Cunard's Cancellations/Refunds Update 23rd April 2020

[Windsurfboy]

Just been told processed and should be on credit card in a few days. So circa 80 days request on 16th march to receiving money fingers crossed 

[Dajo5601]

Interesting to see some of the comments regarding the cancellation/refund policy by Cunard at the present time being posted on this site.  Let me preface my comments below by accepting that the impact of the current coronavirus pandemic on the travel industry and the cruise industry in particular must be catastrophic in terms of managing cancellations and refunds and the overall impact on their staff and crews and I make my comments from the fact that we are Cunard cruisers through and through and have already booked cruises for 2021 having had two cancelled in the past few months.

 

I gave notice of cancellation of a cruise on 13th March and accepted the revised cancellation terms of 50% refund and 75% FCC, all confirmed by Cunard via our usual TA.  Having read the Q & A's published on the Cunard website, I accepted that, and I quote, "Refunds can take up to 60 days".  As our "60 days" has well expired, enquiries via our TA have led to nothing as either they cannot get through to Cunard or Cunard state that they are dealing with our refund.  

 

As frustration begins to set in, I go onto the Cunard website and last week,  for four consecutive days, I complete their online complaints form outlining that we are still awaiting our refund, to date I have not received either an acknowledgement or a response.  So, 80 days have passed since we cancelled and we are told by our TA that Cunard say that we have been "overlooked" and will now chase the refund up with no given time frame.

 

Yes, we love Cunard, we have never had a bad Cunard cruise, but despite all of their problems, I cannot help but say that they have not acquitted themselves very well in this instance, meanwhile we still wait, it seems a long time since the 13th March.

[latserrof]

Thanks to all for their input.

 

 On April 23 Cunard finally cancelled our May 31 QM2 RT NYC cruise, and we filed with Cunard for a full refund the same day.

 

Having heard nothing from Cunard,  we today (first time ever) lodged a Chase Visa dispute, as it appears that Cunard's "up to 60 days" refund schedule has little veracity. The Chase disputes rep asked a lot of questions ("trying to build a good case") and said we will get a provisional credit within 7 days and a letter detailing the case within 10 days. Maybe this will nudge Cunard?

 

We are also owed refunds for full payment for earlier cruiseline-cancelled cruises on Princess (plus air, hotel, visas and FCDs), and NCL, and for FCDs on HAL, which may or may not all end in credit-card disputes.

 

After 70 cruises, we may be done.

Edited June 1, 2020 by latserrof

[Windsurfboy]

Dajo5601, I was told I had slipped through the net , ie overlooked, but a phone call direct to Cunard last Thursday got things going.

[Colin_Cameron]

52 minutes ago, Dahani said:

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

... I did a Section 75 claim with my credit card. ...

Just to be clear Dahani, do you know if this is Cunard refunding your money, via your TA, or is it the TA refunding you money because of your Section 75 claim?

 

Either way, a resolution is good news. 

 

I’m both encouraged my the veritable flood of refunds coming through and discouraged by the fact that most, if not all, of them were due to sail after our’s, cancelled after our’s and the refunds claimed after our’s. I can only imagine how bazzaw is feeling!

[Windsurfboy]

Colin_cameron you are on 78 days  same as me, have you talked to Cunard to expedite it?

[Jules of The Seas]

Cheque received today for May 2nd, 4 nighter on QM2.

Cheque from Carnival House, Soton, dated 29th May. Was £11 short of total paid.

[Dahani]

3 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Just to be clear Dahani, do you know if this is Cunard refunding your money, via your TA, or is it the TA refunding you money because of your Section 75 claim?

 

Either way, a resolution is good news. 

 

I’m both encouraged my the veritable flood of refunds coming through and discouraged by the fact that most, if not all, of them were due to sail after our’s, cancelled after our’s and the refunds claimed after our’s. I can only imagine how bazzaw is feeling!

I have only dealt with our TA 

I suspect that my refund  was only expedited after my Section 75 claim. 

It seems to me the Section 75 route focuses the mind of the debtor company more than any number of emails or phone calls ever can. 

 

[Colin_Cameron]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Colin_cameron you are on 78 days  same as me, have you talked to Cunard to expedite it?

I think the same as you for the Cape Town - Southampton leg but a couple of days more for the Fremantle - Cape Town stretch. That was cancelled on Fri 13th March (in the UK, Sat 14th in Australia).

 

Haven't called in a few weeks but at that point almost nobody had a refund so didn’t see any point in chasing it again. Looks like there was a batch sent out over the weekend so I’ll give it another day. The carrier pigeon usually has to stop for a rest when heading this far north. 

[jland]

58 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

I think the same as you for the Cape Town - Southampton leg but a couple of days more for the Fremantle - Cape Town stretch. That was cancelled on Fri 13th March (in the UK, Sat 14th in Australia).

