Cancelled, requested refund and actually received one?

[SpeedySal]

Hello Tenpin

I am extremely sorry to hear about your declining health and I sincerely wish you, and your wife, all the very best. Thanks very much indeed for sharing that info.
 

Clearly, before this terrible virus hit us all, Costa were acting in a normal and acceptable  business like way and refunding as per Terms and Conditions of contract. That is all out of the window now, however, and I think although your circumstances for cancelling were nothing to do with the Covid 19 outbreak, in many ways it was fortunate that you cancelled when you did thus avoiding this protracted uncertain situation.

 

Unfortunately I think Costa will not be making any refunds unless forced to do so by whatever means clients have available to them.

 

 

[tenpin]

Hi SpeedySal,

                     Thank you for your kind message & comment.

At 84 we have done many more cruises than even I expected, I do hope to manage another one or two before giving up my Sea Legs.

I think you are right the Costa of old is gone, like many travel groups we will see a big change in the way holidays are booked & taken, Costa will pay a price for the delay in making refunds. My friends who were booked for this week with TUI received their full refund yesterday after being offered F.C.C. twice & a 25% s called bonus. (They were on the phone holding on for just under two hours.) before getting through even then thy were again offered FCC.

From what I have heard & read this seems to be the norm.

 

Got a Princess booked for October keeping our fingers crossed

[staffpage]

HI All

We were onboard Costa Fortuna sailing 3rd March which was cancelled after 2 days and we headed back to Singapore. We were also staying on for next cruise 10th of March which was cancelled on the 8th of March via email. Had to pay for our own flight back to UK and still waiting for for Costa to reimburse us.

[gerryuk]

My gut feeling is, Costa wont be paying out refunds until cruises start again. Once they announce their first cruises, everybody waiting for refunds will be bombarded with more attractive offers to accept vouchers. I have noticed that they have changed their Costa points policy, now giving double points even to customers who have had their cruises cancelled this year. 

 

Special
#cruisingsoon
with Costa Club

Costa Club is close to you also when you're at home.

A lot of reasons to cruise again together!

In this particular moment of our lives, not having you on board is a great sorrow for all of us. For this reason, we have decided to reward your loyalty with a series of benefits and advantages, looking forward to seeing you on board soon.
 

 

#1 Costa Club points double

We have decided to give even more value to Costa Club points: for 2020 the points accumulated are worth double.

How does it work?

For you who are a Costa Club member, you will be awarded double the cruise points and any flight points. The advantage is valid for all 2020 cruises already made, scheduled or canceled directly by Costa Cruises. In the coming weeks you will find the updated points balance in your profile area.

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#2 Points don't expire

We have decided to extend the validity of your Costa Club points and therefore of your membership benefits by one year. In this way you have the opportunity to maintain and to increase your Costa Club level.

How does it work?

The next deadline for Costa Club points is now set for 06/15/2021 instead of 06/15/2020.

CHECK YOUR POINTS BALANCE

 

#3 Coming soon

We will reveal a new reason to leave together soon! Keep following us!

 

 

Waiting for welcome you onboard

[tenpin]

Yet another Costa attempt to downgrade the higher Club levels, having been a member for twenty plus years there are far too many guests reaching the top level hence the decline in eating in the Club Restaurant's and wine tasting, kitchen visits & priority boarding and such like becoming a full sized cattle run.

 

The Costa Club is now a faint mockery of the once privileged few, who stayed loyal to Costa & cruised the most with them. Although we normally have a suite this also has been increased by turning balcony cabins into so called Suites & giving upgrades to anyone who has a few club points & decides to cruise twice every other year.

Perla Diamante members are already overcrowding VIP parties there seems to be so many now.

 

Now points not expiring, double points for new cruises booked looks like they will be bringing in some more new levels soon. 

[Ryalie1]

I was due to be on the 10th March departure on Costa Fortuna. It was cancelled on the 7th March and I got my cruise fare refunded back to my credit card (after refusing a voucher) on the 11th March. Reading everyone else's messages, it sounds like I was really lucky here. 

