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. I will do my best to cross every T and dot every i. 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. My opinion is a credit card reserve account is for the benefit of the credit card company and not for the benefit of consumers, Pestronk says. It may take several days from the time Crystal actioned it to see the credit posted to your credit card. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By 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. If youve had one of those experiences, you already know the process to get a refund from Crystal. Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund on our river cruise due to sail on April 25. Followers 1. Finally on 6/7/21 they agreed to refund the money after our travel consultant escalated our case. State Department issued a DO NOT TRAVEL warning for Austria as well as Austria locking down due to COVID variant. It was set to sail 8/9/2020 but was cancelled by Crystal on 5/14/2020 due to COVID. I am "singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. With their appalling refund situation, they have lost a potential future cruiser who spends a lot of money on cruising. BBB is here to help. Started August 27, 2021, By But if you have a problem with a cruise, you have a problem. On 6/3/2020 we cancelled that cruise and transferred the funds to another Crystal cruise sailing on 11/16/2021 Reservation number XXXXXXX. Refunds were promised within 90 days which did not occur. Crystals website now links directly to crystalcruiseclaims.com, which allows customers and travel agents to file a refund request. 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. If you paid with a card, the money goes back to the card. 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. Crystal Cruises is kaput, out of business. ", "I always knew that they'd do the right thing," she said. 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 regret we cannot answer every inquiry. Submitting a response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right. Also, I see no reason to wait 90 days or even 60 days to do so. 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. Its sad.. 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. On 19-AUG-2021 Crystal submitted a final bill for $15,188.02. Question about refund - Crystal Cruises - Cruise Critic Community. Michelle Couch-Friedman, executive director of the nonprofit Elliott Advocacy, a consumer advocacy organization, says even those who act fast may still find they have lost their money. That hasnt been independently confirmed. Thank 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. I am now being told it could take months to receive the refund. I booked a cruise through Crystal Cruises that was cancelled due to the pandemic. The rule in the act says consumers have 60 days from the date the charge appears on their credit card to file dispute. That includes Crystal Cruises, part of the Genting Group. The state's lawmakers emphasized the need for transparency rather than criticizing the resort fees. Total for both bookings: $15,580. CC Help Jenn That triggered a debt default of $2.78 billion. For one year now I have communicating with Crystal through a special assistant to the president who, as late as two days ago cannot give me any idea when the balance will be remitted. AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site. 2023 AFAR Media, ships that have been seized for unpaid fuel bills. In fact, how a business responds to customer complaints is one of the most significant components of the BBB Business Rating. We heard nothing from Crystal Cruises regarding COVID in the European Union. We need these funds back. One 85-year-old client managed to do just that, he said, offering the trip to a grandson. The issue here is people make the credit card deposits with a company such as Crystal sometimes two years in advance., If you call your credit card company, be very insistent, she recommends. Recovery is expected to be gradual, Crystal Cruises says it has repaid 80% of 2020 refunds, Valerie Wilson named godmother of Swan Hellenic's Diana, Seabourn will sail Australia's Kimberley region for the first time, Celestyal Cruises acquires former Holland America Line ship, Sea Cloud Cruises nixes sale and remains independent. Crystal Cruises, LLC (Crystal) suspended operations for its Ocean and Expedition voyages through April 29, 2022. Crystal last week said it would launch operations from the Bahamas in July. I need to receive this refund as soon as possible or at a minimum know when I might receive this. Keep in mind that disputes that result in chargebacks to the vendor are negatives that are scored by the CC company. 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. Crystal did not say what those channels consist of. The Miami Herald reported Aug. 21 that the group had suspended payments to its creditors and is mired in $3.4 billion in debt. 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. 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. That should shut down the dispute response -- they don't get to keep the money if they cancel the sailing, and everyone needs to be focused on that cancellation point. Award-winning investigations and consumer reporting that helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. Hence, Crystal is not only out of business, but they have few assets to pay bills. 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. 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. The service, referred to as alternative dispute resolution, is free. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. 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. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. Crystal, as you said, should be issuing the refund. 2 complaints closed in the last 12 months. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. Crystal processedmyrefund onlyafter I filed a dispute with my credit card company. 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. I have called repeatedly. 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. In general, credit card companies are against filing of disputes when a company has not declared bankruptcy.. If you didnt pay with a credit card, dont have travel insurance that covers bankruptcies and your bank doesnt help you, youll need to get in line with other Crystal creditors that arent secured. Share. They are not honoring their refund policy. Looking back I wish I would do it much sooner. 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. Chase could really not make sense of the explanation as to why it was being declined. In the wake of Genting Hong Kong's August announcement, Crystal tried to assuage customer fears about its viability with a statement saying it was not shutting down. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. Theres also no direct transfer requirement the banks must fulfill. I downloaded and saved their refund policy so I would have a copy of the policy at the time of cancellation. Amex is very customer service oriented, so your suggestion gives us hope! I will stick with Regent, Oceania, and Silversea, who do actually give refunds in a timely manner. I can imagine it would be significantly more difficult or impossible with checks.. Needless to say - we will never book anything with Crystal again. 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. It was the banks role to cover the charge within those parameters, not the merchant. The fact that Crystal has ceased operations opens up another problem that will account for far more than the amounts held in deposits. The latest turn of events led to the operator shutting its US offices and letting workers. BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. Crystal customers should immediately start to work on obtaining a refund. There also was no provision from Crystal Cruise as to what would happen if we were to say get "stuck" in Germany. 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. We booked a fall 2021 Crystal cruise on 6/20/20. 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? Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. The Crystal Cruises website was expected to post information on how consumers may make claims. 2023Outdoor Activities in Crystal River. 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. Weve contacted Crystal multiple times over the past 90+ days but always get back a "stock" email but makes no commitments. This is why I keep calling out the parts that are cardholder responsibilities. CC Help Jenn 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. Sometimes it is even better than insurance. 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. In the unlikely event of the Company's insolvency, appropriate measures shall be taken to refund any money the Customer has paid to the Company. FIngers crossed for you. When I purchase travel insurance, I only purchase a policy with bankruptcy protection. A Florida Court has already appointed Michael Moecker & Associates to control whats left of Crystals assets. 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. The total was $15,580.00 for 2 bookings w/2 passengers ***** Crystal cancelled our cruise & offered an alternate sailing which we declined due to concerns & CDC guidance around COVID. By SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. Too many result in more funds being held by the CC company. Seasoned travelers know that if they have a problem with an airline, they can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation. Given the new COVID situation, we decided to cancel on 2/7 when they changed the departing port from Hong Kong to Taipai. That cruise was cancelled due to the pandemic. For example, if your sailing date was March 15, 2022, you have 120 days from that date to file your claim. Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Consumers may make claims always knew that they 'd do the right thing, '' said. I filed a dispute with my credit card company crystalcruiseclaims.com, which we... 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