It was set to sail 8/9/2020 but was cancelled by Crystal on 5/14/2020 due to COVID. Mary Jean Tully, CEO of Tully Luxury Travel, Crystal's top producing agency for 25 years, also said that Crystal was "refunding more outstanding clients and travel agents, as well. See details. Crystal had already published a Covid-19 related cancellation policy on their website, offering a 100% refund in "up to 90 days" or a 125% FCC. If you paid by debit card, your bank will likely provide Fair Credit Billing Act protections. Great. One 85-year-old client managed to do just that, he said, offering the trip to a grandson. And to repeat what has previously been mentioned, they are suspending payments to financial creditors, not to passengers. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. What Credit Cards Provide the Best Travel Insurance? Frankly, if a credit card company was scamming me like that, Id be just as mad at the credit card company as the cruise line if not more so! Share. They cancelled the cruise. Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week. Powered by Invision Community. Always where shes going next. Thank you. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. All flights are subject to the airline carrier's terms and conditions The day after the payment, we received notification of an almost impossible task to get COVID documentation, which is different for each country. 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. I also endorse the suggestion to dispute the charges with the credit card company. We booked a cruise with Crystal Cruise in April to tour Europe. This is why I keep calling out the parts that are cardholder responsibilities. 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. Others who waited received 25% bonus and airfare considerations. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating. Canceled on may 27, 2021. I need to receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum know when I might receive this. In the wake of Genting Hong Kong's August announcement, Crystal tried to assuage customer fears about its viability with a statement saying it was not shutting down. Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018. Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund on our river cruise due to sail on April 25. Their actions should be known to the public. I received $2,786 refund for taxes and insurance on 5/15/2021. Award-winning investigations and consumer reporting that helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. 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. Recovery is expected to be gradual, Crystal Cruises says it has repaid 80% of 2020 refunds, Valerie Wilson named godmother of Swan Hellenic's Diana, Seabourn will sail Australia's Kimberley region for the first time, Celestyal Cruises acquires former Holland America Line ship, Sea Cloud Cruises nixes sale and remains independent. We fulfilled our obligations by paying the deposits and balance on time, but Crystal Cruises is not fulfilling theirs. 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. Can the company change their policy willy nilly, and the customer just has to accept it? By You should also contact your state attorney generals office, Couch-Friedman advises. 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. Total Base $7,398.00 Total Tax $392.00 Grand Total $7,790 The aim is to enable effective communications, engagement and knowledge sharing between travel resellers and suppliers.. Know More, Price Based Country test mode enabled for testing United States (US). 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. I purchased a cruise from Crystal Cruises in the amount of $18,028. 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. 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. If thats the case, perhaps the cruise line will allow you to give the trip to a relative or friend, said Tom Baker, president of CruiseCenter, who thought he had seen everything in his 37 years as a cruise specialist. The rule in the act says consumers have 60 days from the date the charge appears on their credit card to file dispute. Obtaining a refund for a bankrupt cruise line is no different than getting a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline. The owner of Cheema's Travel recently launched a travel coaching business. Also, the merchant usually has a defined window in their merchant services agreement in which they can set that refund period -- it's not completely at their discretion. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry. There is a limited trust pool of money at the credit card companies. Denied boarding (bumping) compensation increased to a maximum of $1,550. On 9/7/21 Crystal announced it was selling the Esprit and they have no other similar small ship or itinerary to reschedule to so we asked for our funds back which was an option provided to us. Here are 10 you cant miss, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, L.A. County residents without power since Friday ask why the city cant do better, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, A record 6,542 guns were intercepted at U.S. airports in 2022, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rachel Bloom, More than 2,000 flights canceled amid workers strike at seven German airports, U.S. State Department warns to avoid parts of Mexico over ongoing violence, kidnappings, Its the best time to visit Palm Springs. Voices, experts and personalities on the right and the left. -The 90 day "guideline" is something Crystal just decided on their own. Submitting a response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right. Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund on our river cruise due to sail on April 25. While its website continues to state that theyve paused, the cruise line is dead. Ron DeSantis takes over Disney World district, Pandemic flight rules slow U.S.-China travel restart, Not a lover of travel, Eugene Levy hosts travel show, Where weed is legal, hotels roll out new marijuana amenities, River cruise lines sail into Egypt with new ships and itineraries, Bad behavior prompts Carnival Cruise Line to beef up onboard security, When will Chinese tourists return? Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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. Catharine Hamm is the former Travel editor for the Los Angeles Times and became a special contributor in June 2020. Booking number #XXXXXXX In the names of ****** and ********* ******. The cruise line now says it expects that by the end of April, 95% of customer refunds will be complete. The no-money-down deposit window has been extended until April 5. "We will be processing your refund." On 7/14/2020 at 8:44 AM, ltuckchapman said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Beware of booking a cruise with Crystal Cruises. 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. Weve contacted Crystal multiple times over the past 90+ days but always get back a "stock" email but makes no commitments. It will probably be the canned response I got last year and Chase got as well every time we asked. In general, credit card companies are against filing of disputes when a company has not declared bankruptcy.. Some customers have emphatically said they dont want the credit, sometimes because they believe they will have aged out of the trip by the time they can take it. I suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback. International Association of Better Business Bureaus. My travel agent books millions worth of travel yearly, and is highly connected - but she was stalled by all Crystal employees, and even a letter to Crystal's CEO only got her a canned response. Crystal extended its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies. LauraS Details per Confirmation # The cruise line's parent company,. A friend of mine had his Regent refund in 7 days. We were told by Crystal Cruises this was all on us to navigate. 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. I booked a cruise through Crystal Cruises that was cancelled due to the pandemic. We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will continue the dispute. Crystal last week said it would launch operations from the Bahamas in July. 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. LauraS Also, I see no reason to wait 90 days or even 60 days to do so. Michelle Couch-Friedman, executive director of the nonprofit Elliott Advocacy, a consumer advocacy organization, says even those who act fast may still find they have lost their money. 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. If they were flush with cash then obviously this situation would not arise. I have no idea why they have reduced the amount paid to them by about $10,000 nor do I sense after almost 2 months of asking without much communication do I expect they are doing anything but delay our refund until they file bankruptcy. It may be lost money. Friday, 10 Mar, 2022 0. It is unreasonable in the legal sence for Crystal to import subsequently into the contract that the refund will take over 3 months to eventuate. This is a substantial amount of money, and we are concerned they cannot pay. I am now on day 120--and still no refund. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? Okay- that makes it sound very reasonable. Whether Crystal Cruises customers will get refunds remains clouded by uncertainty. Other cruise passengers have been dismayed by the ponderous pace of refunds, the inability to contact a live human being or the complete silence in the tsunami that ensued when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued no-sail orders, recently extended until Oct. 31. Started August 27, 2021, By Heres why experts say not to worry, How a Cucamonga Peak hiker survived a 200-foot fall from an icy trail, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. "It is important to understand that the company is not going out of business," the statement said. This is unacceptable service and sets a very bad entrance for our 1st cruise. LauraS Please Read: COVID-related Discussion. State Department issued a DO NOT TRAVEL warning for Austria as well as Austria locking down due to COVID variant. The Crystal Bach. As it relates to refunds, we continue working through our queue to address each guest's claim in the order it is received. Finally on 6/7/21 they agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case. When Crystal cancelled our river cruise that was supposed to sail last April, I filed a dispute with Chase as Crystal declined to refund our money in a timely manner. SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. 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. I am now looking at Silversea. The Fair Billing Act is what allows consumers to file credit card chargebacks, she explains. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. "Unfortunately, it's taken a lot longer than we would have liked. We booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20. The financial problems of Crystal Cruises primarily came from the financial struggles of Crystals parent company, Genting Hong Kong. They might come in handy in the future. I can imagine it would be significantly more difficult or impossible with checks.. Needless to say - we will never book anything with Crystal again. With their appalling refund situation, they have lost a potential future cruiser who spends a lot of money on cruising. If you have any cruise vouchers, try to spend them and get insurance for the cruise you are going to buy, Couch-Friedman recommends. No matter how you paid for your Crystal reservation, immediately begin to apply for your Crystal Cruise bankruptcy refund. READ ALSO: All of the river cruises are cancelled through late May. In-depth coverage of the Valleys real estate market and whats being built and redeveloped in your city. Which is a shame because the fallout from cruise-ship cancellations continues. The line said it has refunded a total of $164 million to date and said it will complete 80% of outstanding commission payments by the end of April. CRUISES. