P&O Cruises Ship Cancels Sailing the Day Before Embarkation
The day before boarding a cruise ship can be an exciting and nerve-wracking one. Last-minute packing and other chores as well as traveling to the embarkation port, dropping off a pet with a sitter, and making sure one’s documentation is in order are all critical tasks in the hours before embarkation.
Guests right in the middle of those last hours of preparation for P&O Cruises Aurora received unexpected and devastating news just as they were getting ready to embark, however.
“We are very sorry to advise you that following a delay to Aurora’s refit, we need to cancel Aurora’s R505 cruise from Southampton to Zeebrugge tomorrow, 21st April,” the unexpected email communication read.
So surprising was the email that guests were left scrambling, wondering whether or not the message was sent in error or perhaps was poorly-timed spam.
Even worse, the message was sent on Easter Sunday, when many travelers may have been enjoying time with family rather than staying tuned in to last-minute emails.
Furthermore, those guests who did receive the notice promptly had difficulty reaching call centers and customer service lines on the holiday.
“If you booked with us directly and wish to talk to us please note because of the Easter break our Contact Centre is closed on Easter Sunday,” the email explained.
Aurora has been undergoing maintenance in a dry dock in Rotterdam, though neither the type of work nor the reason for the delay has been disclosed at this time.
As of this writing, more than three hours past when Aurora was to have already departed Southampton on the 3-night sailing, the ship remains docked in Rotterdam.
All booked guests are receiving a full refund of all monies paid to P&O Cruises, including any shore tours booked through the cruise line. Furthermore, all guests will receive a future cruise credit worth 20% of their now-cancelled cruise.
“You will be able to use this Future Cruise Credit on any future booking booked prior to 20th April 2027,” the cancellation notice read.
This does give impacted guests a generous window for rebooking a new vacation. Many travelers are understandably upset, however, that at least some of that window wasn’t earlier – so they could have known about the cancellation more than mere hours before boarding the ship.
Aurora is the oldest ship in the P&O Cruises fleet, so it is understandable that her maintenance needs may be more extensive than other vessels. Nevertheless, it is likely the delay was known earlier but there is no explanation for the breakdown in communication to guests.
The 76,152-gross ton ship can welcome 1,878 guests at double occupancy, or as many as 1,950 travelers when fully booked with all berths filled. Also onboard are 850 international crew members.
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Following her maintenance updates, Aurora is scheduled to remain homeported from Southampton year-round, offering a diverse schedule of cruises to the Norwegian fjords, Scandinavia, Iceland, the Western Mediterranean, around the British Isles, and even the Caribbean.
What is more rare, however, are shorter itineraries. Guests who want to book a similar 3-night sailing aboard the refreshed ship only have two such departures remaining in 2025: July 7 and August 30. Both of those sailings are going to Guernsey Island, however, rather than Zeebrugge.
Shipyard Schedules Often Unpredictable
Cruisers always take a chance if they book a ship’s first sailing following a stay at a shipyard, whether it is a vessel’s maiden voyage or following a dry dock or other maintenance visit.
Labor shortages, supply chain issues, emergency repairs, equipment failures, or even something as simple as poor weather can impact the very tight schedule at a shipyard. This can quickly cause a knock-on effect for any planned updates or renovations for multiple vessels.
Other cruise lines have been similarly impacted by shipyard changes in recent weeks. For example, both Carnival Horizon and Carnival Magic have recently cancelled multiple sailings due to dry dock scheduling changes.
P&O Cruises and Carnival Cruise Line are both owned by the same parent company, Carnival Corporation & plc, but the scheduling changes are not related.
There is no word yet about whether or not Aurora will be ready to welcome guests for her next cruise, a 12-night Norwegian fjords cruise departing Southampton on Thursday, April 24.
Guests booked on that next sailing should stay in close contact with the cruise line or their travel agent so they receive any updates as soon as they may be confirmed.