BEWARE! Celebrity is NOT refunding money for cancelled cruises

[wsjim]

To all Celebrity cruisers:

 

Celebrity will NOT refund our cruise money for a sailing we had booked on Celebrity Edge for March 22, 2020.

 

This cruise was part of the first wave of cruises cancelled by Celebrity in early March.  When we found out, we called and asked that they cancel our cruise.  Turns out we called a few hours before it was official, so what they're saying is that we cannot get our money, and that we're stuck.  NEVER will I ever cruise again with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.  NEVER.  If this is how they treat their customers (especially all of us in our group, who are Diamond and up), then they deserve to GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

[Orator]

The key fact is that YOU cancelled before the announcement was official.You lost the game of chicken. Since you cancelled before Celebrity they own you what your contract requires.Surprised that your TA didn't charge $100 cancellation fee as they normally do. 

Really sorry that this happened to you. celebrity might have done some goodwill, but they are not required to do anything.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Orator

[omeinv]

First, welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

You, like many others, chose to cancel when the offer was for a future cruise credit.  You accepted that at the time, and must have felt like it was a desirable option.  Later, Celebrity cancelled the cruise, and those affected (those who had not CHOSEN to cancel and accept the future cruise credit) were entitled to a full refund.  By the way, the provision of a future cruise credit at the time of your cancellation was actually a GIANT goodwill gesture, since - by the contract you agreed to - you were entitled to nothing for cancelling at that point. 

 

Celebrity isn't mistreating you, you simply made a choice based on one set of facts, and things changed when the circumstances changed.  Of course I suppose they'll be delighted you'll never cruise with them again, since that means they won't have to convert your future cruise credit into a cruise. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Edited May 8, 2020 by omeinv

[sfaaa]

Fake news. X cancelled my 5/2020 cruise back in 3/2020. I received full refund + 25% FCC. Can't be happier with X.

[Guindalf]

So let me get this straight. YOU cancelled the cruise while it was still official and you're upset that the rules changed AFTER you cancelled?

 

Tough!

 

This is the same post I have seen on just about every other cruise line forum. If you had waited, then you would have no complaint and, if you won't cruise RCCL or X ever again, then you must, by extension, rule out all other lines too as they are doing the same thing!

 

We cancelled our May 17th Alaska cruise a day or so before our cancellation went from just the deposit to 50% of the fare paid, so we'll be getting all but $200 refunded with that amount being FCC. If we had waited, we could have gotten 125% FCC or 100% refund, but WE made the choice.

 

Just because you lost the game doesn't give you the right to cry about it and blame the cruise line.

 

 

[wsjim]

I wasn't clear in what I wrote.  Celebrity put out a news notice that gave the two choices - cancel now and get a 100% refund, or wait and get 125%. I get that, fully understand that, and accept that.  So we took Celebrity up on the deal.  That said, their news flash came out 12 hours BEFORE it was put fully into effect.  WE DID NOT KNOW THIS.  That is why we're angry.  Had we known we needed to wait 12 hours (basically the next day) we would have waited and then canceled.  Hope this clears it up and brings you "public shamers" down a few notches.

 

By the way, if the cruise lines don't stop burning cash at the rate they're going, eventually they will have to file bankruptcy to get out of it.  Royal, I figure, can hang on through the end of the year.  Same with Carnival.  Not true for some of the other lines, like Norwegian, who are more cash-short and may not make it another 3-4 months.  Good luck with that.

[Orator]

3 minutes ago, wsjim said:

I wasn't clear in what I wrote.  Celebrity put out a news notice that gave the two choices - cancel now and get a 100% refund, or wait and get 125%. I get that, fully understand that, and accept that.  So we took Celebrity up on the deal.  That said, their news flash came out 12 hours BEFORE it was put fully into effect.  WE DID NOT KNOW THIS.  That is why we're angry.  Had we known we needed to wait 12 hours (basically the next day) we would have waited and then canceled.  Hope this clears it up and brings you "public shamers" down a few notches.

 

By the way, if the cruise lines don't stop burning cash at the rate they're going, eventually they will have to file bankruptcy to get out of it.  Royal, I figure, can hang on through the end of the year.  Same with Carnival.  Not true for some of the other lines, like Norwegian, who are more cash-short and may not make it another 3-4 months.  Good luck with that.

