Refunds - any received to date?

[OSUTRIKERS]

So, does anyone think HAL chat really help or are they simply putting you off?  I know, trying to ask at 7 am cst finds no agents avail.   69 days for us, so maybe I was too optimistic.  Crazy that sail date was 2 weeks ago.

[secondchance]

Just received final payment to my CC for flight and port taxes for cruise that was scheduled for 21Appril.  Received FCC about 2 months ago.  Patience was a virtue.

[HAL4NOW]

46 minutes ago, OSUTRIKERS said:

So, does anyone think HAL chat really help or are they simply putting you off?  I know, trying to ask at 7 am cst finds no agents avail.   69 days for us, so maybe I was too optimistic.  Crazy that sail date was 2 weeks ago.

I  don't think the agents assigned to chat have any real information on how and when refunds and FCC will be awarded. The pone agents may be able to go a little deeper into what is happening, but they do not have any information that is helpful either (in my experience).

We are waiting for FCC for three cruises cancelled by HAL. The first one in the que was cancelled in mid-March (not certain of the exact date because HAL didn't even send us an email; we found out on Cruise Critic). That cruise was set to sail May 3rd. 

I think you are being optimistic to assume anything under 100 days from cancel date or anything under 60 days from sail date.

Edited June 22, 2020 by HAL4NOW
word choice

[Andi Land]

1 hour ago, OSUTRIKERS said:

So, does anyone think HAL chat really help or are they simply putting you off?  I know, trying to ask at 7 am cst finds no agents avail.   69 days for us, so maybe I was too optimistic.  Crazy that sail date was 2 weeks ago.

I used the chat feature last week to see when my refund would be issued for a 2021 cruise I canceled. They were able to look it up and let me know the refund was processed on 6/14. It posted to my card this morning. I canceled the cruise in mid April. 

[The Beaver]

2 hours ago, OSUTRIKERS said:

So, does anyone think HAL chat really help or are they simply putting you off?  I know, trying to ask at 7 am cst finds no agents avail.   69 days for us, so maybe I was too optimistic.  Crazy that sail date was 2 weeks ago.

On May 3rd  when I chatted with an agent by the name of Philip I was told :

It is in the process and it is showing in your past booking. You will also get an email when it Is processed

 

Well it was processed sometimes around 12th of  June and we saw the credit  on-line ( CC account) only last week . No email whatsoever- I guess they don't have the resources to communicate with  each and every customer.  However, happy to get the full refund .

[onthewater51]

Our Alaska cruise for  May 2020 was cancelled via Holland.  On 4/15 we requested a full refund and told it was about 45 days for the cruise portion, but excursions, fees, etc would be in a few days.  As promised we received the excursions, etc, in 4 days.   This morning we received the cruise portion refund.  That was apprx 50 days, including weekends.   I'm happy with their response.  Its certainly better than our current experience with RCL.

[JeremyTexas]

Our transatlantic was cancelled on April 14.  Just got the refund over the weekend.  That was approximately 68 days.  

[Cruising-along]

On 6/20/2020 at 9:28 AM, SilvertoGold said:

Let us know!  We are still waiting, too, but for the whole refund.  Have FCCs and know the amount of the refund, which is not showing on CC.  Only 99 days so far 🙂

The refund for taxes, port fees and air showed up on our credit card balance today, yippee!  So it took another 9-10 days for our cc company to process it.

[Loreto]

3 hours ago, OSUTRIKERS said:

So, does anyone think HAL chat really help or are they simply putting you off?  I know, trying to ask at 7 am cst finds no agents avail.   69 days for us, so maybe I was too optimistic.  Crazy that sail date was 2 weeks ago.

I used the chat feature and was told exactly what the status of my March 17 claim was.  It took 84 days to post to my CC, and the info I got from the chat was exactly right.

[SilvertoGold]

17 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

The refund for taxes, port fees and air showed up on our credit card balance today, yippee!  So it took another 9-10 days for our cc company to process it.

 

This is good news!  A standard wait time for posting to the CC, but it seems like such a long time when you are waiting!   I find having no cruises to look forward to is really hard, but we'll get through this and return to the fun of planning, dreaming.  

[dfish]

42 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

The refund for taxes, port fees and air showed up on our credit card balance today, yippee!  So it took another 9-10 days for our cc company to process it.

Super good news.   My refund from our Norway cruise was finally deposited in my savings account this morning.  Just waiting on FCC, but that is such a small amount I'm not worrying about it.

[Vict0riann]

35 minutes ago, Loreto said:

I used the chat feature and was told exactly what the status of my March 17 claim was.  It took 84 days to post to my CC, and the info I got from the chat was exactly right.

