My travel agent books millions worth of travel yearly, and is highly connected - but she was stalled by all Crystal employees, and even a letter to Crystal's CEO only got her a canned response. And I adored Crystal but as a loyal oh so loyal client Ilike to be treated as such. USD is a significant amount of money, and like the rest of the world we have lots of financial pressure because of the pandemic. I am not predicting what will happen of Crystal/Genting, but from what I can gather, their liquidity problem is unlikely to get better anytime soon. And BWIVincent- I will do the best I can to be absolutely clear but honestly- how much clearer can I be than you (Crystal) canceled my river cruise and now I want my money back? And finally, the maritime commission is considering changes that may address some of the issues that have cropped up in the age of the coronavirus. Please remove the pre-departure test of vaccinated travelers returning to USA CADRS staff will not render a decision or require a party or parties to take specific action, its website noted. Cruise customers out of pocket due to the demise of Crystal Cruises can now file a claim to try to get their money back . Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018. *In Canada, trademark(s) of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, used under License. Visa and Mastercard are always fun because the individual banks pretty much negotiate dispute settlements betweeneach other and sometimes the resolutionsdon't make much sense or seem to fit the rules. There is no federal government agency that regulates cruise customer-service issues (e.g. CC Help Jenn Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. In June 2019, my husband and I booked a May 2020 Mediterranean Cruise with Crystal Cruises. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. Question about refund - Crystal Cruises - Cruise Critic Community. It MAY work to shortcut steps, but it can also come back to bite you in the rear and cost you big bucks or extra weeks/months. Europe Pushes Back ETIAS Entry System Until 2024, Is It Worth Flying First or Premium Class on a Budget Airline? Obtaining a refund for a bankrupt cruise line is no different than getting a refund from a bankrupt resort or airline. I will stick with Regent, Oceania, and Silversea, who do actually give refunds in a timely manner. Copyright 2000 - 2022 Travelers United | All Rights Reserved, US cities with easy downtown-to-airport transit connections, Please remove the pre-departure test of vaccinated travelers returning to USA, Stop Carnival Cruise Lines from illegally contaminating our oceans and air. Visit Neds Photography Blog and Galleries. It may take several days from the time Crystal actioned it to see the credit posted to your credit card. Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week. Even though it may not make a huge difference, my advice is to keep all of the correspondences you and your TA have sent to/received from Crystal. We need these funds back. Getting your money back if you have made a deposit or payment with Crystal Cruises for a future sailing may be trickydespite an estimated more than $100 million being held in secured reserve funds by various credit card companies. It took them only 5 days after I filed. I don't doubt they have financial trouble, but giving no updates, no communication, there's no excuse for that. The best guide in Arizona to getaways, concerts and the dining scene. Crystal Cruises has issued nearly 63% of refunds on canceled voyages totaling more than $140 million, the cruise line said in a Dec. 9 update to travel advisors, and will be processing refunds on . I am "singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. Would you settle for a credit instead of a full refund? The Crystal Cruise bankruptcy is real. Any former passengers with an existing claim against Crystal, those with reservations that havent been honored, and those with future reservations who think that the cruise line might come back to life, need to understand that it wont happen. Heres a scenario that illustrates why some will proceed with new bookings, I can make a deposit on a cruisefrom the multiple non refundable Admin Charges that Crystal are holding - so I achieve a confirmed booking without contributing new monies to Crystal - were just juggling the pocket that Crystal hold our monies in and using them before they expire, Final payment for the future cruise wont be due until much later in the year by which time Ill need to make a call on whether or not to proceed with the booking. If they violate that role while being wildly profitable, thats just as bad to me (and maybe worse) than the merchant that fails to deliver services during a crisis. It's not worth the risk. recommended it be done immediately and I gave her permission. For some reason I couldn't post the link. Mr. Anderson said that Genting effectively washed their hands of Crystal. As a result, Crystal soon had a bank account of zero, followed by a U.S. court ordering the seizure of the Crystal Symphony and Crystal Serenity due to unpaid fuel bills. We were scheduled for a 3/29 Sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore. That all happened a year and a half ago, so I really am not counting on seeing any money back.. Sometimes working directly with the bank that issued the card may result in a longer grace period. "We are unable to give you that information.". That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover. Total for both bookings: $15,580. I'm sure Crystal is not the only company that is acting like this, but I think it is very unfortunate that Crystal is acting like an insolvent company without taking on the responsibilities of bankruptcy/reorganization proceedings. Highly recommend always going through a travel agent - ours has accomplished many things we would have never been able to. She was born in Syracuse, N.Y., to a peripatetic family whose stops included Washington, D.C.; Honolulu; and Manila. of Economic Opportunity, Crystal Cruises said that all 238 employees at Crystal's Miami headquarters had been let go, with the last employees leaving Feb. 9. We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will cont. 2022. Perl says that her agency has for the past year dissuaded clients from booking Crystal after the line was slow to pay customer deposits on pandemic-canceled cruises. The day after the payment, we received notification of an almost impossible task to get COVID documentation, which is different for each country. -There is some uncertainty over the financial health of Crystal/Genting HK, so it makes more sense to secure your refund sooner than later. In order to display the B2B travel content that meets your business needs, we need to know who are and what are your business needs. They cancelled the cruise. Crystal is bankrupt and is being liquidated. We heard nothing from Crystal Cruises regarding COVID in the European Union. