P&O cancellation / Medical questionnaire

[lindyloo22]

Great Megabear thanks for all your hard work my insurance is up for renewal early next year so looking forward to what P & O have to say

[bobstheboy]

Many thanks Megabear. 

 

You rightly state this needs sorting Asap.

[SonNumber1]

I have joined Cruise Critic this morning as I think my mother finds herself in exactly the situation that is presented in the OP.

My mother is due to fly out to the Britannica on Saturday. She completed the health declaration late last night and was honest when replying to the question listing the many symptoms, as she has had a cough in the last ten days (but she has continually tested negative for Covid). Her booking was immediately cancelled and understandably she is very upset.

 

I am here to ask what immediate steps she can do to get the best outcome? Either in terms of still going on the cruise, or if not that, in ensuring that she gets her money back or a rescheduled cruise.

 

Thank you in advance.

[yorkshirephil]

22 minutes ago, SonNumber1 said:

I have joined Cruise Critic this morning as I think my mother finds herself in exactly the situation that is presented in the OP.

My mother is due to fly out to the Britannica on Saturday. She completed the health declaration late last night and was honest when replying to the question listing the many symptoms, as she has had a cough in the last ten days (but she has continually tested negative for Covid). Her booking was immediately cancelled and understandably she is very upset.

 

I am here to ask what immediate steps she can do to get the best outcome? Either in terms of still going on the cruise, or if not that, in ensuring that she gets her money back or a rescheduled cruise.

 

Thank you in advance.

I would contact P&O as soon as possible and explain the situation, note the time and date and who you spoke to. I would imagine that you likely won't get a favourable answer but at some stage I think P&O are going to have to apply some common sense to completing the health declaration or resetting it when errors have been made, especially when legal action starts being taken. P&O will likely point you in the direction of your mothers insurer, however in effect your mother isn't necessarily ill which then could cause problems getting the insurer to pay out. Hopefully @Megabear2will see this and has a lot of experience and knowhow regarding this issue. Good luck.

[Megabear2]

39 minutes ago, SonNumber1 said:

I have joined Cruise Critic this morning as I think my mother finds herself in exactly the situation that is presented in the OP.

My mother is due to fly out to the Britannica on Saturday. She completed the health declaration late last night and was honest when replying to the question listing the many symptoms, as she has had a cough in the last ten days (but she has continually tested negative for Covid). Her booking was immediately cancelled and understandably she is very upset.

 

I am here to ask what immediate steps she can do to get the best outcome? Either in terms of still going on the cruise, or if not that, in ensuring that she gets her money back or a rescheduled cruise.

 

Thank you in advance.

I am sorry to hear of your mother 's difficulties.  I am currently in discussions with P&O on these issues and offer some, hopefully, helpful suggestions.  As she was cancelled yesterday quick action is suggested.

 

1.  Has your mother received any medical treatment for her cough or discussed the issue in anyway with her GP surgery?  If not please get her to call them today and arrange for an urgent appointment- a telephonic appointment should be acceptable if no in person one is.  It is essential to get her "illness" noted into her medical records today and obtain a diagnosis.  I would suggest your mother explains what has happened regarding her cancelled cruise as the staff will then understand why she needs a diagnosis.

 

2. Was your mother travelling with anyone else?  If so assumedly they were cancelled too. Please can you post the information here - no personal details - of how many are affected and if they all live at one address. If not, how far apart do they live?

 

3. Telephone P&O today and insist on a letter/email being sent to you and your mother stating why she has been cancelled .  You are entitled to see a cancellation invoice to show your mother's loss in a "formal" manner.  Insist you require the letter by return.

 

4.  Contact today your mother's travel insurer and state you need to make a claim.  You may well encounter the insurers claim team stating their are delays in dealing with issues.  If this is the case Insist you may have to take action against other parties and to prevent time bar issues you need a quick process - be very firm.

