A refund success story

[papa B me]

There have been a number of threads/posts questioning whether NCL would be able to refund money on cancelled cruises with no revenue. Other’s emphatically saying bankruptcy is looming. All of that could happen but no one really has any idea what the future holds.  But in this time of anxiety and uncertainty I thought I would post my experience. I had a cruise booked in a DOS for January on the Epic that I had paid in full for over 15k. After agonizing for weeks over the decision I decided a week ago yesterday to cancel both cruises I have booked and start over when things get back to some sense of normal. I dreaded making the call as I was expecting hours of hold time. To my surprise there was an immediate answer. The call was incredibly pleasant and professional. Took all of 5 min to cancel and request a refund. I was told 7-10 days. I thought that was a bit optimistic. But the full refund appeared on my credit card yesterday after 7 days. I don’t know what the future holds but based on my experience some of the over the top pessimistic predictions are a bit premature. Good luck to all who have been cancelled or are considering cancelling 

[js]

Happy to hear and thanks for posting. 
 

My final payment for our two Haven suites for August 9 on Encore was to be April 11. I was going to roll the dice figuring I would just rebook if they canceled, but like you, handing over more than $15K for a cruise Im not sure will be sailing didnt seem too responsible. 
 

I canceled on Tuesday and on Friday my two FCCs were back in my account. I am now waiting on pre purchased OBC and my deposit to be credited. Im preparing for it to be a few months, and anything sooner Ill be happy. I was happy to see my FCCs. 
 

If the cruises start sailing, Ill just rebook for August.

 

Hope you find a new cruise to sail. Im booked on MSC Seaside in YC for February and would like to move our two cabins but the YC is almost sold out. 
 

Stay safe from New York!

[njhorseman]

1 hour ago, papa B me said:

There have been a number of threads/posts questioning whether NCL would be able to refund money on cancelled cruises with no revenue. Other’s emphatically saying bankruptcy is looming. All of that could happen but no one really has any idea what the future holds.  But in this time of anxiety and uncertainty I thought I would post my experience. I had a cruise booked in a DOS for January on the Epic that I had paid in full for over 15k. After agonizing for weeks over the decision I decided a week ago yesterday to cancel both cruises I have booked and start over when things get back to some sense of normal. I dreaded making the call as I was expecting hours of hold time. To my surprise there was an immediate answer. The call was incredibly pleasant and professional. Took all of 5 min to cancel and request a refund. I was told 7-10 days. I thought that was a bit optimistic. But the full refund appeared on my credit card yesterday after 7 days. I don’t know what the future holds but based on my experience some of the over the top pessimistic predictions are a bit premature. Good luck to all who have been cancelled or are considering cancelling 

Glad you had a good experience, but the concerns about cash availability and bankruptcy are not about today and never were, they're about weathering the storm as this stretches on for many months. The cruise lines have obtained financing to cover their short term needs, but a few months from now the picture may not be as rosy.

Edited April 5, 2020 by njhorseman

[Newleno]

1 hour ago, js said:

Happy to hear and thanks for posting. 
 

My final payment for our two Haven suites for August 9 on Encore was to be April 11. I was going to roll the dice figuring I would just rebook if they canceled, but like you, handing over more than $15K for a cruise Im not sure will be sailing didnt seem too responsible. 
 

I canceled on Tuesday and on Friday my two FCCs were back in my account. I am now waiting on pre purchased OBC and my deposit to be credited. Im preparing for it to be a few months, and anything sooner Ill be happy. I was happy to see my FCCs. 
 

If the cruises start sailing, Ill just rebook for August.

 

Hope you find a new cruise to sail. Im booked on MSC Seaside in YC for February and would like to move our two cabins but the YC is almost sold out. 
 

Stay safe from New York!

Just so others know, FCC is future cruise credit not a cash refund

[Cruisin MarcnFran]

Wait....you received a cash refund for a cruise you had booked for January...

that hasn’t been canceled by NCL ? Someone has to explain this to me. We canceled and were only offered a FCC. 

Edited April 5, 2020 by Cruisin MarcnFran

[njhorseman]

20 minutes ago, Cruisin MarcnFran said:

Wait....you received a cash refund for a cruise you had booked for January...

that hasn’t been canceled by NCL ? Someone has to explain this to me. We canceled and were only offered a FCC. 

The cruise must be for next January, not this past January. Obviously you can't cancel a cruise from this past January in April, months after the cruise would have sailed.

Edited April 5, 2020 by njhorseman

[Waquoit]

24 minutes ago, Cruisin MarcnFran said:

Wait....you received a cash refund for a cruise you had booked for January...

that hasn’t been canceled by NCL ? Someone has to explain this to me. We canceled and were only offered a FCC. 

He didn't get a refund. He got FCC returned to his account. It's apples and oranges from what we're dealing with. The actual cash he paid has not been returned yet.  I call shenanigans on the original poster. This is clearly not a "refund success story."

[Cruisin MarcnFran]

2 minutes ago, Waquoit said:

He didn't get a refund. He got FCC returned to his account. It's apples and oranges from what we're dealing with. The actual cash he paid has not been returned yet.  I call shenanigans on the original poster. This is clearly not a "refund success story."

 

If you read the OP’s full post...stated that they received their full refund on their credit card.

[JillK]

Sounds like the OP had made full payment for a cruise in January 2021 well ahead of final payment and thus is entitled to 100% of his money back. 

 

With final payment due 120 days prior to the cruise, it would be due sometime in September I would assume.

