New Cunard final pay date 30 days through October cruises

[oskidunker]

Gary Bainbridge Tips for travelers on you tube. Today. Emailed him and he confirmed. Good news!

[TheOldBear]

I would like to at least see that clarified on the Cunard web site. The table on the 'flexible booking terms' shows 

• 119-30 days to sail as forfeit of deposit
• 89-61 days - forfeit 40%

Currently, my confirmation from $UNNAMED_TRAVEL_AGENT shows 120 days out [1 May] as the final payment date. As of yesterday afternoon, there were no changes.

 

As I've said on other threads, I would like to defer payment to see what things are like after restart, plus the impact of more and more folks gaining immunity.

[oskidunker]

1 hour ago, TheOldBear said:

I would like to at least see that clarified on the Cunard web site. The table on the 'flexible booking terms' shows 

• 119-30 days to sail as forfeit of deposit
• 89-61 days - forfeit 40%

Currently, my confirmation from $UNNAMED_TRAVEL_AGENT shows 120 days out [1 May] as the final payment date. As of yesterday afternoon, there were no changes.

 

As I've said on other threads, I would like to defer payment to see what things are like after restart, plus the impact of more and more folks gaining immunity.

Agree. Nothing yet on their web site. Hopefully soon. 

[david,Mississauga]

Gary Bembridge is based in London. Perhaps the new 30-day payment date applies only to UK bookings.

[wesport]

I checked my cruise on 8/13/21 on the Cunard website in the US. Final payment is 30 day before when I do a mock booking. No word from TA. I will reach out to her this week. 

[Bell Boy]

Clarification re  30 days balance payment ,

 

Cunard Line announced ( 9th Feb 2021) via email to customers with bookings  for all departures 'On or Before' 15th August 2021 only,  a relaxation is now in effect for balance payments  to 30 days .

 

The does not include saver fares , these still need to be paid in full at the time of booking. 

 

This information has been emailed to customers ( who hold bookings up to the 15th Aug 2021)   Travel agents/ Cruise specialists have also been notified .     

Edited February 14, 2021 by Bell Boy

[ExArkie]

14 hours ago, TheOldBear said:

I would like to at least see that clarified on the Cunard web site. The table on the 'flexible booking terms' shows 

• 119-30 days to sail as forfeit of deposit
• 89-61 days - forfeit 40%

Currently, my confirmation from $UNNAMED_TRAVEL_AGENT shows 120 days out [1 May] as the final payment date. As of yesterday afternoon, there were no changes.

 

As I've said on other threads, I would like to defer payment to see what things are like after restart, plus the impact of more and more folks gaining immunity.

Our booking was in the earlier group where final payment was postponed. The updated confirmation I received from Cunard (booked direct with them) on a July 2021 sailing included a statement that final payment was 30 days prior, but there was a line on it that still showed March 1 as the due date. I did get confirmation from Cunard that they did not get everything fixed in their system before sending the notice (imagine, Cunard having an IT issue!), but the 30-day time period was correct.

 

For this reservation, we had a Baltic trip booked for August 2020, which began to look doubtful around March. Cunard changed the final payment date to 30 days before departure, but did not change the "penalty phase" for cancelation. If we canceled between 120 days and 30 days prior to departure, we lost part or all of our deposit (obviously, a US booking). That meant we had to decide by April whether we thought Cunard would cancel the trip, so that we could just wait and get the deposit back, or whether we wanted to not take the risk and cancel 120 days out to be certain. We did the latter.

 

The trip was rebooked for June-July 2021, which has now had the final payment date reduced to 30 days before sailing. I have not yet been able to determine whether the 120 day deposit forfeiture rules remain (I've asked - not yet received an answer), but am assuming that they are. That, of course, puts us in the same situation: decide by the end of this month whether we want to play "chicken" with Cunard on cancelation. Fortunately, this is an on-board deposit that as expiring at the end of this year, so there isn't quite as much money involved.

 

[Gretchendz]

Here is the exact text of what was sent to U.S. travel agents:

 

Important information about changes to balance due dates

 

When you made your clients' bookings we would have advised you when the full balance for their vacation was due. However, due to the on-going situation regarding Covid-19, together with the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office guidance on cruising, we wanted to reassure you that we will only recommence sailing when it is the right time to do so.

 

We have therefore taken the decision to relax our balance due payment terms to 30 days prior to departure on all voyages departing up to and including August 15, 2021, meaning your clients now have a little more time before they need to pay their final balance.

As a result of this change they also have longer to take advantage of our updated transfer policy. This means that prior to the balance due date, you may now:
♦ Transfer their booking to any Cunard voyage currently on sale
♦ Transfer their booking to a voyage of higher or lower value
♦ Transfer their booking an unlimited number of times
♦ Transfer their booking free of charge.