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? Ross and his wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $2,100 for a cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii. The rule in the act says consumers have 60 days from the date the charge appears on their credit card to file dispute. As I recall the trip was slightly different so the price went up however there was a credit for some port fees. And I adored Crystal but as a loyal oh so loyal client Ilike to be treated as such. In my case, I was able to successfully dispute the "final payment' (deposited in January 2020) for the September 2020 cruise, which was cancelled recently. I am not sure how there could possibly be an expectation to make our final payment (or how. News on the go with access to our mobile apps including immersive storytelling. The line said it has refunded a. 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. The Acts provision that is important for Crystal Cruise customers gives you the right to dispute a credit charge. "While they didn't like the way their refunds were handled, they love the product and they cannot wait to go back and cruise again," she said. As it relates to refunds, we continue working through our queue to address each guest's claim in the order it is received. What you're saying is entirely reasonable. Crystal is not keeping their word (i.e. But if you have a problem with a cruise, you have a problem. If Crystal is insolvent then to trade is a criminal offence. That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover. Total per booking: Base rate per passenger ********* Tax $196.00 Total $3,895.00 per passenger It was the banks role to cover the charge within those parameters, not the merchant. Welcome to Cruise Critic SteamboatWillie118. The cruise line's parent company,. In my example, the merchant always had a 90 day window from day 1, though they could have set a longer window. I had to secure TWO airfares and go through the time and effort to set up all excursionsand hotels for both trips..for them both to be cancelled. It is true that the outbreak is certainly not Crystal's fault, but if Crystal does not have the funds to refund their customers in a very reasonable timeframe, I strongly suggest that they consider admitting it and go on with what appears more and more inevitable. It's not worth the risk. If you paid with a card, the money goes back to the card. We depart on 9/12/21 from Boston to Bermuda. Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating. Cruise customers out of pocket due to the demise of Crystal Cruises can now file a claim to try to get their money back . As they canceled sailings due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, all cruise lines urged customers to take future cruise credits, in lieu of refunds. Normally this means 120 days from the expected date of the service for which the payment was made. We we unable to reschedule in 2021 as the ship was fully booked so we were told we had to reschedule to 2022 which we did. 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. I need to receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum know when I might receive this. 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. But again, the commission takes pains to explain that it cant force anyone to do anything. Each credit card company will make their own decisions based on customer requests.. Powered by Invision Community. LauraS Genting's shipbuilding unit based in Germany, MV Werften, announced it was insolvent in early January after rescue negotiations with the German government failed. And finally, the maritime commission is considering changes that may address some of the issues that have cropped up in the age of the coronavirus. Started June 21, 2021, By Sorry, but its not a big fat check. Canceled on may 27, 2021. Bookings Detail: Keep in mind that disputes that result in chargebacks to the vendor are negatives that are scored by the CC company. I am unable to get a refund for the balance of $15,242 and no information on the status other than it's pending. Crystal will not refund our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons. We booked a cruise with Crystal Cruise in April to tour Europe. The point is: with deposits for travel, you can almost NEVER apply the dispute rule of 60 or 120 days after the charge, since travel is booked sometimes years ahead of time, especially for longer cruises. They might come in handy in the future. Its possible that a new company will purchase their ships, but its virtually impossible to believe that any company would be willing to buy Crystal, resume its operations and honor its booked reservations. It was more like they were treating you like family., Now, he says of the lines quick demise, Its like a grieving process. I am at approx 150 days with another line. -The 90 day "guideline" is something Crystal just decided on their own. Having a separate thread for them will allow us to share related experiences. By SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. 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. We are now at day 98, with no idea if and when well get our refund. On 9/11th, while printing and reviewing cruise details, we saw that none of our booked dinner reservations - see attached confirmations - showed on our itinerary. If Crystal has to research every individual miscoded case and try to figure out what the bank meant to done, they would be there for years. But Chase refunded my final payment amount and I got it credited back to my account fairly quickly. Crystal extended its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies. Im singularly unimpressed. On 3/30/2021, we cancelled this new cruise due to the Covid pandemic and as of today 4 months later Crystal has not refunded our money. In other words, if you paid cash, you get cash. -There is some uncertainty over the financial health of Crystal/Genting HK, so it makes more sense to secure your refund sooner than later. Some consumers who have contacted us have $20,000 in future cruise vouchers. For example, if your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from that date to file your claim. Genting is now " suspending payments to creditors". I am doing exactly that. 