Refunds grinding to a halt?

[reallyitsmema]

I cancelled a May cruise on March 10th under the cruise with confidence policy when they were still giving a combination of refund and FCC.  We received our FCC in a timely manner but did not receive any refunds of cruise planner items or cruise fare.  I called again on March 26th and the rep I spoke to looked at my account and said she needed to speak to a supervisor.  Once she came back on the call, she verified the amounts I was waiting for and said that refunds were taking about 30 days, not the 7 to 10 I was told.  I received my cruise planner refunds on April 2nd and am now just waiting on the cruise fare.  I really think there was something wrong with how the cruise was originally cancelled and expect the cruise fare at the beginning of the week.  The rep really seemed confused with what she was seeing when she first looked at the account but after talking to the supervisor, she really seemed to know what was up.  I know I originally called when policy was constantly changing.  We shall see.

[RosieRoo]

13 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Not sure but it would not surprise me.  They said they run the reports.  As bookings are coded with a code for refunds and no code for a 125% FCC and a separate code for cancel under the cruise with confidence it would make sense that they pull all that at once and process it at the same time. 

Thank you for responding. My cruise was March 22 and was cancelled in the first wave of Royal cancellations. I’m sure they are backlogged with all those cancellations.

[twins_to_alaska]

I canceled May 16 cruise on March 11th. I haven't gotten anything yet. I called and was told they credited my card for the 50% and cruise planner purchases a week ago. They verified the amount and the last 4 digits. I'm not sure I believe them though. I had canceled the cruise planner items shortly before I canceled the cruise and they unfortunately lumped all together in one refund.

 

Edited April 4, 2020 by twins_to_alaska

[Strongbox]

9 hours ago, TRUEBLUE66 said:

We had our cruise on the Quantum cancelled in February for the March sailing and the full refund came through within 2 weeks. We then booked the Jewel from Dubai for March instead and this was also cancelled nearly 4 weeks ago.

I have been onto them in the past week and firstly got told the funds had been sent but rejected by my c.c. provider.

I contacted c.c. provider and they checked and no attempt made, nothing rejected and no issues with the card as far as they knew. Refunds from other providers have arrived no problem on the card.

Phoned RC back yesterday and got a different story but that funds had been sent back to card 2 days ago. Still nothing.

Will give it a couple of days. 

Trying to be reasonable in these difficult times but that only stretches so far. 

 

I was also on the Jewel in March that was cancelled so your answer gives me an idea when to expect a refund.

[Iamcruzin]

10 hours ago, compman9 said:

The Royal Cheerleaders seem to be a bit quiet on these boards all of a sudden

 

Revolting behaviour from the cruiseline

 

You should have a refund the day you cancel - There is absolutely no excuse for them to take 30-90 days to refund you your own money

Under normal circumstances yes. When you are borrowing from Peter to pay Paul, be happy if you see it at all.

 

P.S. The cheerleaders most likely took the FCC deal. 

[Desert Cruizers]

We were on our Southern Caribbean cruise from San Juan, March 8th to 15 then would have continued with the March 15th to 22nd however, we learned the morning we would have returned to SJ, on the 15th, that the 2nd sailing was cancelled. SJ closed its Ports. I received a final notice on the cancelled excursions yesterday so hoping to see the Credit back on two CC's in another week or two. I keep checking. The cruise portion itself will go back to the daughter & I as we shared the cost yet I will get the deposit back plus my cost. 

[psujmatt]

I’m definitely regretting using a big online agent.  No responses from them at all. Have around $7000 in cancelled cruise plus deposits over the next two years.  Want to get some of that back especially as some are on Allure from Galveston (not happening it seems). 
 

Also can’t believe Royal can’t do refunds more automatically on ones they cancelled.  Not even email confirmation yet! It really seems they don’t want to refund money or can’t despite credit lines they drew. 
 

If travel agent and royal both continue to do nothing, when is it worth seeing if credit card company protest/refund route works?

[Desert Cruizers]

20 minutes ago, psujmatt said:

I’m definitely regretting using a big online agent.  No responses from them at all. Have around $7000 in cancelled cruise plus deposits over the next two years.  Want to get some of that back especially as some are on Allure from Galveston (not happening it seems). 
 

Also can’t believe Royal can’t do refunds more automatically on ones they cancelled.  Not even email confirmation yet! It really seems they don’t want to refund money or can’t despite credit lines they drew. 
 

If travel agent and royal both continue to do nothing, when is it worth seeing if credit card company protest/refund route works?

I use a small local TA, with 3 people. Anyone of them will step up and assist in bookings if the primary TA is out of the Office or busy. I have used them for 18 years and while I may not get the big OBC their honesty is more important. I know they will look out for their bookings. 

[parrotfeathers]

I sure feel for all of you waiting on refunds.  All I have is a measly $200 NRD for 2 people (4 night Oasis).  I know I won't get any of that back.   Always wondered what Oasis would be like.  Guess I will continue to wonder.  Hope all of your monies are refunded finally.  It's just a mess.

[AZsunluvr]

I'm still getting cruise documents as if my May 3rd cruise were still going forward. I'm guessing they don't have the IT people in place to handle all the changes necessary.

[JillK]

2 hours ago, AZsunluvr said:

I'm still getting cruise documents as if my May 3rd cruise were still going forward. I'm guessing they don't have the IT people in place to handle all the changes necessary.

Yeah, my husband was really getting a kick out of our Royal app notifications that we had a dinner booked or a reserved show in half an hour while we were sitting in our family room. If you are on that app, you may very well get those notifications as well! 

