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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

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

176 replies

IhatePandO · 30/09/2021 15:50

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?

OP posts:

Madcatgirl · 30/09/2021 20:03

Cunard have done the same thing. We booked when the rules were up on the air, then they clarified to say over 17 had to be double vaxxed, those 16/17 had to have had their course (ie one) those under 16 had to have a negative test. Got the cancellation notice today. I’m absolutely devastated, I’m running on empty and have nothing to look forward to. We may change to a p&o Southampton round trip as kids are allowed on that, but how much longer are our children going to be the least considered people in this situation? It’s insane.

kowari · 30/09/2021 20:04

@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.

What about people with natural immunity from previous infection?

thecapitalsunited · 30/09/2021 20:10

@IhatePandO They’re a British brand run out of Southampton but are owned by Carnival Corp who are American. How much say US senior management have is anyone’s guess. Still shoddy to change the goal posts at the last minute.

WoodchipNightmares · 30/09/2021 20:23

I can completely understand why they don't want unvaccinated passengers on board - they're floating petri dishes at the best of time (think how norovirus spreads) - but they shouldn't have let you book in the first place.

Livelovebehappy · 30/09/2021 20:34

I’m totally with them on not allowing unvaccinated people onboard, but it’s pretty crap cancelling so near to the trip.

Rememberallball · 30/09/2021 20:34

@Beseen22

Surely they can reduce the number of unvaccinated people who have been offered but declined the vaccine rather than those that cannot physically have it yet

At present they are not allowing any unvaccinated adults onboard their ships so m, the only unvaccinated aged passengers they can cut to reduce numbers of unvaccinated passengers onboard, are children who haven’t received 2 vaccinations

Cheshirewife · 30/09/2021 20:38

Rubbish for OP but seems a sensible policy overall.

kowari · 30/09/2021 20:50

I would have thought that just testing everyone would be safer? As a vaccinated person could still bring covid on board and could spread amongst vaccinated passengers. Also, are they accepting natural immunity alongside vaccination?

GoodnightGrandma · 30/09/2021 20:50

lescomp….. we live in the UK so she is fully vaccinated , I don’t care what they’re doing elsewhere 🙄

OchonAgusOchonOh · 30/09/2021 21:01

@GoodnightGrandma

lescomp….. we live in the UK so she is fully vaccinated , I don’t care what they’re doing elsewhere 🙄

I would assume as the manufacturer is recommending 2 doses in order to be fully vaccinated that one dose doesn't count as fully vaccinated even if the UK are only allowing one dose.

It's up to the UK government to decide what they want to do in the UK. It's up to other countries to decide whether the UK varying from manufacturers advice is acceptable to them or not in terms of what they consider fully vaccinated. Same for a company. I don't think any other country considers one dose to be fully vaccinated (unless it's J&J).

FellInLoveWithABanana · 30/09/2021 21:21

Can’t think of anything worse than a cruise right now with Covid. Thank your lucky stars.

Rememberallball · 30/09/2021 21:51

@spongedog

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)

The proof of vaccine required is a print out or copy of the QR code from the NHS England website or equivalent for the other U.K. nations confirming dates of vaccination (and must be minimum 14 days since second dose unless having Jansen single dose vaccine when it’s a minimum 14 days after that vaccination).

Rememberallball · 30/09/2021 22:00

@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

There is exemption for under 18’s on European cruises with P&O - so long as numbers of unvaccinated children onboard don’t exceed the newly instigated number of unvaccinated passengers onboard - which is why a lot of cancellations have happened to families due to sail on Iona at half term (and possibly families over Christmas on Iona and Ventura). All passengers on Caribbean cruises until March 2022 now have to be vaccinated with 2 doses unless the single dose Janssen vaccine has been given therefore a lot of families will not be going on their Caribbean cruises on Azura and Britannia.

P&O have always said they will update policies and rules to reflect the information they receive and dependent on the requirements for the places they visit as well as for the safety of passengers and crew onboard. The likelihood for Caribbean cruise passengers being double vaccinated is the relatively low number of residents already vaccinated along with potentially limited medical facilities on some of the islands visited. Also the requirements for visitors to be tested in advance of arrival or for quarantining once on the islands.

