More than 1,800 passengers due to sail on a P&O Cruises short break from Southampton to Zeebrugge, Belgium, on Easter Monday were left devastated after the company cancelled the voyage with just 24 hours' notice. The cancellation was blamed on delays to the refit of the 25-year-old ship Aurora, which was still in Rotterdam at the time.
Passengers described receiving a brief email on Easter Sunday informing them of the cancellation, with no phone call or sincere apology. Megan Evans, who had booked the trip to celebrate her grandfather's 80th birthday, told The Independent: "It wasn't just any trip — it was a special holiday... He's had cancer and hasn't been able to travel for over 10 years." She added that the company's customer service was closed on Easter Sunday, leaving passengers with no way to get answers.
P&O Cruises offered a full refund and a Future Cruise Credit of 20% of monies paid. For passengers who had paid around £500 each, this amounts to a £100 voucher valid for two years. Christine Schmitt, who had booked 15 months ahead for her 12th wedding anniversary, called the offer "dismissive and insufficient."
Many passengers reported losing non-refundable travel costs and time off work that could not be reinstated. P&O Cruises is referring claims for consequential losses to insurers. The company confirmed that the ship's next sailing, a 12-night cruise to the Norwegian fjords on 24 April, is scheduled to depart as planned.
