Vendors Refused to Refund Cancelled Excursions

[botbien]

I contacted the vendors to request for a cancellation of the excursions and requested for refunds since we are way out side of the penalty window for cancellation. However, one vendor suggested to issue a future voucher/ gift card and another said to put me on a list of people who requested for refund. 

 

At this point, we don’t know when we would take a vacation to Alaska, so I respectfully asked for a refund of our prepayments and an estimate timeline when I would receive the refunds. Following up with both vendors twice, but none have responded. These excursions are expensive especially the bear viewing, a few hundred dollars per person. 
 

I understand that these businesses are impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. But so is my family.  We prepaid thousands of dollars for our trip, the invoice says we can cancel up to 30 days for a full refund less 5% processing fees. But now they don’t want to refund us. 
 

Anyone has experienced any issues with your cancellations/ refunds?  Not sure what my bank could do in this case. 
 

[donaldsc]

When are the excursions?   They are dealing w a lot of stuff and if your excursions are a way off, they may be working on the ones that are closer first.

 

DON

[ceb65]

I also ask to cancel an excursion for September, and was told they were working on May cancellations, and it would be awhile until they got to it. I was also offered to use it as future credit for up to three years at the guarantied price. I still plan to go to Alaska, hopefully next year, so I chose the future credit. I am still working and figure they will need it more than me. I chose to cancel my cruise because I am not playing the waiting game, and I since our cruise was late Sept, I wasn't past the pay off date and may be able to get an earlier date for my vacation next year.

[mtu_huskies]

Sounds like they’re working on more near term cancellations. But at the end of the day you should get your refund. Try some empathy but if you get to a point of non-returned calls or frustration you may have to take to trip advisor or the like. Excursions rely on reviews and more specially good reviews if other cruisers are going to book with them. You might speed up the process that way to get their attention. 

[rkacruiser]

1 hour ago, mtu_huskies said:

Try some empathy but if you get to a point of non-returned calls or frustration you may have to take to trip advisor or the like. Excursions rely on reviews and more specially good reviews if other cruisers are going to book with them. You might speed up the process that way to get their attention. 

 

I respectfully disagree with this statement.  It's too early in "this game" to try to bring out the "heavy artillery" with an attempt to try to "shame" or "discredit" them to get your refund.  Be patient.  In a previous situation similar to this, my travel group worked with the vendor to get our refund.  It took several months.  But, eventually, the gentleman was able to make all of us whole.   

[mtu_huskies]

2 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I respectfully disagree with this statement.  It's too early in "this game" to try to bring out the "heavy artillery" with an attempt to try to "shame" or "discredit" them to get your refund.  Be patient.  In a previous situation similar to this, my travel group worked with the vendor to get our refund.  It took several months.  But, eventually, the gentleman was able to make all of us whole.   

I said use empathy but eventually it may get to that point. I never said blast them tomorrow.  Personally to me months is too long of a time frame to get a refund. If my August AK cruise is cancelled, I think a few weeks is reasonable for me to get my seaplane excursion refund. Maybe I’ll give them more time with these unique circumstances, but longer than that is unreasonable to keep my money when I’ve given notice that I will not be using your services and am cancelling under the  agreed to terms.

[rkacruiser]

9 minutes ago, mtu_huskies said:

I said use empathy but eventually it may get to that point. I never said blast them tomorrow.  Personally to me months is too long of a time frame to get a refund. If my August AK cruise is cancelled, I think a few weeks is reasonable for me to get my seaplane excursion refund. Maybe I’ll give them more time with these unique circumstances, but longer than that is unreasonable to keep my money when I’ve given notice that I will not be using your services and am cancelling under the  agreed to terms.

 

I respect your opinion.  I understand your frustration and your desire to have those $$ back in your bank account.  I did as well in my situation that I mentioned.  

 

If there was ever a time in this great country of ours that "We, the People" need to take a somewhat longer view than from ourselves, it is now.  Will the delay of that refund mean no bread on your table tomorrow?  If the vendor needs to "save cash" to keep bread on his family's table right now, depriving them to satisfy your "needs":  that's an opinion that I don't understand.  

