Edithclara

On 7/19/2020 at 4:09 AM, grapau27 said:

I wouldn't let them off the hook.

Now much later dates are being refunded it made me wonder why they haven't cleared all March refunds and sundries.

Just got our EasyJet refund for a June fly cruise and our £500 October Florida fly/drive deposit from TUI

TUI were absolutely fantastic.

 

Great to know you've been happy with TUI

19 hours ago, Beth Y said:

I've made several calls to Customer Service regarding a refund for my May 3 Queen Victoria Norway cruise, which Cunard cancelled on April 20.  It is unacceptable that they have not yet refunded the $3,300 which I am owed, especially since I've already received a refund for my cancelled May 24 QM2 crossing.  

On Monday's call I was told that I'd hear back from a manager in Guest Relations.  Still no response.  I'll try their Facebook page next, and I'd appreciate it if anyone would share names and email addresses for top management at Cunard.  

 

What a way to run a cruise line!  Celebrity was SO much better -- they sent me a refund for my TA within a month of the date that they cancelled.

I initially had a quick response when tweeted them something like "Where's my refund for ......?", they asked me to send them a Twitter Direct Message. Once we'd touched base, we switched to Facebook Messenger. Very helpful. 

I know a couple who booked/paid in full for the 2020 sea princess world cruise, via a TA in November 2020. Still waiting for their $70K AUD refund.

16 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Not any more. The travel agent has been informed that if we do not have any firm information by the 100 day mark we will be going down the credit card route.

 

On the plus side, a second email arrived from Cunard saying that a shore excursion refund for 4th April has been processed and should be with us shortly.

 

I think what patience I have had stems from what #rafinmd said a few days ago. We were stuck in Australia when our voyage was cancelled but Cunard got us home. Seven days accommodation, food and drink. Business class flights halfway around the world. And apart from one beer we didn’t have to lay out a penny or organise any of it. I know that wasn’t your experience but I concede that because of that I’ve cut them more slack than I probably should. 

Glad they looked after you and got you home safely. 

2 minutes ago, resordanis said:

Afternoon all,

Well  finally! Just had an email from Cunard to say our refund has been processed.

only problem is that because we booked thru an agent, Cunard send them a cheque which could take 20 days for the TA to receive, so still do not have the cash in the bank, but at least a start.🤔🤔. Will post here when I actually receive the money.

 

We were told the same, refund's been processed, due to postal restrictions allow 20 days for the cheque to reach the OZ TA (checked Auspost, service delivery during Covid is now 5 days intrastate, not 20 days). If you see my post above, Cunard told me they processed my refund on 9 June, I had my refund on my CC this morning. 

1 hour ago, speedwell said:

Refund for Transatlantic 24th May arrived today

Congratulations. Still no refund joy for our QE 12th April cruise.

3 hours ago, Clagmeister said:

Thank you and I really hope your refund is sorted soon and we can all look forward to cruising again on these beautiful ships.

Very happy for you and others receiving refunds.

A social media post from someone who works in accounts in an Australian agency "Cunard have not issued any refunds to agencies except for a very few way back in March. The cruise line gives the customer the date they've processed the refund, it then takes at least 4 weeks for the cheque to hit our PO box. We aim to refund within 1 week of receiving the cheque".

It's a shame that in Australia, these cheques cannot be sent directly to the customer. 

On 6/6/2020 at 1:15 AM, fionaanne1 said:

Happy to tell you full refund, including flights received this afternoon for May 9th Sydney to Vancouver QE cruise.

I applied for the refund around second week April so within the 60 days.

I didn't otherwise contact Cunard and only knew about the refund when I checked my CC statement just now, so no accompanying email.

All I have to do now is get the hefty amounts off three CCs and back into my 'fun fund'.

I am in UK.

That's great you've received a refund for the cruise directly after mine, with a refund application around 2 weeks after mine. Not a peep from anyone about my refund. Happy spending....

