CRUISES. The Acts provision that is important for Crystal Cruise customers gives you the right to dispute a credit charge. International Association of Better Business Bureaus. Genting is now " suspending payments to creditors". The report I issued earlier this summer has a number of recommendations that strike the right balance between providing consumers more protections but not proposing new requirements that are so difficult or expensive to implement., Refunds should be provided within 60 days if boarding is delayed by a day or more. Great. For a moment I wondered if perhaps they were treating it as an ocean cruise but as far as dates- even that would have been a cancelation. 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. 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 received $2,786 refund for taxes and insurance on 5/15/2021. She does have some clients with future cruise credits from canceled sailings in 2020 and early 2021. But Chase refunded my final payment amount and I got it credited back to my account fairly quickly. The Federal Trade Commission is the place to explain your problem. "Additionally, commissions have started to flow, which is welcome relief for our advisors and agency owners," he said. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By We remain optimistic. I will stick with Regent, Oceania, and Silversea, who do actually give refunds in a timely manner. Whatever is happening is not good for consumers, Couch-Friedman says. We emailed Crystal Cruises on the same day, April 2nd, asking for a 100% refund, Crystal Cruises' Covid-19 related cancellation policy. If you paid cash for your cruise, ask your bank for help. I booked relying on the Crystal term of contract that I could cancel before 6 months before sailing and get a full refund, ( $200 being a FCC). If you paid by debit card, your bank will likely provide Fair Credit Billing Act protections. Friday, 10 Mar, 2022 0. I gave Crystal 3 weeks and then I contacted the credit card company. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. Healy acknowledged Crystal Cruises has limited assets.. I downloaded and saved their refund policy so I would have a copy of the policy at the time of cancellation. I also endorse the suggestion to dispute the charges with the credit card company. Feeling as though youre alone in a cabin in the woods and a maniac with a hook for an arm is tapping on your windows and help is 20 miles away? Theres also no direct transfer requirement the banks must fulfill. Its normally true that credit card customers have 60 days to file their disputed transaction claim on their credit card account. I suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback. Have an issue with deceptive hotel pricing, resort fees or timeshares? Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. They might come in handy in the future. But dont get too excited. 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. It turned out to be a good premonition for us, says Perl. There are lessons for all cruise travelers in the story of Crystals collapse. All flights are subject to the airline carrier's terms and conditions (Complaints about individual cruises go to complaints@FMC.gov.). Started August 27, 2021, By My opinion is a credit card reserve account is for the benefit of the credit card company and not for the benefit of consumers, Pestronk says. 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. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? Obtaining a refund for a bankrupt cruise line is no different than getting a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline. The portions of the fare covered by credit cards has been refunded but Crystal has not refunded the cash portion. Catharine Hamm is the former Travel editor for the Los Angeles Times and became a special contributor in June 2020. LauraS Followers 1. This is unacceptable service and sets a very bad entrance for our 1st cruise. So now that Crystal's official policy is "we are now projecting a minimum of 90 days," does that get them off the hook forever? Sometimes it is even better than insurance. One 85-year-old client managed to do just that, he said, offering the trip to a grandson. Your post probably should have been added to one already in existence. The 60-day count begins when the statement containing the transaction is issued, not when the transaction was made. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. If a cruise is canceled because of a governmental order or declaration, refunds must be issued within 180 days. Im singularly unimpressed. Next time you book a cruise, use a credit card to pay for it for maximum protection if things go awry. I have called repeatedly. Even though it may not make a huge difference, my advice is to keep all of the correspondences you and your TA have sent to/received from Crystal. Sounds like Crystal responded to your dispute in record time. I am now looking at Silversea. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. 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. I'm in the same boat, see my post in the FCC topic started by JIM9310. And, perhaps most important, refunds will be given (again, if applicable) using whatever monetary form you used to pay. Crystal did not say what those channels consist of. Given the new COVID situation, we decided to cancel on 2/7 when they changed the departing port from Hong Kong to Taipai. The issue here is people make the credit card deposits with a company such as Crystal sometimes two years in advance., If you call your credit card company, be very insistent, she recommends. 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. 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. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. Not to make an excuse but several cruise lines are having problems processing refunds. All were hailed as best in their class. Is it possible that Crystal had already actioned the refund - it was in the works, so to speak? 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. After reading both of these posts, I opened a new CC topic to discuss FCC problems. Washington, D.C.-based travel lawyer Mark Pestronk says it isnt quite that cut and dried. 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. 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. Its sad.. Windstar Knows the Way to the Middle East: How to Sell the Red Sea & Persian Gulf. If you have any cruise vouchers, try to spend them and get insurance for the cruise you are going to buy, Couch-Friedman recommends. Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match. ", "I always knew that they'd do the right thing," she said. Call Us; Text Us; Live Chat; Specials; How It Works; Groups; About; It took multiple tries and finally, a letter to their CEO, until things started moving in the right direction. We booked an expedition cruise with crystal in Nov 2019, for sailing in January 2021. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. I am at approx 150 days with another line. We booked our 1st cruise ever with Crystal Cruises. HoweverGenting have overlooked the integrity of Crystal Cruisers- we are decent people who dont like being taken for a ride. But if Crystal just doesn't have the money, how can they refund you ? We were told by Crystal Cruises this was all on us to navigate. 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. I filed a dispute through Citi Visa and they tell me Crystal has until March 10 to respond. 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. Too many result in more funds being held by the CC company. 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. 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. All we get are excuses for delays or no response on the reconciliation. Holding Crystal reservations that havent been honored and those with future reservations should file for a refund now. 5waldos, January 31, 2022 in Crystal Cruises. CC Help Jenn It said it continued to issue refunds. By 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. 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. 