Not to make an excuse but several cruise lines are having problems processing refunds. The Federal Maritime Commission last week posted a consumer notice on its website recommending that travelers who paid for Crystal Cruises with a credit card contact the card company immediately. Crystal Cruises said it has refunded approximately 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 cruises and more than 75% when including 2021 sailings through April. Okay- that makes it sound very reasonable. So, hopefully, I will get the deposit part refunded sometime. I was able to get the portion that I had disputed with the credit card company back as a credit on my chase statement 2 months after I filed the dispute, which was the day that Crystal cancelled the cruise. (This does not include voyages stopped by a governmental order or declaration, as the CDC has done.). One year ago our cruise was canceled due to the COVID pandemic. The fact that Crystal has ceased operations opens up another problem that will account for far more than the amounts held in deposits. After all assets are liquidated, court approval is required to reimburse customers if there are funds left. I hope that Chase let's me see the actual response from Crystal- that might give me a clue as to what the problem is. I filed a dispute through Citi Visa and they tell me Crystal has until March 10 to respond. Genting's shipbuilding unit based in Germany, MV Werften, announced it was insolvent in early January after rescue negotiations with the German government failed. Our goal is to maximize the recovery of assets and provide a claims process to creditors that allows them to realize the highest potential recovery regardless of the size of their claim, Healy said. The cruise in question must have more than 50 beds and must have originated from a U.S. port, which would include Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Whether Crystal Cruises customers will get refunds remains clouded by uncertainty. Crystal relented and processed the refund for that amount days after the dispute from Chase was sent to Crystal. This is a substantial amount of money, and we are concerned they cannot pay. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we postponed to January 2022. 5waldos, January 31, 2022 in Crystal Cruises. A lot of times this is just a matter of making things manageable -- they tell the banks that didn't file it properly to do their own work, get their stuff together, and resubmit it right so the merchant can address it efficiently. I dont understand why anyone would give new bookings to Crystal (I know they are not taking new deposits) and possibly be throwing good money after bad. "We will be processing your refund." It did not seem like a clear-cut situation in terms of what was going to happen in the future. The Crystal Cruise bankruptcy is real. The 60-day count begins when the statement containing the transaction is issued, not when the transaction was made. Holding Crystal reservations that havent been honored and those with future reservations should file for a refund now. We were told it would be 90 days to get a refund. Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost. Browse in private with Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Generally, however, at least Visa and Mastercard extend that time to 120 days from the date of the transaction itself. We called customer service at XXX-XXX-XXXX and spoke with Associate Sheri who explained that because we were within (7) days of travel she could not assist us. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. The total was $15,580.00 for 2 bookings w/2 passengers ***** Crystal cancelled our cruise & offered an alternate sailing which we declined due to concerns & CDC guidance around COVID. Airlines Refunds: DOT enforcement notice that all airline tickets canceled by the airlines must be repaid to include all airfare, taxes and added fees with cash not airline credits. Commissioner Louis Sola studied what was happening within the cruise industry because of coronavirus disruptions. We need these funds back. We gave them the wire details and we're told it would be sent. Finally on 6/7/21 they agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case. We were only offered FCC. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. 2023 Outdoor Activities in Crystal River: Check out reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. Great. Your best course of action is to file a credit card dispute. Sorry, but its not a big fat check. Crystal is bankrupt and is being liquidated. I have called repeatedly. Im singularly unimpressed. I think it's fair to say most reasonable people would not pay for travel when the US has issued a "Do not Travel" warning during the time the company (Crystal) is requiring final payment and when the receiving country is closed to visitors. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. Each credit card company will make their own decisions based on customer requests.. And I adored Crystal but as a loyal oh so loyal client Ilike to be treated as such. I have sent them the same credit card statements as provided herein showing the actual amounts they have taken from our account and in spite of numerous requests have not received any feedback on why they are not refunding all net funds they have taken, nor have i been provided any certainty that the refund is being sent out. At the very least, they can be honest with us about when we can receive it with a drop dead date. Too many result in more funds being held by the CC company. FIngers crossed for you. In California, Florida, and a few other states there are travel seller restitution funds via which you may be able to file a claim against Crystal Cruises. Our cruise consultant was not able to provide any satisfactory answers so we requested cancellation for $15,188.02. Former Crystal president Jack Anderson said that Visa, Mastercard, and American Express were aggregately holding funds in excess of $100 million in trust for Crystal ticket refunds for their credit card customers. I would not give Crystal any money until this all shakes out and we know if their ships will be sailing as Crystal or as a Genting or Star Cruises ships. Well guide you through the process. As of February 16, there was no such information online. We booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20. -Credit card company will only allow you to dispute (and charge