Refunds - any received to date?

[Boatdrill]

HAL is now offering travel agents an additional 2% commission on 2021 cruises booked by September 30, 2020.

https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23285-holland-america-offers-bonus-commission-to-agents.html

 

Not clear on how they will pay that when they still owe TA's their protected commission, and people are waiting for refunds.

Truly a mixed message.    

[iancal]

Mixed messages has been a HAL strategy for the past several years.  Or perhaps it has been stealth marketing.

Edited July 27, 2020 by iancal

[Loreto]

I was relieved to see that a refund for the 2nd suite I booked for our family July 10  Alaska cruise was posted on my cc this morning.  Still missing is $200 for the deposits to a different CC, so I will give HAL a few more days for that.  So far all of our HAL cancelled cruises have been refunded.  It was over 100 days for this to be credited.  I did a live chat and was given the email for accounting. Maybe that moved things along.

 

I am still waiting for HAL to decide about our Nov. 27th South America/Antarctica/Solar Eclipse cruise.  I stopped making payments on that in March.  Final payment is Sept. 14th.  I hope a decision is made before that!

[Vict0riann]

10 minutes ago, Loreto said:

I was relieved to see that a refund for the 2nd suite I booked for our family July 10  Alaska cruise was posted on my cc this morning.  Still missing is $200 for the deposits to a different CC, so I will give HAL a few more days for that.  So far all of our HAL cancelled cruises have been refunded.  It was over 100 days for this to be credited.  I did a live chat and was given the email for accounting. Maybe that moved things along.

 

I am still waiting for HAL to decide about our Nov. 27th South America/Antarctica/Solar Eclipse cruise.  I stopped making payments on that in March.  Final payment is Sept. 14th.  I hope a decision is made before that!

 

You may find, like we did, that the initial deposit made with a FCD of $100 each, is returned to you as a FCD + FCC of an equal amount.  Our accounting went like this - the full amount of the base cruise fare was returned as a FCC + 25% of the base fare; then the other costs (flights, port fees, taxes, insurance) , minus $200, were returned as a payment to our credit card, finally we received word we had a FCD of $100, plus an additional $100 in FCC each.  People must have been complaining that they lost their FCD in the initial refund/FCC, and so they deducted the amount of FCD from final payment, doubled it and added it to the account!  You can check on your HAL account info to see if you have an additional FCD and FCC - if you can sort all that out...

Edited August 2, 2020 by Vict0riann

[Loreto]

4 minutes ago, Vict0riann said:

 

You may find, like we did, that the initial deposit made with a FCD of $100 each, is returned to you as a FCD + FCC of an equal amount.  Our accounting went like this - the full amount of the base cruise fare was returned as a FCC + 25% of the base fare; then the other costs (flights, port fees, taxes, insurance) , minus $200, were returned as a payment to our credit card, finally we received word we had a FCD of $100, plus an additional $100 in FCC each.  People must have been complaining that they lost their FCD in the initial refund/FCC, and so they deducted the amount of FCD from final payment, doubled it and added it to the account!  You can check on your HAL account info to see if you have an additional FCD and FCC - if you can sort all that out...

I requested a full refund for the 2 suites I booked, never any FCC or FCD.  The first suite refund came July 10th and I received the deposits back to my AMEX card and the cruise fare to my Visa card. that was exactly what I expected, and would expect the same thing for the 2nd suite.  I never used a FCD (as I didn't have any) yet my account shows a $100 FCD available, which is not correct.  I will wait a few days and see if my deposits are refunded.  DH says let it go...but I don't think so...I want my money and have all my receipts.

[Vict0riann]

1 minute ago, Loreto said:

I requested a full refund for the 2 suites I booked, never any FCC or FCD.  The first suite refund came July 10th and I received the deposits back to my AMEX card and the cruise fare to my Visa card. that was exactly what I expected, and would expect the same thing for the 2nd suite.  I never used a FCD (as I didn't have any) yet my account shows a $100 FCD available, which is not correct.  I will wait a few days and see if my deposits are refunded.  DH says let it go...but I don't think so...I want my money and have all my receipts.

