CRUISE REFUND RECEIVED

[PhotographyDave]

Was supposed to be cruising on Iona with 3 other adults in September. It's been cancelled by P&O many many months, but still no sign of a refund (4 adults, 1 booking, 2 rooms, 1 payment up front on credit card) even though i asked for one.

 

Lord knows i'd like to enjoy my refund, but who knows when? i may have to go in heavy to them with 7 days notice, then credit card company on charge back unless i get it.

 

Not pleased!

[staygulf]

1 minute ago, PhotographyDave said:

Was supposed to be cruising on Iona with 3 other adults in September. It's been cancelled by P&O many many months, but still no sign of a refund (4 adults, 1 booking, 2 rooms, 1 payment up front on credit card) even though i asked for one.

 

Lord knows i'd like to enjoy my refund, but who knows when? i may have to go in heavy to them with 7 days notice, then credit card company on charge back unless i get it.

 

Not pleased!

Send them a 7 day notice before action detailing the whole series of events including your communications. It worked for me. Got a refund 6 days later. 

[funinhounslow]

On 10/1/2020 at 8:20 AM, Harry Peterson said:

Meanwhile, however, a full refund has now been made by Halifax under chargeback. Why everyone using cards for payment doesn’t do the same escapes me.

I considered this but wouldn’t chargeback claw the money back from from the TA rather than P&O (assuming one didn’t book direct)?
 

I am loath to do this - this isn’t the TA’s fault, and don’t see why they should be inconvenienced. I will carry on waiting...

[Harry Peterson]

6 minutes ago, funinhounslow said:

I considered this but wouldn’t chargeback claw the money back from from the TA rather than P&O (assuming one didn’t book direct)?
 

I am loath to do this - this isn’t the TA’s fault, and don’t see why they should be inconvenienced. I will carry on waiting...

Agents pass the money straight to P&O, less commission, and that commission won’t be earned anyway. In many cases, in fact, payments go direct to P&O.

 

Agents lose nothing whatever by the use of chargeback and S75 procedures, and it’s the simplest, most effective method to obtain refunds due from P&O which are legally due within 14 days.

[funinhounslow]

OK thanks. I didn’t know this and didn’t want to cause the TA hassle unnecessarily. 
 

I have used chargeback once before (when a TA went bust funnily enough) and it was a painless procedure. 
 

I won’t go down that route just yet but it is worth bearing in mind. 
 

Thanks. 

[Glenndale]

5 hours ago, funinhounslow said:

I considered this but wouldn’t chargeback claw the money back from from the TA rather than P&O (assuming one didn’t book direct)?
 

I am loath to do this - this isn’t the TA’s fault, and don’t see why they should be inconvenienced. I will carry on waiting...

Are you sure that it isn’t the TA’s fault?

My refund was returned to the TA approx 10 weeks after I requested a refund but the TA held onto it for another 12 weeks and that was over 6 weeks after initiating a chargeback.

[Showingthatgame]

Day 161 of my refund request.

 

Having had p&o send my check to the wrong address twice... And a bank transfer promised which for some reason might take 14 days to clear I've had enough.

 

I also have a promise of a phone call back tomorrow so I would like to go into that well informed. Unfortunately I paid via debit card via a TA so I don't suppose anyone has had any experience in the small claims court with p&o over refunds? 

[Harry Peterson]

2 minutes ago, Showingthatgame said:

Day 161 of my refund request.

 

Having had p&o send my check to the wrong address twice... And a bank transfer promised which for some reason might take 14 days to clear I've had enough.

 

I also have a promise of a phone call back tomorrow so I would like to go into that well informed. Unfortunately I paid via debit card via a TA so I don't suppose anyone has had any experience in the small claims court with p&o over refunds? 

I doubt you need court action. Even a debit card gives you chargeback rights under the Visa and Mastercard rules. Contact your bank with the facts and a claim.

[Showingthatgame]

Just now, Harry Peterson said:

I doubt you need court action. Even a debit card gives you chargeback rights under the Visa and Mastercard rules. Contact your bank with the facts and a claim.

Oh right, I didn't believe debit cards fell under the section 75 protections. Thanks for the advice.

