nyceve

54 minutes ago, Jimbo59 said:

On March 15 I filed a  dispute with Citibank. On March 21 Citibank provided a conditional credit. Today Citibank sent a notice that the credit is now permanent.

Hi,

So what you're reporting is that it two roughly two months from filing a dispute to it becoming permanent.  I also have a dispute filed with Citibank, they have asked for information which I provided.  I filed on May 2, so based on what you write, I should be prepared to wait about two months.

6 hours ago, funintehsun said:

What proof are the credit cards requesting exactly?  I provided a booking number and sail date to Chase in my dispute.  I kept all my booking emails so I could submit those if needed but I was never asked for it.  My cruise fell on dates on which NO cruise lines were sailing from US ports.  Maybe you can submit a general cancellation/operational pause notice like the ones that have been posted here.

 

One reason a client would initiate a credit card dispute is that the merchant is being unresponsive.  Requiring this merchant to provide supporting documentation when they are not communicating transparently with the client seems like it would make it impossible to dispute the charge.

When this is all over, you might want to look at other credit card providers and consider dumping your current card provider.  Making you jump through unnecessary hoops when it's obvious to everyone on the planet that cruises aren't sailing is unacceptable.

I was asked by my cc company to submit any correspondence I had showing I had made a reasonable effort to get my refund.  Boy, did I have emails, begging and pleading for even a response from HAL. I think the CC company wants to know that you tried to get the vendor to make the refund. I expect that HAL will not respond to any of our disputes and the provisional refund will become permanent within a reasonable amount of time.

2 hours ago, PShelley said:

For what it's worth - - probably not a lot - - but my travel agent told me yesterday that, yes, people who opted for refunds are beginning to receive refunds of cruise fares and taxes but the refunds tend to be coming back incrementally - - in smaller amounts that will ultimately add up to the full amount owed.  He said his agency was being swamped with calls from people confused over getting these oddly random amounts, wondering if there were some mistake, etc., etc.   Though he was speaking generically, he told me not to be surprised if HAL would be refunding in the same, strange, incremental manner - - over as long as 120 days, he added.  It is also likely that credit card companies have also been apprised of the incremental refunds over extended periods in connection with covid, a factor we could assume would understandably impact in any "dispute" process and perhaps cause even further confusion and delay for everyone seeking a refund whether "disputing" or not.  It's hard to be patient under the circumstances, but we should please consider the broader circumstances before acting.

I  filed a dispute with cc company.  I do not think cc companies will be hoodwinked by this incremental refund nonsense.  We are entitled to 100% back of what we paid, and  this is what CC company will recover for us. All the cc Company does, is remove the funds from the vendor account in this case HAL.

1 hour ago, OSUTRIKERS said:

Well, retired from career in IT, this refund process really is NOT rocket science.  You have 2 categories: full refund or FCC.  The money bucket is there, you know what has been paid, either for cruise or including air fare.  60 days.. I don’t think so. 
 

now with that being said, I have never done a dispute with CC company. How does that work? If we have paid in full, how do they get money back, when we can’t?   

The cc company issues a provisional credit then contact the vendor (HAL) and asks them to state whether the service was delivered. The vendor has 45 days to respond to cc company, after that the cc company issues a non-provisional credit.  The cc company literally removes the money from the account of the vendor. When I initiated my cc dispute they told me they were being swamped with disputes against cruise ship companies.

On 5/13/2020 at 9:51 PM, iagrandma said:

We were booked for the trip of a lifetime (for us) to celebrate 50 years of marriage. We were to leave on the Westerdam on May 31st for an Alaska land cruise. We had been given the option of canceling and taking a cruise credit, but we were still excited to go if the cruise was a go plus it was way too much money to tie up in a possible future cruise. Sometime in the middle of March, I followed a link from CC for refunds from Holland. When I tried to use it, I got the message that it didn’t apply to my cruise. Well, OK I thought, we’ll just go on the cruise that we had planned for a year. Sometime during the following week, I read that Canada was closing it’s ports at least to July. At that time, I contacted Costco who I booked through to find out what Holland was planning. They contacted Holland and were told that I had already cancelled and they would be sending a refund for most of my money and issuing a FCC for the rest at 125% plus a $250 onboard credit. The problem I am having is that I still have not received anything from Holland in writing confirming this. I called through Costco again on May 1st and after speaking to Holland they confirmed the details, but still nothing in writing. They said the refund would take 60 days from cancellation, which we’ll see. If I had anything in writing, I would go ahead and book a future cruise. However, I am not willing to risk more investment without that written verification. My question is, have any of you received written confirmation of refund or FCC?

