Back to Back Staycations

[7th cruise]

Do they do Back to Back Staycations, was thinking of Britannia end of August ?

[jaydee6969]

4 minutes ago, 7th cruise said:

Do they do Back to Back Staycations, was thinking of Britannia end of August ?

 

No, P&O request 7 days between each one.

 

From P&O UK Getaway FAQ's:-

 

Guests will require a seven day gap between any of the UK getaway cruises. Back to back bookings will not be available.

This seven day gap also applies to cruises booked with our sister brands Cunard and Princess Cruises.

As the COVID-19 situation evolves our accompanying health protocols are under constant review. Therefore, to ensure we continue to maintain the highest levels of approach, we want to ensure that as we return to sailing each new cruise operates with all guests boarding for the first time, in line with these protocols.

[Pink-belle]

On 5/22/2021 at 4:22 PM, Pink-belle said:

How long just beforehand? You do know they aren’t allowing back to backs don’t you?

 

When I enquired, at launch, so it may have changed, there needed to be 7 days between cruises, so I couldn’t tie in a P&O and Princess. 
 

 

 

On 5/26/2021 at 5:05 PM, teabear said:

Thank you Pink-belle for mentioning this - what would I do without CC folks and their information uploads - had booked QE and then a day in Southampton and off on Princess - when I saw this, called Cunard and a very sweet young lady said no one had asked about the 7 day rule for different companies and when she checked with her supervisor, same thing.   Received an email today that states this rule does apply so I have to rebook one of them - grrrr but thank you again for helping me avoid disaster

Must be 7 days between cruises.

[tring]

I think the no back to backs is a national requirement for all of the short  summer cruises, so likely to apply to other cruise lines which do not come under the Carnival Corporation.  Beyond those cruises I understand the national requirements (agreed by the Government and CLIA) the criteria have not been decided.  When Fred launched his "Welcome Back" cruises a number of people booked back to backs (and bookings were accepted).  After a day or two the mistake was noticed and everyone who had booked a back to back had to be contacted and at least one of the sailings deleted.

 

This also applies to the shore excursions only to go off the ship rule.  It seems vaccinated pax only is just a requirement of some cruise lines at present, though who knows if that will change in time.

[lindylooellalouise]

Hi we had a Cunard staycation booked then 1night in Southampton then a P&O Iona staycation booked but we received a phone call from Carnival corporation saying we will have to cancel one of them so now we have August 7 nights on Iona, so B2B not allowed.

[molecrochip]

Tring is correct. This is government guidance.

 

Its the root of why Britannia's 3 & 4 night cruises in September were changed to 7 night cruises.

[Windsurfboy]

3 hours ago, jaydee6969 said:

 

No, P&O request 7 days between each one.

 

From P&O UK Getaway FAQ's:-

 

Guests will require a seven day gap between any of the UK getaway cruises. Back to back bookings will not be available.

This seven day gap also applies to cruises booked with our sister brands Cunard and Princess Cruises.

As the COVID-19 situation evolves our accompanying health protocols are under constant review. Therefore, to ensure we continue to maintain the highest levels of approach, we want to ensure that as we return to sailing each new cruise operates with all guests boarding for the first time, in line with these protocols.

 

So you could go on a back to back MSC then P&O  within the rules , but not a Princess then P&O. So it's about whst they can monitor

[jaydee6969]

13 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

So you could go on a back to back MSC then P&O  within the rules , but not a Princess then P&O. So it's about whst they can monitor

 

I was quoting P&O guidance obtained from their website, not what government guidance is.  See message above your reply from Molecrochip and Tring.

 

[Windsurfboy]

I wasnt disagreeing with you but pointing out P&Os problem.  Unless you have to make a government declaration,  similiar to the one for going abroad.  There is nothing to stop you going back to back cruises with one the outside carnival group unless you are daft enough to tell everyone via social media. P&O have no way of knowing where you where the week before.

[tring]

3 hours ago, molecrochip said:

Tring is correct. This is government guidance.

 

Its the root of why Britannia's 3 & 4 night cruises in September were changed to 7 night cruises.

 

I knew that was the case, though It have not seen the actual Government guidance.  Is it available in the public domain?   We have booked a sailing ship (tall ship) for July.  Our cruise is for less than a week, but I was surprised to see they are offering some 10 nighters which is longer than I expected.  That ship is much smaller than the standard cruise ships used by other cruise lines though.

[tring]

1 hour ago, Windsurfboy said:

I wasnt disagreeing with you but pointing out P&Os problem.  Unless you have to make a government declaration,  similiar to the one for going abroad.  There is nothing to stop you going back to back cruises with one the outside carnival group unless you are daft enough to tell everyone via social media. P&O have no way of knowing where you where the week before.

 

A passport is needed though, so there may be something recorded about the previous cruise.  I am sure I have seen mention somewhere that when your passport is used at passport control, the system logs were you are and where you are going. 

 

Just a thought, but no point in making those restrictions if they are not checked.

Edited June 1, 2021 by tring

[Windsurfboy]

For a staycations the passport is for cruise lines use, border control won't be involved as you are not leaving UK so number won't go into the government system. So unless MSC and Carnival and royal Caribbean  swap data who's to know.

[downsmead]

Virgin is doing 3 or 4 night cruise which can be bundled together for a 7 day cruise, so 7 days seems to the maximum.

[molecrochip]

3 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

For a staycations the passport is for cruise lines use, border control won't be involved as you are not leaving UK so number won't go into the government system. So unless MSC and Carnival and royal Caribbean  swap data who's to know.

Ships will leave UK waters and venture into international waters hence a passport is technically required. Cruise lines have to provide their passenger & crew manifest to UK border force as normal.

 

This is why insurance is such an issue. As once you get into international waters, the cruise company need a means to claim the costs back.

Edited June 1, 2021 by molecrochip

[Jevsy]

MSC are allowing B2B cruises on Virtuosa. I know of someone who cruised when we did and stayed on for the next sailing, both 4 nights each  

[molecrochip]

MSC are also not following the preferred CLIA UK guidelines regarding vaccinations either. MSC also didn't want to wait until after 21 June so are sailing with a ship at less than 20% capacity.

 

MSC are a foreign company, Carnival UK are not. Not saying they are doing wrong, more they just view best practice differently. Carnival, RCI, Disney, Norwegian, Fred, Virgin etc are all adopting the same best practice to my knowledge.

[tring]

17 minutes ago, molecrochip said:

MSC are also not following the preferred CLIA UK guidelines regarding vaccinations either. MSC also didn't want to wait until after 21 June so are sailing with a ship at less than 20% capacity.

 

MSC are a foreign company, Carnival UK are not. Not saying they are doing wrong, more they just view best practice differently. Carnival, RCI, Disney, Norwegian, Fred, Virgin etc are all adopting the same best practice to my knowledge.

 

Fred is currently saying that vaccinations are not required according to the guidance, but if the guidance changes, so will his policy and transfers or refunds would be allowed to people who are not vaccinated.

 

Fred's other criteria appear to be the same as P&O etc.

[dundeelass]

12 hours ago, Pink-belle said:

 

Must be 7 days between cruises.

yes i got caught out with this booked a three night and a four night on brittania, they took the bookings so i thought all was ok, till someone on here put me right. ended up cancelling both and doing a four nighter and then a week on the iona the next month haha