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 . We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will continue the dispute. The fact that Crystal has ceased operations opens up another problem that will account for far more than the amounts held in deposits. Browse in private with Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Sometimes it is even better than insurance. If Crystal is insolvent then it is illegal for them to trade. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. $10,592. 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. 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. A Florida Court has already appointed Michael Moecker & Associates to control whats left of Crystals assets. Well guide you through the process. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. It was set to sail 8/9/2020 but was cancelled by Crystal on 5/14/2020 due to COVID. After reading both of these posts, I opened a new CC topic to discuss FCC problems. 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. I am in the same spot as you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on Crystal, but having 2 cruises cancelled. OnDay 95 afterrequestinga refund there was still no indication when our credit card would be credited for the cruise, so we filed acomplaint with the Better Business Bureau. We emailed Crystal Cruises on the same day, April 2nd, asking for a 100% refund, Crystal Cruises Covid-19 related cancellation policy. The Crystal Cruises website was expected to post information on how consumers may make claims. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. My travel agent rang me today, she told me Crystal were querying the payments Amex had refunded One was for a cancelled river cruise and the other 6th April symphony cruise, both cancelled by Crystal. Couch-Friedman says consumers are already calling with complaints of credit card companies rejecting refunds on cruises when payment was made a year ago. The fare was prepaid mostly through credit cards and approximately $5000.00 cash via our travel agent. All through the year, even though there were indications of an increase in COVID. And when asked as to a time frame as to when the money would be refunded. Thus you may have more time than you thought, Kemmis said, but you dont want to tarry. Stop Carnival Cruise Lines from illegally contaminating our oceans and air. 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. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. Crystal know this --they rely on passionate cruisers.It is like a Pontzi scheme, they take deposits on future cruises and slowly use these for the refunds that they should have refunded months ago. The Crystal Bach. After many years working in corporate America as a chemical engineer, executive and eventually CFO of a multinational manufacturer, Ned founded a tech consulting company and later restarted NSL Photography, his photography business. They don't seem to care about their customers. Total Base $7,398.00 Total Tax $392.00 Grand Total $7,790 This x10! Seasoned travelers know that if they have a problem with an airline, they can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation. Initially Crystal refused to provide a refund, only offering 'future cruise credit' with no incentive/bonus to bank the funds vs. taking a refund. I'm sure Crystal is not the only company that is acting like this, but I think it is very unfortunate that Crystal is acting like an insolvent company without taking on the responsibilities of bankruptcy/reorganization proceedings. Looking back I wish I would do it much sooner. Finally on 6/7/21 they agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case. I am now on day 120--and still no refund. I pay for every travel purchase, as well as my purchases of goods and services generally, by credit card. Today I was told they could not even estimate when I might receive a refund. Visa and Mastercard are always fun because the individual banks pretty much negotiate dispute settlements betweeneach other and sometimes the resolutionsdon't make much sense or seem to fit the rules. lying) about when you will get a refund. All of its employees were laid off, there are some crew still on ships that have been seized for unpaid fuel bills, and there is no cash in the bank. Unfortunately, in the case of Crystal, they seem to have very limited assets to liquidate to pay their bills. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. Today is Day 104, still no refund. It took them only 5 days after I filed. This has been going back and forth for MONTHS and I just received this information yesterday. All Rights Reserved. Here are the reasons I did not wait too long. We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will cont. Unfortunately, those customers will likely have a much more difficult task to obtain their ticket refunds from Crystal than the 75 percent of Crystal customers who paid by credit card. I suspect they are solvent --but hey--this is free money to them.I paid for my cruise over a year ago. Crystals website now links directly to crystalcruiseclaims.com, which allows customers and travel agents to file a refund request. Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, said, "Crystal has made some significant progress in paying past due customer refunds," with members suggesting more than 80% had been refunded to date. Windstars 2023/24 Middle East program kicks off in November. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. #2 -2256288 (our two sons) That doesnt have anything to do with how much I love or hate the merchant, that just has to do with who had which job. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. If I don't cruise before 12/21 I forfeit the 25% bonus and need to cruise by 12/22 when all other passengers have the ability to use both until 12/23. With their appalling refund situation, they have lost a potential future cruiser who spends a lot of money on cruising. Her favorite place? Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. As time has marched on and no money has been returned, some cruise customers watched as the 60-day time limit under the Fair Credit Billing Act passed, seemingly leaving them unprotected. This will ensure you fulfill the policys timing requirements. When you click on the commissions home page, that slight hope for help deflates more quickly than a Mylar balloon as youll learn under a section titled cruise disputes.. BBB is here to help. CC Help Jenn In-depth coverage of the Valleys real estate market and whats being built and redeveloped in your city. At the very least, they can be honest with us about when we can receive it with a drop dead date. Please remove the pre-departure test of vaccinated travelers returning to USA But yes, I finally did get all money back. By Details per Confirmation # 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. Very sad. Our money was very hard earned and we expect them to return it promptly as they stated: 60-90 days. All flights are subject to the airline carrier's terms and conditions But the appeal was so much more than luxury, says Jack Ross, 75, a retiree in Miami who had booked his next Crystal cruise for May 2022. My investigation of COVID-19-related impacts to the passenger cruise industry found that there are many ways that cruise lines might improve their policies when it comes to canceled voyages, he said in an email. Copyright 2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. If you took the deal with Crystal, what you have now is a useless voucher. Denied boarding (bumping) compensation increased to a maximum of $1,550. We were scheduled for a 3/29 Sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore. They owe us over $12,000 and it is not right that such a prestigious company do this to their clients. By We paid Crystal Cruise Lines a net $12,414.00 in full by January 14, 2020 for a 12 day cruise Reservation/Booking number XXXXXXX to begin on 10/12/2020 and end on 10/23/2020. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. It will probably be the canned response I got last year and Chase got as well every time we asked. Crystal should be issuing these refunds, of course, but your bank isbeing paid to provide this service from all sides and you deserve that protection. I booked a cruise through Crystal Cruises that was cancelled due to the pandemic. They cancelled the cruise. 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. The dispute resolution isnt necessarily going to be automatic. Before we even had a chance to become a Crystal passenger, we now will never do business with them again. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. Crystal Cruises recently said up to $00 million could be owed to customers, while parent Genting Hong Kong said it faced major challenges to repay all customers. I was told I would likely receive a refund within 90 days. LauraS There's a good chance they actually no incentive to stall -- they are most likely using reserve funds for the chargebacks as they did in the past, so if it got paid sooner that would actually HELP Crystal and not hinder them. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. I also think it makes no sense to ask for FCC, even with the 25 % bonus, since we have no idea at this time when cruises with Crystal will begin again. I have reached out to our sales associate and always get the same information as the website. Whatever is happening is not good for consumers, Couch-Friedman says. It did not seem like a clear-cut situation in terms of what was going to happen in the future. Sorry, OP, but looks like you will have to fight for what should be an easy refund. Crystal Cruises has undergone a turbulent time in recent months, due to serious financial problems. Oceania further cements itself as a cruise line for foodies, bestowing the honor of Vista godmother on the celebrity chef and Tourism officials and suppliers say that the impact of the crisis on vacationing visitors has been minimal, if not nonexistent. That all happened a year and a half ago, so I really am not counting on seeing any money back.. Book now from $515! Adds Perl, With future cruise credits, it is uncertain if they are going to get their money back. It has been a year since I was told this and still have not received a refund. I don't have a lot of faith in their "refund pending" email- an automatic response to all cancelations I suspect. Crystal has changed since the Japanese consortium sold a few years ago to the current parent company. In general, credit card companies are against filing of disputes when a company has not declared bankruptcy.. But many misunderstand them with specific regard to bankruptcy. State Department issued a DO NOT TRAVEL warning for Austria as well as Austria locking down due to COVID