Why does it take so long to get FCC and $$$$ back?

[IBsaved]

We cancelled our June 25th cruise on March 11 and got our refund the next day.  We had already made final payment but when Princess extended the no cancellations fees if cancelled before 60 days of sailing which was April 25th we could get a full refund which we took.  Sad we had to do this but we're seasoned citizens and my husband has a compromised condition we really had no other choice.  Plus we were concerned a lot of ports and or tourist sites would be limited.  This is what we went by posted on Princess website on March 10th:

Revised Final Payment Timing on June 2020 Departures

Additionally, we are amending Final Payment on cruises and cruisetours sailing June 1 through June 30, 2020.

Date of Departure*	Benefit
June 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020	Final Payment moves to 60 days prior to sailing

*Date of departure is from the start date of your cruise or cruisetour, whichever is earlier. Excludes charter cruises.

To ensure we cover guests who already made final payment, the revised final payment date means no cancellation fees will be assessed until 60 days prior to sailing.

[ceilidh1]

12 minutes ago, IBsaved said:

We cancelled our June 25th cruise on March 11 and got our refund the next day.  We had already made final payment but when Princess extended the no cancellations fees if cancelled before 60 days of sailing which was April 25th we could get a full refund which we took.  Sad we had to do this but we're seasoned citizens and my husband has a compromised condition we really had no other choice.  Plus we were concerned a lot of ports and or tourist sites would be limited.  This is what we went by posted on Princess website on March 10th:

Revised Final Payment Timing on June 2020 Departures

Additionally, we are amending Final Payment on cruises and cruisetours sailing June 1 through June 30, 2020.

Date of Departure*	Benefit
June 1, 2020 - June 30, 2020	Final Payment moves to 60 days prior to sailing

*Date of departure is from the start date of your cruise or cruisetour, whichever is earlier. Excludes charter cruises.

To ensure we cover guests who already made final payment, the revised final payment date means no cancellation fees will be assessed until 60 days prior to sailing.

This is what makes the process even more frustrating (sorry...I don't mean you!). I cancelled on March 10th and NOTHING! So you cancelled a day after me for a cruise in June and got a refund. I cancelled a day before for a March cruise and still waiting...16 days and counting. Again, not frustrated about you - thank you for sharing. Just frustrated about the process....

[IBsaved]

31 minutes ago, ceilidh1 said:

This is what makes the process even more frustrating (sorry...I don't mean you!). I cancelled on March 10th and NOTHING! So you cancelled a day after me for a cruise in June and got a refund. I cancelled a day before for a March cruise and still waiting...16 days and counting. Again, not frustrated about you - thank you for sharing. Just frustrated about the process....

So sorry I can surely understand your frustration.  With all this confusion and cancellations hoping you'll get your refund soon.  Did you make your reservation with a TA or direct with Princess?

[LDVinNC]

LOTS of us are still waiting.  We cancelled our B2B cruises - 42 days total so it is a very substantial sum - on March 10th and are still waiting.  Patience.

[voljeep]

the race is on ! - refund from Princess vrs. stimulus check from the Gubmint !

[13cheermom]

59 minutes ago, voljeep said:

the race is on ! - refund from Princess vrs. stimulus check from the Gubmint !

If I were a betting individual, I would place my odds with the government at this point. 😱  

[ALWAYS CRUZIN]

On 3/25/2020 at 3:42 PM, ceilidh1 said:

Sorry but you are attacking the wrong person. I was the poster that brought up the fact that many (including me) have been laid off and would appreciate the refund NOT @Ride-The-Waves Your comment about not booking if you do not have the money to do so is way off base. Those of us in secure, well paid employment when we booked could not have known that we would have our jobs terminated without notice through no fault of our own.

I still stand by what I said. No one should book a cruise without enough money for back up just incase something happens. Sorry to hear you are out of work. Now you have hind sight of what can happen. Be thankful you will receive a refund even if it takes some time. As I said before. What if it happened just after the cruise. You would have no refund at all. You can do nothing at all about getting a refund any faster. Why complain or worry about it. Everyone know and may not do it. You should always have at least three months in a savings to cover everything you pay for each month.

[marybrodo]

Wish there was a convenient way we could keep track of all of this info.  Data always helps me, I know.

 

Cruising date:                May 9th

Cancellation done by:  Princess.  (i.e., Princess cancelled the cruise in its entirety, not me)

Date Cancelled:             March 12th

Date Filled out FCC/Refund

options form:                 March 12th

Excursions?:                  Yes.

Final payment made:    Yes

Status:                            Not a penny refund as of 3/28.

