No full refund - no reason given.

[ah4575]

My wife was diagnosed with a rare life- threatening cancer after initial deposit & full payment was made. We followed Royal Caribbeans requests for information, but a full refund was not endorsed, no reason was given for this. Our communication was clear, "We have attached a letter form the Cardiologist to cover the detail I was asked to supply and would like to request a Medical Waver and have a refund for the $634 applied that was not refunded. Their response was "We regret to advise that after review of the guest’s request, we are unable to offer a total refund or compensation for the reservation in reference". Note: response delays were covered by this statement- " We would like to give you our apologies because of the delay that this email took to be addressed, regarding your request, ".

Is this really how cruise operators should treat potential customers who are suffering enough without having to go through this type of rejection?

[LB_NJ]

I am a little confused.  Did you purchase travel insurance?

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, ah4575 said:

My wife was diagnosed with a rare life- threatening cancer after initial deposit & full payment was made. We followed Royal Caribbeans requests for information, but a full refund was not endorsed, no reason was given for this. Our communication was clear, "We have attached a letter form the Cardiologist to cover the detail I was asked to supply and would like to request a Medical Waver and have a refund for the $634 applied that was not refunded. Their response was "We regret to advise that after review of the guest’s request, we are unable to offer a total refund or compensation for the reservation in reference". Note: response delays were covered by this statement- " We would like to give you our apologies because of the delay that this email took to be addressed, regarding your request, ".

Is this really how cruise operators should treat potential customers who are suffering enough without having to go through this type of rejection?

Welcome to Cruise Critic. 

 

Royal has no responsibility to refund your cruise. None. You agreed to a cruise contract that states as much. 
 

If you cancelled your cruise, you need to file an insurance claim. And the insurance company will determine if your cancellation is for a covered reason or uncovered preexisting condition. 

Edited March 13, 2023 by BirdTravels

[DallasGuy75219]

3 hours ago, ah4575 said:

Is this really how cruise operators should treat potential customers who are suffering enough without having to go through this type of rejection?

If people didn't buy travel insurance and then expect the cruise line to bend the rules for them, yes it is.  Especially in the current environment where the cruise lines are struggling to remain solvent and pay off the debt they incurred during the shutdown

[melbur]

It's an insurance issue, not Royal's. 

[sfaaa]

Forget this refund thing. Go spend your time with your wife and take good care of her.

[Joseph2017China]

Things happen in life, that is not fair, but you must move on.  

[billslowsky]

2 hours ago, sfaaa said:

Forget this refund thing. Go spend your time with your wife and take good care of her.

One can do both.

[traceytd]

9 hours ago, ah4575 said:

My wife was diagnosed with a rare life- threatening cancer after initial deposit & full payment was made. We followed Royal Caribbeans requests for information, but a full refund was not endorsed, no reason was given for this. Our communication was clear, "We have attached a letter form the Cardiologist to cover the detail I was asked to supply and would like to request a Medical Waver and have a refund for the $634 applied that was not refunded. Their response was "We regret to advise that after review of the guest’s request, we are unable to offer a total refund or compensation for the reservation in reference". Note: response delays were covered by this statement- " We would like to give you our apologies because of the delay that this email took to be addressed, regarding your request, ".

Is this really how cruise operators should treat potential customers who are suffering enough without having to go through this type of rejection?

 

So sorry to hear about your wife.🙏🙏😢

[ShillyShally]

I'm so sorry to hear about your wife!  The second they bend the rules they open themselves up to having to do it for everyone, that's why insurance is the right avenue.  

[mjkacmom]

You need to submit your documents to your travel insurance company, my mom had a cancer diagnosis after final payment and they refunded the $.

[orville99]

I presume the OP did not purchase travel insurance from RCL because the waiver that was referenced is part of RCL's travel protection (insurance) program.

[Biker19]

12 hours ago, ah4575 said:

Is this really how cruise operators should treat potential customers who are suffering enough without having to go through this type of rejection?

