Cancelled Cruises Refund Tracker/Discussion (merged topics)

[pilgrimtraveler]

Yesterday, we received our refund for airfare and cruise taxes and fees.  We were scheduled on the Feb 15 Millie sailing out of Hong Kong.   We had to follow up twice.  Both times, we were told there was an accounting error and that the refund had to be resubmitted.  Our FCC and refunds for shore excursions were received within 2 weeks after the cruise cancellation.  

[phoenix_dream]

3 hours ago, SunsetPoint said:

I think it would make more sense and we wouldn't be so confused and aggravated if there was some consistency to what we're being told and what is actually taking place.  It seems that everyone gets a different story if/when they call, and that the refunds are differing in when they arrive (or, in many cases so far, DON'T arrive).  We were originally told 30 days, then everyone was told different periods of time after that, ranging from 45 days to 90 days.  We're hearing that the varying number of days is from when you requested the refund... no, when you're cruise was supposed to start... wait, when your cruise was supposed to end.  We've been told the number is calendar days, but nevermind... it's business days (and what are business days for Celebrity anyhow, considering they'll be happy to take your money seven days a week?)  We heard that port charges and taxes would be refunded very quickly, then the rest would come in pieces later on, but most of us seem to be still waiting on those port charges and taxes. 

 

Our refund was requested on March 17 for our March 27 cruise that was cancelled by X.  On March 19, we received individual cancellation emails for each excursion we had booked through Celebrity (the vast majority being with OBC and the balance being $31.20 on our credit card).  On March 24, we received two credits $.20 and $31.20.  I have no idea was the 20 cents is for, unless it was one of those "test to make sure the credit card is still a valid one" deposits, but the $31.20 was obviously for the cancelled excursion.  That's all we've gotten so far, and tomorrow it will have been six weeks since the refund on our fully paid and cancelled cruise was requested.  Our patience is wearing a bit thin, to the point that we're considering cancelling the Alaskan cruisetour we've booked for 2021 because we don't want to go through a similar issue next year if cruising is cancelled again, as we'll have twice the amount of money tied up after the final payment that we've paid for the March cruise.

My sentiments exactly.  We also have yet to receive a refund for the 3/27 cruise.  And your comment about emails concerns me as we never got any!  Trying to get our TA to help out but the person I am working with in their Customer Service department is either so stressed out she can't think straight or doesn't have a brain in her body.  Very frustrating.

[prish]

It’s 36 days since Celebrity cancelled our Apex 5/10 sailing, our big box store emailed us saying the refund would be made within 90 days. This despite Lisa promising refunds within 30 days.

 

We have just mailed out the dispute form and required documents to our cc company Chase, will let you know how it goes, fingers crossed...
 

 

[JFontaine]

Reservations made through Blue Chip Club for July 2020 cruise. Cancelled on March 27,  fully refundable reservation.  On April 19 received full refund on one cabin, taxes and fees only on another. 

[hcat]

Progess!

 March 25, 2020 : Cancelled APEX for Nov 2019 , seeking $500 deposit refund.

 

 April 14, 2020: filed dispute with BofA which gave us a $500 provisional credit pending a 60 day review period.

 

We were able to request a refund....by pressing  "yes" when offered the money on the phone when we called to check our balance. Refund check  was initiated  by BofA on 4/15/2020.

 

April 24, 2020:  Celebrity issues the $500  refund in 3 sep amounts.

 

April 27, 2020: BofA refund  check dated April 21st  arrived....YAY!

 

We are now only waiting for one more $900 dep refund for a 2022 cruise... have not filed a dispute...Hoping it wont be necessary!

 

Edited April 27, 2020 by hcat

[TeaBag]

Nothing yet for our Mar 30 cruise on Eclipse even though I was told 2 weeks ago that it and the Mar 15 one were being processed.  The Mar 15 one was refunded in total April 20. I'm so glad for that.

[Naomi88]

Did anyone receive an email from a Celebrity Cruise Planner?  I am trying to figure out whether this is a scam.  I received the following email this morning from a celebrity.com email address:

 

"I am following up because I see your cruise was unfortunately cancelled. My name is Jennifer and I have been designated your main point of contact so we can offer more personalized service when you're ready to take another vacation with Celebrity Cruises." (followed by a phone number with an extension #)

 

I have been waiting 30+ days for a refund on my cancelled Alaska cruise, but apparently she thinks I want the FCC?  In any case, I asked her directly for my $5,000+ refund and she hasn't answered.

 

[Sorcerer Tim]

4 hours ago, Sorcerer Tim said:

I received a full refund back to my credit card last week for my cancelled April 5th cruise.

Need to add that this was after I disputed the charge with AMEX and they immediately gave me a credit.

[hammo]

12 hours ago, Martinjjd said:

Our 4th Celebrity Solstice cruise was due to depart Auckland NZ on April 1,2020. After cruise was cancelled I requested our $7,060 refund via the link in their email on March 16 but in over 6 weeks I have heard nothing from Celebrity. Two weeks ago I called & was told I 'should' receive the refund by end of April but followed up today to be told that it will 'at least' another 4 weeks. That's over 10 weeks so I have gone from a Celebrity believer to a very disenchanted one.

 

 

We were booked on the same cruise and experiencing the same - no communication and no refund , similar amount.

Being patient is extremely difficult during this and thinking Elite Status is such a misnomer when it comes to Celebrity. We are also battling with the Virgin disaster - 6 domestic and 4 international flights in limbo land . Think we will just get in a car and drive from now on -

[GottaKnowWhen]

56 minutes ago, Naomi88 said:

Did anyone receive an email from a Celebrity Cruise Planner?  I am trying to figure out whether this is a scam.  I received the following email this morning from a celebrity.com email address:

 

"I am following up because I see your cruise was unfortunately cancelled. My name is Jennifer and I have been designated your main point of contact so we can offer more personalized service when you're ready to take another vacation with Celebrity Cruises." (followed by a phone number with an extension #)

 

I have been waiting 30+ days for a refund on my cancelled Alaska cruise, but apparently she thinks I want the FCC?  In any case, I asked her directly for my $5,000+ refund and she hasn't answered.