Great news Aussies - today I saw two social media posts from Australian customers who booked through TAs who have both received their fare refunds for their 9 March Sydney Yokohama QE cruise.  A long wait ahead for my 12 April QE 27 night Circumnavigation Australia refund.

I spoke to Cunard Australia yesterday: said they couldn't access my booking, I said that during my previous call to Cunard they could, miraculously she found she could access it, said my refund was entered manually on 8 April, I said no I've had an email confirming they could see it in the system and dated 30 March, I asked why Cunard couldn't send me a cheque as happens with Cunard UK, she didn't she know why, I asked her to ask her manager, she came back saying it was Cunard policy, I said policy can be flexible, I want my refund directly not via the TA, she said no it has to go to the TA so they can get their commission, I said TAs in the UK must get a commission, I don't think they work for free, and Cunard UK send the cheque to the customer, I said my TA has already said they aren't charging a cancellation fee if the cruise line cancels, so send me my cheque as happens in the UK. I said it's now 66 days since I requested a refund, I'll have to report Cunard to the ACCC, Fair Trading and if necessary the small claims tribunal. Have a good weekend!   

Happy to see a 12 April QE 27 night Circumnavigation Australia passenger has received their refund - where's mine? 

To be continued..

BTW, when asked on social media, a Cunard UK passenger said they send the cheque to the customer not the TA due to data protection laws. Is this correct? 

On 6/2/2020 at 12:05 PM, Coathanger said:

 

Cruise date 9 May.

 

Booked direct via the Cunard Australia website. 

Thanks for those details.

I received an email from my TA on 2 June saying they hadn't received my refund from Cunard. This was the TA's answer to my 23 April asking how long after they received my refund would they send me the refund. 

12 April cruise

Booked via TA

31 March Cunard cancelled

31 March online refund request submitted

BTW,  I generally receive replies to my emails from Cunard within their stated time period of 10 to 14 days. 

20 minutes ago, sydgal said:

The email from Cunard to TA said that Cunard would send cheque directly to passenger.

My TA always sends all emails from Cunard to me for my information. I did nothing special to get a direct cheque.

Thanks. Cunard told me my refund will go to the TA. Cunard wouldn't entertain my request to send my refund direct to me. On my credit card it said I'd paid the TA not Cunard. 

52 minutes ago, Coathanger said:

An Australian data point.

 

• Requested refund 30 March (same day my cruise was cancelled)
• 60 days passed at the end of May
• Called Cunard today and the lovely team member advised request was processed by Cunard 23 April (i.e. three weeks to action)
• Advised to expect a refund at the end of June or early July
• I advised this was beyond the 60 days promised so requested to escalate
• My refund request has been sent to the finance team

Thanks. What is your cruise date? Did you book direct? 

51 minutes ago, sydgal said:

Bank cheque received this morning was from Carnival Australia ANZ .

Did your TA say you'd get your cruise refund by cheque directly from Cunard? If yes, did you do anything special to get them to send the cheque directly to you?

Yes, the changing 60 days from.....is annoying. 

Yesterday, I was told that the Bankwest dept to whom my previously rejected MasterCard (Australia) chargeback had been escalated had also rejected my claim because the TA was offering a refund. It didn't matter that the TA's refund timeframe was much longer than Cunard's. So, we wait..... 

After reading posts where people have booked via a TA only to find some weeks/months later that their online refund request was not in Cunard's system, I tried to confirm if I'm even in the refund queue (numerous phone calls, emails, tweets, twitter direct messages, Facebook messages). 

l finally received an email from Cunard Australia yesterday confirming that they could see my 30 March refund request in their system and that  "Cunard are refunding agents in 60 days from when the refund is processed."

2 hours ago, beakerone said:

Thank you for your help.  I will keep trying to call.  Have tried a few times today and still being cut off.  After several cruises with Cunard, the stories on here and being unable to contact them has made me think I should look for a different cruise line in future.  

 

Good luck with the refunds.

