Whats happening? SB refunds and payments Covid19

[zelker]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

You should consider yourself very fortunate.

We cancelled our March 8 cruise on 2/27 and got the excursions refunded promptly but not the taxes or airline change fees.

 

Not sure why we should consider ourselves fortunate.  We haven't received any refunds yet, just a confirmation that the cruise and booking had been cancelled.  I think maybe you misread what I wrote, sorry if it wasn't clear.  The only thing I "cancelled" on my own were the two FCDs sitting on our Seabourn account that had never been used - I asked to have those refunded instead of waiting for them to expire in 2021 and then getting them automatically refunded … and we haven't see those refunds either.

Edited May 1, 2020 by zelker

[Paulchili]

11 minutes ago, zelker said:

 

Not sure why we should consider ourselves fortunate.  We haven't received any refunds yet, just a confirmation that the cruise and booking had been cancelled.  I think maybe you misread what I wrote, sorry if it wasn't clear.  The only thing I "cancelled" on my own were the two FCDs sitting on our Seabourn account that had never been used - I asked to have those refunded instead of waiting for them to expire in 2021 and then getting them automatically refunded … and we haven't see those refunds either.

My bad - I misread your post. We are all in the same boat😀 that feels to me like it's sinking slowly. 

[rallydave]

18 minutes ago, zelker said:

 

My bad, I typed the wrong acronym.  I meant to write FCCs (future cruise credits) are now good until end of 2022.  Don't know if this only pertains to cruises Seabourn cancelled vs someone cancelling on their own.  

 

And here's the link to what I was referring to:  https://www.seabourn.com/en_US/news/pause-global-cruise-operations.html

 

Sorry for any confusion. 

 

FYI, our cruise SB cancelled DID include 2 FCDs as part of the original booking and those are included in the amount of the total refund.

Kind of thought you were talking about FCC's thus the question.  Thanks for the link.  The allowability is  only for cruises cancelled by Seabourn in June and does allow you to travel thru 2022.  Unfortunately the rest of us still are stuck, if we get refunds and/or FCC''s to have to book by the end of 2020 and travel by the end of 2021.  And with all of the delays in refunding money and FCC's might not even have either or both until the end of 2020 if at all. 

 

Have resigned myself to not get anything back and even if we do won't be booking anytime soon and might lose the FCC which I am ready to do to avoid this from happening again.

 

Thanks, 

[norm2002]

59 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Have resigned myself to not get anything back and even if we do won't be booking anytime soon and might lose the FCC which I am ready to do to avoid this from happening again.

 

Thanks, 

 

I agree entirely. If I cancel, forcing us to rebook - and give SB even more money by way of a new deposit - by this December pretty much means I will forfeit any FCC I get. I cannot see there being any certainty of the future of Covid-19 or cruising by then. I am not going to give them any more money until I see clearly.

Edited May 1, 2020 by norm2002

[ab21au]

10 hours ago, Paulchili said:

Which cruise was that?

It was late Feb and cancelled a couple of weeks earlier. 

 

6 hours ago, zelker said:

FYI, did anyone else see that on April 24, Seabourn updated the April 14 "pause" announcement to allow use of FCDs through the end of 2022 rather than 2021 as was initially done?

ours has not changed and I refreshed the pages.

 

”Please allow up to 60 days for processing. Consumer must use the FCC towards a future Seabourn cruise booking(s). Consumer must use the FCC by December 31, 2020 or it will be forfeited in its entirety. FCC is only valid on cruises sailing in 2020 and 2021. The consumer must use the FCC to book a cruise(s) by December 31, 2020; such cruise(s) needs to sail by December 31, 2021. FCC may be subject to additional terms and conditions as provided by Seabourn and may not be used for deposits, TF&PE, or SeabournShield. ”

 

.... and on the news page, link dated April 14.

 

”Seabourn guests on impacted voyages will receive a 125% refund on monies received in the form of a future cruise credit, which must be booked by Dec. 30, 2020 but can be applied toward any future cruise through December 31, 2021. For guests who do not opt to choose the 125% future cruise credit, a 100% refund of the monies paid to Seabourn will be reimbursed to the original form of payment.”

 

Unless the old pages are cached on a server somewhere between SB and my computer. 

[rallydave]

16 minutes ago, ab21au said:

It was late Feb and cancelled a couple of weeks earlier. 

 

ours has not changed and I refreshed the pages.

