by Kevin Turnock, a P&O Cruises customer, wrote to the Telegraph on 11 January 2024.
“Although the dangerous situation in the Red Sea is reported on a daily basis, many travel companies are not providing updates to their customers and some are not even responding to customer enquiries. This is clearly unacceptable, especially when families are spending large sums of money with these companies and are clearly concerned and worried about the situation.
“Our situation is this: P&O is operating a world cruise on the ship, Arcadia. The ship left the UK this week on the first leg of its cruise to the United States and the Caribbean. My wife and I are due to join the cruise in Sydney and depart for the UK on February 22, 2024. Arcadia It is planned to carry the Red Sea and the Suez Canal on its return to the UK.
“Unfortunately, there seem to be almost daily missile and drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea area at the moment and I can’t imagine P&O sending a big white ship with Union Jack stripes through the area anytime soon.
“I have been trying to contact P&O since November for an update to try and find out if my cruise will be canceled (as many cruise lines have already announced for Sea related trips Red), rerouted through Africa (as at least one voyage). line and multiple commercial shipping companies have already done so), or cut short and passengers flown home from say Singapore or Sri Lanka.
“However, so far, I have usually received no response or, in one case, a message that says: ‘We are always reviewing the situation, any amendments that may need to be made will be made to any inform our guests of our journeys. .’
“In our case the cruise is booked to celebrate our 60th birthday so we would need plenty of time to make other arrangements, should the cruise be cancelled. We are sensitive to the possibility as a previous trip had only been canceled 48 hours before the departure date.
“I don’t understand why the company is so reluctant to provide a meaningful update or engage in conversation. I understand that a definitive decision may not be available but the options currently under consideration should be available and the right to request a penalty-free refund may be available.”
A spokesman for P&O Cruises said:
“We are monitoring the situation daily and will advise guests if any changes to the itinerary are required.
“The safety, security and well-being of our guests and staff is our number one priority. If we decide to change the itinerary based on our own assessment of the situation or on the basis of advice given by authorities such as the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), for example, we will inform guests of the revised program and any. other impact on the voyage, as appropriate.”
Greg Dickinson, Senior Travel Writer, advises:
Things in the Red Sea are constantly changing, and very volatile. Just last week, the UK and US launched airstrikes on Houthi military bases in Yemen. It is therefore understandable that P&O Cruises is taking a cautious approach and following FCDO’s advice on the matter. As it stands, the Arcadia It is planned to go through the Red Sea and the Suez Canal in early April.
It’s understandable that you and your wife are frustrated and desperate for answers, especially since the holiday is for a big double birthday celebration. At this stage, however, your options are limited.
Because you are due to join the cruise in less than 90 days, you cannot transfer your itinerary to another cruise. If you choose to cancel unilaterally, you will only receive a partial refund.
Since you’re due to join the cruise on February 22 (just over a month from now), you’d have to pay a 75 percent cancellation fee (P&O Cruises drops its cancellation fees based on how close departure date). This would mean a loss of thousands of pounds.
P&O Cruises reserves the full right to change its schedule after departure. Since the Arcadia has already set sail from Southampton (on January 6) and is currently on the way to the Caribbean, clause 43 in the Terms and Conditions is the most important one for you and your wife.
“After departure, P&O Cruises does not guarantee that the ship will meet at every port on the itinerary or that it will follow every part of the advertised route or schedule or that every part of the Package will be made available. P&O Cruises reserves the absolute right to decide whether or not to omit any such ports and/or call at additional ports and/or change the route, schedule or Package advertised.”
P&O Cruises claims that if it is unable to provide a significant part of the package (bypassing the Suez Canal and re-routing around Africa, for example): “it will make suitable alternative arrangements, at no extra cost to the Guest, to continue . of the Package.”
If you and your spouse do not accept the rerouting plans “for good reason”, P&O Cruises “will, where appropriate, provide P&O Cruises and the Guest with transportation back to the point of departure or to another location. Guest agreed.”
As the situation in the Red Sea is unavoidable and an exceptional situation, beyond the control of P&O Cruises, it is unlikely that you would be entitled to any additional compensation.
Your best bet, for now, is to stay in close contact with P&O Cruises, and also keep a close eye on what other cruise lines are doing. Fred Olsen Cruises says it plans to go through the Suez Canal in April: “Closer to the time, if there is any increased risk, we will of course put a contingency plan in place,” he said. Meanwhile, Viking Cruises has canceled the scheduled overnight call of its world cruise to Haifa, Israel, but for now the previous Suez transit in April remains.
Needless to say, if you do get on board the Arcadia on February 22, you and your wife should make sure you have comprehensive insurance coverage.
