Whether you’re planning a dream holiday onboard one of P&O Cruises’ ships or you already have a booking and are reconsidering your plans, understanding the cancellation policy and how the cruise line handles canceled sailings is essential. In 2025 and 2026, P&O Cruises has made headlines with several itinerary changes and outright cancellations leaving passengers with questions about their rights, refunds, and options.
In this blog post, we’ll break down everything you need to know.
Cruise vacations are magical sunlit days at sea, exciting ports of call, world-class dining and entertainment. But not all is smooth sailing. Sometimes cruise lines need to cancel sailings or passengers need to cancel their bookings. The big question many travelers are asking right now is: “Is P&O Cruises currently allowing cancellations?”
In short, yes P&O Cruises does allow cancellations. But there are specific rules, refund policies, and practical realities you need to understand before making a decision or filing a request.
In this post, we’ll explore:
What “cancellation” means for P&O Cruises
Company-initiated cancellations vs. passenger-initiated cancellations
Refund policies and cancellation charges
Real examples of recent P&O cruise cancellations
Tips and FAQs to help you make the best decision
Before diving into current policies, let’s define two different types of cancellation:
These happen when P&O Cruises decides to cancel a specific sailing due to operational issues, ship refits, poor booking performance, or other business reasons.
When this happens:
P&O typically offers a full refund of money paid to your original payment method.
In some cases, the line also offers onboard credit or incentives for rebooking a future cruise.
Sometimes alternative sailings are proposed to passengers before a refund is issued.
This is when you decide you don’t want to go on the cruise you booked and notify P&O Cruises to cancel.
In this case, the refund you receive depends on when you cancel.
P&O Cruises applies a tiered cancellation charge, meaning the closer to departure you cancel, the more money you will lose.
Understanding these distinctions is key to navigating any cancellation situation.
Yes — P&O Cruises does allow passengers to cancel their bookings at any time before departure. However:
There are cancellation charges based on how close you are to the sailing date.
These charges vary depending on the fare type (e.g., Select Price, Early Saver, Saver) and the timing of cancellation.
While specific details are subject to change (and you should always check your booking), the general framework looks like this:
If you cancel well in advance — more than 90 days before the sailing — you may receive a larger portion of your fare back, sometimes a full refund minus a small deposit.
The earlier you cancel, the better your refund amount.
If you cancel between 90 and 57 days before departure, cancellation fees can be around 50% of your fare.
Between 56 and 42 days, fees may rise (around 60%).
As you get closer (41 to 16 days), they can go to 75%.
Cancel within 15 days of departure and the cancellation charges can be as high as 90% of the total fare.
Within the last few days before departure (less than six days) and often you receive no refund at all.
If you need to cancel due to a genuine emergency or health issue, your travel insurance may help cover cancellation fees. Many passengers do not realize that travel insurance policies with “cancel for any reason” coverage can reimburse cancellation penalties.
P&O Cruises generally does not automatically refund for personal emergencies unless stipulated in their contract or if insurance covers it. So it’s important to check your own travel insurance policy if your trip is disrupted due to illness, accident, or a family emergency.
In the cruise industry, changes to schedules and cancellations happen from time to time. A few examples from recent P&O Cruises news illustrate how the company is handling cancellations:
A 14-night Mediterranean cruise scheduled for August 2026 aboard Arvia was canceled due to operational reasons. Guests were refunded and offered new alternatives.
A 35-night Caribbean cruise for early 2027 was canceled, with P&O offering automatic alternative bookings or full refunds.
Several sailings on Arvia and Ventura were canceled as part of redeployments and schedule revisions for 2026 and 2027, with refunds and onboard credits offered.
These examples show that cancellations can and do happen — and when they do, P&O generally handles refunds according to their policies. But these decisions can affect travel plans significantly, so understanding your options matters.
When P&O Cruises cancels a cruise, they usually process the refund to your original payment method within a set period — often about 10–14 working days after the cancellation is confirmed. However:
Credit card refunds may take time depending on your bank.
Refunds for third-party bookings (via travel agents) may involve the agent handling the refund, which can delay processing.
Always keep documentation and follow up with your travel agent or P&O Cruises directly if processing is delayed.
When P&O offers alternative sailings for canceled cruises, you don’t have to accept the proposed new itinerary. You can:
Request a full refund, or
Accept the alternative at no additional cost.
If you do accept a future sailing, some passengers also receive onboard credit as a goodwill gesture, especially if they rebook within a certain time frame.
The earlier you cancel, the more of your money you can potentially get back — especially if it’s many months before departure.
Different fare types have different cancellation penalties. Saver fares are usually the least flexible.
Having cancel for any reason (CFAR) coverage can be a lifesaver for travel disruptions.
Always confirm cancellation requests in writing through email or the online booking portal.
If your cruise is canceled by the company, P&O typically communicates via email. Check your spam folder and respond promptly to avoid losing refund deadlines.
Answer: Yes, but the amount depends on how far in advance you cancel and the fare type. If P&O cancels the cruise, they generally refund all money paid.
Answer: Minor itinerary changes usually don’t qualify you for a full refund unless they constitute a “significant change” under the booking terms. If you choose not to travel due to a significant change, you may be able to cancel with a full refund.
Answer: Many travel insurance policies can reimburse cancellation penalties if your reason for canceling is covered (e.g., illness, family emergency, or other insured reasons). Always check your policy details.
Answer: If P&O cancels a cruise, refunds are typically processed within about two weeks, though timing may vary. Refunds after passenger cancellations adhere to the company’s internal processing times.
So, is P&O Cruises currently allowing cancellations?Yes — P&O Cruises does allow cancellations, both when the company cancels a cruise and when passengers decide to cancel their own bookings. The key is understanding the timing and policies involved:
Passenger cancellations are permitted at any time before departure, but refunds vary with timing.
Company-initiated cancellations are generally accompanied by full refunds and occasionally credits or alternative arrangements.
Refund amounts depend on fare type and cancellation terms.
Travel insurance can help reduce unexpected losses.
Cruise travel is wonderful, but being informed is your best companion — especially when things don’t go exactly as planned.
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