P&O cancellation / Medical questionnaire

[Mollag]

1 hour ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Hi all, it's been a while since I lasted posted and see that there have been many posts since so apologies if this has already been answered but has anyone had any success with having cruise costs reimbursed due to P&O cancelling cruise after honestly answering yes to the 'have you...: medical questionaire. I complained to P&O by email shortly after this event and had an apology which interestingly also admitted that they could, quote 'appreciate that perhaps more clarity needs to be given surrounding the nature of the questionaire'  unquote.

Having had no further response then filled in a web complaint form on 13 November which was also acknowledged on 13 November. ( hese web forms are dreadful, not just P&O, automated response  has no references, date or who it's from making it difficult to submit as evidence, anybody could have composed it) No reply to date which is a generous allowance above 28 days that I think ABTA requires.

Now submitted complaint to ABTA so await with trepidation as I fully expect them to be on P&O side unless they truly are independent.

Bill D.

We got a result through ABTA with P&O can’t understand why more people don’t go through them rather than rolling over and accepting the useless responses from P&O 

 

[Megabear2]

3 hours ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Hi all, it's been a while since I lasted posted and see that there have been many posts since so apologies if this has already been answered but has anyone had any success with having cruise costs reimbursed due to P&O cancelling cruise after honestly answering yes to the 'have you...: medical questionaire. I complained to P&O by email shortly after this event and had an apology which interestingly also admitted that they could, quote 'appreciate that perhaps more clarity needs to be given surrounding the nature of the questionaire'  unquote.

Having had no further response then filled in a web complaint form on 13 November which was also acknowledged on 13 November. ( hese web forms are dreadful, not just P&O, automated response  has no references, date or who it's from making it difficult to submit as evidence, anybody could have composed it) No reply to date which is a generous allowance above 28 days that I think ABTA requires.

Now submitted complaint to ABTA so await with trepidation as I fully expect them to be on P&O side unless they truly are independent.

Bill D.

Hello Bill. If you read Kopchader's posts above in this thread you will see after 2 months he received FCC from P&O.  Under the circumstances I would chase again via Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com and give them a time limit to respond that you consider reasonable and tell them you are going to ABTA.  I suggest you copy Kopchadder's posts as evidence you know they have at least paid someone and ask why your case is different and remains unresolved.

[duckville_daisy]

I to have been through the on line health questionnaire "your cruise has been canceled" routine with P&O.

I was not very happy about this and took P&O on directly as I felt that cancelling a cruise in this way when the customer is not actually unfit to travel is a breach of both P&Os Ts&Cs and ABTAs members code of conduct Ts&Cs. I also felt that that P&Os actions were uninsureable.

 

I can report to this forum that following 2 months of pressure and my refusal to accept any FCCs from P&O both my credit card company and eventually P&O agreed and I have now received a full refund of all monies payed to P&O along with cost of the travel insurance I took out for the cruise.

 

P&O have also told me that it is now no longer a requirement for customers to complete their on line health check form.

 

 

[Exiled Brummie]

Well had response from ABTA today, they said they are unable to help as they cannot interfere with the terms and conditions P&O set for permission to board.

So my question to you guys that got a refund, what is your secret? We are of course bitterly disappointed in the ABTA response especially as reports of success had raised our hopes.

Just contemplating where to go now, we are certainly not giving up.

 

Bill D.

 

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Well had response from ABTA today, they said they are unable to help as they cannot interfere with the terms and conditions P&O set for permission to board.

So my question to you guys that got a refund, what is your secret? We are of course bitterly disappointed in the ABTA response especially as reports of success had raised our hopes.

Just contemplating where to go now, we are certainly not giving up.

 

Bill D.

 

Did you get a final response letter from P&O and your insurance company? It might be worth trying your card company if so as neither have honoured the contract.

 

P&O are quite big news at the moment following the Arvia fiasco. If all else fails try the media outlets?

