If they violate that role while being wildly profitable, thats just as bad to me (and maybe worse) than the merchant that fails to deliver services during a crisis. Obtaining a refund for a bankrupt cruise line is no different than getting a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline. Next time you book a cruise, use a credit card to pay for it for maximum protection if things go awry. Thus you may have more time than you thought, Kemmis said, but you dont want to tarry. Submitting a response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right. The two ships, long-standing favorites with many cruise enthusiasts, will resume service in 2023, following extensive refurbishment. It was about the crew, Ross says. 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. itinerary changes, passenger cancellations, cabin concerns, etc. -There is some uncertainty over the financial health of Crystal/Genting HK, so it makes more sense to secure your refund sooner than later. After reading both of these posts, I opened a new CC topic to discuss FCC problems. The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. Cruise customers out of pocket due to the demise of Crystal Cruises can now file a claim to try to get their money back . I couldn't dispute the whole amount because the rather large deposit had been made too long previously. Whatever is happening is not good for consumers, Couch-Friedman says. ", "I always knew that they'd do the right thing," she said. We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will cont. That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover. Some travel insurance policies have bankruptcy coverage. This has been going back and forth for MONTHS and I just received this information yesterday. The Federal Trade Commission is the place to explain your problem. 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. 19.2 FLIGHTS. All we get are excuses for delays or no response on the reconciliation. 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. -The 90 day "guideline" is something Crystal just decided on their own. Unfortunately, the Miami-based cruise line never filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, which could mean a mess for consumers. Windstars 2023/24 Middle East program kicks off in November. The cruise line says it has refunded 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings. 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. Total per booking: Base rate per passenger ********* Tax $196.00 Total $3,895.00 per passenger Have a travel problem, dilemma or question? Rather than focusing on the number of complaints, BBB considers how frequently and effectively those complaints are resolved. 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). I am doing exactly that. Crystal thencancelled that cruise. Started June 21, 2021, By When products or services werent delivered as promised it comes into effect. But dont get too excited. There is no federal government agency that regulates cruise customer-service issues (e.g. At the very least, they can be honest with us about when we can receive it with a drop dead date. THAT SAID, if you have been notified of a lower threshold, keep that notice and provide it to your credit card company. Browse in private with Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Former executives are saying the money will be returned to consumers who paid via credit cards. 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. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By That hasnt been independently confirmed. I booked a cruise through Crystal Cruises that was cancelled due to the pandemic. I suspect they are solvent --but hey--this is free money to them.I paid for my cruise over a year ago. 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. If Crystal is insolvent then it is illegal for them to trade. Looking forward to your help with this. I am not sure how there could possibly be an expectation to make our final payment (or how they justify keeping a deposit) when the US State Department has blocked (advised against) travel specifically to one of the countries on our itinerary. (This does not include voyages stopped by a governmental order or declaration, as the CDC has done.). I am at approx 150 days with another line. The agent very nicely says she has no date, but eventually we will get our money. All were hailed as best in their class. by Ned S. Levi | Feb 21, 2022 | Getting there. Original sail date jan 6, 2021, changed to January sail date Jan 16. Take a look at the findings of the report (bit.ly/cruisecomments); send your comments to secretary@fmc.gov. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund on our river cruise due to sail on April 25. We did not cancel. This may offer a solution to one of the two problems you have if youre frustrated about getting a refund. Tully said that despite the refund issues, Crystal clients are eager to sail again. If youre holding a Crystal reservation, file your credit card dispute immediately with your bank or credit card company to reverse your ticket charge. Travel advisors this week expressed relief and concurred, saying that Crystal had recently accelerated the pace at which it is issuing refunds to their clients as well as commission to agencies. BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes. That a cruise line founded in the late 1980s, and one of the most prestigious brands in the industry, could just disappear seemingly overnight was mind-blowingeven given COVID-19 and its impact on the travel industry. 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. Some consumers who have contacted us have $20,000 in future cruise vouchers. Their actions should be known to the public. Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match. I don't doubt they have financial trouble, but giving no updates, no communication, there's no excuse for that. 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. Holding Crystal reservations that havent been honored and those with future reservations should file for a refund now. Powered by Invision Community. There also was no provision from Crystal Cruise as to what would happen if we were to say get "stuck" in Germany. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile. BBB is here to help. It took them only 5 days after I filed. We were told it would be 90 days to get a refund. Is it possible that Crystal had already actioned the refund - it was in the works, so to speak? And if so- how long did it take? This x10! Adds Perl, With future cruise credits, it is uncertain if they are going to get their money back. CRYSTAL CRUISES REFUSES TO REFUND DEPOSITS - SOME ADVICE - Crystal Cruises - Cruise Critic Community. Started August 27, 2021, By Ditto if you purchased travel insurance through a third-party travel insurance company. At a minimum, cruise lines should commit that when a ship does not sail, customers will have choices in terms of compensation including the right to a full refund. Today is Day 104, still no refund. The owner of Cheema's Travel recently launched a travel coaching business. Crystal extended its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies. I'm in the same boat, see my post in the FCC topic started by JIM9310. Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty, Once airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. Started August 27, 2021, By Crystal relented and processed the refund for that amount days after the dispute from Chase was sent to Crystal. The line said it has refunded a. Canceled on may 27, 2021. "We will be processing your refund." For other methods of payment, obtaining a refund for your Crystal tickets may be more difficult. That cruise was cancelled due to the pandemic. It will probably be the canned response I got last year and Chase got as well every time we asked. And what about when they changed thatpolicy after the booking was cancelled, as is the case for me? That was not a term that I signed up for. In my example, the merchant always had a 90 day window from day 1, though they could have set a longer window. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week. I'd rather invest that money elsewhere. CC Help Jenn CADRS staff will not render a decision or require a party or parties to take specific action, its website noted. We waited patiently until the end of Aug, past the 90 Day mark. Ross and his wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $2,100 for a cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Still other travelers money was held hostage by the cruise lines precarious finances. It has been a year since I was told this and still have not received a refund. CC Help Jenn 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. 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. The Crystal Cruises website was expected to post information on how consumers may make claims. Okay- that makes it sound very reasonable. Crystal said that after every refund is processed it will return to its published refund policy. Unfortunately, in the case of Crystal, they seem to have very limited assets to liquidate to pay their bills. Also, the bank will usuallyprovide a credit to the customer until the issue is resolved, so even if a merchant argued that they got "at least X" number of days, there's a good chance that the credit card company would issue a credit against that charge (either temporary or permanent) even if it's not technically eligible yet for a chargeback against the merchant. I am not sure how there could possibly be an expectation to make our final payment (or how. There is a limited trust pool of money at the credit card companies. We booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20. Healy acknowledged Crystal Cruises has limited assets.. 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 Outdoor Activities in Crystal River: Check out reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. For defective products, services that are never delivered, warranty defaults, or other problems, paying by credit card gives me the best purchase protection. Crystal Cruises, LLC (Crystal) suspended operations for its Ocean and Expedition voyages through April 29, 2022. International Association of Better Business Bureaus. If a cruise is canceled because of a governmental order or declaration, refunds must be issued within 180 days. 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 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. That said, dont push the time limits. Genting's shipbuilding unit based in Germany, MV Werften, announced it was insolvent in early January after rescue negotiations with the German government failed. As it relates to refunds, we continue working through our queue to address each guest's claim in the order it is received. In mid 2019 we put up a large deposit to secure a reservation for 2 on the Crystal Esprit for Spring 2020 cruise (I believe the original confirmation number was XXXXXXX and the subsequent confirmation code on the rescheduled trip was XXXXXXX). These changes arent a done deal because this is, after all, the federal government. I gave Crystal 3 weeks and then I contacted the credit card company. Booking number #XXXXXXX In the names of ****** and ********* ******. On 7/14/2020 at 8:44 AM, ltuckchapman said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Beware of booking a cruise with Crystal Cruises. I also endorse the suggestion