 

Beaker

How frustrating for you. I received helpful replies when l sent tweets and direct messages on twitter to the cruise line. I hope you can sort out your booking.

1 hour ago, AndyMichelle said:

Summed up perfectly Selborne. 

Being made to feel like a mug because you don't shout is not a nice feeling and it has soured my feelings towards them, but I have always been aware that P&O are far from perfect, especially as far as customer service is concerned. 

I will never say never as the main reason for sailing with them is value for money and we have had many great cruises, but it has made me re think how we will cruise in the future, with possibly less holidays but better quality. 

Then again, I will probably see 7 nights on Iona for £350 and won't be able to resist... I wish I had more willpower 😊

Andy 

 

I followed this group before I realised it was for P&O UK, enticed by the group name.... It's been very useful reading all the posts. I'm in the  refund queue (I think) for a Cunard April 12 cruise ex Sydney, cancelled by Cunard March 31. Similar problems here, questioning whether to ever book Cunard again. We haven't done many cruises, mostly Holland America, some P&O Australia. From what I've read on other cruisecritic/social media groups, most cruise lines are dragging their heels with refunds, answering emails/phones. Very frustrated cruisers saying they'll never book their favourite cruise line again. 

But as you say Andy, when you see a bargain, without much thought, it's booked...

4 hours ago, mercury7289 said:

Andy

I guessed you floored It!

Quite right, while the the daises are white, we have happy day's,

As my golf partners used to say at half masted club flags at 7.30 am.

 

Just finished an on line meeting, good result for the local food bank £1000.00 donation.

So pleased to have given the nod.

We all need to and no doubt do, our bit in our locations!

So yes be thankful!

 

 

Well done to secure the donation.

Great news for you Fishgirl01. We patiently await our refund for our April 12 QE sailing cancelled by Cunard March 31.

Clagmeister, thanks for that email address. I don't think they'll be able to help because although Cunard UK on Twitter and Messenger have been very prompt in answering my tweets/DMs etc, they haven't been able to help because I have a Cunard Australia booking which they say they can't access. But you never know..it's worth a shot. Not much love from Cunard Australia. The reason I want confirmation is that as soon as I received the cancellation email from Cunard, I submitted the online refund form on 31/3 and sent a copy to my TA. Then on 21/4 received an email from the TA saying that they'd just submitted my refund request. So perhaps I have to add another 21 days to my timeline...... 

Ozbrian, Cunard said 60 days, I have it in my diary to email the TA just after the 60 days to see if they've received anything from Cunard. 

7 hours ago, jland said:

Edithclara, I think the problem for the bank is the ACCC. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think they said if a  company has offered a refund but are slow paying out, they are  eventually going to pay and therefore have fulfilled their obligations. But then the ACCC is like a candle in the wind, probably changed that view by now.

Jland, that could still be their view. Others on social media have contacted the ACCC about their TA and have received a standard response saying they're having on-going discussions with the travel sector, contact fair trading if you wish to take it further.

On 5/20/2020 at 8:06 PM, Clagmeister said:

Windsurfboy. I never filled in a claim  form because my cancellation was over the telephone. However, when I noticed that people were submitting forms, I did email Cunard and received reassurance that a claim form was unnecessary and my refund claim was being processed and would be with me shortly. That was some while ago and I only mention this for the information of others who may wonder if the telephone cancellation was sufficient to proceed.

Clagmeister, I've been trying to get confirmation that my refund request has been received. Which email address did you contact for confirmation? Thanks.

2 hours ago, bazzaw said:

I have learned two things about this situation - one is to never deal with a TA again and the second is to only pay by Credit Card!!! I did the worst of both.I paid a TA by Bank Transfer - direct to their account - and in Australia 😞

 

I read elsewhere that even if you only pay the deposit by CC you can submit a chargeback claim for the full cruise amount. Not sure if that's the case in Australia. From what I've read here and on other social media some banks are not playing nicely,  including my bank.