Crystal Refund Roll Call

[Orator]

The 1/3 refund was reapplied to my credit card.

[travelberlin]

On 9/21/2021 at 7:42 AM, travelberlin said:

SusieQft, 

unfortunately due to the uncertainties for international passengers like me in cruises touching several countries with different entry requirements each, I had to cancel my 23 nights cruise in November with the Serenity. I was going solo on that cruise.
 

I have received the confirmation of cancellation on September 9th. I have requested that part of the money shall be used to complete a payment on a cruise that I have next year and another part of the money to be refunded to me. 
 

I will let you know when I receive my refund.

 

Ivi

 

 

 

SusieQft, I have received my refund for this cancelled cruise. Only US 300 is still pending. Thanks Crystal 👍

Ivi

[travelberlin]

On 9/21/2021 at 7:07 AM, travelberlin said:

I am happy to report that we have received a part of our refund for the cancelled WC 2022 yesterday, September 20th. The confirmation of cancellation was on August 3rd. This corresponds to a deposit done by credit card. Thanks Crystal 🙏🏼
 

Another part of our refund for that cruise is still pending. That deposit was done using wire transfer. Crystal will refund also using wire transfer and has already asked for our bank details. I will let you know when we receive the money.

 

Ivi 

Unfortunately our refund via wire transfer is still pending. Crystal has had made us fill some form with bank details. This was done by us in August but no refund came. Crystal has strangely requested a letter from our bank confirming our bank details! Our bank has done this but still no refund came.

Ivi

Edited November 5, 2021 by travelberlin

[RileyDog-01]

I'm certain this has been asked and answered, but just can't find it when I search. Apologies in advance.  We have a credit with Crystal for April 2020 cruise that was refunded March 2021.  How long do you have to use the credit?  The 2020 cruise was booked through TA.  So I don't have a "voucher" or other documentation.  Does that mean I have to book any future use of credit through the TA?

[SusieQft]

8 hours ago, RileyDog-01 said:

I'm certain this has been asked and answered, but just can't find it when I search. Apologies in advance.  We have a credit with Crystal for April 2020 cruise that was refunded March 2021.  How long do you have to use the credit?  The 2020 cruise was booked through TA.  So I don't have a "voucher" or other documentation.  Does that mean I have to book any future use of credit through the TA?

FCC vouchers do have expiration dates.  Generally, there is one deadline to make the booking and a later deadline by which you have to sail.  I think that the dates have evolved with time, so you would need to ask your TA what dates apply to your particular FCC unless you have that information from Crystal already.   Most likely if you have a TA, Crystal will not tell you, but you could try asking them.  They want you to go through the TA instead.

 

I do think that you can use the FCC with a new TA, but the new TA probably will not be very excited about it because they do not receive a commission on the portion of your fare paid by FCC.  I think the original TA probably did receive that commission, but perhaps @BWIVince or @Roland4 could answer that question more accurately.

[Roland4]

10 hours ago, SusieQft said:

FCC vouchers do have expiration dates.  Generally, there is one deadline to make the booking and a later deadline by which you have to sail.  I think that the dates have evolved with time, so you would need to ask your TA what dates apply to your particular FCC unless you have that information from Crystal already.   Most likely if you have a TA, Crystal will not tell you, but you could try asking them.  They want you to go through the TA instead.

 

I do think that you can use the FCC with a new TA, but the new TA probably will not be very excited about it because they do not receive a commission on the portion of your fare paid by FCC.  I think the original TA probably did receive that commission, but perhaps @BWIVince or @Roland4 could answer that question more accurately.

I am my only Crystal client with FCCs and they all have an expiry date of Dec 31/23, meaning they have to be applied to a booking by then. Depending on the date of issue, they can be applied to any sailing up to either Dec 31/23 or May 1/24. 

 

FCCs are client-specific, not TA-specific, so no, you don't HAVE to go through a TA, or even the same TA, though as a courtesy, you should. While there are a few exceptions, most cruise lines commission-protected bookings that were cancelled due to COVID, meaning the TA got paid in full on the cancelled cruises, and will get paid in full on the FCC amounts. I actually don't know if Crystal is doing this or not, I have not seen anything on it either way. I will find out when we apply our FCCs to the final payment of our Grand Voyage booking in December!

