Cunard's Cancellations/Refunds Update 23rd April 2020

[sogne]

3 hours ago, charlesspinney said:

This seems to be the most read thread right now.  I  have a question.  If your cruise is credited back to your credit card, how can you transfer all that money into a savings account without paying the exorbitant interest and administration fees?

My card UK will pay refund of 7k 2 MY bank account if requested which it will be

 

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

19 minutes ago, babs135 said:

Interestingly the same cruise in 2021 as the one we are booked on for October this year is cheaper (I checked a couple of hours ago out of curiosity) by approximately £500 PP.

 

 

Did you book it at launch or more recently?

Edited April 25, 2020 by PRINCESSTHE BEST

[cdwise]

According to https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/two-carnival-cruise-lines-including-cunard-shutter-cruises-through-july-31-2020-04-24 Cunard has reserves that means they can stay completely shutdown for 6 months if necessary. If the world isn't allowing cruises by then it won't be just cruise lines and the travel industry that will not survive.  We are considering using our FCC we took on our cancelled Cunard for an October trip if I can get my TA to clarify what might happen if that should not go forward. If we did book and it got cancelled I wonder if I'd get 125% of the newer booked fare or just whatever difference there might be and whether the 48 cancellation option would apply since it would be past the current dates.

[babs135]

1 hour ago, PRINCESSTHE BEST said:

Did you book it at launch or more recently?

We booked at the very end of February.  I'd been watching it for some time but couldn't do anything any earlier.  As it happened the price had hardly changed in months.

[MMDown Under]

On 4/23/2020 at 8:02 PM, Host Hattie said:

 Additionally -

"If your booking has been impacted by these announcements, we are extremely sorry for any disappointment this may cause you.

We’ll be crediting your guest account with a 125% Future Cruise Credit, which you may redeem up to 31 December 2021 on any voyage sailing before 31 March 2022. Alternatively, your Future Cruise Credit may also be used to add an additional stateroom to an existing booking or to upgrade an existing booking.

Please note that due to automated systems you will receive over the next few weeks receive a cancellation invoice, that will include cancellation fees, please disregard this and be assured that you will not incur any fees as a result of this cancellation.

If you would prefer a 100% cash refund please fill out this form and our Customer Contact Centre will process your request. You’ll need your six character booking reference, which can be found on your booking confirmation or any other email relating to your voyage. Please note, while our team are doing all they can to satisfy these requests promptly, it may take up to 60 days for your refund to appear. Whilst we recognise this may be disappointing, we kindly ask that you bear with us and refrain from emailing or calling our Customer Contact Centre at this time so we can prioritise helping guests with the most urgent needs."

With the ports closed the Alaska cruise season was over!  No reason for any delay in cancellation of cruises. 

[MMDown Under]

4 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Can I suggest that if/when refunds start to come through we start a thread to track the progress.

 

Not for questions, speculation or comment but just, eg. cruise date, cancellation date, refund request date, received date, probably where in the world you are, booked direct or through a TA, any other relevant details.

 

This would give those waiting an idea of whether the 45/60 day schedule is being kept to, or allow them to reset their expectations.

 

Just a thought.

Very good idea.  Cruise line will know that their slow refund process is being tracked by their customers.  A lesson to be learned here.  

[Edithclara]

8 hours ago, hypercafe said:

I don't know how much this helps here because I live in NYS. My June trip has been cancelled and I asked for a refund. I also asked the trip insurance company for a refund of the money I paid for the policy. The said OK and posted it to my CC in one day. This was very good news as at my age, 72, the policy was expensive.

That's great. In other travel groups e.g. on Facebook , the majority  are not getting their travel insurance refunded. I think these are mostly in Australia.

Edited April 25, 2020 by Edithclara
Typo

[Tingaling0]

We were on the QM2 when the cruise was cancelled and have yet to hear anything from Cunard. I followed up late last week and am waiting. We do not know whether a refund is possible as when on the ship an FCC for a pro-rated amount was the only mention made. Has anyone else on the ship at that time heard from Cunard. Thanks 

[Host Hattie]

15 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

May be this will need two threads

 

Refund recieved 

Refund overdue

 

Hattie , Colin what do you think 

I think we should stick with just the one -when refunds are received.

[PRINCESSTHE BEST]

12 hours ago, babs135 said:

We booked at the very end of February.  I'd been watching it for some time but couldn't do anything any earlier.  As it happened the price had hardly changed in months.

That probably explains it. Prices are far cheaper at launch. I have 4 cruises, all booked at launch and are thousands of pounds more expensive now.

[davyjones]

16 hours ago, sogne said:

My card UK will pay refund of 7k 2 MY bank account if requested which it will be

 

If you are in the UK and have a positive credit card balance, of say £3000, and you buy something for £1000 then you are not covered by credit card legislation as the credit card company are not extending you any credit for the purchase.  When I had to cancel a holiday the credit card company phoned me up to advise me of this and asked what bank account I wanted the money sent to.

