Cancellation Refunds – Post Your Experience

[Host Jazzbeau]

We received the refund of our deposit on Jan. 15, but have not yet heard anything about our Option 2 expense reimbursements.  Please post your experience so far – and please post updates too!

[ridethetide]

Reimbursement from Windstar is not going swiftly or smoothly.  After my TA submitted all the necessary paperwork the first week in January, I received an email from Windstar stating: 

 

"Thank you for submitting your receipts for reimbursement consideration.  We thank you for your patience as we review and respond to each submission.

 

Upon review of your submitted receipts, further documentation is required.  At your earliest convenience, please submit the documentation you have which contain terms and conditions which state nonrefundable and non-changeable. If fees were assessed, please submit receipt of the fees assessed. If no fees were assessed, please submit documentation which states this. Proof of purchase of the original tickets will still require proof of cancellation or change and the fees which were associated with either option.

 

Please note that Windstar Cruises requires proof of exact amounts of fees incurred to be able to reimburse. If no proof is able to be submitted in regards to the terms and conditions, Windstar will be forced to deny your claim.

 

We look forward to hearing from you soon.  Please let us know if you have any questions."

 

All of this was submitted with the original request. My TA then submitted credit card receipts for the airline tickets and hotel ten days ago.  No response other than my TA's Windstar Representative said that the accounting department is very small at Windstar and they are struggling to get through all of these refunds. Maybe they should have hired some temporary help...

[ducklite]

I was told my check was being cut and sent last Friday.  I expect it will take a week to get from Seattle to my home.  If I don't have it by early next week, I'll be following up.  I uploaded the documentation showing the original plane tickets and the rebooked tickets showing the change fee and highlighted it.  I also uploaded the original bookings and the cancellations for the two Air B&B's showing that we weren't getting a refund.

[ridethetide]

23 minutes ago, ducklite said:

I was told my check was being cut and sent last Friday.  I expect it will take a week to get from Seattle to my home.  If I don't have it by early next week, I'll be following up.  I uploaded the documentation showing the original plane tickets and the rebooked tickets showing the change fee and highlighted it.  I also uploaded the original bookings and the cancellations for the two Air B&B's showing that we weren't getting a refund.

Unfortunately, we couldn't rebook the flights since we rebooked the same itinerary for 2021, and the flights are not available this far out.

[ridethetide]

Our refund was rejected for the second time yesterday, claiming we need to provide proof of rebooking the flights and any fees charged for the changing.  My TA has explained to them twice already that we cannot rebook the flights within the one year Delta allows (9/3/20) since the rebooked WS itinerary is not until 2021. The Delta tickets have to be used before 9/3/20. I suppose we could fly to Anchorage on 9/2/20 and wait there until July!!!

[sportsfather]

Did you have trip insurance?

[ridethetide]

16 minutes ago, sportsfather said:

Did you have trip insurance?

Yes, we had trip insurance, but our TA reapplied the unused policy to our new itinerary since WS agreed to refund all travel expenses.  I received good news late yesterday.  After my TA went to her upper management, who then went to WS upper management, the check will be cut and sent next week for the full amount.  Squeaky wheel....

[sportsfather]

Now I see a TA gets there commission. That was the reason for the slow down. Why does anyone use them anymore? Go direct better service great company.

[ridethetide]

1 hour ago, sportsfather said:

Now I see a TA gets there commission. That was the reason for the slow down. Why does anyone use them anymore? Go direct better service great company.

I use a TA for this very reason.  When I need to fight a battle, the TA is there to do it for me.  I have no doubt that if I tried to do this on my own, I never would have received the full refund.

[Host Jazzbeau]

On 2/6/2020 at 10:13 AM, sportsfather said:

Now I see a TA gets there commission. That was the reason for the slow down. Why does anyone use them anymore? Go direct better service great company.

