Azamara refund problems (merged)

[Baynanno1]

22 hours ago, Hamwen3839 said:

Thanks Baynanno1, grateful for any suggestion. Have bypassed T.A. and sent email with all details to Azamara  direct over a week ago. Not even the courtesy of a reply.It takes a few seconds to respond even just to acknowledge .I KNOW someone from Azamara reads these posts.

 

I wrote to Azamara some time back with a question on Lift and shift.

It took 3 weeks for a response to arrive and when it did arrive it failed to address my question.

 

Social media got a rapid response, although I was not asking a question at the time, just making a statement.

 

Hope you refund is soon sorted!

 

[Lisanord1]

We had planned to sail April 5th from Miami to Lisbon on Azamara Pursuit. The cruise was canceled. We requested a refund by phone a week or two before the sailing, from Casey Hubbard originally, again on April 6th with Ryan Ables, and two weeks ago with Nicole, all located at their Wichita call center. All three promised a full refund, at first telling me it would come within 30 days, but last time within 45 days, of our initial request.
 
The only refund we've received as of this date (May 29, 2020) is for the taxes on the cruise. I've tried calling their customer service number many times in recent days, only to get put on hold endlessly every time, and forced to listen over and over to their incredibly pretentious sales pitch. I've also tried emailing them twice, as their initial voice recording suggests, but I get no response that way.
 
We are elite cruisers on Celebrity/Azamara. We've been very happy with them until now. I understand that these are difficult times for the cruise lines. But now I'm afraid it's time to switch brands and consult an attorney. 

I am to this point. Now they tell me they sent a payment to my credit card on 5/31. This is still only a partial payment. As if to day, my bank has not received the funds. Who do I believe, my bank or Azamara who has lied to me three times about sending me my refund?


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[schapsie]

I too received a strange partial (@$400) refund to my credit card, one that I hadn’t noticed until I finally called Visa yesterday to dispute the cruise charges. Now it’s between Azamara and Visa.....I hope. Thankfully I have an email from someone at Azamara promising a refund.

 

Good luck to you!

[laurieb]

2 hours ago, Lisanord1 said:

I am to this point. Now they tell me they sent a payment to my credit card on 5/31. This is still only a partial payment. As if to day, my bank has not received the funds. Who do I believe, my bank or Azamara who has lied to me three times about sending me my refund?
Did you possibly use a different credit card for your payment than you’re using now?

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[Host Jazzbeau]

Laurie:  This is what your post looked like:

 

The 'new' website is not very intuitive for quotes – I see many responses like this where the reply text is in the quote box and impossible to tell from the quoted post.  And I never use my iPhone for Cruise Critic [because of issues like this] so I don't know if there's actually a way to avoid this with the iPhone interface.  But on a computer [as an aprocryphal Victorian lady may have said, "If God had intended us to post on an iPhone, why did He give us the MacBook Pro?"], it's important to click outside the quote box before you begin typing.  😉

[uktog]

4 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Laurie:  This is what your post looked like:

 

The 'new' website is not very intuitive for quotes – I see many responses like this where the reply text is in the quote box and impossible to tell from the quoted post.  And I never use my iPhone for Cruise Critic [because of issues like this] so I don't know if there's actually a way to avoid this with the iPhone interface.  But on a computer [as an aprocryphal Victorian lady may have said, "If God had intended us to post on an iPhone, why did He give us the MacBook Pro?"], it's important to click outside the quote box before you begin typing.  😉

Can I ask, is this post appearing right, I use an iPhone virtually all the time for my posts, if I don’t it’s an iPad and I don’t think it’s a problem at all. 

[royallondon]

I use an ipad and your post is appearing as it should uktog.
 

Regards

[Grandma Cruising]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Can I ask, is this post appearing right, I use an iPhone virtually all the time for my posts, if I don’t it’s an iPad and I don’t think it’s a problem at all. 

Your post is fine - your text appears below the quoted post.

Edited June 6, 2020 by Grandma Cruising

[excitedofharpenden]

1 hour ago, uktog said:

Can I ask, is this post appearing right, I use an iPhone virtually all the time for my posts, if I don’t it’s an iPad and I don’t think it’s a problem at all. 

It's fine. I use them all the time too. It's only an issue if you put the cursor in the quote box and start typing. 

 

Phil 

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks to all the iPhone and iPad users for responding.  There are so many things that I'm still learning about the 'new' website that I never assume anything!

[uktog]

Another weekend passes, not a cent in taxes back and no sign of the promised credit certificates.  So if I’m to believe the stories that processing happens over the weekend, I’ve missed that boat again, pardon the pun.  Actually truth is now I know that friends who were cancelled a month before us are still waiting similarly we gave up our seats on the lifeboat to them. 
Magic wands aren’t the solution Azamara, maybe extra lifeboats in the form of willingness and effort might help! 
 

