and Ireland confirmed

The ban on travel to the US from UK and Ireland will begin at 00:00 Eastern time on Monday (04:00 GMT on Tuesday), US Vice-President Mike Pence has confirmed.

 

[3rdGenCunarder]

55 minutes ago, turnip eater said:

Yes, that’s what we’ve done in the last 10 minutes.....can’t depend on Cunard contacting us here in Fort Lauderdale. So now we have a plan! 😊

 

Good move! Get yourself home first and sort out the money later. 

[Host Hattie]

11 minutes ago, samiam1 said:

Cunard will need to park it now:

 

US travel ban from UK and Ireland confirmed

The ban on travel to the US from UK and Ireland will begin at 00:00 Eastern time on Monday (04:00 GMT on Tuesday), US Vice-President Mike Pence has confirmed.

 

I don't think that will make much difference to the current itineraries.

[bazzaw]

Princess cruises has abandoned all cruising and cruises for the next 60 days - Cunard is trying to wring blood out of a stone right now - time for them to man-up like Princess has and make a major decision instead of playing it by ear on a day-to-day basis!!!! 

[ace2542]

24 minutes ago, samiam1 said:

Cunard will need to park it now:

 

US travel ban from UK and Ireland confirmed

The ban on travel to the US from UK and Ireland will begin at 00:00 Eastern time on Monday (04:00 GMT on Tuesday), US Vice-President Mike Pence has confirmed.

 

The UK just got removed from the Visa Waiver Program so any UK based travellers will not be able to sail on April 18th westbound sailing so the eastbound sailing is now unlikely to occur.