NCL - NEVER AGAIN!!!

[Liljo22]

46 minutes ago, Ptroxx said:

Link to the law that they are required to give a refund? ? ?   I’m sure everyone here would like to see that.   

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.

The company that issues the bond or other financial surety processes claims made for cruise cancellation or death or injury. For more information on the FMC’s financial responsibility requirements or to obtain information on filing a claim please contact the Bureau of Licensing and Certification.

 

https://www.fmc.gov/resources-services/cruise-passenger-assistance/

[npcl]

7 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

Seems like everyone wants everything right now like there isn't another million people with cruises booked who are trying to get their issue resolved.

 

I'm waiting to get a refund from an online TA/American Airlines and was told to wait at least thirty days (if I'm lucky).   Do people not realize the enormity of what is going on right now?

 

SMH.

However, the long length of delay, most likely  has less to do with the time to process the refunds, (which is fairly highly automated in normal times) than it is to slow down the speed of cash going out of the door.  Companies are trying to buy as much time as possible in the hopes that they can 1. raise more money, 2. get money from the gov, 3. something happens so they can actually start getting more bookings and money coming in.

 

Would not be surprised is for them to start doing something like United which now says that if they cancel your flight, you don't get a refund, you get a credit, which if it is not used for 1 year turns into a refund. So you get your money back, but you have to wait a year for it.

[julig22]

24 minutes ago, Liljo22 said:

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.

The company that issues the bond or other financial surety processes claims made for cruise cancellation or death or injury. For more information on the FMC’s financial responsibility requirements or to obtain information on filing a claim please contact the Bureau of Licensing and Certification.

 

https://www.fmc.gov/resources-services/cruise-passenger-assistance/

OP is on a cancelled cruise and has put in a request for a refund but is unhappy with how long it MIGHT take to get a refund - so no laws broken.  Allow 90 days does not mean it will take 90 days - it might be next week or it might be 90 days, depending on how and when payments were made.

 

Not the same case for others who are booked on cruises that most likely will be cancelled but are still active at this time.  They could find a cure tomorrow - my crystal ball is broken.  You can't claim NCL hasn't provided services until they actually haven't provided services.

 

As I previously suggested, if a person is strapped for the cash they should contact their cc and ask for modified payments or a temporary suspension of the transaction

[hallux]

29 minutes ago, MadManOfBethesda said:

Fair Credit Billing Act of 1974.

Care to quote the part about requiring a refund from the merchant?  All I see in that act appears to apply to CREIT CARD ISSUERS.  I see nothing about the merchant responsibility.

 

Is it possible to issue a refund to a credit card within days?  Sure, if the funds are immediately available.  Someone else pointed it out before - NCL can't possibly have a massive bank account sitting out there with enough money to process the number of refunds people are requesting.  Also note - it's WITHIN 90 days.  Could it take 90 days?  Sure, but it could well take less than that.  Also - it takes time to review the cash refund request for validity before approving the refund, something that is not instant.

 

Amazon can refund right away - sure, but most of those transactions happened within the last 14 days or so (usually), and there's still money coming in on a daily basis that more than covers those refunds.  Right now there is likely ZERO money coming in to NCL (or RCI for that matter, I just saw that RCI took out a $2.2 BILLION credit line to cover the company during this crisis), so money needs to be taken from other places to cover the refunds, as was noted by another poster. 

 

Why can an FCC be issued right away?  Because NCL isn't actually taking money out of a bank account for it, it's still an IOU.

 

Do I feel bad for people that might need that money for expenses they couldn't possibly have expected when the cruise was booked and paid for?  Sure.  Banks are suspending eviction actions and late payment fees on mortgages though, there's also a possibility of getting a short-term loan to cover expenses until the refund comes through.

[hallux]

2 minutes ago, julig22 said:

You can't claim NCL hasn't provided services until they actually haven't provided services.

I think this is something the "just issue a dispute on the credit card" folks seem to forget.  Also - unless the company fails to make a good-faith effort to compensate for the services not provided can you REALLY claim the dispute?

[Liljo22]

4 minutes ago, julig22 said:

OP is on a cancelled cruise and has put in a request for a refund but is unhappy with how long it MIGHT take to get a refund - so no laws broken.  Allow 90 days does not mean it will take 90 days - it might be next week or it might be 90 days, depending on how and when payments were made.

 

Not the same case for others who are booked on cruises that most likely will be cancelled but are still active at this time.  They could find a cure tomorrow - my crystal ball is broken.  You can't claim NCL hasn't provided services until they actually haven't provided services.

 

As I previously suggested, if a person is strapped for the cash they should contact their cc and ask for modified payments or a temporary suspension of the transaction

Understood.  I was quoting the person that asked what law states a cruise company must refund a cancelled cruise though.  I also think its not going to take 90 days for a person to get a refund.  

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, hallux said:

I think this is something the "just issue a dispute on the credit card" folks seem to forget.  Also - unless the company fails to make a good-faith effort to compensate for the services not provided can you REALLY claim the dispute?

You are absolutely correct.  And depending on whether or not NCL chooses to follow through, you might be really sorry you did.  You could end up with nothing.

 

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

https://www.elliott.org/blog/do-not-sail-list-banned-from-cruising/

[MadManOfBethesda]

Just now, hallux said:

I think this is something the "just issue a dispute on the credit card" folks seem to forget.  Also - unless the company fails to make a good-faith effort to compensate for the services not provided can you REALLY claim the dispute?

