Princess wont refund me for cancelled trip

[Veerraj]

Will never sail with them again. Our cruise is scheduled in March. In light of the coronavirus, I requested a refund/ future credit to cancel my trip. This is a huge cruise company yet when it comes to a global crisis like the spread of the virus, the company is money minded. Instead of taking precautions to cancel future sailings while the outbreak is in effect, they rip customers off by not refunding and customers are forced to cancel at their own cost. Customers are cancelling without a refund as a precaution to help stop the virus from spreading further. Yet this company is focussed on generating revenue at the cost of well being of its customers and the world in general. The diamond princess belonging to this same company is stuck holding coronavirus infected customers. How does it expect future sailings to happen as planned. Where is social responsibility?
 

The agent for Princess cruises told me numerous times that my only option is to cancel the trip and receive 50 percent refund. As sailing was 1 month away, I had no choice but to cancel the trip on Feb 12 2020. 2 days later Princess announced that they would be cancelling this sailing. When I contacted Princess about the other 50 percent refund, they have refused to respond to me. I think it is only fair if they refund my remaining 50 percent as the ship wont be sailing anyway on March 12th out of Singapore.

 

If I do not receive the remaining 50 percent as a consumer I will take this further as this is not fair and I urge other customers who cancelled their trip due to the virus to fight for a full refund.

[vampiress]

this forum is not maintained or officially monitored by princess.  i recommend you check their official announcement on the website about how they are refunding for cancelled cruises.  they are very busy processing all requests, so you should expect some delay in response. 

 

but at the end of the day, you chose to travel without cancel for any  reason insurance, this was always a possibility.  you should temper your over the top statements when this would have been avoided full stop for cancel insurance.

 

i don't expect you will get a lot of sympathy here since this is your first post and you are very negative and over the top.  i'll be shocked if you even bother to come back and reply.

Edited February 18, 2020 by vampiress

[Colo Cruiser]

What’s not fair is you getting a refund when having no insurance.

 

We want to protect our cruises so we purchase the Princess cancel for any reason insurance for situations like this. 
 

Some roll the dice and don’t purchase insurance and end up losing. It’s the chance you take.
 

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

[Kenswing]

From Princess..  Relax.. 

 

February 15, 2020 at 10:40PM PT

Updated Cancellation Policy

Guests booked on an Asia cancelled cruise, and have cancelled their booking on or after January 20, 2020, will receive details on a compensation package in the coming weeks.

[cruiserchuck]

27 minutes ago, Veerraj said:

Will never sail with them again. Our cruise is scheduled in March. In light of the coronavirus, I requested a refund/ future credit to cancel my trip. This is a huge cruise company yet when it comes to a global crisis like the spread of the virus, the company is money minded. Instead of taking precautions to cancel future sailings while the outbreak is in effect, they rip customers off by not refunding and customers are forced to cancel at their own cost. Customers are cancelling without a refund as a precaution to help stop the virus from spreading further. Yet this company is focussed on generating revenue at the cost of well being of its customers and the world in general. The diamond princess belonging to this same company is stuck holding coronavirus infected customers. How does it expect future sailings to happen as planned. Where is social responsibility?
 

The agent for Princess cruises told me numerous times that my only option is to cancel the trip and receive 50 percent refund. As sailing was 1 month away, I had no choice but to cancel the trip on Feb 12 2020. 2 days later Princess announced that they would be cancelling this sailing. When I contacted Princess about the other 50 percent refund, they have refused to respond to me. I think it is only fair if they refund my remaining 50 percent as the ship wont be sailing anyway on March 12th out of Singapore.

 

If I do not receive the remaining 50 percent as a consumer I will take this further as this is not fair and I urge other customers who cancelled their trip due to the virus to fight for a full refund.

 

You had a choice to not cancel.  You chose to cancel.  It sounds like Princess may offer additional compensation.  

[DDG 41]

Delete.

 

Edited February 18, 2020 by DDG 41

[oldfashioncruiser]

You should always purchase insurance to protect yourself.  Your fault not Princess!!

[rsato]

Princess did not cause Covid 19. But neither should they be able to profit off of it by cancelling the cruise and not refunding money to those who didn’t want to put themselves or their family in potential danger. I agree with the insurance remarks - for those who cancel due their own situation, not Princess. This is the same as the airlines - they can’t cancel flights to China and expect to keep the fares.

 

Be patient, I think Princess realizes this and will change their policy for Covid 19 cancellations.

