Cancellation Refunds – Post Your Experience

[Host Jazzbeau]

They get to make the rules.  [And some cruise lines have high-handedly decided that they can even change the rules after the fact – I'm talking about Ponant.]  But I don't have to like it.

[new_cruiser]

On 12/18/2020 at 9:58 PM, Host Jazzbeau said:

My April 15, 2021 cruise (Spanish Serenade on Star Legend, Lisbon to Barcelona) was cancelled on Dec. 11.  I was told I would have a choice of 125% FCC or 100% cash refund.  My TA immediately asked for the cash, but was told we had to wait for them to issue the FCC certificates, then we could ask for the cash.  The certificates came today [conveniently a Friday at 4:45 pm], and I filled out the cash requests on Windstar's website within 1/2 hour.  I'll post an update when I see the $$$ [or other news].

 

The question my TA and I are debating:  is this just 'bureaucracy strikes' [my benevolent interpretation] or 'keeping your money as long as we can' [my TA – who is now much less likely to book Windstar on behalf of many many clients].  That matter is probably moot anyway as comparison of deck plans shows me that while Windstar has interesting itineraries, its ships are notably devoid of balconies compared to almost everybody else.

We've also gotten the 125% FCC certificates promptly after the cancellation was announced. Waiting for the certificate isn't delaying the refund by more than a few days so I doubt delaying refunds is the goal. They may be hoping that when people see the 25% larger figure that they are tempted to use the FCC after all. It may just be a way of avoiding having a refund request and the sending of the certificate cross in the time so that someone gets a refund and uses the certificate which then has to be straightened out. They could prevent this by having customers request either the refund or the certificate before either is sent, but that wouldn't speed up the refund by much and would delay sending the certificate so they are giving a time advantage for those who want to use the certificate by slightly delaying the refund option.

[Windsailer]

As one for the people who had their cruise just cancelled, a question for those of you who have been through the refund process. How were refunds for shore excursions and other purchases handled? Were they refunded separately?  TIA.

[GottaKnowWhen]

1 hour ago, Windsailer said:

As one for the people who had their cruise just cancelled, a question for those of you who have been through the refund process. How were refunds for shore excursions and other purchases handled? Were they refunded separately?  TIA.

Yes. You will probably receive 4-5 refunds: fare, port fees, taxes, excursions, ...

[LewiLewi]

We unfortunately just had to cancel our Windstar Legend cruise. Our deposit was refunded in less than a week back to our credit card. We are hoping to be able to cruise with them again in the future.

[Babr]

Here we are in May 2022, and this thread just keeps going. Covid is still working its magic. Poof! Cruise disappears.

 

We have been offered the opportunity for a refund after we get FCC, but there will be no bonus FCC or OBC.

 

We’ll see how this round of cancellations and refunds go. There is at least one ahead of us to be processed. It was cut short but will be refunded anyway.

[patty1955]

3 minutes ago, Babr said:

Here we are in May 2022, and this thread just keeps going. Covid is still working its magic. Poof! Cruise disappears.

The thread doesn't really keep going. It's been 8 months since the last post.

[minidonuts85]

I think what Babr meant (and not to speak for you Babr) is that who knew 8-months later we’d be talking about COVID related cancellations and refunds and such…still continuing…

[Love.II.Cruise]

Made a cancellation on May 9th (about a month before final payment)... still haven't received a refund.  Just emailed our TA to ask about it.  

[Babr]

1 hour ago, Love.II.Cruise said:

Made a cancellation on May 9th (about a month before final payment)... still haven't received a refund.  Just emailed our TA to ask about it.  

Windstar cancelled ours May 6. Nothing yet. I have called to check the status. I don’t know how many people they have to do the paperwork, but ours apparently has not yet been processed. As I understand it, an FCC is the first step. Then I have to request a cash refund once I have the FCC. I have no reason to think the second step goes any faster.

[Love.II.Cruise]

19 hours ago, Babr said:

Windstar cancelled ours May 6. Nothing yet. I have called to check the status. I don’t know how many people they have to do the paperwork, but ours apparently has not yet been processed. As I understand it, an FCC is the first step. Then I have to request a cash refund once I have the FCC. I have no reason to think the second step goes any faster.

We cancelled our cruise before final payment.  Our TA got back to us and told us Windstar needed our security code on the credit card we used.  

[Babr]

10 minutes ago, Love.II.Cruise said:

We cancelled our cruise before final payment.  Our TA got back to us and told us Windstar needed our security code on the credit card we used.  

