Im singularly unimpressed. 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. If Crystal is insolvent then it is illegal for them to trade. Beloved for their 6-star, personalized service, their comfort and the sophisticated atmosphere, Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony will continue to operate under the " Crystal Cruises " brand. 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. Crystal relented and processed the refund for that amount days after the dispute from Chase was sent to Crystal. I am in the same spot as you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on Crystal, but having 2 cruises 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. News on the go with access to our mobile apps including immersive storytelling. We did not cancel. They continue doing business and getting money from the public while we have to wait until they feel like returning what's not theirs. Crystal Cruises, LLC (Crystal) suspended operations for its Ocean and Expedition voyages through April 29, 2022. The cruise line says it has refunded 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings. Crystal did not say what those channels consist of. 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. This was not part of the contract when we put our deposit down. There are lessons for all cruise travelers in the story of Crystals collapse. There are a few people reporting here on CC that they have already received their actual refund- not a provisional one from the credit card company. 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. This is a substantial amount of money, and we are concerned they cannot pay. 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. File a claim if it does. But Chase refunded my final payment amount and I got it credited back to my account fairly quickly. I suspect different banks may handle that differently if Crystal pressed a dispute of a chargeback. 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. Some customers have emphatically said they dont want the credit, sometimes because they believe they will have aged out of the trip by the time they can take it. Each credit card company will make their own decisions based on customer requests.. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. There is a limited trust pool of money at the credit card companies. Seasoned travelers know that if they have a problem with an airline, they can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation. Here are the reasons I did not wait too long. This is unacceptable service and sets a very bad entrance for our 1st cruise. #2 -2256288 (our two sons) Before entering the corporate world, Ned worked as a Public Health Engineer for the Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Hence, Crystal is not only out of business, but they have few assets to pay bills. Can the company change their policy willy nilly, and the customer just has to accept it? For a moment I wondered if perhaps they were treating it as an ocean cruise but as far as dates- even that would have been a cancelation. 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. Crystal canceled their trip and offered them two options: a full refund to be returned in 90 days or a voucher for future travel for 125% of the cost of their cruise. 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. But if you have a problem with a cruise, you have a problem. 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. Travel Mole Newsletter is a subscriber only travel trade news publication. Depressed now? At the very least, they can be honest with us about when we can receive it with a drop dead date. But dont get too excited. 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. 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. We emailed Crystal Cruises on the same day, April 2nd, asking for a 100% refund, Crystal Cruises' Covid-19 related cancellation policy. That was one week ago. Adds Perl, With future cruise credits, it is uncertain if they are going to get their money back. 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. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. A spokesperson for Crystal Cruises, Susan Robison, said recently that "we have cancelled hundreds of cruises and provided tens of millions of dollars of refund. Share. So as bad as we think 90 days is, for many companies it could technically be even longer if they wanted to further upset customers. 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. Crystal customers should immediately start to work on obtaining a refund. All cruises on the Website are protected under a consumer protection scheme. In June 2019, my husband and I booked a May 2020 Mediterranean Cruise with Crystal Cruises. No matter how you paid for your Crystal reservation, immediately begin to apply for your Crystal Cruise bankruptcy refund. So the net funds Crystal took was $35,356. "We are unable to give you that information.". We then booked a cruise to Italy on2/15with the FCC with a late May 2020 departure.. Started August 27, 2021, By I am now being told it could take months to receive the refund. It's not QUITE true that the refund period means nothing. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, said, "Crystal has made some significant progress in paying past due customer refunds," with members suggesting more than 80% had been refunded to date. That triggered a debt default of $2.78 billion. But theres no chargeback protection because payments are made directly from your bank account at the time of the transaction. 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. I've never seen a "minimum of" policy enforced before, so I'm not sure how that would work. 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! This may offer a solution to one of the two problems you have if youre frustrated about getting a refund. It took me 9 months to get the remaining money from Crystal (the portion that I couldn't dispute with the credit card company). 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. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. This will ensure you fulfill the policys timing requirements. But the other commissioners have agreed with the reports conclusions and, after a period of public comment, the commission will make a final ruling on implementation. 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. Powered by Invision Community. (Credit card customers must dispute the charge within that time limit.). The Miami Herald reported Aug. 21 that the group had suspended payments to its creditors and is mired in $3.4 billion in debt. 