Cunard's Cancellations/Refunds Update 9th June 2020

[Cornus]

3 hours ago, majortom10 said:

I must be really lucky because Cunard so kindly refunded me twice for the same cruise.

 

 

Did you let them know?  And that they could expect a return of their over payment within 60 to 90 days?  

[Colin_Cameron]

98 days since the first of two cruises was cancelled, the day before it was due to sail.

 

Today I got an email from Cunard!

 

Is it one of the refunds? Is it both of them? Nope. It's a birthday card. Good to see they have their priorities in order.

[Windsurfboy]

50 minutes ago, Colin_Cameron said:

98 days since the first of two cruises was cancelled, the day before it was due to sail.

 

Today I got an email from Cunard!

 

Is it one of the refunds? Is it both of them? Nope. It's a birthday card. Good to see they have their priorities in order.

 

Colin I  can't believe you are still waiting ! You have the patience of a saint. 

[Essiesmom]

I just got an email notification from AMEX for a merchant credit from Cunard for $500.  That represents half of the deposit for the QM2 westbound TA for 21 June.  It's not in my account yet, the email dated it for yesterday.  There should be another coming on another AMEX card.  And the final payment to a different credit card.  Interesting in that with my Celebrity cruise, I got the email before I saw the deposit, but the same day.  For my Carnival cruise, I saw the deposits a few hours before the emails came.  I filed for the refund the day the cruise was canceled, on 23 April.  Today is 58 days.  I booked through a TA but canceled online  EM

[Colin_Cameron]

49 minutes ago, Windsurfboy said:

 patience 

Not any more. The travel agent has been informed that if we do not have any firm information by the 100 day mark we will be going down the credit card route.

 

On the plus side, a second email arrived from Cunard saying that a shore excursion refund for 4th April has been processed and should be with us shortly.

 

I think what patience I have had stems from what #rafinmd said a few days ago. We were stuck in Australia when our voyage was cancelled but Cunard got us home. Seven days accommodation, food and drink. Business class flights halfway around the world. And apart from one beer we didn’t have to lay out a penny or organise any of it. I know that wasn’t your experience but I concede that because of that I’ve cut them more slack than I probably should. 

[Essiesmom]

Email now for second AMEX credit.  EM

[tv24]

Some good news for us.  Today we had posted to our AmEx card a full refund for our westbound QM2 crossing that would have happened in just a couple of days, on June 21.  Cunard retained $600 which is from the open future cruise deposits that we had used for this crossing.  I requested the refund April 24, so the completion of the refund was less than 60 days.  No one likes to wait for a refund, but I give Cunard some credit for handling this one fairly well.  My comparison is to Seabourn, where we are still waiting for a refund requested March 15, almost 100 days ago.  Good luck to those who are waiting.

[bazzaw]

On 6/18/2020 at 3:00 PM, jland said:

Bazzaw we found out about our refund when I emailed cunard.aspac@canivalaustralia.com

I received a reply almost immediately informing me of my refund. I had booked with a TA.

Have you tried that email address before?

Yes - I had used this email address before - but all I ever got was an automated reply which promised to contact me within 10 days - but never did. I did realise that I had been sending emails at "out of their hours" times and wondered if that was the reason for the automated replies with no human interaction - so yesterday I sent it during operating hours and lo and behold received a similar reply to yours. Now as you say - we wait for the TA action!!! I am with the 1st TA.  

[majortom10]

5 hours ago, Cornus said:

 

Did you let them know?  And that they could expect a return of their over payment within 60 to 90 days?  

Yes I did inform them that I had been paid my refund twice once to credit card account and another by cheque through the post.

[RJChatsworth]

Our QE Alaska cruise in July was cancelled sometime ago.  I wish I had booked the return flights from London to Vancouver through Cunard because I would have probably been refunded all costs i.e. cruise plus flights.  Unfortunately I booked the business class flights independently with BA.  BA has just cancelled the flights and I have applied for a refund to be told that of the £5k I paid for the flights I shall get back £4.4k only as BA keeps £600.  