 

On other news a Sunday newspaper is alledging that in a few weeks/months time anyone returning from abroad will need to self-isolate for 14 days with checks and fines.  This would surely put the final nail in the foreign holiday trade's coffin.

 

DJ

[norm2002]

20 minutes ago, davyjones said:

On other news a Sunday newspaper is alledging that in a few weeks/months time anyone returning from abroad will need to self-isolate for 14 days with checks and fines.  This would surely put the final nail in the foreign holiday trade's coffin.

 

DJ

 

Will that also apply to visitors from other countries? It would have to to be consistent. Who is going to want to visit the UK (or any country for that matter) if the first 14 days of their holiday/business trip is going to be spent in isolation? We have to get a vaccine, immunity or the virus weakens or becomes treatable or world travel is dead.

Edited April 26, 2020 by norm2002

[majortom10]

There are many "stories" in daily newspapers and I dont think we should pay attention and worry at the moment about what might happen in the future until it is verified by the UK Government and FCO and not listen to newspapers who are scaremongering with differing stories on all levels just to sell newspapers.

[sogne]

35 minutes ago, davyjones said:

If you are in the UK and have a positive credit card balance, of say £3000, and you buy something for £1000 then you are not covered by credit card legislation as the credit card company are not extending you any credit for the purchase.  When I had to cancel a holiday the credit card company phoned me up to advise me of this and asked what bank account I wanted the money sent to.

 

On other news a Sunday newspaper is alledging that in a few weeks/months time anyone returning from abroad will need to self-isolate for 14 days with checks and fines.  This would surely put the final nail in the foreign holiday trade's coffin.

 

DJ

I was referring to the Cunard refund to my credit card which the card company confirmed  would be repaid to my bank account on request

[charlesspinney]

Thanks for the credit card information.  I know I'll be able to get this information from my bank, but like other call centers,  they're only taking urgent calls. I'm still 55 days away from a refund.  I'm looking forward to the refund thread.  Great idea!

[kentchris]

1 hour ago, charlesspinney said:

Thanks for the credit card information.  I know I'll be able to get this information from my bank, but like other call centers,  they're only taking urgent calls. I'm still 55 days away from a refund.  I'm looking forward to the refund thread.  Great idea!

Remember that sogne is in the U.K. where it’s normal for credit card companies to transfer credit balances to bank accounts without charge. Things may be different where you are, depending on consumer law and/or usage and practice. 

Edited April 26, 2020 by kentchris

[Windsurfboy]

Could we keep the new thread simple , I think we need 3 pieces of information for those that recieve refunds.

 

Date of refund request (web form Submitted)

Date refund promised

Date refund recieved 

 

Could I  also suggest that people also keep us up to date on overdue refunds 

 

Date refund request

Date refund promised 

If the refund is not recieved  could they post a overdue notice

Then when it finally comes date refund recieved 

 

May be this will need two threads

 

Refund recieved 

Refund overdue

 

Hattie , Colin what do you think 

 

7 hours ago, Host Hattie said:

I think we should stick with just the one -when refunds are received.

 

Can i politely  disagree,  If my refund doesn't come by Friday 30th due date, then I'd be interested if it was just mine or if others were late also.

[Canuker]

On 4/24/2020 at 1:46 PM, bluemarble said:

Very good questions, jimdee3636.

 

The problem as I see it, is that jimdee3636 hasn't yet paid the full $4000 for his cruise in September since it hasn't reached final payment yet. All he has paid prior to the cruise being cancelled is the $300 deposit while booking on board. So he can't expect to receive FCC for 125% of the full $4000 cruise fare (FCC=$5000).

 

Prior to the latest round of cancellations, all those canceled cruises had reached final payment and thus were fully paid. In that case it is clear that the FCC amount issued by Cunard would be 125% of the full fare that had been paid.

 

But now, what happens for those cruises in the most recent round of cancellations that have not yet reached final payment?

 

I don't know what the answer is, but one possibility would be for Cunard to issue FCC for 25% of the $4000 that jimdee3636 would have paid if the cruise had been paid in full (FCC=$1000). Another less generous possibility is that he might only receive FCC for 125% of the $300 deposit he has paid so far (FCC=$375).

 

It will be interesting to learn how this is actually going to work in practice. This might require a call to Cunard (or travel agent) to determine how FCC amounts will be calculated for the cruises that have been canceled prior to their final payment dates.

