Refund Status for canceled cruises: Retitled after merges

[ceilidh1]

2 minutes ago, Conal4749 said:

I don’t think it’s based on the date the cancellation was made but on sailing date.  We also cancelled 3/6 for a 5/16 sailing.  We are supposedly in the group to be refunded shortly.  As of today I was told that they have started working on this group.  At the time we cancelled we verbally told Princess we wanted a refund.  We didn’t have to fill anything out as it was prior to their cancelling any cruises.  We have had many conversations with various levels of representatives at PCL.  Always same story and “please be patient”.  Based on what I’ve seen on this site our refund should be coming in the next couple of weeks.  🤞🤞🤞

 

we did in the meantime deposit a cruise for 2021.   After some thought we decided to cancel and “wait and see”.  The refund for that deposit came back to our credit card within a few days, so I’m assuming it was handled by the regular system at PCL.

Nah, it's not based on anything really. My sailing date was March 14th, so if that was truly how they were processing mine would have been among the first done! The reps are still saying it's by sailing date but the VP of sales confirmed in a TA webinar that this was NOT the case.

[Coral]

22 minutes ago, azbirdmom said:

 

Unless something about your transaction triggered manual processing to begin with.  We used one credit card for the whole thing.  No excursions or other on board purchases needed to be refunded.  We had already cancelled those on 3/8 as we were fairly certain that we would cancel the cruise and these refunds appeared on the credit card on 3/10.  I guess it isn't worth it to speculate - your final sentence above is probably the most accurate statement on this whole situation - it makes no sense!

I had cancelled the shore excursions a week earlier. Used 2 credit cards - one for air and one for the cruise. Cruise was booked at final payment. Air had to be booked after. It was pretty straight forward. No deposit. She cancelled it on the Princess booking system. There was nothing else that needed to be refunded.

[darknightsdespiser]

10 hours ago, Spurschick said:

Beyond irritated.

 

Called again yesterday regarding refund of excursions, drinks packages and internet that we cancelled before all the mass cancellations began in March.

 

Was told cruise was refunded to TA two weeks ago (even though we asked for refund as can’t get hold of TA so now probably going to have to do CC dispute to find that money).

 

That was a start but given we cancelled excursions etc weeks before the cruise was cancelled I asked why that had not been refunded. I was point blankly told we will not give you a date. I asked to escalate was told “this conversation is going nowhere”

 

i will call back again Monday🙄

 

How are you managing to get them to answer the phone?

[Spurschick]

19 minutes ago, darknightsdespiser said:

How are you managing to get them to answer the phone?

Princess are answering no issues there.

 

But really irritating update.

 

Got back through to supervisor at Princess today about my excursion refunds.

 

I had received a response from TA that they had not received the money from Princess so asked at the same time if they could give me more info so TA could try to track down. Supervisor told me person that told me the refund had been sent was looking at wrong screen and now it actually hasn’t been refunded despite being told previously exact date and amount that was supposedly refunded.

 

Talk about completely untrained and left hand not knowing what right hand is doing.

 

 

Edited June 13, 2020 by Spurschick

[cherylandtk]

3 hours ago, Coral said:

I don't think she did anything different. It makes no sense.

“No sense” is correct. We and a friend booked with our same TA for a cruise together.  Both cancelled with N on same day about two hours apart.  (64 days before cruise, one month before Princess cancelled and 89 days ago) Our booking received a cancellation notice, friend’s did not. Friend was able to access the Option 1/2 page using booking number, we never have.  Friend is due back fare + 25% FCC, we just get fare, per Princess and TA.  No explanation why different. Neither of us have received a dime from Princess, nor any FCC yet. 

[ringers0815]

6 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

 I would be interested to hear what others think about the situation!

 I guess I am not too upset with Princess because we used a credit card dispute to resolve our refund rather than wait endlessly and get more and more upset and worried. In April, about 30 days after canceling our March 10 cruise under the March 5 cancellation policy, we filed a dispute with our credit card company. It took only a few days for the cc company to do their investigation and resolve the dispute in our favor and make the credit on our card permanent. Compare that to the situation in Canada with airline tickets. Airlines in Canada do not have to refund any money for cancelled flights. They give out vouchers that can be used within a certain time frame. We were lucky that we had ezair with our cruise. We got part of that money back and part as FCC. I had 2 other air tickets for other trips that were cancelled because of covid. I only got airline vouchers for those. No refund. Who knows if we will ever be able to use the vouchers (or the FCC). At least with Princess we got some money back. I just hope that everybody can get their refund from Princess soon. 