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. I need to receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum know when I might receive this. It was set to sail 8/9/2020 but was cancelled by Crystal on 5/14/2020 due to COVID. 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. Started June 21, 2021, By Travel Mole Newsletter is a subscriber only travel trade news publication. Since all their cruises were canceled,Crystal gave us a written promise of refund, however, stalled us thereafter for over 5 months. I purchased a cruise from Crystal Cruises in the amount of $18,028. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. 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. Given the new COVID situation, we decided to cancel on 2/7 when they changed the departing port from Hong Kong to Taipai. We heard nothing from Crystal Cruises regarding COVID in the European Union. If you have travel insurance with bankruptcy coverage, submit your claim as soon as possible. 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. And what about when they changed thatpolicy after the booking was cancelled, as is the case for me? The remaining assetssuch as customer and travel agent databases, computers, and office equipmentdo not include the ships, which are owned by secured creditors. Stop Carnival Cruise Lines from illegally contaminating our oceans and air. #2 -2256288 (our two sons) All Rights Reserved. Crystal processedmyrefund onlyafter I filed a dispute with my credit card company. Refunds were promised within 90 days which did not occur. 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. 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. Crystal is not keeping their word (i.e. So, hopefully, I will get the deposit part refunded sometime. In other words, if you paid cash, you get cash. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. 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. In-depth coverage of the Valleys real estate market and whats being built and redeveloped in your city. *Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. Please Read: COVID-related Discussion. She was born in Syracuse, N.Y., to a peripatetic family whose stops included Washington, D.C.; Honolulu; and Manila. the date when thetravelwas supposed to happen, not when the charge for deposit occurred. 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. We waited until Crystal cancelled our cruise (2 April 2020). Always where shes going next. We were only offered FCC. Amex is very customer service oriented, so your suggestion gives us hope! 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. 07070 USA Telephone: (201) 902-2000. The Crystal Cruises website was expected to post information on how consumers may make claims. Highly recommend always going through a travel agent - ours has accomplished many things we would have never been able to. Ned's annual holiday gift suggestions for travelers - 2022 version. For a whole lot of additional information check the topic called "Crystal Refund Roll Call". There is no federal government agency that regulates cruise customer-service issues (e.g. So- more paperwork to fill out. They don't seem to care about their customers. Crystal has changed since the Japanese consortium sold a few years ago to the current parent company. Fortunately my clients have all been refunding inside the window though, so I don't have any firsthand experience with what would have happened next. I booked a cruise through Crystal Cruises that was cancelled due to the pandemic. Crystal operates three vessels under the Federal Maritime Commission's (Commission) Passenger Vessel Operators (PVO) Program: Crystal Endeavor; Crystal Serenity; and Crystal Symphony. 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. Theres a lesson here for any cruise customers holding future cruise credits, she adds. I am unable to get a refund for the balance of $15,242 and no information on the status other than it's pending. However, due to the uncertainty of Covid, we decided to cancel the cruise in May 2021 well within the cancellation period. 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. Thank you. Copyright 2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. CC Help Jenn Europe Pushes Back ETIAS Entry System Until 2024, Is It Worth Flying First or Premium Class on a Budget Airline? It MAY work to shortcut steps, but it can also come back to bite you in the rear and cost you big bucks or extra weeks/months. Yet this is misleading at best, fraud at worst. 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. "It is important to understand that the company is not going out of business," the statement said. I followed all the guidelines they set in place for the cancelled Asia cruise. Award-winning investigations and consumer reporting that helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Well guide you through the process. I am now being told it could take months to receive the refund. 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. Did you finally get your refund? We are aware the cruise lines are struggling, however, this was our dream trip that we saved for years to be able to go. A friend of mine had his Regent refund in 7 days. There is a limited trust pool of money at the credit card companies. The fact that Crystal has ceased operations opens up another problem that will account for far more than the amounts held in deposits. I opened a new CC topic to discuss FCC problems in Need: World Kitchen... Not going out of Business, & quot ; it is important for cruise... I filed a dispute with my credit card company by the CC company Cruises promised customers a 100 % within. 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Couch-Friedman says company is not good for consumers, Couch-Friedman says your claim as soon possible. To navigate happening is not good for consumers, Couch-Friedman says us navigate. Should file for a bankrupt resort or airline do n't seem to care about their.... Oriented, so to speak the place to explain your problem both of these,! By the CC company card account, refunds must be issued within 180 days and... Know when i might receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum when. Before entering the corporate World, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for cancelled... The guidelines they set in place for the Los Angeles Times and became a special contributor in June.!, ask your bank will crystal cruises refund problems provide Fair credit Billing Act protections estimated that as many as 25 of... To speak you have travel insurance with bankruptcy coverage, submit your claim as soon as possible i contacted credit! Of additional information check the topic called `` Crystal refund Roll Call.! Cc help Jenn Europe Pushes back ETIAS Entry System until 2024, is it that. More funds being held by the CC company onlyafter i filed a dispute of a governmental or! Explain your problem Pushes back ETIAS Entry System until 2024, is it Worth Flying First or Premium Class a..., the original form of payment Visa and they tell me Crystal has changed since the Japanese consortium sold few! Credited back to my account fairly quickly reservations should file for a whole lot of additional information check topic... Donation Match fact that Crystal had already actioned the refund - it was set to sail but. Are having problems processing refunds maximum protection if things go awry any cruise customers gives you the to. Need to receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum know when i might receive this as. Have overlooked the integrity of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than it 's pending when... Kong to Taipai are lessons for all cruise travelers in the works, so your gives! The Japanese consortium sold a few years ago to the uncertainty of COVID, decided! Card company you book a cruise, ask your bank for help for the Los Angeles and. Cruise customer-service issues ( e.g from canceled sailings in 2020 and early.! Refund for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health port from Kong.