Azamara refund problems (merged)

[Mrs Miggins]

Feeling the same UK Tog.  I also had substantial OBC on my B2B cruises from June 4th but I didn't get the emails you refer to.  They would have been extremely annoying but at least acknowledge that I exist somewhere on the system.

 

[MakingUpForLostTime]

16 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

“Making up for lost time” is switching his travels to Oceania as they have treated their customers better than Azamara!    You will find two threads on the Oceania CC site about refunds and how dissatisfied their passengers are because of the major delays.

As a fan of Azamara and some other cruise lines, hope you enjoy your time with Oceania.   You won’t like their refund time frames.

Sorry, I should make clear my position. I am sure most all cruise companies are the same in regards to delays. I really don’t care how these companies rank amongst themselves in regards to how they treat their customers. I do care how they have treated me. Call it selfish. I do not care. I do not make my repeat purchase decisions based on other people’s experiences. Only my own.

[hrhdhd]

1 hour ago, MakingUpForLostTime said:

I do not make my repeat purchase decisions based on other people’s experiences. Only my own.

 

I don't make my purchase decisions based on others' experiences either. 😇

Edited June 3, 2020 by hrhdhd

[kenasch2]

I just received a third partial refund for my April 18th Pursuit cruise. None of the amounts make any sense. I am still owed the amount of my deposit ($1100). I called Azamara and they could not explain the partial amounts received either. However I was told by the rep that the final refund was still forthcoming. All of this despite the May 15th email from Nils Lindstad, Associate Vice President, Sales & Trade Support, informing me and others that we would be fully refunded by May 31st.

[greeneyedgirl58]

On 6/1/2020 at 3:01 PM, schapsie said:

We had planned to sail April 5th from Miami to Lisbon on Azamara Pursuit. The cruise was canceled. We requested a refund by phone a week or two before the sailing, from Casey Hubbard originally, again on April 6th with Ryan Ables, and two weeks ago with Nicole, all located at their Wichita call center. All three promised a full refund, at first telling me it would come within 30 days, but last time within 45 days, of our initial request.

 

The only refund we've received as of this date (May 29, 2020) is for the taxes on the cruise. I've tried calling their customer service number many times in recent days, only to get put on hold endlessly every time, and forced to listen over and over to their incredibly pretentious sales pitch. I've also tried emailing them twice, as their initial voice recording suggests, but I get no response that way.

 

We are elite cruisers on Celebrity/Azamara. We've been very happy with them until now. I understand that these are difficult times for the cruise lines. But now I'm afraid it's time to switch brands and consult an attorney. 

We were booked on the same April 5 cruise. Also still waiting for remainder of refund. Last refund received April 25. Travel agent had little explanation except to say they are taking up to 90 working days. Very frustrating

[Hamwen3839]

I am convinced that the very early cancellations ( March 24 cruise cancelled by Azamara 15 March )have  been Lost. There is no other explanation as we continue to wait for ANY refund.
T.A say they keep asking only to be told repeatedly “ another two weeks” . Well that time frame has come and gone many times.I have emailed Azamara myself but of course no reply.

There is absolutely nothing we can do other than continue to mention it on this forum in the hope that someone from Azamara reads it and decides to pull our request for refund out of the bottom draw.

[jhepf1222]

Hamwen 3839,

our cruise was cancelled on 10th March due to sail on 17th and not a penny back yet we keep onto TA but same old, same old they have not received it yet. We did get our Emirates flights back very quickly.,

 

[rallydave]

12 minutes ago, Hamwen3839 said:

I am convinced that the very early cancellations ( March 24 cruise cancelled by Azamara 15 March )have  been Lost. There is no other explanation as we continue to wait for ANY refund.
T.A say they keep asking only to be told repeatedly “ another two weeks” . Well that time frame has come and gone many times.I have emailed Azamara myself but of course no reply.

There is absolutely nothing we can do other than continue to mention it on this forum in the hope that someone from Azamara reads it and decides to pull our request for refund out of the bottom draw.

Not completely sure about Australia but, many of us have put our credit card payment in disputes and gotten our money back fairly quickly.  A really good reason to always pay with a credit card and never pay with cash, check or debit card.

 

Know there are disputes in the UK as well as Part 75 regarding the money has to be returned within 14 days.  Would think those in Oz should be able to dispute charges as well.

