Refund will be forthcoming...

[Jared Purdy]

Well, well, well!! I just received a phone call from the luxury cruise specialist at ************  informing me that Paul Gauguin Cruises/Ponant have decided to issue me a refund for our cancelled cruise that was scheduled for July 18th of this year. This good will gesture and turn about will definitely result in me rebooking for 2021 providing travel is possible, etc. I posted this to both of their Instagram accounts, and thanked them for honouring the original refund policy. I understand that 10% of the cruise and 10% of the airfare is being held back which can be used as a future cruise credit. That is totally acceptable.  Apparently I am not alone in in receiving the refund.  I'm going to keep my third party default case open at my credit card though until this whole matter is sorted out.  I was told by my TA that it will be about 30 days before I'll see the money back on my credit card.  I'll keep you posted.

[fedexretiree]

15 minutes ago, Jared Purdy said:

Well, well, well!! I just received a phone call from the luxury cruise specialist at ************  informing me that Paul Gauguin Cruises/Ponant have decided to issue me a refund for our cancelled cruise that was scheduled for July 18th of this year. This good will gesture and turn about will definitely result in me rebooking for 2021 providing travel is possible, etc. I posted this to both of their Instagram accounts, and thanked them for honouring the original refund policy. I understand that 10% of the cruise and 10% of the airfare is being held back which can be used as a future cruise credit. That is totally acceptable.  Apparently I am not alone in in receiving the refund.  I'm going to keep my third party default case open at my credit card though until this whole matter is sorted out.  I was told by my TA that it will be about 30 days before I'll see the money back on my credit card.  I'll keep you posted.

CONGRATULATIONS on getting a refund from PG.  Persistence pays off..  Got a few questions for you if you would be so kind in helping me too.

We are still booked on the same cruise you were on leaving July 18th. Deposit was paid Sept 2019.  We did our own flights and hotels.  

We will be canceling in a few days not wanting to risk getting Covid.

 So far we only paid the deposit.  Are you saying when I cancel I should get all of my cash back less 10%? (No 100.00 admin. Fee)

The remainder of my deposit will be held as future cruise credit? 

[Jared Purdy]

1 minute ago, fedexretiree said:

CONGRATULATIONS on getting a refund from PG.  Persistence pays off..  Got a few questions for you if you would be so kind in helping me too.

We are still booked on the same cruise you were on leaving July 18th. Deposit was paid Sept 2019.  We did our own flights and hotels.  

We will be canceling in a few days not wanting to risk getting Covid.

 So far we only paid the deposit.  Are you saying when I cancel I should get all of my cash back less 10%? (No 100.00 admin. Fee)

The remainder of my deposit will be held as future cruise credit? 

Hi,  My TA told me that the refund would be based on the same terms as the original refund terms from the March 23 cancelation, which stated that 10% of the airfare would be held back and 10% of the cruise would be held back.  However, I could claim that on a future cruise credit if rebooked within a year.  

 

I could barely believe my ears, so I decided to call PG and I asked for the same sales agent who had spoken to my TA.  She told me that ten percent of the entire booking fee would be the cancelation fee, so there's nothing to reclaim as a future cruise credit.  When I booked, I booked the airfare from LA and back, the cruise and three nights after the cruise at the Intercontinental on Moorea, and I had paid the full amount.  When I booked, the total amount was almost $25,000 Canadian.  I'm getting back just under $23,000.  I can live with that.  I'll make that back in a year in a special low interest, low risk account here.  Apparently it was what I said in my social media posts that got their attention.  I'm not sure how many others are getting a refund.  I was also told by my TA that PG will honour the refund policy that was in place up until March 30.

[fedexretiree]

So comparing my situation to yours what is your thought about what I may or may not get back since I only paid a deposit?

If you don't mind me asking What was the agents name that you talked to with PG.

 

 

[Jared Purdy]

1 minute ago, fedexretiree said:

So comparing my situation to yours what is your thought about what I may or may not get back since I only paid a deposit?

If you don't mind me asking What was the agents name that you talked to with PG.

 

 

I spoke with Shiela, but only because that is who my TA spoke with.  I wanted to hear it from the horse's mouth.  If you haven't cancelled yet I don't know what they'll tell you as I was told that March 30th was the cut off, and I cancelled March 23, but you can certainly ask.  If they say no refund, you might want to file a third party default claim with your credit card.  

 

I cancelled because of the amount of money they had, nearly $25,000CDN.  There's no way I'm letting a business hold on to that for what might be 24 months, or maybe never get it back if they go bankrupt, which I hope does not happen.  Too many hard working people need those jobs.

