Costa Cruise Just Cancelled - Free Cruise As Compensation

[gerryuk]

So my cruise on the 24th of this month, a round Mediteeranean  trip on the Costa Diadima from Barcelona, has just been cancelled, yet again. I have just received this email from Costa. As well as the usual rebook options with some obc, they are now offering a free cruise as compensation.

I have booked hotel and flighs, but i can cancel them, praise the lord. This is the email they have just sent.

 

Genoa 3rd September 2021       Costa Diadema – Cruise of 24/09/2021     Booking: 27---------60                                    Mr-----------------       Dear Guest,   After the awaited restart of our cruises in the Mediterranean we are continuing with our program of resumption of operations in strict dialogue with governments and health authorities and trying to make sure the most updated measures are properly taken into consideration to drive our decision-making process and such measures are therefore reflected in the decisions we take.   To this purpose you may have surely got knowledge about the latest Ministry of Health order, which unfortunately does not lift most of the precautionary measures for certain specific countries, including Turkey.  As you can appreciate, our priority is to ensure our guests with a safe, serene, and memorable holiday experience and rigorous application of health protocols at all destinations visited by our scheduled itineraries.   As a result, according to the latest provisions issued by the relevant health authorities confirming the restrictions and limitations on movement to certain destinations, we regretfully inform you that the cruise you booked on Costa Diadema has been cancelled as the planned itinerary cannot be operated.   Nevertheless, as we do not want you to miss a cruise with Costa, we would like to offer you some alternatives we present you here below:   1.      Move your cruise on the same Itinerary program of the cancelled cruise from September to November 2022, maintaining the same price or the best available if lower; 2.      Move your cruise on any other departure on 2022 at new price with a complimentary onboard credit of £ 100,00 (up to a maximum of GBP 200.00 in case of two adults per cabin)   In addition to one of these options, we would like to give you as a compensation, a free cruise of your choice with a departure from October to December 2021 (Xmas and New Year excluded) with the same category and the occupancy of the cruise cancelled according to the availability. The reservation has to be done within 15/10/2021 in Basic tariff. Port charges and any additional service or transportation will be at your charge.   Should you prefer instead not to move your cruise, Costa is ready to refund the amount paid within the terms of the law and compatibly with the technical time necessary to process the request. Please write an email to info@uk.costa.it  and in case of payment by bank transfer, we invite you to send us also your bank details to (Iban code, name of the bank, beneficiary of the Current Account and BIC code), otherwise the refund will be made on the credit card used.       Alternatively, in case you prefer to take your time to consider which of our future departures would be of most interest to you, we will offer you a future cruise credit equal to the amount already collected by Costa.  In this case, we kindly ask you to send the request at the address info@uk.costa.it within the 20/09/2021. The credit will be usable within 18 months from its creation and gives right to an on-board credit of £ 100,00 (up to a maximum of GBP 200.00 in case of two adults per cabin).   We thank you for your understanding and hope to welcome you on board very soon.   Best regards. Costa Cruises

[maryann2]

Sorry to hear this Gerry. Yes glad that your flights and hotels are refundable.

I wonder about our Dec.  Diadema TA cruise. Canada still has a travel advisory against all cruise ship travel so I will be unable to use my usual travel insurance provider.

[jahalpin]

Check out section 8.2 in the terms and conditions to understand why they have done this

[Twinklez]

Hi, maryann 2 and gerryuk
I know this may not be the right roll calls to ask you about the Costa Diadema Abu Dhabi/Dubai to Rome March 13th 2020 cruise but I would like to ask you about the refunds you got from Costa.
I took me really a long time to get the refund for the cruise.  I got my refund last December 2020.  Just two month ago, after numerous email exchanges with Costa, I was able to get refunds for one night hotel stay in Dubai and the money I paid Turkish airline to modify the flight back to home which was about 200 dollars .  The originally airfare from Los Angeles to Dubai and Venice to Los Angeles to join the cruise was never refunded.  

Did Costa ever refunded you the original flight fares?  or Did they just pay you for the flight back to your country?   Sorry again to ask you these questions in a wrong roll calls.

Twinklez from Los Angeles

[maryann2]

Sorry but I am not much help to you.

I actually cancelled about a month before the cruise when I saw what was happening on the Diamond Princess in Japan. This was of course after final payment but Costa allowed me to transfer the funds to a Med cruise later in 2020. Then transferred same funds to March 2022 Dubai to Marseilles.

My flights had been booked with miles so I was able to get full reinstatements on both. Hotels were refundable.

[gerryuk]

16 hours ago, Twinklez said:

Hi, maryann 2 and gerryuk
I know this may not be the right roll calls to ask you about the Costa Diadema Abu Dhabi/Dubai to Rome March 13th 2020 cruise but I would like to ask you about the refunds you got from Costa.
I took me really a long time to get the refund for the cruise.  I got my refund last December 2020.  Just two month ago, after numerous email exchanges with Costa, I was able to get refunds for one night hotel stay in Dubai and the money I paid Turkish airline to modify the flight back to home which was about 200 dollars .  The originally airfare from Los Angeles to Dubai and Venice to Los Angeles to join the cruise was never refunded.  

Did Costa ever refunded you the original flight fares?  or Did they just pay you for the flight back to your country?   Sorry again to ask you these questions in a wrong roll calls.

Twinklez from Los Angeles

Cannot say for certain, but if i remember rightly (its a long time ago) i was reimbursed for flights and the cruise. Although i am British and i live on a Spanish island, i booked through Costa UK. There are consumer laws in the UK which Costa has to adhere to, for those booking through their UK site. Terms and conditions are different in every country and i think Costa and other cruise lines have to adhere to the laws set in the country you booked in, not where the cruise line is based.

[drsel]

On 9/29/2021 at 12:49 AM, jahalpin said:

Check out section 8.2 in the terms and conditions to understand why they have done this

What exactly is mentioned & why did Costa offer an extra FREE cruise?