[vival]

I have like many others been following this discussion as I awaited my refund for my 9th May Quest cruise which I applied for as soon as it was cancelled.
 

I’ve  been in touch with my TA  (a large online one in UK) every few weeks and she kept telling me I needed to be patient. On 26th May in response to an email she said ‘refunds are now starting to come through’ 

 

On Friday 5th June I emailed Azamara and they got back to me today saying my refund had been processed to my TA on 18th May. 
 

After half an hour on hold I spoke to my TA who confirmed that yes they had my full refund and said ‘seeing as you have phoned I can speed this up for you and get it transferred to your bank today!!’
 

When asked why it had taken so long I was told ‘we mustn’t have got it till the end of the month’ 😜 Hopefully we will see it in our account tonight.

 

I just thought I would post this as if you’re still waiting for a refund it might be worth phoning your TA in case they’re holding on to it. 

 

 

[kenasch2]

I am still waiting for the remaining portion of my refund after receiving three separate partial amounts over the past few weeks. Strangely, the amount still owed is the amount of my deposit. Azamara has not answered my emails. When I called, the rep said he could not tell me when the final refund would be processed. So today I disputed the charge thru my credit card company (Citicard). Citi has been great with handling disputed charges as they successfully refunded the amount I paid for my cancelled air flights through another travel company. 

[Grandma Cruising]

35 minutes ago, vival said:

I have like many others been following this discussion as I awaited my refund for my 9th May Quest cruise which I applied for as soon as it was cancelled.
 

I’ve  been in touch with my TA  (a large online one in UK) every few weeks and she kept telling me I needed to be patient. On 26th May in response to an email she said ‘refunds are now starting to come through’ 

 

On Friday 5th June I emailed Azamara and they got back to me today saying my refund had been processed to my TA on 18th May. 
 

After half an hour on hold I spoke to my TA who confirmed that yes they had my full refund and said ‘seeing as you have phoned I can speed this up for you and get it transferred to your bank today!!’
 

When asked why it had taken so long I was told ‘we mustn’t have got it till the end of the month’ 😜 Hopefully we will see it in our account tonight.

 

I just thought I would post this as if you’re still waiting for a refund it might be worth phoning your TA in case they’re holding on to it. 

 

 

That’s disgraceful!

[royallondon]

With a refund also due from Oceania cruises, I’ve been taking an interest in the same topic on their board.  There are postings that one UK TA has had a customers monies now for 3 weeks.  Unfortunately it’s the same TA as mine and several others waiting for monies.  This does not sit well.

 

Regards

[Host Jazzbeau]

42 minutes ago, royallondon said:

With a refund also due from Oceania cruises, I’ve been taking an interest in the same topic on their board.  There are postings that one UK TA has had a customers monies now for 3 weeks.  Unfortunately it’s the same TA as mine and several others waiting for monies.  This does not sit well.

 

Regards

 

ABTA supposedly insures your funds when held by travel agents, is that right?  But I wonder if this particular agency is playing by ABTA rules.  Maybe someone should ask ABTA to look into it.

[uktog]

16 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

ABTA supposedly insures your funds when held by travel agents, is that right?  But I wonder if this particular agency is playing by ABTA rules.  Maybe someone should ask ABTA to look into it.

Go back through all the threads - ABTA is powerless just now, no one is playing by their rules - through ABTA we should have our refunds 14 days after cancellation.  Google ABTA/ATOL and read its all over the UK press every day

 

[vival]

1 hour ago, royallondon said:

With a refund also due from Oceania cruises, I’ve been taking an interest in the same topic on their board.  There are postings that one UK TA has had a customers monies now for 3 weeks.  Unfortunately it’s the same TA as mine and several others waiting for monies.  This does not sit well.

 

Regards

Sounds like the same TA they will have had our refund for 3 weeks now and I have to ask how much longer it would have taken them to tell us had I not contacted them!

I was increasingly getting annoyed with Azamara while it seems they did refund within the promised 45 days.

 

[Grandma Cruising]

A credit card chargeback/Section 75 claim definitely works. I made a claim by phone to Amex for my cancelled Aegean flight on Thursday, uploaded my cancellation notice and email from Aegean through the link Amex sent me on Friday and got the money refunded to my card account today. Amex did say the payment could be taken back if Aegean prove they did ‘deliver my service’, which they can’t do as they cancelled the flight.

[melgirl]

I have been following this thread with great interest. We were due to sail on June 23 from Copenhagen. Azamara cancelled on May 21 and I asked my TA (local Melbourne operator) to request a refund same day. She advised that Azamara were advising a delay of 30-45 business day . To my absolute astonishment funds were in our account by June 4. I spoke to TA who suggested that, because the payment had been debited directly to OUR credit card, the refund process went more quickly because it didn’t go through the ta’s cc systems. Could this be why others are having such long delays In receiving refunds?