[CAL7]

Given the alternative, I can see being happy with a 90% refund. But how can they justify holding even 10% ?  Are they saying the July 18 cruise is still going and it is a voluntary cancellation on your part? 

[Icecat]

I wouldn't trust them until the money is in your account..

[Jared Purdy]

1 hour ago, CAL7 said:

Given the alternative, I can see being happy with a 90% refund. But how can they justify holding even 10% ?  Are they saying the July 18 cruise is still going and it is a voluntary cancellation on your part? 

Hi,

 

No, they aren't saying that, and they can't say that anyways because there remains in effect a total ban on foreign travellers to FP. According to the Tahiti Tourism web site, there is going to be a gradual reopening, but foreign visitation was not part of that discussion.  If you click on the vacation packages, any one of the in that section, nothing comes up. Nada.

 

The other part of the problem is if you live in Canada, for example, the airlines have stopped all flights to the USA for the unforeseeable future.  That will have a bearing on getting a flight from LA to Tahiti.  If, par chance, things return to near normalcy before July 18th, I'll look into rebooking, but I seriously doubt that is going to happen.  

 

In all honesty, who would want to get on a cruise ship right now anyways?  COVID-19 is not going to miraculously disappear by June, or July, and from the looks of it, we're a long way from a cure.  The Tahitian government, like so many governments around the world are in protection mode right now.  

 

I can put that $22,700 in a special, low interest (1.5%), low risk investment account and recoup the lost 10% and be worry free for next year. None of this is the outcome any of us were hoping for.  Come the end of August, I wanted memories of Tahiti, and photos, etc.  Not a cancelled trip with a refund.

[Jared Purdy]

59 minutes ago, Icecat said:

I wouldn't trust them until the money is in your account..

 

That is why I'm not cancelling my still-active third party, default claim with my credit card.  However, I believe, that this time PG is acting on good faith.

[Hutchinj]

Ah, thanks for the added info, Jared. Glad you are happy with the deal you got.

 

Unfortunately for me, my TA tells me that the cancellation policy in effect when I booked applies in which case I face a  penalty of 50% if I cancel 31+ days prior to our sail date of July 4 and 100% penalty after that.

 

Given that kind of potential loss, I have no recourse but to wait for PG to cancel the cruise and then pursue a refund thru them or credit card dispute. I just don't see how they could possibly be ready to cruise again by early July!

[Jared Purdy]

18 minutes ago, Hutchinj said:

Ah, thanks for the added info, Jared. Glad you are happy with the deal you got.

 

Unfortunately for me, my TA tells me that the cancellation policy in effect when I booked applies in which case I face a  penalty of 50% if I cancel 31+ days prior to our sail date of July 4 and 100% penalty after that.

 

Given that kind of potential loss, I have no recourse but to wait for PG to cancel the cruise and then pursue a refund thru them or credit card dispute. I just don't see how they could possibly be ready to cruise again by early July!

 

My credit card company came through with the 3rd party default, but now I have to wait (up to 10 weeks) to see if PG/Ponant petitions it.  If nothing comes of it, the money stays with me.  I got 100% of the money back.  

 

I was told by my TA, that PG/Ponant had reversed it's refund policy, as my post above alludes to, such that I'd be getting 90% of it back within 30 days.  I'll have to keep an eye on all of this.  As for your cruise date, I seriously doubt that is going to happen.  Best of luck with your claim.

[skylinelinda]

I was told my money for the cruise would be refunded.  That was over 150 days ago.  Haven’t seen one dime yet!

[skylinelinda]

Still waiting for my promised refund.   150 plus days.  Would sure like it for Christmas presents.  I just wonder if they will go bankrupt before I get my money back 

[daetchief]

Aloha all,

 

I'm pleased to report that PG Cruises electronically deposited/refunded my deposit for a cruise we were scheduled to take this summer.   It took ~40 days from request submission to refund deposit.   [Less $100.00 per reservation or $200.00 a couple]

 

Memory being a decaying condition, I'm pleased with this outcome, if not the timeline it took to receive it.  I'll monitor the boards here and possibly reschedule for 2022/2023 if PG is still in business.

[Host Jazzbeau]

I just got my refund check from Ponant today [wasn't willing to give them my bank acct info...]  They cancelled the cruise on Nov. 24 and promised a refund within 90 days on Dec. 8 so they met their 90 day promise either way.

[dk34]

I was originally booked on the Jun 2020 cruise, PGC has had my deposit since 8/28 and my full payment since March of 2020.  I paid over US21000.  

 

My Canadian TA talked me into re-booking on on the July cruise, then Oct. 2020 cruise. and then again on the June 2021 cruise.  The TA told me that as long as I re-booked 31 days I would not loose anything and just pay the increased cruising cost.  The TA has told me all refund request were denied by Paul Gaugin. 

