Refund denied?

[CruisetheCs]

18 minutes ago, katykrol said:

Hi there. I knew when I made this post my TA would get bashed. It’s the first time I’ve used her and she only books with regent and other luxury cruise lines so I expect she has some good experience there. She said she hasn’t had a situation like mine, so I might be a one off and just have plain bad luck when it comes to the information that we have received. I trust that she did what she says she has done and the notes when I call seem to back that up. 
 

what I an understandably upset about is that my claim could be denied. I do not want fcc. I have terminal cancer, this was a bucket list trip for me. They promised me a refund. I asked repeatedly for written confirmation of my request and they refused to provide. I work in compliance at a wealth management firm and I would be fired if I treated our clients the way I’ve been treated or refused to provide a written confirm of a financial transaction. 
 

So yes I think I have the right to be upset. I paid for a service that did not occur. If you prepaid to get your house painted for instance and the painter showed up one day then never again, wouldn’t you expect to get your money back? 
 

I know there are people on here who just love love love Regent and good for you. My 2 days onboard on a 1/2 filled ship didn’t really give me much perspective on the brand, but I just can’t believe that anyone logically thinks that this is ok? 

 

Unfortunately, there are some on CC who frequently post some version of "it's your fault" or "it's the travel agent's fault and it is also your fault because you chose the wrong travel agent". 

 

And also frequently posters can expect to be criticized for posting any complaint because there are worse problems in the world.  (But it apparently is okay to criticize a poster for complaining about Regent, maybe because there is no worse problem in the world than a complaint about Regent?)

 

From all the issues and unanswered questions raised about refund process on CC, obviously Regent has done a very poor job of communicating with guests.  Regent could easily clarify the refund process with regular updates.  And no one should have to deal with the problems you have described.

 

I'm sorry you had to experience this travesty of customer service from Regent and I'm sorry you had to experience some posts on this board that seem to be blaming the victim.  I hope that Regent quickly provides you with a favorable decision.  Thanks for posting.

 

 

[Travelcat2]

5 minutes ago, CruisetheCs said:

 

Unfortunately, there are some on CC who frequently post some version of "it's your fault" or "it's the travel agent's fault and it is also your fault because you chose the wrong travel agent". 

 

And also frequently posters can expect to be criticized for posting any complaint because there are worse problems in the world.  (But it apparently is okay to criticize a poster for complaining about Regent, maybe because there is no worse problem in the world than a complaint about Regent?)

 

From all the issues and unanswered questions raised about refund process on CC, obviously Regent has done a very poor job of communicating with guests.  Regent could easily clarify the refund process with regular updates.  And no one should have to deal with the problems you have described.

 

I'm sorry you had to experience this travesty of customer service from Regent and I'm sorry you had to experience some posts on this board that seem to be blaming the victim.  I hope that Regent quickly provides you with a favorable decision.  Thanks for posting.

 

 

 

Let's be real here.  No one is saying that it is the TS's fault and we all agree that Regent's responses have not been good so let's not criticize people for something that they are not doing.  

 

My posts (and others) about TA's are important.  Regent pays them to be the intermediary between themselves and the passengers.  For that reason, TA's are assigned a person at Regent (not sure how many per TA) so they can can deal with TA's only and get back to them in a timely manner.  It is the TA's responsibility to get back to us in a timely manner.  In the case of the Thread Starter, they seem to be getting poor, unkind and untrue information from everyone.  It is for that reason that I suggested (likely on another thread) that they contact Jason Montague and list the issues that they are dealing with.  I do not recommend this for everyone because most passengers have not reached the 90 day mark yet.  

 

 

[papaflamingo]

12 hours ago, Portolan said:

 

Except when cancelled by the service provider.  What other business or service would you expect to be told that you'll get a future credit instead of a refund because they cancelled your order/trip/service?

Airlines.

[Travelcat2]

Most stores if you do not have a receipt (not a FCC but a credit).

[papaflamingo]

 

9 hours ago, flossie009 said:

 

 

Neither of those "rules" are in my booking conditions with Regent.

 

We all agree that these are difficult times for all the cruise lines and I am perfectly happy to cut them some slack ................ However, denying a refund, as reported above, or extending the refund period to 3 months is going too far, IMO.

 

 

 

9 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

Since Regent cancelled the cruise, there is a legal obligation to refund the money 

I am certainly not a lawyer.  And I completely agree that if a cruise line cancels a cruise they should make a passenger "whole." And Regent has done that.  All cancelled cruises, to my knowledge, have been offered 100% refunds.  However, if you read their Terms of Agreement, an agreement we all committed to when we booked the cruise, you'll find these statements: 

 

"Regent Seven Seas Cruises shall not be liable for delay or inability to

perform any portion of the cruise or cruise tour caused by or arising out of... government restraint, ..., Acts of God, or other circumstances beyond its control."