 

I thought I would do the chat, too, maybe get an idea of what is going on, but was told my refund is still being processed, no exact date known...  (April 6 cruise, cancelled by HAL March 15, I think it was)

[Cruising-along]

6 minutes ago, dfish said:

Super good news.   My refund from our Norway cruise was finally deposited in my savings account this morning.  Just waiting on FCC, but that is such a small amount I'm not worrying about it.

Good news for you too Debbie!  We're still in the middle of fighting Allianz for a refund of our premium, next step is a formal complaint and possibly to the Insurance Commissioner too.  It seems to never end but hey, keeps life interesting. 😉  

[richwmn]

I spoke to my PCC on Friday and was told that my refund was "near the top of the queue". This was for air/port charges/taxes for the Nieuw Statendam crossing that was to begin Apr 19.

 

[OSUTRIKERS]

My update from earlier this morning:  chat finally opened and I got an agent who said it was processed June 16 and to now check with CC company.   I did call them and they said it can take 1 week to a month to actually get to them. So I guess that’s good news or progress.  Hurry up and wait!   Everyone have a Blessed Day and stay safe.

[StLouisCruisers]

I am impressed some of you actually got some answers from your chat.

 

I used the chat feature a week ago and was told "there is no estimated time table as to when refunds/future cruise credits will be returned/refunded due to high volumes".   We apologize, they are working hard, etc., etc.  No idea at all really.  We are at 97 days.  Having been more than patient, we're calling Capital One tomorrow.

[Crazy For Cats]

5 hours ago, dfish said:

Super good news.   My refund from our Norway cruise was finally deposited in my savings account this morning.  Just waiting on FCC, but that is such a small amount I'm not worrying about it.

My check arrived today and I quickly ran it to the bank.

[POD49]

We were booked for a May 15th sailing to and from Venice.  After Holland America canceled the trip, we requested a full refund on April 16th.  We received a 100% refund for the trip including extra air and transportation.  Refund showed up on our credit card overnight.  They said up to 60 days for refund, we got it in 67 days.  I would have rather had the trip than the refund but these are not normal times thanks to the Chinese Virus.

[JuliaScott150]

Our May 7 cruise to Alaska was cancelled by HAL at the end of March and TA requested a refund on April 1. Full refund was credited to our credit card today; it was dated June 18. Took about 81 days. Very thankful to have the cash in hand.

[Sallyandtex]

On 6/22/2020 at 2:51 PM, Sallyandtex said:

Finally got an email from HAL saying our refund has been processed and sent to our TA! Hopefully it will be passed on soon.

It has been about 100 days.

And it took repeated requests to my TA to call and ask as HAL would not deal with me directly with any "financial" details.

Good luck everyone!

So the plot thickens!

Just had email from TA saying they are taking $704 in commissions as this is unrecoverable for them! Minus our deposit. So angry, wont ever use a travel agent again!

[1ANGELCAT]

4 hours ago, Sallyandtex said:

So the plot thickens!

Just had email from TA saying they are taking $704 in commissions as this is unrecoverable for them! Minus our deposit. So angry, wont ever use a travel agent again!

HAL covered travel agent commissions. They did not lose it.

 

[summer slope]

Our refunds were refunded back to our CC, including our deposit.  Our FCC showed up on our account.  Our TA had nothing to do with the refunds.  Something is fishy with yours.

[kazu]

5 hours ago, Sallyandtex said:

So the plot thickens!

Just had email from TA saying they are taking $704 in commissions as this is unrecoverable for them! Minus our deposit. So angry, wont ever use a travel agent again!

 

WTH?  Something smells here IMO 😞 

 

12 minutes ago, summer slope said:

Our refunds were refunded back to our CC, including our deposit.  Our FCC showed up on our account.  Our TA had nothing to do with the refunds.  Something is fishy with yours.

 

Same here summer slope.  My TA had nothing to do with my refunds other than cancel the cruise for me (I cancelled early) and she certainly did not say she needed to keep commission.  I agree with you

 

[Vict0riann]

10 hours ago, Sallyandtex said:

So the plot thickens!

Just had email from TA saying they are taking $704 in commissions as this is unrecoverable for them! Minus our deposit. So angry, wont ever use a travel agent again!

 

I agree with the others!  Holland America definitely paid commissions to TAs for cancelled cruises, so your TA should not be withholding any of your funds.

 

And, your refund should have come directly to you, not through the TA, I would think.  Check with Holland America...

[nw gardener]

First time this morning that I used the chat feature and got an informed reply and not a standard canned message (4th try today).  Long story short...sailing to AK May 31, cancelled by HAL April 14, requested refund via Big box TA same day and official cancel acknowledgment  email April 15.  Agent advised my refund was in a process group  June 19, and depending how long it takes for my CC to post it,  hopefully see it in the next week.  I didn't do a CC dispute,  but had contemplated that.  I will be very pleased when I see the money show up,  and still trying to decide what to do about next summer's vacation.  I would love to cruise and may do the 2 week  AK cruise again,  but I am in the wait and see mode with Covid.