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? Share. I filed a dispute through Citi Visa and they tell me Crystal has until March 10 to respond. It took them only 5 days after I filed. Nothing about refunding after months , and at their discretion. 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. Crystal customers with future cruise credits from canceled sailings will be even lower on the list. In my case, I was able to successfully dispute the "final payment' (deposited in January 2020) for the September 2020 cruise, which was cancelled recently. Would you settle for a credit instead of a full refund? Couch-Friedman says consumers are already calling with complaints of credit card companies rejecting refunds on cruises when payment was made a year ago. We are now at day 98, with no idea if and when well get our refund. Whatever is happening is not good for consumers, Couch-Friedman says. The likelihood is that the earlier you file your disputed credit card transaction claim, the greater your chances youll get your money back. A friend of mine had his Regent refund in 7 days. Others who waited received 25% bonus and airfare considerations. Crystal thencancelled that cruise. It was about the crew, Ross says. 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. Not like this is something that Crystal doesn't know that they are doing. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. Crystal extended its no-money down deposit window that it implemented in July 2020 as well as relaxed final payment policies. Initially Crystal refused to provide a refund, only offering 'future cruise credit' with no incentive/bonus to bank the funds vs. taking a refund. Her favorite place? Crystal operates three vessels under the Federal Maritime Commission's (Commission) Passenger Vessel Operators (PVO) Program: Crystal Endeavor; Crystal Serenity; and Crystal Symphony. ", "I always knew that they'd do the right thing," she said. Crystal is bankrupt and is being liquidated. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. It's not worth the risk. 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. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. Ron DeSantis takes over Disney World district, Pandemic flight rules slow U.S.-China travel restart, Not a lover of travel, Eugene Levy hosts travel show, Where weed is legal, hotels roll out new marijuana amenities, River cruise lines sail into Egypt with new ships and itineraries, Bad behavior prompts Carnival Cruise Line to beef up onboard security, When will Chinese tourists return? 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. Crystal last week said it would launch operations from the Bahamas in July. The cruise in question must have more than 50 beds and must have originated from a U.S. port, which would include Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Original sail date jan 6, 2021, changed to January sail date Jan 16. The latest turn of events led to the operator shutting its US offices and letting workers. The mission of Travelers United is to identify and promote ways to improve and enhance travel for consumers across all modes of travel. Always where shes going next. 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. CC Help Jenn 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 followed all the guidelines they set in place for the cancelled Asia cruise. Fortunately, when merchants declare bankruptcy, credit card companies generally extend the dispute filing deadline. There is no clear pathway that we can set a consumer on who has a voucher.. Ned's annual holiday gift suggestions for travelers - 2022 version. If Crystal cannot meet its financial obligations to their customers, they are de-facto insolvent. Crystal just decided that the refund will take 30 days, then 90 days, and now more than 90 days. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we postponed to January 2022. Travelers Unitedis a nonprofit tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization. The Crystal Cruises website was expected to post information on how consumers may make claims. Sorry, but its not a big fat check. 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.. Our goal is to maximize the recovery of assets and provide a claims process to creditors that allows them to realize the highest potential recovery regardless of the size of their claim, Healy said. The management has made a faux pas here. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Its normally true that credit card customers have 60 days to file their disputed transaction claim on their credit card account. 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. She does have some clients with future cruise credits from canceled sailings in 2020 and early 2021. Its sad.. Please call American Express and a dispute can be filed. We booked our 1st cruise ever with Crystal Cruises. (This does not include voyages stopped by a governmental order or declaration, as the CDC has done.). The remaining portion that Crystal owed me took 9 months to get back, and I swore I would never sail with them again which now definitely won't be a problem as I think they are permanently out of business. Great. 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. "Additionally, commissions have started to flow, which is welcome relief for our advisors and agency owners," he said. When calling they say it is pending. 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. The best guide in Arizona to getaways, concerts and the dining scene. 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. The no-money-down deposit window has been extended until April 5. 19.2 FLIGHTS. This complaint is against Crystal Cruise Line. 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. Decided that it was also time to formally dispute the charges for our August cruise deposit. Please remove the pre-departure test of vaccinated travelers returning to USA On the same day we were notified of cancellation (2 April), we requested a refund. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. FIngers crossed for you. 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. And I booked a cruise, you have a problem customer just has accept... Then 90 days account at the credit to our Amex, the original of! Were relieved that Crystal does n't know that they are doing Crystal customers with future cruise credits, it uncertain! 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