Edited April 5, 2020 by JillK

[Waquoit]

15 minutes ago, Cruisin MarcnFran said:

 

If you read the OP’s full post...stated that they received their full refund on their credit card.

Sorry, my bad. For some reason I read the 2nd post and didn't scroll all the way up. 

[julig22]

21 minutes ago, Waquoit said:

He didn't get a refund. He got FCC returned to his account. It's apples and oranges from what we're dealing with. The actual cash he paid has not been returned yet.  I call shenanigans on the original poster. This is clearly not a "refund success story."

Read again. OP said " But the full refund appeared on my credit card yesterday after 7 days. "

Might want to ascribe your answers to the correct post.

[Cruisin MarcnFran]

14 minutes ago, JillK said:

Sounds like the OP had made full payment for a cruise in January 2021 well ahead of final payment and thus is entitled to 100% of his money back. 

 

With final payment due 120 days prior to the cruise, it would be due sometime in September I would assume.

 

Thanks.....sounds as good as any other explanation. 

[JimS4210]

So does this mean people are getting cash refunds for cruises that are months away and haven't been cancelled by NCL? I have a cruise booked Dec 2020 on the Escape and put down the $1500 deposit back in the beginning of January. I haven't done anything since I figured they'd just offer me FCC and jack up the prices of future cruises. But if I can call and cancel the cruise and get the money put back on my credit card, that's definitely my preference. If it takes 7-10 days, 30 days, 60 or 90 days, as long as I get my deposit back, I'm good. Am I reading this right or are they just offering FCC if you cancel an upcoming cruise? Thanks!

 

Jim

 

 

 

 

Edited April 5, 2020 by JimS4210

[julig22]

11 minutes ago, JimS4210 said:

So does this mean people are getting cash refunds for cruises that are months away and haven't been cancelled by NCL? I have a cruise booked Dec 2020 on the Escape and put down the $1500 deposit back in the beginning of January. I haven't done anything since I figured they'd just offer me FCC and jack up the prices of future cruises. But if I can call and cancel the cruise and get the money put back on my credit card, that's definitely my preference. If it takes 7-10 days, 30 days, 60 or 90 days, as long as I get my deposit back, I'm good. Am I reading this right or are they just offering FCC if you cancel an upcoming cruise? Thanks!

 

Jim

 

As far as anyone seems to know, you can still cancel as always for a refund as long as it's before final payment.  FCC or reduced refund if you cancel after the final payment deadline.

[Lionkingrichard]

Why pay in full for a cruise that is a year away?

[JimS4210]

2 minutes ago, julig22 said:

As far as anyone seems to know, you can still cancel as always for a refund as long as it's before final payment.  FCC or reduced refund if you cancel after the final payment deadline.

Good to know. I'll try calling NCL tomorrow for a full refund and report back on how it went.

 

Jim

[IrieBajan54]

The OP made me check my cc account. I got a refund also but for 4 CruiseNext. I bought them on March 5th. Called the CruiseNext Dept for a refund on March 23rd which was well with the 30 day deadline. Credit posted on my cc April 2nd which is within 10 days.

 

Thank You NCL!

Edited April 5, 2020 by IrieBajan54
format

[papa B me]

As the OP I’ll clarify a couple of the questions and comments:

#1. The cruise was January 2021

#2. It was paid in full for my own reasons

#3. I cancelled under the normal provisions of the contract

#4. It was a cash refund and credited to the credit card used to pay

My only reason for posting was to say they actually are giving cash refunds to bring a bit of hope to those waiting or considering cancelling. 

[Waquoit]

3 hours ago, julig22 said:

Read again. OP said " But the full refund appeared on my credit card yesterday after 7 days. "

Might want to ascribe your answers to the correct post.

I made a mea culpa before your chastisement. Would a second make you feel better?

[julig22]

4 minutes ago, Waquoit said:

I made a mea culpa before your chastisement. Would a second make you feel better?

If you look at the time line I posted my comment at 10:20, you at 10:19.  Technology ain't that fast that your post would appear as I was hitting the send button.  Enuf said.

[Waquoit]

19 minutes ago, julig22 said:

If you look at the time line I posted my comment at 10:20, you at 10:19.  Technology ain't that fast that your post would appear as I was hitting the send button.  Enuf said.

So you were just piling on. Got it!

[Gershep]

Glad to hear you got your refund within a short time.

[CruzR887]

Jade March 18th cruise cancelled March 13. Called and asked for a cash refund. 7-10 biz days they say. Day 10 I called and was told 14-biz days. Day 14 I called and they say up to 60 days. Today full amount refund shows up on my credit card but it was dated March 31. It took Chase until today to credit the account. 

 

So refunds do happen. Hang in there.

[TPgal]

We cancelled a direct booked and pre-final payment August cruise in late February and the refund came within 3 business days.  We did this to rebook via our TA.   Sadly, we cancelled the new reservation altogether on 3/27 - we are still waiting on the refund of the deposit.  

 

I won't call it a success until the deposit is credited back to our credit card.  

 

At no point did anyone suggest or offer FCC for this reservation and I'm thankful for that.  I want to cruise again, but not sure when that will work with schedules.  

[babydaryl24]

I cancelled on 3/10  before Peace of Mind went into effect. I took a 20% hit... which I bartered for in an email with Katty Byrd and Harry Sommer.... (I should have waited).........

 

It still has not hit. It still is pending. Today is 21 business days.