 

BTW, (sorry if this has been covered already), spoke to Princess yesterday and excursions will not be refunded for 30 to 60 days, either.  There is info out there that excursions are cancelled and refunded immediately, as they are separate from the cruise.  They may be separate from the cruise, but they are not going to be refunded immediately.

 

Thank you for everyone's support as we try to be patient together.

 

[ROWSE]

On 3/25/2020 at 1:07 PM, ROWSE said:

 

On 3/25/2020 at 1:07 PM, ROWSE said:

I have called my travel agent twice now about EZ air and they have talked to Princess each time.  The first time I asked if I should cancel EZ air, and would the money for the air be part of the Option 1 -150% FCC back that I chose.  Princess said don't do anything to the reservation or EZ air, they would do it and the air would be part of the FCC.  

 

The air is still showing on Delta as booked, so being the nervous nelly that I am, I made that second call two days ago to be sure the first Princess rep. was correct.  The agent talked to Princess and they again said they would cancel everything and do all of it and to leave the EZ air alone.  I did not ask about EZ money going to FCC this time.  They stated it may take 30 more days.  

 

Who knows if the right hand knows what the left hand is doing, but I am keeping fingers crossed all of us will be way better off for money to book future cruises!  I just hope it is straightened out by our final payment due date of our newly booked late September British Isle swap of the first one.  I want to be able to pay with FCC.   

 

I am quoting myself as I wanted to give a little update.   

I kept checking on my Delta airlines reservation for flight on May 2, to London, and it is now off the Delta reservation site.

 

 It all still shows on my personalizer but that is fine as they need a reference to what I had booked and they need to refund.   So far no FCC showing.

 

Small progress, but it is progress!

[dog]

12 minutes ago, marybrodo said:

 

Dog says: Like this format. Thanks Mary.

 

____Dog' Details______________________________________________________________________

Cruising date:                March 7/20

Cancellation done by:  Me (myTA)

Date Cancelled:             March 6/20

Date Filled out FCC/Refund

options form:                 March 13/20

Excursions/Taxes:                  Yes.------received $900+ to Visa card March 6/20

Final payment made:    Yes

Status:                         Waiting for Option #1.....FCC

Thanks.

[dog]

23 minutes ago, dog said:

Thanks.

Adding received the $350 excursion to my Amex card March 6 th 

[ceilidh1]

Cruising date:                March 14th

Cancellation done by:  Me over the phone with Princess Rep

Date Cancelled:             March 10th

Date Filled out FCC/Refund

options form:                 March 12th

Excursions?:                  Yes.

Final payment made:    Yes

Status:                            Waiting on refund of taxes/port charges, shorex, pre-paid grats, refundable portion of EZAir and option 1                                       FCC

[ceilidh1]

ADDING for my client that I booked/cancelled for (I am a TA)

 

Cruising date:                March 14th

Cancellation done by:  Me online through Polar Booking System

Date Cancelled:             March 9th

Date Filled out FCC/Refund

options form:                 March 12th

Excursions?:                  No

Final payment made:    Yes

Status:                            Refund of taxes/port charges, refundable portion of EZAir back on credit card March 13th Waiting on option 1 FCC

[dog]

2 hours ago, marybrodo said:

Wish there was a convenient way we could keep track of all of this info.  Data always helps me, I know.

 

C

 

 

Quote

BTW, (sorry if this has been covered already), spoke to Princess yesterday and excursions will not be refunded for 30 to 60 days, either.  There is info out there that excursions are cancelled and refunded immediately, as they are separate from the cruise.  They may be separate from the cruise, but they are not going to be refunded immediately.

 

Thank you for everyone's support as we try to be patient together.

 

Some of us have received refunds to our credit cards for taxes/ fees/ excursions 
hope you get yours. 

Edited March 28, 2020 by dog

[rhblake]

You have to remember in these unusual times they are probably trying to process more than 28,000 (number of Princess cabins, all ships) refunds per week it may take a while. Taking 30 to 60 days would not be unusual.

 

[resistk]

22 hours ago, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

I still stand by what I said. No one should book a cruise without enough money for back up just incase something happens.

 

I think a lot of people will heed that advice in the future and not book cruises.

[lhall85917]

We were on the Sapphire supposed to leave Singapore, this was one of the first cancelled cruises. Some people had already traveled to Singapore, we waited until the last minute hoping it would be cancelled but cancelled the night before we were to fly out.