 

”Please allow up to 60 days for processing. Consumer must use the FCC towards a future Seabourn cruise booking(s). Consumer must use the FCC by December 31, 2020 or it will be forfeited in its entirety. FCC is only valid on cruises sailing in 2020 and 2021. The consumer must use the FCC to book a cruise(s) by December 31, 2020; such cruise(s) needs to sail by December 31, 2021. FCC may be subject to additional terms and conditions as provided by Seabourn and may not be used for deposits, TF&PE, or SeabournShield. ”

 

.... and on the news page, link dated April 14.

 

”Seabourn guests on impacted voyages will receive a 125% refund on monies received in the form of a future cruise credit, which must be booked by Dec. 30, 2020 but can be applied toward any future cruise through December 31, 2021. For guests who do not opt to choose the 125% future cruise credit, a 100% refund of the monies paid to Seabourn will be reimbursed to the original form of payment.”

 

Unless the old pages are cached on a server somewhere between SB and my computer. 

It was a separate release and only applicable to cruises cancelled by Seabourn for the month of June.  The cruise with confidence page hasn't changed and we are still required to book a cruise with our FCC's by the end of 2020 for cruises only in 2020 or 2021 however people who had their cruises in June cancelled have no limit on when they book using their FCC's and have until the end of 2022 to cruise.

 

With all of the delays and the possibility of cruising being cancelled until perhaps the end of 2020 and no vaccine likely available until 2021 why the limits on the rest of us other than to not allow the use of the FCC's while failing to refund the cash promised.

 

Sound to me like Seabourn wants their cake and to eat it to!!!!!

[ab21au]

2 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Sound to me like Seabourn wants their cake and to eat it to!!!!!

I wish they would not keep changing the conditions all the time.  It seems there is a different policy for each canceled cruise. 

[norm2002]

And I think that, whatever news there may be about ports remaining closed and the spread of the virus, we can be confident that SB will not cancel any cruise until after the final payment date has passed.

[Thecat123]

And Catlover found this which is different than the letter we received on the ship

Click the link

I dont know if this is the same for everybody?

 

 

Compensation

As a result of our shortened cruise, all guests will have two options for their compensation. You can receive a refund of the base cruise fare pro-rated for the cancelled days of your voyage plus a Future Cruise Credit for 50% of that amount (100% refund + 50% FCC for the cancelled days). Alternatively, you can choose to defer your refund and receive a higher value: a 150% Future Cruise Credit plus a 25% bonus, totaling 175% FCC of the prorated amount. 

 

For guests who were scheduled to depart in Sydney on March 22, your pro-rated compensation will be based on 6 cancelled days.

 

Please visit https://book2.seabourn.com/cp/ to select the option you prefer. Guests who do not select an option prior to June 1, 2020, will be automatically default to the Future Cruise Credit (which provides greater overall value)."

[zelker]

2 hours ago, rallydave said:

Kind of thought you were talking about FCC's thus the question.  Thanks for the link.  The allowability is  only for cruises cancelled by Seabourn in June and does allow you to travel thru 2022.  Unfortunately the rest of us still are stuck, if we get refunds and/or FCC''s to have to book by the end of 2020 and travel by the end of 2021.  And with all of the delays in refunding money and FCC's might not even have either or both until the end of 2020 if at all. 

 

Have resigned myself to not get anything back and even if we do won't be booking anytime soon and might lose the FCC which I am ready to do to avoid this from happening again.

 

Thanks, 

 

Hmmm... I don't interpret it that way (that it's only for cruises cancelled by SB in June).  Anyway, doesn't matter since we're not taking FCCs.  Don't give up yet.  🙃

[rallydave]

2 minutes ago, zelker said:

 

Hmmm... I don't interpret it that way (that it's only for cruises cancelled by SB in June).  Anyway, doesn't matter since we're not taking FCCs.  Don't give up yet.  🙃

Suggest you read it again.  Clearly it is a release for the June cancelled cruises.  At the end it states for the affected cruises.  The cruise for confidence page on the Seabourn website clearly remains the same with cruises having to be booked by the end of 2010 only for 2010 or 2011.  

 

Used to write huge contracts and am adept at interpreting contracts and this one to me is extremely clear that the page you linked is only for the June cancelled cruises and the cruise with confidence webpage covers everything else.  Goo luck

[norm2002]

57 minutes ago, rallydave said:

Suggest you read it again.  Clearly it is a release for the June cancelled cruises.  At the end it states for the affected cruises.  The cruise for confidence page on the Seabourn website clearly remains the same with cruises having to be booked by the end of 2010 only for 2010 or 2011.  