Edited June 3, 2020 by rallydave

[suzyluvs2cruise]

5 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Not completely sure about Australia but, many of us have put our credit card payment in disputes and gotten our money back fairly quickly.  A really good reason to always pay with a credit card and never pay with cash, check or debit card.

 

Know there are disputes in the UK as well as Part 75 regarding the money has to be returned within 14 days.  Would think those in Oz should be able to dispute charges as well.

 

Credit card payment disputes have to be done in a certain time frame. Many of the deposits and payments were made outside of the time frame. For my CCs it's 60 days. 

[blobby113]

4 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Not completely sure about Australia but, many of us have put our credit card payment in disputes and gotten our money back fairly quickly.  A really good reason to always pay with a credit card and never pay with cash, check or debit card.

 

Know there are disputes in the UK as well as Part 75 regarding the money has to be returned within 14 days.  Would think those in Oz should be able to dispute charges as well.

I tried to raise a dispute. My bank said that MasterCard had directed banks not to allow disputes arising because of Covid-19.

[rallydave]

2 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

Credit card payment disputes have to be done in a certain time frame. Many of the deposits and payments were made outside of the time frame. For my CCs it's 60 days. 

 

Yes there amre limits.  My Visa is 540 days and Amex I believe 18 months.

 

2 minutes ago, blobby113 said:

I tried to raise a dispute. My bank said that MasterCard had directed banks not to allow disputes arising because of Covid-19.

Glad I don't use Master Card.  I have had two disputes settled with Visa and another close to settled with Amex.  Both Amex and my Chase Visa had no issues with me disputing.  Had to do multiple disputes as I made several different payment.  Did not mention the disputes were due to Covid 19.  Many reports of successful disputes and probably because the cruise lines have agreed to refund, just a matter of how long it will take.  And the Master Card excuse probably applies to places without a refun policy like cruise lines have.

[Phxazzcruisers]

I am sorry to all who are having issues with refunds.  We requested a refund for our June 20th cruise, the 3rd cruise in a B2B2B and received the full refund in under 14 days.  The first two of the B2B2B took longer, but all refunds are now in hand.  

[suzyluvs2cruise]

28 minutes ago, rallydave said:

 

Yes there amre limits.  My Visa is 540 days and Amex I believe 18 months.

 

Glad I don't use Master Card.  I have had two disputes settled with Visa and another close to settled with Amex.  Both Amex and my Chase Visa had no issues with me disputing.  Had to do multiple disputes as I made several different payment.  Did not mention the disputes were due to Covid 19.  Many reports of successful disputes and probably because the cruise lines have agreed to refund, just a matter of how long it will take.  And the Master Card excuse probably applies to places without a refun policy like cruise lines have.

 

I've never heard of limits like 540 days and 18 months. Is this to dispute or for fraudulent charges? 

[Hamwen3839]

1 hour ago, jhepf1222 said:

Hamwen 3839,

our cruise was cancelled on 10th March due to sail on 17th and not a penny back yet we keep onto TA but same old, same old they have not received it yet. We did get our Emirates flights back very quickly.,

 

I know how you feel. These  were the first two cruises cancelled I believe.We did receive a generic email from Azamara some weeks ago assuring us we would be refunded and I think it said within 45 days, I don’t know if they mean 45 days from that email or 45 days from cancellation.
I cannot understand why the first cancellations were not dealt with first.We did not pay with credit card so cannot dispute but will certainly do so if and when we cruise again.

[rallydave]

24 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

I've never heard of limits like 540 days and 18 months. Is this to dispute or for fraudulent charges? 

Know it was for dispute and not sure about fraudulent charges would expect them to  be shorter.  Since many of us book a year or more in advance 540 days is about a year and a half  and easy to dispute.  Only see the last 4 months of charges on line so cannot dispute earlier ones except by phoning in.  540 days is about a year and a half.

[suzyluvs2cruise]

12 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Know it was for dispute and not sure about fraudulent charges would expect them to  be shorter.  Since many of us book a year or more in advance 540 days is about a year and a half  and easy to dispute.  Only see the last 4 months of charges on line so cannot dispute earlier ones except by phoning in.  540 days is about a year and a half.

 

For Chase Sapphire Reserve it's a longer time frame for fraudulent charges and shorter time for dispute. Which Visa card do you have? You're lucky your time frame is so long. 

[Smurfette2]

1 hour ago, blobby113 said:

I tried to raise a dispute. My bank said that MasterCard had directed banks not to allow disputes arising because of Covid-19.

