Celebrity no longer giving full refunds if denied boarding, get a cruise credit of a future cruise.

[isdoo]

Noticed that from today, Celebrity are no longer giving full refunds in you are denied boarding due to being unwell or having travelled through various countries.

 

You will simply get a cruise credit of a future cruise. 

[GastroGnome]

They are giving a full refund - but it is in the form of FCC not cash.  I don't think this is unreasonable.  Individuals who simply did not want to cruise would have been able to "play the game" by turning up and claiming contact simply to receive a refund they would not have been entitiled to otherwise.  Probably some still will.  Otherwise there is always travel insurance.

[Ride-The-Waves]

2 hours ago, GastroGnome said:

They are giving a full refund - but it is in the form of FCC not cash.  I don't think this is unreasonable.  Individuals who simply did not want to cruise would have been able to "play the game" by turning up and claiming contact simply to receive a refund they would not have been entitiled to otherwise.  Probably some still will.  Otherwise there is always travel insurance.

"Travel insurance" does not cover CFAR - unless you pay about double and then it only covers about 50-75 percent of the fare.

[PTC DAWG]

4 hours ago, isdoo said:

Noticed that from today, Celebrity are no longer giving full refunds in you are denied boarding due to being unwell or having travelled through various countries.

 

You will simply get a cruise credit of a future cruise. 

Per an email I received from Celebrity yesterday.

 

Effective Friday, March 6, mandatory temperature screenings will be conducted for all guests, crewmembers, and visitors prior to boarding any vessel.  Your temperature will be taken via a noninvasive digital scan.  If your temperature registers above 100.4°F (38° C), you and your traveling companions will be referred to a secondary health screening.  

Secondary health screenings will be performed by medical professionals who will check for flu-like symptoms and pulse oximetry readings.  Any guests who are denied boarding due to concerns during their health screening will receive 100% refund.

[Bo1953]

47 minutes ago, Ride-The-Waves said:

"Travel insurance" does not cover CFAR - unless you pay about double and then it only covers about 50-75 percent of the fare.

For most CFAR's issuers, the premium is approximately 10% to 20% (on average) higher than the base cost of non-CFAR policies.

 

Also, not to say that at this time this cost has not gone up, as I have not checked recently. But I doubt it as most insurers have to get state level regulatory approval for such increases.

 

This is not to dispute what you have seen or had quoted, yet what the average is overall.

 

bon voyage

[Fouremco]

4 hours ago, GastroGnome said:

They are giving a full refund - but it is in the form of FCC not cash.  I don't think this is unreasonable.  Individuals who simply did not want to cruise would have been able to "play the game" by turning up and claiming contact simply to receive a refund they would not have been entitiled to otherwise.  Probably some still will.  Otherwise there is always travel insurance.

No, a refund and a credit are two very different things, both by definition and in practise. Celebrity's attempt to conflate the two is dishonest. What's next? When you book a cruise using the more expensive refundable option, but cancel well before the final payment date, will Celebrity start handing out FCC's instead of refunds in future? 

[GastroGnome]

I didn't say they were the same - in fact I said exactly the opposite.  The refund is in credit not cash. I don't think X said it was the same either  - they are clear the refund is in credit not cash.    And it is now extended to any reason, not just those denied boarding.

 

It might be a UK / US difference.  In the UK no fault refunds are often given as a credit note.  It reduces returns fraud.  The UK has also never had refundable deposits!

[sydbarrett]

We received an email yesterday stating that we would receive a full refund if denied boarding. They used the words full refund, not credit toward future cruise.

[PTC DAWG]

5 minutes ago, sydbarrett said:

We received an email yesterday stating that we would receive a full refund if denied boarding. They used the words full refund, not credit toward future cruise.

I copied the wording from the email above.  Post #4

 

That said, I just found this on the Celebrity Website..US..

 

1. Effective Friday, March 6, mandatory, temperature screenings using digital, non-touch scanners will be conducted with guests, crewmembers, and visitors on embarkation day prior to boarding any vessel. If temperature registers above 100.4°F (38° C), the person and his/her travel companions will be referred to a secondary health screening.  Guests who are denied boarding due to screening results will receive full refunds in the form of a Future Cruise Credit.

Edited March 6, 2020 by PTC DAWG

[barbette165]

This is the wording on the advisory on the UK site 

Effective Friday, March 6, mandatory, temperature screenings using digital, non-touch scanners will be conducted with guests, crewmembers, and visitors on embarkation day prior to boarding any vessel. If temperature registers above 100.4°F (38° C), the person and his/her travel companions will be referred to a secondary health screening.  Guests who are denied boarding due to screening results will receive full refunds in the form of a Future Cruise Credit.

[sydbarrett]

1 hour ago, PTC DAWG said:

I copied the wording from the email above.  Post #4

 

That said, I just found this on the Celebrity Website..US..

 

1. Effective Friday, March 6, mandatory, temperature screenings using digital, non-touch scanners will be conducted with guests, crewmembers, and visitors on embarkation day prior to boarding any vessel. If temperature registers above 100.4°F (38° C), the person and his/her travel companions will be referred to a secondary health screening.  Guests who are denied boarding due to screening results will receive full refunds in the form of a Future Cruise Credit.

Interesting! I better save the email. I was expecting cash!

[registrar]

Bravo!!👏🏻👏🏻!! Thank you Royal Caribbean Celebrity cruise line. 

[DrKoob]

We (travel professionals) just received an e-mail that says any RCCL corp cruise can be cancelled for a full refund in the form of a Future Cruise Credit within 48 hours of sailing--for any reason. So if you are skittish and don't want to go or think you might be refused boarding, decide 48 hours before and get a future cruise.