[SusieQft]

My FCCs expired a year or 2 earlier, at least the "book by" date.  I don't remember what it was, and thankfully I am using them right now, so for me it is no longer relevant.  Mine were from an April 2020 booking, some of the earliest ones.

[Roland4]

2 minutes ago, SusieQft said:

My FCCs expired a year or 2 earlier, at least the "book by" date.  I don't remember what it was, and thankfully I am using them right now, so for me it is no longer relevant.  Mine were from an April 2020 booking, some of the earliest ones.

I believe they extended them all to Dec 31/23. Ours are all from a cancelled October 2020 Endeavor booking.

[sierrafloridacruiser]

1 hour ago, Roland4 said:

I believe they extended them all to Dec 31/23. Ours are all from a cancelled October 2020 Endeavor booking.

Yes, this is my understanding too. We already used ours, from April 2020 cancellation, on the July 2021 Endeavor sailing. But we got a new credit from that sailing, for the solarium being unfinished.
 

i recently checked with my TA on the expiration and also the expiration for our friends who were suppose to do the 2020 River cruise with us but did not go on the Endeavor. TA said they both expire 12/23. 

[HPfoodie]

We had requested a refund for our cruise … Miami to LA, a segment of the WC. However it transpires that a significant amount was FCC … so we have had to look again to choose an itinerary. Although they have allowed us our incentive which increases the amount. We are therefore now booked on a segment of the Grand Voyage - Barcelona to Athens. Only 10 nights, but we are quite restricted to dates due to other holiday bookings moved from last year. As this only uses about half of our credit we have also booked, for 2023, Singapore to Dubai. So looking forward to our first Crystal experience. 

[travelberlin]

I know no one wants to read this, but we are still waiting for our refunds for the cancelled WC 2022 (more than US 10.000) and the rest refund for my cancelled November 19th cruise (US 300). 
I mean… why Crystal is not able to refund us?

Feeling disappointed 😔 

Ivi

[SusieQft]

@travelberlin, it sounds like they may take their time more if it is not a "simple" matter of putting it back on a credit card.  Thank you for the update.  I agree it is disappointing, and hopefully you will get some action soon.

 

I think I had entered your data incorrectly before.  I just changed it, so please check the spreadsheet and let me know if I have it right this time.  Lines 74 and 76 of the second tab.

[fiftytoo]

Spare a thought for travel agents who are still owed commission for bookings finalised in 2019 and subsequently cancelled by Crystal owing to Covid. 

[travelberlin]

On 11/22/2021 at 7:07 PM, SusieQft said:

@travelberlin, it sounds like they may take their time more if it is not a "simple" matter of putting it back on a credit card.  Thank you for the update.  I agree it is disappointing, and hopefully you will get some action soon.

 

I think I had entered your data incorrectly before.  I just changed it, so please check the spreadsheet and let me know if I have it right this time.  Lines 74 and 76 of the second tab.

Thanks Susie Qft, in Line 74 with relation to the WC 2022, the credit card portion of the deposit was refunded. We are still waiting for the wire refund.

In line 76, both deposits were made by the same credit card at different times. One deposit was refunded. A refund of US 300 is still pending although I was already told 3 weeks ago, that the refund has been processed. Nothing there.

Ivi

[Roland4]

4 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Thanks Susie Qft, in Line 74 with relation to the WC 2022, the credit card portion of the deposit was refunded. We are still waiting for the wire refund.

In line 76, both deposits were made by the same credit card at different times. One deposit was refunded. A refund of US 300 is still pending although I was already told 3 weeks ago, that the refund has been processed. Nothing there.

Ivi

If it is any consolation our $17K refund that was "processed" by Crystal on Sep 27 finally appeared on our credit card yesterday, so they are still coming.