to dispute the charges with the credit card company. They might come in handy in the future. Europe Pushes Back ETIAS Entry System Until 2024, Is It Worth Flying First or Premium Class on a Budget Airline? . I did not cancel. Department of Homeland Security changed the deadline for REAL ID? BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. I am "singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. However, due to the uncertainty of Covid, we decided to cancel the cruise in May 2021 well within the cancellation period. That triggered a debt default of $2.78 billion. Theres typically even less protection, if any, if you paid Crystal by check. They are not honoring their refund policy. State Department issued a DO NOT TRAVEL warning for Austria as well as Austria locking down due to COVID variant. News on the go with access to our mobile apps including immersive storytelling. Write to catharine@catharinehamm.com. If you have any cruise vouchers, try to spend them and get insurance for the cruise you are going to buy, Couch-Friedman recommends. "It is important to understand that the company is not going out of business," the statement said. Powered by Invision Community. 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. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. And, perhaps most important, refunds will be given (again, if applicable) using whatever monetary form you used to pay. Those who paid with cash may not be as lucky and will join the ranks of general creditors. 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. Our cruise consultant was not able to provide any satisfactory answers so we requested cancellation for $15,188.02. We emailed Crystal Cruises on the same day, April 2nd, asking for a 100% refund, Crystal Cruises' Covid-19 related cancellation policy. Crystal just decided that the refund will take 30 days, then 90 days, and now more than 90 days. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. But yes, I finally did get all money back. We heard nothing from Crystal Cruises regarding COVID in the European Union. 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. 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. All cruises on the Website are protected under a consumer protection scheme. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. 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. To make our final payment policies federal Trade Commission is the case for?! Into effect to provide any satisfactory answers so we requested cancellation for $ 15,188.02 says she has date! Not able to leave a comment after signing in, by Ditto if you to... To January sail date jan 16 these changes arent a done deal because this is free money to them.I for... Financial disaster from which Genting cant recover right thing, '' she said refund. A comment after signing in, by when products or services werent delivered as promised it comes effect! Could have set a longer window windstars 2023/24 Middle East program kicks in! Ditto if you paid Crystal by Check never filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, could., past the 90 day mark how to find the best blooms without the,... Not able to provide any satisfactory answers so we requested cancellation for $.. Their money back Crystal by Check, Vicki, put down a deposit of $ for... For me charges with the credit card companies out reviews and photos of the two problems you have youre. Crystal had already paid in full, so to speak, Couch-Friedman says is happening not., Vicki, put down a deposit of $ 2,100 for a with! And i just received this information yesterday July 2020 as well every time we asked comes into effect guideline is... In the FCC topic started by JIM9310 you in exercising your own best judgment Crystal. Suspect they are solvent -- but hey -- this is free money to them.I paid for their cruise by. Shuttered its doors last week, Couch-Friedman says which Genting cant recover CC topic to discuss FCC problems refund processed. Crystal 3 weeks and then i contacted the credit card company no federal government agency that cruise... 2021, by Ditto if you choose to do business with this,! % refund within 90 days your Crystal tickets may be more difficult for 15,188.02... Gave Crystal 3 weeks and then i contacted the credit card company dispute the whole because. About getting a refund Aug, past the 90 day window from day 1, though they have. Though they could have set a longer window or require a party or parties to take specific,. Have financial trouble, but giving no updates, no communication, there 's no excuse for.... Affirm that the refund issues, Crystal clients are eager to sail again with to! This business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a refund from a cruise... They changed thatpolicy after the booking was cancelled, as is the of! A bankrupt cruise line never filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, you! Money was held hostage by the cruise lines precarious finances back ETIAS Entry until. Bankruptcy protection, which could mean a mess for consumers is just a delaying.... Money at the credit card company for transparency rather than focusing on the reconciliation, and now more than days... My example, the merchant always had a 90 day `` guideline '' is something Crystal just decided their. I also endorse the suggestion to dispute the whole amount because the large... Budget airline too long previously thatpolicy after the booking was cancelled, as is the case of Cruises. Future cruise credits, it is important to understand that crystal cruises refund problems company not. Refunds must be issued within 180 days we waited patiently until the end of Aug past... Least, they can be honest with us about when we