SUPRISE-SUPRISE-YOUR CRUISE LOOKS LIKE ITS GOING

[SAPMAN]

5 hours ago, ON cruiser said:

The reasonable impression formed by many is that certain cruise lines, by not cancelling cruises which they know full well are not going ahead, are trying to get us, the passengers, to initiate a cancellation. Then, those cruise lines assert that since we, not they, cancelled, all they have to offer us is FCC instead of the choice of (usually enhanced) FCC or a refund. If the cruise lines initiate the cancellation, however, they typically offer enhanced FCC or a refund, with the choice made by the passenger.

I agree with ON Cruiser.  The cruise companies want US to cancel and then they issue us a credit and often maybe on the Refundable part of it (much less than full fare).   If they cancel, they have to give full refund or FCC for 125% (and maybe some OBC).    And of course, for refunds they likely will not send then for 60 days to reduce cash flow.  

 

The FCC  looks tempting, but 1) it could be 0 if they go bankrupt OR 2) they may need to lower prices more than 25% (espeically for the 1st month after restart) and so the 125% may not be really that good.  Also with FCC you are limited to HAL. With a refund you can use it with anyone and others may be forced to offer even better cruise fares.  

 

It is frustrating, especially as people are trying to plan more than 30 days beforehand  - but I think the Execs make policy to enhance the Cruise company without too much regard to passengers.

 

 

5 hours ago, ON cruiser said:

 

 

[Boatdrill]

IMHO,  HAL has always paid refunds quickly throughout the years. If they need more time to pay out refunds in this unprecedented time -a world wide event their business did not cause-  it's ok with me.  I'd rather they take their time to do it right, instead of rushing to pay it all out, and having more problems down the road. As the saying goes, slow is fast.  

 

Across our nation many have asked to have more time to pay...be it rent, mortgages, utilities, income tax, etc. And many of us, maybe even some on this forum, have been allowed that precious time.  

 

I have no doubt that HAL will make good on its agreement with customers to issue refunds and future cruise credits.   It will just take time. 

 

Edited April 10, 2020 by Boatdrill

[SedNabokos]

8 hours ago, ON cruiser said:

I have the utmost respect for Copper 10-8, for his voice of reason and solid information on this board, and especially for how he came to the rescue of those elderly passengers at LAX (who were from the Amsterdam). Yet I must disagree with his post # 32, above.

 

It might help if you quote the specific part of his post you disagree with, because I don't understand.

 

8 hours ago, ON cruiser said:

All the cruise lines must bite the bullet for certain cruises that they clearly know have no hope of going, and take the decision to cancel them

 

I agree with you, but my understanding of Copper's post is "don't blame the phone reps" for a decision way above their pay grade.

[iancal]

If they are like CSR's in firms that I have been associated with  management will provide them with standard drawer statements plus answers for FAQ's.  

[ON cruiser]

Responding to Sednabokos, sorry, I am just not that good at using al the tech, including quoting. The part of Copper's post (#32, prior page) with which I disagree was re his statement that we should in essence await the decision of the cruise lines to cancel, and have a plan "c" or beyond. Respectfully, however, in my view, for cruises which are currently impossible (for reasons as I discussed in my earlier post on the prior page), that time is now. For cruises in later summer or Fall, I agree with Copper that a "wait 'n see" approach makes sense.

 

Certainly, and in any event, call centre employees should never be berated. These folks have little if any autonomy whether working for a cruise line or an auto-manufacturer. "Do unto others..." comes to mind. Courtesy and civility is always in fashion. That said, one should be cautious in relying on what one is told by such an employee. Getting it in writing is good practice.

 

As for what Boatdrill stated above, that HAL has always processed refunds in the past and if they need more time at this present moment they should have it, I respectfully disagree, in part. HAL is part of a large corporate conglomerate, which has been hugely profitable and has used stock buy-backs, exec bonuses, and other (fully legal) techniques to reward some of their people during the sunny days. Well, now, its not only raining, we are in an awful deluge. Moreover, this is not like in the past. We are in, to use a seafaring analogy, overused these days, "uncharted waters".

 

My view is that those who paid monies for cruises, and who are booked on a cruise that will clearly not sail, and which cannot sail, and who are suddenly unemployed, ill, due to the stock market free-fall, or for any other reason valid to them, needing the return of those paid funds, should be refunded as promptly as these unusual circumstances allow. That will likely not be as promptly as in the "normal past", and I think most understand that. Yet expecting folks to wait 90 or more days for a refund when that refund may be the difference between meeting and missing rent, or making a mortgage payment, for example, is too long.

 

In any case, that is just my opinion. Others may be more sanguine about waiting for their monies back. Of course, if insolvency looms (and that is a possibility, sadly, albeit one that I hope does not come to pass) and a restructuring takes place, those who do not have their refunds in hand, or who select FCC instead, are in a far less certain place.  "A bird in the hand...".

 

      

[SedNabokos]

1 hour ago, ON cruiser said:

sorry, I am just not that good at using al the tech, including quoting.

 

You can either highlight the words you want to respond to and hit the "Quote selection" that pops up, or press the "Quote" button at the bottom of the post you're responding to and delete what you're not responding to.

 

It makes the conversation much easier to follow!

1 hour ago, ON cruiser said:

The part of Copper's post (#32, prior page) with which I disagree was re his statement that we should in essence await the decision of the cruise lines to cancel, and have a plan "c" or beyond. Respectfully, however, in my view, for cruises which are currently impossible (for reasons as I discussed in my earlier post on the prior page), that time is now

 

Right, I'm with you now.  And yes I agree  that (as you say) Alaska cruises in May/June and similar itineraries should be cancelled and refunded now - I suspect the entire cruise industry is still shell-shocked about their entire global fleet being shut down at once, and nobody can make a safe bet when they might be able to resume. 

Not that this excuses them in my view!

 

 

 

 

[kennystwin]

It's finally official: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/coronavirus-travel-advisory.html

- All cruises through June 30 are cancelled.

- All Alaska cruises on Maasdam, Westerdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, and Volendam are cancelled (leaves Eurodam and Konigsdam after July 1).

- All Land+Sea is cancelled.

 

Now we can plan accordingly and choose our refunds (cash or FCC).

[EscapeFromConnecticut]

The CDC directive made this official ... HAL is just formally acknowledging reality. 
 

The vastly bigger reality is that nothing will change June 28.  The CDC (and other health agencies & port authorities around the world) are not going to abruptly say "just forget those requirements, you can sail any time you like."

 

 Virus isn't going away, CDC regs aren't going away ... and the ships will stay parked July 1.

[Reagan0712]

1 hour ago, kennystwin said:

It's finally official: https://www.hollandamerica.com/en_US/news/coronavirus-travel-advisory.html

- All cruises through June 30 are cancelled.

- All Alaska cruises on Maasdam, Westerdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, and Volendam are cancelled (leaves Eurodam and Konigsdam after July 1).

- All Land+Sea is cancelled.

 

Now we can plan accordingly and choose our refunds (cash or FCC).

Going to deal with HAL tomorrow but did call Alaska Air tonight and got lucky.  They had had a schedule change of more than an hour for our flight which qualified me for a refund. Yippee!!  Because I certainly didn’t know how I was going to use a credit between now and February.

[Janet76]

Why leave out Eurodam and Koningsdam?

[Himself]

1 hour ago, Janet76 said:

Why leave out Eurodam and Koningsdam?

My understanding is these two ships will do Alaskan cruses--South East Alaska only---after July 1st.  

[Reagan0712]

Took refund option this morning. Late this afternoon got an email saying laundry package had been refunded.  I wonder if the excursion refunds will come through as quickly.