Most people say don't cancel...wait for NCL to cancel and get a refund

[schmoopie17]

The prevailing opinion on these boards is to wait until your cruise is canceled by NCL, rather than canceling yourself. The thought is they would then need to issue a full refund.

However, Is there anything written anywhere that says a cruise line is compelled to give full refunds in the event they cancel their own cruise? Or are they free to implement whatever policy is in their best interest? (i.e. Future Cruise Credits)

 

 

[Liljo22]

19 minutes ago, schmoopie17 said:

The prevailing opinion on these boards is to wait until your cruise is canceled by NCL, rather than canceling yourself. The thought is they would then need to issue a full refund.

However, Is there anything written anywhere that says a cruise line is compelled to give full refunds in the event they cancel their own cruise? Or are they free to implement whatever policy is in their best interest? (i.e. Future Cruise Credits)

 

 

The US Dept of Transportation requires cruise lines to offer refunds if a cruise is cancelled on their end.  

 

FMC requires cruise lines to have a bond or other financial surety available to refund passenger deposits if the cruise line fails to provide a scheduled cruise (performance) or for death or injury on a voyage (casualty). This requirement applies to cruise lines that embark from a U.S. port and have at least 50 berth accommodations.

[schmoopie17]

Good to know. I didn't know if there was a legal requirement to refund vs. FCC. Sounds like there is.

[adam_s_allen]

I had to cancel flights and get future credit. But I have to wonder if these flights would have even happened to begin with. Might have been better to let them cancel on me and get a full refund.

[spanishguy1970]

we are waiting. Our cruise is on April 19 on the Bliss. We are not canceling yet, we want refund not FCC.

[DwayneG]

33 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

The US Dept of Transportation requires cruise lines to offer refunds if a cruise is cancelled on their end.  

 

FMC requires cruise lines to have a bond or other financial surety available to refund passenger deposits if the cruise line fails to provide a scheduled cruise (performance) or for death or injury on a voyage (casualty). This requirement applies to cruise lines that embark from a U.S. port and have at least 50 berth accommodations.

I didn't know about the FMC requirement you reference.  That sounds like a real plus! that would mean that  as long as I use any FCC they give me to immediately book a new cruise for later I should be okay regardless of what happens to FCC financially.  Maybe all the folks worried about losing their money are actually quite safe?

[dexddd]

25 minutes ago, adam_s_allen said:

I had to cancel flights and get future credit. But I have to wonder if these flights would have even happened to begin with. Might have been better to let them cancel on me and get a full refund.

We had flights today I waited thinking would cancel.  Both were a go. Yesterday the same flight to Miami was cancelled.

 

They were on Delta who will give ecert automatically if not contacted by time of flight.

[Budget Queen]

28 minutes ago, dexddd said:

We had flights today I waited thinking would cancel.  Both were a go. Yesterday the same flight to Miami was cancelled.

 

They were on Delta who will give ecert automatically if not contacted by time of flight.

 There are a lot of domestic flights operating.   It's the international that are far more likely to cancel.    Each airline has it's own terms and notification prior to flights is frequently required.    Many times "no shows" are simply losses.  
 

[debenson0723]

1 hour ago, Liljo22 said:

The US Dept of Transportation requires cruise lines to offer refunds if a cruise is cancelled on their end.  

 

FMC requires cruise lines to have a bond or other financial surety available to refund passenger deposits if the cruise line fails to provide a scheduled cruise (performance) or for death or injury on a voyage (casualty). This requirement applies to cruise lines that embark from a U.S. port and have at least 50 berth accommodations.

What happens if your point of embarkation is a foreign port, such as Barcelona or Rome?  Pretty sure most of the Med cruises are going to be cancelled in the coming months.

[Liljo22]

8 minutes ago, debenson0723 said:

What happens if your point of embarkation is a foreign port, such as Barcelona or Rome?  Pretty sure most of the Med cruises are going to be cancelled in the coming months.