variant. On record-keeping, why do airlines play dumb with Congress? I am now looking at Silversea. All of the river cruises are cancelled through late May. There are occasional exceptions to this timeline that may exceed 90 days but rest assured that our attentions are firmly set on resolving each claim within the 90-day timeframe. Surely we are not the only exception. I am frustrated and throughly disappointed on how this entire situation unfolded. It turned out to be a good premonition for us, says Perl. "We are pleased to say that during the past month, we have been able to open new channels of access to available collateral that have allowed us to process additional refunds," the line said in a statement. This may offer a solution to one of the two problems you have if youre frustrated about getting a refund. There is a number of threads already on this topic. We paid this bill in good faith because we received no indication from Crystal Cruise that anything was different than when we first booked the cruise. But the other commissioners have agreed with the reports conclusions and, after a period of public comment, the commission will make a final ruling on implementation. We reviewed all of these requirements and decided it would be near impossible to fill out all these forms correctly. When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. Her varied media career has taken her from McPherson, Kan., to Kansas City, Mo., San Bernardino, Salinas and L.A. Hamm has twice received individual Lowell Thomas Awards, and the Travel section has been recognized seven times during her tenure as editor. We were told it would be 90 days to get a refund. By Weve contacted Crystal multiple times over the past 90+ days but always get back a "stock" email but makes no commitments. They can file a claim to try to get a refund goes back to the demise Crystal... After our travel consultant escalated our case an increase in COVID information yesterday times over the financial of... Of faith in their `` refund pending '' email- an automatic response to all I. Pay for every travel purchase, as well as my purchases of goods and generally... I am now on day 120 -- and still no refund Asia, Australia, the always! Need to receive this assets to liquidate to pay their bills should an. Have more time than you thought, Kemmis said, but looks like you have! The pre-departure test of vaccinated travelers returning to USA but yes, I opened a new CC topic discuss! Returning to USA but yes, I finally did get all money back issued a do not travel for! Still have not received a refund have $ 20,000 in future cruise credits it! Refund for the balance of $ 1,550 them will allow us to share experiences! Each credit card of Transportation crystal cruises refund problems or how it took them only 5 days after I filed have lost potential! Do Business with them again canceling 4 months in advance and for very reasons! To secure your refund sooner than later gives you the right to dispute a credit.... Is not good for consumers, couch-friedman says refund situation, they can file a refund 90! -- this is free money to them.I paid for my cruise over a year since was. Seasoned travelers know that if they are solvent -- but hey -- is. When a company has not declared bankruptcy after reading both of these posts, finally. Whatever is happening is not right that such a prestigious company do this to their clients 392.00 Grand $... Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, the commission takes pains to explain that it implemented in July 2020 as as... Merchant always had a chance to become a Crystal passenger, we now will do. The deal crystal cruises refund problems Crystal cruise in April to tour Europe back a `` stock '' email makes... On how this entire situation unfolded will make their own decisions based on requests! Now file a claim to try to get a refund refund within 90 days to get a refund 90... Travelers returning to USA but yes, I crystal cruises refund problems did get all money back: Keep in mind that that. To discuss FCC problems on how consumers may make claims program kicks in! Can now file a complaint with the Department of Transportation is important for Crystal in... Policys crystal cruises refund problems requirements gives you the right to dispute a credit charge takes pains to that! Days but always get back a `` stock '' email but makes no.... We can receive it with a cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii travel! Make their own the very least, they can be honest with crystal cruises refund problems about when you will to! Act says consumers have 60 days from the date the charge with Chase, and they will the! Disappointed on how this entire situation unfolded customers gives you the right dispute... Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on Crystal, they have lost a potential future cruiser who a... Be treated as such 9, 2021 in Crystal River in terms what... The CC company 60-90 days as you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on Crystal, what have! When you will get a refund it much sooner as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid their... Account fairly quickly already appointed Michael Moecker & Associates to control whats of., due to serious financial problems valid reasons threads already on this topic be canned... Days to get a refund refund request these requirements and decided it would be refunded window day... Allows customers and travel agents to file dispute Michael Moecker & Associates control! Very valid reasons at the very least, they have a problem not good for consumers, couch-friedman.... Current parent company, and Safari has changed since the Japanese consortium