 

The TA was the reason for 'No' turning into 'Yes.'  Would you rather have a slow-down leading to 'Yes,' or a quick 'No.'  That's the difference between a TA being able to go to 'top management' and you stuck dealing with a low level phone answerer.  TAs earn their commission – but it's paid by the cruise line, not you.  Using a TA is pure win for the customer.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Good news from my end.  My TA says that Windstar approved my request and the check should be cut this Friday.  I wasn't sure I would get anything, because my expenses didn't exactly fit the criteria – but they approved everything!  [Granted it was chicken feed:  $307.22 total for two people – Delta waived the big change fee they were entitled to but did charge me for seat selection on one of the 3 new flights, and we had to book a new flight to get from Lisbon to Seville where our replacement tour begins.]  I already got the deposit refund and the FFC is supposedly in my folio [I don't see how to verify this on the Windstar website]

[r&rd]

After 7 weeks I emailed Windstar regarding my refund for non-refundable fees. Was told they could not open the file and would I resend it. Would have been nice for them to tell me that in December when I submitted it. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

When I asked my TA to check the status of my refund, Windstar told her they were waiting for credit card info.  Her reaction:  [two-letter abbreviation for bovine feces]!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Got an email from Windstar with my FCC today.  Exactly 10% of the full cruise care (except port taxes).  Text of email says "valid for travel on a future Windstar Cruise sailing from now through December 31, 2021" but the fine print says "FCC must be applied to the new reservation before its Expiration Date, and is subject to space availability." – which sounds like you must book the cruise by 12/31/21 but can sail later [I hope, none of the Windstar offerings through 2021 appeal or fit our schedule].

[ducklite]

I got my refund check this past Monday.  How it made it from Seattle to Orlando in two days is beyond me.  I also was able to apply the FCC to the re-booked cruise, so I'm happy.

 

 

[patty1955]

Does anyone have any idea what happens with on one way flight booked with air miles? If our Star Breeze cruise is cancelled (I'm pretty sure it is) our flight might get complicated. I bought airfare from Tokyo to Seattle on JAL with my Alaska Air miles and I'm not sure how it's going to work.

[patty1955]

Please ignore my previous post. I found my answer

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, patty1955 said:

Please ignore my previous post. I found my answer

 

Care to share the info?

[patty1955]

30 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Care to share the info?

Canceling the ticket will cost $125 to have the miles redeposited back into my account.

[Host Jazzbeau]

28 minutes ago, patty1955 said:

Canceling the ticket will cost $125 to have the miles redeposited back into my account.

 

Based on my experience Windstar will have no problem paying that.

[patty1955]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Based on my experience Windstar will have no problem paying that.

I'm sure that won't be a problem but I'm very disappointed that they're cancelling a cruise that's 6 months out over something that will probably be done and forgotten about by then.

[patty1955]

1 hour ago, patty1955 said:

I'm sure that won't be a problem but I'm very disappointed that they're cancelling a cruise that's 6 months out over something that will probably be done and forgotten about by then.

And it official, the cruise is cancelled.

[Host Jazzbeau]

2 hours ago, patty1955 said:

I'm sure that won't be a problem but I'm very disappointed that they're cancelling a cruise that's 6 months out over something that will probably be done and forgotten about by then.

 

From your lips to God's ear.  But given the unreliability of the information coming from China and the WHO about this disease so far, I'd say Windstar is being very prudent in assuming they should get their ships out of the area until it is proven safe.

[patty1955]

2 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

From your lips to God's ear.  But given the unreliability of the information coming from China and the WHO about this disease so far, I'd say Windstar is being very prudent in assuming they should get their ships out of the area until it is proven safe.

I've been talking to my husband about the cost Princess is paying for this mess and I don't play Windstar for protecting themselves. 

[patty1955]

Sorry, I have another question. One of our hotels had a non-refundable price so we've lost the money we paid for it. Do you think Windstar will reimburse us? Will it slow down the airfare refunds if I include the hotel in our claim?