I have not received a single communication from HAL.  This is why I filed a dispute with cc company.  I immediately received full provisional credit.  HAL has 45 days to dispute, but they have nothing to dispute because they are trying to keep our money.  Best route for everyone is cc dispute.

Nope, not a penny, not a single communication. And I have Platinum insurance.  I am way over 60 days since I cancelled.  HAL has totally lost my trust, and I have filed a dispute with the credit card company. I received provisional credit in 48 hours and I expect the dispute to be resolved in my favor (naturally), in a reasonable amount of time.  Good luck to those of you who believe in unicorns, what HAL is saying is utter BS. File a dispute.

6 minutes ago, YXU AC*SE said:

Perhaps the OP could register for this upcoming webinar:   https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/4760045728004531471    to hear for him/herself what steps are being taken to further (mis)handle things and to ask questions ?    Scott. 

 

 

Thanks for this, I will certainly listen to it and register.

If you love Holland America as much as most of us do.  Then, it seems to me, that you may agree that HAL needs new leadership at the top.

Mr. Ashford has mishandled this crisis in the most deplorable way possible. Silence.

I have not received a single email or any communication from HAL since cancelling my B2B cruise on March 9!  The only communication I have had are rote form emails (which I have seen all over the internet sent to others), responding to my pleas for information, that they cannot commit to anything in terms of our refunds.  This is not how a skilled leader handles a huge crisis. 

Mr. Ashford is the wrong person for this job.

Can you imagine Mr. Ashford leading HAL through this protracted crisis, when he can't even get emails sent to those of us owed huge refunds. He has demonstrated by his atrocious mishandling of the refunds to loyal customers, that he is NOT the person to oversee this company now or in the future.

He also owes every one of us a public apology.

Nothing, not even a single email.  HAL needs to replace Mr. Ashford immediately.  They are going to lose all their loyal customers after this corporate malfeasance!

7 minutes ago, rhinomike said:

So HAL waited until the day after final payment was due on our cruise for August and then cancelled it. Then proceeds to tell you it will take 90 days to get your refund. That is dirty, wrong and bad business.  We called them the day before and they assured us our cruise was a go so we allowed the final payment. Then the next day I get an email saying our cruise is cancelled. They took $20k from me and will keep it for 90 days along with everyone else on that ship.  I know exactly what they are doing and it is wrong. My cruise was cancelled on two other lines and they didn’t pull this kind of shady stuff. HAL will never get another penny of my money. I am sure the cheerleaders will defend them but how do you defend this?  They are getting desperate. Anybody that chooses a FCC you maywant to think again. I think they are in trouble to pull this kind of shady stuff. 

Sadly, I think you may be correct. And I really loved HAL.  They have a fortune of my money for over 60 days now.  They have been silent, absolutely silent. I have not received a single communication from them, other than form emails responding to my pleas for our money back.

This is textbook case of what NOT to do in a crisis.  Mr. Ashford needs to be replaced.

On 3/16/2020 at 1:20 PM, sonshn said:

We cancelled our May 23rd cruise 2 weeks ago prior HA changing their refund policy. We have premium insurance. We have not yet received our 90% refund. Does anybody know how long it takes for refund to show up?

I also have platinum insurance from HAL, I am waiting more than 60 days. Shame on HAL.  The only option now is to file a dispute with cc company.

1 hour ago, kelmac said:

How do you dispute a charge that was made last year in May and final payment Dec 1st?  Not within the 60 day window of time allotted for challenges. 

Just initiate it. Let the cc company tell you it is too late.  I doubt that will happen becuase when I called my cc Compnay, they told me they are being inundated with cruise refunds.

It appears from reading CC that almost no one has received a refund from HAL.  This is very disturbing.

Can those of you who have filed a dispute with your credit card company let us know if you've been successful? I assume HAL would not dare contest a bona fide dispute.  I think a dispute is the only way we will get our long overdue refunds.  Does anyone know if there is a time limit?  I've read you have 120 days from the date the charge appears on your statement.

I've also read that HAL has little incentive to refund our money because the ships won't be sailing anytime soon.  And the demographic of HAL passengers are the ones least likely to board a cruise ship until there is a vaccine.  So the business is in serious financial distress, and they are using the passenger refunds as their bank.

On 5/2/2020 at 8:42 PM, Ellen495 said:

We got all of our money back via credit card dispute. Done.

This is what everyone will need to do, and it will be quite harmful for HAL, based on what I'm reading.  If a merchant gets a blizzard of charge backs, the cc company may not continue with that merchant.