[Coral]

23 minutes ago, cherylandtk said:

“No sense” is correct. We and a friend booked with our same TA for a cruise together.  Both cancelled with N on same day about two hours apart.  (64 days before cruise, one month before Princess cancelled and 89 days ago) Our booking received a cancellation notice, friend’s did not. Friend was able to access the Option 1/2 page using booking number, we never have.  Friend is due back fare + 25% FCC, we just get fare, per Princess and TA.  No explanation why different. Neither of us have received a dime from Princess, nor any FCC yet. 

Wow. Two hours apart, same TA and same cruise.

Edited June 14, 2020 by Coral

[Bgwest]

4 hours ago, CJinSF said:

 

I have all of your questions and more. So does the Federal Maritime Commission, one of the few U.S. government agencies that have any jurisdiction over cruise ships. See this story about what they're investigating: https://www.seatrade-cruise.com/news/fmc-investigation-hones-cruise-line-refund-policies

 

If anyone would like to add your own experience to this investigation, you can do so in 2 ways:

 

1. Email Commissioner Sola at ff30@fmc.gov with your personal story and what you think should be done about cruise line refund practices.

 

2. File a consumer complaint with the agency, asking them to help resolve your issue. You can do so by emailing a brief description of your issue to complaints@fmc.gov . You don't need to share all details in your initial email, as they will send you back a form to fill out.

 

I have done both of these things, as well as file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission and California Attorney General. My patience ran out a long time ago.

Good for you! Finally someone offering something factual and substantive rather than the same hand ringing and gnashing of teeth from the same people over and over and over again ad nauseum. 

[dog]

8 hours ago, ceilidh1 said:

Reading everyone's posts about this situation (and being in the midst of it myself) I am wondering on what you all think is going through the minds of the powers that be at Princess. I have thought about this long and hard over the past 3 months.
I would be interested to hear what others think about the situation!

I think Princess acted too slowly in screening and cancelling cruises after the virus took over the Grand Princess. 
To me, the offer to cancel March 6th for a March 7th cruise with 100percent FCC was a generous offer, I accepted. The ship sailed without me , some got virus , 3 out of 5 ports were cancelled. 
A week later Pause 1 was announced. My TA was told by Princess I would receive some Good Will FCC. This was incorrect, since the ship sailed. 
I was one of the first on here to share that I received my taxes etc back to my cc & FCC and have been attacked by several others, in disbelief  

In another case , I waited a month for my $2 k deposit to be returned, then filed a credit card dispute, resolved in my favour by the end of April.

No excuses for Princess from me. They are a business and should have had some leadership in how the refund process was to move forward. 
 

These comments might be better suited to another thread? 
 

Edited June 14, 2020 by dog

[san diego sue]

5 hours ago, Roger88 said:

It will all depend on how and under what circumstances your refund has been processed. If you cancelled  the cruise before the official announcement, I doubt you will get back your money. If it has happend later or on the same day when the cruise was cancelled or it has been cancelled by the company itself then you might have some problems proving that the cancellation has been justify. Sometimes they just offer FFC credits or gift cards but never real money 

Totally wrong information Roger. We cancelled on March 5th, before Princess cancelled our cruise. We have gotten every penny back that we spent for the cruise including our Future Cruise deposits.Took 87 days but all returned to us.Why in the world would you post that doubtful people will get their money back. There is enough stress right now for those that are still waiting, please don't add doubt to their stress.

 

[happywhencruising]

Princess rep called me yesterday; prompted by an email from me. She said my full refund for March 22nd cruise ( I cancelled on March 17th) was sent to my credit card company on June 9th. Now it's up to credit card company to post to my account. It's taken a long time but I think Princess Cruise Line has done they best they could in an unprecedented situation. I will cruise  with them again...eventually.

[dog]

2 hours ago, san diego sue said:

Totally wrong information Roger. We cancelled on March 5th, before Princess cancelled our cruise. We have gotten every penny back that we spent for the cruise including our Future Cruise deposits.Took 87 days but all returned to us.Why in the world would you post that doubtful people will get their money back. There is enough stress right now for those that are still waiting, please don't add doubt to their stress.

