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Risks of taking a credit instead of refund

Risks of taking a credit instead of refund

Old May 9, 2020, 6:12 am
  #16  
 
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Originally Posted by 747FC
I cancelled a December cruise with Seabourn about six weeks ago. My TA said that Seabourn was saying that the refund would take two months. I have travel insurance with an independent company that covers financial default of the carrier. I also have Chase "insurance" as the deposit was charged to Chase cards.

My analysis is that there is no injury at this point under which an insurer would process a claim for damages. Seabourn is not in financial default and they have indicated a willingness to refund the money. So, I have not filed a claim.

Any thoughts about this analysis?
You have asked for your refund. We all know that CCL (which owns Seabourn) is in some financial turmoil at the present time, but it seems to have gotten enough financing to survive. However, it is going to be a slow refund process.

I had a Hilton reservation cancelled in the middle of March for $108 which is still going through the refund process 2 months later. So I think that everyone is slow on the rebound.

If you are concerned, I would probably give it to June before using an alternative method to recover your funds.
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Old May 10, 2020, 7:46 am
  #17  
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Originally Posted by Happy
When was your canceled cruise? Did you opt for Option 1, i.e. 100% FCC with higher incentive FCC?
Our canceled Princess cruise was scheduled to start yesterday. We got the 150% FCC two or three weeks ago - we're just waiting for the taxes, airfare, and the original (now expired) FCD to be refunded.

Celebrity is slower, as we haven't even gotten the 125% FCC yet. That cruise was scheduled to depart two weeks ago.

Both cruises were canceled around the same time in March.
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Old May 10, 2020, 10:52 am
  #18  
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Originally Posted by mahasamatman
Our canceled Princess cruise was scheduled to start yesterday. We got the 150% FCC two or three weeks ago - we're just waiting for the taxes, airfare, and the original (now expired) FCD to be refunded.

Celebrity is slower, as we haven't even gotten the 125% FCC yet. That cruise was scheduled to depart two weeks ago.

Both cruises were canceled around the same time in March.
Do you mind to give the ship's name? or itinerary?

Seems the most recent FCC posted even for the Option 1, was only up to early April. Nobody who opts for Option 2 has ever seen their 25% incentive FCC posted, for cruises after Mar 12, the start of the first pause.
There is really no any discernible order to guess if there are any pecking orders.

As time went by more and more people turned to dispute with their banks on the charges - some of the amount tied up seem rather large per posted info, as in the amount of over several Tens of Thousands. So far all disputes are settled in cardmenbers favor. I suspect Princess would not contest those disputes as it has no ground to do so. However this also means whatever tactics it tried to conserve cash, does not work well because cash still being withdrawn, plus the penalty to pay on disputes, plus it may cause it to put up more collateral to payment processors as NCL alluded to in its latest 8K filing. In other words, tying up more cash, at the payment processor level.

Last edited by Happy; May 10, 2020 at 11:16 am
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Old May 10, 2020, 10:57 am
  #19  
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Originally Posted by 747FC
I cancelled a December cruise with Seabourn about six weeks ago. My TA said that Seabourn was saying that the refund would take two months. I have travel insurance with an independent company that covers financial default of the carrier. I also have Chase "insurance" as the deposit was charged to Chase cards.

My analysis is that there is no injury at this point under which an insurer would process a claim for damages. Seabourn is not in financial default and they have indicated a willingness to refund the money. So, I have not filed a claim.

Any thoughts about this analysis?
You cannot use credit card dispute for service not rendered because you cancel the cruise, not the cruise line.

Chase "insurance" does not apply to your situation whatsoever. You may want to check the conditions on the Chase "insurance" on what are covered events - none apply to your scenario. Besides, financial default has specifically taken out from the covered event.

Your other insurance would not kick in until Seabourn default. That is probably your ONLY protection on the refund not materializes if it comes to that.

Also Seabourn is NOT making any refund on its canceled cruise - FCC is the only option. Wow.