The CEO of Norwegian announced last night on CNBC that with new funding they are good for 18 months.

if you called your TA to cancel they should have explained your options. They should now try to resolve your issue with Celebrity.

Edited May 8, 2020 by Orator

[wsjim]

That's brand new news for Norwegian, because that wasn't the case just 4 days ago.  Thank you for the clarification.

[omeinv]

Your issue is with the your travel agent, not with the cruise line.  If your agent handled the cancellation in a way that cost you money, they should resolve that.  They should have been looking out for your interests.  You should speak to them about whether they carry "errors and omissions" insurance (they should). 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Edited May 8, 2020 by omeinv

[Georgia_Peaches]

Completely understand the frustration.  Seems as though you got caught in a 12 hour loophole.  I agree that your TA has some answering to do.  FWIW, I really like the NCL product about as much as Celebrity.  If you're truly done with X, I recommend you give them a try...although, I've heard horror stories about NCL's customer service, I do believe they will be around to cruise another day.

[K12Guy]

13 minutes ago, wsjim said:

Hope this clears it up and brings you "public shamers" down a few notches.

 

I didn't see anything that I inferred as being shaming toward you. Most of the comments were based on what seemed to be the circumstances as you stated at the time of your posting. One of the members of our roll call for the 28 May sailing did almost the very same thing, even after I strongly suggested that he (they) wait it out and see what happens. I think he was influenced by 'someone else' to cancel anyway and he did so. Damned if the policy didn't change the next day and he called and begged, pleaded and complained, with no favorable outcome. Since that time the cruise cancelled, of course, and policy has changed and he's just as upset as you seem to be and they are still taking a January cruise that he wanted to use the credit for, but couldn't.

 

In any case, as times goes on and you see what is happening industry wide you may change your mind and choose to sail Celebrity. If not, be safe and enjoy life, regardless. I will enjoy Luminae, as always! 😎

[Fouremco]

2 minutes ago, omeinv said:

Your issue is with the your travel agent, not with the cruise line.  If your agent handled the cancellation in a way that cost you money, they should resolve that.  They should have been looking out for your interests.  You should speak to them about whether they carry "errors and omissions" insurance (they should). 

There is clearly some misunderstanding/miscommunication at play. IIRC, upon cancellation by Celebrity, you would automatically receive 125% FCC. If you wanted, you would then have the option to request 100% refund instead. This is quite different to "Celebrity put out a news notice that gave the two choices - cancel now and get a 100% refund, or wait and get 125%" as the OP understood the offer. Subsequent decisions were possibly wrong because of an initial misunderstanding of the new policy by the OP.

 

The TA should have been aware of what Celebrity was doing and the effective dates, and provided appropriate advice to the OP to wait and let Celebrity take the necessary steps. The OP, on the other hand, being aware of Celebrity's new policy, should not have asked the TA to cancel. It sounds like the TA simply adopted the attitude of "the customer is always right" and did what he was asked to do.

[Hawkstar33]

We cancelled thurday night 3/12. Deadline was 9pm.    Next night celebrity cancelled the cruise.    Cruise was scheduled for 3/15 on Silhouette.  We cancelled before they did.   We  took FCC, but still waiting for email confirming that it is credited.  It's coming they said when I called.   Gonna use FCC if a miracle happens and we go in late August for same itinerary. Our final payment is due the 20th I believe of this month..  I wish request it gets applied then.       

[Jeremiah1212]

Best to just move on. They have to draw a line in the sand somewhere and you were before that line. If they make an exception for those that cancel ‘just a few hours’ early, then where do they stop? 

[Denny01]

All this happened over a month ago, and the OP is now saying Celebrity put out a news flash stating their cruise was canceled but Celebrity didn’t actually cancel it until 12 hrs later?? that doesn’t track. then the OP tries to clarify with another post that doesn’t track saying the ‘news flash’ stated customers would get a full refund if they canceled ‘now’ or a FCC plus 25% if they waited??? Waited for what or until when?? None of this is making sense. Neither post tracks with what is actually going on. 

