Cunard's Cancellations/Refunds Update 23rd April 2020

[bazzaw]

I think that there is a bit of a play on words going on - either intentionally or unintentionally, I don't know. I keep hearing 60 days from.............  but I can never get my question "FROM WHEN?" answered. From date that refund is requested, from date of cruise departure, from date of cruise cancellation, but now a new one has emerged "Refunds to Agents are 60 days from when refund is processed" , but when will refund be "processed"?? 🙂 .  I once watched a dog chasing it's tail for 10 minutes - and I thought how small things amuse small minds - and then I  realised that I had been watching a dog chase its tail for 10 minutes!! 🙂 I think I am watching that dog all over again!!!!

[resordanis]

11 minutes ago, bazzaw said:

" "Cunard are refunding agents in 60 days from when the refund is processed."   '  - but WHEN is the refund processed???? 

Bazzaw we are 53 working days since our 15th March cruise was cancelled. This is taking out Easter. Still no news. I am contacting the TA on Monday to see what the outcome will be. Then I might contact Cunard to see “if I am in the system” and the Westpac to see what can be done. I think the outcome will be that I have to just wait. So quick to take our money, so slow to return.

Just some communication would be helpful.

[kmerlin14]

9 hours ago, macsford said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cruise-ship-october-1.5589821

 

Thank you for that, kmerlin 14

Am I reading correctly that the QM2 departing New York on September 11 finishing with an overnight in Quebec will not be able to continue. Or will there be a way for Cunard to avoid cancelling?

We are booked Transatlantic from Southampton on September 4 followed by  the week from New York to Quebec. It is booked as one journey.

Final payment due next week  so we would prefer Cunard to cancel.

 

I don't see how it could continue because both Sydney and Quebec City are Canadian ports and then it goes to another Quebec port and then Halifax before it goes back to New York. We are on the October version and our final payment is due next week as well so my travel agent is emailing Cunard to find out. She said all her work right now is helping clients get refunds for cancelled cruises or helping them cancel cruises they dont' want to take. We'd planned to take the train home from Quebec city and it has already been cancelled and I even got our money back from that one, but I suspect the airfare to New York will just be a flight credit.

[jland]

The few refunds that are coming through all seem to be for people in the UK. We sent our refund form 17th March, not a word. I wonder if it’s the door that squeaks that gets the oil. Think I will start making a fuss. I bet we in Australia will be the last to get our refunds, if we ever do.

[beaveh]

On 5/28/2020 at 8:36 PM, Kynance said:

By way of comparison, which may or may not be helpful for others following this thread, I was also booked on this trip and asked for a refund via the online form the day I received Cunard’s cancellation notice (I thought it was 30 March but it could have been 31st). I am in the UK. 
 

I booked via a TA in January, for a Britannia balcony cabin and my surname is towards the end of the alphabet. A few days after I cancelled I had a call from my TA, who at that point didn’t know I had already requested a refund. That was the last I heard until 18 May when the TA’s automated systems sent me a notice saying my cruise had been cancelled and that I would receive a refund direct from Cunard within 60 days. 
 

I really hope it isn’t 60 days from 18 May but if others on this thread have been waiting since February or for 75+ days, I am not sure I hold out much hope of getting my cheque anytime soon!
 

 

Yes it’s similar for us, but for a later cruise. Filled in the Cunard online form on the 23rd April for a cancelled cruise on 31st May. My TA contacted me last week to say they had informed Cunard I wanted a refund and it would be 60days. 
I’m expecting the worst and expect it to be 60days from last week 😞

[sogne]

QV 015 3rd May

refund requested 18th March

received back to my cc @ 2120 29th May

 

UK

[Roger Ackroyd]

17 hours ago, macsford said:

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/cruise-ship-october-1.5589821

 

Thank you for that, kmerlin 14

Am I reading correctly that the QM2 departing New York on September 11 finishing with an overnight in Quebec will not be able to continue. Or will there be a way for Cunard to avoid cancelling?