[AnnieC]

1 minute ago, Showingthatgame said:

Oh right, I didn't believe debit cards fell under the section 75 protections. Thanks for the advice.

S75 is a legal requirement and is backed by legislation. Chargeback is a voluntary agreement by the banks (it's a bit more complex than that, but won't bore you).

 

I've used chargeback a couple of times and never had a problem.

[grapau27]

3 minutes ago, AnnieC said:

S75 is a legal requirement and is backed by legislation. Chargeback is a voluntary agreement by the banks (it's a bit more complex than that, but won't bore you).

 

I've used chargeback a couple of times and never had a problem.

We used chargeback with our M&S MasterCard against Flybe when they went bust.

[Dermotsgirl]

6 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

We used chargeback with our M&S MasterCard against Flybe when they went bust.

I got my deposit back from a CMV cruise via my M&S credit card. It was all done online and I got the refund within about 9 days 

 

(it was S75 though)

Edited October 6, 2020 by Dermotsgirl

[Harry Peterson]

16 minutes ago, Showingthatgame said:

Oh right, I didn't believe debit cards fell under the section 75 protections. Thanks for the advice.

Not S75, I'm afraid, but chargeback.  Not legally backed, and dependent on Mastercard or Visa, but still usually effective.  More so in a way, because the bank simply recovers the money from the merchant.

[Harry Peterson]

Amex too - forgot to add that.  The downside is that chargebacks can be challenged by merchants, so you then up with the bank making the decision.  S75 is statutory and less risky, so a credit card is always a better payment option.

 

This might help:

 

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/reclaim/visa-mastercard-chargeback/

[Windsurfboy]

Sites like moneysavingexpert reccomend you always use credit card for everything,  you get protection from not only faulty  goods ,  bankruptcy but also scams , and even dodgy websites. If they don't take a credit card I go elsewhere. That is why I would never use the Eskimo house travel agent who insist on debit card. 

[majortom10]

I once had a rogue payment invoice to Amazon when I had never purchased anything. When to my bank and saw somebody there and he sorted everything and his advise was never buy anything online or large purchase with anything other than a credit card. He said it might cost you extra, because then it was legal to charge a commission for using a credit card, but he said it was worth it and treat it as insurance. Fortunately now it is illegal to charge commission and I never buy anything online or items over £100 with anything else but my credit card.

[grapau27]

8 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I once had a rogue payment invoice to Amazon when I had never purchased anything. When to my bank and saw somebody there and he sorted everything and his advise was never buy anything online or large purchase with anything other than a credit card. He said it might cost you extra, because then it was legal to charge a commission for using a credit card, but he said it was worth it and treat it as insurance. Fortunately now it is illegal to charge commission and I never buy anything online or items over £100 with anything else but my credit card.

Same here.

[Harry Peterson]

6 minutes ago, majortom10 said:

I once had a rogue payment invoice to Amazon when I had never purchased anything. When to my bank and saw somebody there and he sorted everything and his advise was never buy anything online or large purchase with anything other than a credit card. He said it might cost you extra, because then it was legal to charge a commission for using a credit card, but he said it was worth it and treat it as insurance. Fortunately now it is illegal to charge commission and I never buy anything online or items over £100 with anything else but my credit card.

Absolutely. And since most of the delayed refunds here will involve credit card payments, it’s difficult to understand why the people affected haven’t simply asked their banks to pay under S75.

 

Even debit cards are covered by Amex/Visa/MasterCard schemes, and it’s highly likely that they’ll make the refunds too and reclaim from the company.

 

Simple enough - no refund from your cruise company, claim from your bank. They in turn will get it from the cruise company, and they have more clout than mere customers!

[No pager thank you]

An update:

1) I submitted a refund request on the day that P&O announced the suspension.

2) Like others, I received the cancellation invoice on the 25th September.

 

The refund has not followed, even within the 7-10 days of the cancellation invoice.  No other communication from the company.  For confirmation, 14 days is not being met for current cruise cancellations, it's not just a "legacy issue," with the infamous "refund spreadsheet."

 

There is no logic to it, as this was a direct booking on a single, remaining active credit card. I was booked on exactly the same cruise as another poster who has been refunded a couple of weeks ago, who also applied on the same date.