 

From actual experience and reading tons of threads on the same subject (over and over again), Most All cruise lines including Celebrity are offering a full refund or a FCC +25% for a canceled cruise. The customer get to chose which. And cruise lines are offering a FCC (no extras but no penalties) for customers who wish to cancel cruises on their own that are to depart up to a set date, which varies with each Line, but no refund. 

 

The OP canceled a cruise before it was canceled and therefore gets a FCC, no refund and no extra 25%. Unlike the ‘norm’ which was if you canceled a cruise so close to a departure date, you’d lose a good deal of your money, or if over a month away, you’d normally lose $100 out of your deposit.

 

All of this is Around the Bend!

 

Den 

 

 

Edited May 8, 2020 by Denny01

[Hawkstar33]

2 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

All this happened over a month ago, and the OP is now saying Celebrity put out a news flash stating their cruise was canceled but Celebrity didn’t actually cancel it until 12 hrs later?? that doesn’t track. then the OP tries to clarify with another post that doesn’t track saying the ‘news flash’ stated customers would get a full refund if they canceled ‘now’ or a FCC plus 25% if they waited??? Waited for what or until when?? None of this is making sense. Neither post tracks with what is actually going on. 

 

From actual experience and reading tons of threads on the same subject (over and over again), Most All cruise lines including Celebrity are offering a full refund or a FCC +25% for a canceled cruise. And cruise lines are offering a FCC (no extras but no penalties) for customers who wish to cancel cruises set to depart up to a set date, which varies with each Line, but no refund. 

 

The OP canceled a cruise before it was canceled and therefore gets a FCC, no refund and no extra 25%. Unlike the ‘norm’ which was if you canceled a cruise so close to a departure date, you’d lose a good deal of your money, or if over a month away, you’d normally lose $100 out of your deposit.

 

All of this is Around the Bend!

 

Den 

 

 

Exactly

[upwarduk]

1 hour ago, wsjim said:

If this is how they treat their customers (especially all of us in our group, who are Diamond and up), then they deserve to GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

If you are Diamond status then you have been cruising with Royal and should know more about cruising than you seem to. I would be tempted to go back to Royal.

[Baron Barracuda]

As I read this, op was a couple of weeks before 3/22 sailing and entitled to no refund.  Then saw news flash offering fcc or refund so called ta to cancel.  Didn't realize offer wasn't good until next day.  What doesn't seem right is op must have had conversation with ta discussing offer and saying he wanted refund, not fcc.  Otherwise ta would have told op he wasn't due a refund.  When TA then contacted X similar  conversation should have taken place with TA requesting refund not fcc.  Expect both calls were made on recorded lines.  X phone rep should have confirmed amount of refund.  If phone rep said $0  that should have triggered red flag with TA.  Review the tape.  Believe someone owes op some money.

[Denny01]

One of the problems, is the OP was booking with a Booking Agent, not a TA. they know how to book reservations....end of story. No one owes the OP anything. And I’m sure telling the OP to ‘review the tape’ is really helpful.......”Hello, TA? I think you screwed up and you owe me money....please pass me the tapes you have of your telecom(s) you had 2 months ago with Celebrity so i can sue you or Celebrity or both please. Thank you.”

 

Den 

[jelayne]

I wonder what this “news notice” was ?   Maybe a TA  posted a announcement intended for the TA community before the “ public” announcement and the OP called their TA to cancel.  I often wonder why TAs post new offerings/changes before they are effective.  
 

We were booked with the same TA and we cancelled before X cancelled our sailing. They  & X were so swamped that they were processing cancellations in sail date order.  It was 8  calendar days between when we called to cancel and when it was processed so not sure why the OPs was done so fast.

Edited May 9, 2020 by jelayne

[tallnthensome]

Sounds like the real issue is the OP just isn’t well enough informed for his own good. Thank you as well for informing the rest of us of bankruptcy possibilities as no one ever here ever considered that was possible.   

[PhillyTravelBug]

15 hours ago, wsjim said:

To all Celebrity cruisers:

 

Celebrity will NOT refund our cruise money for a sailing we had booked on Celebrity Edge for March 22, 2020.

