Has anyone had any issues with getting their deposit refunded?

[TheInnocentAge]

Back in early December we booked a 5-day itinerary on the Islander for an October 2024 cruise. A day later I realized we had a conflict with that date, so I called and cancelled and was told that my credit card would be refunded the $100 deposit within a few days. I happened to check my credit card account this morning and saw the original charge, but no refund yet after a full 30 days.

 

I called the cruise line and was told that they tried twice to issue the refund to my card but that it failed, and the representative that I was speaking to said there must be an issue with my card. I advised her that I have used the card multiple times since then, and that all purchases as well as merchant credits have posted to my account with no issues. She said they could issue a check for the refund, asked me for my mailing address, then verified my phone number and email address by reading it to me, and said I should have the check within two weeks.

 

I thanked her but before hanging up I asked why, as a courtesy since they had my phone and email, that they couldn't have notified me via phone or email about the failed attempts at a refund. She said it was because they didn't have my mailing address (?), and then I asked why they would need that to call or email me. No answer for that one.

 

On a related note, in looking through the posts on CC this morning I see that some have even had their refund check from Margaritaville bounce after they deposited it to their bank. So this is just a heads up for anyone that has had to cancel to please check your card and/or bank statements if you have requested a refund.

 

Happy sails everyone.

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

If your credit card used has a time limit to dispute charges, you might want to initiate the dispute now before it's too late. Cruise line appears to be stringing you along.

[pr8hd]

On 1/9/2024 at 9:49 AM, TheInnocentAge said:

Back in early December we booked a 5-day itinerary on the Islander....

 

MAS telephone customer service rivals MSC's online presence.  😁   I suspect much of their tech involves cans and string.  

 

  File with your CC - that will get MAS's attention and hopefully prompt a refund.

 

[mainelycruising]

This is a good example why we should only pay via credit card, and not debit card or cash, when dealing with cruise lines.

[TheInnocentAge]

1 hour ago, mainelycruising said:

This is a good example why we should only pay via credit card, and not debit card or cash, when dealing with cruise lines.

Correct, the dispute rights when the purchase is made with a credit card are much stronger than with a debit card. Not just for cruise lines, but for any purchase.

 

I let my card provider know about the issue right away, so they have it logged. They will issue a credit to my account if the cruise line doesn't get the refund check here within the two-week time frame that was quoted. Or if the refund check from Margaritaville bounces, like someone else had reported recently.  

[1 Buffett Fan]

On 1/12/2024 at 10:20 AM, TheInnocentAge said:

Correct, the dispute rights when the purchase is made with a credit card are much stronger than with a debit card. Not just for cruise lines, but for any purchase.

 

I let my card provider know about the issue right away, so they have it logged. They will issue a credit to my account if the cruise line doesn't get the refund check here within the two-week time frame that was quoted. Or if the refund check from Margaritaville bounces, like someone else had reported recently.  

OP, just wondering, did you ever receive your refund?  We went through a similar experience with MAS, them saying that our card provider 'declined the refund transaction'.  Horrible customer service, with their phone reps giving us conflicting time frames and other misinformation each time we called.  When we contacted our credit card company they told me that no refund transaction was ever submitted by MAS, contrary to what MAS had told us.

[TheInnocentAge]

On 1/23/2024 at 12:12 PM, 1 Buffett Fan said:

OP, just wondering, did you ever receive your refund?  We went through a similar experience with MAS, them saying that our card provider 'declined the refund transaction'.  Horrible customer service, with their phone reps giving us conflicting time frames and other misinformation each time we called.  When we contacted our credit card company they told me that no refund transaction was ever submitted by MAS, contrary to what MAS had told us.

No, not from the cruise line, but since we filed a dispute, our credit card issued a credit for the charge.

 

To me, I'm less bothered by the idea of losing $100, and more irritated that Margaritaville can't get their stories straight. I was first told they did issue a refund via the card, then after calling back they said that they didn't. The next time they said they had mailed the check already, then next told me that they had not sent it. And as you mentioned, the varying estimated times for the refund check to be processed, mailed, ugh.

 

I certainly won't ever sail with them, especially after seeing the posts here on CC about unexpected charges, hidden fees, how refund checks are bouncing, etc.