Both Princess and Holland America at least offer the option to get 100% refund, with Holland America hides this option very well, and there is a June 1st deadline to submit your request.
Seabourn just flat out does not offer any refund. This makes Viking stands out in the luxury market going forward...

CCL itself, actually has issued refunds on canceled March and may even into April, sailings already.

I guess each brand under CCL is on its own when it comes to managing their cash needs. Seaboun obviously is the one has the most shortage of cash. Or it thinks its passengers would file credit card disputes anyway so not even bothers to play games.

Last edited by Happy; May 10, 2020 at 4:00 pm
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Old May 10, 2020, 4:18 pm
  #20  
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While two months seems unreasonable, the fact is that six weeks have already gone by. At this point, it is unlikely that Seabourn will become insolvent in the next two weeks (and even if it did and sought bankruptcy protection, you would be covered through yout credit card). I would wait the two weeks. At eight weeks, go ahead and file a chargeback with your credit card and supply the documentation including the commitment to process a refund within 8 weeks. No reason to let it go longer than 8 weeks and it ought to all result in a temporary credit within 1-2 days and a permanent credit in short order.
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Old May 10, 2020, 6:42 pm
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Originally Posted by Happy
You cannot use credit card dispute for service not rendered because you cancel the cruise, not the cruise line.

Chase "insurance" does not apply to your situation whatsoever. You may want to check the conditions on the Chase "insurance" on what are covered events - none apply to your scenario. Besides, financial default has specifically taken out from the covered event.

Your other insurance would not kick in until Seabourn default. That is probably your ONLY protection on the refund not materializes if it comes to that.

Also Seabourn is NOT making any refund on its canceled cruise - FCC is the only option. Wow.

Both Princess and Holland America at least offer the option to get 100% refund, with Holland America hides this option very well, and there is a June 1st deadline to submit your request.
Seabourn just flat out does not offer any refund. This makes Viking stands out in the luxury market going forward...

CCL itself, actually has issued refunds on canceled March and may even into April, sailings already.

I guess each brand under CCL is on its own when it comes to managing their cash needs. Seaboun obviously is the one has the most shortage of cash. Or it thinks its passengers would file credit card disputes anyway so not even bothers to play games.
Thanks for your insights. FYI, Seabourn has offered refunds, and has given a 60-day wait period on this. For what it is worth, there is a thread in Cruise Critic’s Seabourn forum in which someone has created a spreadsheet tracking refund times.

Last edited by 747FC; May 11, 2020 at 2:18 pm Reason: mistakenly said 30-days. Really 60-days.
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Old May 11, 2020, 1:32 pm
  #22  
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Originally Posted by 747FC
Thanks for your insights. FYI, Seabourn has offered refunds, and has given a 30-day wait period on this. For what it is worth, there is a thread in Cruise Critic’s Seabourn forum in which someone has created a spreadsheet tracking refund times.
They should, because if they dont, guests on canceled cruises would simply file credit card charge backs. Banks seem to be at the positions of cardholders can file within 60 days after the service NOT rendered as scheduled. Many thought it was 60 days from transactions. Not so. I have seen successful disputes on travels paid in as early as last Oct thru Dec, for canceled travel in May and June. So 9 months since transactions.
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Old Jul 3, 2020, 8:48 pm
  #23  
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Pleased and relieved to say that Oceania has kept their word and refunded the cash portion within 90 days though more than 60 . The bulk is still FCC as they refused to refund all in cash . Thanks too to our diligent TA .
We are supposed to be grateful to them for condescendingly giving the token cash after causing us loads of grief . Too much to explain / type . We are ( still ) cruising the same itinerary in the same category top suite sometime in late 2021 .
This , FYI , is contrary to what the President / CEO emailed when he claimed that our welfare is their utmost priority !!
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Last edited by FlyerEC; Jul 4, 2020 at 4:48 pm
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