 

Additionally it says: 

"Regent Seven Seas Cruises reserves the right to withdraw and/or cancel a cruise or cruisetour or to make changes in the itinerary and hotel accommodations whenever, in its sole judgment, conditions warrant. In the event of charters of the vessels, truces, lockouts, riots or stoppage of labor from whatever cause or for any other reason whatsoever, the Owner or Operator of the vessels identified in the current brochure may, at any time, cancel, advance or postpone any scheduled cruise or cruisetour and may, but is not obligated to, substitute another vessel or itinerary and Regent Seven Seas Cruises shall not be liable for any loss whatsoever to Guests by reason of any such cancellation, advancement or postponement."

 

Again, I am not a lawyer so I don't know how a Court of Law would look at this. But it is in the cruise contract that we all signed.  So, it seems that FCC as a "default" position is quite reasonable. 

For the record, I have requested a refund for our cancelled cruise.  And I intend to use that refund to book the same itinerary (if offered) in 2022 with Regent.  

 

https://www.rssc.com/media/hostedfiles/legal/US_TC.pdf

[CruisetheCs]

Papaflamingo, Regent has said they will refund money or give FCC.  So issue for this thread is that they aren't doing what they said they would do and have offered inconsistent responses about the refund to the OP.  Regent isn't making a legal argument that they don't have to refund cash or FCC.

 

[Travelcat2]

3 hours ago, CruisetheCs said:

Papaflamingo, Regent has said they will refund money or give FCC.  So issue for this thread is that they aren't doing what they said they would do and have offered inconsistent responses about the refund to the OP.  Regent isn't making a legal argument that they don't have to refund cash or FCC.

 

 

Not sure how you can say that Regent is not doing what they said they would do.  They absolutely are! Giving inconsistent responses had nothing to do with giving refunds or FCC 's.  

[cruiseluv]

8 hours ago, katykrol said:

Hi there. I knew when I made this post my TA would get bashed. It’s the first time I’ve used her and she only books with regent and other luxury cruise lines so I expect she has some good experience there. She said she hasn’t had a situation like mine, so I might be a one off and just have plain bad luck when it comes to the information that we have received. I trust that she did what she says she has done and the notes when I call seem to back that up. 
 

what I an understandably upset about is that my claim could be denied. I do not want fcc. I have terminal cancer, this was a bucket list trip for me. They promised me a refund. I asked repeatedly for written confirmation of my request and they refused to provide. I work in compliance at a wealth management firm and I would be fired if I treated our clients the way I’ve been treated or refused to provide a written confirm of a financial transaction. 
 

So yes I think I have the right to be upset. I paid for a service that did not occur. If you prepaid to get your house painted for instance and the painter showed up one day then never again, wouldn’t you expect to get your money back? 
 

I know there are people on here who just love love love Regent and good for you. My 2 days onboard on a 1/2 filled ship didn’t really give me much perspective on the brand, but I just can’t believe that anyone logically thinks that this is ok? 

No, its not OK. For whatever its worth, Ive been on Regent multiple times, and for the most part I like the product. However, that doesnt mean that I would try to rationalize what has happened to you as being fine. I hope you contact your credit card , this is not right. Oh, and also, light a fire under your TA, what's with her?? Is she doing anything to push the issue?

[pappy1022]

8 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

 

Not sure how you can say that Regent is not doing what they said they would do.  They absolutely are! Giving inconsistent responses had nothing to do with giving refunds or FCC 's.  

TC, it may not be in a written contract, but providing accurate and consistent information to a customer is absolutely something that a company must do, especially those who consider themselves high end luxury products. This lack of customer service is related to either poor training, poor internal communications and poor systems that should be able to document all customer communications and status of refunds. I have personally experienced the poor customer communications and poor computer systems.

[flossie009]

12 hours ago, papaflamingo said:

I am certainly not a lawyer.  And I completely agree that if a cruise line cancels a cruise they should make a passenger "whole." And Regent has done that.  All cancelled cruises, to my knowledge, have been offered 100% refunds.  However, if you read their Terms of Agreement, an agreement we all committed to when we booked the cruise, you'll find these statements: 

 

"Regent Seven Seas Cruises shall not be liable for delay or inability to

perform any portion of the cruise or cruise tour caused by or arising out of... government restraint, ..., Acts of God, or other circumstances beyond its control."

 

Thank you for the extracts from the Regent Ticket Contract applicable for bookings made in the US.

 

For bookings made with Regent in the UK, the Ts&Cs are significantly different, and very clear regarding refunds following cancellation.

The relevant clause from the Regent(UK) Booking Conditions regarding cancellation by the company is as follows:

9.(b) Pre-departure cancellation
Occasionally, it may be necessary to cancel confirmed holiday arrangements.
In the event we are prevented from performing your contracted holiday arrangements as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances and we notify you of this as soon as reasonably possible, we have the right to terminate your contract. In this situation, we will refund all monies you have paid to us within 14 days of the date we inform you of the cancellation but will have no further or other liability to you including in respect of compensation or any costs or expenses you incur or have incurred.