back) charges that are within some defined time-frame (defined by the credit card companies and somewhat ill-defined since it has been modifying that policy without letting the customers knowthat's a topic for another discussion), so sooner you file for the dispute, more likely the charges are still not "too old.". That triggered a debt default of $2.78 billion. The Chase advisor explained that there is a rule for 120 days from the //day of service// (i.e. Heres a scenario that illustrates why some will proceed with new bookings, I can make a deposit on a cruisefrom the multiple non refundable Admin Charges that Crystal are holding - so I achieve a confirmed booking without contributing new monies to Crystal - were just juggling the pocket that Crystal hold our monies in and using them before they expire, Final payment for the future cruise wont be due until much later in the year by which time Ill need to make a call on whether or not to proceed with the booking. So it can be better for the vendor to respond to and oppose the dispute indicating that the customer has not followed and exhausted the refund process. CC Help Jenn In the other thread there are people waiting almost a year. READ ALSO: Guest killed by freak wave on Antarctic cruise, Hundreds of tourists stranded at Machu Picchu amid Peru protests, UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge winners announced, BA flight makes emergency landing after strange smell reported, TravelMole has over 200,000 registered travel industry members and subscribers throughout the world. Highly recommend always going through a travel agent - ours has accomplished many things we would have never been able to. Great suggestion, will do! Getting your bank to refund your cash is often more difficult to obtain than obtaining a credit card chargeback. I don't think it's that nefarious -- they should be receiving tens of thousands of chargebacks at this point, and the first means to triage that stuff (ESPECIALLY when you're short staffed, which I had the fun of experiencing in 2020) is to filter off the requests that come through with the wrong reason codes (which unfortunately happens a lot, because the bank CS agents may not be as careful or trained as they could be). Original sail date jan 6, 2021, changed to January sail date Jan 16. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. It's not QUITE true that the refund period means nothing. I cancelled on 12/9/2020 as it was obvious that Crystal would cancel it which they did. We were scheduled for a 3/29 Sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore. In fact, how a business responds to customer complaints is one of the most significant components of the BBB Business Rating. Crystal Cruises has issued nearly 63% of refunds on canceled voyages totaling more than $140 million, the cruise line said in a Dec. 9 update to travel advisors, and will be processing refunds on . So the net funds Crystal took was $35,356. We were told by Crystal Cruises this was all on us to navigate. And try to confirm that Chase does the same. Here are 64 ways to enjoy L.A.s beloved getaway. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. Discover the worldin comforton Viking ocean cruises to Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, the Americas or around https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Crystal-Cruises-says-it-has-repaid-80-percent-of-2020-refunds. LauraS Looking back I wish I would do it much sooner. I don't doubt they have financial trouble, but giving no updates, no communication, there's no excuse for that. We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will continue the dispute. The remaining portion that Crystal owed me took 9 months to get back, and I swore I would never sail with them again which now definitely won't be a problem as I think they are permanently out of business. One area couple was notified six months after requesting a refund for a voyage they could not take that they would receive a refund of their nearly $10,000, minus $3,000 for an administrative fee. 194 total complaints in the last 3 years. Started June 21, 2021, By The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. . Windstar Knows the Way to the Middle East: How to Sell the Red Sea & Persian Gulf. All of the river cruises are cancelled through late May. Technically the merchant DOES have until whatever period they notified the customer of to process the refund, so although either the cardholder's bank may issue a credit or the merchant may give in and process the refund earlier, the credit card company cannot actually enforce a chargeback until the merchant has violated their policy. Please call American Express and a dispute can be filed. Perl says that her agency has for the past year dissuaded clients from booking Crystal after the line was slow to pay customer deposits on pandemic-canceled cruises. Crystal extended its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies. It took me 9 months to get the remaining money from Crystal (the portion that I couldn't dispute with the credit card company). I am now on day 120--and still no refund. Due to incentives from Crystal, I booked contact #XXXXXXX and applied the $18,028 to this cruise which was to sail on 5/18/2021. Write to catharine@catharinehamm.com. We booked our 1st cruise ever with Crystal Cruises. If you are receiving this message, simply enter your email address to sign in or register if you are not. Started August 27, 2021, By Our booking number is BK XXXXXXX. Windstars 2023/24 Middle East program kicks off in November. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. We have heard reports of former Crystal officials saying customers will be paid, but I take that with a grain of salt. by Ned S. Levi | Feb 21, 2022 | Getting there. If you have travel insurance with bankruptcy coverage, submit your claim as soon as possible. I had to fight that as they originally said I only had until 12/21. It is possible the assignee who is now in charge of Crystals remaining assets will find a way to accept the vouchers as cash value, but that may be a long shot, she says. Getting your money back if you have made a deposit or payment with Crystal Cruises for a future sailing may be trickydespite an estimated more than $100 million being held in secured reserve funds by various credit card companies. This complaint is against Crystal Cruise Line. When I purchase travel insurance, I only purchase a policy with bankruptcy protection. With a considerable balance in trust to repay Crystal customers for canceled cruises, as stated by Mr. Anderson, at least initially its unlikely that Moecher, acting on behalf of Crystals creditors, will fight the credit card chargebacks. And BWIVincent- I will do the best I can to be absolutely clear but honestly- how much clearer can I be than you (Crystal) canceled my river cruise and now I want my money back? Weve contacted Crystal multiple times over the past 90+ days but always get back a "stock" email but makes no commitments. Mr. Anderson said that Genting effectively washed their hands of Crystal. As a result, Crystal soon had a bank account of zero, followed by a U.S. court ordering the seizure of the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity due to unpaid fuel bills. Others who waited received 25% bonus and airfare considerations. Beloved for their 6-star, personalized service, their comfort and the sophisticated atmosphere, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will continue to operate under the " Crystal Cruises " brand. For example, if your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from that date to file your claim. I am not sure how there could possibly be an expectation to make our final payment (or how. I did not cancel. They don't seem to care about their customers. We Decided to Find Out, Hike and Bike Along the Picturesque Rhine on This River Journey, Explore the Magnificent Danube on a Multigenerational, Activity-Filled Journey, Savor the Exquisite Flavors, Colors, Culture, and More of Provence, A Weeklong Outdoor Adventure in Colorados Winter Wonderlands, Have a World-Class Adventure in the Rockies Playground. (Complaints about individual cruises go to complaints@FMC.gov.). If they were flush with cash then obviously this situation would not arise. So- more paperwork to fill out. Today I was told they could not even estimate when I might receive a refund. Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week. Processing disputedrefunds take priority over other refunds for Crystal. Powered by Invision Community. "We are unable to give you that information.". According to a filing with Florida's Dept. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. I've never seen a "minimum of" policy enforced before, so I'm not sure how that would work. All flights are subject to the airline carrier's terms and conditions Share. The Fair Billing Act is what allows consumers to file credit card chargebacks, she explains. It said it continued to issue refunds. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. Any thoughts on this matter? It was about the crew, Ross says. Gentings shipbuilding unit based in Germany, MV Werften, announced it was insolvent in early January after rescue negotiations with the German government failed. This has been going back and forth for MONTHS and I just received this information yesterday. CC Help Jenn >> Next: What Credit Cards Provide the Best Travel Insurance? But if Crystal just doesn't have the money, how can they refund you ? Crystal Cruise Reviews Overview Reviews Deals Cruiser Rating 4.2 Very Good 614 reviews Filters Cruise Line Ship Destination Show more filters 1 - 10 of 614 Crystal Cruise Reviews Surprise. -The 90 day "guideline" is something Crystal just decided on their own. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. That includes Crystal Cruises, part. That hasnt been independently confirmed. And, perhaps most important, refunds will be given (again, if applicable) using whatever monetary form you used to pay. The owner of Cheema's Travel recently launched a travel coaching business. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. It may be necessary to go to your local bank branch to ask a branch office for assistance. As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. I am "singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. Thus you may have more time than you thought, Kemmis said, but you dont want to tarry. Last month I was involved in several disputes on behalf of clients where the cardholder was trying to jump a 90-day refundwindow, and all we had to do was provide the card issuer with a copy of the notice the cardholder was given showing the 90 day window and the chargeback was declined. There are a few people reporting here on CC that they have already received their actual refund- not a provisional one from the credit card company. I would recommend to any consumer that has vouchers tied up with Crystal they contact the attorney general in their state and ask for legal guidance, Couch-Friedman says. Crystal said that after every refund is processed it will return to its published refund policy. It is sad for our entire industry as all boats rise with the tide, says Judy Perl, founder of New Yorkbased Judy Perl Travel, a bespoke cruise and land travel consultancy, and a member of the AFAR Travel Advisory Council. Crystal Cruises has undergone a turbulent time in recent months, due to serious financial problems. Crystals website now links directly to crystalcruiseclaims.com, which allows customers and travel agents to file a refund request. Theres a lesson here for any cruise customers holding future cruise credits, she adds. Here are the reasons I did not wait too long. You should also contact your state attorney generals office, Couch-Friedman advises. Many many threads about refund policy and actual hapenning already. The 60-day limit for protection by a card company generally starts when the charge is made, but not every card company counts that in quite the same way. We booked an expedition cruise with crystal in Nov 2019, for sailing in January 2021. Crystal will not refund our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. Award-winning investigations and consumer reporting that helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Cancelled cruise: "7-night Legendary Rhine River Cruise" was to depart 9/6/2021 That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover. Sometimes it is even better than insurance. Bi-partisan bill to eliminate hotel resort fees introduced into House of Representatives, Creation of the DOT Consumer Advocate to focus on aviation consumer protections, Full Fare Act Advertised airfares now include all mandatory taxes and fees, Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,800.

Does Gwot Qualify For Protected Veteran, Breakfast Club Interviews 2022, Articles C