[rhblake]

Delete

Edited February 18, 2020 by rhblake
miss read original post

[fishin' musician]

So Princess waited until $0 refund before pulling the plug?  You (and assumedly many others) were in a tight spot.  Cancel now and get half your dough back, or wait 2 days and get nothing.  I would be surprised if Princess doesn't make this right... and IMO right would be a full refund, not a Future Cruise Credit (but if they want to float a bit of Future Cruise Credit along with a full refund that would be a nice gesture).

[gatour]

Since Princess ultimately cancelled the cruise then the OP should be refunded the whole fare.

[Kenswing]

38 minutes ago, gatour said:

Since Princess ultimately cancelled the cruise then the OP should be refunded the whole fare.

Did you not see this posted above?

 

February 15, 2020 at 10:40PM PT

Updated Cancellation Policy

Guests booked on an Asia cancelled cruise, and have cancelled their booking on or after January 20, 2020, will receive details on a compensation package in the coming weeks.

[vampiress]

well i called that post and run. 

[AF-1]

I bet the OP has read the comments here.  They may choose not to reply; because most likely princess has sent an email to them outlining their compensation

[Bemidji Ty]

Yesterday on CruiseTipsTV, Sherrie told how Princess took care of their upcoming cruise that was canceled due to the Corona Virus.  She was told they will receive a full refund of any payments of made and a 25% credit towards a future cruise.  Sounds more than fair to me.

 

Cheers

Edited February 18, 2020 by Bemidji Ty

[jwattle]

15 hours ago, Veerraj said:

Will never sail with them again. Our cruise is scheduled in March. In light of the coronavirus, I requested a refund/ future credit to cancel my trip. This is a huge cruise company yet when it comes to a global crisis like the spread of the virus, the company is money minded. Instead of taking precautions to cancel future sailings while the outbreak is in effect, they rip customers off by not refunding and customers are forced to cancel at their own cost. Customers are cancelling without a refund as a precaution to help stop the virus from spreading further. Yet this company is focussed on generating revenue at the cost of well being of its customers and the world in general. The diamond princess belonging to this same company is stuck holding coronavirus infected customers. How does it expect future sailings to happen as planned. Where is social responsibility?
 

The agent for Princess cruises told me numerous times that my only option is to cancel the trip and receive 50 percent refund. As sailing was 1 month away, I had no choice but to cancel the trip on Feb 12 2020. 2 days later Princess announced that they would be cancelling this sailing. When I contacted Princess about the other 50 percent refund, they have refused to respond to me. I think it is only fair if they refund my remaining 50 percent as the ship wont be sailing anyway on March 12th out of Singapore.

 

If I do not receive the remaining 50 percent as a consumer I will take this further as this is not fair and I urge other customers who cancelled their trip due to the virus to fight for a full refund.

 

From the Princess site: 

 

February 15, 2020 at 10:40PM PT

Updated Cancellation Policy

Guests booked on an Asia cancelled cruise, and have cancelled their booking on or after January 20, 2020, will receive details on a compensation package in the coming weeks.

Edited February 18, 2020 by jwattle

[sfaaa]

15 hours ago, Kenswing said:

From Princess..  Relax.. 

 

February 15, 2020 at 10:40PM PT

Updated Cancellation Policy

Guests booked on an Asia cancelled cruise, and have cancelled their booking on or after January 20, 2020, will receive details on a compensation package in the coming weeks.

To OP: Next time, read before you complain.

[Aus Traveller]

2 hours ago, sfaaa said:

To OP: Next time, read before you complain.

Agreed. Princess announced on the 15th February (three days ago) that passengers who had booked on cruises that were cancelled, would receive compensation.

[Maui Girl]

7 hours ago, vampiress said:

well i called that post and run. 

Yes you did.  I hate that when someone who doesn't even participate in CC jumps on just to raise hell.  Princess has put out a lot of information on what is happening and what they are doing about it.  It's taking some time to get everything figured out, but this is an unprecedented event.   And not only is Princess not going to "rip people off" and "make a lot of money",   they are going to lose a LOT of money.   Some of these people are not only getting full refunds but a 50-100 percent future credit.  Not to mention the cost of trying to reschedule these 3 ships that were supposed to be in Asia!!

[gatour]

9 hours ago, Kenswing said:

Did you not see this posted above?

 

February 15, 2020 at 10:40PM PT

Updated Cancellation Policy

Guests booked on an Asia cancelled cruise, and have cancelled their booking on or after January 20, 2020, will receive details on a compensation package in the coming weeks.

Yes I did.  I was just responding to the posts prior to that which said the OP wasn't due anything.

