If you paid cash for your cruise, ask your bank for help. 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. Cruise customers out of pocket due to the demise of Crystal Cruises can now file a claim to try to get their money back. Crystal will not refund our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons. BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes. It was the banks role to cover the charge within those parameters, not the merchant. By Concurrently, their parent company in Hong Kong has defaulted on $3B in loans. For one year now I have communicating with Crystal through a special assistant to the president who, as late as two days ago cannot give me any idea when the balance will be remitted. Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match. She was born in Syracuse, N.Y., to a peripatetic family whose stops included Washington, D.C.; Honolulu; and Manila. It said it continued to issue refunds. 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 . Which is basically what some are doing by going the their cc instead of making the request first with Crystal. LauraS Copyright 2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. It took them only 5 days after I filed. I don't recall any "agreement" made between Crystal and their customers regarding this. 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. The likelihood is that the earlier you file your disputed credit card transaction claim, the greater your chances youll get your money back. Such a shame as they had a good product. Former executives are saying the money will be returned to consumers who paid via credit cards. Keep in mind that disputes that result in chargebacks to the vendor are negatives that are scored by the CC company. We booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20. There are lessons for all cruise travelers in the story of Crystals collapse. They continue doing business and getting money from the public while we have to wait until they feel like returning what's not theirs. #2 -2256288 (our two sons)
The cruise line's parent company,. Travelers Unitedis a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. 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. By SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. The owner of Cheema's Travel recently launched a travel coaching business. Started August 27, 2021, By Name: ***** & Ulisese **** and Alexander & Siaosi ****
Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. Crystal thencancelled that cruise. Credits for future cruises should be issued if the passenger cancels the cruise after the cruise lines deadline for refunds. On 7/14/2020 at 8:44 AM, ltuckchapman said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Beware of booking a cruise with Crystal Cruises. In June 2019, my husband and I booked a May 2020 Mediterranean Cruise with Crystal Cruises. By If you are receiving this message, simply enter your email address to sign in or register if you are not. Crystals owner, Genting Hong Kong, filed for liquidation in Bermuda courts in January. 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. 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. 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. And to repeat what has previously been mentioned, they are suspending payments to financial creditors, not to passengers. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By LauraS For defective products, services that are never delivered, warranty defaults, or other problems, paying by credit card gives me the best purchase protection. 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. The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. The Chase advisor explained that there is a rule for 120 days from the //day of service// (i.e. I received $2,786 refund for taxes and insurance on 5/15/2021. On record-keeping, why do airlines play dumb with Congress? 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. 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. 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. Cancelled cruise: "7-night Legendary Rhine River Cruise" was to depart 9/6/2021
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. The cruise line now says it expects that by the end of April, 95% of customer refunds will be complete. They cancelled the cruise. 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. Its the chance to be heard at a time when many companies arent listening. Crystal last week said it would launch operations from the Bahamas in July. Obtaining a refund for a bankrupt cruise line is no different than getting a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline. Processing disputedrefunds take priority over other refunds for Crystal. The remaining assetssuch as customer and travel agent databases, computers, and office equipmentdo not include the ships, which are owned by secured creditors. A spokesperson for Crystal Cruises, Susan Robison, said recently that "we have cancelled hundreds of cruises and provided tens of millions of dollars of refund. Adds Perl, With future cruise credits, it is uncertain if they are going to get their money back. Ditto if you purchased travel insurance through a third-party travel insurance company. Looking back I wish I would do it much sooner. Holding Crystal reservations that havent been honored and those with future reservations should file for a refund now. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. Started June 21, 2021, By Our goal is to maximize the recovery of assets and provide a claims process to creditors that allows them to realize the highest potential recovery regardless of the size of their claim, Healy said. 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. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By It was a last-ditch effort to protect consumers, travel agents, employees, and vendors owed money. Which is a shame because the fallout from cruise-ship cancellations continues. In-depth coverage of the Valleys real estate market and whats being built and redeveloped in your city. Still other travelers' money was held hostage by the cruise line's precarious finances. But many misunderstand them with specific regard to bankruptcy. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. 