Well then, yes, you should have received the whole thing back in cash to your credit card.   

[travelholics]

On 7/19/2020 at 10:31 AM, StartrainDD said:

 

 

Hello Silver!

 

I called.  Got through with no wait.  Long story, we will need to send an e-mail to this address:  reservations_submit@hollandamerica.com .  These FCD’s seem to be falling through the cracks…

 

I am pasting my e-mail (less personal information).  You can then just change the needed info for yourself and send one too.  I of course, have not yet received a response to the e-mail...

 

 

After a long wait some time ago we received FCC’s for our canceled sailing on the (ship name & date).  These appear to be correct.

 

Last night, a credit arrived to our credit card.  That amount appears to be $200 short, which is the value of the FCD’s used to book this cruise.  The FCD numbers were  (if not known, need to call HAL to obtain).

 

These FCD’s do not appear in my account on-line.  We would be just as happy (in fact, would prefer) to have the FCD’s re-instated as we would to receive a cash refund.

 

I was told to provide identifying information in this message.  DOB is ________.  My mariner number is __________.

 

This cruise was paid for as follows:

FCD: $200

Visa payment : $amount on date.

Total amount paid:  $amount + FCD.

 

“Credits” have been received as follows:

FCC for name:  $______  ($_______ plus 25% bonus)

FCC for name:  $______ ($_______ plus 25% bonus)

Total above:  $amount BEFORE bonus

Refund to Visa (taxes, fees, and Flight Ease) received date:  $amount

Total amount recovered:  $sum of FCC base and refund - likely $200 short

 

Balance remaining:  $Original amount paid - $base amount of FCD's and refund = $200.00.

 

Please let me know if the $200 will be refunded to the Visa card or if the FCD’s will be reinstated.  I can be contacted by phone if preferred at (number).

 

I hope this helps!  I will report back when I hear from them.  There is a cruise in Dec of 2021 we would like to book but I would much rather use an FCD to book it!

 

 

A big thank you to StartrainDD for posting this. We cancelled our May Alaska cruise in March after HAL advised deposits would be refunded by way of FCC. We received our final payment back to our credit card within days but, despite our TA chasing by phone regularly, no FCC.

 

I prepared an e mail, based on the above, and asked my TA to forward it to the email address quoted in the above. Checked my FCC's yesterday and there it was! No e mail from HAL, but it worked after nearly 5 months! I think they are lacking the paper trail for those of us who were refunded in March before the mass cancellations started and providing the info above in written form allows them to find the info.

 

Many thanks, I now have all my refunds and have started reserving again with returned FCCs.

[cruzn single]

Finally received my credit back from May for the deposit for an October cancelled cruise.  Not sure of the exact date, since I haven’t been checking my credit card balance daily.  Know it was in last few days!

[57redbird]

We didn't get a refund for our cancelled (by us) April cruise but we finally got FCCs today ---  YAY!!!

[shanni-shanni]

Got all my refunds and FCC which we apply to our future April 2021 cruise to Japan.

 

Tom

[tamsno]

I had gotten Email from HAL in March  that April cruise could be cancelled for FCC for entire amount. Two days ago after 149 days from my cancellation,  cruise refunded to credit card when I had been assured in many calls to check status that it would be FCC.   Credit card will refund me in cash.  Maybe for the best.  

 

 

[rschlo]

Unbelievable!  123 days since we were scheduled to depart our cruise and we FINALLY got our refund. I truly wondered if we would ever see it. 

[SailingShelley]

When cancelling my end of May 2 week Alaskan Cruise, I was informed it would take 60 days for the cruise refund.

I received all my tour funds back almost immediately for my tours which were upwards of $3500.

At 60 days from my request, I called and was informed that the cruises were being refunded by departure rather than request date and they were only in April because they had so many more cancellations. Really?

