How to get money returned from Princess. Any advice?

[heidikay]

I was on the Island Princess sailing 3/7/20.  With cancelled shore excursions that I had prepaid, returned port tax and more, Princess owes me over $400.  They said a check would be mailed refunding my money but I have not gotten it.  I tried calling and was told the only way to get a refund is to email but no one has responded.  What do I do?   

[dan4182]

4 minutes ago, heidikay said:

I was on the Island Princess sailing 3/7/20.  With cancelled shore excursions that I had prepaid, returned port tax and more, Princess owes me over $400.  They said a check would be mailed refunding my money but I have not gotten it.  I tried calling and was told the only way to get a refund is to email but no one has responded.  What do I do?   

You wait just like the rest of us.

 

My Wife and I have over $6K pre-paid on an Alaska cruise that was cancelled in March, it’s been almost 80 days since we opted for a full refund, no word yet.

 

Princess has not exactly covered themselves in glory on this issue!

[dog]

15 minutes ago, heidikay said:

I was on the Island Princess sailing 3/7/20.  With cancelled shore excursions that I had prepaid, returned port tax and more, Princess owes me over $400.  They said a check would be mailed refunding my money but I have not gotten it.  I tried calling and was told the only way to get a refund is to email but no one has responded.  What do I do?   

credit card dispute for refund of excursions or wait it out. 

[weedpindle]

Obviously you have not bothered to look thru many posts about the refund situation.

[Ombud]

38 minutes ago, heidikay said:

I was on the Island Princess sailing 3/7/20.  With cancelled shore excursions that I had prepaid, returned port tax and more, Princess owes me over $400.  They said a check would be mailed refunding my money but I have not gotten it.  I tried calling and was told the only way to get a refund is to email but no one has responded.  What do I do?   

Have you tried the online support request available on the ' contact us' ----> 'customer support and information' tab? I'm not sure if you can still email your requests in but you can attach supporting documentation on the 1st screenshot  .....

 

not sure if you can do it on the 2nd example

 

Edited May 25, 2020 by Ombud
Added 2nd example.

[PrincessLuver]

3 hours ago, heidikay said:

I was on the Island Princess sailing 3/7/20.  With cancelled shore excursions that I had prepaid, returned port tax and more, Princess owes me over $400.  They said a check would be mailed refunding my money but I have not gotten it.  I tried calling and was told the only way to get a refund is to email but no one has responded.  What do I do?   

 

A credit card dispute with a credit card company was successful for us and we received over $15,000 back this weekend.  Just gave up on Princess' empty promises regarding our refund.

Edited May 25, 2020 by PrincessLuver

[Roberto256]

19 minutes ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

A credit card dispute with a credit card company was successful for us and we received over $15,000 back this weekend.  Just gave up on Princess' empty promises regarding our refund.

 

Oh dear, I hope your travel agent's commission was protected, and that their agency didn't get a charge-back from Princess!!!

 

I'm joking.

 

All that matters is the customer getting their money back.   Any commission and charge back is between a travel agency and princess.

Not the customer's concern...

 

[heidikay]

Thank you!  I'm trying this.  

 

 

3 hours ago, Ombud said:

Have you tried the online support request available on the ' contact us' ----> 'customer support and information' tab? I'm not sure if you can still email your requests in but you can attach supporting documentation on the 1st screenshot  .....

 

not sure if you can do it on the 2nd example

 

 

[lesnpatty]

We did a credit card dispute on my Citi Costco card for 2 rooms, gratuities,excursions, and  wifi,  we had booked for Alaska Cruise. We got a conditional credit on our card  immediately. After 60 days Princess did not fight the dispute so the credits are now permanent. We had our Northern Lights cruise cancelled for October, we are waiting for the FCC to show up. We already booked the same cruise for 2021.

 

[Steelers36]

5 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Oh dear, I hope your travel agent's commission was protected, and that their agency didn't get a charge-back from Princess!!!

 

I'm joking.

 

All that matters is the customer getting their money back.   Any commission and charge back is between a travel agency and princess.

Not the customer's concern...

 

It's no joke for the TA!!  I have read that if a cruise booking is cancelled out this way, the TA loses the commission protection Princess put in place for fully-paid bookings affected by the Pauses.  I am not sure the veracity of that and whoever first posted it, what their source was.  

 

But reading your post makes me think.  The line of thinking among customers is that Princess is hoarding cash and trying to delay paying out customers as long as possible.  Perhaps they don't mind CC disputes if it saves them paying commission in some twisted way for fully-paid cruises.  They can tell the TA's to blame their clients for not being patient.  

 

It isn't like me to think of Princess in this way, so I would like this not to be true, but just sharing what popped into my head if one wants to think the devious worst at Princess HQ.

 

[Roberto256]

4 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

It's no joke for the TA!!  I have read that if a cruise booking is cancelled out this way, the TA loses the commission protection Princess put in place for fully-paid bookings affected by the Pauses.  I am not sure the veracity of that and whoever first posted it, what their source was.  

