Just spoke to Cunard about their PIF policies

[fredandkell]

We have a PIF coming up March 15 for a July 13 cruise. They are not changing any PIF dates and are sticking to their current PIF/cancellation schedule. The lady on the phone told me that, "If after our PIF date, we cancel due to corona virus, we can apply the money toward a future cruise." I asked her if that policy was in writing anywhere, and she said, 'No.' I literally laughed out loud and was like, that's not acceptable. If I'm going to cancel my cruise after a PIF date I'm not doing it by just "assuming" that I can apply the money toward a future cruise without it being in writing. I also encouraged her to pass it up to the higher-ups that they need to change their PIF policies or they are about to get a lot of cancellations. I said, "I, for one, really want to go on this cruise this summer and will happily keep my booking, if I could just have about a month longer to make the decision. On the other hand, if you make me make the decision now, my husband is going to put his foot down and insist we cancel." They did not seem concerned by this at all.

On the other hand, you have companies like Tauck (river cruises) who have put, in writing, that one can now delay PIFs up to 30 days before departure. See https://www.tauck.com/travel-policy-update THAT is how you keep customers. THAT is how you keep them coming back. That's how you build brand respect and loyalty.

 

[mmmears]

DCL is doing the same (not changing the PIF date). If they continue that up until our PIF date we will cancel, and like you if they extend it we will wait. Seems rather shortsighted on their part IMHO.

 

[quandrea]

Cunard, in my experience, is horrible to deal with. Very poor customer service. To say I hate that cruise line, would be a gross understatement. And I rarely use the word hate.

 

[fredandkell]

Cunard, in my experience, is horrible to deal with. Very poor customer service. To say I hate that cruise line, would be a gross understatement. And I rarely use the word hate.

Oh wow! That's crazy. This is our first time using them, and I wasn't very impressed with the lady on the phone, as they market themselves as a luxury line. Well, I'll wait and see. The worst that happens is I cancel now and end up rebooking later if this whole thing clear out, ha! But I just can't believe the cruise lines are doing the "hold hard" thing right now, when if they simply softened their policies a bit temporarily, I feel confident that many of them would retain their customers, who would then feel goodwill toward them and tell people about their good experiences...instead of complaining about them on a message board, ha!

 

[tlprice]

Cunard is owned by Carnival--need I say more?

 

[monkeydawn]

Cunard is owned by Carnival--need I say more?

Carnival seems to have been one of the more proactive lines. Theyve changed ports in the Caribbean that have been difficult for other lines to access and they were one of the firsts to offer to rebook without penalty. They are also giving an OBC for those choosing to sail during these times anyway. I'd be thrilled if MSC started following Carnivals example.

 

[pearljammer]

I’d cancel Cunard, get your full refund and either rebook with them later or just go with another cruise line when and if you are comfortable later.

 

[starvenger]

Carnival seems to have been one of the more proactive lines. Theyve changed ports in the Caribbean that have been difficult for other lines to access and they were one of the firsts to offer to rebook without penalty. They are also giving an OBC for those choosing to sail during these times anyway. I'd be thrilled if MSC started following Carnivals example.

So it sounds like the various cruise lines under Carnival Corp are allowed to set their own policies. I suppose that makes sense given that they own approximately 50 cruise lines.

 

[fredandkell]

So it sounds like the various cruise lines under Carnival Corp are allowed to set their own policies. I suppose that makes sense given that they own approximately 50 cruise lines.

Wow! I didn't even know there were 50 cruise lines!

Cunard is much like Disney, in that it only has 3 ships and caters to a more spendy crowd. (Well, not me, haha, as I'm in the cheapest inside rooms, but you know what I mean!) So yes, I know for them that there is the potential for huge business loss with only 3 ships.

 

[fredandkell]

I’d cancel Cunard, get your full refund and either rebook with them later or just go with another cruise line when and if you are comfortable later.

This may be the route I go. However, I don't have travel insurance (yet) and it looks like the only travel insurance left to buy is the cruise insurance. So if I cancel the cruise part of my trip, then none of my trip will qualify for travel insurance. If I keep the cruise, I can do a 75% "cancel for any reason" policy which could help pay for airline miles reinstatement fees (which will be $1,200). But....I think, too, that if the cruise ended up being canceled totally, odds are that airlines will be issuing waivers and whatnot so I may not have to pay those fees after all? It's driving me crazy and I want more time, which is why I hope they cave and allow later PIFs like other lines.

 

[pearljammer]

This may be the route I go. However, I don't have travel insurance (yet) and it looks like the only travel insurance left to buy is the cruise insurance. So if I cancel the cruise part of my trip, then none of my trip will qualify for travel insurance. If I keep the cruise, I can do a 75% "cancel for any reason" policy which could help pay for airline miles reinstatement fees (which will be $1,200). But....I think, too, that if the cruise ended up being canceled totally, odds are that airlines will be issuing waivers and whatnot so I may not have to pay those fees after all? It's driving me crazy and I want more time, which is why I hope they cave and allow later PIFs like other lines.

