Azamara refund problems (merged)

[uktog]

Has anyone in the UK received a future cruise credit for 125% and can share the exact wording on the note (obviously minus your name/amount/reference as I am going to pursue my own research re ABTA. Cannot wait any longer for such a simple yes/no response from Azamara but I need the text of the email. I know we have seen an Australian one but it’s the UK wording I need. Thanks

[Mrs Miggins]

Have just spoken with my Travel Agent (a small one).  Just confirming with her that I would like a refund for our B2B since our cruising future is uncertain due to DH having current health problems.  She told me that so far they have not received any cash refunds at all from any of the many cruise companies they represent.  Her confirmation cancellation invoice says "client will receive full refund of monies paid, once received from the Cruise Line, this may take up to 60 days".

[cpgrneyes]

I have been trying to cancel our October trip for several weeks. Azamara advised my TA that we should first transfer the FCC we had applied toward this trip to our 2021 sailing before we cancelled which makes sense. The TA has been following up weekly, and was told the following this week: “I just called Azamara to check on the status of things. They advised they are super backed up, and it can take about 4 weeks for the FCCs to be transferred. They said they are hoping by 5/22 to have all of them completed.”

 

AZ also offered to waive the cancellation fee if we transferred the 2020 deposit to the 2021 trip. I declined, I’ll pay the $150 total cancellation and pocket the $950 deposit balance.

 

I know many on this thread are in a far different and more tenuous position, but I just wanted to share the communication received on FCC.

[govanguy]

Ive just checked my credit card. We had a cruise booked for 4/may which was cancelled. We asked for a full refund which we still have not received.

Today, I checked my credit card and RCL have credited us with two payments of £30.32 each. We had no excursion, speciality dining  or any extras booked. 

Any clues as to what the credits are for?

[uktog]

9 minutes ago, govanguy said:

Ive just checked my credit card. We had a cruise booked for 4/may which was cancelled. We asked for a full refund which we still have not received.

Today, I checked my credit card and RCL have credited us with two payments of £30.32 each. We had no excursion, speciality dining  or any extras booked. 

Any clues as to what the credits are for?

Taxes/Port fees which is paid to everyone as cash

 

[Thameside]

19 hours ago, uktog said:

Has anyone in the UK received a future cruise credit for 125% and can share the exact wording on the note (obviously minus your name/amount/reference as I am going to pursue my own research re ABTA. Cannot wait any longer for such a simple yes/no response from Azamara but I need the text of the email. I know we have seen an Australian one but it’s the UK wording I need. Thanks

Do you have the information that you are looking for now, if not I received a  FCC last week for 50% of the fare for our cruise which they suspended in South America, with the other 50% refund still outstanding. I can give you the terms and conditions on this email if that's any use to you or maybe it's a specific 125% one you require.

[uktog]

Thanks, no it is the 125% specific I am after - as it seems that a note with an enhancement like this is not covered by ABTA/ATOL protections and is also unlikely to have any S75 Consumer Credit Act coverage.  

But thanks for your offer

Edited April 24, 2020 by uktog

[sunlover33]

A section 75 claim is when people request a refund from their credit card provider for goods or services not received. The credit card is refunded by the Credit card provider who then attempts to collect the payment from the provider of the service. Some people have received a full  refund from the cc provider although some are pending refunds by this method. 

[rallydave]

4 minutes ago, sunlover33 said:

A section 75 claim is when people request a refund from their credit card provider for goods or services not received. The credit card is refunded by the Credit card provider who then attempts to collect the payment from the provider of the service. Some people have received a full  refund from the cc provider although some are pending refunds by this method. 

Since that is different from how a credit card dispute works in the US and perhaps elsewhere perhaps too many options??  In the US there is no guarantee the credit card company will refund you unless the merchant agees.  There is the possibility that first the credit card company will reject out of hand the dispute.  Then if the dispute is accepted and a temporary credit is put on the account and the dispute goes to the merchant who has 60 days to respond.  No response and the credit card company makes the credit permanent but, not too often that happens.  Should the merchant agree the credit is permanent but, if the merchant disagrees the temp credit is removed.  That said one can reject the merchant's response and if the credit card company agrees the dispute goes back into the same cycle.  

 

Due to these variances, suggest simply call it a credit card dispute getting the money back or not.

[blag]

7 minutes ago, sunlover33 said:

A section 75 claim is when people request a refund from their credit card provider for goods or services not received. The credit card is refunded by the Credit card provider who then attempts to collect the payment from the provider of the service. Some people have received a full  refund from the cc provider although some are pending refunds by this method. 

OK. But my supplementary question still applies. Is Section 75 applicable to all countries?

If not, then perhaps the question should be 'Who issued majority of refund, if any?' Options for response would be 'TA, Azamara, Credit Card' .

I don't think it helps to complicate matters by asking what proportions were from each. Or do you think I ought? 

[blag]

1 minute ago, rallydave said:

Since that is different from how a credit card dispute works in the US and perhaps elsewhere perhaps too many options??  In the US there is no guarantee the credit card company will refund you unless the merchant agees.  There is the possibility that first the credit card company will reject out of hand the dispute.  Then if the dispute is accepted and a temporary credit is put on the account and the dispute goes to the merchant who has 60 days to respond.  No response and the credit card company makes the credit permanent but, not too often that happens.  Should the merchant agree the credit is permanent but, if the merchant disagrees the temp credit is removed.  That said one can reject the merchant's response and if the credit card company agrees the dispute goes back into the same cycle.  