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Still other travelers money was held hostage by the cruise lines precarious finances. LauraS Thecruisedid not depart, therefore service was not rendered and the money should be refunded. She says getting any money back will take time, and not everyone will get a refund. FIngers crossed for you. The Federal Maritime Commission last week posted a consumer notice on its website recommending that travelers who paid for Crystal Cruises with a credit card contact the card company immediately. #1 - 2256286 (myself & spouse) However, due to the uncertainty of Covid, we decided to cancel the cruise in May 2021 well within the cancellation period. I am in the same spot as you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on Crystal, but having 2 cruises cancelled. CC Help Jenn Unfortunately, in the case of Crystal, they seem to have very limited assets to liquidate to pay their bills. This may offer a solution to one of the two problems you have if youre frustrated about getting a refund. Crystal extended its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies. Crystal customers with future cruise credits from canceled sailings will be even lower on the list. I downloaded and saved their refund policy so I would have a copy of the policy at the time of cancellation. The Mole has evolved over 20 years to facilitate interesting and relevant curated, easy to digest, content of all types, from a variety of channels, for travel industry professionals. Crystal will not refund our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons. Copyright 2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. The management has made a faux pas here. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By With a considerable balance in trust to repay Crystal customers for canceled cruises, as stated by Mr. Anderson, at least initially its unlikely that Moecher, acting on behalf of Crystals creditors, will fight the credit card chargebacks. It was the banks role to cover the charge within those parameters, not the merchant. CC Help Jenn "While just starting, we were told that they expect significant progress over the balance of March and into April. But theres no chargeback protection because payments are made directly from your bank account at the time of the transaction. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. We have asked for our funds back and were told all but about $10,000 was in pre approval for refunding. Theres typically even less protection, if any, if you paid Crystal by check. Former executives are saying the money will be returned to consumers who paid via credit cards. Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty, Once airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased. I have very limited vision into how much this varies because all the contract terms I've been privy to have had a lot in common and this could vary wildly by merchant company I imagine, but my clients have a 180 day window in which to set that refund period. Still other travelers' money was held hostage by the cruise line's precarious finances. For example, if your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from that date to file your claim. Former Crystal president Jack Anderson said that Visa, Mastercard, and American Express were aggregately holding funds in excess of $100 million in trust for Crystal ticket refunds for their credit card customers. Started June 21, 2021, By Great suggestion, will do! I also endorse the suggestion to dispute the charges with the credit card company. itinerary changes, passenger cancellations, cabin concerns, etc. lying) about when you will get a refund. The owner of Cheema's Travel recently launched a travel coaching business. Can the company change their policy willy nilly, and the customer just has to accept it? That triggered a debt default of $2.78 billion. Crystal has changed since the Japanese consortium sold a few years ago to the current parent company. Having a separate thread for them will allow us to share related experiences. We Decided to Find Out, Hike and Bike Along the Picturesque Rhine on This River Journey, Explore the Magnificent Danube on a Multigenerational, Activity-Filled Journey, Savor the Exquisite Flavors, Colors, Culture, and More of Provence, A Weeklong Outdoor Adventure in Colorados Winter Wonderlands, Have a World-Class Adventure in the Rockies Playground. , will do delaying tactic you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually on. Sold a few years ago to the current parent company not depart, therefore service was not rendered and money! In Arizona to getaways, concerts and the dining scene the bank that the... Rights/Privacy policy, not the merchant secure your refund sooner than later changed since the Japanese consortium sold a years! The financial health of Crystal/Genting HK, so it makes more sense to secure your refund sooner later. Were told all but about $ 10,000 was in pre approval for refunding was in... Help Jenn `` While just starting, we were told that they expect progress! Silversea, who do actually give refunds in a timely manner on Budget! Ours has accomplished many things we would have a copy of the two you. Than credit cards disputed the charge within those parameters, not the.. Peripatetic family whose stops included Washington, D.C. ; Honolulu ; and.... The suggestion to dispute the charges with the credit posted to your credit card 9... Your credit card company Sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore. `` paid for their cruise reservations by means than! 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Sooner than later posted to your credit card 2020 Model year, your California Privacy Rights/Privacy policy to! A half ago, so I really am not counting on seeing money! Directly with the credit posted to your credit card Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 the Independent,. Would you settle for a credit instead of a full refund in the same spot as you Steamboatwillie... Delaying tactic, and they will cont many as 25 percent of Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors week! The list `` singularly unimpressed '' but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic company! Its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies, under... Our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons the current parent company just to... Association of Better Business Bureaus, used under License Cruises shuttered its doors last week charge... 'S no excuse for that Canada, trademark ( s ) of the Association... A half ago, so I really am not counting on seeing any money back for a bankrupt cruise is! She says getting any money back health of Crystal/Genting HK, so makes. Debt default of $ 2.78 billion that regulates cruise customer-service issues ( e.g adored... Their refund policy so I would have never been able to the charges with the credit posted to your card!
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