We are booked Transatlantic from Southampton on September 4 followed by  the week from New York to Quebec. It is booked as one journey.

Final payment due next week  so we would prefer Cunard to cancel.

 

Hi, UK cruiser here.

We are booked on the same cruise but flying out to NY, on QM up to Quebec and then taking the QM back to Southampton. If that news is correct - and why wouldn't it be - I would be seriously miffed to discover Cunard expecting me to cough up the considerable balance of £10k+ when it knows that the cruise cannot be run.

The old sceptic in me says that it feels like an exercise in getting money in and hoping the punters will transfer to another cruise in 2021/2 and using that money to refund those who are demanding repayments and not transfers.

Edited May 30, 2020 by Roger Ackroyd

[majortom10]

14 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Majortom10 well done, 2 weeks earlier than me and others.  A bit random 

I am not holding my breath she did say 5-10 days to get it into my credit card account which seems an extortionate period of time compared to normal refunds to credit card.

[macsford]

3 hours ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

Hi, UK cruiser here.

We are booked on the same cruise but flying out to NY, on QM up to Quebec and then taking the QM back to Southampton. If that news is correct - and why wouldn't it be - I would be seriously miffed to discover Cunard expecting me to cough up the considerable balance of £10k+ when it knows that the cruise cannot be run.

The old sceptic in me says that it feels like an exercise in getting money in and hoping the punters will transfer to another cruise in 2021/2 and using that money to refund those who are demanding repayments and not transfers.

 

Hi Roger 

We are due final payment by 6 June.

As we intended visiting son and family in Toronto we were to fly back from there instead of Quebec. Same price but Cunard said we had to pay them the full air fare in advance as well as cruise deposit so they are holding more of our money than is usual at this stage.

 

If they do not in the next few days give us notice of cancellation , It looks like we would lose that money if we do not make the final payment. Not acceptable.

Neither is it reasonable to expect us to make the final payment as the cruise obviously will not happen.

 

I emailed Cunard this morning as we booked direct with them. Looks like we are going to have a tense week.

 

Could be interesting to see how quickly various companies respond to the extended closure of Canadian ports .

Sandra

Edited May 30, 2020 by macsford
typing error

[Roger Ackroyd]

7 minutes ago, macsford said:

 

Hi Roger 

We are due final payment by 6 June.

As we intended visiting son and family in Toronto we were to fly back from there instead of Quebec. Same price but Cunard said we had to pay them the full air fare in advance as well as cruise deposit so they are holding more of our money than is usual at this stage.

 

If they do not in the next few days give us notice of cancellation , It looks like we would lose that money if we do not make the final payment. Not acceptable.

Neither is it reasonable to expect us to make the final payment as the cruise obviously will not happen.

 

I emailed Cunard this morning as we booked direct with them. Looks like we are going to have a tense week.

 

Could be interesting to see how quickly various companies respond to the extended closure of Canadian ports .

Sandra

Hi Sandra,

It will be interesting to see what you get back from Cunard - if anything. We have to pay by June 13th so have a week extra to fret.

A) I don't want to lose any deposit by cancelling now

but

B) I don't want to pay £10k final payment when the cruise is obviously not going to happen. It feels as if Cunard is playing a game of cat and mouse with our monies and banking on people choosing to transfer to a cruise next year but whilst that may have been the case early on I get the feeling most are opting for refunds now as the future cruising still looks very doubtful.

 

Please come back if and when you get a response.

Best wishes

Roger

[Edithclara]

Yes, the changing 60 days from.....is annoying. 

Yesterday, I was told that the Bankwest dept to whom my previously rejected MasterCard (Australia) chargeback had been escalated had also rejected my claim because the TA was offering a refund. It didn't matter that the TA's refund timeframe was much longer than Cunard's. So, we wait..... 

 

[bluemarble]

I just checked the voyage details page for a voyage on the Cunard US website to check fares there and noticed this banner at the top of the page for the first time.

