See what's sprouting for Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival, Norse Atlantic adds four U.S.-London routes, NCL will make future Prima-class ships bigger and greener, Giada De Laurentiis and Oceania Cruises, a delicious combination, Crew spaces on the Celebrity Beyond a labor of love for designer, Nevada's congressional delegation reacts to Biden's 'Junk Fee' proposal, Despite an energy crisis, lights are staying on for South Africa's tourists, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, Florida Gov. When you click on the commissions home page, that slight hope for help deflates more quickly than a Mylar balloon as youll learn under a section titled cruise disputes.. A Florida Court has already appointed Michael Moecker & Associates to control whats left of Crystals assets. As I recall the trip was slightly different so the price went up however there was a credit for some port fees. As a well known corporate, travel and wildlife photographer, Ned travels the world writing about travel and photography, as well as running photography workshops, seminars and photowalks. Which is basically what some are doing by going the their cc instead of making the request first with Crystal. These changes arent a done deal because this is, after all, the federal government. If youre holding a Crystal reservation, file your credit card dispute immediately with your bank or credit card company to reverse your ticket charge. I am now being told it could take months to receive the refund. Crystal, as you said, should be issuing the refund. Normally this means 120 days from the expected date of the service for which the payment was made. That includes Crystal Cruises, part. Catharine Hamm is the former Travel editor for the Los Angeles Times and became a special contributor in June 2020. Award-winning investigations and consumer reporting that helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. By READ ALSO: Crystal know this --they rely on passionate cruisers.It is like a Pontzi scheme, they take deposits on future cruises and slowly use these for the refunds that they should have refunded months ago. The financial problems of Crystal Cruises primarily came from the financial struggles of Crystals parent company, Genting Hong Kong. I'd rather invest that money elsewhere. "While they didn't like the way their refunds were handled, they love the product and they cannot wait to go back and cruise again," she said. Chase told me they cannot help me with the initial deposit part, since the charges, which were made in early 2019, is outside of their window. But I'm feeling very optimistic about everything as are our clients.". She says getting any money back will take time, and not everyone will get a refund. Write to catharine@catharinehamm.com. All cruises on the Website are protected under a consumer protection scheme. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. And I adored Crystal but as a loyal oh so loyal client Ilike to be treated as such. If you purchased a travel insurance policy for your cruise, check to see if it has that covered. The Crystal Cruise bankruptcy is real. Crystal just decided that the refund will take 30 days, then 90 days, and now more than 90 days. Some consumers who have contacted us have $20,000 in future cruise vouchers. It is true that the outbreak is certainly not Crystal's fault, but if Crystal does not have the funds to refund their customers in a very reasonable timeframe, I strongly suggest that they consider admitting it and go on with what appears more and more inevitable. As time has marched on and no money has been returned, some cruise customers watched as the 60-day time limit under the Fair Credit Billing Act passed, seemingly leaving them unprotected. "Unfortunately, it's taken a lot longer than we would have liked. Gentings shipbuilding unit based in Germany, MV Werften, announced it was insolvent in early January after rescue negotiations with the German government failed. Website launched for Crystal Cruises refund claims. Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018. Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. The progress is critical to restore the confidence of our advisors and their customers and coincides nicely with the launch of cruising in July to/from the Bahamas.". Crystal Cruises said it has refunded approximately 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 cruises and more than 75% when including 2021 sailings through April. I've never seen a "minimum of" policy enforced before, so I'm not sure how that would work. According to a filing with Florida's Dept. I am unable to get a refund for the balance of $15,242 and no information on the status other than it's pending. Adds Perl, With future cruise credits, it is uncertain if they are going to get their money back. I would not give Crystal any money until this all shakes out and we know if their ships will be sailing as Crystal or as a Genting or Star Cruises ships. The service, referred to as alternative dispute resolution, is free. Crystal had already published a Covid-19 related cancellation policy on their website, offering a 100% refund in "up to 90 days" or a 125% FCC. This will ensure you fulfill the policys timing requirements. I was able to get the portion that I had disputed with the credit card company back as a credit on my chase statement 2 months after I filed the dispute, which was the day that Crystal cancelled the cruise. I received $2,786 refund for taxes and insurance on 5/15/2021. On 19-AUG-2021 Crystal submitted a final bill