Cancelling Cruises because of the C word

[kalos]

Just now, staygulf said:

I think you’re missing the point. Most insurance policies would exclude you from cover for a disease you had when taking out the insurance. They would not exclude you from known diseases that you do not have at the time of taking out the insurance. 

With all due respect I'm missing nothing ,everyone is advised to buy insurance when they book unless you have annual insurance. I was stating same as Wowzz it is better to take out insurance when you book your holiday.

I'm sure any insurance company would say the same . (my final answer )

[Clodia]

Now that all the ports for the April 12th Arcadia cruise are inccessible, and given that the adult only ships have a large proportion of passengers over 70, I am just waiting for my cruise to be cancelled by P and O rather than doing it myself and hanging on the phone. Happy with refund and/or FCC and in some ways it'll be nice to think I have a pre paid cruise when this is over.

[kruzseeka]

Sorry if this has already been made clear - in which case I've missed it - but if you are over 70, following the advice from the Government, are P&O allowing cancellation with full refund or 100% FCC?  I've read their statement and all I can see is an acknowledgement of the over 70's advice and an invitation to ring them.  Has anyone been in touch and know if a refund is on offer at all or to anyone, or do you have to prove medical reasons for a refund, otherwise it's FCC?

[staygulf]

1 minute ago, kruzseeka said:

Sorry if this has already been made clear - in which case I've missed it - but if you are over 70, following the advice from the Government, are P&O allowing cancellation with full refund or 100% FCC?  I've read their statement and all I can see is an acknowledgement of the over 70's advice and an invitation to ring them.  Has anyone been in touch and know if a refund is on offer at all or to anyone, or do you have to prove medical reasons for a refund, otherwise it's FCC?

I am due to hear from them as not sailing for 5 weeks (if at all). But as it’s now against FCO advice to travel for the over 70’s they would have to give you a full refund. 

[beaveh]

What are people thoughts on how things might pan out at the European cruise season kicks off? Also when would it usually kick off? March? April? 
 

I think the situation my be different for cruisers departing from Southampton, as no flying or travelling to other countries is involved. But I don’t want to end up stuck in my cabin or bobbing around in the sea for a week with no ports of call open.

 

they could change all Southampton cruises to uk ports only. Quite nice.. but I didn’t sign up for a uk circumnavigation 🙂

[mrsgoggins]

3 minutes ago, beaveh said:

What are people thoughts on how things might pan out at the European cruise season kicks off? Also when would it usually kick off? March? April? 
🙂

 

The American cruise companies generally arrive from Florida etc late April/May and I expect we will hear something soon if they are cancelling. MSC, Aida, P&O etc are already in Europe.  Who knows what will happen?  Best guesses only right now, but it's looking increasingly like big-time cancellations.

[jeanlyon]

cruises are leaving Southampton with P&O right now!!

[jeanlyon]

We have already cancelled our 26th April cruise on Arcadia just before my friend on the same cruise got her email about being over 70.  We will all get 40% back and a future cruise credit, so I think I am fairly happy with that, although a full refund because we are all over 70 would have been better.  What a terrible time this must be for all the travel industry.  My TA has been wonderful as always.

[arlowood]

My dilemma is this.

 

Wife and I both mid-70's so on advice of Government we should not cruise.

We have a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked on Aurora in early July. The cruise was booked through a Travel Agent that we have used for the past 12 years for all our cruises. Their date for the final payment (£5000ish) is next week which is about 3-4 weeks before the actual 90 day P&O date. I think this is normal practice with TA's and has never caused us a problem in the past.

 

We are still keen to go on the cruise and have none of the underlying health conditions that put us at even higher risk from CV

 

If we pay the balance and the over 70's ban is still in place in July then we will be in the hands of P&O in terms of any refund /FCC options.

With Norway declaring a state of emergency and effectively shutting down any cruising activity then there is the possibility that the cruise may have to be cancelled if those ports are still closed in July in which case we should qualify for a full refund.

 

However my risk averse gremlin is also whispering - what if you pay the balance to the TA who then holds it until P&O requires payment but goes bust in the interim due to the catastrophic collapse of the cruise industry. What then?? Will I be at the end of the queue of creditors trying to retrieve my money from any administrator appointed.

