Cruise Value Center (N.J. and Michigan)

We booked a very expensive Silversea cruise thru Cruise Value Center of New Jersey and Michigan in September to sail in mid January 2009 to ecelbrate 50 years of marriage. It is by far the most expensive vacation of our lifetimes. We paid the 10% deposit required in Septemebr and this was forwarded to Silversea who, therefore, knew of our booking and had all our personal details. We paid the balance more than 3 months in advance on October 8 and this was acknowledged by Cruise Value Center a week later.

After that, complete silence. Apparently they did not forward the money to Silversea but, instead, stole it. Does anyone know anything about the people in Michigan who bought Cruise Value Center in 2007 from Mr and Mrs Kivet of New Jersey and whether they have yet been arrested and also acn anyone advise as to what we should do to try to reover our "holiday of a lifetime" or our money ?

We used to deal with an agent in the U.K. Perhaps we were fools to change.

You should be contacting your credit card company regarding the 10%. There's lots of threads here on Cruise Critic with instructions on what to do.

We booked a very expensive Silversea cruise thru Cruise Value Center of New Jersey and Michigan in September to sail in mid January 2009 to ecelbrate 50 years of marriage. It is by far the most expensive vacation of our lifetimes. We paid the 10% deposit required in Septemebr and this was forwarded to Silversea who, therefore, knew of our booking and had all our personal details. We paid the balance more than 3 months in advance on October 8 and this was acknowledged by Cruise Value Center a week later.

 

After that, complete silence. Apparently they did not forward the money to Silversea but, instead, stole it. Does anyone know anything about the people in Michigan who bought Cruise Value Center in 2007 from Mr and Mrs Kivet of New Jersey and whether they have yet been arrested and also acn anyone advise as to what we should do to try to reover our "holiday of a lifetime" or our money ?

 

We used to deal with an agent in the U.K. Perhaps we were fools to change.

Old news. Perhaps you can find useful information in this thread. CVC has gone under. Advise you to immediately dispute charge with your credit card company.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=873535

We booked a very expensive Silversea cruise thru Cruise Value Center of New Jersey and Michigan in September to sail in mid January 2009 to ecelbrate 50 years of marriage. It is by far the most expensive vacation of our lifetimes. We paid the 10% deposit required in Septemebr and this was forwarded to Silversea who, therefore, knew of our booking and had all our personal details. We paid the balance more than 3 months in advance on October 8 and this was acknowledged by Cruise Value Center a week later.

.

Did you contact Silversea to let them know that you had paid to CVC?

Are they helping you keep the cruise you booked or do you have to cancel?

I would contact the Credit card company & let them know what has happened ..most will reverse the charge.

Always make sure the payment goes directly to the cruise line & NOT to the travel agency.

This site may give you some information on how to deal with the situation

http://cruise-value-center.pissedconsumer.com/

My heart goes out to you. For the most part I'm appalled at the tone of the posts above. Perhaps some of the posters don't realize how cold their responses seem ("old news") ; others don't realize not all credit cards companies, in all countries, handle "chargebacks" the same way. While it's good advice to always check and see whether the credit charge went to the agency or the cruise line, this is far from common knowledge, and you shouldn't be made to feel foolish for this not raising a red flag. :eek:

By all means get in touch with Silversea. They should be familiar with the CVC debacle, and will tell you what your options are, and under what circumstances you'll still be able to cruise. Also, please do immediately query your bank regarding the credit card charge. I pray a "chargeback" is possible!

You have my sincere best wishes, and hopes for a favourable outcome!

We booked a very expensive Silversea cruise thru Cruise Value Center of New Jersey and Michigan in September to sail in mid January 2009 to ecelbrate 50 years of marriage. It is by far the most expensive vacation of our lifetimes. We paid the 10% deposit required in Septemebr and this was forwarded to Silversea who, therefore, knew of our booking and had all our personal details. We paid the balance more than 3 months in advance on October 8 and this was acknowledged by Cruise Value Center a week later.

 

After that, complete silence. Apparently they did not forward the money to Silversea but, instead, stole it. Does anyone know anything about the people in Michigan who bought Cruise Value Center in 2007 from Mr and Mrs Kivet of New Jersey and whether they have yet been arrested and also acn anyone advise as to what we should do to try to reover our "holiday of a lifetime" or our money ?

 

We used to deal with an agent in the U.K. Perhaps we were fools to change.

Oh My, are you the couple that posted on another board and lost approx $60,00.00 for a World Cruise paid by Cashiers Check?

Read through the thread on the Holland America Line board. It is the longest and actually has former employees and relatives on the thread. Someone posted the Smith Brothers home phone, cell and E-mail addresses (not that it would matter). They claim they are not the only two owners as is being reported and state the (former) employees did not know all the details.

