Cunard cancellations update 16th June

[majortom10]

11 hours ago, Windsurfboy said:

 

Under UK consumer law if they cancel everything is refundable.  Cunard have been very good don't worry just ask.

What might be applicable in the UK may be different for those booked in the US under their own laws. The only way to find out the situation is to contact Cunard in the US or if not booked direct with Cunard your travel agent.

[alc13]

9 hours ago, lissie said:

No its more that they are abandoning hope that Australia will open up in time for a 21/22 summer season down under.  With that gone - then the repositioning cruise from Barcelona/Australia can't happen. With that option out of the picture it makes no sense to bring back another ship QV when the QE is now available to do her voyages 

Thanks, Lissie.  Great explanation!

[57eric]

20 hours ago, ubu62 said:

'In place of her World Voyage, Queen Mary 2 will instead sail a series of three roundtrip voyages from Southampton to the Caribbean – one will sail via the Canary Islands and two will sail via New York - as well as three short cruise breaks. These voyages will be available to book in July.'

 

Is anyone able to speculate on the duration and likely stops of any of these voyages?

 

I'm particularly annoyed with myself as I could have gotten a Single Outside for the 2023 World Voyage but couldn't see the point of repeating the 2022 itinerary, so booked a trip with Holland America instead. If I can't get on any of the new 2022 cruises it could be 2024 before I'm back on my favourite ship. 🙁

I would speculate that they'll be nearly identical to the Thanksgiving and Christmas itineraries, which vary little from year to year.  But I'm perplexed as to why they haven't published dates for these, even though they're not yet available for booking.

[Windsurfboy]

Sorry didn't notice you were in USA, but nevertheless Cunard gave been very good, and I expect under US law if Cunard cancel they must return deposit. It's only  non refundable if you cancel 

[canoncruiser]

I hope somebody gets an early line on QM2’s sailings in early 2022-I’m booked from NYC on January 3, but I’d like to see my choices about getting back home🤔; if there’s a direct Turnaround I’d like to hang on to my cabin-I suspect there will be very high demand for the W’bound-whatever it is.😉 As with others , I was on QV from Southampton to Cape Town-another time I guess. Glad to be on QM2 to Dubai in 2023.

 

Other lines are announcing new ships-I wonder when we’ll here from Cunard about the new ship.☺️

[outlawuk]

I was booked on the now cancelled World Cruise (full) on Queen Victoria and frankly, shame on Cunard for not creating a pathway for those on the cancelled World Cruise to rebook for 2023. I see that ALL cabins in ALL grade on both ships are sold out and 'closed'. So that is that! I'm very unhappy about this. I would never have been in a position to book two World Cruises for consecutive years just to guarantee one of them so that's the dream cancelled. Really Cunard - surely you could have kept some cabins unavailable for just a short time after the cancellation announcement to allow us to jump ship?

Edited June 20, 2021 by outlawuk

[Host Hattie]

Perhaps that's the reason they are showing unavailable. Have you contacted Cunard or your Travel Agent to discuss a transfer ?

[ClipperinSFO]

Was just looking on the Cunard website, and seems Cunard have shut down sales on the 7 day TAs for Nov and Dec 2021 on either side of their two NY-Caribbean cruises.  We are booked on the December 15 w/b TA which continues on to the Caribbean for Christmas/NY's.  Wonder if they will take the same view for the Jan-Feb-Mar-Apr cruises to the Caribbean, meaning no strictly local traffic (i.e. no TA segments only). 

[frankp01]

1 hour ago, ClipperinSFO said:

seems Cunard have shut down sales on the 7 day TAs for Nov and Dec 2021 on either side of their two NY-Caribbean cruises.

We're booked on the 12/3 and 12/15 crossings as well. The eastbound has been showing as sold out for quite a while... long before the World Cruise having been cancelled. We have a friend who was hoping to tag along, which is why I've been monitoring it. I did notice that it showed up as available for one day, then reverted to 'Sold Out'. If the 12/15 crossing is now sold out, that was a recent development, because subsequent to the WC cancellation I had sent our friend the availability by cabin type.

[ClipperinSFO]

2 hours ago, frankp01 said:

We're booked on the 12/3 and 12/15 crossings as well. The eastbound has been showing as sold out for quite a while... long before the World Cruise having been cancelled. We have a friend who was hoping to tag along, which is why I've been monitoring it. I did notice that it showed up as available for one day, then reverted to 'Sold Out'. If the 12/15 crossing is now sold out, that was a recent development, because subsequent to the WC cancellation I had sent our friend the availability by cabin type.