 

Travel Agents often say ... it doesn't cost you any more to use a travel agent, and it may cost you less.

And, that they are paid by the cruise line, not by the customer.

 

What ever the travel agent is paid ... in good times ... or in bad times ... is between the cruise line and the agent;

and is not the customers' concern.

 

If you really feel strongly ... when you get a refund from a credit-card dispute, you can always send 10-15% of

the amount to your travel agent.

 

[PrincessLuver]

13 hours ago, Roberto256 said:

 

Oh dear, I hope your travel agent's commission was protected, and that their agency didn't get a charge-back from Princess!!!

 

We never use travel agents because I am very comfortable making all of our travel bookings because I have been traveling for business all over the world for years and years and feel like they do not bring any special knowledge to the table because so many I have met throughout my travels really seem to have very limited traveling experience or knowledge.

[nbsjcruiser]

14 hours ago, PrincessLuver said:

 

A credit card dispute with a credit card company was successful for us and we received over $15,000 back this weekend.  Just gave up on Princess' empty promises regarding our refund.

After 63 days, 4 phone calls, numerous emails and conversations that were obviously scripted, I gave up and filed a dispute as well - last Friday.

We had come to really feel Princess was the line for us. After 25 or so cruises, 5 of our last 6 cruises were on Princess. We enjoy the ships and found the food and service to be a notch above our previously favourite line, RCI. As we are approaching our 60's, Princess suited us - we don't need bumper cars, unending contests and music on the pool deck. Just a nice comfortable vacation. Now this. Its all very unfortunate and I'm not sure where it leaves us once this passes or if a vaccine is found. The bloom is off the rose, as they say. Who knows if or when we will ever cruise again. I'm finding this vacation hiatus has left me contemplating many things. 

[Coral]

8 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

It's no joke for the TA!!  I have read that if a cruise booking is cancelled out this way, the TA loses the commission protection Princess put in place for fully-paid bookings affected by the Pauses.  I am not sure the veracity of that and whoever first posted it, what their source was.  

 

But reading your post makes me think.  The line of thinking among customers is that Princess is hoarding cash and trying to delay paying out customers as long as possible.  Perhaps they don't mind CC disputes if it saves them paying commission in some twisted way for fully-paid cruises.  They can tell the TA's to blame their clients for not being patient.  

 

It isn't like me to think of Princess in this way, so I would like this not to be true, but just sharing what popped into my head if one wants to think the devious worst at Princess HQ.

 

I also disputed my charge. Once restaurants start opening up, I plan on sending mine a gift card to her favorite restaurant.

 

I agree with you - I think Princess purposely did not do any refunds until May 15th. I don't think it is due to commissions - I think there is a bigger financial situation here and one day it will be made public. I don't think it is a devious act but one of survival and of an unorganized company.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Coral

[riffatsea]

Not sure why some of us got money back and others did not?  We got over $6,000back on my credit card for the March28 Mexico cruise which Princess cancelled. I just waited and 60 business days later had the refund

[dog]

43 minutes ago, Coral said:

I also disputed my charge. Once restaurants start opening up, I plan on sending mine a gift card to her favorite restaurant.

 

I agree with you - I think Princess purposely did not do any refunds until May 15th. I don't think it is due to commissions - I think there is a bigger financial situation here and one day it will be made public. I don't think it is a devious act but one of survival and of an unorganized company.

Princess did refund some people their FCC and cruise fare, taxes, port fees, excursions, drinks, dining  before May 15 th.   We do not know how many. 

Hoping your dispute gets resolved in your favour very soon. 

[Roger88]

If you havent yet received you refund,  I would suggest dribing to their office or keep calling their support for help. They have no legal reason to deny you in getting back your money. In any case, if it lasts for over 120 days, I would sue them. So you better call your lawyer and clarify the situation 

[gmjc2]

We do have sympathy for the TA's plight but they, like any other business, take the risks that come with the successes. Of course no body could have predicted this mess. We cannot be expected to bear their loss though. If that makes me heartless then so be it!

 

[Coral]

37 minutes ago, dog said:

Princess did refund some people their FCC and cruise fare, taxes, port fees, excursions, drinks, dining  before May 15 th.   We do not know how many. 

Hoping your dispute gets resolved in your favour very soon. 

I just know I spoke with my agent who is a top Princess agent (probably top 5) and she wasn't seeing refunds. 

 

I know people were getting their FCC's. 

Edited May 26, 2020 by Coral

[lowses]

We were on the ill-fated Grand Princess Cruises to Mexico and Hawaii where an individual boarded the Mexican cruise with the virus (unbenownst to him) and sadly passed away from it when he returned home. Princess did everything in their power to make the passengers comfortable on the Hawaiian leg after the news broke of the gentleman's passing. As we approached San Francisco, army medics were helicoptered out to the ship to administer Covid-19 tests to 45 passengers (including my wife ) who had presented to the Medi-center. Of those 21 tested postiive and were isolated.