 

This cruise was part of the first wave of cruises cancelled by Celebrity in early March.  When we found out, we called and asked that they cancel our cruise.  Turns out we called a few hours before it was official, so what they're saying is that we cannot get our money, and that we're stuck.  NEVER will I ever cruise again with Royal Caribbean or Celebrity.  NEVER.  If this is how they treat their customers (especially all of us in our group, who are Diamond and up), then they deserve to GO OUT OF BUSINESS.

 

why didn’t you just wait until you got an email? You asked them to cancel your cruise without verification you were get your money back? 
 

I know our June 20 cruise will be canceled and plan on getting my money back, but seems obvious to wait for them to “officially” give the options.  In worst case, I have a future cruise already paid for. 

[hcat]

Not much goodwill in the  world of X...sorry to say!. Refunds have been very slow coming,..and no mercy shown  for those who goofed in their timing or strategy,

 

We took the Cruise With Confidence deal....50% refund and 50% future cruise credit. This was okay for us at the time b/c we had several  booked future X cruises  for which we believed we could apply the credit.   We accepted the deal  BEFORE  they implemented the " Fit to Cruise" requirement  which would have effectively banned us.   Although the note is no longer required, we are unsure if folks with certain conditions  like diabetes will be accepted to sail once cruises start again. ...So our fcc may be worthless  because we have no idea how they will determine who can cruise.  We hope we can use our fcc for our one remaining X booking. Not booking any more til we know the rules

 

I recently  read on CC that  final payments  ( some quite large) must be paid for cruises that are likely to be cancelled.  Then X cancels after final payment date, and  folks must  wait for refunds of very large amounts.  Seems a bit cagey!

Not quite goodwill!

[TeeRick]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Not much goodwill in the  world of X...sorry to say!. Refunds have been very slow coming,..and no mercy shown  for those who goofed in their timing or strategy,

 

We took the Cruise With Confidence deal....50% refund and 50% future cruise credit. This was okay for us at the time b/c we had several  booked future X cruises  for which we believed we could apply the credit.   We accepted the deal  BEFORE  they implemented the " Fit to Cruise" requirement  which would have effectively banned us.   Although the note is no longer required, we are unsure if folks with certain conditions  like diabetes will be accepted to sail once cruises start again. ...So our fcc may be worthless  because we have no idea how they will determine who can cruise.  We hope we can use our fcc for our one remaining X booking. Not booking any more til we know the rules

 

I recently  read on CC that  final payments  ( some quite large) must be paid for cruises that are likely to be cancelled.  Then X cancels after final payment date, and  folks must  wait for refunds of very large amounts.  Seems a bit cagey!

Not quite goodwill!

Yes this is the Catch-22 that some face if their final payment date is coming for the next round of cruises which will most certainly be cancelled - but are not announced yet.  It is a game of chicken.  I personally would wait until final payment date.  If the cruise has not been cancelled yet I would choose to lose my deposit.  It beats giving them a lot more of my money and then hoping for a future refund (at best).

[BP99]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

Not much goodwill in the  world of X...sorry to say!. Refunds have been very slow coming,..and no mercy shown  for those who goofed in their timing or strategy,

 

We took the Cruise With Confidence deal....50% refund and 50% future cruise credit. This was okay for us at the time b/c we had several  booked future X cruises  for which we believed we could apply the credit.   We accepted the deal  BEFORE  they implemented the " Fit to Cruise" requirement  which would have effectively banned us.   Although the note is no longer required, we are unsure if folks with certain conditions  like diabetes will be accepted to sail once cruises start again. ...So our fcc may be worthless  because we have no idea how they will determine who can cruise.  We hope we can use our fcc for our one remaining X booking. Not booking any more til we know the rules

 

I recently  read on CC that  final payments  ( some quite large) must be paid for cruises that are likely to be cancelled.  Then X cancels after final payment date, and  folks must  wait for refunds of very large amounts.  Seems a bit cagey!

Not quite goodwill!

I AGREE!

That's why WE cancelled three September cruises. We are still waiting for refunds for

two April cruises (April 5 and 17) for > 50 days. Latest posts indicate that Celebrity

needs 80 days (not 30 like they said) to refund. By making final payment for

our three September cruises (even though there is an excellent chance they may

never sail- one from Vancouver) would be a HUGE gamble of never seeing

our big money again. Yes, many say they have a lot of funds BUT they have

lots if expenses. If they can't refund NOW on time what will it look like in September?