I did get my pre-paid gratuities back around 62 days but the cruise itself did not show up as processed on my credit card until 73 days from date of refund request.

We are disappointed that HAL has totally eliminated that 14 night unique Alaskan itinerary. We sailed with HAL 20 years ago on the north bound 7 night cruise with the inland tour that ended in Fairbanks, so this would have been a chance to see other parts of Alaska which was the reason to book with HAL.

Edited August 9, 2020 by SailingShelley

[Rondathehonda]

At long last, I finally received my full refund from HAL for my 28 day Tahiti cruise set to leave SAN on March 21st this year.  My application for refund was submitted on the 18th of March.  My refund came as 3 separate payments. First was the port charges refunded on June 4th.  After several enquires by my TA as well as my own followup, finally it arrived July 30.  🥳

I wish things had been different and we could have confidently rebooked another cruise, but with so much uncertainty with how Covid-19 is affecting world-wide travel and dealing with health issues, this was the safest way for us to handle this. We relly missed taking this cruise this year as French Polynesia is the most beautiful place in the world and HAL smaller ships are perfect for getting in and out to these islands.  We will miss the friends we made on board.  We hope that some day in the not too distant future, we will be back on the high seas with HAL again.  Until then, we have our memories from last cruises to dream over.  Thank you also for the support of the CC community.

[mexico8]

I called  last week on  Monday to cancel a November 2020 cruise and the  $780 deposit was refunded to my credit card three days later.   Great service and no hassle.  

[KAKcruiser]

I can't believe how lucky you are.  I cancelled a December 2020 cruise today a few hours before HAL made their official cancellation announcement and was told the refund would take 60 to 90 days.

[Cruisegroover]

I cancelled a 41 night South America/Antarctica cruise leaving 4 Jan 21 some 114 days ago and finally got our refund today. Given there is an indefinite travel ban for us Aussies I didn't see the point in waiting to see if HAL cancelled the cruise and I didn't really want any extra future credit. Still very disappointed in not going and I hope to get down that way eventually.

[mexico8]

On ‎8‎/‎11‎/‎2020 at 11:58 PM, KAKcruiser said:

I can't believe how lucky you are.  I cancelled a December 2020 cruise today a few hours before HAL made their official cancellation announcement and was told the refund would take 60 to 90 days.

Hope you get lucky and get your refund soon.   I was very surprised and hope you are too.

[DaveOKC]

This morning I got a refund credit for a cruise I cancelled on July 22.  It was from a booking transfer of a Jan cruise to a March date.  It went to the new cruise.

 

[Sir PMP]

Still waiting for 4 grant..

[madera1]

We canceled March 9 our March 15 cruise on the Maasdam. We finally received our FCC on Thursday. Still waiting for a refund of our taxes and port fees. We had used a FCD but that seems to have disappeared. I will call our TA this week and inquire and have them apply FCC for a June 2021 cruise we have already booked.

[SilvertoGold]

Still waiting for the refund for the 48 day South America cruise that was cancelled by HAL March 13 (48 hours before departure). That makes about 150 days. 

 

Do I win a prize ? :)

[Boatdrill]

Friends just received their HAL airfare refund for a HAL cancelled June cruise to Europe. 

Refund was over $3000.   

[SailingShelley]

5 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

Still waiting for the refund for the 48 day South America cruise that was cancelled by HAL March 13 (48 hours before departure). That makes about 150 days. 

 

Do I win a prize ? 🙂

Yes! You get a Free years supply of PPE Face masks and a cruise of your choice departing in September?...

 

Oh sorry,,,, those have all been put on hold until further notice! 😞

 

[SilvertoGold]

2 hours ago, SailingShelley said:

Yes! You get a Free years supply of PPE Face masks and a cruise of your choice departing in September?...

 

Oh sorry,,,, those have all been put on hold until further notice! 😞

 

 

Excellent!   :)  I can use all: the refund, the masks and especially the cruise!