Be glad that they even answered the message at all as in the US they might not. Aussie refund rules might be somewhat different than the US, but yes, that is the typical customer response from RCI (and very likely most major cruise lines).

[Starry Eyes]

I’m sorry for the medical struggles.

 

My husband and I have cruise multiple times a year for many years.  We buy annual travel medical insurance but do not buy cancellation insurance.   We consider ourselves self-insured for cancellation.  If something such as a serious diagnosis causes us to cancel a cruise, we will have to eat that cost.  We probably won’t enjoy it but we made our choice many policy premiums ago.

 

If you did not buy travel insurance, you also put yourself in the “self-insured” category.  I’m glad that gamble only cost you $634.  Such gambles have cost others thousands of dollars.

[ah4575]

Sorry, I should have clarified that by the time insurance was purchased the diagnosis had been made (not the treatment plan - it all happened quick), so it was classed as pre-existing, so no claim could be made. Appreciate the feedback, I will just move on, but one can't forget the experience.

[deliver42]

Royal's corporate policies lately  leave a lot to be desired. I don't know if it's Michael bailey's or mr Liberty who replaced Richard Fain, but this company is going downhill very fast. This is just one of many problems, some of which they write off as errors, but I have my doubts. Too many.

[mjkacmom]

25 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

Royal's corporate policies lately  leave a lot to be desired. I don't know if it's Michael bailey's or mr Liberty who replaced Richard Fain, but this company is going downhill very fast. This is just one of many problems, some of which they write off as errors, but I have my doubts. Too many.

All lines have the same policies, and they offer insurance at booking, which can be declined by the customer. Pre existing clauses exist do passengers can’t get a new diagnosis and then buy an insurance policy, and then cancel. I didn’t buy insurance for our first cruise, I don’t think I realized I’d get nothing back after final payment (or even the financial ramifications of needing medical care overseas). We’ve always purchased it since.

[barbeyg]

18 hours ago, ah4575 said:

My wife was diagnosed with a rare life- threatening cancer

I am so sorry you and your wife are fighting this battle. I hope the treatment goes well for her, and she is victorious over the cancer. 

Edited March 13, 2023 by barbeyg

[lazydayz]

All the best to you and your wife.  I hope she responds well to the treatments.  

 

Unfortunately, the cruise lines have always had this policy, and given their financials after the COVID shutdown, they are unlikely to make any exceptions.  

 

[MommaBear55]

4 hours ago, ah4575 said:

Sorry, I should have clarified that by the time insurance was purchased the diagnosis had been made (not the treatment plan - it all happened quick), so it was classed as pre-existing, so no claim could be made. Appreciate the feedback, I will just move on, but one can't forget the experience.

Check with the credit card you used, that may help you some of your costs. Yes, insurance purchased after diagnosis does not cover pre-existing conditions. 

Hopefully your wife's treatment will be very successful and that she will get to ring the bell.

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, deliver42 said:

Royal's corporate policies lately  leave a lot to be desired. I don't know if it's Michael bailey's or mr Liberty who replaced Richard Fain, but this company is going downhill very fast. This is just one of many problems, some of which they write off as errors, but I have my doubts. Too many.

There is no validity to this claim. The cancellation policies haven’t changed. There is no “problem”. There is no “error” being written off. 

[BirdTravels]

15 minutes ago, MommaBear55 said:

Check with the credit card you used, that may help you some of your costs. Yes, insurance purchased after diagnosis does not cover pre-existing conditions. 

Hopefully your wife's treatment will be very successful and that she will get to ring the bell.

Purchasing insurance after a diagnosis that will result in cancellation makes no sense. 

[sailor05]

Lesson learned I hope, not for you but for others reading this. ALWAYS purchase travel insurance the day you book your cruise!! So sorry about your wife. She's in my prayers.🙏

[Stick93]

Can you claim Covid still, and get a “positive” test?

[DallasGuy75219]

6 minutes ago, Stick93 said:

Can you claim Covid still, and get a “positive” test?

Very unlikely, at least not without intensive scrutiny, since Royal now knows about the original diagnosis.