 

Unfortunately, Regent(UK) are ignoring their own Booking Conditions and are toeing the party line from  NCLH that refunds will be delayed up to 90 days.

 

[Travelcat2]

I was thinking about the whole pandemic situation.  When most of us grew up, they taught us what to do in case of fire, earthquakes, hurricanes, tornados (depending upon what part of the U.S. that you lived).  There was never a mention of pandemics (at least not where I went to school).  Nothing in our lifetime has prepared us for this pandemic.  No one said that we would have to stay home for weeks on end, some supplies would be difficult to get, stores and restaurants would be closed, schools would be closed, cruising and most flights would come to a halt, and major companies would declare bankruptcy (like JCPenneys, Hertz and Neiman Marcus).  

 

WHO and the CDC were aware of pandemics but had not lived through one.  When COVID-19 was heading towards becoming a pandemic, some of the information was proven to be untrue (a lot of the information actually).  They are still learning this virus.  As of yesterday, there was new information about distancing and a word that I do not recall - something about the aerosol effect of the virus in the air.   There have been predictions that are true and predictions that may not be true.  

 

I would guess that 100% of us are affected in some way by this pandemic.  Some of us follow the rules, some follow some rules and other simply do not believe that any of this is true and think that their constitutional rights are being taken away.

 

Getting back to Regent (or any other cruise line), the pandemic has been disastrous for them in many ways.  They canceled cruises because they had to - they cut back on staff because they had to and are going through the same emotions that most of us have yet have to do their best to work on refunds, answer questions - many of which there are no answers to - and plan for the future - a future that is still unknown.

 

One would think that we would all work together -- help each other and be more understanding.  As passengers, we want to be the most important thing that Regent is thinking about but we may be a bit selfish. In a worldwide emergency, things like 'booking conditions', (the necessity to have a longer timeframe in which to process refunds) is less important than many other things are going on.  It isn't as if Regent is not going to meet their obligation - they just need time (as do other cruise lines).

 

In terms of providing "accurate and consistent information", why are we holding Regent to a higher standard than the CDC, doctors and scientists?  I hope that most people do understand that these are desperate times - for both people, countries and businesses (many of which will not survive).  We will continue to get misinformation until this virus is figured out.  The best that we can do is follow guidelines so that the virus can be stopped and we can return to whatever 'normal' will look like in the future.

 

One last thought...... in China, there was a mandatory 2 month shutdown of everything.  People were dragged out of their homes if they showed any symptoms and put into a hospital.  If you went outside and were caught,  you were put in jail.  The result is that they stopped the virus!  Obviously, the U.S. is not going to do that.  They are begging for the cooperation of the people.  Let's be part of the solution rather than the problem.  And, let us give Regent, other cruise lines and companies a break as they try to get through this - the same as we are.

 

 

[CruisetheCs]

Travelcat2, you make some interesting observations about the pandemic and government agencies, etc., many of which I agree with.  Maybe you might wish to start another thread on the topic.  But the tragedy of the pandemic and the US government's response don't address the problem the TS posted. 

 

Regent promised the OP a choice of a refund or FCC.  Now Regent apparently is saying she may not be able to get her choice of a refund despite numerous attempts by the OP to ensure that she get a refund.  

 

The idea that Regent and cruise lines should be given a break (whatever that means specifically in this case, i'm unsure) may imply that the OP is wrong in some manner to be bothered by Regent's handling of the situation or posting something about it on CC. Should we not give someone who has a complaint that is seemingly legit a break and let them complain?  Or do we only give Regent a break?  Suggesting that someone should just accept things or not be bothered by them comes up from time to time on similar CC threads.  It often seems to arise from a judgement that the person is too demanding, too impatient, not understanding enough, not empathetic, or some such thing.  It seems to be a criticism of the poster whether or not it is intended to be.

 

My assessment is that communication should be a two-way street between corporations and customers, and during a pandemic, corporations need to be especially transparent and communicative.  If Regent is stressed to process refunds in a timely manner, then Regent can easily communicate that and explain it at least a bit of detail to those affected.

 

 In this age of computers it is difficult for some of us to think it should take 90 days to process a refund.  Why should Regent's managers not show some empathy for those affected by providing regular updates and a few details about how the refund process will unfold? Why should anyone who has stresses apart from the pandemic as well whatever additional stress comes with the pandemic and a cancelled cruise be offered advice that is some version of give Regent a break, stay quiet, and wait? 

 

And finally, on a more philosophical note, what does being more understanding mean?  I don't disagree that we should be more understanding.  But I would also question whether in telling someone that he/she should be more understanding, am I being understanding? The answer is not always an easy one.

 

 

[poppycar]

21 minutes ago, CruisetheCs said:

Travelcat2, you make some interesting observations about the pandemic and government agencies, etc., many of which I agree with.  Maybe you might wish to start another thread on the topic.  But the tragedy of the pandemic and the US government's response don't address the problem the TS posted. 