It should be noted that Princess was following WHO and CDC protocols in these early stages of hte pandemic and did their best to keep passengers safe, quaranting all passengers for the last 6 days of the cruise. We received a full refund on the Hawaiian cruise as well as refunded gratuities AND the $400 bill for medical services before we disembarked in Oakland. Later we recieved a voucher on our account for a future cruise. 

Bear in mind that most cruise lines have furloughed/laid off staff including administration staff and are trying to deal with thousands of refund claims. Be calm, be kind, and be patient. It was not Princess' fault.

 

 

[gmjc2]

6 minutes ago, lowses said:

We were on the ill-fated Grand Princess Cruises to Mexico and Hawaii where an individual boarded the Mexican cruise with the virus (unbenownst to him) and sadly passed away from it when he returned home. Princess did everything in their power to make the passengers comfortable on the Hawaiian leg after the news broke of the gentleman's passing. As we approached San Francisco, army medics were helicoptered out to the ship to administer Covid-19 tests to 45 passengers (including my wife ) who had presented to the Medi-center. Of those 21 tested postiive and were isolated.

It should be noted that Princess was following WHO and CDC protocols in these early stages of hte pandemic and did their best to keep passengers safe, quaranting all passengers for the last 6 days of the cruise. We received a full refund on the Hawaiian cruise as well as refunded gratuities AND the $400 bill for medical services before we disembarked in Oakland. Later we recieved a voucher on our account for a future cruise. 

Bear in mind that most cruise lines have furloughed/laid off staff including administration staff and are trying to deal with thousands of refund claims. Be calm, be kind, and be patient. It was not Princess' fault.

 

 

No one doubts that it " was not their fault" but what is their fault is the lack of real time info and slow responses to refund requests. You were lucky to get yours early on. Although I am sure your experience was not the vacation you had hoped for!

Many other companies have had to deal with massive refund requests and have employees working from home etc but they have issued the refunds in a timely manner. Carnival and Royal Caribbean plus many airlines to name a few. As for furloughing employees, why would they do that when they know hoe many refunds have to be processed! Sorry but sympathy for Princess is in short supply by many!

[nbsjcruiser]

41 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

As for furloughing employees, why would they do that when they know hoe many refunds have to be processed! Sorry but sympathy for Princess is in short supply by many!

 

That's the part that Princess has successfully confused almost everyone with.

 

Princess stopped the refunds in mid-March. I've been saying that for weeks and it was confirmed by someone who was in on a TA Webex call with Princess. They now have a backlog of refunds that are dribbling through their overloaded systems - an overload that they themselves created. This is 2020, not 1920. Companies do not have employees sitting at desks processing refunds one at a time like some Charles Dickens counting house from 1850. Their refund system is an automated one that processes refunds as soon as the TA clicks "cancel".  Someone high up in Princess stopped those refunds so that they could use the money belonging to their "loyal" customers to play balance sheet gymnastics and now they're lying about it. At a time like this one would think that the last thing a company would want to do is create another black eye for themselves needlessly.

Princess stepped in it and now they're walking it around the room and they're hoping that their false look of confusion is enough to stop everyone from tapping them on the shoulder and pointing out where that God awful smell is coming from.

[jimmieg]

52 minutes ago, gmjc2 said:

No one doubts that it " was not their fault" but what is their fault is the lack of real time info and slow responses to refund requests. You were lucky to get yours early on. Although I am sure your experience was not the vacation you had hoped for!

Many other companies have had to deal with massive refund requests and have employees working from home etc but they have issued the refunds in a timely manner. Carnival and Royal Caribbean plus many airlines to name a few. As for furloughing employees, why would they do that when they know hoe many refunds have to be processed! Sorry but sympathy for Princess is in short supply by many!

Re: furloughs-"why would they do that?"

 

You misunderunderstand who was furloughed or let go.  Entertainment travel coordinators, ship supply logistics,  etc are obviously (and sadly)not needed currently. More staff has been assigned to speed up refund processing which more people are reporting.

 

[gmjc2]

2 minutes ago, jimmieg said:

Re: furloughs-"why would they do that?"

 

You misunderunderstand who was furloughed or let go.  Entertainment travel coordinators, ship supply logistics,  etc are obviously (and sadly)not needed currently. More staff has been assigned to speed up refund processing which more people are reporting.

 

That is why I questioned the furloughs. Not that i misunderstood them. Trust me I have been keeping up with all the news and articles. We are waiting for 4 refunds and want to know when we can safely book cruises again.

[dog]

1 hour ago, Coral said:

I just know I spoke with my agent who is a top Princess agent (probably top 5) and she wasn't seeing refunds. 

 

I know people were getting their FCC's. 

 

The 105 page thread on cc has a few posting refunds in March /April.