 

When BA cancels its flight why is the refund not 100%?  

 

When BA cancelled the flights by email and text they gave me a phone number for the refund.  You can't apply for the refund online.  I phoned the number many times one day.  Each time it was answered with some automatic messages which I did not want and then I was put through to refunds and the line went dead.  I thought I would try a crafty approach.  I assumed that calls to reservations would be low at this time.  The call was answered immediately, I gave the locator reference and the response was that that flight is cancelled.  Yes I said and could I request a refund.  It was completed in minutes.  The bad news, apart from the £600 fee, was that the refund would take about 3 months.

[gwiblong]

40 minutes ago, RJChatsworth said:

...........

The bad news, apart from the £600 fee, was that the refund would take about 3 months.

Hi.

I'm pretty sure you're entitled to a 100% refund as BA cancelled the flight. That's what I had.

Did you phone BA reservations to request the refund or was it a third-party who is charging a fee of £600 for arranging it? 

I'm sure someone on here will be able to advise you if that is the case. If not your credit card bank should be able to get you the full refund.

Hope you get what you're owed.

[caroltovt]

now I understand I will get refund early next week on credit card but $1500 less than originally quoted

 

of course, the insurance I paid for is available as credit

 

so interesting

[RJChatsworth]

7 hours ago, gwiblong said:

Hi.

I'm pretty sure you're entitled to a 100% refund as BA cancelled the flight. That's what I had.

Did you phone BA reservations to request the refund or was it a third-party who is charging a fee of £600 for arranging it? 

I'm sure someone on here will be able to advise you if that is the case. If not your credit card bank should be able to get you the full refund.

Hope you get what you're owed.

 

Hi

i spoke directly to BA reservations.  

 

In the small print to my original booking it mentions 'involuntary refunds' and 'involuntary cancellations'.  I understand that when BA or other airlines cancel flights they apply this gobbledegook in different ways.

 

Also, I think under EC law a refund meant a 100% refund, but I suppose the UK is no longer a signed-up member.

[Edithclara]

16 hours ago, Colin_Cameron said:

Not any more. The travel agent has been informed that if we do not have any firm information by the 100 day mark we will be going down the credit card route.

 

On the plus side, a second email arrived from Cunard saying that a shore excursion refund for 4th April has been processed and should be with us shortly.

 

I think what patience I have had stems from what #rafinmd said a few days ago. We were stuck in Australia when our voyage was cancelled but Cunard got us home. Seven days accommodation, food and drink. Business class flights halfway around the world. And apart from one beer we didn’t have to lay out a penny or organise any of it. I know that wasn’t your experience but I concede that because of that I’ve cut them more slack than I probably should. 

Glad they looked after you and got you home safely. 

[Neuhoftraveler]

9 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

Also, I think under EC law a refund meant a 100% refund, but I suppose the UK is no longer a signed-up member.

My understanding is that EU law continues to apply in the UK until 31 December 2020 (the "transition period").  Is that incorrect?

[downsmead]

9 hours ago, RJChatsworth said:

 

Hi

i spoke directly to BA reservations.  

 

In the small print to my original booking it mentions 'involuntary refunds' and 'involuntary cancellations'.  I understand that when BA or other airlines cancel flights they apply this gobbledegook in different ways.

 

Also, I think under EC law a refund meant a 100% refund, but I suppose the UK is no longer a signed-up member.

When BA cancelled our outbound flight on a round trip flight to Miami  (to fly 19th April), we got an 100% refund. I have heard that if people had paid for seat assignments etc, then BA did not refund this money, we hadn't booked seats luckily.

[exlondoner]

58 minutes ago, Neuhoftraveler said:

My understanding is that EU law continues to apply in the UK until 31 December 2020 (the "transition period").  Is that incorrect?

 

EU law still applies, and, as most of it has been enacted into UK laws and regs, will do so long after to avoid regulatory chaos.