 

Regent promised the OP a choice of a refund or FCC.  Now Regent apparently is saying she may not be able to get her choice of a refund despite numerous attempts by the OP to ensure that she get a refund.  

 

The idea that Regent and cruise lines should be given a break (whatever that means specifically in this case, i'm unsure) may imply that the OP is wrong in some manner to be bothered by Regent's handling of the situation or posting something about it on CC. Should we not give someone who has a complaint that is seemingly legit a break and let them complain?  Or do we only give Regent a break?  Suggesting that someone should just accept things or not be bothered by them comes up from time to time on similar CC threads.  It often seems to arise from a judgement that the person is too demanding, too impatient, not understanding enough, not empathetic, or some such thing.  It seems to be a criticism of the poster whether or not it is intended to be.

 

My assessment is that communication should be a two-way street between corporations and customers, and during a pandemic, corporations need to be especially transparent and communicative.  If Regent is stressed to process refunds in a timely manner, then Regent can easily communicate that and explain it at least a bit of detail to those affected.

 

 In this age of computers it is difficult for some of us to think it should take 90 days to process a refund.  Why should Regent's managers not show some empathy for those affected by providing regular updates and a few details about how the refund process will unfold? Why should anyone who has stresses apart from the pandemic as well whatever additional stress comes with the pandemic and a cancelled cruise be offered advice that is some version of give Regent a break, stay quiet, and wait? 

 

And finally, on a more philosophical note, what does being more understanding mean?  I don't disagree that we should be more understanding.  But I would also question whether in telling someone that he/she should be more understanding, am I being understanding? The answer is not always an easy one.

 

 

Go straight to your Credit Card provider for a refund, better safe than sorry, its your cash, you haven't received the service you paid for, why should you have the worry and spend your time looking far a refund, on the phone to ignorant folks who couldnt care less how hard you may have worked to pay for your holiday, when you log into your cruise account where is the request a refund page then? why does no one at the cruise line phone and organize a refund? why is the cruise industry still selling cruise holidays if they cant offer you insurance against coronavirus when travelling? they are fast enough to get in touch when your balance is due for payment aren't they, also would be pretty sure that if you accept future cruise credit you wont be covered by your travel insurance for any corona virus related issues on a future cruise,you would be bonkers to set foot on a cruise ship without insurance cover for covid 19, so until you can get the insurance cover or until the world is rid of the virus it would be risky to take a cruise, we are in the same situation, paid in full for our cruise, all we are getting is dirty tricks and lies to get out of a refund,  if you  wait too long you will be past the deadline for a card refund and the cruise line walks away with your money and they know it, lets get real it takes minutes to take your cash, and minutes to process a refund not months, they are just trying to buy time with this silly 90 day refund crap, if you  its going to take a whole lot more time to rid the world of this virus and lets face it the next cruise that has a coronavirus outbreak would certainly finish off the industry for at least a good few years.

[Travelcat2]

3 hours ago, CruisetheCs said:

Travelcat2, you make some interesting observations about the pandemic and government agencies, etc., many of which I agree with.  Maybe you might wish to start another thread on the topic.  But the tragedy of the pandemic and the US government's response don't address the problem the TS posted. 

 

Perhaps I should have made it clear that I was responding to pappy and flossie.  Pappy was discussing Regent’s inconsistent responses while Flossie was discussing Regent’s policy in the UK that they are not meeting.  I was trying to explain that no one is giving consistent responses about anything related to Covid-19 - not the CDC, not doctors or scientists or governments.  In terms of Regent’s UK or US policy of refunds, is there no understanding that this is an unprecedented event - one that challenges all of us.  Regent did not go to a 4-day workweek, cut wages and do layoffs because they want to slow down refunds.  They did what they had to do (as other companies have done).

Quote

 

Regent promised the OP a choice of a refund or FCC.  Now Regent apparently is saying she may not be able to get her choice of a refund despite numerous attempts by the OP to ensure that she get a refund.  

 

I responded in a recent post on this thread that what Regent has done with the TS is wrong.  He or she does deserve a refund - whether it was the fault of the TA or Regent.  I also suggested that she contact Jason Montague.

Quote

 

The idea that Regent and cruise lines should be given a break (whatever that means specifically in this case, i'm unsure) may imply that the OP is wrong in some manner to be bothered by Regent's handling of the situation or posting something about it on CC. Should we not give someone who has a complaint that is seemingly legit a break and let them complain?  Or do we only give Regent a break?  Suggesting that someone should just accept things or not be bothered by them comes up from time to time on similar CC threads.  It often seems to arise from a judgement that the person is too demanding, too impatient, not understanding enough, not empathetic, or some such thing.  It seems to be a criticism of the poster whether or not it is intended to be.

 

Again, I did not criticize the TS.  Regent stated in writing that it will take up to 90 days to receive a refund.  I acknowledge that there was misinformation communicated to a handful of posters.  This was clearly an error.  If those people want to complain, contact their credit card companies, they can certainly do so.  For the rest of us, why are credit card companies being called, and horrible comments being made about Regent when they are doing what they said they would do?  

