Will P&O now delay announcements for future cruise pauses?

[jeanlyon]

So can't make a dummy booking for anything.  Its probably a typical P&O glitch rather than anything sinister!  😄

[terrierjohn]

1 hour ago, Adawn47 said:

Ooh, that's a bit uncaring John. Many of us have cruises booked well before this virus reared it's ugly head, are we're anxious to find out what's happening to them.

Avril

I also have cruises booked from before the pandemic as well as a 2022 one booked in October last year. The next one is end of July on Britannia, but now with 31 days for balance payment, and plenty of time before I need to pack, it's hardly a top priority, unless you're Joeecco

[Ray66]

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[yorkshirephil]

10 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

I also have cruises booked from before the pandemic as well as a 2022 one booked in October last year. The next one is end of July on Britannia, but now with 31 days for balance payment, and plenty of time before I need to pack, it's hardly a top priority, unless you're Joeecco

It probably is a top priority for some people, especially those that have been jabbed or don't have family to meet up. 

[Beckett]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

So can't make a dummy booking for anything.  Its probably a typical P&O glitch rather than anything sinister!  😄

That's what I thought Jean but I've just tried a dummy booking on Cunard and Princess and they're the same.  Am I being a conspiracy theorist when I say I think that's a bit odd?  Jane.x

[Britboys]

I appreciate that we are all different but I found it got easier with each successive cancellation. When number 4 (Fred Olsen Bolette 23rd June 21) was cancelled it was just "oh well, another one gone". I am however pleased that I don't have any more cruises booked until next August... I now just look upon it all thinking that I was lucky to have been able to book them in the first instance.

[Britboys]

3 minutes ago, Beckett said:

That's what I thought Jean but I've just tried a dummy booking on Cunard and Princess and they're the same.  Am I being a conspiracy theorist when I say I think that's a bit odd?  Jane.x

Not surprised that both P&O and Cunard are down as together they are Carnival UK and, I believe, have the same computer systems/booking engine. Not sure what the situation with Princess is as they were separated a while back and are headquartered in the USA.

[majortom10]

All 3 companies P&O/Cunard and Princess as far as UK bookings use the same computer servers and all are down as far as booking cruises at the moment.

[tring]

2 hours ago, terrierjohn said:

I also have cruises booked from before the pandemic as well as a 2022 one booked in October last year. The next one is end of July on Britannia, but now with 31 days for balance payment, and plenty of time before I need to pack, it's hardly a top priority, unless you're Joeecco

 

I do not actually see the relevance of whether it is a top, or even any scale of, priority or interest to you.  There are many things mentioned by other posters on here (and other sites) that are not of any interest to me, but I do not feel the need to criticise them in any way.

Edited February 16, 2021 by tring

[tring]

The future cancellations that are expected and lack of anything as yet has been tinkering through my head a bit and I have been starting to wonder if they have an idea that there will need to be far more cancellations by next week than they had intended, so want to limit the number of announcements.  Next week Boris may give an earliest date when holidays abroad may be able to start again and it may well be late summer, in which case P&O could make more cancellations at once, and also be able to blame the government for the need to do so.

 

I am always looked upon as a pessimist though, and before anyone comments on that I will point out that I am quite happy with it as I am never disappointed 🙂

 

In all seriousness though, I do think that the government should come clean with any thoughts they may have about prolonged border restrictions, as people would be better knowing about what the likelihood is, even if it sounds like bad news at first.  Hence they can at least make some plans with a hope that they will go ahead and businesses can also plan accordingly, which is even more important these days as many are in a very bad way.

 

We in fact do not have close family that we are normally in contact with, so holidays, if only in the UK, are important to us.  I would not mind being able to see my brother in Canada though, as the health of both him and his wife has not been too good of late - not that we will be able to go there for a good while.

 

 

Edited February 16, 2021 by tring

[terrierjohn]

28 minutes ago, tring said:

 

I do not actually see the relevance of whether it is a top, or even any scale of, priority or interest to you.  There are many things mentioned by other posters on here (and other sites) that are not of any interest to me, but I do not feel the need to criticise them in any way.

Are you trying to deny me my right to post my alternative views?

[No pager thank you]

4 hours ago, reef112 said:

Well they've posted on Facebook...... About it being pancake day!

Last week it was world pizza day...always a Tuesday though!

 

Sorry for all those waiting anxiously for clarity, which includes us (and yes the Arcadia / Aurora guess would take another holiday away if true). 

 

Yes also, for most of us these are just holiday plans, deposits etc, but for others these dates represent  important life events, new adventures, and psychological landmarks - getting away from the stresses of work and other life.  

 

Not wanting to cross swords with anyone who feels differently, but it's ok (in my view) to be a bit disappointed by the lack of news, again, when all they can be bothered talking about is flipping pancakes.  I mean who cares about what P&O thinks about pancake day? 

