CRUISE REFUND RECEIVED

[grapau27]

25 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

We've had a reminder today that our balance of £6000 is due on the 15th of this month.

We are really sad to cancel but see no other option at the moment.

We have decided that we will take the FCC for the deposit and plan to use it as late as we can next year to book for something in 2022. We will cruise again - just need some time or things to settle. We may even use it for our 'dream cruise' that we've always wanted to do. One thing this whole thing has taught is not to keep putting things off …….

You are being very sensible.

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

You are being very sensible.

 

Very sad though ---- bottom lip going …..

 

We had booked Oceana thinking we should sail on her before they sell her ………… hope they keep her, even if it is in Dover !

 

Best to stay safe though ……..

 

 

[Presto2]

33 minutes ago, Eddie99 said:

You’re right

Carpe diem

 

 

Yip - just looked Carpe Diem up ----- very true.

 

Was also thinking "Don't worry about tomorrow as today has enough problems of its own" --- in a nutshell, let's take each day as it comes.

 

We have always booked things well in advance and my parents thought we were mad. I can see now why they thought like that. Looking forward to 12 months ahead stops you enjoying the now and enjoying what you have.

 

Does that seem deep and meaningful ?????? Not like me !

 

 

Edited May 1, 2020 by Presto2

[jeanlyon]

Yes!!

[majortom10]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

After reading some of the advice on here I think that's what we'll be doing too.

Avril 

I wouldnt take any notice of the advice on here before you make any decisions with regards to your own cruise. They might think they know but it is all hearsay and superstition as nobody honestly knows when cruising will start, where they will cruise too and under what circumstances.

[cruisefan2012]

On 4/29/2020 at 8:50 AM, Selbourne said:

" Thanks for replying and, more importantly, thank you for all you are doing as a key worker. NHS staff and Carers are understandably getting a lot of praise at present, but I am also very appreciative of other key workers in areas such as supermarkets, distribution, transportation, postal workers etc who are still out there working and putting themselves at risk, usually with nothing like the level of protection that health workers are provided with "

 

Thank you for your kind words, Much appreciated, I work in retail in the big green supermarket company... We can wear disposable gloves, a mask and a visor type face covering... 
 

Sadly (and it’s probably me being dim) but I remain confused! You’ve clarified that your deposit was converted to FCC, which is as per current policy, but I still don’t follow why you are waiting for a refund of the balance. P&O are only paying refunds on cruises which they have cancelled. You cancelled an August cruise which, although extremely unlikely to go ahead, is technically still sailing, so no refunds are yet possible.  "The only explanation I can come to is that because you paid the balance before the balance due date then you are entitled to that back by way of a refund? " Don’t worry about answering again if you are busy!

 

Just exactly that, I had made 2 payments out of 4 ( I had divided the balance of my cruise into "chunks" and had had two chunks to go...) I`m still awaiting a refund...

 

On 4/29/2020 at 8:50 AM, Selbourne said:

For what it’s worth, I completely agree with your thoughts about not travelling this year. Cruises have been our main holidays for many years but we won’t set foot on one, even if they start sailing again, until Covid-19 has died out (which seems impossible as it is going to be with us for many years, according to the experts) or we are vaccinated against it (which looks like next year at the earliest). Keep safe in your key work. 

 

I rang P&O on Friday to enquire as too how much it would cost me to transfer a cruise from October 2021 to February 2022 and was told it wouldn`t cost me a penny as I had my future cruise credit to use... I used that and the new cruise was cheaper by £300 !! I`m a happy man !!!! 

[wowzz]

I've just been browsing a few other media sites, and seen posts from people complaining that they are finding it difficult to get through to P&O in order to pay the balance on their cruise. 

I'm assuming that these individuals are looking to pay for cruises supposedly due to sail in August. Perhaps I am being too pessimistic, but how does anyone in their right mind think that cruising will take place in the next 6 months, let alone 3 months,  and, more sadly,  be prepared to pay for an August cruise?

On the bright side, I suppose that every time someone pays their balance, the more chance I have of being paid for my cancelled April cruuse.   

[Manx buoy]

12 hours ago, grapau27 said:

They will find a way.

If cruising doesn't restart this year there will be a number of casualties and ships sold or scrapped.