 

However they also confirmed to me that they would refund flights but I am still waiting on that. When I chased mid-April I was told that it would hopefully be by the end of April. I have chased again today and been told "Unfortunately, this refund process has changed and there are more departments involved and more authorizations needed, for this reason I confirm that it's still in the database to be processed, although I am not able now to give you an estimate about it."

 

[SpeedySal]

Hi Ryalie 1

Yes,  I would say you were EXCEPTIONALLY lucky to have got a refund at all, let alone so quickly and I think someone must have accidentally pushed the wrong button! I sincerely hope you will get your flights refunded but expect a very long wait.....

 

We cancelled several cruises rather than waiting for the inevitable from Costa on at least one or two of them,  accepted the penalties and we are still being fo bbed off with rubbish excuses now as this is dragging on and on. Not the right way for any country to be hoping to kick start tourism in the foreseeable future.

 

I expected to be refunded piecemeal anyway over a lengthy period but now I have actually given up hope of getting anything refunded. I don’t think it matters if you have never cruised with Costa previously or have been taking many cruises every year with them, no one is getting any refunds out of them. I certainly won’t be feeling like ever giving them any more of my money which is painful for me to say as I was a big fan but it comes down to how a company treats you, doesn’t it?

 

I heard some of the reservations staff  had  actually been ‘laid off’ , presumably on unpaid furlough but I honestly don’t believe this has anything to do with refunds not being issued - that is a totally different matter. 
 

Tenpin, I agree with you about the Costa Club and how it has changed so much. Interesting that you think they may bring in some new levels and I tend to agree with you. The recent VIP parties have been a joke, being made to line up in a long queue with literally huge numbers of other Perla Diamanté guests doesn’t have much of a VIP feel to it. Also, re. shopping bill increases, we had noticed the same, prices going up and I doubt they’ll be coming down again!

[jerseylily]

Just got an email from Costa offering me a refund about my cancelled June cruise after a month of waiting for it . I am about to refuse it but for reference it was as expected only 100% + a 200 dollar onboard credit which as you have all said will make little difference if the cruise that I would take to replace it costs considerably more which it shows all signs of doing. I will then give it a while for them to refuse/ignore and go for a section 75 credit card refund.

[jerseylily]

The equivalent booking on the one cruise of its kind next year is over 30% more. Great deal not! And just to rub it in the email was from news@campaign.costa.it!!!! A campaign? Really?

Edited May 27, 2020 by jerseylily

[alliebdive]

But how to get a refund on the flights back from Dubai which we paid for ourselves on the promise of a refund?  Section 75 won't cover them.  Really disgraceful.  This was our first Costa cruise and we will never cruise with them again.  The girl from Customer service was quite tearful at what she was having to say and what their own situation was.  She was so embarrassed to have to say that she couldn't give any date at which our promised refunds might occur.  

[jerseylily]

Costa announced further Cancellations to end of July

[gerryuk]

6 hours ago, alliebdive said:

But how to get a refund on the flights back from Dubai which we paid for ourselves on the promise of a refund?  Section 75 won't cover them.  Really disgraceful.  This was our first Costa cruise and we will never cruise with them again.  The girl from Customer service was quite tearful at what she was having to say and what their own situation was.  She was so embarrassed to have to say that she couldn't give any date at which our promised refunds might occur.  

Not sure which cruise you were getting in Dubai? I was supposed to get on the Costa Diadema from Abu Dhabi to Savona but it was changed to Dubai to Savona in March. After waiting in the port of Dubai for 12 hours the cruise was eventually cancelled. Costa paid for about 100 of us to stay at the Dubai Marriot hotel and they also got us airline tickets to our home destination. Obviously I have not tried to get a refund for this as Costa paid, I am waiting for the refund for the airline ticket to Abi Dhabi and the hotel there as well. Didn't you get Costa to arrange and pay for your hotel and airline home from Dubai?, that's one thing they did do and I give them credit for it.