 

However, clearly, this week was Aida's turn and the assumption that P&O is waiting on Boris is probably true.

[grapau27]

Boris said he would give his roadmap out of lockdown next week so I'm not surprised there has been no announcement from P&O so far today.

The speed of vaccinations is very promising so we might get better news than expected next week.

The fact final bills are now 30 days instead of 90-120 days gives P&O more flexibility in when they need to cancel.

Edited February 16, 2021 by grapau27

[tring]

2 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Are you trying to deny me my right to post my alternative views?

As I am sure you well realise, I was referring to your criticism of others in post 1082.  In fact in the post I had quoted you were commenting adversely on a perfectly reasonable post in response to your post 1082, which does not seem to have been well accepted by a number of other posters as well as myself.

 

 

[hollyjess]

Hi cruisers. Even if Boris gives the green light for cruises does anyone really want to cruise wearing a mask and adhere to social distancing? What about the theatre and restaurants? They not going to be able to accommodate all guests in 2 sittings. I think it will be many many months before cruising gets back to anything hear normal. Hope I am wrong!

[Son of Anarchy]

4 minutes ago, hollyjess said:

Hi cruisers. Even if Boris gives the green light for cruises does anyone really want to cruise wearing a mask and adhere to social distancing? What about the theatre and restaurants? They not going to be able to accommodate all guests in 2 sittings. I think it will be many many months before cruising gets back to anything hear normal. Hope I am wrong!

I got the impression from PandO's site that had they gone down the route of pax having to book a table and only being able to dine with those on their or on linked bookings.  Any guess as to how long that will be for or if they are able to amend prior to any restart.

[yorkshirephil]

3 minutes ago, hollyjess said:

Hi cruisers. Even if Boris gives the green light for cruises does anyone really want to cruise wearing a mask and adhere to social distancing? What about the theatre and restaurants? They not going to be able to accommodate all guests in 2 sittings. I think it will be many many months before cruising gets back to anything hear normal. Hope I am wrong!

I hope you are wrong too, but sadly have to agree. I don't see Boris having much to say about cruising unless it gets a mention in travel in general. It is great that we are doing well on the vaccination front and deaths, hospitalisations and infections are coming down rapidly but that is not happening in many other countries. In my mind cruising in 2021 is written off for us, but we can keep hoping.

[grapau27]

6 minutes ago, hollyjess said:

Hi cruisers. Even if Boris gives the green light for cruises does anyone really want to cruise wearing a mask and adhere to social distancing? What about the theatre and restaurants? They not going to be able to accommodate all guests in 2 sittings. I think it will be many many months before cruising gets back to anything hear normal. Hope I am wrong!

They will probably start at 70% maximum occupancy.

The theatre they could close every other row and leave a 1-2 seat gap between passengers who are not family.

The restaurants and bars could be masks while walking around or standing but masks off when seated.

Cruises of 7 day maximum is likely in the short term.

Ship tours or independent exploring of ports is a potential problem.

[wowzz]

15 minutes ago, hollyjess said:

Hi cruisers. Even if Boris gives the green light for cruises does anyone really want to cruise wearing a mask and adhere to social distancing? What about the theatre and restaurants? They not going to be able to accommodate all guests in 2 sittings. I think it will be many many months before cruising gets back to anything hear normal. Hope I am wrong!

Don't forget that the ships will only be about 75% full when they restart cruising.

[tring]

10 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

 

Cruises of 7 day maximum is likely in the short term.

 

 

That is something else I was thinking may be brought in, as the CDC have already done that and would mean it would be highly unlikely that anyone will become seriously ill when on a cruise ship, since the CDC have also stopped back to backs of course.  Would mean a lot of changes to any summer cruise programs, well apart from Iona of course.

 

The plus would be that there was clear guidance for the months ahead, which IMO can only be an advantage as to seeing a way forward.

Edited February 16, 2021 by tring

[grapau27]

NCL just cancelled through 

May 31st.

I wonder if P&O follow suit.

[joeecco]

1 minute ago, grapau27 said:

NCL just cancelled through 

May 31st.

I wonder if P&O follow suit.

We already know more or less that they are doing this into June, it’s June that was in question.

[bobstheboy]

In normal times a cruise holiday would not be a top priority in my life, however, these are not normal times and not having holiday for two years, enduring being confined for days on end, looking forward to a cruise is near the top of my current priorities.  I am looking forward to getting back onboard, even with restrictions and a cruise around the Med in warm weather, without going ashore, would be acceptable.

[grapau27]

8 minutes ago, joeecco said:

We already know more or less that they are doing this into June, it’s June that was in question.

All we know at the moment is P&O are cancelled into April 21.

 

[joeecco]

Just now, grapau27 said:

All we know at the moment is P&O are cancelled into April 21.

 

I think Moley has proved his info is very useful so I believe May is gone.