[Ladypenguin]

I had the same thing happen to me! I just got off the phone for the sixth time trying to get my refund. She said the check is in the mail, I will believe that when I see it. They said the charge card company refused the refund and they would send a check. I called my card company, and they said no attempt was made to refund from their company. I just hope it doesn't bounce, my card company is ready and waiting to reverse the charges. They gave me a supervisor's number and extension, three guesses it is disconnected. I'm beginning to think this company is in financial doom and we made all be paying for it. I will never choose this cruise line again. I'm a life long Parrot head and I just thought it would be nice to cruise on a themed ship. Too bad Jimmy sold his name to such a bad company and it is in name only.

[1 Buffett Fan]

On 2/10/2024 at 10:13 AM, Ladypenguin said:

I had the same thing happen to me! I just got off the phone for the sixth time trying to get my refund. She said the check is in the mail, I will believe that when I see it. They said the charge card company refused the refund and they would send a check. I called my card company, and they said no attempt was made to refund from their company. I just hope it doesn't bounce, my card company is ready and waiting to reverse the charges. They gave me a supervisor's number and extension, three guesses it is disconnected. I'm beginning to think this company is in financial doom and we made all be paying for it. I will never choose this cruise line again. I'm a life long Parrot head and I just thought it would be nice to cruise on a themed ship. Too bad Jimmy sold his name to such a bad company and it is in name only.

It took us five calls, and we got five different versions of what was happening with the refund. We even got the same phone person on two different days, and his second excuse directly conflicted with the one he gave me two days before. Totally useless.

 

But I'm happy now that we'll never be sailing with them, after hearing about other issues people have experienced.

[Ladypenguin]

20 hours ago, 1 Buffett Fan said:

It took us five calls, and we got five different versions of what was happening with the refund. We even got the same phone person on two different days, and his second excuse directly conflicted with the one he gave me two days before. Totally useless.

 

But I'm happy now that we'll never be sailing with them, after hearing about other issues people have experienced.

Yesterday I tried one more time, same run around. The check was not in the mail, it would take a month to process and send. He would not redo my card cause it is my cards system that won't accept it.  I asked the guy since it's my card system why is this happening to at least 6 people I know of? Are all their card companies bad and won't accept refunds. Then I hung up and located two corporate numbers. They are both disconnected the one for Bahamas Paradise Cruise and Margaritaville. Your charge goes through the Bahamas company. I called back and demanded a supervisor; I was told there was not one. Well ten minutes later a supervisor called me and low and behold my card suddenly went through. I asked for a email stating this and they said they had no templet for that. I ask them to type up one, I'm sure you know how. One did arrive and stated 3-5 business days for the refund to post. I will be checking my card today.

[TheInnocentAge]

2 hours ago, Ladypenguin said:

Yesterday I tried one more time, same run around. The check was not in the mail, it would take a month to process and send. He would not redo my card cause it is my cards system that won't accept it.  I asked the guy since it's my card system why is this happening to at least 6 people I know of? Are all their card companies bad and won't accept refunds. Then I hung up and located two corporate numbers. They are both disconnected the one for Bahamas Paradise Cruise and Margaritaville. Your charge goes through the Bahamas company. I called back and demanded a supervisor; I was told there was not one. Well ten minutes later a supervisor called me and low and behold my card suddenly went through. I asked for a email stating this and they said they had no templet for that. I ask them to type up one, I'm sure you know how. One did arrive and stated 3-5 business days for the refund to post. I will be checking my card today.

 

That sounds very similar to my experience. When you call them it's like they're just making things up as they go, telling their customers anything just to get them off the phone. One of their customer service reps told me that the refund check had been "mailed nine days ago". I then suggested that it may have been lost in the mail, as I've never had a piece of mail take more than a few days to arrive. He said "it's not lost, we can track it to see where it is at any time". So I said OK, where is it right now? He had no response for that.

 

If they have such a hard time handling a simple refund, and are purposely deceitful about the status of the request, why would anyone want to trust them with hosting and feeding you for a four or five day cruise?

 

No big surprise that they've earned 2.2 out of a possible five stars in their online reviews.

[attitudeda]

IT took awhile but i finally got it.