[alliebdive]

We were on Costa Diadema, Dubai to Savona.  We were staying with our daughter who lives in Dubai so a hotel didn't come into it.  We were informed the evening before that the cruise had been cancelled.  Went down to the terminal on the Saturday morning (next day, when we should have embarked).  The Costa rep told us we would be refunded the cruise fare and offered us a choice on plane fare.  Either we could go home that night on the plane they were organising, or organise our own flight, which would be refunded..  We decided to stay on a couple of nights and flew home on the Wednesday morning.  If I'd realised how unreliable Costa would be, we'd have flown home that night on their flight and that would have been one less thing to worry about.  But it was our first Costa cruise....  Anyway, the rest is history as they say.  We sent them all the documents they requested.  They confirm they have our cruise and flight refund "in the database" but cannot tell us when we will be repaid as promised.  The same cruise next year is 75% more expensive than the cost this year.  This year we had the cruise and the middle unlimited drinks package (Brindiamo??) for less than the cost of the "bargain  price" cruise next year.  So the fcc is not worth very much.....  we will hang out for the refund but I am not confident.  I can see Carnival shedding this mob.  They have been nothing but trouble to them to be honest.  

[tenpin]

Hi Allie,

We live in Birchington so close bye to you.

 

I have been talking to my friends in Costa's Genoa office, & although they cannot comment on any ongoing refunds they have said they are over-run with the back-log over the cancelled cruises. Given the numbers who have lost the cruise & how those with full packages with most lines which included all flights & transfers will be given priority over cruise only, it may be sometime before everything is sorted, so don't give up hope. 

We have been doing cruises with Costa for twenty three years & all our dealings with them have been sorted, some taking rather a long time, even in 'Normal Days'

Hope you will eventually get your full refunds.

[gerryuk]

Well it seems to me that we have now passed the 90 days. Has anybody received any refunds yet, directly from Costa and not their credit card company?

[jerseylily]

3 hours ago, gerryuk said:

Well it seems to me that we have now passed the 90 days. Has anybody received any refunds yet, directly from Costa and not their credit card company?

Nothing yet here....

[staffpage]

No Still waiting for flight refund from March 10th Man-sing

[staffpage]

Sorry Sing-Man

[alliebdive]

No. Nothing, neither flight nor cruise.  I spoke to my agent at cruise.co.uk re another cruise which I have been refunded for.  Just for advice as I'd booked the Costa one direct with Costa.  He said that he thought we would get our refunds but likely to take a long time.  His advice was to wait for 120 days from the cancellation and then chase them hard.  That would be July for us.  My heart sinks at the prospect of ringing the call centre again only to be fobbed off but I think I will give them a ring this week just to see if there is any progress.  I really dont want the voucher because in all honesty they are now the ONLY cruise company who have not refunded me or made an acceptable offer.  I am settled with P&O, Cunard and Carnival who have all come up trumps.  

 

[drsel]

No. Nothing, neither flight nor cruise.  I spoke to my agent at cruise.co.uk re another cruise which I have been refunded for.  Just for advice as I'd booked the Costa one direct with Costa.  He said that he thought we would get our refunds but likely to take a long time.  His advice was to wait for 120 days from the cancellation and then chase them hard.  That would be July for us.  My heart sinks at the prospect of ringing the call centre again only to be fobbed off but I think I will give them a ring this week just to see if there is any progress.  I really dont want the voucher because in all honesty they are now the ONLY cruise company who have not refunded me or made an acceptable offer.  I am settled with P&O, Cunard and Carnival who have all come up trumps.  

 

Wow, how many cruises had you booked before the virus attacked?

Is Cunard worth the extra money?