Quote

 

My assessment is that communication should be a two-way street between corporations and customers, and during a pandemic, corporations need to be especially transparent and communicative.  If Regent is stressed to process refunds in a timely manner, then Regent can easily communicate that and explain it at least a bit of detail to those affected.

 

I really do not know what kind of detail you are expecting.  Whatever Regent would say they would get criticism for (as has happened in the past).  They have upped their game by providing information on the timeframe of cancelations, the choice that passengers have (a refund or, in some cases, FCC’s), how long you have to book using FCC’s and when you must cruise.  This is far more information than I have seen in the past.   

 

Quote

 

 In this age of computers it is difficult for some of us to think it should take 90 days to process a refund.  Why should Regent's managers not show some empathy for those affected by providing regular updates and a few details about how the refund process will unfold? Why should anyone who has stresses apart from the pandemic as well whatever additional stress comes with the pandemic and a cancelled cruise be offered advice that is some version of give Regent a break, stay quiet, and wait? 

 

As has been discussed, these refunds need to be done by hand.  Should Regent have a program to accommodate them?  Absolutely but hindsight is 20/20 and they obviously had been able to handle refunds in a timely manner in the past.  Again, no one predicted that cruise lines would be shut down.  

 

In terms of staying quiet and wait.   There appears to be very few steps to be taken.  There is a form that apparently lets Regent know whether you want a refund or FCC’s (I have not seen it as it was handled by our TA).  They submit the form to Regent and get a confirmation (that should be sent to the passenger).  The question does arise about the order in which refunds are being processed.  in my opinion, this is another question for your TA.  Once the form is submitted and acknowledged, it would be helpful if people waited for their refund rather than complain to anyone that will listen to them (again, not speaking of the TS).  Does it really help to continually call Regent and get different responses?   I am also acknowledging that receiving different responses is not new.  

Quote

 

And finally, on a more philosophical note, what does being more understanding mean?  I don't disagree that we should be more understanding.  But I would also question whether in telling someone that he/she should be more understanding, am I being understanding? The answer is not always an easy one.

 

3 hours ago, CruisetheCs said:

Travelcat2, you make some interesting observations about the pandemic and government agencies, etc., many of which I agree with.  Maybe you might wish to start another thread on the topic.  But the tragedy of the pandemic and the US government's response don't address the problem the TS posted. 

 

Perhaps I should have made it clear that I was responding to pappy and flossie.  Pappy was discussing Regent’s inconsistent responses while Flossie was discussing Regent’s policy in the UK that they are not meeting.  I was trying to explain that no one is giving consistent responses about anything related to Covid-19 - not the CDC, not doctors or scientists or governments.  In terms of Regent’s UK or US policy of refunds, is there no understanding that this is an unprecedented event - one that challenges all of us.  Regent did not go to a 4-day workweek, cut wages and do layoffs because they want to slow down refunds.  They did what they had to do (as other companies have done).

Quote

 

Regent promised the OP a choice of a refund or FCC.  Now Regent apparently is saying she may not be able to get her choice of a refund despite numerous attempts by the OP to ensure that she get a refund.  

 

I responded in a recent post on this thread that what Regent has done with the TS is wrong.  He or she does deserve a refund - whether it was the fault of the TA or Regent.  I also suggested that she contact Jason Montague.

Quote

 

The idea that Regent and cruise lines should be given a break (whatever that means specifically in this case, i'm unsure) may imply that the OP is wrong in some manner to be bothered by Regent's handling of the situation or posting something about it on CC. Should we not give someone who has a complaint that is seemingly legit a break and let them complain?  Or do we only give Regent a break?  Suggesting that someone should just accept things or not be bothered by them comes up from time to time on similar CC threads.  It often seems to arise from a judgement that the person is too demanding, too impatient, not understanding enough, not empathetic, or some such thing.  It seems to be a criticism of the poster whether or not it is intended to be.

 

Again, I did not criticize the TS.  Regent stated in writing that it will take up to 90 days to receive a refund.  I acknowledge that there was misinformation communicated to a handful of posters.  This was clearly an error.  If those people want to complain, contact their credit card companies, they can certainly do so.  For the rest of us, why are credit card companies being called, and horrible comments being made about Regent when they are doing what they said they would do?  

Quote

 

My assessment is that communication should be a two-way street between corporations and customers, and during a pandemic, corporations need to be especially transparent and communicative.  If Regent is stressed to process refunds in a timely manner, then Regent can easily communicate that and explain it at least a bit of detail to those affected.

 

I really do not know what kind of detail you are expecting.  Whatever Regent would say they would get criticism for (as has happened in the past).  They have upped their game by providing information on the timeframe of cancelations, the choice that passengers have (a refund or, in some cases, FCC’s), how long you have to book using FCC’s and when you must cruise.  This is far more information than I have seen in the past.   