[Exiled Brummie]

Hi Megabear2, thanks for that, following response from ABTA (wonder why Mollag response from ABTA was different from mine?)  we are reviewing where to go next so decided we will send another complaint to P&O as they haven't actually replied to our original complaint.

ABTA required 28 days for P&O to respond to us and we gave them well over that before submitting formal complaint to ABTA.

We also have a name for legal help so exploring that as well although we look upon that as a last resort as it will cost (a legal letter works wonders sometimes, my son had a friend at Uni whose dad was a solicitor, a letter from him with a few well chosen legal references to a cowboy parking company had an immediate withdrawal of 'fine')

We will not give up on this, other subscribers success here gives us hope.

Bill D.

[Megabear2]

21 minutes ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Hi Megabear2, thanks for that, following response from ABTA (wonder why Mollag response from ABTA was different from mine?)  we are reviewing where to go next so decided we will send another complaint to P&O as they haven't actually replied to our original complaint.

ABTA required 28 days for P&O to respond to us and we gave them well over that before submitting formal complaint to ABTA.

We also have a name for legal help so exploring that as well although we look upon that as a last resort as it will cost (a legal letter works wonders sometimes, my son had a friend at Uni whose dad was a solicitor, a letter from him with a few well chosen legal references to a cowboy parking company had an immediate withdrawal of 'fine')

We will not give up on this, other subscribers success here gives us hope.

Bill D.

It might be worth checking your household insurance policies, bank accounts and credit cards in case there is legal advice attached (union membership too).

 

I'm assuming as the 28 days had passed you have been using email as your chosen medium.  I would suggest a recorded letter to Carnival House that has to be signed for would be a good step.  Certainly don't give them another 28 days.

 

You don't mention your insurers, did you try to claim and were rejected? If so I'd go back to ABTA stating you're not happy - telephone and ask why you're being treated differently to others who have received FCC or refunds.  Point out that you booked under different conditions- assuming it was not a late booking after September 2022 - and tell them it's not a question of terms and conditions more an avoidance of liability on a term they know to be uninsurable.  

 

The letter from your insurer plus any explanation you can wrangle out of them will be invaluable if you do need to go to a lawyer.

[Exiled Brummie]

Thanks for quick response Megabear2,  yes we originally went through our insurance (Staysure) as suggested by P&O.  Staysure responded stating that as it was P&O that cancelled, it is P&O that are liable and our insurance does not cover that. This ties in with previous posts, even the much promoted (by P&O) Holiday Extras who I believe gave the same response.

Bill D.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Thanks for quick response Megabear2,  yes we originally went through our insurance (Staysure) as suggested by P&O.  Staysure responded stating that as it was P&O that cancelled, it is P&O that are liable and our insurance does not cover that. This ties in with previous posts, even the much promoted (by P&O) Holiday Extras who I believe gave the same response.

Bill D.

Sorry to keep questioning but did you send Staysure's response to both ABTA and P&O? If so have either of them commented - assumedly not P&O but ABTA possibly? If you did send it to ABTA they appear to be condoning P&O knowingly selling an uninsurable holiday and stating it's buyer beware.  If that is the case I would challenge them again.

 

Not to do with this issue but I had cause to argue with ABTA on a matter last year and did eventually prevail despite them stating nothing to do with them originally.  Some staff are better at understanding problems than others.

 

If ABTA still say nothing to do with them I suggest telling them you will be in touch with the media to inform them that ABTA are failing travellers on an extremely difficult situation causing uninsurable loss.  State it's a matter of confidence issue for the overall travelling public not just cruisers.  Their name is used to sell confidence to the traveller, just letting P&O ride roughshod over those who have fallen foul of this is simply not acceptable.

 

Also if it was a fair policy why did P&O only operate it from September to December? Play devios advocate and mention the Holiday Extras reply from September.

Edited January 31, 2023 by Megabear2

[Exiled Brummie]

Thanks again megabear2,  no apology needed for questions, very grateful for them. Yes we sent a whole load of stuff to ABTA including Staysure response. Interested in comment about fair policy, could you expand on what P&O operated from September to December.

