Britannia Returning to Southampton

[The_0neuk]

Just heard Britannia is leaving Caribbean and returning to Southampton with immediate effect

[molecrochip]

She was due to start a new 14 day cruise today around the Caribbean but this has been cancelled because of the virus. With no prospect of a change in the next two weeks, no point leaving her in the Caribbean. By default, this cancels her transatlantic.

 

Passengers today were not permitted to travel from the relevant airports. Yesterday's passengers did fly to Barbados and will either cruise back or there were a notional amount of seats on flights back today.

[kalos]

 

This was posted one hour ago on the  "cancelling the C  word topic "  😏

 

molecrochip

• Cool Cruiser
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• May 16, 2013
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• 264 posts
• UK

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•  #1980

Posted 1 hour ago

To summarise:

Arcadia: J001 World Cruise: heading for Southampton via Durban and Cape Town (amended route).

Aurora: R003 Norway: heading for Southampton, aborted cruise. R004 cancelled.

Azura: A005 Caribbean: Due to be in Grand Turk but currently in international waters north of Puerto Rico.

Britannia: B006 Caribbean: Cancelled, heading for Southampton later today instead. B007 cancelled.

Oceana: E006N Spain & Portugal: Turned away from Malaga yesterday and over-nighted in Gibraltar. Expected to head for Southampton later today.

Ventura: N003 USA & Caribbean: Heading for Southampton. Due Tuesday morning. N004 cancelled.

Edited March 14, 2020 by kalos

[kalos]

1 minute ago, molecrochip said:

She was due to start a new 14 day cruise today

Sorry , see you replied to the poster as I was typing 😊

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

Oh well, that's our second cruise cancelled..  I think this year we are going to see lots of our garden!!. Hope the cruise we got booked for January happens......

 

[miniyorkie]

54 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

She was due to start a new 14 day cruise today around the Caribbean but this has been cancelled because of the virus. With no prospect of a change in the next two weeks, no point leaving her in the Caribbean. By default, this cancels her transatlantic.

 

Passengers today were not permitted to travel from the relevant airports. Yesterday's passengers did fly to Barbados and will either cruise back or there were a notional amount of seats on flights back today.

I expected this,  however, on the next cruise scheduled as I believe at the moment Caribbean ports are open so why has she been cancelled now? Which leads me to ask  is anyone currently still booked

on Azura T/A.  She is due to sail back the week before Britannia ?  We are still booked on Azura but obviously cant see it going ahead so I'm wondering when p.o will decide. I know that  people on CC wanted to cruise  Azura T/A but  unfortunately have had  to cancel due to age related implications. 

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

Hello all refunds will be done automatically and you will get these in about 14 days though our changes department will be in contact with you about thi

 

 

It is returning for how long they are stopping the cruises I dont know that yet but we will get in contact and let you know the full details soon

ok, thanks, think will be seeing a lot more of our garden this year!! Regards Chris and Keith

 

Type a message here...

[CRUISENSNOOZE]

Sorry couln't write on the above message. These messages are from IGLU Cruises.  So looks like our money will be back in our accounts in 14 days..........  Chris

p.s. picture of girl must be someone at Iglu!!

Edited March 14, 2020 by CRUISENSNOOZE

[Horizon777]

Can anybody tell me for sure that the cruise leaving Barbados on March 27th for 14 day cruise around Caribbean and returning to Southampton on April 10th has been cancelled? We have heard nothing from P and O as yet.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Horizon777

[crompton21]

47 minutes ago, Horizon777 said:

Can anybody tell me for sure that the cruise leaving Barbados on March 27th for 14 day cruise around Caribbean and returning to Southampton on April 10th has been cancelled? We have heard nothing from P and O as yet.

 The P & O website has the information that you need.  It’s in the covid 19 section linked from the home page, info is after the video, quite far down the page.  It says that Britannia is sailing to Southampton on 14/03 and that guests for that cruise can stay onboard or fly home.  Britannia therefore will not be in the Caribbean on 27/03.

 

Guests who were due to fly to Barbados today (14 March) have been advised of the cancellation of the current cruise. Guests on board Britannia will be able to stay on board to return back to the UK or fly back from Barbados. We are very sorry for the short notice of the cancellation which was unavoidable due to the global Covid-19 situation and the latest restrictions.

Edited March 15, 2020 by crompton21

[molecrochip]

44 minutes ago, Horizon777 said:

Can anybody tell me for sure that the cruise leaving Barbados on March 27th for 14 day cruise around Caribbean and returning to Southampton on April 10th has been cancelled? We have heard nothing from P and O as yet.

Given the letters posted online from Britannia’s captain, the ship will not be in Barbados on March 27th. 
 

P&O appear to be dealing with cruises in date order.

[Saltybutnice13]

Britannia left Barbados yesterday and is heading home to Southampton.

[Adawn47]

1 hour ago, Horizon777 said:

Can anybody tell me for sure that the cruise leaving Barbados on March 27th for 14 day cruise around Caribbean and returning to Southampton on April 10th has been cancelled? We have heard nothing from P and O as yet.

It's definitely cancelled if it's on  Britannia. I don't know about Azura. My friend should've been on Britannia but P&O contacted her yesterday morning. 