 

Outcome:

Section 75 claim (again) lodged against P&O.

 

Advice:

1) Don't bother contacting them. 

2) Don't waste any of your time trying to get through to customer service.  From experience, they are a waste of time and will not speak to you, no matter how courteous, diligent and patient you are.  This is even if you request a conversation in writing.

3) Don't email the top brass, or their assistants, equally a waste of time.

 

Just let the 14 days expire and then, immediately, go either for a chargeback (debit card) or section 75 (credit card) and let the company foot the bill.  Goods or service not provided, legal obligation not complied with, straightforward.

 

Lastly, think very carefully about giving them (particularly) any large amount of money.  Many of the cruise companies have come out badly for customer service and reputation - P&O are one of them.  This includes pre-registration for Summer 2022.

[grapau27]

9 minutes ago, No pager thank you said:

An update:

1) I submitted a refund request on the day that P&O announced the suspension.

2) Like others, I received the cancellation invoice on the 25th September.

 

The refund has not followed, even within the 7-10 days of the cancellation invoice.  No other communication from the company.  For confirmation, 14 days is not being met for current cruise cancellations, it's not just a "legacy issue," with the infamous "refund spreadsheet."

 

There is no logic to it, as this was a direct booking on a single, remaining active credit card. I was booked on exactly the same cruise as another poster who has been refunded a couple of weeks ago, who also applied on the same date.

 

Outcome:

Section 75 claim (again) lodged against P&O.

 

Advice:

1) Don't bother contacting them. 

2) Don't waste any of your time trying to get through to customer service.  From experience, they are a waste of time and will not speak to you, no matter how courteous, diligent and patient you are.  This is even if you request a conversation in writing.

3) Don't email the top brass, or their assistants, equally a waste of time.

 

Just let the 14 days expire and then, immediately, go either for a chargeback (debit card) or section 75 (credit card) and let the company foot the bill.  Goods or service not provided, legal obligation not complied with, straightforward.

 

Lastly, think very carefully about giving them (particularly) any large amount of money.  Many of the cruise companies have come out badly for customer service and reputation - P&O are one of them.  This includes pre-registration for Summer 2022.

Please let us know how long it takes for your S75 to come to fruition.

I am waiting for our deposit back for February 20th 2021 Iona cancellation and already had our cancellation invoice.

Graham.

[terrierjohn]

47 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Please let us know how long it takes for your S75 to come to fruition.

I am waiting for our deposit back for February 20th 2021 Iona cancellation and already had our cancellation invoice.

Graham.

Still waiting for our cancellation invoice for the same cruise Graham, I did a test booking to see if they had ignored my refund request and converted it into an FCC, but still only seeing our FCC for the September cancelled cruise.

[No pager thank you]

57 minutes ago, grapau27 said:

Please let us know how long it takes for your S75 to come to fruition.

I am waiting for our deposit back for February 20th 2021 Iona cancellation and already had our cancellation invoice.

Graham.

No problem Graham will keep you posted

[molecrochip]

1 hour ago, No pager thank you said:

An update:

1) I submitted a refund request on the day that P&O announced the suspension.

2) Like others, I received the cancellation invoice on the 25th September.

 

The refund has not followed, even within the 7-10 days of the cancellation invoice.  No other communication from the company.  For confirmation, 14 days is not being met for current cruise cancellations, it's not just a "legacy issue," with the infamous "refund spreadsheet."

 

There is no logic to it, as this was a direct booking on a single, remaining active credit card. I was booked on exactly the same cruise as another poster who has been refunded a couple of weeks ago, who also applied on the same date.

I'm so sorry. I wish I could explain it but I can't. This makes the company look silly.

[grapau27]

18 minutes ago, No pager thank you said:

No problem Graham will keep you posted

Thank you.

[grapau27]

30 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

Still waiting for our cancellation invoice for the same cruise Graham, I did a test booking to see if they had ignored my refund request and converted it into an FCC, but still only seeing our FCC for the September cancelled cruise.

Just checked John.

Our cancellation invoice was sent from P&O by email on September 25th.