for $15,188.02. . All we get are excuses for delays or no response on the reconciliation. There are occasional exceptions to this timeline that may exceed 90 days but rest assured that our attentions are firmly set on resolving each claim within the 90-day timeframe. Surely we are not the only exception. All through the year, even though there were indications of an increase in COVID. I couldn't dispute the whole amount because the rather large deposit had been made too long previously. The mission of Travelers United is to identify and promote ways to improve and enhance travel for consumers across all modes of travel. #2 -2256288 (our two sons) There also was no provision from Crystal Cruise as to what would happen if we were to say get "stuck" in Germany. As they canceled sailings due to the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, all cruise lines urged customers to take future cruise credits, in lieu of refunds. Guest killed by freak wave on Antarctic cruise, Hundreds of tourists stranded at Machu Picchu amid Peru protests, UNWTO Awake Tourism Challenge winners announced, BA flight makes emergency landing after strange smell reported, TravelMole has over 200,000 registered travel industry members and subscribers throughout the world. For some reason I couldn't post the link. 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. Guests who had their cruises canceled due to the. Sometimes it is even better than insurance. We paid Crystal Cruise Lines a net $12,414.00 in full by January 14, 2020 for a 12 day cruise Reservation/Booking number XXXXXXX to begin on 10/12/2020 and end on 10/23/2020. Browse in private with Firefox, Chrome and Safari. 5waldos, January 31, 2022 in Crystal Cruises. "While just starting, we were told that they expect significant progress over the balance of March and into April. We waited until Crystal cancelled our cruise (2 April 2020). We called customer service at XXX-XXX-XXXX and spoke with Associate Sheri who explained that because we were within (7) days of travel she could not assist us. For those in the U.S., its important to know about the Fair Credit Billing Act, a federal law that is designed to protect American consumers from unfair credit billing practices. ltuckchapman, July 14, 2020 in Crystal Cruises. And if so- how long did it take? In my example, the merchant always had a 90 day window from day 1, though they could have set a longer window. Fortunately, when merchants declare bankruptcy, credit card companies generally extend the dispute filing deadline. We booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20. We have asked for our funds back and were told all but about $10,000 was in pre approval for refunding. by Ned S. Levi | Feb 21, 2022 | Getting there. Details per Confirmation # We are going on 8 months since we cancelled and 1.5 years since we paid in full. For a whole lot of additional information check the topic called "Crystal Refund Roll Call". Our booking number is BK XXXXXXX. The merchant actually pays for that service through their fees, so theyre doing their part to protect me even when they fail. ITR is free to our subscribers. The Better Business Bureau is a total waste of time and energy. Here are 10 you cant miss, 19 cafes that make L.A. a world-class coffee destination, L.A. County residents without power since Friday ask why the city cant do better, Shocking, impossible gas bills push restaurants to the brink of closures, Review: A reimagined Secret Garden fails to flower anew at the Ahmanson Theatre, A record 6,542 guns were intercepted at U.S. airports in 2022, How to have the best Sunday in L.A., according to Rachel Bloom, More than 2,000 flights canceled amid workers strike at seven German airports, U.S. State Department warns to avoid parts of Mexico over ongoing violence, kidnappings, Its the best time to visit Palm Springs. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. King Day of Service with a great tour of civil rights landmarks. Still, industry precedent is that some consumers have a good chance of getting their money back, Pestronk says. We waited patiently until the end of Aug, past the 90 Day mark. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. Total Base $7,398.00 Total Tax $392.00 Grand Total $7,790 (Credit card customers must dispute the charge within that time limit.). recommended it be done immediately and I gave her permission. Commissioner Louis Sola studied what was happening within the cruise industry because of coronavirus disruptions. We depart on 9/12/21 from Boston to Bermuda. CC Help Jenn Ned's annual holiday gift suggestions for travelers - 2022 version. That includes Crystal Cruises, part of the Genting Group. The credit card companies service agents handling the disputes are aware of deadlines built into their dispute rules. But yes, I finally did get all money back. Canceled on may 27, 2021. Five US passport traps that can quickly end your journey before it starts, 3 ways DOT should post basic passenger travel rights at airports, DOT denied boarding (or bumping) compensation rules you should know, United Airlines allows free family seating the first major network carrier to do so, Why DOT and FAA shouldnt blame unruly passengers for violence on planes, Travel agent tips for a vacation world that MAY be opening for travelers, Follow the M.L. The financial problems of Crystal Cruises primarily came from the financial struggles of Crystal's parent company, Genting Hong Kong. i strongly believe that filing a dispute with acredit company is the only way to get a refund from Crystal now. Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week. Started August 27, 2021, By All of the river cruises are cancelled through late May. You should also contact your state attorney generals office, Couch-Friedman advises. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. Crystal Cruises is kaput, out of business. I don't doubt they have financial trouble, but giving no updates, no communication, there's no excuse for that. Travel advisors this week expressed relief and concurred, saying that Crystal had recently accelerated the pace at which it is issuing refunds to their clients as well as commission to agencies. Many many threads about refund policy and actual hapenning already. 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. Crystal customers with future cruise credits from canceled sailings will be even lower on the list. So, hopefully, I will get the deposit part refunded sometime. I enjoy all the pampering, but you can probably get pampering close to being equal elsewhere. After all assets are liquidated, court approval is required to reimburse customers if there are funds left. If Chase refiles it with the right code and points out the cruise is cancelled, that will also help the Chase agent shut down any further Crystal disputes too. I have called repeatedly. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry. Tully said that despite the refund issues, Crystal clients are eager to sail again. Looking back I wish I would do it much sooner. I did that after waiting 120 days and my representative at AE. 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. It took them only 5 days after I filed. The Fair Billing Act is what allows consumers to file credit card chargebacks, she explains. The management has made a faux pas here. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Ditto if you purchased travel insurance through a third-party travel insurance company. I'm in the same boat, see my post in the FCC topic started by JIM9310. Those who paid with cash may not be as lucky and will join the ranks of general creditors. That all happened a year and a half ago, so I really am not counting on seeing any money back.. Given the new COVID situation, we decided to cancel on 2/7 when they changed the departing port from Hong Kong to Taipai. There's a good chance they actually no incentive to stall -- they are most likely using reserve funds for the chargebacks as they did in the past, so if it got paid sooner that would actually HELP Crystal and not hinder them. Perhaps the host can move this to one of the other threads regarding Crystal not refunding guests in a timely manner. I have reached out to our sales associate and always get the same information as the website. Crystal last week said it would launch operations from the Bahamas in July. Once you file the dispute, the credit card company has 30 days to justify not accepting your dispute and reversing the charge. 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? I am now on day 120--and still no refund. Sounds like Crystal responded to your dispute in record time. Did you finally get your refund? Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match. I don't recall any "agreement" made between Crystal and their customers regarding this. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. Washington, D.C.-based travel lawyer Mark Pestronk says it isnt quite that cut and dried. Generally, however, at least Visa and Mastercard extend that time to 120 days from the date of the transaction itself. For example, if your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from that date to file your claim. At a minimum, cruise lines should commit that when a ship does not sail, customers will have choices in terms of compensation including the right to a full refund. Friday, 10 Mar, 2022 0. Its sad.. I dont understand why anyone would give new bookings to Crystal (I know they are not taking new deposits) and possibly be throwing good money after bad. As they were walking out the door, abandoned by the cruise lines owner, Crystal executives hired a lawyer who filed in Florida court for an Assignment of Benefit of Creditors (ABC) liquidation. The cruise line says it has refunded 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings. Crystal said that after every refund is processed it will return to its published refund policy. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By When products or services werent delivered as promised it comes into effect. Genting's shipbuilding unit based in Germany, MV Werften, announced it was insolvent in early January after rescue negotiations with the German government failed. Windstar Knows the Way to the Middle East: How to Sell the Red Sea & Persian Gulf. Please call American Express and a dispute can be filed. Their most recent email response from Crystal was similar to what appears on their website Please know that our team is diligently working to ensure each of your refunds are addressed in the timeliest manner possible, still working within the projected 90 days in most instances. the date when thetravelwas supposed to happen, not when the charge for deposit occurred. CRYSTAL CRUISES REFUSES TO REFUND DEPOSITS - SOME ADVICE - Crystal Cruises - Cruise Critic Community. Oceania further cements itself as a cruise line for foodies, bestowing the honor of Vista godmother on the celebrity chef and Tourism officials and suppliers say that the impact of the crisis on vacationing visitors has been minimal, if not nonexistent. If Crystal has to research every individual miscoded case and try to figure out what the bank meant to done, they would be there for years. How pathetic that the OP is being told that they have to fight with their credit card company when the entity, entirely in the wrong for not refunding the OP, is Crystal. 