[Foxie02]

8 minutes ago, melgirl said:

I have been following this thread with great interest. We were due to sail on June 23 from Copenhagen. Azamara cancelled on May 21 and I asked my TA (local Melbourne operator) to request a refund same day. She advised that Azamara were advising a delay of 30-45 business day . To my absolute astonishment funds were in our account by June 4. I spoke to TA who suggested that, because the payment had been debited directly to OUR credit card, the refund process went more quickly because it didn’t go through the ta’s cc systems. Could this be why others are having such long delays In receiving refunds?

I too have been following this thread, along with a lot of others I would say.

I received confirmation on 17th March from my TA that we would be receiving a full refund for our Cruise on Journey, leaving Sydney on  24th March.

On 1st May, we received  email from Azamara stating  the following

"They were working diligently  to resolve most of the volume issues and are working around the clock addressing backlog to get us our refund  as quickly as possible.  Some refunds are taking up to 45 days"

It is now over 80 Days.  I have contacted my TA, she said she would contact the wholesaler here in Sydney, that was 10 days ago, haven't have any word😒

I am now wondering if we should have taken Credit instead of refund.

I don't know when Cruise ships will be allowed to dock here in Aus, at present every State have their own rules with opening up the borders & isolation when you do go over the border.

It's an awful waiting game at present, we are not winning!😩

Pamela. 

[Hamwen3839]

Foxie02, we were booked on exact same cruise and requested refund on 16 March.I suspect your T.A. used same wholesaler as our T.A. After despairing of ever seeing a refund we have been advised that a first payment of a large proportion of our money has been received by T.A. and  will be paid to us this week.They say they are chasing up balance.

We do not have the money yet but it looks more hopeful.

All I can suggest is that you advise your T.A. of what we have  been told and keep at them to follow up.

[Foxie02]

2 hours ago, Hamwen3839 said:

Foxie02, we were booked on exact same cruise and requested refund on 16 March.I suspect your T.A. used same wholesaler as our T.A. After despairing of ever seeing a refund we have been advised that a first payment of a large proportion of our money has been received by T.A. and  will be paid to us this week.They say they are chasing up balance.

We do not have the money yet but it looks more hopeful.

All I can suggest is that you advise your T.A. of what we have  been told and keep at them to follow up.

🍷🥂 OOOOH, I won't bring a bottle out yet, but here's hoping. 

I actually contacted my Bank this afternoon asking about credit card charge back...thank you to the previous threads on Credit Card charge back...my Bank told me there is no time limited on submitting a dispute... 

I will contact my TA first,  give them another go.

I am also waiting on refund for our return flights from Singapore from Qantas, Qantas told me it has to come from Singapore  end???   I will be disputing this credit with Bank.

[combine]

3 hours ago, melgirl said:

I have been following this thread with great interest. We were due to sail on June 23 from Copenhagen. Azamara cancelled on May 21 and I asked my TA (local Melbourne operator) to request a refund same day. She advised that Azamara were advising a delay of 30-45 business day . To my absolute astonishment funds were in our account by June 4. I spoke to TA who suggested that, because the payment had been debited directly to OUR credit card, the refund process went more quickly because it didn’t go through the ta’s cc systems. Could this be why others are having such long delays In receiving refunds?

That is our experience as well. We received both our refunds in a timely manner.
We have used the same independent Travel Agent for many years and when payment is due I provide my Credit Card details and the money is taken  directly by Azamara. We have used this method of payment for maybe the last 3 or 4 years (it hasn't always been an option especially when a  commission charge was made for using a CC). I had never realised the significant advantages  of this method until now.  It just cuts out one more area for delays. To read that some Travel Agents are sitting on guests refunds , adding to their misery is not good.

[uktog]

1 hour ago, combine said:

That is our experience as well. We received both our refunds in a timely manner.
We have used the same independent Travel Agent for many years and when payment is due I provide my Credit Card details and the money is taken  directly by Azamara. We have used this method of payment for maybe the last 3 or 4 years (it hasn't always been an option especially when a  commission charge was made for using a CC). I had never realised the significant advantages  of this method until now.  It just cuts out one more area for delays. To read that some Travel Agents are sitting on guests refunds , adding to their misery is not good.

Certainly a lesson for us, we will never use franchise agencies with self employed operators again, not because of our Azamara delay as Azamara have confirmed the delay is their end, but the appalling stories being spun to us relating to a lift and shift elsewhere. 
When the dust settles I hope that cruiselines examine where they experienced reputation problems caused by agents employing tactics to help their cash flow or improve their commission retention and bring in much tougher rules of engagement between the cruise line and their business partners.  There must be some customers Azamara has lost because of the games the agents are playing rather than what Azamara has done. 

Edited June 9, 2020 by uktog