I am just compiling a complaint now via Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com as previously suggested. Citing awareness of many other similar complaints on this site and response from their much promoted Holiday Extras company. Also said in view of the time it has taken P&O so far I have given them 10 working days to respond. Claiming cost of cruise, excursions and insurance.

Bill D.

[Megabear2]

56 minutes ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Thanks again megabear2,  no apology needed for questions, very grateful for them. Yes we sent a whole load of stuff to ABTA including Staysure response. Interested in comment about fair policy, could you expand on what P&O operated from September to December.

I am just compiling a complaint now via Executive.Correspondence@carnivalukgroup.com as previously suggested. Citing awareness of many other similar complaints on this site and response from their much promoted Holiday Extras company. Also said in view of the time it has taken P&O so far I have given them 10 working days to respond. Claiming cost of cruise, excursions and insurance.

Bill D.

Until beginning of September 2022 anyone failing the health questionnaire - which was identical to the one you completed - was refused boarding but automatically issued with a FCC for the full cost of their holiday.  If you booked prior to September of course assumed you had booked on terms acceptable to you in the event you could not travel - my family and I could not travel last April as several of us caught covid at a wedding.  Not all caught it but all 10 were disbarred from travelling and we received within 48 hours FCC into our accounts.  

 

The new policy started around 6 September telling passengers they no longer qualified for FCC for denied boarding or quarantine and had to claim on their travel insurance. At that time I was travelling in December so wrote to Holiday Extras on behalf of my family as quite a few of us held policies with them and they were recommended by the cruise lines. Mr Edinburgh had been most helpful to us earlier in the year explaining his company's role. The reply from him is the one I posted here and referred to.  

 

Immediately after the new policy and terms went live the number of people here and on social media stating they'd been refused boarding and lost their money escalated enormously.  Myself and others started putting pressure on P&O to explain how people could claim on a non existent insurance policy citing unfair trading terms.

 

Although they never actually replied directly I was in contact with their lawyers - ongoing from February.  Suddenly out of the blue long past the promised reply date it was announced that for cruises departing after 9 December the health questionnaire was dropped and no one need complete it.

 

A few posted here to say P&O settled things with them. Social media generally had others but all appear to have been forced into non disclosure agreements.

 

However the advice I personally took was the terms were unfair and should be challenged legally if necessary. In the event my family cruised on 9 December and myself on 16th so I did not pursue the matter further.  In light of the advice I received I would say your case is good.

[Exiled Brummie]

Very enlightening thank you. I realise I did not explain (I may have done on my original posting) that we originally booked our cruise in 2019 for a Canary Isles trip in October 2020, a 40th wedding anniversay treat, we all know what happened then, P&O agreed for us to postpone until 2022 as was not happy that we would get the holiday we booked with all the onboard restrictions in place for 2021 and no guarantee we would be allowed to disembark when we got to destinations.

I will certainly take your advice and go back to ABTA.

Watch this space.

Bill D.

[Megabear2]

5 minutes ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Very enlightening thank you. I realise I did not explain (I may have done on my original posting) that we originally booked our cruise in 2019 for a Canary Isles trip in October 2020, a 40th wedding anniversay treat, we all know what happened then, P&O agreed for us to postpone until 2022 as was not happy that we would get the holiday we booked with all the onboard restrictions in place for 2021 and no guarantee we would be allowed to disembark when we got to destinations.

I will certainly take your advice and go back to ABTA.

Watch this space.

Bill D.

Bill, did you just rebook the cruise back when it was obvious you couldn't travel, or did P&O put FCC into your account to be used at a later date?  Your course of action will be different depending on this and the date of your actual booking for the cruise you were denied boarding on, basically what date does your booking confirmation for the 2022 cruise state?

[Exiled Brummie]

We had an acknowlegement on 02 July 2021 for deferred cruise taking place on 08 October 2022.

