Booked on a cruise 31st October 2020 worried now....

margi_g

I have booked a cruise for my husband's 70th birthday in November. Its with P and O and I am paying monthly for it. I tried contacting P&O but they dont reply to emails and the phone options are just for cruises before this. I dont want to go on this cruise and I dont want a credit for a future cruise either . I have travel insurance but do I approach them or just stop the monthly direst debit for the cruise and will I get my money that I have paid so far,Its nearly £1,000.   Do I wait until this cruise is cancelled as well as every other cruise so far or just lose the money. I am paying by credit card so I should have some protection. 

bradders1983

Travel insurance wouldnt cover you if you just decide not to go on it (assuming it sails)

margi_g

If they cancel I can get a refunds from the cruise company  my insurance wouldnt be valid then would it? so what do I do about the insurance I have already paid? lose it I suppose

bagand96

Don't just stop paying.

Travel Insurance won't help you at the moment. If you were to cancel now, you are choosing to cancel and will be subject to P&O T&Cs. Insurance does not cover a change of mind.  For the same reason your credit card company won't help.

If you choose to cancel now, you will likely lose your deposit.  That might be acceptable to you, but that's a choice you need to take. In any event do not just stop payments without talking to P&O (or your travel agent)

You could just wait and see.  P&O might have to cancel the cruise anyway.  Nobody knows if they will or not yet - but a lot of analysis seems to think cruise lines will be the last part of the industry to start a recovery.  Individual countries might be very reluctant to let ships dock. Again, that's a calculated risk though - the cruise might go ahead, and the nearer it gets, the more it will cost you cancel.

bradders1983

If you cancel it yourself you will be subject to their terms and conditions about how much you get back. You cant go to your travel insurance just because you didnt want to go.

If THEY cancel it, that is different.

bagand96

margi_g said:

If they cancel I can get a refunds from the cruise company  my insurance wouldnt be valid then would it? so what do I do about the insurance I have already paid? lose it I suppose

Insurance doesn't just cover you for the time you are on holiday.  From the moment to buy it your are insured for various cancellation benefits. I.e. if you or your husband had an unforeseen medical issue meaning you couldn't travel, you would be covered.  You have had the benefit of that cover from the time you took the policy.

Life__Goes__On

It's a dilemma there is no correct answer.
If you have decided you won't go on the cruise and keep paying in the hope it will be cancelled you risk losing all the money paid  if it sails (dependent on their T&Cs) Although you might be able to  get a doctors note advising against travel, so the insurance should pay out.
If you stop paying you risk losing the money you have already paid (dependent on their T&Cs)

If you can link or  show the T&Cs people on here will be able to help further
 

Life__Goes__On

margi,
The cruise you bought was it  Select Fare, Early Saver or Saver Fare
The T&C  on the Saver  is different to other other two.

Neil49

margi_g said:

If they cancel I can get a refunds from the cruise company  my insurance wouldnt be valid then would it? so what do I do about the insurance I have already paid? lose it I suppose

Forget about the cost of the insurance for now, it's the least of your problems. 

What concerns me is in your original post in which you say "I dont want to go on this cruise and I dont want a credit for a future cruise either"

If you really don't want to go (and you really mean that) then you should consider cancelling asap.  Waiting for P&O to possibly cancel is a gamble because if they don't then you will lose the full cost of the cruise. On the other hand, if they cancel there is a big chance that they will offer credit for a future cruise (probably with a bonus) but you have also stated that you don't want that either. 

I recommend that you check the Terms and Conditions to ascertain how much cancelling now will cost you. If the loss is an acceptable figure that will give you peace of mind and allow you to put this dilemma behind you then that is for you to decide. 

Birseh_

Well posed and explained Neil. I can understand her position in terms of a new "plague ship" but if they put the cruise on she has choices to make....the least bad one possibly being one of them. Your advice to look at T&C is spot on and margi_g you should in your head work out how much you are willing to lose to not have to go on the trip.

Life__Goes__On

If the OP states what fare  was bought  (asked earlier)  then the T&Cs will be known.
I always feel letting a forum see the T&Cs will  get better results that just one person (OP) as reading as some T&CS  are easy to misread, the more eyes the better.