 

Agree with you. Just need to read the posts. 

[Coral]

14 hours ago, darknightsdespiser said:

How are you managing to get them to answer the phone?

In the US, they are.

[Tophat4321]

Still waiting on a $200.00 deposit. Also Princess will not reimburse me for lost airfare as Alaska gave me until June 2021 of next year to use. Like I want to get into airplane before a vaccine. Not a happy camper.

[lanzie99]

If we used a FCD for a canceled cruise and that deposit expires in July 2020, why wont I get that back? Impossible to use it since they are not sailing. I used it on an April cruise that didn't sail and yet I have not got the deposit back. What is the incentive to ever book one of those on a future cruise??? (if we ever go again) how do you social distance in a buffet line (ha ha)

[san diego sue]

1 hour ago, lanzie99 said:

If we used a FCD for a canceled cruise and that deposit expires in July 2020, why wont I get that back? Impossible to use it since they are not sailing. I used it on an April cruise that didn't sail and yet I have not got the deposit back. What is the incentive to ever book one of those on a future cruise??? (if we ever go again) how do you social distance in a buffet line (ha ha)

You will get it back,. After I got my money back on my credit card for my cancelled cruise, the Future Cruise deposit didn't show back in my account on Princess. However, two weeks after I received my refund for cruise, it was a credit on my credit card , two transactions  of $100 each.You would think it all happens same time but for some reason it doesn't. Who knows why.

As far as buffet goes, doubt it will be self service.

Edited June 15, 2020 by san diego sue

[weberman]

9 hours ago, Tophat4321 said:

Still waiting on a $200.00 deposit. Also Princess will not reimburse me for lost airfare as Alaska gave me until June 2021 of next year to use. Like I want to get into airplane before a vaccine. Not a happy camper.

Sadly, we are done with Carnival/Princess and probably cruising in general which we loved before this FIASCO. Fortunately AMEX got us our deposit back. However we are having the same refund issue with Delta Airlines. They need to redeposit to my account 160.000 Skymiles which I used to purchase the airfare to CPH. They are not even answering their phones. Just a message, unable to take your call, GOOD BYE!  If perchance they do answer, the message is your wait time on hold will be in excess of nine hours. While I am not out actual money, but the equivalent of a lot money. So, I guess it is goodbye Skymiles as well.

 

It seems the whole travel industry is totally screwed up. Princess is still taking deposits on future cruises on credit cards AMEX told me. So, they do have some cash flow!

 

I know Princess is not responsible for the COVID pandemic, but they sure as heck are responsible for the TERRIBLE customer service refund issue.

[rlbeck]

37 minutes ago, weberman said:

Sadly, we are done with Carnival/Princess and probably cruising in general which we loved before this FIASCO. Fortunately AMEX got us our deposit back. However we are having the same refund issue with Delta Airlines. They need to redeposit to my account 160.000 Skymiles which I used to purchase the airfare to CPH. They are not even answering their phones. Just a message, unable to take your call, GOOD BYE!  If perchance they do answer, the message is your wait time on hold will be in excess of nine hours. While I am not out actual money, but the equivalent of a lot money. So, I guess it is goodbye Skymiles as well.

 

It seems the whole travel industry is totally screwed up. Princess is still taking deposits on future cruises on credit cards AMEX told me. So, they do have some cash flow!

 

I know Princess is not responsible for the COVID pandemic, but they sure as heck are responsible for the TERRIBLE customer service refund issue.

I hear you on the Delta situation. I was on hold for an hour and forty five minutes before I gave up and called again and requested a call back. They did call the next day. Rep said we will get our miles and e-credit posted soon. Seems as our refund fell through the cracks somehow, she said. We were at 85 days!!! Indeed AMEX is processing Princess bookings as we did it....we will see if it actually sails.

[caribill]

12 hours ago, Tophat4321 said:

Still waiting on a $200.00 deposit. Also Princess will not reimburse me for lost airfare as Alaska gave me until June 2021 of next year to use. Like I want to get into airplane before a vaccine. Not a happy camper.