 

No sooner had I posted than it occurred to me Cunard may have imposed capacity restrictions as well as trying to open up as much inventory to the pax wanting to book longer segments.  I do find it odd that the e/b 12/3 crossing was showing sold out even before the World Cruise cancellation.  Inventory is very dynamic as you probably know so there is still hope for your friend, especially once final payment day hits.  All of a sudden Cunard revenue management department may have a very different view of how they want to allocate inventory.    

[frankp01]

1 minute ago, ClipperinSFO said:

there is still hope for your friend, especially once final payment day hits.

Indeed, that's when we've usually booked our own December trips.  This time, we booked during the 2020 Black Friday sale, because the vaccines had just been announced at that point. I thought "Surely things will be back to normal by December 2021"!  I think, by December, it mostly will be. But it's been far more touch and go than I expected. And it's certainly been interesting watching the December voyages move into, and out of, sold out status.

[frankp01]

And, if the December trips do take place, I'm expecting it to be like the Roaring Twenties all over again. The 12/3 crossing will only have been the third QM2 voyage after the restoration of service. 

[bluemarble]

10 hours ago, outlawuk said:

I was booked on the now cancelled World Cruise (full) on Queen Victoria and frankly, shame on Cunard for not creating a pathway for those on the cancelled World Cruise to rebook for 2023. I see that ALL cabins in ALL grade on both ships are sold out and 'closed'. So that is that! I'm very unhappy about this. I would never have been in a position to book two World Cruises for consecutive years just to guarantee one of them so that's the dream cancelled. Really Cunard - surely you could have kept some cabins unavailable for just a short time after the cancellation announcement to allow us to jump ship?

 

The 2023 world voyages for both QM2 and QV are not technically sold out at the moment if you get a bit creative. If you're not looking for a grills suite, it's currently possible to book each of those world voyages as two separate segments. Of course that's a bit more hassle and perhaps more expensive that way, but at least it's still possible to book the complete 2023 world voyages as segments.

 

QM2

1) M303C: Southampton-Sydney, Jan 11-Mar 12, 2023 (60 Nights)
2) M307B: Sydney-Southampton, Mar 12-Apr 23, 2023 (42 Nights)

 

QV

1) V304B: Southampton-Sydney, Jan 11-Mar 1, 2023 (48 Nights)
2) V307C: Sydney-Southampton, Mar 1-Apr 23, 2023 (53 Nights)
 

There's not much availability showing for QV at the moment, especially on that first Southampton-Sydney segment, but Cunard is accepting at least guarantee bookings for some Britannia grades.

 

For QM2, there's a lot more availability. I'm even seeing several of the same Britannia balcony cabins available across both of those QM2 segments.

 

As @Host Hattie has suggested, it might be worthwhile to speak with Cunard or a travel agent to see what could be worked out to get you on one of the 2023 world voyages.

[Patria21]

We were booked on the Queen Victoria 2022 World Cruise for the full voyage and have now been rebooked on the 2023 World Cruise. So yes, anyone who hasn’t been rebooked should reach out to Cunard. 

[outlawuk]

My thanks to HostHattie, Bluemarble and Patria21. I will Try ?? to get Cunard on the phone to see what can be done. Perhaps as for some others, it had been the prospect of the 2022 World Cruise that sort of got me through the COVID period and kept my spirits up.

[Windsurfboy]

It's interesting  , we were booked on Capetown to UK  leg in 2022, there is similiar journey  in 2023, but Cunard didn't offer that , luckily already booked on that. 

[outlawuk]

My thanks for the advice. Warning: First World problem! So with my QV world 22 cancelled we are now booked for 2023 but whereas we had a deluxe inside midships we are now in standard inside deck 8 as far toward as can be. It will be tiny. The Cunard rep called and it was rather a case of take it or leave it. I suppose we should be grateful as we now have a cabin, but it’s not quite how I’d originally hoped. 2022 was booked onboard with the perfect cabin. Anyhow it will be fun on board all the same. Something at last to look forward to.

[Patria21]

4 hours ago, outlawuk said:

My thanks for the advice. Warning: First World problem! So with my QV world 22 cancelled we are now booked for 2023 but whereas we had a deluxe inside midships we are now in standard inside deck 8 as far toward as can be. It will be tiny. The Cunard rep called and it was rather a case of take it or leave it. I suppose we should be grateful as we now have a cabin, but it’s not quite how I’d originally hoped. 2022 was booked onboard with the perfect cabin. Anyhow it will be fun on board all the same. Something at last to look forward to.