They highlighted terms which were basically unable to accept guests that had tested positive for covid, were self isolating or require various other medical assistance non of which applied to us at the time of the medical declaration fiasco. They also stated travellers must have fully comprehensive cruise insurance including amongst others, cover for repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. All included in our cover which I suggest is pretty standard stuff other than, as it turns out, cruise cancelled by P&O.

Bill D.

[Megabear2]

10 minutes ago, Exiled Brummie said:

We had an acknowlegement on 02 July 2021 for deferred cruise taking place on 08 October 2022.

They highlighted terms which were basically unable to accept guests that had tested positive for covid, were self isolating or require various other medical assistance non of which applied to us at the time of the medical declaration fiasco. They also stated travellers must have fully comprehensive cruise insurance including amongst others, cover for repatriation, cancellation and curtailment. All included in our cover which I suggest is pretty standard stuff other than, as it turns out, cruise cancelled by P&O.

Bill D.

Thank you.  That's great. I just wanted to check confirmed booking was before September.  At the point you booked you could assume FCC was in place.  Your cruise timing was unfortunately inside the problem period.  However unless you were notified of the policy change you wouldn't have been aware of it as your My P&O wouldn't refer to it.

[bbtablet]

22 hours ago, Exiled Brummie said:

 Also said in view of the time it has taken P&O so far I have given them 10 working days to respond. Claiming cost of cruise, excursions and insurance.

Bill D.

Just picking up on your reference to excursions here. All excursions are fully refundable on cancellation if made before the start of the cruise (and often even once on board, depending on the number of days before the excursion). As P&O cancelled your cruise they have also cancelled your excursions and must refund the payments for them that you had already made. The fact that you inply that even this standard event did not take place suggests an almighty foul-up in dealing with your case.

 

I know you may not wish to rejoin discussion with P&O on this particular relatively minor cost track at the moment as it might divert away from the general thrust of your argument, but I would bear it in mind for eventual action even if all else is lost.

Edited February 1, 2023 by bbtablet
edit

[tring]

18 minutes ago, bbtablet said:

Just picking up on your reference to excursions here. All excursions are fully refundable on cancellation if made before the start of the cruise (and often even once on board, depending on the number of days before the excursion). As P&O cancelled your cruise they have also cancelled your excursions and must refund the payments for them that you had already made. The fact that you inply that even this standard event did not take place suggests an almighty foul-up in dealing with your case.

 

I know you may not wish to rejoin discussion with P&O on this particular relatively minor cost track at the moment as it might divert away from the general thrust of your argument, but I would bear it in mind for eventual action even if all else is lost.

 

No mention that they were P & O excursions though, perhaps they were booked elsewhere and insurance is not normally refunded either.  Just a thought.

 

[bbtablet]

55 minutes ago, tring said:

 

No mention that they were P & O excursions though, perhaps they were booked elsewhere and insurance is not normally refunded either.  Just a thought.

 

 

56 minutes ago, tring said:

 

No mention that they were P & O excursions though, perhaps they were booked elsewhere and insurance is not normally refunded either.  Just a thought.

 

Yes, good points!

[doog442]

We've both tested positive 3 days before our flight and two week Arvia Caribbean cruise and have all the symptoms. I'm just checking we've covered all bases.

 

We have insurance through our bank and Aviva which has covid cover. They state they need more than an LFT, so we've organised a single postal PCR test via Lloyds chemists. Aviva appeared quite vague on what was required as proof but seemed to think this would do.

 

Before I contacted my agent I went onto my booking on P&O and cancelled the speciality restaurants but couldn't cancel the P&O excursions (there was no option to cancel) I've also cancelled two non P&0 excursions with a promise of full refunds.  

 

I contacted the TA who said it would take two weeks for P&O to send a cancellation confirmation for insurance purposes. Something's happened as I can't access my booking now.