 

How did you all go about requesting a refund. 

1.  Do I have to wait for the cruise to be cancelled and NOT re-book a future cruise at this time to get my money back? 

2.I know that some post comments on social media.  Is that the best way?    Which SM Platform?

[kyriecat]

I received a notice from PG today that my June 3 cruise was cancelled. PG offered two alternate cruises that I could book at the same price as the June cruise, but neither works for my travel schedule. They also offered a future cruise certificate but it would only be valid for two years. Since several health experts are predicting another global pandemic within the next two years and there is uncertainty about the future of the travel industry, I don't want to risk losing my money on a future cruise.

 

I called customer service and was told that because I booked in Oct. 2019, I was only entitled to a future cruise certificate for a cancellation. I could request a refund in writing, but it would take at least 120 days before their vice president would decide whether to approve a refund and how much the amount would be. 

 

For cruises that PG cancelled, has anyone received a refund instead of the future certificate? If so, did you get the full amount paid refunded or did they withhold a percentage?

[FlightMedic555]

I see a June 5, 2021 cruise.  Is this the one that they cancelled?

[fedexretiree]

On 2/8/2021 at 12:16 PM, dk34 said:

I was originally booked on the Jun 2020 cruise, PGC has had my deposit since 8/28 and my full payment since March of 2020.  I paid over US21000.  

 

My Canadian TA talked me into re-booking on on the July cruise, then Oct. 2020 cruise. and then again on the June 2021 cruise.  The TA told me that as long as I re-booked 31 days I would not loose anything and just pay the increased cruising cost.  The TA has told me all refund request were denied by Paul Gaugin. 

 

How did you all go about requesting a refund. 

1.  Do I have to wait for the cruise to be cancelled and NOT re-book a future cruise at this time to get my money back? 

2.I know that some post comments on social media.  Is that the best way?    Which SM Platform?

Just my thoughts here but PG should have just moved your reservation from the Oct. 2020 cruise to the June 2021 at no additional cost to you.  We were scheduled last year as well and when PG canceled the cruise they told us no refunds.  I called my credit card company and after a few weeks got a full refund...

Not sure if that will work for you UNLESS PG cancels the cruise.  

[fedexretiree]

4 hours ago, kyriecat said:

I received a notice from PG today that my June 3 cruise was cancelled. PG offered two alternate cruises that I could book at the same price as the June cruise, but neither works for my travel schedule. They also offered a future cruise certificate but it would only be valid for two years. Since several health experts are predicting another global pandemic within the next two years and there is uncertainty about the future of the travel industry, I don't want to risk losing my money on a future cruise.

 

I called customer service and was told that because I booked in Oct. 2019, I was only entitled to a future cruise certificate for a cancellation. I could request a refund in writing, but it would take at least 120 days before their vice president would decide whether to approve a refund and how much the amount would be. 

 

For cruises that PG cancelled, has anyone received a refund instead of the future certificate? If so, did you get the full amount paid refunded or did they withhold a percentage?

I would call my credit card company asap about this.  I was booked for last year and they refused a refund so I let my CC company deal with it.  Got all of my money back and no adm. charges either.

They canceled the cruise, not you.  You should be entitled to a full refund because of that... unless they changed the terms and conditions of their ticket contract when you booked your cruise.  Good luck.

[kyriecat]

14 hours ago, FlightMedic555 said:

I see a June 5, 2021 cruise.  Is this the one that they cancelled?

You are correct - June 5 was the sail day. June 3 was my flight. Apologies for the confusion.

[FlightMedic555]

I wonder if it was cancelled as the itinerary included a number of countries with closed borders and little likelihood of reopening. The May cruise just before the June 5 cruise may suffer the same fate. 

[dk34]

Does anyone know about the 5/22/2021 cruise?

 

[Tahitianbigkahuna]

May 22 & June 5 have both cancelled ... what I was told from someone on one of the sailings it is due to the likelihood that some islands outside FP will still be closed.  

 

 

Edited February 18, 2021 by Tahitianbigkahuna

[Supertuscan99]

Get your money back..what company cancels a cruise and refuses to refund and expects good public relations and return business? We went thru the PG system and got our refund in just over 120 days..yes my credit card company dispute was filed but never activated unless I had to.....this part of the letter copied below is troubling  to say the least.  Ignore anyone here who tries to defend the refund vs credit coupled with the “we don’t care about you “ policy of this cruise line ...”. I called customer service and was told that because I booked in Oct. 2019, I was only entitled to a future cruise certificate for a cancellation. I could request a refund in writing, but it would take at least 120 days before their vice president would decide whether to approve a refund and how much the amount would be.”   WTH