 

SusieQft, I never added this refund to your spreadsheet, so nothing to update.,

[paf225]

SusieQft, Thank you for tracking all these refund issues.  I received my refund however due to the current USD/CAD exchange rate and related fees it was for about $385 CAD less then the original deposit made about 2 years ago.  It would be nice to be able to make payments to Crystal in CAD like some other lines allow.  Regards, Paul

 

Scheduled sail date:  March 14, 2022
Crystal cancelled:      August 12, 2021
Refund requested:     August, 12, 2021
Refund received:        December 1, 2021.

[Roland4]

21 minutes ago, paf225 said:

SusieQft, Thank you for tracking all these refund issues.  I received my refund however due to the current USD/CAD exchange rate and related fees it was for about $385 CAD less then the original deposit made about 2 years ago.  It would be nice to be able to make payments to Crystal in CAD like some other lines allow.  Regards, Paul

 

Scheduled sail date:  March 14, 2022
Crystal cancelled:      August 12, 2021
Refund requested:     August, 12, 2021
Refund received:        December 1, 2021.

SOME other lines?? Off the top of my head, they are the ONLY line, or tour operator, that does not allow CAD$ bookings in Canada. They allow AUS$ bookings, and Sterling bookings, but not CAD$! Time for Crystal to get with the programme! 😁

[Texas Tillie]

2 hours ago, Roland4 said:

SOME other lines?? Off the top of my head, they are the ONLY line, or tour operator, that does not allow CAD$ bookings in Canada. They allow AUS$ bookings, and Sterling bookings, but not CAD$! Time for Crystal to get with the programme! 😁

 

It doesn't make sense as I'd guess that there are many more Canadians sailing with Crystal than Australians. You've got the geographic location next to the US plus the fact that Canada has a population about 50% greater than Australia.

 

Patty

Edited December 5, 2021 by Texas Tillie

[Stickman1990]

3 hours ago, Roland4 said:

They allow AUS$ bookings, and Sterling bookings, but not CAD$! Time for Crystal to get with the programme! 😁

It’s not all it’s cracked up to be - sometimes local currency works for you and on other occasions it’s better to book in US$ - fortunately we retain the option to do either here by using off shore TAs. Crystal can take a while to make adjustments to local currency pricing - sometimes that’s good and sometimes bad - we’re always playing the exchange rate game whether it be directly or with “localised” pricing

 

 

 

 

[paf225]

5 hours ago, Roland4 said:

SOME other lines?? Off the top of my head, they are the ONLY line, or tour operator, that does not allow CAD$ bookings in Canada. They allow AUS$ bookings, and Sterling bookings, but not CAD$! Time for Crystal to get with the programme! 😁

 

Hi Roland, Thank you for the information.  I was unaware Crystal was the only line that didn’t permit CAD bookings for Canadians.  Exercising an abundance of caution (and based on the aforementioned lack of knowledge) I decided not to make a broad characterization regarding how many lines allowed Canadians to pay for cruises with CAD’s.  I did not want to offend the patrons of some obscure line, perhaps based in St. Pierre and Miquelon,  that due to proximity, petulance or indifference did not offer this convenience to us. 🙂

 

I’ve read quite a few of your posts and always find them informative. 

 

Take care,

 

Paul

[Roland4]

14 hours ago, Stickman1990 said:

It’s not all it’s cracked up to be - sometimes local currency works for you and on other occasions it’s better to book in US$ - fortunately we retain the option to do either here by using off shore TAs. Crystal can take a while to make adjustments to local currency pricing - sometimes that’s good and sometimes bad - we’re always playing the exchange rate game whether it be directly or with “localised” pricing

 

I agree we would likely be looking at the exchange rate as well, but at least you have that option!😒

[suzeluvscruz]

Cancelled on Nov 15, refund posted to Amex today, Dec. 11. Happy campers.😎

[travelberlin]

On 12/11/2021 at 5:36 PM, suzeluvscruz said:

Cancelled on Nov 15, refund posted to Amex today, Dec. 11. Happy campers.😎

Happy you! Unfortunately we are still waiting. 
 

Ivi

[suzeluvscruz]

2 hours ago, travelberlin said:

Happy you! Unfortunately we are still waiting. 
 

Ivi

 

😱

[audobon_tx]

Cancelled Serenity April 2022 cruise on December 6  2021.  Deposit refund posted to credit card today.