Avril 

Edited March 15, 2020 by Adawn47
Spelling

[Horizon777]

1 hour ago, Horizon777 said:

Can anybody tell me for sure that the Britannia cruise leaving Barbados on March 27th for 14 day cruise around Caribbean and returning to Southampton on April 10th has been cancelled? We have heard nothing from P and O as yet.

 

[Jennizor]

Just got back from our Britannia cruise. Very sad at dinner on Friday night. At about 8.45 the Captain addressed the ship. His message was that the people who had travelled out that day had had their cruises cancelled. They would stay on board and travel back to Southampton, starting on Saturday evening (after we had all disembarked). They were offered 125% future cruise credit or they could apply for a 100% cash refund. They also got £300 per person OBC. We were also told that cruises up to May 1st had also been cancelled.

Obviously everyone was disappointed and upset. One couple should have been on for 28 nights.

A lot of the staff were also upset and concerned about losing pay. Obviously the Captain will have spoken to them separately. 

I have to say that a lot of the people involved took it quite stoically. Nothing could be done about it and so they would just make the best of their time on Britannia.

Our Virgin plane came out empty to pick us up, so we got off lightly.

 

Our next cruise is on 14th of June to Northern Europe and the Baltic. Not sure, like lots of you, whether it will go.

 

We did have a lovely cruise but the Corona virus was on everyone’s mind all time.
 

 

 

[AndyMichelle]

8 minutes ago, Jennizor said:

Just got back from our Britannia cruise. Very sad at dinner on Friday night. At about 8.45 the Captain addressed the ship. His message was that the people who had travelled out that day had had their cruises cancelled. They would stay on board and travel back to Southampton, starting on Saturday evening (after we had all disembarked). They were offered 125% future cruise credit or they could apply for a 100% cash refund. They also got £300 per person OBC. We were also told that cruises up to May 1st had also been cancelled.

Obviously everyone was disappointed and upset. One couple should have been on for 28 nights.

A lot of the staff were also upset and concerned about losing pay. Obviously the Captain will have spoken to them separately. 

I have to say that a lot of the people involved took it quite stoically. Nothing could be done about it and so they would just make the best of their time on Britannia.

Our Virgin plane came out empty to pick us up, so we got off lightly.

 

Our next cruise is on 14th of June to Northern Europe and the Baltic. Not sure, like lots of you, whether it will go.

 

We did have a lovely cruise but the Corona virus was on everyone’s mind all time.
 

 

 

Thank you for posting Jennizor, we are all sitting here with baited breath waiting for updates from recent cruisers to tell us what is really happening. 

Andy 

[Jennizor]

Thanks Andy, I wish it had been a happier post. Let’s hope for some good news soon.

[Captain_Morgan]

1 hour ago, Jennizor said:

Just got back from our Britannia cruise. Very sad at dinner on Friday night. At about 8.45 the Captain addressed the ship. His message was that the people who had travelled out that day had had their cruises cancelled. They would stay on board and travel back to Southampton, starting on Saturday evening (after we had all disembarked). They were offered 125% future cruise credit or they could apply for a 100% cash refund. They also got £300 per person OBC. We were also told that cruises up to May 1st had also been cancelled.

Obviously everyone was disappointed and upset. One couple should have been on for 28 nights.

A lot of the staff were also upset and concerned about losing pay. Obviously the Captain will have spoken to them separately. 

I have to say that a lot of the people involved took it quite stoically. Nothing could be done about it and so they would just make the best of their time on Britannia.

Our Virgin plane came out empty to pick us up, so we got off lightly.

 

Our next cruise is on 14th of June to Northern Europe and the Baltic. Not sure, like lots of you, whether it will go.

 

We did have a lovely cruise but the Corona virus was on everyone’s mind all time.
 

 

 

 

The part of your post that interests me the most (and likely others) is the bit about cruises being cancelled up to May 1!!!

Was this something they were told directly onboard or is it a combination of speculation and best estimates?  TIA

[jeanlyon]

I feel so sorry for the staff.  a lot of them will have to go home to India or wherever.  No pay.  It's just awful.

[P&O SUE]

1 hour ago, Captain_Morgan said:

 

The part of your post that interests me the most (and likely others) is the bit about cruises being cancelled up to May 1!!!

Was this something they were told directly onboard or is it a combination of speculation and best estimates?  TIA

 Me too, I’m due on Britannia 10th April and have heard nothing about this at all!

[Josy1953]

Out of interest I just did a dummy booking for Ventura leaving on Tuesday and got right through to the payment page, so it appears that they are still taking online bookings for it.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Josy1953

[Jennizor]

P&O SUE, you might be better contacting P&O directly. The people who arrived on the 13th of March only found out about the cancellation after they got on board. The Captain  said that the decision to cancel cruises until May was in line with recommendations made by a Cruise Industry Standards  body, can’t remember the exact title. We were talking to people from a Seabourne cruise in Barbados airport and they had been told the same.

[tinkercat]

8 minutes ago, Josy1953 said:

Out of interest I just did a dummy booking for Ventura leaving on Tuesday and got right through to the payment page, so it appears that they are still taking online bookings for it.

I did this also, very strange

[newbie cruissy]

Just now, tinkercat said:

I did this also, very strange

I've just looked at booking the cruise we are on in July, £800 cheaper 😳

[Jennizor]

Josy1953, that sounds very odd. If that is the case why did they not offer to fly home the passengers on Britannia? There was enough time. I wonder if they offered that to the people who would have been on the flight that came empty to pick us up!