Oceania Refunds - Has anyone actually received any cash yet?

[ORV]

6 minutes ago, royallondon said:

That terribly disappointing kitty9.

 

i just cannot understand why refunds have not been dealt with on a chronological sailing order.  This would be fair and transparent.  
A weekly update as to which sailing are being addressed posted on both their website and updated to TA’s would help reduce inbound query’s and maximising outbound productivity.

 

Regards

Well that would make too much sense. 

[bbqoug]

32 minutes ago, royallondon said:

That terribly disappointing kitty9.

 

i just cannot understand why refunds have not been dealt with on a chronological sailing order.  This would be fair and transparent.  
A weekly update as to which sailing are being addressed posted on both their website and updated to TA’s would help reduce inbound query’s and maximising outbound productivity.

 

Regards

Exactly.

The fact that Oceania hasn't processed refunds on a first in first out basis has only added to the angst & frustration of customers like me.

 

The lack of communication is also frustrating. 

Just stating "be patient" or "we're slammed" isn't good enough.

[Petoonya]

it is pretty depressing that O is not processing cruises in chronological order.

If it helps our 4/14/20 cruise was canceled 3/12 and we requested refund 3/13. Our TA said it wasn't processed until 3/17. We got the majority of the refund in early April, about 82%. My TA said not to worry. The rest would be coming.

Lo and behold the balance arrived about a week ago.

It is unfortunate that cruise refunds are not being processed as received.

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, Flatbush Flyer said:

Sorry that your wait defies explanation. 

There's so many potential factors in the equation from how many pieces of the refund puzzle exist

With all due respect FF, I too may be singing from your hymnbook had I received all the money I paid out like you did.

After receiving the money one just may be a bit more relaxed and have a different perspective.

In my case it is well over $25K - not spare change for me.

Edited May 27, 2020 by Paulchili

[Flatbush Flyer]

11 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

With all due respect FF, I too may be singing from your hymnbook had I received all the money I paid out like you did.

After receiving the money one just may be a bit more relaxed and have a different perspective.

In my case it is well over $25K - not spare change for me.

...which is why I mentioned my upcoming "final pay" for a 30 day cruise less than 5 months away. My "luck" might not be there if I'm back in the refund situation.

[jo-b]

Our TA said they are finding that Oceania is much more on top,of recent cancellations And it’s the backlog of older ones that are slower and more haphazard. 
 

I wonder if they have separate teams dealing with current and older work. Pure speculation of course. 

[ropomo]

Cancelled our Sept cruise for which I paid deposits for 3 cabins (6 pax) on April 20 and was happy to see the full $4500 posted to my CC this morning.

[Jake40]

Just received our CC refund for our hotel and excursions.  So this is good news.  Now just have to hope they stay afloat so we can use our FCC.  

[Paulchili]

3 hours ago, ropomo said:

Cancelled our Sept cruise for which I paid deposits for 3 cabins (6 pax) on April 20 and was happy to see the full $4500 posted to my CC this morning.

Once again - my 3 deposits of $4500 were cancelled on 4/15 (before you) and I still got nothing. Not a huge difference but still...Maybe they are going by cruise dates rather than cancellation date (ours was in Oct/Nov)? But then we should have already received our refund for this May cruise?

What is their method of determining when refund should be issued and to whom.

FWIW, we are Plat.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Paulchili

[bbtondo]

Haven't received my refund for our April 29th cruise.  Two couples that were going with us received their refunds last week.  They paid with AMEX.  I didn't. I have and email into my TA asking her to contact O and see what's going on.  LOL

[ropomo]

My deposit that was refunded (two posts up) was also paid with AMEX.  Perhaps that is the difference.  I had an online chat with the folks at AMEX shortly after cancelling to see if they provided any help if the refund process was protracted or bankruptcy seemed eminent.  They indicated that they would get involved when 45 days had passed as that was their standard/policy for maximum delay in refunds by merchants.  My refund came in a few days  prior to the 45 day period.  

Edited May 28, 2020 by ropomo
spelling

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

Once again - my 3 deposits of $4500 were cancelled on 4/15 (before you) and I still got nothing. Not a huge difference but still...Maybe they are going by cruise dates rather than cancellation date (ours was in Oct/Nov)? But then we should have already received our refund for this May cruise?

What is their method of determining when refund should be issued and to whom.

FWIW, we are Plat.

What does your TA say?

 Any luck putting pressure  on O?

[bbtondo]

1 hour ago, ropomo said:

My deposit that was refunded (two posts up) was also paid with AMEX.  Perhaps that is the difference.  I had an online chat with the folks at AMEX shortly after cancelling to see if they provided any help if the refund process was protracted or bankruptcy seemed eminent.  They indicated that they would get involved when 45 days had passed as that was their standard/policy for maximum delay in refunds by merchants.  My refund came in a few days  prior to the 45 day period.  

I beginning to wonder if AMEX charges are being given priority?

[carosou]

We cancelled our September 30 cruise in mid-April and received our deposit refund today -- approximately 6 weeks rather than the 90 days they anticipated. It was through AMEX.