 

If you would like to use your Future Cruise Credit (FCC) you may have on your account with us towards your cruise fare, please continue to the guest details page to enter in your Cunard World Club Member ID. 

Find out more about booking online using FCCs here.

 

So, it sounds like Cunard is going to let us see our FCC amounts and apply them to a future booking made online via their website.

 

Unfortunately for my test, it didn't show me any FCC amounts when I went through the booking process up to the payment options page after supplying our Cunard World Club numbers where requested on the guest information pages. We were booked on a June 2020 voyage that was part of the most recent round of cancellations announced April 23rd. Maybe they haven't applied the FCC amounts for that canceled voyage to our account yet (or maybe this functionality isn't working yet).

 

When I pop on over to the Cunard UK site, I notice it mentions your FCC will be applied to your final booking summary page if you have logged in to your Cunard account. We in the US don't have the ability to create a Cunard account to log into yet, so that doesn't apply to us. But we do have the ability to enter our Cunard World Club numbers on the guest information pages of the booking process.

 

Is anyone that is supposed to have FCC amounts on your Cunard account brave enough to try the booking process on the Cunard website and see if your FCC amounts are showing up for you on the final booking summary page where it asks you to select your payment option?

[netpj]

1 hour ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

Hi Sandra,

It will be interesting to see what you get back from Cunard - if anything. We have to pay by June 13th so have a week extra to fret.

A) I don't want to lose any deposit by cancelling now

but

B) I don't want to pay £10k final payment when the cruise is obviously not going to happen. It feels as if Cunard is playing a game of cat and mouse with our monies and banking on people choosing to transfer to a cruise next year but whilst that may have been the case early on I get the feeling most are opting for refunds now as the future cruising still looks very doubtful.

 

Please come back if and when you get a response.

Best wishes

Roger

We were full world cruise passenger in PG on QM2.  The cruise was cancelled with one day's notice and with about 33 days left of the voyage.  We are currently trying to get a cash refund for the cancelled days instead of FCC, as others have received assurances they will receive cash (both UK and US).  Received this response from Cunard and I quote:  "the FCC is a gesture of goodwill".  This is the attitude.  There are several other issues not resolved, so that is what you are dealing with 

[deck chair]

Hello

 

Just saw that Canada has banned cruiseships in thier waters until 10/31/20.....There go any QM2 Canada cruises.

Deck Chair.

[babs135]

I've 'moaned' a few times here about the difficulty we were experiencing in contacting the travel agent and it was Port Royal who suggested emailing their customer service department which we did.  I cannot for the life of me work out why it didn't occur to us to do this.  Anyway, 5 days after emailing them we've had a call and have now transferred this year's New England and Canada trip on the QM2  to next year.

As the original booking was a 5% deposit we have had to pay a little extra but as the cost of the cruise is actually slightly cheaper than this year we are not complaining.  We did lose the $700 obc but were offered $300 so it's better than nothing.

 

Fingers crossed that by the time we have to pay the balance next June there will be either a vaccine or at the very least some type of medication.

 

 

[macsford]

3 hours ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

Hi Sandra,

It will be interesting to see what you get back from Cunard - if anything. We have to pay by June 13th so have a week extra to fret.

A) I don't want to lose any deposit by cancelling now

but

B) I don't want to pay £10k final payment when the cruise is obviously not going to happen. It feels as if Cunard is playing a game of cat and mouse with our monies and banking on people choosing to transfer to a cruise next year but whilst that may have been the case early on I get the feeling most are opting for refunds now as the future cruising still looks very doubtful.

 

Please come back if and when you get a response.

Best wishes

Roger

 

Will let you know what happens. I intend trying to phone in a few days to ask for an extension on final payment date but certainly not optimistic about that 

Yes, if the situation next September is appropriate we would book the return Transatlantic only as we wanted the crossing with the orchestra. However,  the Canada/New England itineraries next year don't appeal to us so we would add on some sort of land tour while visiting family. BUT we would like to decide about that much later, not give a long term loan to Cunard to feel pressurised next year.