 

Also heaven forfend - what if P&O goes belly up.

 

The safest option would be to cancel and transfer our FCC to a new cruise in 2021but we already have a cruise booked in May and have other commitments later in the year that make cruising a bit difficult.

 

Just hoping that maybe P&O extend the qualifying period for the FCC into the full 2022 season - that would be much better for us

Edited March 13, 2020 by arlowood
spelling

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, kalos said:

With all due respect I'm missing nothing ,everyone is advised to buy insurance when they book unless you have annual insurance. I was stating same as Wowzz it is better to take out insurance when you book your holiday.

I'm sure any insurance company would say the same . (my final answer )

But there is the regular problem for early bookers who take out one trip insurance, you cannot insure a holiday which is more than 12 months away.

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, arlowood said:

My dilemma is this.

 

Wife and I both mid-70's so on advice of Government we should not cruise.

We have a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked on Aurora in early July. The cruise was booked through a Travel Agent that we have used for the past 12 years for all our cruises. Their date for the final payment (£5000ish) is next week which is about 3-4 weeks before the actual 90 day P&O date. I think this is normal practice with TA's and has never caused us a problem in the past.

 

We are still keen to go on the cruise and have none of the underlying health conditions that put us at even higher risk from CV

 

If we pay the balance and the over 70's ban is still in place in July then we will be in the hands of P&O in terms of any refund /FCC options.

With Norway declaring a state of emergency and effectively shutting down any cruising activity then there is the possibility that the cruise may have to be cancelled if those ports are still closed in July in which case we should qualify for a full refund.

 

However my risk averse gremlin is also whispering - what if you pay the balance to the TA who then holds it until P&O requires payment but goes bust in the interim due to the catastrophic collapse of the cruise industry. What then?? Will I be at the end of the queue of creditors trying to retrieve my money from any administrator appointed.

 

Also heaven forfend - what if P&O goes belly up.

 

The safest option would be to cancel and transfer our FCC to a new cruise in 2021but we already have a cruise booked in May and have other commitments later in the year that make cruising a bit difficult.

 

Just hoping that maybe P&O extend the qualifying period for the FCC into the full 2022 season - that would be much better for us

You can’t travel against FCO advice as your insurance will be invalidated. P and O require you to have insurance. Assuming the ban is still on, you should be entitled to a full refund if you cancel not FCC. See the Package Travel Regulations ( assuming you’re from The Uk)

[terrierjohn]

8 minutes ago, arlowood said:

My dilemma is this.

 

Wife and I both mid-70's so on advice of Government we should not cruise.

We have a Norwegian Fjords cruise booked on Aurora in early July. The cruise was booked through a Travel Agent that we have used for the past 12 years for all our cruises. Their date for the final payment (£5000ish) is next week which is about 3-4 weeks before the actual 90 day P&O date. I think this is normal practice with TA's and has never caused us a problem in the past.

 

We are still keen to go on the cruise and have none of the underlying health conditions that put us at even higher risk from CV

 

If we pay the balance and the over 70's ban is still in place in July then we will be in the hands of P&O in terms of any refund /FCC options.

With Norway declaring a state of emergency and effectively shutting down any cruising activity then there is the possibility that the cruise may have to be cancelled if those ports are still closed in July in which case we should qualify for a full refund.

 

However my risk averse gremlin is also whispering - what if you pay the balance to the TA who then holds it until P&O requires payment but goes bust in the interim due to the catastrophic collapse of the cruise industry. What then?? Will I be at the end of the queue of creditors trying to retrieve my money from any administrator appointed.

 

Also heaven forfend - what if P&O goes belly up.

 

The safest option would be to cancel and transfer our FCC to a new cruise in 2021but we already have a cruise booked in May and have other commitments later in the year that make cruising a bit difficult.

 

Just hoping that maybe P&O extend the qualifying period for the FCC into the full 2022 season - that would be much better for us

In your situation I would hold off paying until you have a clearer idea of what P&O intend to do. You need to discuss this with your TA, but do not be brow beaten into paying them before P&O need payment, and if FCO advice is still for over 70s not to travel, then cancel and take your deposit as a FCC.