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. Discover the worldin comforton Viking ocean cruises to Scandinavia, Mediterranean, Asia, Australia, the Americas or around https://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Crystal-Cruises-says-it-has-repaid-80-percent-of-2020-refunds. There is no federal government agency that regulates cruise customer-service issues (e.g. Concurrently, their parent company in Hong Kong has defaulted on $3B in loans. They are not members of the BBB. The agent very nicely says she has no date, but eventually we will get our money. And the people who are buying cruises for 2021, 2022, 2023 are told the same same cancellation policy as us -ie full refund if you cancel outside 6 months of sailing. Push for your refund and name the Fair Billing Act, and the date of expected service, not when the charge appeared.. You should do tests on private browsing mode. Started June 21, 2021, By Theres a lesson here for any cruise customers holding future cruise credits, she adds. I am not sure how there could possibly be an expectation to make our final payment (or how they justify keeping a deposit) when the US State Department has blocked (advised against) travel specifically to one of the countries on our itinerary. Still other travelers' money was held hostage by the cruise line's precarious finances. If your dispute falls within those dates (or before disembarkationdate and less than 540 days since charged) -- be sure to fight for your dispute if you get pushback. I had to fight that as they originally said I only had until 12/21. So now that Crystal's official policy is "we are now projecting a minimum of 90 days," does that get them off the hook forever? This was not part of the contract when we put our deposit down. And when asked as to a time frame as to when the money would be refunded. 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. My travel agent rang me today, she told me Crystal were querying the payments Amex had refunded One was for a cancelled river cruise and the other 6th April symphony cruise, both cancelled by Crystal. Travel Mole Newsletter is a subscriber only travel trade news publication. Such a shame as they had a good product. I am frustrated and throughly disappointed on how this entire situation unfolded. For other methods of payment, obtaining a refund for your Crystal tickets may be more difficult. I will stick with Regent, Oceania, and Silversea, who do actually give refunds in a timely manner. Sorry, OP, but looks like you will have to fight for what should be an easy refund. When we booked the cruise, we took the deposit from another cruise that was canceled because of the pandemic and put it on this one, he says. So sorry to hear this. I am being told that because I used FCC to book the Italycruise that I only have until 12/22 to use the FCC. Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund on our river cruise due to sail on April 25. I had to secure TWO airfares and go through the time and effort to set up all excursionsand hotels for both trips..for them both to be cancelled. I hope that Chase let's me see the actual response from Crystal- that might give me a clue as to what the problem is. It does offer what it calls consumer affairs and dispute resolution, or CADRS, which includes ombuds assistance, mediation, facilitation and arbitration to resolve challenges and disputes involving cruises, among other issues. CC Help Jenn LauraS The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. It may be lost money. lying) about when you will get a refund. That triggered a debt default of $2.78 billion. We emailed Crystal Cruises on the same day, April 2nd, asking for a 100% refund, Crystal Cruises' Covid-19 related cancellation policy. THAT SAID, if you have been notified of a lower threshold, keep that notice and provide it to your credit card company. Have a travel problem, dilemma or question? Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. Some cruise lines were (and are) overwhelmed with refund requests. I followed all the guidelines they set in place for the cancelled Asia cruise. The Chase advisor explained that there is a rule for 120 days from the //day of service// (i.e. On 9/11th, while printing and reviewing cruise details, we saw that none of our booked dinner reservations - see attached confirmations - showed on our itinerary. AZ International Auto Show & New Car Buyer's Guide 2020 Model Year, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. We are aware the cruise lines are struggling, however, this was our dream trip that we saved for years to be able to go. We then booked a cruise to Italy on2/15with the FCC with a late May 2020 departure.. Whether Crystal Cruises customers will get refunds remains clouded by uncertainty. Well guide you through the process. ", "I always knew that they'd do the right thing," she said. 