 

5. Please advise via this board who the insurers of your mother and any accompanying travellers are - there are a few companies more sympathetic than others so this information is helpful. Please also could you advise the type of policy held, ie single trip, annual, extended cruise cover, attached to a bank account, specialist age/health care related, ex employee such as civil service etc.  This may well be relevant, particularly the extended cruise cover section.

 

6. Please read the thread on these boards entitled Update on Insurance Issues which was started by me yesterday.  This will give you an idea of the type of arguments you will need to prepare and write to P&O.

 

7. Having read this email P&O on the following email addresses setting out your case and raising a complaint:

 

Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com

 

po.guestsupport@carnivalukgroup.com

 

You will most likely receive a generic reply stating they have 28 days to respond however I suggest in your email you state you want a reply within 10 working days and state you will be contacting ABTA if a suitable resolution is not offered in that time frame.

 

I am very happy to offer assistance and provide help if needed in writing the communications.

 

In closing I am very sorry for the state your mother finds herself in.  I fully understand how upset she will be and send my personal good wishes.  Hopefully we can get a good resolution for her, albeit might take a while.

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Megabear2

[Teddy123]

My thanks too. Clearly P&O are applying their conditions as stated, and the only "line of attack" is that these conditions represent an uninsurable risk and are unfair - especially as the consequences of saying Yes in the wrong place are probably not clear to customers.  P&O need a different solution, perhaps asking those who are honest and do say Yes to take a Covid test and provide the results.

[Megabear2]

5 minutes ago, Teddy123 said:

My thanks too. Clearly P&O are applying their conditions as stated, and the only "line of attack" is that these conditions represent an uninsurable risk and are unfair - especially as the consequences of saying Yes in the wrong place are probably not clear to customers.  P&O need a different solution, perhaps asking those who are honest and do say Yes to take a Covid test and provide the results.

Unfortunately you are correct. I have had further cases of refused boarding reported overnight, including another one via these boards.

 

I am beginning to think if P&O do not deal with this situation for the first time in many years I will be contacting other channels to raise the position into the full public domain.

[Wonky]

14 minutes ago, Teddy123 said:

My thanks too. Clearly P&O are applying their conditions as stated, and the only "line of attack" is that these conditions represent an uninsurable risk and are unfair - especially as the consequences of saying Yes in the wrong place are probably not clear to customers.  P&O need a different solution, perhaps asking those who are honest and do say Yes to take a Covid test and provide the results.

This is absolutely the obvious and sensible thing to do so therefore no chance!

[Megabear2]

The questionnaire is designed to weed out other illnesses too remember, particularly Norovirus.  The problem is that P&O are so busy concentrating on covid they seem to have become blinkered to the fact.

 

I'm interested to know how many people were disbarred from boarding BEFORE covid and am trying to get information from insurers to compare the figures. If, as I suspect, numbers are limited it will prove my theory they are being trigger happy and a little paranoid.

[pennib]

Something has got to be done. It reminds me of the situation we and others found ourselves in last December when queuing at Manchester airport for our flight to join Azura in Barbados. We were given a form to fill in whilst in the queue to check in. Everyone was tired having queued for 5 hours in the airport just to get to the check in queue and most people completed the form wrongly (it was a yes/no situation). A helpful P&O person pointed this out and people changed their answers. Now it seems that you complete the form at home and send it electronically. So the danger of completing it incorrectly are greater . The maxim is (following an established trade practice of measure twice and cut once).

1. PRINT THE BLANK FORM AT HOME BEFORE FILLING IT IN.

2. CHECK THE ANSWERS AT LEAST TWICE.

3. WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY THAT THE ANSWERS ARE OK, CAREFULLY FILL IN THE FORM make a copy of it AND SEND IT OFF. 

 

Remember that the key word is SYMPTOMS, not whether you have or had COVID.

Good luck

 

[SonNumber1]

Thank you for your responses so far - I have forwarded them to my mother. Will update as things develop.

[SonNumber1]

@Megabear2 My mother is insured with Saga on an annual policy. Don't have any more details as to what it actually covers at this point.

[Megabear2]

51 minutes ago, SonNumber1 said:

@Megabear2 My mother is insured with Saga on an annual policy. Don't have any more details as to what it actually covers at this point.