US Government has no authority over those cruises.  The only authority they really have is the financial side of the US cruises.  

[dockman]

I was booked on april 3 jewel which NCL cancelled.

 

To this day still NOT ONE WORD from NCL or the OTA i booked with has been emailed to me.  I put in a credit card dispute  a week or so ago and got the prepaid tips portion back but still nothing on the cruise fare and port taxes.

 

I do not want an FCC.  I prefer a return of the cash I paid.

[julig22]

29 minutes ago, dockman said:

I was booked on april 3 jewel which NCL cancelled.

 

To this day still NOT ONE WORD from NCL or the OTA i booked with has been emailed to me.  I put in a credit card dispute  a week or so ago and got the prepaid tips portion back but still nothing on the cruise fare and port taxes.

 

I do not want an FCC.  I prefer a return of the cash I paid.

Any cruise between March 13 until April 11 has been canceled and you have the option of a full refund or 125% FCC. All refund processing was put on hold shortly after that announcement so they could prepare to handle the mass number of refund/credit requests for canceled cruises, plus requests from passengers wanting to cancel. Starting Monday, March 23 you can fill out the refund/FCC request for your canceled request.  Not a good idea to dispute CC charges when the company has not defaulted on their obligations and has a 100% remedy in place - especially since your cruise date is still in the future.

 

https://www.ncl.com/why-cruise-norwegian/book-with-confidence

[BirdTravels]

1 hour ago, dockman said:

I was booked on april 3 jewel which NCL cancelled.

 

To this day still NOT ONE WORD from NCL or the OTA i booked with has been emailed to me.  I put in a credit card dispute  a week or so ago and got the prepaid tips portion back but still nothing on the cruise fare and port taxes.

 

I do not want an FCC.  I prefer a return of the cash I paid.

First, a credit card dispute accuses the company charging you of a criminal act. And that when law enforcement investigate the criminal act (in this case an international criminal act) you will participate in the criminal investigation. Or be subject to action if it is found that our claim of a criminal act was falsely asserted.

 

Second, did you wait until March 23 (next week) to file your claim with NCL and identify method of reimbursement?  I guess not. 

[Sand and Seas]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

We had flights today I waited thinking would cancel.  Both were a go. Yesterday the same flight to Miami was cancelled.

 

They were on Delta who will give ecert automatically if not contacted by time of flight.

We are waiting to cancel our Delta flights for our April 5th cruise and are thinking (hoping?) it might give us better flexibility with them if they cancel.    I'm not sure we would be able to use an ecert by the Dec 31st date they have listed.

[julig22]

1 hour ago, dockman said:

I was booked on april 3 jewel which NCL cancelled.

 

To this day still NOT ONE WORD from NCL or the OTA i booked with has been emailed to me.  I put in a credit card dispute  a week or so ago and got the prepaid tips portion back but still nothing on the cruise fare and port taxes.

 

I do not want an FCC.  I prefer a return of the cash I paid.

https://chargebacks911.com/filing-false-credit-card-dispute/

[dockman]

11 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

First, a credit card dispute accuses the company charging you of a criminal act. And that when law enforcement investigate the criminal act (in this case an international criminal act) you will participate in the criminal investigation. Or be subject to action if it is found that our claim of a criminal act was falsely asserted.

 

Second, did you wait until March 23 (next week) to file your claim with NCL and identify method of reimbursement?  I guess not. 

 

First i hardly think a credit card dispute involves an international criminal act and second perhaps if NCL would send me ANYTHING about filing a claim I would do it.  

Edited March 21, 2020 by dockman

[bluesea777]

1 hour ago, dockman said:

I was booked on april 3 jewel which NCL cancelled.

 

To this day still NOT ONE WORD from NCL or the OTA i booked with has been emailed to me.  I put in a credit card dispute  a week or so ago and got the prepaid tips portion back but still nothing on the cruise fare and port taxes.