[Veerraj]

I am here, I didnt run away. I just returned from finishing 2 shifts. I work double shifts as I am a single income earner of a family of 6. I sincerely hope that Princess does refund me. I mean I worked double shifts to be able to book this trip for my family and I dont know about others of you on this forum but living pay cheque to pay cheque isnt easy. It took me 4 years to save up for this trip. I hope you guys can understand the distress this has been for me. I have lost money in hotel cancellation as well. Saving every penny has been difficult. If I had the luxury to afford for travel cancallation insurance I would have but if you look at my situation, things dont come easy. When you are the single income earner, you try and save every penny.  I hope you guys on this forum as well as Princess Crusies.

[nho9504]

7 minutes ago, Veerraj said:

I am here, I didnt run away. I just returned from finishing 2 shifts. I work double shifts as I am a single income earner of a family of 6. I sincerely hope that Princess does refund me. I mean I worked double shifts to be able to book this trip for my family and I dont know about others of you on this forum but living pay cheque to pay cheque isnt easy. It took me 4 years to save up for this trip. I hope you guys can understand the distress this has been for me. I have lost money in hotel cancellation as well. Saving every penny has been difficult. If I had the luxury to afford for travel cancallation insurance I would have but if you look at my situation, things dont come easy. When you are the single income earner, you try and save every penny.  I hope you guys on this forum as well as Princess Crusies.

 

Princess changed its mind due to the negative public outcry everywhere except here in the Princess forum of Cruise Critic - this, like other line's forums, are populated by people who are ultra loyal to a particular line, as well as people are much well-off than you based on what you told the board - Most responses are expected - 1) Princess does not cause the pandemic (true, but as you said, as a big corporation, it can do better as a good citizen of the society.)  2) You should purchase insurance (true, but you may not have thought about it given you are not those who cruise many times... it can be chalked up to inexperience... instead of blaming you in a condescending tone that is ever so often here on Cruise Critic.)

 

Since Princess has canceled your cruise, Princess should refund you in full.  That is why eventually Princess announced its refund policy a few days ago that you may have missed. 

 

The whole March of Asian cruises are down the drain, and may be the first half of April as well, based on constant reporting on Asian news media.  There will be more cancellations if the cases reported at Wuhan do not slow down...

 

 

[pink845]

Veerraj,   

 

Been sailing with Princess for just over 30 years.  Have found them to be very fair and professional and are quick to resolve issues to our satisfaction in the past.   Hope the compensation package that they will outline to you (as per other posts) will be fair to all concerned, which I am sure it will be.   For future travel, might be a good idea to have trip cancellation insurance in place so that your hotel accommodation (which you say you will lose) due to the cancellation of the cruise would be covered.    When we travel (cruise or land vacations), we always factor in the cost of trip interruption and trip cancellation insurance that way our hard earned money is always secure and we have peace of mind.    Hope things work out for you.    We are sailing with another line in mid March out of Sydney and we have prepared ourselves for the possibility that things could go up in smoke as well but we know that we are fully insured in case of that eventuality.  

[geoherb]

2 hours ago, Veerraj said:

Saving every penny has been difficult. If I had the luxury to afford for travel cancallation insurance I would have but if you look at my situation, things dont come easy. When you are the single income earner, you try and save every penny.

 

Actually you're the one who needs travel insurance more than those who can easily afford it. I always get it. I learned from our parents how valuable it can be. My mother-in-law had to be hospitalized in Greece while on a Mediterranean cruise from Istanbul. She spent several nights in the hospital. The insurance company covered her hospital bills, my father-in-law's hotel bill, the changes to their flights home, even hiring a nurse to accompany them on a flight to monitor her. They later received compensation for the days of the cruise they missed. 

 

 

[Ombud]

23 hours ago, Veerraj said:

sailing was 1 month away, I had no choice but to cancel the trip on Feb 12 2020. 2 days later Princess announced that they would be cancelling this sailing. When I contacted Princess about the other 50 percent refund, they have refused to respond to me. I think it is only fair if they refund my remaining 50 percent as the ship wont be sailing anyway on March 12th out of Singapore

Princess is formulating a compensation package as clearly stated on their website. It is unreasonable for anyone to expect lower level employees to make anyone whole while upper level mgmt grapple with the mechanics of getting it done. That said anyone who cancelled after January 20th will receive the package 

 

On another note -- always buy CFAR insurance if you don't like self insuring. As a solo cruiser, I choose to protect my 'investment '

Edited February 19, 2020 by Ombud