 

Quote

 

 In this age of computers it is difficult for some of us to think it should take 90 days to process a refund.  Why should Regent's managers not show some empathy for those affected by providing regular updates and a few details about how the refund process will unfold? Why should anyone who has stresses apart from the pandemic as well whatever additional stress comes with the pandemic and a cancelled cruise be offered advice that is some version of give Regent a break, stay quiet, and wait? 

 

As has been discussed, these refunds need to be done by hand.  Should Regent have a program to accommodate them?  Absolutely but hindsight is 20/20 and they obviously had been able to handle refunds in a timely manner in the past.  Again, no one predicted that cruise lines would be shut down.  

 

In terms of staying quiet and wait.   There appears to be very few steps to be taken.  There is a form that apparently lets Regent know whether you want a refund or FCC’s (I have not seen it as it was handled by our TA).  They submit the form to Regent and get a confirmation (that should be sent to the passenger).  The question does arise about the order in which refunds are being processed.  in my opinion, this is another question for your TA.  Once the form is submitted and acknowledged, it would be helpful if people waited for their refund rather than complain to anyone that will listen to them (again, not speaking of the TS).  Does it really help to continually call Regent and get different responses?  

Quote

 

And finally, on a more philosophical note, what does being more understanding mean?  I don't disagree that we should be more understanding.  But I would also question whether in telling someone that he/she should be more understanding, am I being understanding? The answer is not always an easy one.

 

 

\

Quote

 

Regent promised the OP a choice of a refund or FCC.  Now Regent apparently is saying she may not be able to get her choice of a refund despite numerous attempts by the OP to ensure that she

 

I responded in a recent post on this thread that what Regent has done with the TS is wrong.  He or she does deserve a refund - whether it was the fault of the TA or Regent.  I also suggested that she contact Jason Montague.

Quote

 

 

 

Again, I did not criticize the TS.  Regent stated in writing that it will take up to 90 days to receive a refund.  I acknowledge that there was misinformation communicated to a handful of posters.  This was clearly an error.  If those people want to complain, contact their credit card companies, they can certainly do so.  For the rest of us, why are credit card companies being called, and horrible comments being made about Regent when they are doing what they said they would do?  

Quote

 

My assessment is that communication should be a two-way street between corporations and customers, and during a pandemic, corporations need to be especially transparent and communicative.  If Regent is stressed to process refunds in a timely manner, then Regent can easily communicate that and explain it at least a bit of detail to those affected.

 

I really do not know what kind of detail you are expecting.  Whatever Regent would say they would get criticism for (as has happened in the past).  They have upped their game by providing information on the timeframe of cancelations, the choice that passengers have (a refund or, in some cases, FCC’s), how long you have to book using FCC’s and when you must cruise.  This is far more information than I have seen in the past.   

 

 

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 In this age of computers it is difficult for some of us to think it should take 90 days to process a refund.  Why should Regent's managers not show some empathy for those affected by providing regular updates and a few details about how the refund process will unfold? Why should anyone who has stresses apart from the pandemic as well whatever additional stress comes with the pandemic and a cancelled cruise be offered advice that is some version of give Regent a break, stay quiet, and wait? 

 

As has been discussed, these refunds need to be done by hand.  Should Regent have a program to accommodate them?  Absolutely but hindsight is 20/20 and they obviously had been able to handle refunds in a timely manner in the past.  Again, no one predicted that cruise lines would be shut down.  

 

In terms of staying quiet and wait.   There appears to be very few steps to be taken.  There is a form that apparently lets Regent know whether you want a refund or FCC’s (I have not seen it as it was handled by our TA).  They submit the form to Regent and get a confirmation (that should be sent to the passenger).  The question does arise about the order in which refunds are being processed.  in my opinion, this is another question for your TA.  Once the form is submitted and acknowledged, it would be helpful if people waited for their refund rather than complain to anyone that will listen to them (again, not speaking of the TS).  Does it really help to continually call Regent and get different responses?  

Quote

 

And finally, on a more philosophical note, what does being more understanding mean?  I don't disagree that we should be more understanding.  But I would also question whether in telling someone that he/she should be more understanding, am I being understanding? The answer is not always an easy one.

 

 

 

What understanding means is not easy - I agree with you.  I’m findIng in our city that many people are angry — they have no patience - are quick to argue and don’t seem to care about each other at all.  I’ve learned a lot about myself in this situation.  Instead of being my normal quiet self (true - believe it or not), I go out of my way to be kind to people.  When it is taking a long time to be served in a market’s deli counter and the person working says that they will be with me soon, I understand and tell them that it is no problem (after all, where else do I have to be?). I want be kind to anyone that I am in contact with (6’ apart).   I ordered a mask that says “I’m smiling”.  It may sound dumb but if makes someone smile, I’ll be happy.  So, I guess that, for me, understanding is just trying to understand what the the other person is going through.