Well that's TERRIBLE.  I just started the process for a visa card.  I have to dispute multiple charges with Celebrity and Azamara due to transferring bookings. It also looks like deposits for different cruises were combined into one charge.  I had to call the dispute department during the regular work week and then complete a form to send with supplemental documents.  I made mention of the virus in the form they required.  I faxed it yesterday but they haven't yet been able to confirm receipt.  If they have not acknowledged receipt of the paperwork within their 3-day time frame, I might re-do the form and remove the reference to the virus.

[rallydave]

11 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

For Chase Sapphire Reserve it's a longer time frame for fraudulent charges and shorter time for dispute. Which Visa card do you have? You're lucky your time frame is so long. 

Sapphire Reserve and when I tried to dispute a charge from 12/17 for Future Cruise Deposit the agent in disputes told me the limit was 540 days.  Like I said, don't know about fraudulent charges as would expect to know about those very quickly.

[Smurfette2]

10 minutes ago, suzyluvs2cruise said:

 

For Chase Sapphire Reserve it's a longer time frame for fraudulent charges and shorter time for dispute. Which Visa card do you have? You're lucky your time frame is so long. 

I'm having to dispute charges with them as far back as February of last year.  They made it harder to do than usual, but it seems to be possible.  I might need to re-consider booking cruises 2 years in advance - if we cruise again.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I thought I had read somewhere that the time limit only begins when the promise is voided, which would mean either the date the cruise should have begun or the date the cruise line cancelled it.  It was only at that point that the vendor failed to provide the promised service.

[rallydave]

13 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I thought I had read somewhere that the time limit only begins when the promise is voided, which would mean either the date the cruise should have begun or the date the cruise line cancelled it.  It was only at that point that the vendor failed to provide the promised service.

Jazz  chase told me it was from the date of the charge but to write a letter to possibly they will open the dispute. On line only go back a year and a half and same thing at the dispute center but sure history going back further can be researched. 

[Baynanno1]

2 hours ago, Hamwen3839 said:

I am convinced that the very early cancellations ( March 24 cruise cancelled by Azamara 15 March )have  been Lost. There is no other explanation as we continue to wait for ANY refund.
T.A say they keep asking only to be told repeatedly “ another two weeks” . Well that time frame has come and gone many times.I have emailed Azamara myself but of course no reply.

There is absolutely nothing we can do other than continue to mention it on this forum in the hope that someone from Azamara reads it and decides to pull our request for refund out of the bottom draw.

 

2 hours ago, jhepf1222 said:

Hamwen 3839,

our cruise was cancelled on 10th March due to sail on 17th and not a penny back yet we keep onto TA but same old, same old they have not received it yet. We did get our Emirates flights back very quickly.,

 

 

I would suggest you contact Azamara directly.

(Yes, I know if your booking is with a TA you can only deal with the TA, but bear with me on this.)

 

We were on 17 March and 28 March cruises, booked on board and transferred to TA.

We have now been fully refunded in unrecognisable bits & pieces for 17th March, we have FCC for 28 March and await half of the ports etc for that cruise.

 

Refunds occurred after I responded to a social media advertising post by Azamara, saying it would be more to the point (as many have said) if people were employed to arrange refunds in a timely manner rather than produce advertisement after advertisement.

 

After an initial "rap over the knuckles," further communication I am sure resulted in the appearance of most of our refunds, so I think it is worth a try . . . nothing to lose . . . possibly refund forthcoming . . . especially if it is being held by the TA.

 

Good luck . . . hope it works for you!

[Hamwen3839]

Thanks Baynanno1, grateful for any suggestion. Have bypassed T.A. and sent email with all details to Azamara  direct over a week ago. Not even the courtesy of a reply.It takes a few seconds to respond even just to acknowledge .I KNOW someone from Azamara reads these posts.

[laurieb]

3 hours ago, jhepf1222 said:

Hamwen 3839,

our cruise was cancelled on 10th March due to sail on 17th and not a penny back yet we keep onto TA but same old, same old they have not received it yet. We did get our Emirates flights back very quickly.,

 

My friend’s march 17 cruise is just now mostly refunded; her Emirates flights however, won’t be refunded for another 60-90 days (from today).  
the first couple cancellations are taking longer but they are being refunded.  Your TA needs to contact their BDM

[Hamwen3839]

Sorry, what is BDM ?