 

LOL

 

If you paid for a cruise and the company has stated that the cruise has been cancelled, then you are entitled to a refund of the amount you paid the credit card company.  I find it humorous that you seem to be having difficulty comprehending that simple concept.

 

And when you dispute a charge under the FCBA, a temporary credit in the amount of the charge is granted AUTOMATICALLY.  The credit card company then is required to investigate the dispute and will ask the merchant for its side of the dispute.  NCL will eventually get around to processing the requisite refund paperwork in its own good time and then the credit card company will change the "temporary" credit into a permanent chargeback; but in the interim, the OP will already have his money.

[MadManOfBethesda]

3 minutes ago, julig22 said:

You are absolutely correct.  And depending on whether or not NCL chooses to follow through, you might be really sorry you did.  You could end up with nothing.

 

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

https://www.elliott.org/blog/do-not-sail-list-banned-from-cruising/

 

LOL.  No, you can't.

 

And it's laughable that you think that filing such a dispute would be a false claim.

[hallux]

@MadManOfBethesda if you buy groceries and find that you got some bad apples, eggs or cheese do you go back to the store for a refund/replacement of the item or do you call the credit card company for a chargeback?  Chargebacks are for FRAUDULENT CHARGES - ones you didn't make or ones the company is ignoring the refund request for.  The cruise lines are all offering refunds!  Just because you don't like the terms related to getting the cash refund does not grant you the ability to request a chargeback!

 

On top of that - someone noted it would be fraudulent to request a chargeback and was scoffed at.  Here's my take - NCL is automatically issuing a FCC, allowing you to book a new cruise and get some or all of it paid for through what's already paid.  This is applied to your NCL account.  Now you go request the dispute because the 90 day terms aren't good enough for you, so you now have the FCC at your disposal AND if you win the dispute you have that money back on your card, double-dipped on the refund.  Are you suggesting people submit for the "cash" refund AND do the dispute on the credit card?

[NoleFan2U]

10 hours ago, Bigcatmd said:

I had booked what would have been my third NCL cruise for 4/8/2020 on the Pearl going to the Panama Canal over five months ago.

Of course it was cancelled, I certainly understand that. I appreciated their offer of future cruise credits with the 25% plus 20% deal.  After looking at the Panama Canal

trip scheduled in November it would have been $100s more! Not a bargain. 

I decided I wanted my original money back.

Had to wait till today to fill out the form.

The website said it will take them 90 days to return my money. Why? They have had it for over 5 months. I want it back now. 

I called their customer service line this morning and was on hold for 25 minutes before I hung up. Called back and said I wanted to book a new cruise, got a representative immediately. I explained that I wanted my money back sooner than 90 days and she hung up.

NEVER AGAIN WILL I USE NCL FOR ANYTHING!!!

So I too was booked on the Pearl.  I just booked last night a 15 day Panama Canal Cruise next April on the Encore and with the 125%, plus the sale today and the extra 20% off, I am upgrading my room PLUS have an extra $240 in credit once it is paid.  Maybe you should look again at cruises for next year!

 

I am very happy with the way NCL handled my FCC.

[mugtech]

3 hours ago, Liljo22 said:

Carnival is also 90 days.

 

Royal is 30 days.  

Had a 2/24/20 cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore cancelled by Royal on 2/14/20.  Credit for the cruise fare, taxes and port fees, shore excursions and prepaid service charges were all on my RCI credit card on 2/19/20, over $2,000.

[Liljo22]

29 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Had a 2/24/20 cruise from Hong Kong to Singapore cancelled by Royal on 2/14/20.  Credit for the cruise fare, taxes and port fees, shore excursions and prepaid service charges were all on my RCI credit card on 2/19/20, over $2,000.

Yes but the policy for Royal with the suspended cruises is within 30 days.  Like yours it can be sooner but that is the policy.  Carnival and NCL say within 90 days but can be sooner also.  

[rindybar]

Stop complaining and deal with it.  We are all in the same boat. Either wait for your refund or pay a little more and go. But remember you are not the only one going through this!

[luv2kroooz]

2 hours ago, julig22 said:

You are absolutely correct.  And depending on whether or not NCL chooses to follow through, you might be really sorry you did.  You could end up with nothing.

 

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

https://www.elliott.org/blog/do-not-sail-list-banned-from-cruising/

I wasn't there so dont know the specifics. But at the end of the day, big deal if I can't cruise NCL. It's not like there aren't lots of other opportunities out there.

[julig22]

3 minutes ago, blcruising said:

I wasn't there so dont know the specifics. But at the end of the day, big deal if I can't cruise NCL. It's not like there aren't lots of other opportunities out there.

I think you came in late to the conversation.  If you want a refund, go through the process and wait it out.  Otherwise, push the system by circumventing the refund process and you might not get anything.  So while it might not be a big deal to you to be added to the NCL black list, losing your money might be more of a concern.

[2+2]

7 hours ago, Ptroxx said:

You shouldn’t have to wait 90 days.  This is the 21st century where everything is automated and computerized.   They’re just holding your money hostage.  
if they can take your money right away.  They should be able to return it in the same fashion by a click of a mouse.   Just like when they took it.    

Well said..   I agree.