That's a great attitude and I think (hope) you're right: It will be a wonderful trip no matter what. But I wouldn't give up all hope for a different cabin just yet. 2023 is a long way off and almost inevitably some people will drop out and some cabins will open up. I'm not saying check every day, but you might want to check periodically, or at least check around when final payments are due - or get an agent involved who can do it for you. Unless you're happy where you are, in which case, great!

[57eric]

I've been looking for clues about QM2's new Caribbean voyages.  All I've found are calls at Tortola 1/31 and 4/11.  Perhaps someone more resourceful can do better.

[57eric]

If I'm tracking properly, with regard to the QM2 voyages replacing the 2022 World Voyage:

• No schedule yet.
• No on sale date yet (other than "July").
• https://www.cunard.com/en-us/winter-escape-voyages is a dead link.

 

[bluemarble]

1 hour ago, 57eric said:

If I'm tracking properly, with regard to the QM2 voyages replacing the 2022 World Voyage:

• No schedule yet.
• No on sale date yet (other than "July").
• https://www.cunard.com/en-us/winter-escape-voyages is a dead link.

 

Yes, I think that's an accurate summary of the situation. I too was puzzled by that dead link on the US website when I first saw it sometime last week. I took a look at the UK website and it had a page that worked, but it was pretty much just a general blurb about the new voyages that will be on sale July 2021.

 

Now, I think the link in the US website has been fixed to take us to this "New 2021 and 2022 voyages" page. The URL on the US website is now "grand-escape-voyages" instead of "winter-escape-voyages".

 

US: https://www.cunard.com/en-us/grand-escape-voyages

 

Find your freedom.

 

Enjoy the escape you’ve been dreaming of. With 44 new 2021 and 2022 voyages sailing on board Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria.

On sale July 2021.

 

Grand Escape Voyages.

 

Get back to what you love with a series of new 2021 and 2022 voyages sailing from October.

 

With sailings from 7-35 nights, including three roundtrips to the Caribbean, and several Transatlantic Crossings, look forward to an escape that delivers everything you’ve been missing. Relish the iconic Transatlantic Crossing or grab your sandals and sunhats to explore the beauty and tranquility of the Caribbean.

 

The choice, as always with Cunard, is yours.

 

========================================

 

On the UK website, the URL is "overseas-escapes" with slightly different verbiage mentioning Western Europe, Iberia and the Baltic Sea

 

UK: https://www.cunard.com/en-gb/overseas-escapes

 

Find your freedom.

 

Enjoy the overseas escape you’ve been dreaming of, with 44 new 2021 and 2022 voyages sailing on board Queen Elizabeth, Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria.

 

On sale July 2021.

 

Overseas Escapes.

 

Get back to what you love this winter with a series of new 2021 and 2022 overseas voyages sailing from October.

 

With holidays from 2-40 nights, including roundtrips to the Caribbean, Transatlantic Crossings, short breaks in Western Europe and sun-filled Iberian adventures, you can look forward to an escape that delivers everything you’ve been missing. Swap knitwear and umbrellas for sandals and sunhats or explore the countries of the Baltic Sea.

 

The choice, as always with Cunard, is yours.

Edited July 4, 2021 by bluemarble

[57eric]

Blue Marble is correct as always, but the working links have only generic information; my first two bullets remain mysteries.

[57eric]

I just got an email "New sun-filled voyages to be announced soon".  That's it.  Maybe they're having trouble finding dock space?

[bluemarble]

2 hours ago, 57eric said:

I just got an email "New sun-filled voyages to be announced soon".  That's it.  Maybe they're having trouble finding dock space?

 

I just got that email too. One detail I think is new is this statement (emphasis mine).

 

"Sink into white sands in the Caribbean sailing roundtrip New York and Fort Lauderdale...".

 

On another related note, the link to the "Grand Escape Voyages" page no longer works on the US website's home page. It's currently generating "ERR_TOO_MANY_REDIRECTS".

 

The equivalent link to the "Overseas Escapes" page is working on the UK website.

[foodsvcmgr]

If that’s the case I suspect it will be something like 14 days r/t New York and 10 days Ft.
Lauderdale for the same, rather than two completely different, cruise(s).

Not particularly attractive for those sailing out of NY.

Cunard should study NCL’s itineraries to the Caribbean ex-NY, far more creative and interesting than what has been on offer for the past decade on QM2.