Also, you can go right on line and file with the Attorney General's ("AG") in both states.

Your best bet is to see if Silverseas will let you on the Cruise even though they have only 10% payment. Apparently Regent set a precedent and is letting their CVC guests on the ships even though they may never get paid as long as they can prove they sent CVC the payment. What I would like to know is what is SilverSeas telling you?

I feel really bad as your situation is much different than being out "pre-paid gratuities" on Celebrity or $100.00 OBC.

Have you contacted SilverSeas? In any event you need to file with these AG offices. The one in Michigan said they just found out about all of this on Monday. Perhaps a former employee would be willing to make a call to SilverSeas on your behalf. Also, what accommodations were you suppose to be in (Although aren't they all Suites?). They probably aren't 100% booked in this economy and I would tell them you are willing to take any cabin available. Keep us posted.

Old news. Perhaps you can find useful information in this thread. CVC has gone under. Advise you to immediately dispute charge with your credit card company.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=873535

I believe this is a couple who paid by Cashiers Check.

I believe this is a couple who paid by Cashiers Check.

Ouch, my sympathies to the OP, I do not know your story, and I did not mean to sound harsh. I sincerely hope this works out for you. I cannot imagine losing that kind of money (or honestly even having it!).

Hate to see anyone lose that kind of money.

Lesson for the rest of us is to always pay by Credit card including on board charges just in case there is a charge added to your account after you have left the ship. Cash or Debit card and you are probably out of luck.

I've used a wonderful agent who worked for them for many years. I had booked in March, paid the balance in Oct. When I hadn't gotten my docs by last week, (sailing Dec. 8) I spoke to the agent. She had learned of their demise and had already paid RCCL $35 to re-issue our docs. Seems our docs had been sent to the original agency and were sitting in a locked office.

Right now my agent is working on all people like the OP. Best thing to do is contact the cruise line directly. If they have not yet issue any documents, you can transfer the reservation back to them.

Good luck!

 

Right now my agent is working on all people like the OP. Best thing to do is contact the cruise line directly. If they have not yet issue any documents, you can transfer the reservation back to them.

 

Good luck!

I don't think this can be done if the cruise line has your final payment. Many won't unless they have something from CVC and stating they have released the booking including any commission due. The problem is that CVC owed many people a rebate once the commission was paid. Sometimes that was in the form of OBC or pre-paid gratuities.

There was a fee of $35 to re-issue the tickets. Since they've been paid for, they can re-issue them directly to the passengers. That's what my agent did for me. She is not getting any commission on the sailings she's booked through the agency, but she's more concerned with getting her people their tickets and their cruises. I don't really care if I get my OBC that she usually gives me, I'm just glad I got the tickets.

There was a fee of $35 to re-issue the tickets. Since they've been paid for, they can re-issue them directly to the passengers.

 

I don't really care if I get my OBC that she usually gives me, I'm just glad I got the tickets.

Understood, but some bookings are a lot more than $100.00 (or more) of OBC or pre-paid gratuities. There is one passenger who has posted who for example was owed money for things like a fuel surcharge (HAL sent them to the agent on record even if you paid for them directly prior to transferring a booking, while Celebrity refunded directly to the credit card used to pay the fuel surcharge) and CVC offered to deduct the amount off of another cruise booking so even if one disputes with the credit card company they owe the cruiseline more money which may not have had to do with a discounted fare. That is what a mess this is for some folks.

Which cruise line would not waive the $35.00 re-issue fee?

double post

Oh Goodness - I believe some people just didn't see that the OP is from the UK and is therefore NOT afforded the same coverage as US passengers.

Eastman first thing to do is call the cruiseline in the US and check to see if they have indeed not recieved payment. If they say no call your bank or credit card company immeadiately and see if there is still a possiblity of laying fraud charges (you will also have to go to the police to do that but the bank will help you there. However European credit cards don't do the disputes like they do them in the US but we will keep our fingers crossed.

Do that first and then come back and tell us what the result was. I say this because it can get really complicated from there on .... If ...... So lets see if you are really in this kind of trouble.

Oh Goodness - I believe some people just didn't see that the OP is from the UK and is therefore NOT afforded the same coverage as US passengers.

 

Eastman first thing to do is call the cruiseline in the US and check to see if they have indeed not recieved payment. If they say no call your bank or credit card company immeadiately and see if there is still a possiblity of laying fraud charges (you will also have to go to the police to do that but the bank will help you there. However European credit cards don't do the disputes like they do them in the US but we will keep our fingers crossed.

 

Do that first and then come back and tell us what the result was. I say this because it can get really complicated from there on .... If ...... So lets see if you are really in this kind of trouble.

I believe the OP paid by Cashiers Check.

oh please say it isn't so........

