Cunard's Cancellations/Refunds Update 23rd April 2020

[LGC100]

22 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

There are people in a situation now that they didn't expect to be in (that would be all of us) and some may well need the money. But it's not the 'not getting it back' that is the problem. Had the cruise or holiday gone ahead they would still have been without the money. They would have had a holiday, but still no money.

Have you not read #242 from Hattie The Host? I suggest that you do because some people need the money now due to being in a financial situation that they didn't expect to be in. Not everyone is in a position to provide Cunard with an interest free loan. 

[resordanis]

Well I would like to thank Sydgal for telling me I should claim. . Just received an email from Cunard saying they have approved my out of pocket claim for our cancelled cruise. Payment will take 60 days but I will receive a cheque. Hopefully a refund for the cruise will happen soon too!

[Colin_Cameron]

Hi LGC100

25 minutes ago, LGC100 said:

Have you not read #242 from Hattie The Host?

I Have. We both posted at the same time.

 

25 minutes ago, LGC100 said:

I suggest that you do because some people need the money now due to being in a financial situation that they didn't expect to be in.

I agree entirely. That's exactly what I said.

 

25 minutes ago, LGC100 said:

Not everyone is in a position to provide Cunard with an interest free loan. 

I didn't suggest that anyone was in a position to do so, or should have to do so.

 

I'm waiting for a couple of (what I consider) large refunds myself, but financially I'm in the same situation as I would have been had the cruises gone ahead. If I had a desperate need of that money today, I don't have it. Whether the cruise was cancelled or not.

[Bennybluehat]

How long on average are people waiting for their refunds? We should have been in New York today before completing the return voyage to Southampton on QM2 but as of yet no refund.

[majortom10]

13 minutes ago, Bennybluehat said:

How long on average are people waiting for their refunds? We should have been in New York today before completing the return voyage to Southampton on QM2 but as of yet no refund.

We also should have been in New York today on our roundtrip TA which we cancelled on 30th March and have heard nothing since.

[netpj]

We were on the world cruise on QM2 which had to end in Australia.  We have yet to hear anything from Cunard UK about refunds etc. despite trying our best to contact them.  Apparently, cruisers who booked via North American office have at least been hearing from them but not sure if actual refunds received yet.  

[Neuhoftraveler]

31 minutes ago, Bennybluehat said:

We should have been in New York today before completing the return voyage to Southampton on QM2 but as of yet no refund.

 

16 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

We also should have been in New York today on our roundtrip TA which we cancelled on 30th March and have heard nothing since.

If it's any consolation, I assure you that you would not want to be in New York today.

[Bennybluehat]

6 minutes ago, netpj said:

We were on the world cruise on QM2 which had to end in Australia.  We have yet to hear anything from Cunard UK about refunds etc. despite trying our best to contact them.  Apparently, cruisers who booked via North American office have at least been hearing from them but not sure if actual refunds received yet.  

Thanks for the replies. I’m not overly concerned about not receiving our refund yet, I’m sure it will be sorted out in due time. I just feel more reassured we haven’t been forgotten about knowing others out there are in the same boat ( if only we were! ).

[Windsurfboy]

Just read a March 11th cancellation,  refund recieved yesterday.  Gives me hope for my March 16th cancellation coming soon, but I'm an optimist. 

[Paulchili]

9 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

but financially I'm in the same situation as I would have been had the cruises gone ahead. If I had a desperate need of that money today, I don't have it. Whether the cruise was cancelled or not.

But if not for Covid you might have returned to your previous job after the cruise and thus wouldn't "miss or need" the money spent on the cruise.

Some who are unemployed now do need that money now.

Edited May 13, 2020 by Paulchili

[Chart Room Princess]

Received a call from my Cunard personal cruise consultant today. She wanted to confirm that I was aware that my upcoming cruise was cancelled. She also wanted to know if I needed help rebooking or if I needed information on how to apply for a refund. 
 

I told her that we decided against rebooking at this time because we want to wait until we know the ships are back in action. I also stated that I had already submitted a refund request. She stated she would check on the refund.

[bazzaw]

On 5/12/2020 at 9:01 PM, resordanis said:

 Your first cruise was cancelled way before all this happened and you thought your refund would have happened quickly.  Our 15/3 was also cancelled and we thought we would get a refund also quite quickly.

Read the latest article on CC about why it is taking so long. It states there that "normally" if you want a refund for a cancellation then you have to tell that to the cruiseline!!!!!  WAAY back in February for me ( and probably also March for you), Cunard cancelled my cruise by email but failed to mention anything about timing or process to get the promised "full refund". It has only been recently that they have introduced a web based application process - plus also my TA has suddenly appeared only a couple of weeks before the original departure date ( but months after the cancellation) to say they they have now notified Cunard that my cruise is to be cancelled and refund given.  I think we are victims of a "routine process" that has failed during this extraordinary time. 🙂

[sydgal]

On 5/13/2020 at 5:01 PM, resordanis said:

Well I would like to thank Sydgal for telling me I should claim. . Just received an email from Cunard saying they have approved my out of pocket claim for our cancelled cruise. Payment will take 60 days but I will receive a cheque. Hopefully a refund for the cruise will happen soon too!