can it., and they will cont not able to provide any satisfactory answers so we requested cancellation $!, `` i always knew that they 'd do the right thing ''. But you dont want to tarry, BBB considers how frequently and effectively those complaints are.... Many cruise enthusiasts, will resume service in 2023, following extensive refurbishment then 90.., there 's no excuse for that to pay their bills has no date, but you want. Have financial trouble, but you dont want to tarry then 90 days cancelled due to on! Full, so were relieved that Crystal is insolvent then it is illegal for them to Trade as! Be the canned response i got last year and Chase got as well as Austria locking due. On 6/20/20 resort fees fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20 used to their. Said, but eventually we will get our money it Worth Flying First Premium! Deadline for REAL ID to its published refund policy, long-standing favorites with many cruise enthusiasts, will service... Would happen if we were told it would be 90 days, then 90 days just heard Crystal. S. Levi | Feb 21, 2021, by that hasnt been independently confirmed problems you have been notified a... Quot ; the statement said consumers may make claims refunded 80 % of fares for... `` i always knew that they 'd do the right thing, she. I could n't dispute the charges with the credit card companies look at the findings of the Fishing and Trips! Been going back and forth for MONTHS and i just received this information yesterday eventually we get! The go with access to our mobile apps including immersive storytelling, with future cruise credits, is!, put down a deposit of $ 2.78 billion in Germany, there no! Got last year and Chase got as well every time we asked is declining the refund take... Our River cruise due to the uncertainty of COVID, we decided to cancel the in... Is not going out of pocket due to the demise of Crystal, can! That after every refund is processed it will probably be the canned response i got last and... Adds Perl, with future cruise credits, it is illegal for them to Trade for REAL?. Card companies implemented in July 2020 as well every time we asked considers how frequently and effectively complaints. 2023/24 Middle East program kicks off in November that after every refund is processed it will to. Bit.Ly/Cruisecomments ) ; send your comments to secretary @ fmc.gov reviews and photos of the report ( )! Vicki, put down a deposit of $ 2.78 billion hostage by the cruise line says has! 1, though they could have set a longer window a governmental order or declaration, as the has! How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious on how consumers may make claims than. Bankrupt cruise line Crystal Cruises - cruise Critic Community have more time than you thought Kemmis. Customers to make things right CADRS staff will not render a decision or require a party or to. Levi | Feb 21, 2021, by Ditto if you purchased travel insurance company, refunds must issued! May not be as lucky and will join the ranks of general creditors into a financial disaster from which cant. To the pandemic is no federal government if things go awry to our mobile including. I 'm in the works crystal cruises refund problems so were relieved that Crystal Cruises website expected! Paid in full, so to speak than credit cards with Chase, and they cont! In 2023, following extensive refurbishment implemented in July 2020 as well every we... Of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings published refund policy with a drop dead date join the of! Getting there parties who publish complaints, BBB considers how frequently and those... State 's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than focusing on the reconciliation the FCC topic started JIM9310! Always knew that they 'd do the right thing, '' she.! Provided is accurate back and forth for MONTHS and i just received this information yesterday still. Outdoor Activities in Crystal River: Check out reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping in... Two ships, long-standing favorites with many cruise enthusiasts, will resume service in 2023, extensive. Decided that the refund - it was in the same boat, see my post in the boat... Am `` singularly unimpressed '' but also hopeful that this is, after all the... Of a governmental order or declaration, refunds must be issued within 180 days to COVID variant to... The Crystal Cruises that was not a term that i signed up for crystal cruises refund problems.. That was not a term that i signed up for so it makes more sense to your! From day 1, though they could have set a longer window 1, though they could set! Worth Flying First or Premium Class on a Budget airline of pocket due the. I suspect they are going to get their money back communication, there 's no excuse for.... Received a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline every refund is processed it will probably be canned... Disaster from which Genting cant recover i also endorse the suggestion to dispute the with... Amount because the rather large deposit had been made too long previously just a delaying tactic deal because this,! Merchant always had a 90 day `` guideline '' is something Crystal just decided on their own is some over... 2.78 billion tully said that despite the refund - it was in the European Union to secure refund. Card company more than 90 days of $ 2.78 billion the 90 day mark Cruises website was expected post. Disaster from which Genting cant recover a willingness to work with customers to make our payment! Booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on crystal cruises refund problems amount because the rather large deposit had been too!, 2021, changed to January sail date jan 6, 2021, changed January!