18 hours ago, KAKcruiser said:

I think that it is a good idea to write about how upsetting it is not to receive our refunds.  Maybe HAL will pay attention if enough people complain.  I wouldn't mind waiting as much if we were given some kind of timeline as to when to expect payment.   I submitted the paperwork seven weeks ago and have heard nothing from HAL.  

I am disputing with cc compnay. You get provisional refund within days.  There may be a 120 day deadline, so folks ought to do this sooner rather than later.

I agree the silence is what is most unnerving.  It's a text book case of how a corporation should NOT react to a crisis.  Shame on HAL.

On 5/1/2020 at 10:42 PM, dave34 said:

I canceled Internet,drink packages and excursions on March 2, HAL canceled my cruise for June on April 12. I have heard absolutely nothing from them. Is this the way you run a business that wants to have customers in the future? I do not think they plan on having future customers they are getting everything in line to file bankruptcy.  They have 12 grand of mine, I can’t get a response but the standard Waite 60-90 days BS. 

File a dispute with the credit card company.  This seems to be the only recourse. If HAL gets enough charge backs they will finally understand the harm they are causing their customers.  HAL is jerking us all around for too long.

I think filing a dispute and getting a chargeback from credit card company is the only remaining solution.  If HAL and the other cruise companies were handling this in a more transparent fashion, they might have avoided a blizzard of chargebacks. 

Mr. Ashford, where are our refunds?

Based on what I read, it seems that almost no one who booked and paid for a cruise on HAL which was cancelled has yet received a refund.

Many of us are senior citizens living on a fixed income.  HAL has not communicated with us by email or otherwise, and your woefully stressed customer service representatives are reduced to giving rote responses about long delayed refunds. This is unacceptable.

You are holding our money.  Your guests are not a bank for Holland America.

This is the worst corporate debacle I have ever encountered. With each passing day, you risk losing your loyal customers due to this egregious behavior.

Mr. Ashford, we need our refunds NOW!

My cruise was April 19th from Fort Lauderdale.  HAL is holding a huge amount of my money.  They are not playing fair at all, and risk losing the goodwill of their loyal mariners.  I haven't received anything, I cancelled in March. I am very dismayed with how HAL is handling this.

4 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

@nyceve As delicately as possible I will say this: We also had "Platinum" insurance for our 6 week cruise. This does not mean we get priority on our refunds. Many of us on CC are in the same boat as you and I are. You made your statement on several threads about being unhappy with where we all stand with our refunds. Replying to the same posts and posters is mute. The folks reading your threads are aware you are unhappy. We all get it.

Have a Blessed Holy Palm Sunday, and God Bless us all.

Joy

 

HAL has very  exacting financial demands of us, the passengers. Final payment due date, etc. etc. But when it comes to a contractually due refund, they are silent.  Not even the simple courtesy of an email. It is the worst customer service ever as someone else noted. And it will profoundly harm the company long term.

10 minutes ago, Seasick Sailor said:

Rich, see post #4. The OP did a no-no..

Joy

Yes, I know this. I also have Platinum insurance which is owned/underwritten by HAL.

4 minutes ago, RocketMan275 said:

Why is your refund the most important issue Holland is struggling with?

Not my refund, the refunds which many many people need.  The disregard I have experienced, and I am sure many others, for their loyal customers, is due to corporate indifference.  They will have a harder time surviving when many don't return.

11 minutes ago, richwmn said:

I am (was) also booked on the TransAtlantic portion from April 19th to May 10th. The announcement about extending the pause in cruises was made at 10:15am Eastern time on Monday the 30th. At 10:30 I had an email from HAL notifying me about the cancellations and my options. On April 2nd I had a follow up email from the Cruise Agency the cruise was with.

Did you cancel or wait for HAL to cancel?

Did you fill out the form at https://em.hollandamerica.com/pub/cc to let HAL know your preferences?

 

As I stated, I have not received a single email from HAL. Full stop. The last email I received was HAL telling me to print my boarding passes.  After that, silence.  I'm really disgusted with them.  Why did I purchase platinum insurance?!

I don't want a replacement cruise. My mother with whom I was booked is 97 years old. I want my money back!

5 minutes ago, DFD1 said:

I believe the Platinum plan is owned by HAL.

 

This refund business, not only for you, is going to get very dicey in the next few weeks.

 

 

DFC1, this seems to be exactly correct.  Platinum is owned/ underwritten by HAL, this is why AON told me the claim had to be processed by HAL.  Meanwhile, I have not had a single email from HAL, nothing, like I don't exist.  This should make everyone very concerned.