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. The Federal Trade Commission is the place to explain your problem. If youve had one of those experiences, you already know the process to get a refund from Crystal. I think it's fair to say most reasonable people would not pay for travel when the US has issued a "Do not Travel" warning during the time the company (Crystal) is requiring final payment and when the receiving country is closed to visitors. ", "I always knew that they'd do the right thing," she said. 194 total complaints in the last 3 years. Europe Pushes Back ETIAS Entry System Until 2024, Is It Worth Flying First or Premium Class on a Budget Airline? This is a substantial amount of money, and we are concerned they cannot pay. That includes Crystal Cruises, part of the Genting Group. READ ALSO: 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! I suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback. It was set to sail 8/9/2020 but was cancelled by Crystal on 5/14/2020 due to COVID. Decided that it was also time to formally dispute the charges for our August cruise deposit. of Economic Opportunity, Crystal Cruises said that all 238 employees at Crystal's Miami headquarters had been let go, with the last employees leaving Feb. 9. 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. We did not cancel. The Chase card advisor said, no problem, the services were never rendered; they contacted VISA and within 24h our deposit was reflected back as a credit. But theres no chargeback protection because payments are made directly from your bank account at the time of the transaction. Others who waited received 25% bonus and airfare considerations. We have no obligation to "give them" 90 days for a refund. I have reached out to our sales associate and always get the same information as the website. 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. Voices, experts and personalities on the right and the left. Have a travel problem, dilemma or question? 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. I need to receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum know when I might receive this. While its website continues to state that theyve paused, the cruise line is dead. Any former passengers with an existing claim against Crystal, those with reservations that havent been honored, and those with future reservations who think that the cruise line might come back to life, need to understand that it wont happen. If Crystal is insolvent then to trade is a criminal offence. AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site. 2023 AFAR Media, ships that have been seized for unpaid fuel bills. That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover. There is a number of threads already on this topic. Crystal said that after every refund is processed it will return to its published refund policy. 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. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. So as bad as we think 90 days is, for many companies it could technically be even longer if they wanted to further upset customers. Washington, D.C.-based travel lawyer Mark Pestronk says it isnt quite that cut and dried. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. All flights are subject to the airline carrier's terms and conditions 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. Please call American Express and a dispute can be filed. Your post probably should have been added to one already in existence. You should also contact your state attorney generals office, Couch-Friedman advises. Here are 64 ways to enjoy L.A.s beloved getaway. We heard nothing from Crystal Cruises regarding COVID in the European Union. You should do tests on private browsing mode. This content is only available to subscribers. These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies. 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. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. It was more like they were treating you like family., Now, he says of the lines quick demise, Its like a grieving process. So- more paperwork to fill out. 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. Powered by Invision Community. 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. 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. 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. 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. And what about when they changed thatpolicy after the booking was cancelled, as is the case for me? CADRS staff will not render a decision or require a party or parties to take specific action, its website noted. Total Base $7,398.00 Total Tax $392.00 Grand Total $7,790
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. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. 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. Their most recent email response from Crystal was similar to what appears on their website Please know that our team is diligently working to ensure each of your refunds are addressed in the timeliest manner possible, still working within the projected 90 days in most instances. Book now from $515! Initially Crystal refused to provide a refund, only offering 'future cruise credit' with no incentive/bonus to bank the funds vs. taking a refund. But if you have a problem with a cruise, you have a problem. The fare was prepaid mostly through credit cards and approximately $5000.00 cash via our travel agent. 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. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. This will ensure you fulfill the policys timing requirements. I have not been able to reconcile this amount to the cost of the trip and have asked their in-house sale rep for such a reconciliation many times, without success. I am now being told it could take months to receive the refund. 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. Trade Commission is the place to explain your problem lines deadline for refunds charges for our cruise. 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As 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by other! 2 -2256288 ( our two sons ) the cruise lines deadline for refunds uncertain if they are going to their! Ditto if you are receiving this message, simply enter your email address to sign or. Took them only 5 days after I filed the European Union please call American and! That the information provided is accurate reviews and/or responses on this topic money will returned!