For sure they’ll find a way but I’m afraid it’ll not be cruising as we know it. If the ships are sailing half full what are the prices going to be not only the fares but bar prices etc. There’s so many obstacles they’ll have to overcome before restarting and they’ll have to be 100% sure that everything’s covered. We’ve had 3 cancelled so far 3 more due this year but we’ve already written this year off, next balance due mid June and don’t think they’ll be getting any more cash out of us until there’s some coming back to us. Even when it is deemed ok to sail again insurance will be the next thing to worry about still waiting for our insurers to get back to us with their plans after it’s sorted no doubt it will be available but again at what cost 

[grapau27]

1 hour ago, Manx buoy said:

For sure they’ll find a way but I’m afraid it’ll not be cruising as we know it. If the ships are sailing half full what are the prices going to be not only the fares but bar prices etc. There’s so many obstacles they’ll have to overcome before restarting and they’ll have to be 100% sure that everything’s covered. We’ve had 3 cancelled so far 3 more due this year but we’ve already written this year off, next balance due mid June and don’t think they’ll be getting any more cash out of us until there’s some coming back to us. Even when it is deemed ok to sail again insurance will be the next thing to worry about still waiting for our insurers to get back to us with their plans after it’s sorted no doubt it will be available but again at what cost 

I absolutely agree with what you are saying.

We have had 2 cruises cancelled this year and don't intend to book any more.

Our next is February 2021 and we won't pay the final balance in November unless all assurances are in place like ships already sailing, government advice lifted and insurance okay.

[Manx buoy]

1 hour ago, grapau27 said:

I absolutely agree with what you are saying.

We have had 2 cruises cancelled this year and don't intend to book any more.

Our next is February 2021 and we won't pay the final balance in November unless all assurances are in place like ships already sailing, government advice lifted and insurance okay.

That’s the earliest of ours we think may happen Ventura Caribbean but I think that’s being optimistic only time will tell

[Presto2]

Have posted this somewhere else so sorry but am wondering how we cancel the cruise and go for the FCC for the deposit. Thought it would be a simple on line form but can't find a thing. Don't fancy spending all of Saturday on the phone.

[wowzz]

1 hour ago, Manx buoy said:

That’s the earliest of ours we think may happen Ventura Caribbean but I think that’s being optimistic only time will tell

We are on the Ventura Jan 21 cruise - can't see it going ahead either, but it's unlikely that P&O will cancel it until well after the final payment is due. No way that we will be paying that, so we will cancel and use the deposit as a FCC. 

[wowzz]

16 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

Have posted this somewhere else so sorry but am wondering how we cancel the cruise and go for the FCC for the deposit. Thought it would be a simple on line form but can't find a thing. Don't fancy spending all of Saturday on the phone.

I'm assuming you booked direct with P&O  - if that is the case, I don't think you have any other option but to call them.

[wowzz]

Just been looking at other social media sites, which have a much larger membership than here. The number of people that have received refunds appears to be minute. Unfortunately there are reports of some of the P&O staff being in tears due to the aggressive nature of some of those wanting refunds.

It is obviously apparent that P&O are deliberately witholding refunds (which we all are aware of) but I do feel desperately sorry for the front line staff who are having to deal with the fall out, whilst Paul Ludlow swans about, making nauseating videos.

[Presto2]

18 minutes ago, wowzz said:

I'm assuming you booked direct with P&O  - if that is the case, I don't think you have any other option but to call them.

 

Have just found a link on the front page of their site - clear as mud but hubby found it. Front page and scroll the photos to the right. There is a special page there and if you scroll down far enough through the options there is one for August holidays and a form to fill in to say you want to transfer or cancel and ask for FCC.

[Eddie99]

Just follow the links from the top of the website front page.

Its not hidden but neither does it jump out

Its there - just look.  will save you phone time!

 

https://www.pocruises.com/travel-health-advisories/flexible-cancellation-policy

 

[tring]

12 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Just been looking at other social media sites, which have a much larger membership than here. The number of people that have received refunds appears to be minute. Unfortunately there are reports of some of the P&O staff being in tears due to the aggressive nature of some of those wanting refunds.

It is obviously apparent that P&O are deliberately witholding refunds (which we all are aware of) but I do feel desperately sorry for the front line staff who are having to deal with the fall out, whilst Paul Ludlow swans about, making nauseating videos.