 

Having said that, the post below yours is really off the wall and the poster likely has not sailed on Regent and is trying to enflame the situation.  I really want to respond but will not.  While I cannot understand why they posted what they did, I feel that they are angry about something and I don’t want to make it worse.

 

It is easier to respond above below your comments.

 

Sorry - by quoting so many times, some duplications appeared.  Kindly ignore them.  Thank you

Edited May 29, 2020 by Travelcat2

[SusieQft]

27 minutes ago, Travelcat2 said:

Regent did not go to a 4-day workweek, cut wages and do layoffs because they want to slow down refunds.  They did what they had to do (as other companies have done).

There are many who would disagree with this.  The people who process refunds should not have been cut back.

 

BTW (probably for future reference only since your time window will have closed by the time you see this), when you edit your post, you CAN delete things, so you could have deleted the multiple copies instead of just adding an apology.

[Travelcat2]

53 minutes ago, SusieQft said:

There are many who would disagree with this.  The people who process refunds should not have been cut back.

 

BTW (probably for future reference only since your time window will have closed by the time you see this), when you edit your post, you CAN delete things, so you could have deleted the multiple copies instead of just adding an apology.

 

Yes - I edit almost all of my posts.  I typed it on my iPad so I could only see a small part of it at a time so I moved to my Mac.  Trying to remove so many quotes was becoming difficult so I just left it.  People on CC know that I'm not a perfectionist and would rather apologize that mess the whole post up even further.

 

It is fine if "many" would disagree with me.  There were only three people that processed refunds for Regent.  I have no idea if they were cut back or not but I suspect that they weren't.  I also suspect but do not know that they have people within the organization that are helping out in different areas.  This could account for some of the odd responses that posters have mentioned.  I have not heard of Customer Service agents being rude or saying any of the things that posters alleged that they said.  While not excusing their behavior, I cannot imagine having to deal with the attitudes of some Regent passengers during this stressful time.  If some of them were as rude as alleged, I would think that they would be fired (under normal circumstances).   OTOH, some of the rude posts on CC would not typically be allowed either.  Most people are being tolerant of situations they may not normally tolerate and I applaud them for that.

 

For many of us, the world seems to have turned onto its head.  In terms of Regent and CC, I honestly want things to go back to the way they were ASAP (normal refund times for Regent and no restricted threads on CC for instance).  

[orvil]

I'm over it.  If I hear one more time that I need a special Travel Agent in order to do business with a company, I swear I'm going to Ralph.  It's a form of social shaming and I'm done with it. 

 

Any one of us should be able to call a service provider, in this case a cruise line, and speak to person that is empowered to resolve an issue.  As long as we are polite, there should be a resolution.   

 

I've spent a lifetime in customer service positions. It is unacceptable for someone to threaten to withhold a refund for a service they failed to provide.

 

Unacceptable.  Sums it up.  Unacceptable.  

 

 

 

[fizzy]

27 minutes ago, orvil said:

I'm over it.  If I hear one more time that I need a special Travel Agent in order to do business with a company, I swear I'm going to Ralph.  It's a form of social shaming and I'm done with it. 

 

 

 

 

 

I totally agree. It sounds as though one should expect to get swindled if they choose to book directly with the company and not heed the advice , or is it a warning, to only reserve with a VIP travel agent. It is rather off putting.

[Travelcat2]

39 minutes ago, orvil said:

I'm over it.  If I hear one more time that I need a special Travel Agent in order to do business with a company, I swear I'm going to Ralph.  It's a form of social shaming and I'm done with it. 

 

Any one of us should be able to call a service provider, in this case a cruise line, and speak to person that is empowered to resolve an issue.  As long as we are polite, there should be a resolution.   

 

I've spent a lifetime in customer service positions. It is unacceptable for someone to threaten to withhold a refund for a service they failed to provide.

 

Unacceptable.  Sums it up.  Unacceptable.  

 

 

 

 

There is no social shaming.  Rather, there are different points of view and both sides are passionate.

 

You mention service providers.  I assume that you know that the majority of Customer Service people that you call do not reside in the U.S. and they are paid to handle issues for the company.  In the case of Regent, they pay TA’s to handle many functions for them.  However, unlike most companies, Regent has their own Customer Service employees - living in the U.S.

 

Would any of you prefer Regent to outsource their Customer Service department to another country?  If so, why?

 

[pappy1022]

When I call Nordstrom’s I always get a polite person who goes out of their way to resolve my issue and they are empowered to do so. I would expect the same level of courtesy and empowerment from a high end cruise line. Regent could learn a lot from a customer service oriented company like Nordstrom’s or Southwest. Maybe they need to hire someone from one of these companies to show them how it’s done. 

[Travelcat2]

26 minutes ago, pappy1022 said:

When I call Nordstrom’s I always get a polite person who goes out of their way to resolve my issue and they are empowered to do so. I would expect the same level of courtesy and empowerment from a high end cruise line. Regent could learn a lot from a customer service oriented company like Nordstrom’s or Southwest. Maybe they need to hire someone from one of these companies to show them how it’s done. 

