P&O just cancelled my half term holiday because I have kids !

[IhatePandO]

I am furious, just received a notice from P&O saying they had cancelled my booking for a 7 day cruise during half term week because they have decided to reduce the number of unvaccinated passengers. Unless my 11 year old child complies with their vaccination policy of 2 vaccines we have been turfed off. I called and clearly explained that there is no approved available vaccine for children under 11, only to be told "yes we know that". I'm bloody furious, they must have known this when we booked weeks ago and now they are selling my cabin off on their website at a much higher price. I didn't expect this from a company like P&O. AIBU to never travel with them again?

So what proof of vaccination are they looking at? My "proof" is a card with bar codes and initials and date. The bar code could be anything. My card has never been scanned and I have never been asked to provide it.

We haven't booked this year for any overseas travel. Main reason not to navigate multiple legal jurisdictions and constantly changing requirements. It must be very difficult even for a large company with a large legal team to get it perfectly right.

I do think staff who work in optional industries should be protected. And the holiday trade is a good example of this. (Assuming those who work in key industries are necessarily protected)

[quote RussianSpy101]@IhatePandO it is! I hope you’re able to get something else sorted. They only emailed me last week regarding excursions so it seems ridiculous that they have today sent me that.
Did you receive the second email with the link for a refund? Make sure you fill it in as in small print it says if you don’t send it before 6th October, they will automatically give you “cruise credit” instead.

We had booked a suite and as there are only a few on each ship I’m sure they will resell it quickly which annoys me 🤬 we have cruised with them several times before but never will again.[/quote]
Thanks Russian Spy, I have filled in the web form or a refund. As if I will ever use a credit with them, I will never book with them again. We are the same, only booked all the excursions and additional packages last week as that's when they became available to book. They were supposedly sold out of balcony cabins a couple of weeks ago - guess what? They are now available to book again on their website. Bandits !

@IhatePandO Are you sure it's British, not American? I had a look because I wondered, and it's not clear.

But it isn’t all Medical advice!
The US Israel large swathes of Europe
((many of whom use Pfizer) have all double jabbed their 12-18 year olds

OPs child is 11. And the email said "everyone under 17" which presumably includes very small children and babies. It's irrelevant what Israel is doing with their 12 yr olds if a company trading in the UK has decided to withdraw a sold product just because.

To be honest I can understand them, so YABU, but they should have informed you as you booked

All cruises until April 2022 (with p&o and Cunard at least might be industry wide) require full vaccination. No exemption for children because quite frankly they are currently most likely to have covid! I had an email earlier today

@AuntieUrsula it's about 67% effective with both doses, 30% with one according to the recent BMJ article. Pfizer is more effective with two initially, but wears off more quickly.

OP - I've had a look at their T&C and I can't see a clause that allows them to cancel as nothing has actually happened, no new strains, no change in the UK rates etc. Potentially the could argue for a February sailing that they'd expect the government to fully vaccinate kids, but not for an October one.

@NashvilleQueen

I think a lot of cruise lines are American owned and children have been vaccinated in the US.

Even the under 12s ?

@Willyoujustbequiet

Its upsetting for you and they should have given you more notice but it's a fair policy.

We all know that kids spread it and at that age arent vaccinated. It's a bit unfair to expect to risk others.

Kids don't spread it as prolifically as adults.

www.healthline.com/health-news/study-finds-kids-under-10-unlikely-to-spread-coronavirus-at-school

Ironically the banner advert for this thread is 'P&O' these are the moments that matter'.

Errr, yes they do you absolute knob heads.

I had looked at cruises earlier this summer and p and o at that stage weren’t accepting kids at all only vaccinated adults

t's about 67% effective with both doses, 30% with one according to the recent BMJ article. Pfizer is more effective with two initially, but wears off more quickly.

So what difference would there be between an older adult who was double jabbed at the beginning of the year & a child who had one dose last week in terms of effectiveness?

[quote lescompagnonsdeloue]@IhatePandO Are you sure it's British, not American? I had a look because I wondered, and it's not clear.[/quote]
Its British

The can say ‘no unvaccinated travellers’ that’s their call.

Any business which insists on vaccination gets my business. I would prefer not to be in a confined space (such as a cruise liner) with any unvaccinated people, including children.

@gogohm

All cruises until April 2022 (with p&o and Cunard at least might be industry wide) require full vaccination. No exemption for children because quite frankly they are currently most likely to have covid! I had an email earlier today

This is actually not correct. The cruise I was booked on is going ahead and unvaccinated passengers are being permitted they have just decided to reduce the numbers and cancelled hundreds of families who have booked.

@KaycePollard

The can say ‘no unvaccinated travellers’ that’s their call.

Any business which insists on vaccination gets my business. I would prefer not to be in a confined space (such as a cruise liner) with any unvaccinated people, including children.

I understand that however, they are permitting some unvaccinated people on they have just decided to cancel half of them because they have changed their minds on the number permitted on board. This cruise was marketed as a half term cruise for families - non of which have children able to meet P&Os new vaccination policy

This is actually not correct. The cruise I was booked on is going ahead and unvaccinated passengers are being permitted they have just decided to reduce the numbers and cancelled hundreds of families who have booked.

If they are only cancelling families with children rather than a random selection of unvaccinated people, you could possibly have a case for discrimination on the basis of family status.

@OchonAgusOchonOh

This is actually not correct. The cruise I was booked on is going ahead and unvaccinated passengers are being permitted they have just decided to reduce the numbers and cancelled hundreds of families who have booked.

If they are only cancelling families with children rather than a random selection of unvaccinated people, you could possibly have a case for discrimination on the basis of family status.

I would ask them on what basis they have decided that your family, as opposed to another unvaccinated group/individual was chosen for cancellation.

IhatePandO everyone 18 and over does have to be fully vaccinated for all cruises up until the end of March - it's on their website. Only unvaccinated children are allowed as long as they have a negative PCR test within 120 hours if travel. They aren't allowing any unvaccinated adults.

@DriftingBlue

I’m surprised they are taking any unvaccinated passengers.

That’s awful OP but I completely agree with this. The last thing you’d want is your 11 year old catching it on a cruise ship too.

They are cancelling in order of booking so if you booked recently more chance of getting cancelled

@lescompagnonsdeloue

I don't know, the cruise industry has been hard hit. There's far less risk to them if they take fewer people who are unvaccinated, and there is also less risk to other passengers in a small environment. I don't think this will lose them many customers, I would be far more likely to go on a cruise if they only took vaccinated travellers and staff. That said, I do understand the disappointment.

perhaps they should have agreed on the policy before letting families book? outrageous behaviour OP, Id be making a big fuss on their twitter and fb pages

Diddums.

Similar - just discovered Iceland requires those over 16 and not double-vaccinated to isolate for 5 days on arrival. So having to rearrange our half term 3 day trip. I probably should have checked the Icelandic govt small print before I booked, but Jet2 let me go ahead….