 

I do not want an FCC.  I prefer a return of the cash I paid.

 

OTA ? What's that? Travel Agency? If so, they are at fault for not contacting you! If you didn't book directly with NCL, they are not obliged to contact you.

 

As for putting in a credit card dispute … did you pay directly to OTA? Or to NCL? If it's the latter, just be careful!

 

 

[julig22]

1 minute ago, dockman said:

 

First i hardly think a credit card dispute involves an international criminal act and second perhaps if NCL would send me ANYTHING about filing a claim I would do it.  

Or you could find the information on the web site (link posted above) if you didn't receive notification.  And it is the responsibility of your TA to notify you, not NCL if you didn't book directly.  You might also brush up on the term friendly fraud (link also posted above).  NCL might forgive or they might put you on their naughty list, meaning never again will you sail with them AND you could lose your right to a refund.  If you have any FCC or CruiseNext certs, you can't use them.

[mianmike]

31 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

First, a credit card dispute accuses the company charging you of a criminal act. And that when law enforcement investigate the criminal act (in this case an international criminal act) you will participate in the criminal investigation. Or be subject to action if it is found that our claim of a criminal act was falsely asserted. 

 

OMG.  That is ridiculous.  A credit card dispute is not charging someone with a criminal act.  Ever heard of a billing error? Imagine what a complete waste of a law enforcement agency's resources if they were charged with investigating the millions of innocent billing errors?  lol

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, mianmike said:

 

OMG.  That is ridiculous.  A credit card dispute is not charging someone with a criminal act.  Ever heard of a billing error? Imagine what a complete waste of a law enforcement agency's resources if they were charged with investigating the millions of innocent billing errors?  lol

So instead it is OK to waste the bank and merchant time when it is not an innocent billing error?

 

33 minutes ago, julig22 said:

https://chargebacks911.com/filing-false-credit-card-dispute/

 

[mianmike]

Just now, julig22 said:

So instead it is OK to waste the bank and merchant time when it is not an innocent billing error?

 

 

 

Seems self-evident to me.  You should never waste a bank's time, but I think you already knew that.  Of course if it's a fraudulent charge or a billing error and the merchant is unresponsive it should be disputed. 

[Comi.uy]

Wait for them to cancel, its the best option for sure. More FCC or direct cash refund. Sailing on April 30, currently on the wait boat as most people. 99% chance NCL will extend the docking period.

[Love my butler]

Good luck actually getting any kind of cash refund.  NCL currently has 'refunds on pause'.  Even if NCL 'unpauses' refunds, they can delay those refunds for months if not years.  Just long enough for the inevitable Chapter 7 bankruptcy.

[luv2kroooz]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

First, a credit card dispute accuses the company charging you of a criminal act. And that when law enforcement investigate the criminal act (in this case an international criminal act) you will participate in the criminal investigation. Or be subject to action if it is found that our claim of a criminal act was falsely asserted.

Wrong again. Talk about fear mongering....yikes. No matter how many times you post stuff like this, doesn't make it more true.

 

Many credit card companies are emailing customers offering to work with customers during these types of situations. Customers are always encouraged to communicate issues with a credit card company after they've tried to resolve directly with the merchant in good faith. The emails I've received from my credit card vendors lack any reference to criminal investigations, law enforcement involvement and false assertions. Like law enforcement has nothing better to do than deal with NCLs careless and reckless corporate behavior. Wise up!

Edited March 21, 2020 by blcruising

[spanishguy1970]

36 minutes ago, mianmike said:

 

OMG.  That is ridiculous.  A credit card dispute is not charging someone with a criminal act.  Ever heard of a billing error? Imagine what a complete waste of a law enforcement agency's resources if they were charged with investigating the millions of innocent billing errors?  lol

LOL i was going to say something similar. Some people to dispute a point come up with the most ridiculous answers LOL