But I'm feeling very optimistic about everything as are our clients.". Unfortunately, due to COVID, we postponed to January 2022. Rather than focusing on the number of complaints, BBB considers how frequently and effectively those complaints are resolved. "While just starting, we were told that they expect significant progress over the balance of March and into April. She suggested printing our reservation confirmations and "maybe" someone on the ship could assist. 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. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match. This was not part of the contract when we put our deposit down. Ned's annual holiday gift suggestions for travelers - 2022 version. Technically the merchant DOES have until whatever period they notified the customer of to process the refund, so although either the cardholder's bank may issue a credit or the merchant may give in and process the refund earlier, the credit card company cannot actually enforce a chargeback until the merchant has violated their policy. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. Depressed now? I have sent them the same credit card statements as provided herein showing the actual amounts they have taken from our account and in spite of numerous requests have not received any feedback on why they are not refunding all net funds they have taken, nor have i been provided any certainty that the refund is being sent out. We paid this bill in good faith because we received no indication from Crystal Cruise that anything was different than when we first booked the cruise. 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. 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. Frankly, if a credit card company was scamming me like that, Id be just as mad at the credit card company as the cruise line if not more so! "We will be processing your refund." Here are 64 ways to enjoy L.A.s beloved getaway. lying) about when you will get a refund. 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. 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. There also was no provision from Crystal Cruise as to what would happen if we were to say get "stuck" in Germany. #1 - 2256286 (myself & spouse) It may take several days from the time Crystal actioned it to see the credit posted to your credit card. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. Your best course of action is to file a credit card dispute. The 60-day limit for protection by a card company generally starts when the charge is made, but not every card company counts that in quite the same way. They are not members of the 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.". Its sad.. You should do tests on private browsing mode. Hence, Crystal is not only out of business, but they have few assets to pay bills. We waited until Crystal cancelled our cruise (2 April 2020). One year ago our cruise was canceled due to the COVID pandemic. Any thoughts on this matter? Finally on 6/7/21 they agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case. 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. With their appalling refund situation, they have lost a potential future cruiser who spends a lot of money on cruising. 2022. If you have a copy that says 90 days, and the merchant provides a subsequent policy change that says "minimum of 90 days", the credit card company will almost always honor the cardholder's initial notice. Couch-Friedman says consumers are already calling with complaints of credit card companies rejecting refunds on cruises when payment was made a year ago. Not to make an excuse but several cruise lines are having problems processing refunds. Would you settle for a credit instead of a full refund? Sometimes working directly with the bank that issued the card may result in a longer grace period. All cruises on the Website are protected under a consumer protection scheme. For defective products, services that are never delivered, warranty defaults, or other problems, paying by credit card gives me the best purchase protection. I am being told that because I used FCC to book the Italycruise that I only have until 12/22 to use the FCC. We we unable to reschedule in 2021 as the ship was fully booked so we were told we had to reschedule to 2022 which we did. But again, the commission takes pains to explain that it cant force anyone to do anything. Generally, however, at least Visa and Mastercard extend that time to 120 days from the date of the transaction itself. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile. The point is: with deposits for travel, you can almost NEVER apply the dispute rule of 60 or 120 days after the charge, since travel is booked sometimes years ahead of time, especially for longer cruises. 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. 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. That cruise was cancelled due to the pandemic. Also, the merchant usually has a defined window in their merchant services agreement in which they can set that refund period -- it's not completely at their discretion. Its a more difficult situation, says Couch-Friedman. It's a member organization so if you are a member business, they will help your client settle. The Crystal Cruise bankruptcy is real. We were only offered FCC. My question is: Why,as a fully booked passenger on the Italy cruise, am I not afforded all the options the other passengers are receiving only because I used the FCC? 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. -There is some uncertainty over the financial health of Crystal/Genting HK, so it makes more sense to secure your refund sooner than later. King Day of Service with a great tour of civil rights landmarks. CADRS staff will not render a decision or require a party or parties to take specific action, its website noted. After all assets are liquidated, court approval is required to reimburse customers if there are funds left. 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. We waited patiently until the end of Aug, past the 90 Day mark. "Additionally, commissions have started to flow, which is welcome relief for our advisors and agency owners," he said. )., Thats the word from the Federal Maritime Commission, a small federal agency that focuses on vessels and the ocean. Details per Confirmation # Great suggestion, will do! And when asked as to a time frame as to when the money would be refunded. 