Good news Resordanis, I am pleased that the claim was approved. We are nearing 60 days and still no refund cheque in the mail. I am also waiting for refund from Princess for cancellation fees for flights to Japan. Now have been waiting 90 days.

Hope all the other Aussies on CC have claimed all out of pocket expenses for the cancelled QE voyage cancelled on 14 March

[resordanis]

2 minutes ago, sydgal said:

Good news Resordanis, I am pleased that the claim was approved. We are nearing 60 days and still no refund cheque in the mail. I am also waiting for refund from Princess for cancellation fees for flights to Japan. Now have been waiting 90 days.

Hope all the other Aussies on CC have claimed all out of pocket expenses for the cancelled QE voyage cancelled on 14 March

If you hadn’t told me, I would not have claimed, so greatly appreciated.

Sounds like you might be waiting a while though. I understand Princess is not better than Cunard unfortunately.

 

[majortom10]

Here in the UK when we received an e-mail from Cunard cancelling our cruise on 30th March there was a link in the if you wanted a refund and if you wanted FCC it would be done automatically. No pleasure for everyone but here in the UK P&O are even worse than Cunard for refunds but having said that its same head office and same staff so expected to be as bad as each other.

[Windsurfboy]

Good news , cheque for airfare back from South Africa has arrived. Cruise refund yet to come but , yes they are slowly but surely paying out.

[Roger Ackroyd]

Our final payment for September 10th cruise ex New York - Quebec - New York and then following on back to Southampton is due on June 13th. Dilemma....

A) Pay the balance - a sizeable chunk at £10k+ - and expect Cunard to cancel. And then wait for refund 60 days+.

 

B) Don't pay the balance. Then what happens when Cunard cancels (say, end of June, early July)? Will the deposit be returned?  Or is that lost come what may?

 

I would have thought that Cunard would now have fairly firm plans about what is possible in terms of starting cruises again and would be thinking of wiping out the rest of the year. I read the Norwegian blog this morning and the CEO is thinking of restarting in the fourth quarter (October) with the possibility of cruisers using facemasks.

Under no circumstances would I want to go cruising if we had to wander around like zombies with face masks.

 

Edited May 14, 2020 by Roger Ackroyd

[Windsurfboy]

3 minutes ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

Our final payment for September 10th cruise ex New York - Quebec - New York and then following on back to Southampton is due on June 13th. Dilemma....

A) Pay the balance - a sizeable chunk at £10k+ - and expect Cunard to cancel. And then wait for refund 60 days+.

 

B) Don't pay the balance. Then what happens when Cunard cancels (say, end of June, early July)? Will the deposit be returned?  Or is that lost come what may?

 

 

 

Other option,  move deposit to a 2021 cruise

[netpj]

8 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Good news , cheque for airfare back from South Africa has arrived. Cruise refund yet to come but , yes they are slowly but surely paying out.

Windsurfboy, where do you live, UK, US or Australia?  Just wondering so we might have an idea when we will receive our air refund from Cunard UK.  Thanks.

[Windsurfboy]

In UK

[Roger Ackroyd]

41 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Other option,  move deposit to a 2021 cruise

Already moved one payment from a previously cancelled cruise to a mid summer cruise 2021.

 

There comes a point where I'd be happier to have the money in the bank and wait until everything is back up and running 100%.

 

 

[Neuhoftraveler]

2 hours ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

B) Don't pay the balance. Then what happens when Cunard cancels (say, end of June, early July)? Will the deposit be returned?  Or is that lost come what may?

If Cunard cancel the cruise, they have no legal basis for keeping your money.  If all else fails (or maybe even if it doesn't) your credit card agreement probably obligates the card issuer to reverse the charge.

 

The passage of time since you put down the deposit should not be an issue.  Any time limit stated for disputing charges is meant for the typical case of a goods purchase for immediate delivery, not for something in the distant future.  The only effect of the stated time limit is to require review and approval of your claim by a human being rather than automatic clearance by a computer program.

[Edithclara]

14 hours ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

If Cunard cancel the cruise, they have no legal basis for keeping your money.  If all else fails (or maybe even if it doesn't) your credit card agreement probably obligates the card issuer to reverse the charge.

 

The passage of time since you put down the deposit should not be an issue.  Any time limit stated for disputing charges is meant for the typical case of a goods purchase for immediate delivery, not for something in the distant future.  The only effect of the stated time limit is to require review and approval of your claim by a human being rather than automatic clearance by a computer program.

I spoke to Cunard yesterday (got through very quickly), 8 weeks to refund, if you booked through a TA, Cunard UK send a cheque to the TA. Then you're at the mercy of the TA...Thanks for that info re the credit charge chargeback. I'm in Australia.  

[bunkrest]

Refund for excursions for a cancelled cruise 4th April Canaries.

Refund requested via telephone 13/03/20.

Refunded                                         15/05/20

 

[Clagmeister]

On 5/13/2020 at 3:29 PM, Bennybluehat said:

How long on average are people waiting for their refunds? We should have been in New York today before completing the return voyage to Southampton on QM2 but as of yet no refund.

Day 62 since my claim for refund was agreed and still waiting.