 

[alliebdive]

Well, we had the Costa.  Then we had a round trip to the US booked in September, out on Carnival, back on QM2 and a cruise with P&O in January.  Cunard is worth every last cent.  Absolutely the best we have been on.  We like Celebrity too and their food is very good.  But Cunard has the most amazing programmes at sea.  Not just one celebrity or top notch speaker each day but generally 4.  And they're really top notch.  Not just talking about shopping opportunities or flower arranging or things like that.   Art classes with an instructor.  Full computer and language workshops.  Obviously the usual dancing lessons, bridge, gym, sports etc.  QM2 has a planetarium.  There will always be a cinema as well as the theatre and the show room.  And then there's the special afternoon tea with white glove service and music.  Every lunchtime amongst other things they have sushi chefs making fresh sushi and sashimi.  There's ice cream.  It's undoubtedly our favourite out of all the lines. We like cruises with lots of sea days and they are unmatched for this.

[alliebdive]

So, I spoke to them again.... sigh.... they confirm they have my refund - flight and cruise - in the queue but there is a large backlog of refunds waiting to be approved and they cannot say when it will be made, probably some months more.  The girl agreed that the service was very poor, they were very slow and that she fully understood why people were annoyed.  

[drsel]

I expected that they would be short of cash, so I decided not to ask for a refund but to book 2 cruises in October end

[nottingham john]

On 5/15/2020 at 12:42 PM, gerryuk said:

Does anybody know whether this applies across the board or is this policy just for Americans? I believe I found this update on Costa America site, but not sure.

 

 

Updates on fleet activities

The global health situation requires unprecedented actions to ensure health protection worldwide. For the first time in 70 years, we have decided to suspend the activities of our ships until the end of June. We want to cruise again with you and we will do it as soon as the emergency ends.

 

Cruises in stand-by:

Last update May 4, 2020

 

Costa Diadema	Cruises canceled until July 5.
Costa Fascinosa	Cruises canceled until July 3.
Costa Favolosa	Cruises canceled until July 7.
Costa Fortuna	Cruises canceled until July 2.
Costa Magica	Cruises canceled until July 4.
Costa Mediterranea	Cruises canceled until July 4.
Costa Smeralda	Cruises canceled until July 4.
Costa Luminosa	Cruises canceled until July 5.
Costa Pacifica	Cruises canceled until July 3.
Costa Victoria	Cruises canceled until July 5.
Costa Deliziosa	Cruises canceled until July 4.
Costa neoRomantica	Cruises canceled until July 14.

Do you have a confirmed booking for one of the cancelled cruises?

Due to the emergency situation linked to the global Covide-19 pandemic and with the introduction of further containment measures (such as port closures and the restrictions of the movement of people), Costa Cruises has decided to extend the voluntary suspension of its cruises until June 30.

Costa Cruises is taking steps to inform travel agents and guests affected by the changes.

Guests booked through the North American office will receive a future cruise credit voucher.

 

Future Cruise Credit Voucher Information for Canceled Cruises
If your cruise has been canceled by Costa Cruises due to the COVID-19 pandemic, you will receive:
A FUTURE CRUISE CREDIT VOUCHER OF 150% For cruises originally scheduled in March, April and May A FUTURE CRUISE CREDIT VOUCHER OF 125% For cruises originally scheduled in June so that you can continue to visit the world plus a bonus to spend on cabin category upgrade and itinerary options. No need to contact us, vouchers will be sent by May 30, 2020 to the email on record.
Terms & Conditions: Only valid for FIT bookings made through retail agencies and directly with Costa Cruises. Excludes group bookings and bookings made through Group suppliers, Tour Operators, or retail agencies booking through Tour Operators. The voucher will be sent to the email of the primary contact guest. If you choose to deny the voucher and forfeit its greater value you will only receive 100% of the payment Costa has collected in the original form of payment. To submit your request please fill out the Refund Request form here. Refund will be issued no earlier than 90 days after the request.

 

For more information please contact your travel agency or our call center at 1-800-GO-COSTA (1-800-462-6782).

 

 

[nottingham john]

Hi

We flew from UK to Dubai on 12th March, 2020 and due to board Costa Diadema on 14th March.

We didn't get the text message until we got up on 14th March ready to board at 2pm.

The travel agent got usn home the next day.

We have requested a refund, but heard nothing yet.

Just seen the FCC  FOR 150% , I rang Costa who says that only applies to USA and only 100% for UK.