 

We've lost two weeks of APH parking as I booked them with Tesco vouchers / points, likewise a pre flight hotel. To clarify we've actually lost a shed load of Tesco coupons I guess and I don't believe my insurance will cover this. 

 

Do P&0  automatically refund their excursions / restaurant bookings ? More importantly has anyone had to cancel recently for Covid reasons and did it go smoothly with P&O and the insurance process? How long will it take do you think and have I missed anything. Cheers.

[Exiled Brummie]

Email gone off to ABTA specifying various changes to terms that have occurred, changes to medical declaration, withdrawal of FCC etc etc and failure of P&O to respond to our complaint dated  13 November 2022 asking why all this is not worthy of investigation, also my knowledge of other cruisers with identical issue with medical declaration who have had success with ABTA   so what is different about our complaint and finally the damage this is doing to the ABTA image.

 

Also sent off copies of correspondence and the whole sorry saga to Executive Correspondence address given on this forum.

So lets see what gives next.

Bill D.

[Megabear2]

1 hour ago, Exiled Brummie said:

Email gone off to ABTA specifying various changes to terms that have occurred, changes to medical declaration, withdrawal of FCC etc etc and failure of P&O to respond to our complaint dated  13 November 2022 asking why all this is not worthy of investigation, also my knowledge of other cruisers with identical issue with medical declaration who have had success with ABTA   so what is different about our complaint and finally the damage this is doing to the ABTA image.

 

Also sent off copies of correspondence and the whole sorry saga to Executive Correspondence address given on this forum.

So lets see what gives next.

Bill D.

Well done.  Did you see the very good points from the guys just above your reply?  As they say if you had P&O excursions they should have been repaid immediately by P&O.  If however your excursions were non refundable personal bookings I would suggest you obtain written proof of them being non refundable and try to negotiate their cost as extra compensation.  Your insurance costs unfortunately will not normally be refundable.

[Megabear2]

2 hours ago, doog442 said:

We've both tested positive 3 days before our flight and two week Arvia Caribbean cruise and have all the symptoms. I'm just checking we've covered all bases.

 

We have insurance through our bank and Aviva which has covid cover. They state they need more than an LFT, so we've organised a single postal PCR test via Lloyds chemists. Aviva appeared quite vague on what was required as proof but seemed to think this would do.

 

Before I contacted my agent I went onto my booking on P&O and cancelled the speciality restaurants but couldn't cancel the P&O excursions (there was no option to cancel) I've also cancelled two non P&0 excursions with a promise of full refunds.  

 

I contacted the TA who said it would take two weeks for P&O to send a cancellation confirmation for insurance purposes. Something's happened as I can't access my booking now.

 

We've lost two weeks of APH parking as I booked them with Tesco vouchers / points, likewise a pre flight hotel. To clarify we've actually lost a shed load of Tesco coupons I guess and I don't believe my insurance will cover this. 

 

Do P&0  automatically refund their excursions / restaurant bookings ? More importantly has anyone had to cancel recently for Covid reasons and did it go smoothly with P&O and the insurance process? How long will it take do you think and have I missed anything. Cheers.

Very sorry to hear you are unwell. I hope you both get well soon.

 

How long is the Lloyd's PCR kit going to take to arrive?  It might be useful to take another daily LFT and photograph.  I would also suggest reporting your result to your doctor and asking for the record to be noted in your medical records.  That way if there's any delay in the PCR and you are not showing positive at the time it arrives you will at least have a medical record stating you were positive.

 

This if it helps was the information provided by Holiday Extras as to how they would accept proof if a PCR wasn't the first test taken.

 

Obviously Aviva are different but they must be aware of the difficulties in obtaining PCR tests at short notice.

 

[doog442]

Hi Megabear thanks for your concern.

 

We both have cold / flu type symptoms and were due to travel to Birmingham on Friday for the Saturday flight. Without symptoms we wouldn't ordinarily have tested notwithstanding my wife is feeling pretty rotten. We've been in hospital with an elderly relative all week so we know where we got it, he also has it but they delayed telling any visitors. 

