Trouble Getting Refund on Cancelled Cruise

[dsegel]

I was kind of surprised not to see any topics relating to this. Hopefully I'm in the right place.

 

We had a fully paid cruise planned on Oceania in April, 2020.  About 3 weeks before the cruise we requested to cancel b/c of Covid and an underlying health problem that would make it dangerous for us.  The line agreed to accept our cancellation and we transferred the cruise credit to another cruise with the same line we had scheduled for January, 2021.  A week later the April cruise was cancelled anyway.

 

In August we learned that the January, 2021 cruise was cancelled.  Oceania does not want to refund that credit to us but wants us to use it for yet another cruise in the future.  At this time there is not even any timeline for when they will resume cruising.  We do not feel it is right for them to keep our $12,000 for some undetermined amount of time.  Never was there any contingency for what would happen if THEY cancelled the January cruise.  We have appealed to a higher level and was promised a call back within a week.  Of course that week has come and gone and we get nothing but silence from our calls and emails.

 

Does anyone have any experience, suggestions or thoughts on this?  Thank you in advance.

[drsel]

How come you made the full payment in advance?

And $12000 for 2 adults? How many nights?

 

Normally we pay only a small deposit of $200 to $500.

If the cruise line cancels, we get a 125% FCC.

If Carnival cancels, they give 100% FCC + 300/600 OBC as a gift.

 

 

[dsegel]

The final payment for the April cruise was in January (customary for final payment to be 2 to 3 months before cruise) which we paid before news of Covid.  

 

Yes $12,000.  I don't remember the number of nights but it was for a penthouse.  This is Oceania and they are much more expensive than Carnival.

 

they are saying we don't get a monetary refund b/c we cancelled the April cruise for medical reasons but we don't think it's fair that they still won't refund for the January cruise which they cancelled.  That's the point of this post to find out if there is any other recourse.

 

Thanks for your response.

[Flatbush Flyer]

1 hour ago, dsegel said:

I was kind of surprised not to see any topics relating to this. Hopefully I'm in the right place.

 

We had a fully paid cruise planned on Oceania in April, 2020.  About 3 weeks before the cruise we requested to cancel b/c of Covid and an underlying health problem that would make it dangerous for us.  The line agreed to accept our cancellation and we transferred the cruise credit to another cruise with the same line we had scheduled for January, 2021.  A week later the April cruise was cancelled anyway.

 

In August we learned that the January, 2021 cruise was cancelled.  Oceania does not want to refund that credit to us but wants us to use it for yet another cruise in the future.  At this time there is not even any timeline for when they will resume cruising.  We do not feel it is right for them to keep our $12,000 for some undetermined amount of time.  Never was there any contingency for what would happen if THEY cancelled the January cruise.  We have appealed to a higher level and was promised a call back within a week.  Of course that week has come and gone and we get nothing but silence from our calls and emails.

 

Does anyone have any experience, suggestions or thoughts on this?  Thank you in advance.

There's quite a few threads on this topic here in the CC Oceania forum. So you may want to re-search.

That said, once you accept an FCC for a cancelled cruise, it stays an FCC. So, if/when you use it for a future cruise, it ends up that the new cruise is also cancelled, any FCCs you had applied will be redeposited to your O Club profile in the Oceania database and the FCC(s) will be given new future "book by/cruise by" deadlines. 

 

We expect that our November 2020 cruise will be cancelled. We applied two FCCs from earlier this year to this cruise. If/when O cancels, the FCCs will be redeposited and we'll book something else.

[drsel]

Now since your 2nd booking was made using a future Cruise credit, you will not get a cash refund.

 

you will only get another future Cruise credit which could be 125% of the basic Cruise fare, excluding port fees and taxes

 

if you need a cash refund, you will have to file a dispute with the credit card / bank.

I don't know if it will be time barred, considering you paid in full in January.

 

but I read on CC that Cruise lines may blacklist passengers who file credit card disputes.

 

 

 

 

[Flatbush Flyer]

34 minutes ago, drsel said:

Now since your 2nd booking was made using a future Cruise credit, you will not get a cash refund.

 

you will only get another future Cruise credit which could be 125% of the basic Cruise fare, excluding port fees and taxes

 

if you need a cash refund, you will have to file a dispute with the credit card / bank.

I don't know if it will be time barred, considering you paid in full in January.

 

but I read on CC that Cruise lines may blacklist passengers who file credit card disputes.

Oceania does not disaggregate its fares for passengers and does include port fees/taxes in calculations of refunds and Future Cruise Credits. Those fees/taxes are considered part of the "cruise fare paid." I know that for a fact - having received and later applied two FCCs already this year with each representing the promised original fare percentage (as I had calculated with fees/taxes included).

 

As for a credit card dispute to get cash instead of a redeposited FCC, IMO- it's a waste of time since the Oceania T&Cs are very clear on the matter. BTW, depending on the CC issuer, there may be varying deadlines (or even none) depending on the card issuer. For example, we filed a CC dispute on part of a non-cruise travel item that was well over a year old. Chase accepted the claim and credited our account. 