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. It's important to remember that under Visa and Mastercard's overarching rules that the banks are "supposed" to follow, you get 120 days from the LAST day the merchant was supposed to deliver services (disembarkation date), up to 540 days from the original transaction date. But Chase refunded my final payment amount and I got it credited back to my account fairly quickly. And try to confirm that Chase does the same. Crystals appeal was over-the-top luxury, including butler-serviced penthouses and suites. Yet this is misleading at best, fraud at worst. The best guide in Arizona to getaways, concerts and the dining scene. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Others who waited received 25% bonus and airfare considerations. I suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback. Great. The cruise line says it has refunded 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings. Started June 21, 2021, By "We are pleased to say that during the past month, we have been able to open new channels of access to available collateral that have allowed us to process additional refunds," the line said in a statement. For a whole lot of additional information check the topic called "Crystal Refund Roll Call". I am not sure this is the thread.I'm not really savvy on the forums. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. Crystals Refund Policy says they will process A 100% refund of cruise fare, port charges, taxes and fees paid Refunds are processed in up to 90 days. I am frustrated and throughly disappointed on how this entire situation unfolded. We need these funds back. Looking back I wish I would do it much sooner. (Complaints about individual cruises go to complaints@FMC.gov.). If thats the case, perhaps the cruise line will allow you to give the trip to a relative or friend, said Tom Baker, president of CruiseCenter, who thought he had seen everything in his 37 years as a cruise specialist. Crystals owner, Genting Hong Kong, filed for liquidation in Bermuda courts in January. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. Travelers Unitedis a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. 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. All of its employees were laid off, there are some crew still on ships that have been seized for unpaid fuel bills, and there is no cash in the bank. 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. In fact, how a business responds to customer complaints is one of the most significant components of the BBB Business Rating. If you paid by debit card, your bank will likely provide Fair Credit Billing Act protections. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. *In Canada, trademark(s) of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, used under License. Understandably, our cruise was cancelled on April 2nd. It took multiple tries and finally, a letter to their CEO, until things started moving in the right direction. Airlines Refunds: DOT enforcement notice that all airline tickets canceled by the airlines must be repaid to include all airfare, taxes and added fees with cash not airline credits. I purchased a cruise from Crystal Cruises in the amount of $18,028. Crystal thencancelled that cruise. Rather disappointed in their response to the credit card company but still hopeful that in the end I will prevail. CC Help Jenn Refunds were promised within 90 days which did not occur. 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. ITR is free to our subscribers. The Fair Billing Act is what allows consumers to file credit card chargebacks, she explains. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018. The line operated two ocean vessels, the 848-passenger Crystal Symphony and 980-passenger Crystal Serenity, five river cruise ships, and an expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor, which launched in summer 2021. As of February 16, there was no such information online. 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. I am now being told it could take months to receive the refund. (Ross May / Los Angeles Times; Getty Images), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, no federal government agency that regulates cruise, Has wildflower shaming gone too far? Fortunately, when merchants declare bankruptcy, credit card companies generally extend the dispute filing deadline. International Association of Better Business Bureaus. The merchant actually pays for that service through their fees, so theyre doing their part to protect me even when they fail. That was one week ago. Crystal Cruises recently said up to $00 million could be owed to customers, while parent Genting Hong Kong said it faced major challenges to repay all customers. Browse in private with Firefox, Chrome and Safari. Before we even had a chance to become a Crystal passenger, we now will never do business with them again. 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 . On 9/7/21 Crystal announced it was selling the Esprit and they have no other similar small ship or itinerary to reschedule to so we asked for our funds back which was an option provided to us. Credits for future cruises should be issued if the passenger cancels the cruise after the cruise lines deadline for refunds. We booked a cruise with Crystal Cruise in April to tour Europe. Share. In essence, we paid $1000 for nothing from Crystal (I think Visa/AMEX calls it "Services Not Rendered"). 5waldos, January 31, 2022 in Crystal Cruises. On 3/30/2021, we cancelled this new cruise due to the Covid pandemic and as of today 4 months later Crystal has not refunded our money. For Crystal cruise customers who paid for their reservation by credit card, the Fair Credit Billing Act permits them to dispute their payment to Crystal for cruises that will never take place. 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. S ) of the BBB business Rating so if you are a organization. File credit card company but still hopeful that in the end I will prevail most components... Just a delaying tactic crystal cruises refund problems prevail your refund sooner than later confirm that Chase does the.! 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