Bluemarble, re: "All he has paid prior to the cruise being cancelled is the $300 deposit while booking on board. So he can't expect to receive FCC for 125% of the full $4000 cruise fare".
I beg to differ. A distinction needs to be made between 'contract' and 'payment', two key terms in contract law, which is what governs this issue. The contract in the example is for $4,000. That payment to date is $300 - or any other figure from zero upwards - is irrelevant to the issue.
It's not uncommon for confusion between contract terms (the key here) and payment. Payment is part of the execution of the previously agreed contract which, by definition, has to be established before any payment can be made on it.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Canuker

[Canuker]

On 4/25/2020 at 3:39 AM, beaveh said:

I'm in the uk and booked through a uk travel agent.

The agent has emailed me to say I can apply for the 125% FCC.....

Unless things are different in the UK, compared with NAm on this one, you do not need to "apply" for the FCC; it will automatically be credited to you by Cunard. They have stated this clearly and repeatedly. So your travel agent is not on the ball.
 What you do need to "apply' for is the option of a refund of payment(s) already made.

[Host Hattie]

56 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

Can i politely  disagree,  If my refund doesn't come by Friday 30th due date, then I'd be interested if it was just mine or if others were late also.

You would know the answer because people will have posted on the received thread if they've had it or not if they haven't. We really don't need yet another thread to discuss refunds, we'll have 2 anyway.

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, Canuker said:

Bluemarble, re: "All he has paid prior to the cruise being cancelled is the $300 deposit while booking on board. So he can't expect to receive FCC for 125% of the full $4000 cruise fare".
I beg to differ. A distinction needs to be made between 'contract' and 'payment', two key terms in contract law, which is what governs this issue. The contract in the example is for $4,000. That payment to date is $300 - or any other figure from zero upwards - is irrelevant to the issue.
It's not uncommon for confusion between contract terms (the key here) and payment. Payment is part of the execution of the previously agreed contract which, by definition, has to be established before any payment can be made on it. The OP's account with Cunard would (will ) show $5,000 per person.

 

Canuker, thanks for that legal explanation. I understand jimdee3636 would be entitled to a $5000 future cruise credit if he makes the final payment ($4000 fare - $300 deposit = $3700 final payment in this case). But anyone who has had their voyages canceled before final payment isn't actually going to be making their final payments.

 

It seems reasonable to me that jimdee3636 could expect to receive a credit for $5000 minus the $3700 final payment amount that he won't be making. That would result in a future cruise credit for $1300 in his case. Do you agree with that calculation?

Edited April 26, 2020 by bluemarble

[MMDown Under]

7 hours ago, davyjones said:

If you are in the UK and have a positive credit card balance, of say £3000, and you buy something for £1000 then you are not covered by credit card legislation as the credit card company are not extending you any credit for the purchase.  When I had to cancel a holiday the credit card company phoned me up to advise me of this and asked what bank account I wanted the money sent to.

 

On other news a Sunday newspaper is alledging that in a few weeks/months time anyone returning from abroad will need to self-isolate for 14 days with checks and fines.  This would surely put the final nail in the foreign holiday trade's coffin.

 

DJ

Australians returning from overseas already have to self isolate for 14 days.  The majority of people infected with the virus in Australia were from cruise ships or people returning from overseas.

[Trevor33]

The 14 days isolation if applied at every port could make a cruise a very long holiday indeed? The World Cruise with 30 or so ports would last well over a year with sea days. On a positive note you would arrive back in time ready to go on the next world cruise!

[JuniorCruisers]

Whilst we have not received the official notification/email concerning the further cancellations (for which we are again affected with QE in Alaska), we feel extremely fortunate and grateful that for us at least, the process to get our money back appears to be, through self-guidance, rather straightforward and we will not be out of pocket. We are supposed to be aboard QM2 right now on the eastbound transatlantic and have decided to take a refund on that voyage but cop the FCC for the Alaska voyage, for which we have until November to change our mind to refund if it becomes obvious that it will be impossible to sail again next year.

 

We were so looking forward to introducing our one-year-old daughter to Cunard for the first time, and to experience QE for the first time in June (the only Queen we've yet to sail), but we can only be disappointed along with the hundreds of thousands of others who were looking forward to a Cunard voyage this year. As long as the opportunity returns as soon as possible we will be satisfied to sail again when we can, except that we will now have to pay for our daughter as she will be two-years-old by then and no longer free. 😱

 

Today we can only sit at home safely and be grateful for the memories of our previous voyages and look even more forward to the next (FCC might get us into the Grills this time!).

 

[Canuker]

On 4/25/2020 at 1:57 PM, cdwise said:

According to https://www.nasdaq.com/articles/two-carnival-cruise-lines-including-cunard-shutter-cruises-through-july-31-2020-04-24 Cunard has reserves that means they can stay completely shutdown for 6 months if necessary.

To cdwise: sorry to nit-pick on a matter that has been repeatedly mentioned on CC, but Cunard has no reserves. Cunard is merely a brand; it is not a company. It is Carnival, of which Cunard is a part, that the NASDAQ article is discussing. Equating Cunard with Carnival, when discussing financial matters, may be misleading.