Rememberallball · 30/09/2021 22:08

@kowari

Nope you have to produce evidence of full course of vaccination (2 doses unless Janssen vaccine which is 1 dose) completed a minimum 14 days before sailing - and the proof has to be the certificate provided by NHS England (or equivalent from the other home nations health services) or authorised body (military personnel have their vaccinations recorded separately to the main NHS database so have to provide proof from military medical services on headed paper). They are also only allowing U.K. residents to cruise at present on their ships. Lastly, every passenger has to undergo a rapid antigen swab test at the cruise terminal prior to check in and receive a negative result - if it is positive then they have to have a pcr test and are denied boarding and provided with a future cruise credit to the value of their booking.

Iguana55 · 01/10/2021 07:37

We have also received the email 3 weeks prior to going on a 2week cruise with p and o. We booked our cruise 2years ago before covid and have a 1 year old nearly 2 who has been denied boarding due to not being able to have the vaccine. They’ve been quite happy to keep the money all this time! As well as booking excursions. They will have known about this change much longer than 3 weeks!

I think there also being short sighted, they are focusing solely on the vaccine protecting there staff and customers. Yet the number of
double vaccinated individuals catching covid is on the rise. We were double vaccinated and caught Covid as did our 1 year old. If anything we probably have good immunity levels. Im very doubtful that there new processes are going to keep covid at bay.

We will not be going with p and o again!

ClareBlue · 01/10/2021 08:24

If they are permitting some unvaccinated but cancelled you then you have a right to know why you were selected. This is more grounds for action then any policy on vaccinations.
But you would struggle to do any excursions properly unvaccinated and even enter some ports of entry. We have just got back from traveling in Europe and you couldn't even get into a bus station or shopping area without your cert if you were over 12.

ClareBlue · 01/10/2021 08:29

@PutTheBathOnPlease

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….

But say you have to follow the covid requirements of any country you are flying to..... It is best to check the entry requirements before you book to travel anywhere.

justasking111 · 01/10/2021 08:48

Disney cruise . You have a PCR test at home tested when you get to the ship it's well organized. See if you can get on one of those

DottyHarmer · 01/10/2021 09:23

I feel sorry for the cruise industry. Coronavirus hit it like a tonne of bricks.

You can guarantee that they do not enjoy cancelling passengers. But if there are outbreaks on ships then frankly they may well just shut up shop as no one will want to risk contracting it, let alone out at sea. They must have been advised that children are the biggest risk factor atm. Of course vaccinated adults can still catch covid, but it’s all about the likelihood and risk.

For example, what about staff members working in kids’ clubs or doing activities? The cruise firms must be considering what legal challenges/compensation they face as well as staff deployment and cancelling activities if staff fall ill or even test positive.

KrisAkabusi · 01/10/2021 09:27

Today 08:24ClareBlue

If they are permitting some unvaccinated but cancelled you then you have a right to know why you were selected.

It's in the email. They cancelled all bookings for under 18s.

SleepySusannah · 01/10/2021 09:38

I really feel for you because P&O cruises are amazing and I would be so annoyed in your shoes. But.... these are unprecedented times, please don't rule out booking again because when this is all over you will have a brilliant time!

budgiegirl · 01/10/2021 09:41

@GoodnightGrandma

lescomp….. we live in the UK so she is fully vaccinated , I don’t care what they’re doing elsewhere 🙄

Anyone who has one or less shot of the vaccine in the UK is not fully vaccinated They may have had everything that is currently offered to them, but it doesn't mean they are fully vaccinated.

My child is 16, she's had one shot, she's NOT fully vaccinated.

By your logic, if my child was 10 and had no shots, she'd be fully vaccinated.

CounsellorTroi · 01/10/2021 09:45

They must have been advised that children are the biggest risk factor atm. Of course vaccinated adults can still catch covid, but it’s all about the likelihood and risk.

Children are the biggest risk factor for disease transmission on cruise ships full stop. We only go on adult only ones.

DottyHarmer · 01/10/2021 10:14

I agree with pp saying these are unprecedented times. If rules or booking conditions have to be changed at the last minute, then that’s just one of the many, many buggers of the pandemic.

I know some ships are pcr-ing like mad, but perhaps P&O are predicting a number of belligerent passengers who will object to the testing of their offspring.

RumblyMumbly · 01/10/2021 10:54

@DottyHarmer they are nearly two years into the pandemic. They should have thought about their policy before allowing bookings, I'd be objecting if they happily took my money/booking and then cancelled my families planned break. It's not childrens' fault they are not allowed 2 vaccinations. Where does it end - with children not being allowed to travel, into cafes or cinemas this winter because they are not double vaccinated (and not able to be so!) !?

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