What do you all think should be my next step?

[Calievie]

I want to be clear that I have not been on the cruise and this review is in regards to the refund process that I've experienced.  I purchased this cruise in Feb 2019.  I made several payments over the year and paid off the cruise in February 2020.  The final cruise payment due date was August 10th, 2020.  With everything going on with the virus, I canceled my cruise on August 8th and requested a full refund.  My sailing is not yet canceled, although they have canceled all other cruises through October 31, 2020.  My cruise is scheduled for November, 2020.  Upon my cancelling, I was told that it could take 30-60 days to receive payment.  What I find odd is that 11 days later, I noticed 2 refunds credited to my credit card.  One credit for $533.01 and another for $700.  I realize that they are literally refunding me for every payment that I made over the course of a year.  I think that is inefficient but at least I'm getting my money back.  Well...2 days later and I've received no more refunds.  I called Celebrity and asked them about the process.  This is where I have an issue.  I called and spoke with a customer service rep.  She said back end accounting sets up the refunds so she could not help me and she could not connect me to back end accounting.  I told her I made 11 payments over the course of 2019 and wanted to know if they are going to refund all the payments within the next few days or if they are going to string it along for 60 days?  She did not know because she was front end.  Again, she could not tell me what the plan was and she would not give me anyone to talk to in accounting. I gave her feedback and let her know that I will need to rethink my next cruise line.  If I can't trust them to give me simple information about a refund, I definitely can't trust them with my safety in a foreign country.  I'm traveling alone so safety is important to me.  Anyway, it was a very bad experience and I'm disappointed.  I did not need them to change anything or make any special allowances.  I'm fine if they need to take 60 days to pay me back but let me know the plan so I can plan accordingly.  Do you all have any ideas how I can find out about my refund plan?  

[Bo1953]

Your fist step, here on CC, might be to read this thread...

 

There are a few other, to be sure...

 

bon voyage

[cruisestitch]

as Frustrating as it is, you probably won’t be able to find out anything about your refund schedule.  The refunds are being issued a little at a time, some people get them quicklyOthers have to wait a long time and No one seems to know why. I wish I could be more optimistic for you, but there isn’t much you can do. And you read the threads mentioned above, you will see that you are not alone.

[Happy Cruiser 6143]

There is no plan.  Your refund will come in dribs and drabs.  It is exactly the same thing that has happened to everyone else who cancelled cruises or had cruises cancelled.  You'll get your money back eventually.  No point in wasting time on the phone with Celebrity.  I've had 52 nights cancelled on me this year.  Got all the funds back eventually.

 

By the way, all the cruise lines are doing this, so it will not do you any good to switch lines based on this.  Some are doing much worse than Celebrity.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We made periodic payments, on different credit cards, against a cruise we cancelled and got our refunds based on the amount of each payment. It took some credit card companies longer to post the refund, BOA in particular, but we had everything posted within 7 to 10 days of the initial refund. 

[39august]

Our refunds came in "dribs and drabs" over about a 2.5 month period. There are many different experiences with refunds. But we DID get all our money back. As someone said above, don't wast time calling about it. Just wait it out. 

[hcat]

Good advice was to read through the Refund Tracker  and related threads,  won,t haSTen your refund but  you can see how  many of us suffered through the process.

Next round coming soon....

 

You could try a credit card dispute!

[Fouremco]

2 hours ago, Calievie said:

I'm fine if they need to take 60 days to pay me back but let me know the plan so I can plan accordingly.  Do you all have any ideas how I can find out about my refund plan?

Unfortunately, there is no refund plan per se, it will probably continue to be refunded in the same manner that it was paid: in dribs and drabs.

 

If you wish to plan, approach it as if you'll get a single refund of the outstanding amount on day 60. Then anything that comes in earlier is a bonus.

[Calievie]

Thanks much for the tip.  That's a great way to think about it.  Appreciate your response.  Have a great day!

[omeinv]

4 hours ago, Calievie said:

Thanks much for the tip.  That's a great way to think about it.  Appreciate your response.  Have a great day!

Since you made 11 payments, be vigilant if you used different credit cards. They refund each payment to the card upon which it was made.  It puts a pterodactyl in the ointment if you've since closed that account.  

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[Calievie]

hi Harris.  Thankfully the charges were all from the same credit card.  Thanks so much for responding. 

[alcpa1]

It will take a while, please be patient. Cruising is still in flux and we all miss boarding.

Also please don't think Celebrity is the only cruise line is struggling to keep its customers safe and happy. I am also aware of one small cruise line that has not issued refunds and only offered vouchers with tight restrictions to boot.

It took us quite a while to get our refund for a missed May sailing and it too came in batches.

 

[wwcruisers]

12 hours ago, Happy Cruiser 6143 said:

By the way, all the cruise lines are doing this, so it will not do you any good to switch lines based on this.  Some are doing much worse than Celebrity.

 

Amen, Linda! We just got our deposit refund for the Pacific Coastal that HAL canceled, back in June. Considering that folks on the HAL boards were reporting an average of 90 days for refunds (with no FCC involved), we considered ourselves lucky to have gotten our $$ back, in just over 60 days. In this current state of affairs, patience isn't just a virtue -- it's a necessity!

[ipeeinthepool]

It won't help the OP get her refund but there is a lesson here.  Please don't make any final payments  before they are due.  If you want to make periodic payments set up a vacation account at your bank and just pay yourself and make the final payment from that account.  Or just put the money in a cookie jar until final payment is due.