 

Due to these variances, suggest simply call it a credit card dispute getting the money back or not.

See my immediate previous response. Your opinion would be appreciated.

Should I ask earlier in the survey through whom a claim has been made?

[rallydave]

13 minutes ago, blag said:

See my immediate previous response. Your opinion would be appreciated.

Should I ask earlier in the survey through whom a claim has been made?

OK, we know the Part 75 is for the UK and the method I described is for the US and probably Canada.  More than likely there are other variances in other countries plus under the US method it might be the cruise line or the credit card depending on how the dispute ends plus sure many people believe they have the refund immediately from the credit card when it  the beginning of the dispute it is simply a temporary credit pending response from the cruise line.

 

Becasue of these many variances am afraid the inclusion of credit cards in your spread sheet is over complicating things and not providing true statistics since there are so many variables should one choose credit card as the form of refund when it may actually be the cruise line.  IMHO because of all of these variables you don't want to lest them all since invariably another countries system will pop up.  Better date IMHO jsut to say refund or not.

[sunlover33]

I think it’s useful for us all

to know if guests received a refund via their credit card company by filing a dispute or directly from Azamara with no dispute. 

[rallydave]

1 minute ago, sunlover33 said:

I think it’s useful for us all

to know if guests received a refund via their credit card company by filing a dispute or directly from Azamara with no dispute.p 

Agree, simply credit card and leave out part 75 US version, etc.  Use the KISS process and for people who don't know what that is Keep It Simple Stupid and NOt calling anyone stupid, just a US saying to make things easier.

[marinaro44]

Cruise line refund wait times (according to one observer):

 

https://thepointsguy.com/guide/canceled-cruise-refund-how-long/

[sunlover33]

Just had a browse on the celebrity site, it appears some people are now receiving full refunds for cruises sailing around 14th to 16th March. I know our April  11 th cruise was cancelled on  14th March but wondering if they are repaying by sail date not cancellation date. Does anyone know if any of Azamara’s sailings cancelled this early? I think the first one was towards the end of  March but I could be wrong? 

[Baynanno1]

7 hours ago, sunlover33 said:

Just had a browse on the celebrity site, it appears some people are now receiving full refunds for cruises sailing around 14th to 16th March. I know our April  11 th cruise was cancelled on  14th March but wondering if they are repaying by sail date not cancellation date. Does anyone know if any of Azamara’s sailings cancelled this early? I think the first one was towards the end of  March but I could be wrong? 

17 March was cancelled on 10 March

28 March was cancelled on 14 March

[sunlover33]

Ok so if they are refunding as a combined company of Royal Caribbean as we have been lead to believe, then people who requested refunds on 17th March cruise should be hearing something in the next week or so.  This will then inform us if they are actually refunding as a whole or if for some reason, Azamara refunds are being delayed. It will also give people some idea when they can reasonably expect to be repaid. 

[blag]

1 hour ago, sunlover33 said:

Ok so if they are refunding as a combined company of Royal Caribbean as we have been lead to believe, then people who requested refunds on 17th March cruise should be hearing something in the next week or so.  This will then inform us if they are actually refunding as a whole or if for some reason, Azamara refunds are being delayed. It will also give people some idea when they can reasonably expect to be repaid. 

Did you see the email I sent you early this morning? 🤔

[Grandma Cruising]

Just been looking through a few other cruise company’s websites. One thing I found was that other companies such as P & O & Cunard are definitely only allowing FCCs to be used on new bookings or to upgrade existing bookings.

[excitedofharpenden]

8 minutes ago, Host Grandma Cruising said:

Just been looking through a few other cruise company’s websites. One thing I found was that other companies such as P & O & Cunard are definitely only allowing FCCs to be used on new bookings or to upgrade existing bookings.

So are MSC. 

 

Phil 

[RedBlu]

Just come across this link on another cruise line forum, it may be of interest to UK residents:

https://www.theguardian.com/business/2020/apr/24/uk-watchdog-complaints-holiday-refunds-competition-markets-authority

Here’s hoping!

[chromered7]

On 4/23/2020 at 1:03 PM, marinaro44 said:

I am waiting for a refund, but ranting about it 40+ times and making baseless speculation about a cruise line's financial future is not going to help me get it.

It’s because Azamara are so poor with their communication that you cannot believe a word they say .  As an aside I was wondering if American passengers are getting their refund/FCC faster than those from the U.K.?

[upwarduk]

On 4/23/2020 at 5:06 PM, cpgrneyes said:

They advised they are super backed up, and it can take about 4 weeks for the FCCs to be transferred. They said they are hoping by 5/22 to have all of them completed.”

Just seen this on the Celebrity site:

“All REFUNDS and CREDITS have to be processed by the Accounting group.   He shared that it was a small group and they are Tri-Branded so are handling all the transactions for Celebrity, RCL and Azamara.”

[chromered7]

5 hours ago, upwarduk said:

Just seen this on the Celebrity site:

“All REFUNDS and CREDITS have to be processed by the Accounting group.   He shared that it was a small group and they are Tri-Branded so are handling all the transactions for Celebrity, RCL and Azamara.”

I assume that this makes the whole process longer. I don’t know if this a premeditated decision to slow refunds so that money stays within the cruise line or they believe it is a more efficient way. In terms of Azamara their poor communication continues and it only annoy’s and frustrates their customers.