So for us, our PIF (even though it’s already paid off) was at the end of March. So we have a few more weeks. I found out yesterday, that’s been extended to end of April. Now while I need to get confirmation, that should be a full refund (no cruise credit). If I find out it’s NOT a full refund, I may cancel. NOW. With that said, I received word from NCL today, that we can cancel 48 hours in advance (for cruises through Sep 30). So even if we don’t cancel, we can use it for a cruise credit anytime through Dec 2022. What I have already done, is booked a northern europe cruise for next summer JUST in case the med cruise this summer doesn’t work out. I have a deposit on that cruise. So either way for me, refund or transfer credit, I have a back up plan.

Flights. We too have already purchased flights to Rome via American Airlines. I will tell you I’m MORE nervous about their generosity than I was the cruise. They aren’t budging much. Fortunately though, with the NCL‘s decision, I now have more time to wait this out to see how it goes. My airline tickets aren’t refundable nor do I have travel insurance. The worst case scenario is I take a hit on the change fee if I make changes to the flight. If I cancel the flight, I’ll take a hit on change fees with a credit to use within a certain time frame.

If this drags out and gets worse in Italy, then the best scenario is that it affects the airlines in a way that flights during my travel time (end of July) will be affected and I can make changes with no penalty. With NCL now being so flexible, it’s just a wait and see for me with what the airline will do.

If all pans out and we go this summer, I’ll merely either cancel the northern europe next year or pick another NCL cruise and move that deposit.

Back up planning.......merely doing what I can when I can as it’s a fluid situation so just trying to plan/change plans as opportunity arises/presents itself. So waiting and watching, basing decisions when I can.

That’s my plan of attack!

 

[fredandkell]

So for us, our PIF (even though it’s already paid off) was at the end of March. So we have a few more weeks. I found out yesterday, that’s been extended to end of April. Now while I need to get confirmation, that should be a full refund (no cruise credit). If I find out it’s NOT a full refund, I may cancel. NOW. With that said, I received word from NCL today, that we can cancel 48 hours in advance (for cruises through Sep 30). So even if we don’t cancel, we can use it for a cruise credit anytime through Dec 2022. What I have already done, is booked a northern europe cruise for next summer JUST in case the med cruise this summer doesn’t work out. I have a deposit on that cruise. So either way for me, refund or transfer credit, I have a back up plan.

Flights. We too have already purchased flights to Rome via American Airlines. I will tell you I’m MORE nervous about their generosity than I was the cruise. They aren’t budging much. Fortunately though, with the NCL‘s decision, I now have more time to wait this out to see how it goes. My airline tickets aren’t refundable nor do I have travel insurance. The worst case scenario is I take a hit on the change fee if I make changes to the flight. If I cancel the flight, I’ll take a hit on change fees with a credit to use within a certain time frame.

If this drags out and gets worse in Italy, then the best scenario is that it affects the airlines in a way that flights during my travel time (end of July) will be affected and I can make changes with no penalty. With NCL now being so flexible, it’s just a wait and see for me with what the airline will do.

If all pans out and we go this summer, I’ll merely either cancel the northern europe next year or pick another NCL cruise and move that deposit.

Back up planning.......merely doing what I can when I can as it’s a fluid situation so just trying to plan/change plans as opportunity arises/presents itself. So waiting and watching, basing decisions when I can.

That’s my plan of attack!

I hear ya! Same here! We can convert our trip this summer to 100% land-based as a backup but I’d rather keep my cruise if I can.

 

[fredandkell]

Update on my situation - after tweeting, Facebook messengering, and other ways of trying to get ahold of Cunard, I finally got them this morning the *minute* their phone lines opened up. (Had called several times this week and never could get through.) Sadly canceled my cruise this a.m. Told them again, that if they had let me delay my PIF like the other cruise lines, I would have kept the reservation. This sucks.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Cunard, in my experience, is horrible to deal with. Very poor customer service. To say I hate that cruise line, would be a gross understatement. And I rarely use the word hate.

Cunard is owned by Carnival Corp. That's all I need to know.

 

[fredandkell]

Cunard is owned by Carnival Corp. That's all I need to know.

Good point. Just looked on Carnival’s website and they didn’t delay PIF either. Most lines did though.

 

[DCLCruiseFan09]

Carnival seems to have been one of the more proactive lines. Theyve changed ports in the Caribbean that have been difficult for other lines to access and they were one of the firsts to offer to rebook without penalty. They are also giving an OBC for those choosing to sail during these times anyway. I'd be thrilled if MSC started following Carnivals example.

Carnival is the worst of them all in my opinion. The decision by Grand Cayman and Jamaica to deny docking to the MSC ship that went there scared Carnival. I had friends on one of the ships and they asked an officer who was really frank with them and said that often times, Carnival will make decisions to allow people on board that should not be there (Sick, etc) and they had to visit different ports because they were afraid of being turned away also.

Their ship was the one that was turned away from Grand Turk that same week because they had several sick people on board.