[Paulchili]

48 minutes ago, LHT28 said:

What does your TA say?

 Any luck putting pressure  on O?

O said up to 90 days.

I am not going to inquire until after 60 days - I will wait till then..

I am just thinking out loud about how their refund policy might work - it seems to be a mystery to me and inconsistent.

Edited May 28, 2020 by Paulchili

[1985rz1]

20 minutes ago, Paulchili said:

O said up to 90 days.

I am not going to inquire until after 60 days - I will wait till then..

I am just thinking out loud about how their refund policy might work - it seems to be a mystery to me and inconsistent.

Paul-

 

Did you get a cancellation invoice in the meantime?

[ORV]

So we have 2 cancelled in April, both on Amex, for Sept cruises. Maybe coincidence, maybe a trend. 

[Nonregdaduck]

Re:AMEX

Although partial refund was credited to AMEX relatively quickly, the remainder of our incidentals-culinary classes, an excursions and other items- are still open. ALL were on AMEX.  This for the 3-31 Miami to Rome through an AMEX affiliated travel agency. Sorry the hypothesis doesn't hold water.

[Paulchili]

26 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

Paul-

 

Did you get a cancellation invoice in the meantime?

No invoice - only a confirmation from TA that both the booked cruise and deposits were cancelled and full refunds are pending (up to 90 days).

[LHT28]

1 hour ago, Paulchili said:

O said up to 90 days.

I am not going to inquire until after 60 days - I will wait till then..

I am just thinking out loud about how their refund policy might work - it seems to be a mystery to me and inconsistent.

Yes  a mystery  to all  it seems 😉

It seems some of the CC also are part of the problem  as well

As long as you get it  that is the main thing

 

[Condocat]

Some of you are making me feel better. 

 

I cancelled a Sept 8 cruise on March 14.   No refund of the deposit as of yet on my Visa card.....

[RosieRoo]

Cancelled a sailing on March 25th. Still waiting for the refund of my $1500 deposit. Today is day 63 and I am calling AmEx and letting them handle it. 

[Medeba]

I cancelled a December cruise on 26 March.  Initially my TA (in the UK) told me that the deposit of £1500 would be paid back within 6 to 8 weeks.  When I saw that my cruise was no longer in my Oceania account in mid April, I contacted my TA and was then told 90 days (from the date of cancellation).  Still waiting.....

[Glenndale]

O cancelled our 30th March TA on 14th March, we requested a refund thru our agent on the 16th March.

I have chased this up thru our agent and O.

O responded on the 6th May with the following, we are still waiting 🙁

 

Good morning,

Thank you for your email and your continued patience in these unusual times.

I can see that your reservation has been updated and noted accordingly. The request for your refund is now with our accounts team who are working through these requests as fast as they can.

We are advising that refunds may take up to 90 days but we hope the funds will be with you before this time.

[YoHoHo]

Mar 30 cruise cancelled by O. Requested refund about Mar 21. Used two CC for different things. Ancillary purchases such as PE Air, etc. Also had on board booking deposit. So some complexity.

 

Received 6 credits over two days earlier this week. Note it took one of the CC 3 days to post the transaction from when they received it (so showed up one day and appeared to be back dated - nothing is normal).

 

I have not received all the money, short about 6%. The smaller amounts I can assign to the different purchases but the two that would be to cover the main part of the cruise make no sense (in fact contain cents in the amount while O only charges in whole dollars). I will wait until next week to see if the balance arrived before start to chase it down. (does not equate to fees, commissions, taxes, etc. as per agency)

 

My thoughts of the apparent randomness of who gets what/when

 

1. The very earlier first set of cancellations where fairly quick as there were few. Misleading that it was for say, April cruise, because perhaps part of the ATW so the whole thing was cancelled before the say the early sailing date of ours in March

 

2. The next group was done quite close to sailing date, i.e Mar 30 which I think was the first of the next wave was cancelled around mid March. Those and the next wave we while O was still working out not just the process to cancel, but also the policies and trying to assess when they might be sailing again. Think back to how fast moving the situation was. So all those are a mess. They are in some queue of random order.

 

3. Next wave and more recent cancellations are in a more streamlined / organized process.  So there might be some processed sooner than older ones

 

4. I believe it is to be essentially processed by sailing date, not cancellation date, loyalty level (unless you get individual recognition from a call) though the bunch in the 2nd wave could be out of order.

 

A couple of weeks back I called to check on status of mine and the CSR did see it but had no info. However, based on a bit of a pause that followed an "oh..." I think it was in that jumbled up queue. *maybe* that moved it into a "normal" queue.

 

Anyway, all that is just speculation.  I also wonder if the order might be based on reverse alphabetically on middle name of the second guest.

 

Just wanted to report back on my refund status.

 

Every day that I waited for the refund I thought of taking another cruise. One moment glad I requested the refund (for my own confidence and unsure when I can cruise again) and the next moment whishing I had taken the FCC as I want to book one for 2022. Why cant I have it both ways? Anyway, problem solved as I now have (most) of the refund