 

I don't see anything in her message to you about FCC. She merely says to contact her when you are next ready to travel...

[Naomi88]

6 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I don't see anything in her message to you about FCC. She merely says to contact her when you are next ready to travel...

That makes it even more creepy.  Why are they employing people to personally reach out to customers to "plan future travel" when they allegedly don't have enough staff to process refunds or FCCs?

[TeaBag]

I got one from a CVP some time ago, same message, but I did recognize the name.  i didn't really feel the timing was right with so many waiting for their refunds etc.

[hcat]

We received phone and e mails from one Cruise Planner. Her only offer was to help with  re booking..using our FCC

 

When I reached out for help with my refunds, I never heard back!  

 

Simply a sales campaign!

[hcat]

See this thread, if interested

 

 

[GottaKnowWhen]

1 hour ago, Naomi88 said:

That makes it even more creepy.  Why are they employing people to personally reach out to customers to "plan future travel" when they allegedly don't have enough staff to process refunds or FCCs?

The people who would help you with a new reservation are NOT the same people in the back room in the accounting department who are plowing through the mountain of refund requests. I am glad that they are keeping people on staff to help with new bookings. My CVP has been quite helpful adjusting and adding some of my future bookings, and I will rely on him when it comes time to apply my FCC.

[GottaKnowWhen]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

We received phone and e mails from one Cruise Planner. Her only offer was to help with  re booking..using our FCC

 

When I reached out for help with my refunds, I never heard back!  

 

Simply a sales campaign!

That is how cruises get booked - via sales campaigns. It is known as private enterprise or something like that. Hopefully they are very successful and we continue to have the option sail with Celebrity.

[Naomi88]

14 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

That is how cruises get booked - via sales campaigns. It is known as private enterprise or something like that. Hopefully they are very successful and we continue to have the option sail with Celebrity.

It seems very tone-deaf given the current situation.  I cannot imagine giving them any more money when they are already holding my $5,000 hostage.  Good thing I didn't get them my phone number!

[Cruising89143]

3 hours ago, Naomi88 said:

Did anyone receive an email from a Celebrity Cruise Planner?  I am trying to figure out whether this is a scam.  I received the following email this morning from a celebrity.com email address:

 

"I am following up because I see your cruise was unfortunately cancelled. My name is Jennifer and I have been designated your main point of contact so we can offer more personalized service when you're ready to take another vacation with Celebrity Cruises." (followed by a phone number with an extension #)

 

I have been waiting 30+ days for a refund on my cancelled Alaska cruise, but apparently she thinks I want the FCC?  In any case, I asked her directly for my $5,000+ refund and she hasn't answered.

 

Yes, they sent the exact same email to us right before our refund processed. All they’re looking at is the fact that your cruise was canceled and they’re trying to get people to book a replacement cruise. Has nothing to do with a refund versus FCC.

[Naomi88]

4 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

Yes, they sent the exact same email to us right before our refund processed. They’re trying to get people to book cruises. 

So you DID get your refund?  Well, that's encouraging!

[Cruising89143]

Just now, Naomi88 said:

So you DID get your refund?  Well, that's encouraging!

Yes. Last week. Took about forty-five days.

[Naomi88]

1 hour ago, hcat said:

See this thread, if interested

 

 

Thank you, I agree 100% with your posts in this thread.  Did you ever get your refund?

[Naomi88]

4 minutes ago, cruisingator2 said:

Yes. Last week. Took about forty-five days.

Wonderful!  I mean it's still sub-par service, but you know what I mean. 😄

[Jim_Iain]

3 hours ago, Naomi88 said:

Did anyone receive an email from a Celebrity Cruise Planner?  I am trying to figure out whether this is a scam.  I received the following email this morning from a celebrity.com email address:

 

"I am following up because I see your cruise was unfortunately cancelled. My name is Jennifer and I have been designated your main point of contact so we can offer more personalized service when you're ready to take another vacation with Celebrity Cruises." (followed by a phone number with an extension #)

 

I have been waiting 30+ days for a refund on my cancelled Alaska cruise, but apparently she thinks I want the FCC?  In any case, I asked her directly for my $5,000+ refund and she hasn't answered.

 

I got the same e-mail and when I responded back asking about my refund she told me to call the main number she only works in sales.   I responded.... why waste both of our time.

 

[hcat]

35 minutes ago, Naomi88 said:

It seems very tone-deaf given the current situation.  I cannot imagine giving them any more money when they are already holding my $5,000 hostage.  Good thing I didn't get them my phone number!

That's what I would have said.

The timing was off....seems they could not wait to take charge of my fcc..ink was barely dry and the refund in our cruise was even not fully processed.

 

Looks like Jennifer was quite busy with e mails and calls!

 

Most of our refunds have finally come through.  Waiting on one $900 deposit refund..  Keeping one booking for 2021,  but not rushing to book anything else til the Med Note issue is fully  resolved! We could lose out on a big FCC depending,,......

Edited April 27, 2020 by hcat

[phoenix_dream]

5 hours ago, prish said:

It’s 36 days since Celebrity cancelled our Apex 5/10 sailing, our big box store emailed us saying the refund would be made within 90 days. This despite Lisa promising refunds within 30 days.

 

We have just mailed out the dispute form and required documents to our cc company Chase, will let you know how it goes, fingers crossed...
 

 

I'm starting to wonder if some of our problems is the TA's are holding the refunds??