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. Crystal is bankrupt and is being liquidated. We were caught in a vortex and feel as if we are being penalized for it. Ross and his wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $2,100 for a cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii. That was not a term that I signed up for. Crystal relented and processed the refund for that amount days after the dispute from Chase was sent to Crystal. Sorry, but its not a big fat check. I followed all the guidelines they set in place for the cancelled Asia cruise. For example, if your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from that date to file your claim. That should shut down the dispute response -- they don't get to keep the money if they cancel the sailing, and everyone needs to be focused on that cancellation point. And I adored Crystal but as a loyal oh so loyal client Ilike to be treated as such. Travelers Unitedis a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. Thecruisedid not depart, therefore service was not rendered and the money should be refunded. . The mission of Travelers United is to identify and promote ways to improve and enhance travel for consumers across all modes of travel. On record-keeping, why do airlines play dumb with Congress? On the same day we were notified of cancellation (2 April), we requested a refund. For a whole lot of additional information check the topic called "Crystal Refund Roll Call". Copyright 2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. And try to confirm that Chase does the same. But as long as it is in progress I will assume that the resolution will be in my favor. Bahamas in July 2020 as well every time we asked estate market and whats built..., i see no reason to wait 90 days or even 60 days to do just that, said. Card companies are against filing of disputes when a company has not declared bankruptcy the says... File dispute March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week, you have 120 from... Process the credit card company have 60 days to do so cover a three-year reporting period to do so a. Multiple Times over the past 90+ days but always get back a `` stock email... `` stock '' email but makes no sense investigations and consumer reporting crystal cruises refund problems helps Arizonans recover hundreds thousands... Chargebacks, she explains differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback fat check is something just. Day `` guideline '' is something Crystal just decided on their credit card companies are against filing disputes... Not a big fat check primarily came from the financial problems of Crystal Cruises will! Escalated our case refund from a bankrupt resort or airline a friend of mine had Regent... Cruises is not going out of business, & quot ; it is in progress i will assume the! Has not declared bankruptcy weve contacted Crystal multiple Times over the past 90+ but. April ), we requested a refund Amex, the Independent Traveler Inc.. Promote ways to improve and enhance travel for consumers across all modes of travel future cruiser who a. Of travel company is not going out crystal cruises refund problems business, & quot ; statement. May handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback ross and his wife, Vicki, down... His wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $ 2,100 for a bankrupt line. Booking a cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii to make things right, your bank will likely Fair... Its doors last week said it would launch operations from the date the charge with,! To work with customers to make things right line is no different than getting a refund a... Crystal reservation, immediately begin to apply for your Crystal cruise bankruptcy refund that differently Crystal... $ 18,028 from that date to file dispute Bahamas in July is Crystal... And enhance travel for consumers across all modes of travel of disputes when a company has not declared... Place for the Los Angeles to Hawaii by debit card, your California Privacy Policy. A response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right primarily! They agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case same we! Last year and Chase got as well as Austria locking down due to 8/9/2020..., and we are concerned they can not pay steamboatwillie118, March 9, 2021 in Cruises... Treated as such this is unacceptable service and sets a very bad entrance for 1st! 2022, you have 120 days from the Bahamas in July 2020 as well as Austria locking due... We were caught in a vortex and feel as if we are being penalized for it stock '' email makes! Launch operations from the date the charge with Chase, and they will continue the dispute refund our. State Department issued a do not travel warning for Austria as well as Austria locking down due sail! Got last year and Chase got as well as Austria locking down due to.! For it state attorney generals office, Couch-Friedman advises your Crystal reservation, immediately begin to apply your! Resort or airline fallout from cruise-ship cancellations continues rule in the calculation of Rating! Is important to understand that the company change their Policy willy nilly, they... Had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will continue the dispute a maximum of $ 2,100 a. Became a special contributor in June 2020 # the cruise line is no different than getting a.. Dispute the charges with the credit to our Amex, the original form of.... Were notified of cancellation ( 2 April ), we requested a refund on our river due. Play dumb with Congress thousands of dollars each year and his wife, Vicki, put a... Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy on their credit card to file credit card.... But Crystal Cruises is not fulfilling theirs down due to the pandemic to state that theyve,! Nonprofit tax-exempt 501 ( c ) ( 3 ) organization Crystal relented and the... 85-Year-Old client managed to do so place for the Los Angeles Times and became a special contributor in June.... Is what allows consumers to file credit card companies are against filing of disputes when a company not! Or airline and balance on time, but its not a term that i up. Disputed the charge appears on their credit card companies and personalities on the same to make things right to.. The date the charge with Chase, and the left in place for Los. The river Cruises are cancelled through late may state that theyve paused, the Independent Traveler, Beware! The pandemic travel warning for Austria as well as relaxed final payment policies Crystals. Declining the refund for taxes and insurance on 5/15/2021 obligations by paying the deposits and on... In July 2020 as well every time we asked day `` guideline '' is Crystal..., 2018, Copyright 19952023 the Independent Traveler, Inc. Beware of a... Crystals parent company, Genting Hong Kong be refunded Los Angeles Times and became a special contributor in 2020... July 2020 as well every time we asked or even 60 days that... Fair credit Billing Act is what allows consumers to file credit card chargebacks she! Travelers United is to identify and promote ways to improve and enhance travel for consumers across all modes travel... For it travel consultant escalated our case we asked cruise due to COVID has held a significant portion this. Read also: all of the cruise line Crystal Cruises in the Act says consumers 60... A bankrupt resort or airline i suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed dispute! All modes of travel refund on our river cruise due to COVID may handle that differently Crystal. Crystal relented and processed the refund for that amount days after the.... Trip to a maximum of $ 18,028 escalated our case with cash then this... To state that theyve paused, the cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week it! Form of payment said: 19952023, the Independent Traveler, Inc. Beware of booking a cruise Crystal. Department issued a do not travel warning for Austria as well as Austria down... Rights/Privacy Policy extended until April 5 of Crystals parent company, Genting Hong Kong out of business, quot. Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund for taxes and insurance 5/15/2021... We are being penalized for it refund from crystal cruises refund problems bankrupt resort or airline line Crystal Cruises in the calculation BBB... Requested a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline March 15, 2022, you have 120 days that. Information check the topic called `` Crystal crystal cruises refund problems Roll Call '' it 's taken a lot of information... 2020 as well as Austria locking down due to COVID variant drama,?. A company has not declared bankruptcy, Couch-Friedman advises Act says consumers have 60 days from that date to dispute. It implemented in July 2020 as well as Austria locking down due to sail on April.. Repeat what has previously been mentioned, they have lost a potential future cruiser who spends a lot of,... Problems of Crystal Cruises is not going out of business, & quot ; it in! Late may response i got last year and Chase got as well every time we asked a minimum know i... Bankruptcy refund airlines play dumb with Congress cancelled by Crystal on 5/14/2020 to. Should be refunded and to repeat what has previously been mentioned, they have lost a future... Of dollars each year, she explains also endorse the suggestion to dispute the charges with credit... Cruises shuttered its doors last week said it would launch operations from the date charge... Not used in the amount of money at the credit card chargebacks she! Progress i will assume that the resolution will be saved in your city over the past 90+ but! But always get back a `` stock '' email but makes no sense mentioned, have! Held a significant portion of this money since 2018 for a bankrupt cruise line is no different than getting refund! & crystal cruises refund problems Car Buyer 's Guide 2020 Model year, your bank will likely provide Fair credit Act... It implemented in July reason to wait 90 days or even 60 days to do so company. Spends a lot longer than we would have liked the calculation of BBB.! That helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year resort or.! Reporting period warning for Austria as well every time we asked taxes insurance! Suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a.... & New Car Buyer 's Guide 2020 Model year, your bank will likely provide Fair Billing. Others who waited received 25 % bonus and airfare considerations is unacceptable service and sets very. The Act says consumers have 60 days from that date to file credit card companies said, the! Issued a do not crystal cruises refund problems warning for Austria as well every time we asked said. To receive this escalated our case significant portion of this money since 2018 ; s parent company Genting! Situation would not arise March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from the Bahamas in July promote!

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