Cruising date:                February 13

Cancellation done by:  Travel Agent

Date Cancelled:             February 10

Date Filled out FCC/Refund

options form:                 No form - Princess cancelled on Feb 11 

Excursions?:                  No (cancelled them several days earlier - have received those refunds)

Final payment made:    Yes

Status:                            Refund of taxes/port charges received, 50% FCC received upon cancellation. Still waiting for refund and additional 50% FCC

[ECCruise]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:01 PM, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

You should always have at least three months in a savings to cover everything you pay for each month.

Unfortunately that philosophy got drowned out between the financial crisis of 2008 and the "go-go nothing will ever change" philosophy of 2012 to 2019.  Living below your means was replaced by living so far above your means that you could no longer see the ground.

Would love to think that people will get it this time but sincerely doubt it.

[Pamster]

On 3/23/2020 at 9:16 PM, always_cruisin said:

Dog, I have no idea but I will see if I can find out. I was supposed to be on the Royal Princess March 7 sailing and got my FCC. I just checked and it’s still there. 
 

Hmm. I’ll see what I can find out for you. 

I was supposed to be on that cruise too. Haven’t seen any credit. 

[Hlitner]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:01 PM, ALWAYS CRUZIN said:

I still stand by what I said. No one should book a cruise without enough money for back up just incase something happens. Sorry to hear you are out of work. Now you have hind sight of what can happen. Be thankful you will receive a refund even if it takes some time. As I said before. What if it happened just after the cruise. You would have no refund at all. You can do nothing at all about getting a refund any faster. Why complain or worry about it. Everyone know and may not do it. You should always have at least three months in a savings to cover everything you pay for each month.

We could go off topic into the issues of finance.  But some studies have showed that only 40% of Americans can handle a $1000 emergency expense without having to resort to borrowing.  That means that more then half of our population are not prepared for even minor disruptions and this current situation is anything but minor.  When DW and I retired in our 50's, some of my fellow workers asked how we could afford to retire.  When I explained that we had spent our entire adult lives saving and investing I got some very strange looks.  

 

I would add that we know quite a few folks who are "house poor."  They live large and have large expensive homes, with big mortgages.  But they have little to no savings and depend on credit cards and other credit to get them through even the smallest crises.  

 

Hank

[kywildcatfanone]

So we cancelled and took the 150% FCC for our April 18th cruise, this was back a couple of weeks ago when they had you go to the website and choose your cancellation option.  I see the cruise is still in my personalizer, although they have removed images, and such, but I don't see my FCC money anywhere. 

 

Are other seeing the same?  If you elected the FCC option, should it already be appearing in your account somewhere?

[dog]

6 minutes ago, kywildcatfanone said:

So we cancelled and took the 150% FCC for our April 18th cruise, this was back a couple of weeks ago when they had you go to the website and choose your cancellation option.  I see the cruise is still in my personalizer, although they have removed images, and such, but I don't see my FCC money anywhere. 

 

Are other seeing the same?  If you elected the FCC option, should it already be appearing in your account somewhere?

From things I’m reading Princess  might start update our accounts at the end of April. Been looking at their fb & Twitter as well. The prices were missing for the 2021 Europe & Panama cruises I looked at this am. They were there last week. Plus. I seem to end up with inexperienced reps when I call Princess now. No one can give an answer. We will just wait 

Edited March 30, 2020 by dog

[qqwer123]

Also waiting for about 2500 for shore excursions, prepaid services and money we put on our cabin as well as our 225 percent future cruise credits on two cruises that were cancelled.. this could take a while I’m thinking. 

Edited March 30, 2020 by qqwer123

[Ride-The-Waves]

American Airlines refunded our total flight fare for a  "postponed" Grand France river cruise that had been schedule for June.  On application for the refund American Airlines indicated that would keep $1,800 ($900 each) as fees for our business class R/T air MIA-CDG-MIA.  The processed refund, now on my credit card, was for the whole amount.  Thank you, AA!  Additionally, they did it within two weeks, request to back on credit card.  If we are able to travel in May 2021 to pick up the postponed cruise, we will definitely fly American Airlines! 

[dog]

On 3/28/2020 at 12:58 PM, dog said:

Cruising date:                March 7/20

Cancellation done by:  Me (myTA)

Date Cancelled:             March 6/20

Date Filled out FCC/Refund

options form:                 March 13/20

Excursions/Taxes:                  Yes.------received $900+ to Visa card March 6/20

Final payment made:    Yes

Status:                         Waiting for Option #1.....FCC

 

On 3/28/2020 at 1:22 PM, dog said:

Adding received the $350 excursion to my Amex card March 6 th 

 

Round two: My 100% FCC just got posted in my Circle Account tonight. March 30th

Still waiting on the extra Option #1