P&O Cruises has confirmed it will not issue any refunds or compensation to passengers affected by the recent breakdown onboard Britannia — a decision that has left many New Year’s cruisers angry and disappointed.
A technical issue forced the ship to return to Barbados for repairs, cancelled multiple ports of call, and significantly altered the itinerary for more than 3,600 guests. Despite that, P&O is directing passengers to claim through their own travel insurance instead.
That response has triggered a wave of backlash from guests who say the cruise they received was not the one they paid for.
What Actually Went Wrong on Britannia
The 16-night Caribbean sailing left Barbados on December 26 with more than 3,600 guests onboard. It started well enough — Grenada and Curaçao went smoothly, and spirits were high heading into New Year’s week.
The first hiccup came on December 31, when a scheduled stop in Aruba was cancelled due to forecasted high winds. That part, while disappointing, is something most cruisers accept as “one of those things.” Weather happens. Ships change course.
But the real disruption came days later when a technical issue developed onboard.
The ship slowed down and eventually returned to Barbados for urgent repairs, arriving back on January 3 and staying there until late January 5. That unplanned return reshaped the rest of the itinerary.
St. Lucia was cancelled. Antigua was cancelled. Martinique was added as a partial replacement.
By the end of the voyage, Britannia had spent:
- Six days in Barbados
- Five days at sea
- Five days visiting other islands
This change has understandably left many cruisers frustrated, who booked a multi-stop Caribbean holiday and instead found themselves spending a large part of the trip in the same place.
Why the “No Compensation” Decision Hit So Hard
After the cruise, guests received written confirmation from P&O Cruises that no refunds or compensation would be offered for the itinerary changes. Instead, passengers were told to contact their own travel insurance providers if they wanted to make a claim.
That response is what sparked the backlash.
Many passengers felt the situation was being treated like a weather delay or an outside event — when, from their point of view, it was a technical failure onboard the ship itself. Being told to “claim on your insurance” made some guests feel the cruise line was distancing itself from a problem they believed sat firmly with P&O.
Several families said they had spent more than £15,000 ($20,000) on the trip, while others had saved for years to be able to afford a holiday like this. Losing multiple ports without any form of refund, credit, or goodwill gesture left many feeling disappointed rather than simply unlucky.
Some guests also reported that the unexpected extra days in port and at sea put pressure on onboard supplies, with certain food and drink items running low toward the end of the voyage — adding another layer of frustration to an already disrupted trip.
Read more: P&O Cruise Crew Member Dies in Tragic Onboard Accident During Voyage
P&O’s Explanation vs. Guest Experience
P&O Cruises did issue an onboard letter acknowledging the disruption and apologising to guests.
“On behalf of all of us on Britannia and at P&O Cruises, we would like to apologise and thank you for your patience following the recent itinerary changes and the unexpected diversion to Barbados due to a technical issue,” the letter said.
The message noted that guests had missed two ports of call and had one replacement destination. It also pointed to the exteCruisers Furious: Are Cruise Lines Turning Into the Budget Airlines of the Sea?nded time in Barbados as an opportunity to enjoy more of the island, referencing its culture, beaches, and hospitality.
“If you wish to make a claim with your travel insurance provider for the missed ports of call, please retain a copy of this letter for your records,” the letter added.
From the company’s point of view, that explanation may sound reasonable.
For many guests onboard, however, it didn’t reflect how the trip actually felt.
Travelers hadn’t booked six days in Barbados — they had booked a moving itinerary across the Caribbean. That difference is what made the changes feel less like a minor adjustment and more like a fundamental shift in the holiday.
The Bigger Picture
This situation lands awkwardly for P&O at a time when many UK cruisers are already comparing lines more closely than ever.
Prices have risen, expectations have risen with them, and passengers now share experiences in real time across Facebook groups, forums, and review sites — often before a cruise line has a chance to shape the story.
For some guests this was just an unlucky sailing. For others, it’s the response afterward that will stick — and that’s what influences who they book with next.
The Cruise Community Weighs In
Cruisers have been split in their reactions.
Some feel this is exactly what insurance is for. “That’s what insurance is for 🤷🏻♀️,” one wrote, while another replied, “But some insurance doesn’t pay out, my insurance company says they don’t cover missed ports.”
Others urged people to keep things in perspective. “At the end of the day, unfortunately things beyond our control happen. You are still on holiday — just enjoy the time and place you are in. There is no point moaning about it. Life is too short.”
But many see a difference between bad weather and a ship failure. “There’s a BIG difference between weather-related missing ports and ship breakdowns,” one said, adding, “I do think there is a difference between missed ports for weather, etc., and failure of the ship’s systems causing a significant change to the booked holiday.”
Some compared it to how other lines respond. “We had an engine issue on a Princess cruise a few years ago. We had flights sorted to get us home, a full refund, and 20% off a future booking.”
And even those calling for perspective still criticised P&O’s response. “As a passenger on the said cruise, let’s keep perspective… it’s potentially been exaggerated, but P&O have let standards and customer service slip.”
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We have just cruised with Fred Olsen to Norway, extremely bad weather meant we missed a port through no fault of theirs but they have given us 15% discount on a future booking valid for 6 months. When you claim on your travel insurance ( which is compulsory for a cruise ) your premiums increase. I have travelled many times with P & O but the increasing amount of bad publicity is deterring me from travelling with them again. I am booked on Ambassador and Princess so far for this year and will be booking Fred Olsen again with the discount.
We are currently on Arvia – P&O and standards jave slipped. Dirty outside bar and pool areas. Miserable staff. Poor customer service and they don’t seem to care
Very money grabbing company and little manners and gratitude to those actually on board.