Saga have to date been more helpful than some companies.  I can't say for definite but if your mother gets her cough on to her medical records with her diagnosis she will have a chance of getting her insurance claim accepted as a non covid cancellation.

 

The insurance for covid is a policy within a policy with totally different rules and underwriting requirements.  If the doctor can diagnose an illness which fits into "normal" cancellation cover, things should be much easier to deal with.

 

If anyone else is on the booking on the same insurance policy they should also be able to claim.  Any third parties should also put in a claim on their own policies in the hope the insurer will be able to use the "travelling companion" clause to enable a claim.

 

Good luck, keep us informed of how it's going and when possible anything else yout mother can think of that's relevant.

[Megabear2]

Just for information I have now acquired three more September and October cancellation cases via Tpilot.  There are clearly far more than we are aware of.

[Megabear2]

Further update: it has been confirmed to me that my complaint is now with the legal team who have confirmed they will be in touch with me directly in a few days.

[kevcharben]

Well done on your hard work, I for one appreciate it.

I go in 7 days (Aurora) I wont be answering the questionairre in anyway that will put me at risk of losing my money

[MX-Drew]

7 hours ago, Megabear2 said:

I'm interested to know how many people were disbarred from boarding BEFORE covid and am trying to get information from insurers to compare the figures. If, as I suspect, numbers are limited it will prove my theory they are being trigger happy and a little paranoid.

Maybe a freedom of information request to P&O is required for this information.

[Teddy123]

19 minutes ago, MX-Drew said:

Maybe a freedom of information request to P&O is required for this information.

Unfortunately FoI doesn't apply to privately owned companies.

[Kirsten63]

Hi Megabear2, I would love to see what you have for this as I too have had my cruise cancelled by P and O answering yes to q1 on health form for my other half. He has a cough, he is asthmatic which was declared when I completed the insurance form, but not covid. Our insurance is with P and O and of course we are not covered. This really can't be right. Cruises has cancelled us for covid and insurance won't pay because he doesn't. 

[Megabear2]

9 minutes ago, Kirsten63 said:

Hi Megabear2, I would love to see what you have for this as I too have had my cruise cancelled by P and O answering yes to q1 on health form for my other half. He has a cough, he is asthmatic which was declared when I completed the insurance form, but not covid. Our insurance is with P and O and of course we are not covered. This really can't be right. Cruises has cancelled us for covid and insurance won't pay because he doesn't. 

Sorry to hear of this.  Is this recently, ie in the past week?  Would you be happy to provide me with other details?

[Kirsten63]

It was today, and I'm still having the odd shed of a tear. We were due to sail Sunday on a short cruise with Arcadia, our first cruise together. My partner had his covid top up 3 weeks ago, coincidence maybe but has had a chest infection since, even receiving antibiotics from the Dr's. So when the question came up, has he had any coughs etc, I answered yes, assuming that they would ask further details later, stupid me. Computer said no. I rang p and o and they said there was nothing they could do. I then rang my travel agents who got nowhere too. Then to the p and o insurance company,  not insured as he doesn't have covid, and they cancelled the cruise not us do can't go down that route. The cruise was booked 9th September. 

[Ardennais]

I feel for all of you in this situation. It’s disgraceful. Keep up the good work Megabear2. Many thanks. 

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Kirsten63 said:

It was today, and I'm still having the odd shed of a tear. We were due to sail Sunday on a short cruise with Arcadia, our first cruise together. My partner had his covid top up 3 weeks ago, coincidence maybe but has had a chest infection since, even receiving antibiotics from the Dr's. So when the question came up, has he had any coughs etc, I answered yes, assuming that they would ask further details later, stupid me. Computer said no. I rang p and o and they said there was nothing they could do. I then rang my travel agents who got nowhere too. Then to the p and o insurance company,  not insured as he doesn't have covid, and they cancelled the cruise not us do can't go down that route. The cruise was booked 9th September. 