[drsel]

Thanks flatbush for clarifying that the port fees and taxes will be part of the FCC.
What is the FCC bonus percentage in the case of Oceania?

Is Oceania so much better than Princess and Celebrity, to justify such a high cost?

[LHT28]

49 minutes ago, drsel said:

Is Oceania so much better than Princess and Celebrity, to justify such a high cost?

 In a word  ..YES

 for us it is 

YMMV

[Flatbush Flyer]

44 minutes ago, drsel said:

Thanks flatbush for clarifying that the port fees and taxes will be part of the FCC.
What is the FCC bonus percentage in the case of Oceania?

Is Oceania so much better than Princess and Celebrity, to justify such a high cost?

FCC % varies depending on circumstances. If Oceania cancels an entire cruise, it's often been a 125% of the cash portion of a fully paid cruise (I.e., FCCs are redeposited at their original value). 

We had one cruise completed in February but, because of a changed itinerary, we got a partial FCC. A May cruise was cancelled and we got 100% refund plus a partial FCC.

 

So, it can vary, particularly depending on who does the cancelling and why.

 

As for the price difference between Oceania and Princess, you're making the rookie mistake of comparing cabin prices instead of "net daily rate." Remember that Oceania O Life pricing includes airfare (or air credit) and a choice of tours, SBC or basic booze. And any O fare gets free unlimited internet plus specialty restaurants, all non-alcoholic beverages, self-serve laundry plus top bedding/linens/bath products, etc.

 

Then there's the qualitative differences like the "finest cuisine at sea"™, smoking restrictions, excellent crew and space ratios and no thundering herds, pesky photogs, art auctions, etc.

Do the real math, add in the quality,  and you'll understand why so many former Princess, Celebrity and HAL folks have moved over to O.

[dsegel]

Thank you everyone.  I didn't think to try to appeal to our CC company.  We actually have a "travel" cc with Chase that we make our payments with so will try that route.

 

 

[Host Kat]

4 hours ago, dsegel said:

I was kind of surprised not to see any topics relating to this. Hopefully I'm in the right place...

 

@dsegel

 

Howdy and welcome back to the Cruise Critic boards!   I see it has been awhile since you have posted.

 

Thank you for starting a new thread on the Ask a Cruise Question forum for general questions regarding cruising. 👍  Since your inquiry concerns a specific cruise line, I have moved your thread to the Oceania Cruises forum where it will be on-topic. The majority of your fellow Cruise Critic members that have sailed on Oceania frequent the forum and provide feedback there. Browse through the thread titles on the forum looking for threads of interest. You will probably find your fellow Cruise Critic members have already posted questions and received answers that will be of interest to you.

 

I hope this will be helpful and glad to have you back aboard Cruise Critic! 

 

Happy sails,

 

Host Kat 

[Paulchili]

50 minutes ago, dsegel said:

Thank you everyone.  I didn't think to try to appeal to our CC company.  We actually have a "travel" cc with Chase that we make our payments with so will try that route.

 

 

You may try but don’t hold your breath for a positive outcome

If Oceania was offering you nothing you would have a good case for a product you paid for but did not receive.

In this case you are receiving what you paid for - a future cruise. Had you cancelled AFTER O cancelled, you would have been entitled to a full refund and if O was refusing it than you could dispute the charge.

[Flatbush Flyer]

5 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

You may try but don’t hold your breath for a positive outcome

If Oceania was offering you nothing you would have a good case for a product you paid for but did not receive.

In this case you are receiving what you paid for - a future cruise. Had you cancelled AFTER O cancelled, you would have been entitled to a full refund and if O was refusing it than you could dispute the charge.

This is absolutely correct. When that CC claim is sent by the bank to O for response, O will send them a copy of the T&Cs for the original invoice and the FCCs. End of story.

But, it's not like anyone "sheltered in place" can't find the time to exercise this option and practice for a future legitimate claim. 

[Paulchili]

24 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

You may try but don’t hold your breath for a positive outcome

If Oceania was offering you nothing you would have a good case for a product you paid for but did not receive.

In this case you are receiving what you paid for - a future cruise. Had you cancelled AFTER O cancelled, you would have been entitled to a full refund and if O was refusing it than you could dispute the charge.

BTW- this is not a policy unique to O. All cruise lines have pretty much the same policy - you cancel before they do you either pay the penalty or get FCC. You cancel after they do you have the option of higher FCC or cash refund.

[drsel]

Thank you everyone.  I didn't think to try to appeal to our CC company.  We actually have a "travel" cc with Chase that we make our payments with so will try that route.

Be careful if you plan to Cruise with Oceania again.

 

They may blacklist you for filing a CC dispute or disputing a CC charge which you intentionally made, and which is not fraudulent.

 

Also your chances of winning are not good, as mentioned by Paul.