 

This is a time that all but the oldest among us who lived during the Great Depression experienced.  They learned how to cope.  We will as well.  But, it is going to take patience.  It's going to take far more time, I fear, than anyone of us would like for what we considered to be normality to exist once again.  

[Italy52]

All the vendors I have dealt with have either returned my money or transferred the funds to my cruise tour next year.  Do you have cruise insurance that you can file a claim with for the funds? 

 

Care to share the name of your vendors?

[compozer]

I am still waiting for $2000 to be returned from a Alaskan private boat excursion that I canceled 3 weeks ago.  I don't plan to bug them yet.  I also am waiting for Princess to return money from their excursions I booked.   I need to go through all my charge card receipts for the past nine months because I booked them ages ago but since the cruise is not showing on my personalizer, I am not sure how much I paid between FCC's and my credit card.   I print off private excursion info when I receive emails but I rely on my personalizer for Princess tour info.     I normally don't book excursions as early as I did for this trip but we wanted our grown kids to do some neat tours and people kept saying "book early or you will be out of luck".    Seems that more and more companies are starting to require full payment when you book.     My heart goes out to the people in Alaska with everything canceled 

 

[mommylove]

I was just denied getting my bus trip reimbursed from Seward to Anchorage - they replied they are going bankrupt and to contact my credit card to get reimbursed.  I booked with them because of their 100% refund guarantee.  I booked directly with them.

[compozer]

Mimmylove,  sorry to hear that.  I did get my refund for our boat excursion the beginning of May.  But the company going bankrupt was always in the back of my mind.   I just sent a deposit in for our Nov. South American cruise.   It was only $50 and I am little worried but it is not that much.  All of our other tours have stated that they will hold off asking for deposit until the cruise is a definite go.  I really do not want to pay any more deposits so hoping other companies follow this new policy of waiting until it is a positive go - but will they be?

[mommylove]

I was able to get reimbursement through my credit card this morning.  I did move my cruise to next summer, so I have moved my excursions that I have already booked too.  The bus transfer was my only denial for anything - refund or move date.  

[compozer]

Were you able to transfer Princess excursions ,  so your old payment was applied to next year's cruise?

[TeanneTX]

On 5/18/2020 at 7:31 PM, mommylove said:

I was just denied getting my bus trip reimbursed from Seward to Anchorage - they replied they are going bankrupt and to contact my credit card to get reimbursed.  I booked with them because of their 100% refund guarantee.  I booked directly with them.

I have the same issue with 2 tours I booked and paid for in Iceland.  Just got notification that they've gone bankrupt.  They were a very reputable tour company with excellent ratings.  Been in business for a long time.  I was out about $ 500.  Called my Visa company and they were very nice and they are dealing with a lot of these type of situations.  They gave me an immediate refund to my card for the total amount.  So you might want to just contact your CC company.

Teanne

[mommylove]

10 hours ago, compozer said:

Were you able to transfer Princess excursions ,  so your old payment was applied to next year's cruise?

 

I am on Celebrity, and my excursions were booked privateluy.  I took advantage of Celebrity's "lift and shift" where I could move my cruise to next year keeping all perks and OBC for no additional cost.

[mommylove]

8 hours ago, TeanneTX said:

I have the same issue with 2 tours I booked and paid for in Iceland.  Just got notification that they've gone bankrupt.  They were a very reputable tour company with excellent ratings.  Been in business for a long time.  I was out about $ 500.  Called my Visa company and they were very nice and they are dealing with a lot of these type of situations.  They gave me an immediate refund to my card for the total amount.  So you might want to just contact your CC company.

Teanne

 

Thanks.  I did contact my credit card company yesterday, and they did refund me.  I checked the tour company's website, and it was frustrating to see that they were still taking reservations, and offering full refunds, even though they would not be able to refund if requested.

[donaldsc]

9 hours ago, mommylove said:

 

Thanks.  I did contact my credit card company yesterday, and they did refund me.  I checked the tour company's website, and it was frustrating to see that they were still taking reservations, and offering full refunds, even though they would not be able to refund if requested.

 

Can you name the tour company?  Does CC allow you to name the tour company.  It might prevent some people from making a costly booking error.

 

DON

[mommylove]

I read the note for the forum, it looks like I can list the name of the vendor.  If not allowed, please delete.  It was through Anchorage Tours and Transfers.