Is the insurer Holiday Extras?  I have the CEO's details and we may be able to contact him.

 

 I assume you have only had a telephone call with the insurer, not completed any claim forms and also only telephoned P&O?  If so there are steps to be taken to formalise the complaint.  

As you wereccancelled yesterday quick action is suggested.

 

1.   Also your partner is under the GP for a chest infection if he is on antibiotics, is that correct?  It  is essential if he hasn't to call them tomorrow and arrange for an urgent appointment- a telephonic appointment should be acceptable if no in person one is.  It is essential to get his "illness" noted into his medical records but assumedly if he is on antibiotics he has a diagnosis.  I would suggest your partnercexplains what has happened regarding tye cancelled cruise as the staff will then understand why he needs a diagnosis. If he is diagnosed do you have access on the NHS app to his medical records? If so check his diagnosis and take a screenshot or download it.  If you don't have access ask the surgery for urgent access and an email or printed copy of the record.

 

2. Was it just the two of you travelling?  Also do you have a joint policy or two separate ones?  This will help decide on how to go about this.

 

3. Telephone P&O tomorrow first thing and insist on a letter/email being sent to you and your partner immediately stating why your cruise has been cancelled .  You are entitled to see a cancellation invoice to show your loss in a "formal" manner.  Insist you require the letter by return.

 

Once you have confirmed that your partner has proof in his medical records of his illness (don't worry it's not covid) we can move on.  The next step tomorrow is to go back to the insurer and state you need to make a claim.  You may well encounter the insurers claim team stating there is no liability.  Ignore this and insist on receiving a claim number and form.  We will be attempting to claim under cancellation due to illness rather than the covid section.  I will help with that side, just get the claim registered tomorrow for now.

 

5.  Please also could you advise the type of policy held, ie single trip, annual, extended cruise cover - when you say P&O insurance I am assuming Holiday Extras and they actually sell three different levels of cover (they go by colour).  This may well be relevant, particularly the extended cruise cover section.

 

6. Having sorted this email P&O on the following email addresses setting out your case and stating you are raising a complaint.  Feel free to ask if you need an idea of what to say in the email.  Send to both of these:

 

Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com

 

po.guestsupport@carnivalukgroup.com

 

You will most likely receive a generic reply stating they have 28 days to respond however I suggest in your email you state you want a reply within 10 working days and state you will be contacting ABTA if a suitable resolution is not offered in that time frame.

 

I am very happy to offer assistance and provide help if needed in writing the communications.

 

Try not to get too distressed, I know it's easy for me to say that but nothing can be gained now save we set about getting your money back.  Most importantly look after each other and concentrate on your partner getting better.

 

W

 

Edited November 3, 2022 by Megabear2

[Megabear2]

The situation is getting very worrying.  We have two new cases of cancellation in the past 48 hours on these boards, three cases from Tpilot in a week plus the ones I already reported.  As more people go down with seasonal illnesses the problem will inevitably become worse.

 

As i do not have social media accounts i am relying on others catching and seeing cases over there.  Whilst not wanting to be some sort of vigilante i am considering trying to get some sort of presence on one of these mediums to warn people of the problem and give those caught a place to collate information and tell their stories.

 

I confess to being a bit nervous of doing this as I really dislike social media as a forum, however I understand it is possible to create as a group rather than as an individual, a bit like a company account.  All you FB users out there, is that actually possible or would I have to hang myself out to dry to achieve this aim? I've no intention of giving away my personal identity for others to see.

 

Opinions please?

[Kirsten63]

Thank you so much.

 

Yes, only telephone calls have taken place, my travel agent has sent an email to po.guestsupport. As of end of play today they have read it but not answered

 

The insurance is in joint names and is Bronze Cruise Single. Holiday Extras

 

1. We are planning to do this, he does have nhs app and antibiotics are on there

2. It was just the 2 and a joint policy

3. Will do

4. Will do

5. Bronze Cruise Single 

6. Will send emails to both and noted

 

Again thank you so much for taking your time to help, I will update once I have further information 

 

K