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. Keep in mind that disputes that result in chargebacks to the vendor are negatives that are scored by the CC company. We heard nothing from Crystal Cruises regarding COVID in the European Union. BBB is here to help. The 60-day count begins when the statement containing the transaction is issued, not when the transaction was made. Powered by Invision Community. )., Thats the word from the Federal Maritime Commission, a small federal agency that focuses on vessels and the ocean. Crystal has changed since the Japanese consortium sold a few years ago to the current parent company. I have never previously filed a complaint with you, but really need your prompt assistance with obtaining the money due me. (Complaints about individual cruises go to complaints@FMC.gov.). The report I issued earlier this summer has a number of recommendations that strike the right balance between providing consumers more protections but not proposing new requirements that are so difficult or expensive to implement., Refunds should be provided within 60 days if boarding is delayed by a day or more. We were caught in a vortex and feel as if we are being penalized for it. If you are receiving this message, simply enter your email address to sign in or register if you are not. We were told it would be 90 days to get a refund. Amex is very customer service oriented, so your suggestion gives us hope! If Crystal cannot meet its financial obligations to their customers, they are de-facto insolvent. SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. With their appalling refund situation, they have lost a potential future cruiser who spends a lot of money on cruising. There is a number of threads already on this topic. It is now mid September and we're told they are waiting for someone to hit the send button. Also, the bank will usuallyprovide a credit to the customer until the issue is resolved, so even if a merchant argued that they got "at least X" number of days, there's a good chance that the credit card company would issue a credit against that charge (either temporary or permanent) even if it's not technically eligible yet for a chargeback against the merchant. Throughout the pandemic, Crystal has been slow to pay refunds on cruise cancellations, leaving advisors frustrated and concerned for the future of the company, whose parent, Genting Hong Kong, has been mired in financial issues since last summer. Crystal Cruises has undergone a turbulent time in recent months, due to serious financial problems. The site was set up by Florida-based liquidator Mark Healy who is managing the affairs of Crystal Cruises LLC, Crystal AirCruises LLC and Crystal Holdings U.S. LLC. I was told I would likely receive a refund within 90 days. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. Crystal should be issuing these refunds, of course, but your bank isbeing paid to provide this service from all sides and you deserve that protection. That doesnt have anything to do with how much I love or hate the merchant, that just has to do with who had which job. 194 total complaints in the last 3 years. Finally on 6/7/21 they agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case. Last month I was involved in several disputes on behalf of clients where the cardholder was trying to jump a 90-day refundwindow, and all we had to do was provide the card issuer with a copy of the notice the cardholder was given showing the 90 day window and the chargeback was declined. A lot of times this is just a matter of making things manageable -- they tell the banks that didn't file it properly to do their own work, get their stuff together, and resubmit it right so the merchant can address it efficiently. The likelihood is that the earlier you file your disputed credit card transaction claim, the greater your chances youll get your money back. 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. All Rights Reserved. *Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. On record-keeping, why do airlines play dumb with Congress? They have no authority over cruiselines. If a cruise is canceled because of a governmental order or declaration, refunds must be issued within 180 days. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. Crystal is bankrupt and is being liquidated. I would recommend to any consumer that has vouchers tied up with Crystal they contact the attorney general in their state and ask for legal guidance, Couch-Friedman says. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. There are lessons for all cruise travelers in the story of Crystals collapse. But if Crystal just doesn't have the money, how can they refund you ? 2023 Outdoor Activities in Crystal River: Check out reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. Its possible that a new company will purchase their ships, but its virtually impossible to believe that any company would be willing to buy Crystal, resume its operations and honor its booked reservations. They cancelled the cruise. By These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies. Her varied media career has taken her from McPherson, Kan., to Kansas City, Mo., San Bernardino, Salinas and L.A. Hamm has twice received individual Lowell Thomas Awards, and the Travel section has been recognized seven times during her tenure as editor. This complaint is against Crystal Cruise Line. 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. Denied boarding (bumping) compensation increased to a maximum of $1,550. 07070 USA Telephone: (201) 902-2000. That hasnt been independently confirmed. Welcome to Cruise Critic SteamboatWillie118. Its the chance to be heard at a time when many companies arent listening. Okay- that makes it sound very reasonable. It is possible the assignee who is now in charge of Crystals remaining assets will find a way to accept the vouchers as cash value, but that may be a long shot, she says. Have an issue with deceptive hotel pricing, resort fees or timeshares?