Meantime, hoping that they will do the honourable thing.......

Sandra

 

[bazzaw]

8 hours ago, Roger Ackroyd said:

Hi, UK cruiser here.

We are booked on the same cruise but flying out to NY, on QM up to Quebec and then taking the QM back to Southampton. If that news is correct - and why wouldn't it be - I would be seriously miffed to discover Cunard expecting me to cough up the considerable balance of £10k+ when it knows that the cruise cannot be run.

The old sceptic in me says that it feels like an exercise in getting money in and hoping the punters will transfer to another cruise in 2021/2 and using that money to refund those who are demanding repayments and not transfers.

Cunard have been playing poker with their customers for months now - they are waiting for you to blink.  They have lost me forever!!!!

[david,Mississauga]

18 hours ago, kmerlin14 said:

I don't see how it could continue because both Sydney and Quebec City are Canadian ports and then it goes to another Quebec port and then Halifax before it goes back to New York. We are on the October version and our final payment is due next week as well so my travel agent is emailing Cunard to find out. She said all her work right now is helping clients get refunds for cancelled cruises or helping them cancel cruises they dont' want to take. We'd planned to take the train home from Quebec city and it has already been cancelled and I even got our money back from that one, but I suspect the airfare to New York will just be a flight credit.

 

Unlike the previous ban on cruise ships at Canadian ports, this one applies to "Canadian waters."

 

https://www.canada.ca/en/transport-canada/news/2020/05/minister-garneau-announces-updated-measures-for-cruise-ships-and-passenger-vessels-in-canadian-waters-up-to-october-31-2020.html

 

It is also a disappointment to many that VIA Rail has cancelled all long-distance trains until at least November. That has disrupted my plans for train trips to both Halifax and Vancouver as well as a Cunard voyage.

[phbr]

The Canadian Transport Minister effectively barred cruise ships with over 100 passengers from Canadian ports till at least 31st October.

 

Our cruise, 9th October, NYC-Quebec-NYC is due for payment on June 11th and is still being sold by Cunard .

 

 

[Mabbiesmum]

Refund Received 😁

 

Cruise: Queen Mary 2, Transatlantic roundtrip departing 18 April, Britannia cabin

Cancellation email received 30 March and online refund request submitted the same day

 

Refund cheque ( booked through. TA) received today!! Pretty much on the 60 days.

 

Surname begins with a C, if that is relevant.

[majortom10]

Having been told by Cunard via their Facebook page, as stated in my previous post #421 on Friday, that as I had paid for my cruise by credit card that I would have my refund returned to the same card and would take 5-10 days I have today received a cheque from Carnival UK for my refund in full. Today is day 63 and it is laughable but honestly not really funny in the incompetence of Carnival UK in knowing what they are doing and how with regards to refunds.

[Kynance]

As an update to my post #404 on this thread, I’m really pleased to report that a cheque arrived from Cunard this morning with my refund for my 3 May QV cruise. The cheque was raised on 28 May and sent out to me by first class post, so I think I can say that in my case, Cunard have met their 60 day target. 
 

I really hope those of you who have been waiting longer start to receive your refunds soon - in my case I am happy to have my doubts proved wrong about Cunard’s promised timescales but clearly there is a lot of variation and lots of you have not been as fortunate as me. 
 

[beaveh]

These last few posts have given me hope of getting a refund in about a months time. Fingers crossed.

[Windsurfboy]

At 78 days and no news, glad for others, but lack of consistency is annoying me. 

[Dahani]

I have been notified by my TA that my refund is being credited to my credit card today. 

We were booked on the Circumnavigation of Australia which was cancelled on 30th March. 

 

I was given a date of about the first week in June on my initial contact with the TA for my refund. 

 

On 14th May the TA gave me a RCN dated 31.1.21. I told them it was unacceptable and on the same day I did a Section 75 claim with my credit card. They told me it would take no more than 6 weeks to get my refund. 

My credit card company called on 26th May to request further documentation. 

 

I am in the UK