How much should RCL be refunding on canceled cruises? The full "Cruise Fare" or the discounted fare?

[TXRANCHER]

First let me say I am not asking for a lot of opinions just making an observation so others may consider this in their dealing with RCL. Also I am not offering legal advice since I am not an attorney. That said, has anyone else noticed that when RCL cancels your cruise in its entirety it makes Section 6(e)(i) of their "Check In Contract" apply. It clearly states that you have a right to a "full refund of the Cruise Fare". I am having some difficulties with their Club Royale folks claiming that they will not extend a free cabin certificate which is not reflected in the Cruise Fare on my final fully paid itinerary. It is just shown as a subsequent discount under the "Cruise Fare". My argument is once the certificate was tendered, payment was received. Thus I am entitled to a refund of the full fare (plus any upgrade fee paid to go up to a balcony cabin) This would include the value of the certificate which has been thus redeemed .

Now if they want to offer me a new certificate and I want to accept it on the T&Cs that it is offered under then they can reduce their liability, but it seems to me that is my option. They appear to be obligated to pay me a full fare refund if they want to cancel. That is their contract not mine. Note: This was already rescheduled to a later cruise from the first one and frankly the certificate was offered and submitted on April 8 well after the CDC No Sail order so I find it disingenuous to try to claim that things have changed. This was always in their control as they have always claimed they are voluntarily shutting down not that the CDC is forcing them to do anything. Especially now that they are cancelling sailing after the Conditional Sail Order has been in effect since November 1. That makes a Force Majeure argument moot. Just sayin.

I tried to post this on their Crown and Anchor website but their moderator refused to post it.  What are they afraid of? 

Page from Cruise Ticket Contract.pdf

[firefly333]

I think their terms are clear, your refund is what you paid, not some cruisefare that is posted which seems to change every sale what your particular cruise is worth. How in the world do you expect them to just give you a free cruise certificate for some future cruise which may or may not exactly match the cruise you had cancelled discounted by the casino. 

 

September is generally worth less than june for instance. To just give out a certificate value is too subjective. 

[klfrodo]

All I want or expect back is the money I paid out of my pocket.

 

If I paid for an inside and some special deal or upgrade got me a balcony, then all I want back is the money I paid out of my pocket for the inside cabin. Only those with severe case of greed would expect more money than they actually paid.

[Mapleleafforever]

Jenna Ellis, is that you???

[ownedbypets]

You should get back exactly what you paid.

[bobmacliberty]

I would assume (I'm also not a lawyer) that their Ts&Cs have them covered.  You are allowed a full refund of the cruise fare.  I would bet that "cruise fare" is defined somewhere as what you paid, not what was listed on their website at some point.  If I understand correctly, you used a certificate which appeared as a discount on your invoice, and your cash payment was therefore just the additional cost to upgrade.  I would hope that Royal would return the certificate to you and refund whatever cash you paid.  They don't ethically (or likely even legally) need to give you cash for the certificate.  If they are saying that they will not return the certificate, then I think you have a legitimate complaint.

[gatour]

You need to look at the certificate.  When I have received similar type of certificate for things other than cruises, many times there are words to the effect that "there is no inherent value for this certificate".  I.E. you can't turn it to cash.  Sometimes there is a nominal value assigned to it like one cent I imagine because state laws require it. 

[Hogbay]

Full refund is the return of funds that you paid.

[firefly333]

54 minutes ago, bobmacliberty said:

I would assume (I'm also not a lawyer) that their Ts&Cs have them covered.  You are allowed a full refund of the cruise fare.  I would bet that "cruise fare" is defined somewhere as what you paid, not what was listed on their website at some point.  If I understand correctly, you used a certificate which appeared as a discount on your invoice, and your cash payment was therefore just the additional cost to upgrade.  I would hope that Royal would return the certificate to you and refund whatever cash you paid.  They don't ethically (or likely even legally) need to give you cash for the certificate.  If they are saying that they will not return the certificate, then I think you have a legitimate complaint.

 

I dont know for sure how gambling cruise offers are stated, but I dont believe you get a certificate, you have a offer for a particular date. 

 

His casino cruise was cancelled and he wants a certificate to use at will for a date of his choosing sounds like to me. His argument is a club royal offer is a certificate which was used. Maybe he did use a certificate from another 3rd party, he doesnt say. 

 

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"am having some difficulties with their Club Royale folks claiming that they will not extend a free cabin certificate which is not reflected in the Cruise Fare on my final fully paid itinerary. It is just shown as a subsequent discount under the "Cruise Fare". My argument is once the certificate was tendered, payment was received."

[suzyluvs2cruise]

Club Royale gives you offers....not a certificate. What's you're due back is a refund of any $$$ you paid out of pocket....not a perceived value of the offer. @TXRANCHERI think you need to take your questions about this to Club Royale. 

[Sunshine3601]

The OP may have a Certificate that was issued on a cruise from earlier this year.    I had a casino certificate from one of my sailings before the shutdown and applied it to a cruise for Jan 2021.      As that was just cancelled they gave me the option to rebook or get refund for the funds I paid for cabin upgrade and port fees/taxes.     

As I already have several other cruises booked for 2021 I opted for refund of the funds I paid.    

Club Royale continues to offer free comped cruised on a regular basis, we just received 2 more free cruise offers this week.