 

That is the reason I use EZAir now, even if it costs a few $$$ more. When Princess cancels a cruise more than 45 days before the flight, I am not stuck with a useless airline credit.

[bluang3l]

13th May Alaska Inside Passage on Coral Princess - booked direct (from UK)

 

Phase 2 cancellation - filled in refund request form on 14th April.  100% of cruise and excursions are now on my credit card with transaction dates of 12th June.  5 different transactions but they're all there.

 

Took 60 days to get my refund with no chasing or credit card disputes.  

[HUNKY]

Huzzah!  According to USPS Informed Delivery a check from Bottomline Technologies will arrive today!

This is for reimbursement of expenses for the March 1 Regal Princess cruise that had a delayed return to Port Everglades, not a cancelled cruise.

 

That would be 91 days from my submission date.

[azbirdmom]

6 hours ago, bluang3l said:

13th May Alaska Inside Passage on Coral Princess - booked direct (from UK)

 

Phase 2 cancellation - filled in refund request form on 14th April.  100% of cruise and excursions are now on my credit card with transaction dates of 12th June.  5 different transactions but they're all there.

 

Took 60 days to get my refund with no chasing or credit card disputes.  

 

Congratulations!  Still waiting for the rest of my $$ and FCCs from phase 1 but it's good to hear that they are still processing refunds.

[AlmadenCruisers]

16 hours ago, weberman said:

Sadly, we are done with Carnival/Princess and probably cruising in general which we loved before this FIASCO. Fortunately AMEX got us our deposit back. However we are having the same refund issue with Delta Airlines. They need to redeposit to my account 160.000 Skymiles which I used to purchase the airfare to CPH. They are not even answering their phones. Just a message, unable to take your call, GOOD BYE!  If perchance they do answer, the message is your wait time on hold will be in excess of nine hours. While I am not out actual money, but the equivalent of a lot money. So, I guess it is goodbye Skymiles as well.

 

It seems the whole travel industry is totally screwed up. Princess is still taking deposits on future cruises on credit cards AMEX told me. So, they do have some cash flow!

 

I know Princess is not responsible for the COVID pandemic, but they sure as heck are responsible for the TERRIBLE customer service refund issue.

Completely agree that we are done with Princess.  However, Delta was very easy to deal with.  I cancelled our flight the same day I cancelled the cruise using their online form.  I received confirmation a day later informing me that the matter would be looked into.  A week later I called Delta and was told that since I booked a non-refundable flight, I would be given credit for future air travel, which I completely understood.  About a month after cancelling I received an email from Delta that my entire airfare would be refunded and it showed up on my cc a few days later.  Delta solidified my belief in them.  I finally filed a dispute with my cc last week for the cruise fare after giving Princess 75 days.  I cancelled within the 100% refund time period for Princess and before my cruise was cancelled.  

 

[azbirdmom]

On 6/13/2020 at 9:31 AM, azbirdmom said:

 

We are in a similar situation.  We cancelled our May 9th cruise two days before Princess did and we got a partial refund within days of cancelling.  The initial offer was that the cancellation fees would be set up as FCCs.  Then the pause happened and the offer changed to option 1 or 2, the same thing that was communicated for those cancelled by Princess.  We filled out the form indicating option 2 on March 12th, and again on May 5th when we got the email from Princess that was sent to those who cancelled in a specified window before the pause. 

 

On May 22nd we got a revised cancellation notice showing no cancellation fees on the fare but oddly no EZAir amounts and the PVP was shown as $0.01.  Since others have reported getting refunds soon after receiving similar notices I was hopeful.  But since then nothing has happened.  No refund, no bonus FCCs, FCD gone from Cruise Personalizer.  And we continue to wait.

 

Well there has been some movement.  The FCDs that had been applied to the cancelled cruise and then dropped off the Cruise Personalizer have been restored for use on another cruise.  That happened at some point this afternoon.  Hoping that means that we will see the remaining $1600+ that we are owed and the bonus FCCs soon!

[Jandaville]

Back in mid March I cancelled 2 cruises with Princess sailing May and July. Both cruises were not "officially" cancelled at that stage but have been since. I also cancelled domestic airfares with Qantas booked with cash and points.

 

I got a full refund of cash and points from Qantas within 3 days. Guess what? Yep still waiting for the Princess refunds and we are at the 90 day mark.