 

We're doing the test with Lloyds chemist and they state the kit will arrive in 2 days, then of course we have postage back to the lab. Hence the concern. 

 

Thanks for the advice about reporting it to our doctor, will also take a photo of the LFT's as suggested.

 

As you say obtaining PCR's at short notice is almost impossible. 

 

I'm really not looking forward to the claim, very stressful . 

 

 

[Ardennais]

4 hours ago, doog442 said:

We've both tested positive 3 days before our flight and two week Arvia Caribbean cruise and have all the symptoms. I'm just checking we've covered all bases.

 

We have insurance through our bank and Aviva which has covid cover. They state they need more than an LFT, so we've organised a single postal PCR test via Lloyds chemists. Aviva appeared quite vague on what was required as proof but seemed to think this would do.

 

Before I contacted my agent I went onto my booking on P&O and cancelled the speciality restaurants but couldn't cancel the P&O excursions (there was no option to cancel) I've also cancelled two non P&0 excursions with a promise of full refunds.  

 

I contacted the TA who said it would take two weeks for P&O to send a cancellation confirmation for insurance purposes. Something's happened as I can't access my booking now.

 

We've lost two weeks of APH parking as I booked them with Tesco vouchers / points, likewise a pre flight hotel. To clarify we've actually lost a shed load of Tesco coupons I guess and I don't believe my insurance will cover this. 

 

Do P&0  automatically refund their excursions / restaurant bookings ? More importantly has anyone had to cancel recently for Covid reasons and did it go smoothly with P&O and the insurance process? How long will it take do you think and have I missed anything. Cheers.

I’m so sorry to read this and hope that you both feel better soon.

 

Regarding the insurance, I recently had to claim from my insurers after cancelling a cruise beginning of December - not Covid related but a close relation fell ill and was hospitalized. 

 

This was a FO cruise, and the TA sent the cancellation invoice within 4 days. We had to cancel a Cunard cruise about 5 years ago, same TA and the cancellation invoice was again sent within about 3-4 days. I can’t imagine why P&O should be any different. 
 

Sorry about the parking. With the Cunard cruise, I remember we ‘paid’ for the pre-hotel stay by redeeming a free night with a booking company, but were unable to claim for that, so sort of similar to your situation. 
 

Once you have the required documents, the claims process was quite straightforward so don’t be alarmed. In my case, with Staysure, I had to upload all relevant documents but I think it’s also possible to do it by post. It then took a week (5 working days) for them to provide a settlement offer which was exactly what I was expecting. 

[Exiled Brummie]

Yes excursions were booked through P&O. As far as insurance cost I thought I had seen a post here from someone that got recompense for their travel insurance as well. My wife and I have several pre-existing medical conditions although all well controlled with medication so we are otherwise fit and active, however travel insurance abroad and especially for a cruise is eye watering. over £700 for us on this particular cruise. We are even more pigsick about this because when we originally booked in 2019, which of course was cancelled due to Covid we could get no refund of the travel insurance or indeed any sort of discount or allowance towards the next one, a similar amount to above if I remember correctly, so all that money paid on two occasions for no benefit, interestingly the insurance company before was??? yes Holiday Extras. They didn't get our business for the next one, not that it mattered the way things have turned out.

This sort of dishonurable way of doing business is all too common these days, the original Covid cancellations when travel companies were refusing any sort of refund was eventually sorted out by some complaints authority (who was that?) that cracked down and made them pay up. We had a Hoseasons boating holiday booked on the Broads and we spent countless hours try to get through by phone, email, letter before they were forced to pay up.

I have a degree of understanding if not sympathy for businesses in this situation but businesses have ways and means of raising funds and support from banks that the private individual does not.

And by the way isn't this 'apologies for delay, blah blah due to Covid' wearing a bit thin now, sounds like an excuse to me.

Thanks guys for assistance so far, will keep you updated  as I know all these posts are helpful to others as well.

Bill D.