 

Haven't called in a few weeks but at that point almost nobody had a refund so didn’t see any point in chasing it again. Looks like there was a batch sent out over the weekend so I’ll give it another day. The carrier pigeon usually has to stop for a rest when heading this far north. 

Imagine how the pigeon feels trying to get to OZ. Seems Cunard are only refunding people in the UK. Bazzaw and I will be waiting forever at this rate. Can anybody tell me the Cunard number in the UK you are calling. Thank you.

[sydgal]

Received refund cheque this morning for all out of pocket expenses incurred going to Sydney for cruise that was cancelled 24 hours prior to departure. Have not received refund of voyage fare requested 16 March. Cruise was QE 15 March  in PG2.

[resordanis]

5 minutes ago, sydgal said:

Received refund cheque this morning for all out of pocket expenses incurred going to Sydney for cruise that was cancelled 24 hours prior to departure. Have not received refund of voyage fare requested 16 March. Cruise was QE 15 March  in PG2.

Wow, that is good news. ContactEd our TA yesterday as it is 53 working days since 15th March cruise cancelled. She advised that they have received no refunds from Cunard as yet. Other lines flowing thru but not Cunard and she also said it is very difficult to contact them. Just a waiting game for us!

[sydgal]

Cunard said in their last email to my TA that refund cheque will be sent direct to passengers and not TA.

[sydgal]

1 hour ago, jland said:

Imagine how the pigeon feels trying to get to OZ. Seems Cunard are only refunding people in the UK. Bazzaw and I will be waiting forever at this rate. Can anybody tell me the Cunard number in the UK you are calling. Thank you.

Bank cheque received this morning was from Carnival Australia ANZ account.

[Edithclara]

51 minutes ago, sydgal said:

Bank cheque received this morning was from Carnival Australia ANZ .

Did your TA say you'd get your cruise refund by cheque directly from Cunard? If yes, did you do anything special to get them to send the cheque directly to you?

Edited June 2, 2020 by Edithclara
Typo

[Coathanger]

An Australian data point.

 

• Requested refund 30 March (same day my cruise was cancelled)
• 60 days passed at the end of May
• Called Cunard today and the lovely team member advised request was processed by Cunard 23 April (i.e. three weeks to action)
• Advised to expect a refund at the end of June or early July
• I advised this was beyond the 60 days promised so requested to escalate
• My refund request has been sent to the finance team

[sydgal]

58 minutes ago, Edithclara said:

Did your TA say you'd get your cruise refund by cheque directly from Cunard? If yes, did you do anything special to get them to send the cheque directly to you?

The email from Cunard to TA said that Cunard would send cheque directly to passenger.

My TA always sends all emails from Cunard to me for my information. I did nothing special to get a direct cheque.

Edited June 2, 2020 by sydgal
Left out response

[Edithclara]

52 minutes ago, Coathanger said:

An Australian data point.

 

• Requested refund 30 March (same day my cruise was cancelled)
• 60 days passed at the end of May
• Called Cunard today and the lovely team member advised request was processed by Cunard 23 April (i.e. three weeks to action)
• Advised to expect a refund at the end of June or early July
• I advised this was beyond the 60 days promised so requested to escalate
• My refund request has been sent to the finance team

Thanks. What is your cruise date? Did you book direct? 

[Lynnewob]

16 March Cunard cancelled QV 28 March cruise in QG3 (surname begins with W)

 

Applied for refund via email link in cancellation email the same day. which advised 45 days to process.   Advised TA I had done this. They said refund would come to them and they would refund my credit card directly.

 

1 Jun - full refund cheque received directly from Cunard (cheque raised on 28 May) by post.  I advised TA I have received it.   I chased TA once but not Cunard directly.

Edited June 2, 2020 by Lynnewob

[Edithclara]

20 minutes ago, sydgal said:

The email from Cunard to TA said that Cunard would send cheque directly to passenger.

My TA always sends all emails from Cunard to me for my information. I did nothing special to get a direct cheque.

Thanks. Cunard told me my refund will go to the TA. Cunard wouldn't entertain my request to send my refund direct to me. On my credit card it said I'd paid the TA not Cunard. 

[Coathanger]

29 minutes ago, Edithclara said:

Thanks. What is your cruise date? Did you book direct? 

 

Cruise date 9 May.

 

Booked direct via the Cunard Australia website. 

[Clagmeister]

15 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

Just been told processed and should be on credit card in a few days. So circa 80 days request on 16th march to receiving money fingers crossed 

Keeping my fingers crossed too as we both requested on 16th March.

[Windsurfboy]

Clagmeister, have you asked them to escalate,  last Thursday I rang them up said enough was enough, said if I didn't hear from some one by this time next week (this Thursday 4th ) would go credit card route. Confirmed this by email,  low and behold get email to say it's been processed.

[Dahani]

Just a quick heads up, P&O in the UK have today cancelled all sailings until October 15th.

Cunard always seem to follow within a day or 2.

[Windsurfboy]

Let's hope these new cancellations don't impact on people waiting from the last lot