 

They may have great customer service but they announced yesterday that they are closing 16 stores permanently (and another high end store, Nieman Marcus filed for bankruptcy).  

 

Now, if you can find a luxury cruise line with excellent customer service, that would be interesting😇

[pappy1022]

I don't why the customer service standard for Regent should be that they are equally as bad as everyone else in the luxury cruise industry.  Granted, COVID-19 has caused unprecedented stress on a lot of industries including the cruise companies. I think a lot of the frustrations have been about the lack of factual information about the refund process. Some of the people that I have talked to at Regent about my refund status were rude or gave me misinformation and some were polite and tried to help but couldn't get a straight answer themselves. So yes, this was very frustrating for me personally and it somewhat tarnished my opinion about Regent. Now, to me, they are just like some of the other luxury cruise lines and no longer stand alone at the top in my mind. Will I sail with them again? Sure, if they have the best itinerary that fits my schedule but it will be harder for me to justify the premium price. I've enjoyed the luxury cruise onboard experience, and in particular Regent, but for me it's more about the destination and the sites and experiences in port, so I will definitely look hard at other options once I decide to cruise again.

[orvil]

katykrol,

 

Here is a link to an article about a cruise reservation cancellation issue that you might find illuminating.

 

https://www.elliott.org/cruises/coronavirus-cruise-cancellation-too-soon/

 

While it doesn't directly address your particular situation, it does advise that all contact with NCLH and RSSC be done in writing in the future.  You need a paper trail.  It will protect you in case you decide to go to the next step.

 

If you do have a telephone conversation with any company representative at any level, insist on a contact email address.  Upon conclusion of the telephone conversation, write a quick email confirming the conversation, highlight the points of conversation covered.

 

The Elliot Advocacy group emphasizes that the bottom line, it's you against a huge corporate behemoth. 

 

 

 

 

[flossie009]

 

21 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

.............................. 

In a worldwide emergency, things like 'booking conditions', (the necessity to have a longer timeframe in which to process refunds) is less important than many other things are going on.  It isn't as if Regent is not going to meet their obligation - they just need time (as do other cruise lines).

............................

 And, let us give Regent, other cruise lines and companies a break as they try to get through this - the same as we are.

 

15 hours ago, Travelcat2 said:

Perhaps I should have made it clear that I was responding to pappy and flossie.  Pappy was discussing Regent’s inconsistent responses while Flossie was discussing Regent’s policy in the UK that they are not meeting ...............................  In terms of Regent’s UK or US policy of refunds, is there no understanding that this is an unprecedented event - one that challenges all of us.

 

 

I am not sure why you felt it necessary to have a pop at me.

I have made it very clear that I am content to be understanding with Regent, and other companies, during these difficult times ................... but within reason

On 5/28/2020 at 4:38 PM, flossie009 said:

We all agree that these are difficult times for all the cruise lines and I am perfectly happy to cut them some slack ................ However, denying a refund, as reported above, or extending the refund period to 3 months is going too far, IMO.

 

 

My post about UK Booking Conditions was simply a response to @papaflamingo regarding Regent's extent of liability. 

 

I agree with others that more &  consistent communication with its affected customers would be useful.

 

 

Anyway all this is an unnecessary diversion from the Topic Starter's difficult situation, which I hope is resolved quickly to their satisfaction.

[Travelcat2]

flossie - I commented about. your post that said  "Unfortunately, Regent(UK) are ignoring their own Booking Conditions and are toeing the party line from  NCLH that refunds will be delayed up to 90 days."  

 

pappy - I think that all of us wish that we knew why Customer Service on luxury cruise is the way that it is (under normal circumstances).  As has been mentioned on another thread, Regent employees are working from home.  They really cannot tell you when your specific refund will be processed but you will know when it has been processed.  

 

I hope that Pcardad does to mind me reposting what he posted this morning on another thread.  This may (or may not) be helpful.

 

"

Summary of Regent Refund Process.

 

1. Regent cancels a cruise. You have 2 weeks to fill out a Refund Request form or it automatically converts to a FCC.

2. You complete the refund form and successfully submit it. The clock starts ticking towards 90 calendar days.

3. NCL process these refunds together (all 3 cruise lines are done together). Due to software limitations (I think it was not designed to handle cruises cancelled by the cruise line itself), these are all done by hand and then checked over again by hand by another person. There were errors early on, hence the redundancy now.

4. They are currently working on a batch of sailing from roughly April 1 - April 10. Refunds are processed out of this group, not necessarily by exact day.

5. When they process your refund, it shows up in your customer profile and can be confirmed a couple of days before you see the money back on the credit card used for booking.

6. If that credit card is closed and the credit doesn't go through, a Regent Rep will call your TA (or you) and arrange for another means of processing the refund.

7. I still don't have enough information to detail how a credit is processed if YOU cancel the cruise or how long this takes.

8. This information was obtained directly from different people at Regent and confirmed by 2 or more sources. I hope it helps."