[isdoo]

2 hours ago, sydbarrett said:

We received an email yesterday stating that we would receive a full refund if denied boarding. They used the words full refund, not credit toward future cruise.

 

That has changed now. 

 

They keep your money...... 

[Bo1953]

3 minutes ago, isdoo said:

 

That has changed now. 

 

They keep your money...... 

What are the cancellation penalties in the UK were one to cancel the sailing at 48 hours before sailing?

 

bon voyage

Edited March 6, 2020 by Bo1953

[downsmead]

I understood from our roll call that the FCC was all countries now, if denied boarding, hence the title of this thread.

 

 

Edited March 6, 2020 by downsmead

[Ontario Cruiser]

Sorry FCC is unacceptable if Celebrity cancels. I will really fight for full refund. Other cruises which they have cancelled one  was Millie in Australia

Ontario Cruise.

[Phxazzcruisers]

7 minutes ago, Ontario Cruiser said:

Sorry FCC is unacceptable if Celebrity cancels. I will really fight for full refund. Other cruises which they have cancelled one  was Millie in Australia

Ontario Cruise.

The FCC is if YOU cancel.  If you are ill, you have up to 48 hours before the cruise to cancel.  They allow you to cancel up to 48 hours before the cruise.  It does not discuss what happens if they cancel the cruise

Edited March 6, 2020 by Phxazzcruisers

[isdoo]

11 minutes ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

The FCC is if YOU cancel.  If you are ill, you have up to 48 hours before the cruise to cancel.  They allow you to cancel up to 48 hours before the cruise.  It does not discuss what happens if they cancel the cruise

 

Wrong. If they decline you from boarding then there is no refund. Only a credit. Big difference. 

 

This is not the customer deciding to cancel. If the customer decides to cancel then fair enough. 

[Bo1953]

14 minutes ago, Phxazzcruisers said:

The FCC is if YOU cancel.  If you are ill, you have up to 48 hours before the cruise to cancel.  They allow you to cancel up to 48 hours before the cruise.  It does not discuss what happens if they cancel the cruise

Yeah, thank you for trying to stop the over 'speculation' and the fact that some have yet to follow the history, correctly, of what is going on with cancellations and the policies.

 

As most of us know, the policy side is an always evolving situation and will continue to be so for all involved.

 

bon voyage

[Ontario Cruiser]

4 minutes ago, isdoo said:

 

Wrong. If they decline you from boarding then there is no refund. Only a credit. Big difference. 

 

This is not the customer deciding to cancel. If the customer decides to cancel then fair enough. 

I agree. I think they would get a lot of flap for that decision but we will just wait and see

OntarioCruiser

[Bo1953]

4 minutes ago, isdoo said:

 

Wrong. If they decline you from boarding then there is no refund. Only a credit. Big difference. 

 

This is not the customer deciding to cancel. If the customer decides to cancel then fair enough. 

Both are fair...

 

If one arrives to the ship knowing they are ill, then deny.

 

If one arrives to the ship knowing they have transited certain ports, then deny.

 

We as passengers need to be responsible for keeping up with the policies going forward in order to make good/better decisions on when, where and how to travel in this situation.

 

bon voyage

[middlehaitch]

18 minutes ago, downsmead said:

I understood from our roll call that the FCC was all countries now, if denied boarding, hence the title of this thread.

 

 

 

And, just to add to the confusion, on the Canada and USA web with the Thursday, 5 March, 2020 Travel Alert update which says FCC for denied boarding for health reasons, there is a link at the bottom Embarkation Temperature Check Procedures that takes one to a letter PDF which still maintains 

"Secondary health screenings will be performed by medical professionals who will check for flu-like symptoms and pulse oximetry readings.  Any guests who are denied boarding due to concerns during their health screening will receive 100% refund."  

 

No mention of FCC, dated March 5, 2020.

 

Soo, who knows where full 100% refund is applicable, leading one to surmise- monies back to customer via method of initial payment, and full refund as a FCC ("In some cases, guests presenting certain symptoms in the specialized health screenings may be denied boarding. All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive full refunds in the form of a Future Cruise Credit.")as per the Travel Alert web page.

 

Clarity  and consistency is needed by Celebrity.

 

Cheers, heather 🥂

[isdoo]

6 minutes ago, middlehaitch said:

 

And, just to add to the confusion, on the Canada and USA web with the Thursday, 5 March, 2020 Travel Alert update which says FCC for denied boarding for health reasons, there is a link at the bottom Embarkation Temperature Check Procedures that takes one to a letter PDF which still maintains 

"Secondary health screenings will be performed by medical professionals who will check for flu-like symptoms and pulse oximetry readings.  Any guests who are denied boarding due to concerns during their health screening will receive 100% refund."  

 

No mention of FCC, dated March 5, 2020.

 

Soo, who knows where full 100% refund is applicable, leading one to surmise- monies back to customer via method of initial payment, and full refund as a FCC ("In some cases, guests presenting certain symptoms in the specialized health screenings may be denied boarding. All guests who are denied boarding due to these restrictions will receive full refunds in the form of a Future Cruise Credit.")as per the Travel Alert web page.

 

Clarity  and consistency is needed by Celebrity.

 

Cheers, heather 🥂

 

Indeed. Gone from full refund to credit in the last 24 hours, depending upon which email you read.... 

[middlehaitch]

49 minutes ago, isdoo said:

 

Indeed. Gone from full refund to credit in the last 24 hours, depending upon which email you read.... 

 

The thing is, emails are time stamped so one knows which is the most current policy. With the web pages they are showing differing policies on different pages but with the same date. I think they need to time stamp their updates, not just date them, so the most current policy is clear.

At the moment it is being said I get a full refund on one web page, and I get a full refund in the form of a FCC on another, both with the same date.

 

Cheers, heather 🥂