We paid the deposit by credit card which was forwarded to Silversea. The final (90%) was paid by certified check directly from our bank to Cruise Value Center and acknowledged in early October, about 5 weeks before CVC, apparently, ceased trading but never sent to the cruise company. We are speaking to Silversea direct but it seems that they will want more money from us to take the cruise. We have, saparately, purchased air tickets from London to Cape Town and Mumbai (there's another problem) to London because although in their brochure Silversea offered Business Class upgrades for flights this was only available to US passengers - surprising since the journey from and to London is shorter.

Hi. I was one of the clients caught in the CVC mess. They took my final payment back in September but did not forward it to Carnival. Mastercard today informed me..."we are temporarily crediting your account. however, pending the results of our investigations, if it is determined that no fraudulent activity took place, then the disputed amount will be re-posted to your account." My question is do you think I am safe now to go ahead and pay that amount to Carnival to protect my booking. I do NOT want to have to pay this final balance twice. The cruise is NOT worth the extra funding to me and I can not afford it in any event. Thanks for your advice.

Hi. I was one of the clients caught in the CVC mess. They took my final payment back in September but did not forward it to Carnival. Mastercard today informed me..."we are temporarily crediting your account. however, pending the results of our investigations, if it is determined that no fraudulent activity took place, then the disputed amount will be re-posted to your account." My question is do you think I am safe now to go ahead and pay that amount to Carnival to protect my booking. I do NOT want to have to pay this final balance twice. The cruise is NOT worth the extra funding to me and I can not afford it in any event. Thanks for your advice.

With the company locked down, I don't think it will be hard to prove fradulent activity. I would go and enjoy!

I don't know about that... My SIL's CC company told her that they would give her the "Temp Credit" too, but if the credit card company can't debit CVC's account (get money out of them) then they will debit her account again. In other words, ING Direct (SIL's bank) isn't going to get stuck paying the bill....

We paid the deposit by credit card which was forwarded to Silversea. The final (90%) was paid by certified check directly from our bank to Cruise Value Center and acknowledged in early October, about 5 weeks before CVC, apparently, ceased trading but never sent to the cruise company. We are speaking to Silversea direct but it seems that they will want more money from us to take the cruise. We have, saparately, purchased air tickets from London to Cape Town and Mumbai (there's another problem) to London because although in their brochure Silversea offered Business Class upgrades for flights this was only available to US passengers - surprising since the journey from and to London is shorter.

Oh Wow, you are supposed to be on the Seychelles Islands portion of the SilverSeas cruise, aren't you? Grrr. Hopefully SilverSeas will do something for you out of goodwill, especially as I'm sure they would like to see something positive posted on the internet about them. Part of the problem (although smaller problem) is that even if you show them money was forwarded to CVC, I'm assuming it was at the lower rate as CVC may have already deducted their commission from the amount you gave them? Someone on a Cunard Cruise (maybe World Cruise) posted (I think on the HAL board) that although they can dispute with their credit card company, they are still off by an additional $8,100.00 or so that they owe the cruise line.

Btw, my DH says for this kind of money he would be flying to Michigan and confronting the Smith brothers. However, someone has posted their Email addresses and phone numbers if it makes you feel any better to tell him what you think.

I don't know about that... My SIL's CC company told her that they would give her the "Temp Credit" too, but if the credit card company can't debit CVC's account (get money out of them) then they will debit her account again. In other words, ING Direct (SIL's bank) isn't going to get stuck paying the bill....

It is not the bank that takes the hit, but MasterCard, Visa, or American Express.

I believe this is a couple who paid by Cashiers Check.

If I didn't have a credit card my cashier's check would be made directly to the cruise line no ifs ands or buts about it.

I feel for these people if this story is true, no one should do what they did for a thousand dollars let alone $50 or $60K

We paid the deposit by credit card which was forwarded to Silversea. The final (90%) was paid by certified check directly from our bank to Cruise Value Center and acknowledged in early October, about 5 weeks before CVC, apparently, ceased trading but never sent to the cruise company. We are speaking to Silversea direct but it seems that they will want more money from us to take the cruise. We have, saparately, purchased air tickets from London to Cape Town and Mumbai (there's another problem) to London because although in their brochure Silversea offered Business Class upgrades for flights this was only available to US passengers - surprising since the journey from and to London is shorter.

I am being positive this will work out for you. Regarding Mumbai, is SilverSeas skipping, going to Goa or somewhere else in India? I know after 911 US Airways (and their partners) were willing to move our flights around at no additional cost to us as we were scheduled to be in Bali when the US government was advising against it. We almost changed our plans to Fiji but in the end went to Bali anyway as we had friends there and they felt it was safe. Anyway, if you end up in Goa or somewhere in India, allow at least 24 hours to get to Mumbai with a driver. The roads are often back to back traffic going into Mumbai.