[staygulf]

3 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

In your situation I would hold off paying until you have a clearer idea of what P&O intend to do. You need to discuss this with your TA, but do not be brow beaten into paying them before P&O need payment, and if FCO advice is still for over 70s not to travel, then cancel and take your deposit as a FCC.

Or cancel and get a refund. 

[crompton21]

13 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But there is the regular problem for early bookers who take out one trip insurance, you cannot insure a holiday which is more than 12 months away.

Facts 1 opinion 0

[beaveh]

I think I'm going to stick it out and wait and see what happens. My cruise isn't until end of may, I'm not over 70 so it's just a case of seeing how cruise companies respond to port closures. I could take the cancelation offer ( part cash refund part FCC) but I’ll wait and see if they cancel the whole cruise. In which case I assume it will be a full cash refund. Then I'll be booking a last minute deal when the cruises are back up and running. I know we talk about cruises here, but the whole package industry must be having a nightmare. Fancy a package  trip to Benidorm anyone? 🙂

[kalos]

17 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But there is the regular problem for early bookers who take out one trip insurance, you cannot insure a holiday which is more than 12 months away.

Yes that can be a problem John and another I found was some years I may only do one cruise in a year and end up with a land based holiday as well.I would have been better off with two single policy's price wise. Rather than annual with cruise cover.

At the moment with all the medical tests I'm having ,travel insurance is not a thing I think I would get cover for anyway 😑

Edited March 13, 2020 by kalos

[wowzz]

17 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

But there is the regular problem for early bookers who take out one trip insurance, you cannot insure a holiday which is more than 12 months away.

Not sure if that is actually true.

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, kalos said:

Yes that can be a problem John and another I found was some years I may only do one cruise in a year and end up with a 

land based holiday as well.I would have been better off with two single policy's price wise .Rather than annual with cruise cover.

At the moment with all the medical tests I'm having ,travel insurance is not a thing I think I would get cover for anyway 😑

Then how do you cruise? The cruise contracts stipulate you must have insurance 

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, staygulf said:

Or cancel and get a refund. 

Do we know for certain that P&O are offering refunds for over 70s cancelling?

[kalos]

Just now, staygulf said:

Then how do you cruise? The cruise contracts stipulate you must have insurance 

Early last year I was found to have massive heart problem .So my insurance paid me back for our cruise.

What's happening now is tests scans and I would be deemed unfit anyway.

Looking ahead maybe a bypass op for me and then back to cruising where I will buy travel insurance again .

Hope this explains it a little better for you .😊

[terrierjohn]

9 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Not sure if that is actually true.

Oh yes it is!!!😉

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Do we know for certain that P&O are offering refunds for over 70s cancelling?

It’s not a question of offering. It’s UK legislation. 

[staygulf]

2 minutes ago, kalos said:

Early last year I was found to have massive heart problem .So my insurance paid me back for our cruise.

What's happening now is tests scans and I would be deemed unfit anyway.

Looking ahead maybe a bypass op for me and then back to cruising where I will buy travel insurance again .

Hope this explains it a little better for you .😊

Perfectly. I took your statement “I may only do one cruise a year” to mean you were currently cruising. 
 

I wish you well

 

[arlowood]

8 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Do we know for certain that P&O are offering refunds for over 70s cancelling?

 I received this yesterday from P&O

 

XXXXXX, in light of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) situation, the UK Government has issued advice against cruise ship travel for British nationals aged 70 and over and people with pre-existing health conditions.

We understand if you are concerned by this advice. As your cruise is departing outside 14 days, we will be in touch as soon as possible with further guidance.

 

 

The X's are to replace my name in the email

 

So I'm guessing the P&O are contacting those over 70's cruising in the next 14 days and offering them terms as a consequence. But I have not seen anyone posting exactly what terms are being offered - full refunds or FCC etc

Edited March 13, 2020 by arlowood
spelling

[terrierjohn]

1 minute ago, staygulf said:

It’s not a question of offering. It’s UK legislation. 

I doubt that is definitively true, and in these exceptional circumstances, even if it were, it could lead to the holiday company going bust, or finding it impossible to maintain liquidity. So I suspect offering FCCs would be acceptable in this situation, but I guess it could keep the legal profession in employ, if they are not self isolating.