At least that sounds like progress as if your refund may be forthcoming. I have no assurances, and they have asked for no information.

[Babr]

Finally received certificate for cruise credit today. I submitted it for a cash refund - eligible because of the temporary suspension of operations. The disclaimer says to allow another 4 - 6 weeks. It has already taken a month to get this far.

[Love.II.Cruise]

We got our refund processed on 6/11/2022.  Just wanted to follow up and let people know.  

[flygod]

Hi all, had booked for Tahiti in mid-August but decided it was a long way to go from Scotland and have the chance of finding the cruise cancelled because of covid.

Thought it was 90 days ,and not 120, to cancel FoC. Called travel agent around 100 days prior and was told no cancellation fee. So cancelled cruise and then cancelled flights.

 

Next morning, travel agent said: Oops, you lose your deposit, We got it wrong! Tough.

Windstar agreed to transfer our deposit to Tahiti in summer 2023. 

So good on them. They could just have taken our $2500 dollars and said tough.

[minidonuts85]

@flygod the same exact thing happened to us for our mid-August Tahiti cruise. Somehow the final payment dates aren't aligning with the penalty start date; I’ve not had an issue in the past cancelling right before final payment date.

 

Except Windstar would not transfer our deposit to a new cruise; our TA made several calls and no luck. Really bummed.

Glad it worked out for you! 

 

[Babr]

Windstar’s written cancellation policy states that cancellation notice must be received 121 days prior to commencing travel. Cancellations at 120-90 days are subject to 15% fee which is equivalent to the deposit. In addition there is a $50 pp administrative fee. Air and travel protection policies are nonrefundable.

 

Apparently, cancellation penalties are not tied to final payment dates. It is a detail that is easy to miss since most people don’t think about cancelling until final payment approaches.
 

I can’t explain the inconsistency in enforcing the policy. It may be that the travel agent in the first situation was able to use her influence since she was partially responsible for giving incorrect information.

Edited June 22, 2022 by Babr

[minidonuts85]

Yes I am aware of what the policy says. In the past, our final payment dates did align at 120-days because I’ve cancelled many times at FP with no issue. C’est la vie. 
 

[Babr]

8 minutes ago, minidonuts85 said:

Yes I am aware of what the policy says. In the past, our final payment dates did align at 120-days because I’ve cancelled many times at FP with no issue. C’est la vie. 
 

I did not realize that the policy had changed or that the dates had moved around. I expected them to align in any case. I just thought it was odd when I first realized the penalty period started well before the final payment due date.

[minidonuts85]

41 minutes ago, Babr said:

I did not realize that the policy had changed or that the dates had moved around. I expected them to align in any case. I just thought it was odd when I first realized the penalty period started well before the final payment due date.

Yep…me and my TA were surprised given past experiences. When she called me back to deliver the news, you could have knocked me over with a feather.  Definitely something to be keenly aware of and another date to manage to (penalty and FP) on future bookings that I may make.   After 3-weeks of calling WS and finally being told no transfer to another sailing,  my TA gave some additional perks on my other  existing bookings (non-WS).  Good times! 

[Babr]

16 minutes ago, minidonuts85 said:

Yep…me and my TA were surprised given past experiences. When she called me back to deliver the news, you could have knocked me over with a feather.  Definitely something to be keenly aware of and another date to manage to (penalty and FP) on future bookings that I may make.   After 3-weeks of calling WS and finally being told no transfer to another sailing,  my TA gave some additional perks on my other  existing bookings (non-WS).  Good times! 

I’m glad your TA was able to help you with something to offset the loss. It is terribly frustrating to be caught unaware by a change in what was a customary practice. It is not customer friendly at best and feels something like a trap at worst.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I have heard of other cruise lines that, because of Covid, moved final payment closer to the cruise – but kept the penalty dates as written in the contract.

[Babr]

2 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I have heard of other cruise lines that, because of Covid, moved final payment closer to the cruise – but kept the penalty dates as written in the contract.

The difference is that this is Windstar’s standard cancellation fee policy applicable to all bookings- penalty starting at 120 days even when the usual final payment is 90 days.
 

 

[Babr]

The refund for the  May 10 cruise cancelled by Windstar on May 6 has at last been credited to the original form of payment. The total amount for cruise fare, port fees, taxes, and shore excursions appeared on our credit card statement this morning.

 

The process took about 7 weeks.