 

Used to write huge contracts and am adept at interpreting contracts and this one to me is extremely clear that the page you linked is only for the June cancelled cruises and the cruise with confidence webpage covers everything else.  Goo luck

 

I agree it is clear. The first paragraph refers to 'the voluntarily pause of global operations for its five cruise ships to voyages scheduled to depart through June 30, 2020' and the fourth paragraph to 'Seabourn guests on impacted voyages'. ie only those affected by the voluntary pause.

[Pingus]

A European touch:

We (12pax/6 cabins, booked through the Rotterdam office)) had our 27th of June cruise from Venice cancelled and were initially offered only FCC and no refund options, even when requesting this specifically in a separate mail. 

We had to escalate the matter, and last week received confirmation of a full refund, albeit to expect up to 90 days delay. 

[Paulchili]

58 minutes ago, Pingus said:

A European touch:

We (12pax/6 cabins, booked through the Rotterdam office)) had our 27th of June cruise from Venice cancelled and were initially offered only FCC and no refund options, even when requesting this specifically in a separate mail. 

We had to escalate the matter, and last week received confirmation of a full refund, albeit to expect up to 90 days delay. 

How did you escalate the matter?

[Pingus]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

How did you escalate the matter?

Our wording was: 

"

Thank you for a swift reply.

However I do question the legality of your decision. This voyage has been booked through your EU-office and as such EU-rules do apply. We therefore ask you to either reconsider immediately or escalate it internally. 

If we have to escalate this ourselves, further costs at € 180/hour will be added to our claim to compensate for valuable time used. "

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, Pingus said:

Our wording was: 

"

Thank you for a swift reply.

However I do question the legality of your decision. This voyage has been booked through your EU-office and as such EU-rules do apply. We therefore ask you to either reconsider immediately or escalate it internally. 

If we have to escalate this ourselves, further costs at € 180/hour will be added to our claim to compensate for valuable time used. "

Good for you.

Too bad you had to resort to that - SB should have done the right thing on their own.

Shame on them.

[Rambo_Trout]

27 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

Good for you.

Too bad you had to resort to that - SB should have done the right thing on their own.

Shame on them.

 

Any sign of your Refund yet? You must be on Day 65 or something like that.

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, Rambo_Trout said:

 

Any sign of your Refund yet? You must be on Day 65 or something like that.

Day 68 but who's counting? 🙂

I finally filed a CC dispute yesterday - let them handle it.

[zelker]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

Day 68 but who's counting? 🙂

I finally filed a CC dispute yesterday - let them handle it.

 

What did your CC company tell you about the process?

 

[Paulchili]

32 minutes ago, zelker said:

 

What did your CC company tell you about the process?

 

Not much other than that they will contact SB and give me temporary credit for the amount.

[bigmjh]

Paul - which CC company/card?

[Paulchili]

12 minutes ago, bigmjh said:

Paul - which CC company/card?

Citi Thank You card

[bigmjh]

I filed dispute for a cancelled SB cruise (paid in full including air) with Amex Platinum. Amounts were temporarily (pending outcome) credited back to my account the following day. Two days later I get an email saying that the dispute is finalized and credits are permanent. Requested a check for credit balance from Amex and received it in the mail about a week later.

[Paulchili]

4 minutes ago, bigmjh said:

I filed dispute for a cancelled SB cruise (paid in full including air) with Amex Platinum. Amounts were temporarily (pending outcome) credited back to my account the following day. Two days later I get an email saying that the dispute is finalized and credits are permanent. Requested a check for credit balance from Amex and received it in the mail about a week later.

Amex Plat has always been very good about those types of claims.

I don't expect the money back in a few days but at least I won't have to hound SB about this - Citi will.

[zelker]

1 hour ago, bigmjh said:

I filed dispute for a cancelled SB cruise (paid in full including air) with Amex Platinum. Amounts were temporarily (pending outcome) credited back to my account the following day. Two days later I get an email saying that the dispute is finalized and credits are permanent. Requested a check for credit balance from Amex and received it in the mail about a week later.

 

When was your cruise supposed to sail, when was it cancelled, how long did SB indicate it "might" take, and how long did you wait after it was cancelled to contact Amex?  Thx.