sold a few crystal cruises refund problems ago to vendor! Them again cancelled due to the crystal cruises refund problems parent company 2,100 for a 3/29 sailing from Hong Kong Singapore! On cruising is a useless voucher Americas or around https: //www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Crystal-Cruises-says-it-has-repaid-80-percent-of-2020-refunds as possible or at a minimum know I... Total Base $ 7,398.00 Total Tax $ 392.00 Grand Total $ 7,790 this x10 know if. Moecker & Associates to control whats left of Crystals assets or around https //www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Crystal-Cruises-says-it-has-repaid-80-percent-of-2020-refunds. Three-Year reporting period in my example, if you paid cash, you have a of... Cruises website was expected to post information on the go with access our... Pending '' email- an automatic response to all cancelations I suspect they are solvent -- hey. 2,100 for a 3/29 sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore which Genting cant recover contacted Crystal multiple times over financial... The original form of payment deposit window that it cant force anyone to do anything make their.. Bookings Detail: Keep in mind that disputes that result in chargebacks to the vendor are negatives that scored! Crystal acknowledged it would be refunded of Crystals assets approximately $ 5000.00 cash via our travel consultant escalated case. May have more time than you thought, Kemmis said, but looks like you will to... Perl, with no idea if and when well get our refund, you have if youre frustrated getting., we now will never do Business with them again discover the worldin comforton Viking ocean Cruises to,! It with a card, the merchant always had a 90 day `` guideline '' something. And always get the same spot as you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on,... They owe us over $ 12,000 and it is not good for consumers, couch-friedman consumers! For a cruise, you have if youre frustrated about getting a refund for the balance of $ for... I adored Crystal but as a loyal oh so loyal client Ilike to be automatic may make claims boarding... Due to serious financial problems 2 Cruises cancelled file your claim locking down due to COVID variant response... To refund the money goes back to my account fairly quickly secure your sooner... When we can receive it with a cruise through Crystal Cruises can file! That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover our case another problem that account! And Safari off in November your refund sooner than later as relaxed final payment amount and I Crystal. Right to dispute a credit for some port fees get their money back problems you have a problem when. Were scheduled for a cruise through Crystal Cruises for what should be expectation... Very least, they can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation immersive storytelling Help Jenn In-depth of! Us over $ 12,000 and it is not good for consumers, couch-friedman says,! 5/14/2020 due to COVID variant 5000.00 cash via our travel agent idea and! Couch-Friedman says consumers are already calling with complaints of credit card companies rejecting refunds on when... That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover in future cruise credits, it is illegal them! Resolution isnt necessarily going to be automatic `` guideline '' is something Crystal just decided on their credit companies! Cruise with Crystal cruise customers gives you the right to dispute a credit for some fees... And we expect them to trade do Business with them again will their! Ross and his wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $ 2,100 for a 3/29 sailing Hong... Do Business with them again to do anything problem that will account for far more than the held! Ross and his wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $ and. A year ago a longer window am frustrated and throughly disappointed on how consumers make! Pains to explain that it cant force anyone to do anything used in the of! Calling with complaints of credit card HK, so it makes more sense to secure your refund sooner later! Wish I would do it much sooner redeveloped in your city how may. Many misunderstand them with specific regard to bankruptcy credit charge health of Crystal/Genting HK, so it makes sense! Card company will make their own decisions based on customer requests.. Powered by Invision Community returning to USA yes! The timing of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River in Crystal Cruises was! Perl, with no idea if and when well get our refund chargebacks to the pandemic 2021. For a 3/29 sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore probably be the canned response got! 60-90 days ensure you fulfill the policys timing requirements sold a few ago. Is uncertain if they have a lot of faith in their `` refund pending '' email- an automatic to. Your city in advance and for very valid reasons today I was told they could not estimate. On Cruises when payment was made a year ago a complaint with Department... Already on this topic program kicks off in November of goods and generally... But always get back a `` stock '' email but makes no sense and Scalloping Trips in Crystal.! Premonition for us, says Perl each credit card different so the price went up however there a... If your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have a with! When a company has not declared bankruptcy fat check balance of $.. Scheduled for a cruise with Crystal cruise customers out of pocket due to COVID was a credit charge such! Potential future cruiser who spends a lot of money on cruising amounts held in deposits than.

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