 

That is really bad if the staff are being abused.  Fred Olsen have closed their customer service phone line for a couple of weeks, because of affect on staff and also to allow them to do what they need to do (e.g. process refunds).  This is a sensible move IMO.  Shame P&O do not do the same.

 

We have had our refund from Fred for our March and mid April cruises.  I had emailed Fred  to say neither us nor our agent had heard anything and got a phone call within the half hour to say our agent had been sent our refund the previous week.  Tried our agent again and they found our refund and have processed it - strange they 'did not have it' the previous day. 

 

 

[AndyMichelle]

38 minutes ago, wowzz said:

Just been looking at other social media sites, which have a much larger membership than here. The number of people that have received refunds appears to be minute. Unfortunately there are reports of some of the P&O staff being in tears due to the aggressive nature of some of those wanting refunds.

It is obviously apparent that P&O are deliberately witholding refunds (which we all are aware of) but I do feel desperately sorry for the front line staff who are having to deal with the fall out, whilst Paul Ludlow swans about, making nauseating videos.

I feel sorry for the staff, but if P&O apologised and set out clear guidelines and updates, nobody would be calling. 

It's never acceptable to abuse staff, but P&O have to be accountable... 

Andy 

[wowzz]

12 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I feel sorry for the staff, but if P&O apologised and set out clear guidelines and updates, nobody would be calling. 

It's never acceptable to abuse staff, but P&O have to be accountable... 

Andy 

I agree, but how long will it take before P&O actually behave in a reasonable manner. In the interim, management must know of the abuse that their staff are receiving, but their inaction merely makes things worse.

[grapau27]

16 minutes ago, AndyMichelle said:

I feel sorry for the staff, but if P&O apologised and set out clear guidelines and updates, nobody would be calling. 

It's never acceptable to abuse staff, but P&O have to be accountable... 

Andy 

I agree.

The bosses with fat salaries and bonuses of lots of companies always delegate the work to lower paid employees to fend off complaints.

 Staff on the front line should not be abused but after numerous cut offs and 1 hour+ hanging on phones to be told lies it is understandable people are frustrated.

Maybe more people have received refunds and kept quiet about it.

[mercury7289]

11 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

I agree.

The bosses with fat salaries and bonuses of lots of companies always delegate the work to lower paid employees to fend off complaints.

 Staff on the front line should not be abused but after numerous cut offs and 1 hour+ hanging on phones to be told lies it is understandable people are frustrated.

Maybe more people have received refunds and kept quiet about it.

Wishful thinking!

[wowzz]

34 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Maybe more people have received refunds and kept quiet about it.

These other sites have thousands of members. When a question is asked about how many people have received refunds, the number that reply that they have is negligible. Can't imagine that people would want to keep quiet about something that they are entitled to receive.

[AndyMichelle]

21 minutes ago, wowzz said:

These other sites have thousands of members. When a question is asked about how many people have received refunds, the number that reply that they have is negligible. Can't imagine that people would want to keep quiet about something that they are entitled to receive.

Agreed. 

Everybody is in the same boat and won't hesitate to post when they receive refunds as they know how we are all feeling... 

I am keeping a very close eye on all social media and hardly anyone is getting any joy.

I still feel they are holding out for a reason and when processed, lots will arrive together, quashing the myth that they were being processed slowly.. 

Andy 

 

[Adawn47]

19 minutes ago, wowzz said:

These other sites have thousands of members. When a question is asked about how many people have received refunds, the number that reply that they have is negligible. Can't imagine that people would want to keep quiet about something that they are entitled to receive.

Maybe they don't want stir things up any more than they already are or be considered as thumbing there noses to those still waiting. Seeing how angry and frustrated everyone is on here at  the moment, and quite rightly so, I  don't think I'd like to stick my nose over the parapet either. I'm not for one moment suggesting anyone on here is doing that, but it was just a thought.

[Pine Man]

Apologies if this has already been said but we all have a P&O account don't we and this is accessible on line by the majority of P&O customers.

 

Surely all that P&O have to do is to update our accounts with the actions that they are taking, or have taken, in relation to cruises that have been cancelled by either P&O or the account holder.

 

Having done this most of the phone calls to P&O would be unnecessary.