[BQEC]

Hi, RJChatsworth,

 

A Cunard rep did try to tell me that I would be assessed an air penalty for a July 6 cancelled cruise, cancelled by Cunard in 4/23/2020. Cunard had more than ample time to avoid ticketing the flight, as it was "flexible air", due for ticketing on 5/21/2020. A moot point as American had cancelled the flight! (involuntary)

 

When I sent the air confirmation, the penalty went away.

 

A voluntary flight cancellation is one initiated by the passenger - and subject to the airline's and Cunard's penalty. An "involuntary" cancellation is one initiated by the airline. In this case, the airlines are now trying to wiggle out of refunds. The 600 may be penalty from Cunard for a "voluntary" flight cancellation (if the air was arranged by them) but, they are not entitled to it, as your flight was "involuntarily" cancelled by the airline.

 

Suggest that you refer to your booking summary and see if there are Cunard penalties for air cancelled by the passenger. It might be the 600. I believe that you are entitled to the 600. as the airline cancelled the flight, not you.

 

 

[M4Travels]

 

On 6/19/2020 at 11:07 AM, Essiesmom said:

I just got an email notification from AMEX for a merchant credit from Cunard for $500.  That represents half of the deposit for the QM2 westbound TA for 21 June.  It's not in my account yet, the email dated it for yesterday.  There should be another coming on another AMEX card.  And the final payment to a different credit card.  Interesting in that with my Celebrity cruise, I got the email before I saw the deposit, but the same day.  For my Carnival cruise, I saw the deposits a few hours before the emails came.  I filed for the refund the day the cruise was canceled, on 23 April.  Today is 58 days.  I booked through a TA but canceled online  EM

 

On 6/19/2020 at 11:26 AM, Essiesmom said:

Email now for second AMEX credit.  EM

 

On 6/19/2020 at 12:08 PM, tv24 said:

Some good news for us.  Today we had posted to our AmEx card a full refund for our westbound QM2 crossing that would have happened in just a couple of days, on June 21.  Cunard retained $600 which is from the open future cruise deposits that we had used for this crossing.  I requested the refund April 24, so the completion of the refund was less than 60 days.  No one likes to wait for a refund, but I give Cunard some credit for handling this one fairly well.  My comparison is to Seabourn, where we are still waiting for a refund requested March 15, almost 100 days ago.  Good luck to those who are waiting.

I received the Amex refund on the 19th as well and today the remainder was refunded to my Discover Card, so we have been made whole.  We requested the full refund the day the crossing was cancelled and are pleased with how quickly, in light of everything going on, it came through.

[Trevor33]

Cruisers seem to be the MOST PATIENT people in the world? It does not really seem to bother most how long they wait for a refund...... Yes they may talk about it on this website but so many seem so understanding and forgiving of Cunard and the poor cruise lines with a "There there poor Cunard attitude"- Could this possibly be why Cunard and others are hanging on to most peoples money that does not belong to them for months and months .................I seem to remember putting my debit card in the card machine and pressing 4 digits and my money was gone VERY quickly. Different rules obviously?

[BQEC]

Hello, Trevor33. So, what are the alternatives. One which comes to mind is to contact the credit card company and ask them to reverse the charges as the "goods" have not and will not be provided. Cunard might see this as playing "hard ball" but in some cases that is exactly what they might understand.

 

After all. Cunard and others have no problem processing charges same day to credit cards, why the apparent difficulty in refunding to a credit card -- takes 1 minute at best!

 

Your point is well taken.

 

Thank you for your post.

[caroltovt]

so my refund to credit card was almost $10,000 less than originally reported

(does not include some fcc) 

confidence in Cunard? not much

 

[BQEC]

Hi, Caroltovt,

 

Any explanation from Cunard for the difference between reported and actual?

[caroltovt]

since I am going through TA  who is overwhelmed 

don't know much more 

 

[Essiesmom]

Fully refunded as of this morning, though the last payment/refund is dated June 18.  Within 60 days.  EM