[robandana]

We have decided to receive a full refund on 4 of our cancelled cruises. The first 2 got cancelled 2 weeks ago and our TA handled the cancelation and told us 30 days for the refund. The other 2 came a few days later and I handled them myself right from the cancelation email Royal sent, filled out the online form and at the end it said we would receive our refund 30 days from this date...Hopping this will happen...

 

I too am worried that in the end Royal will run out of money....2-3 Billion bucks only goes so far!

 

[ATC cruiser]

We have decided to receive a full refund on 4 of our cancelled cruises. The first 2 got cancelled 2 weeks ago and our TA handled the cancelation and told us 30 days for the refund. The other 2 came a few days later and I handled them myself right from the cancelation email Royal sent, filled out the online form and at the end it said we would receive our refund 30 days from this date...Hopping this will happen...
 
I too am worried that in the end Royal will run out of money....2-3 Billion bucks only goes so far!
 

So does 2 trillion🤯


Aft Cabins Rule

[frito58]

Reading all of this makes me think even more they are weighing their options to just file Bankruptcy and just stick all of us with trying to get out money back from our CC companies.  We will see in 90 days or so. 

[ano]

1 hour ago, frito58 said:

Reading all of this makes me think even more they are weighing their options to just file Bankruptcy and just stick all of us with trying to get out money back from our CC companies.  We will see in 90 days or so. 

Refunds take over a month, but reserve a cruise and your credit card will be charged in a matter of seconds. 

[SNJCruisers]

On 4/3/2020 at 11:46 PM, ReneeFLL said:

 We also used some FCC that we were given because they had cancelled our Indy cruise on us last year.

Since you redeemed a FCC, did you have to book your new cruise the same exact way?  Meaning if you went through RCI directly  you had to use them again or use the same TA on cruise 2 that you used on cruise 1.  Thanks

[TravelMadBrits]

Hi. I was due on Jewel on 16th March (from UK). I had booked a package with them inc flights and transfers. This morning I can see a full refund has gone in of everything including an excursion which I cancelled a week before Royal pulled the cruise. Everything is credited separately but the total is right.

That’s  taken 3 weeks to come through. I wasn’t sure if we were getting FCC, cash or a mix as we had 3 emails for each scenario... I think EU package holiday rules meant £ only refund. 

I’m sure everyone will get sorted, it’s just a long wait. 

[theaden]

March 9th we opted for the CWC program and cancelled our March 12th Independence sailing which included a refreshment package for 1 passenger. We were told that a refund for taxes and port charges as well as the refreshment package would take 7-10 business days. Received FCC's for cruise fare on March 18th and finally received refund credit to my Celebrity CC today.

[twins_to_alaska]

20 hours ago, twins_to_alaska said:

I canceled May 16 cruise on March 11th.

Just got my refunds for my 4 cruise planner purchases and 50% of my cruise fare this morning back to my credit card.

[Desert Cruizers]

I am still waiting on the refunds to show up on our cancelled March 15th sailing.We were doing a B2b and learned our 2nd week was lost the morning we should have returned to San Juan but had been diverted to Miami when SJ closed their port. This will include the excursions for the 2nd week

[Ned11]

I cancelled by cruise on Thursday 2nd April for my cruise on the 19th April. I was told this will take 45-60 days to appear. 

I cancelled my flight with Virgin Atlantic and that can take up 100 days!!!

[Cruising Grandma 13]

I cancelled my Cruise Planner purchases for a June 21st cruise on March 13th.  The credits appeared on my credit card one week later.  My TA cancelled my cruise on March 14th.  All of my credits for the cruise appeared on my credit card today, except for the deposits on my three rooms, which will come in the form of a FCC.  Those normally take 30 days to receive.  

[ReneeFLL]

10 hours ago, SNJCruisers said:

Since you redeemed a FCC, did you have to book your new cruise the same exact way?  Meaning if you went through RCI directly  you had to use them again or use the same TA on cruise 2 that you used on cruise 1.  Thanks

We booked directly with Royal both times.

[bonsai3s]

12 hours ago, ano said:

Refunds take over a month, but reserve a cruise and your credit card will be charged in a matter of seconds. 

 

Exactly!

We said the same thing to our TA and RCCL and all they did was laughed...and agreed.

They take it quick but take time to return it...now getting suspicious we may not see the refunds.

 

And did they just move the goalpost?

 

We cancelled our family sailings on the Allure (May 31, June 7, and June 14 sailings) on March 8, 2020 under the "Cruise with Confidence" policy.  We were told the refunds and FCC's will take 7-10 days.

 

Then we were told it would be 30 days.

 

Then last Friday, we were told: "Yes, it would be 30 days...but from the dates of your sailings".

 

Really???????

 

[Desert Cruizers]

8 minutes ago, bonsai3s said:

 

Exactly!

We said the same thing to our TA and RCCL and all they did was laughed...and agreed.

They take it quick but take time to return it...now getting suspicious we may not see the refunds.

 

And did they just move the goalpost?

 

We cancelled our family sailings on the Allure (May 31, June 7, and June 14 sailings) on March 8, 2020 under the "Cruise with Confidence" policy.  We were told the refunds and FCC's will take 7-10 days.

 

Then we were told it would be 30 days.

 

Then last Friday, we were told: "Yes, it would be 30 days...but from the dates of your sailings".

 

Really???????

 

My TA told me if i didn't see anything by 30 days to let her know so 30 days would be April 15th