Cruise won't cancel - IT issues - Sorry - no refund until fixed

[bogeydi]

We've been lucky enough to have been on 42 cruises and never had an issue. Until now.

4 weeks ago I cancelled a fully refundable World Cruise and it still shows as an active booking. My TA has called them numerous times. The only thing Princess will say is that it's an IT issue and until its resolved they can't cancel it. In the meantime they still have my $9,700 deposit.

I spoke with Princess about another cruise I booked directly with them, and mentioned this issue. She had never heard of this - but said I may have a long wait since IT is inundated with Medallion issues.

Do I have any other recourse?  Is there another number I can call - or person I can email?  Or do I have to go through my TA and just wait indefinitely?  My "TA" is  basically a call center.  Never get the same agent twice.  Great for OBC but not for personal service. There's a lesson here I'm sure.

Anway, thanks for any advice.

Edited November 11, 2021 by bogeydi

[Tak8]

You may get lucky but generally when you book through a TA, Princess doesn't want to talk to you directly.  You can give it a shot.  

That's the good and bad of a TA great OBC but little to no control  

[deliver42]

The only thing I can offer is contacting your credit card company and explain what's happening. Maybe, just maybe they will go to bat for you or put in a claim to refund the amount credited..

[tamsno]

Not an appropriate answer you were given.  But, realistically, 4 weeks would be about the minimum you could expect for refunds right now.  Two recent full paid cancellations I made with HAL and Princess took at least  six weeks to appear on credit card and both came in more than one installment.   Back in the beginning of the cancellation nightmare, 144 days was my longest wait so at least we’ve gotten somewhere.  Keep an eye on it.  

[bogeydi]

48 minutes ago, deliver42 said:

The only thing I can offer is contacting your credit card company and explain what's happening. Maybe, just maybe they will go to bat for you or put in a claim to refund the amount credited..

That's a good idea.  

[dog]

I did have an issue once where the agent I spoke to put me through to a Supervisor and she was able to expedite the refund and I got my money back in 3 payments over 2 weeks. She expediated it due to an error Princess made in the booking. Since you have used a TA they may have to do it for you. I don’t believe the IT excuse they gave you 

[dog]

1 hour ago, deliver42 said:

The only thing I can offer is contacting your credit card company and explain what's happening. Maybe, just maybe they will go to bat for you or put in a claim to refund the amount credited..

Be careful with this as it usually adds on more time if you file a creed card dispute 

adding:

when I used a TA she told me she had an Number to call Princess in Urgent matters. She got an immediate response from Princess re: my cancellation & refund through that 

Edited November 12, 2021 by dog

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, bogeydi said:

My "TA" is  basically a call center.  Never get the same agent twice.  Great for OBC but not for personal service. There's a lesson here I'm sure.

I realize nothing can help you now, but there are TA's in US who give a cash discount off the cruise fare instead of OBC which may or may not be hard to spend.  And you have your own agent with their own phone number and email to contact, so you are not dealing with a call center.  Maybe your lesson will be to look into that and see if you cannot find something better.  I do know if my only option was same as yours, I'd probably be booking directly with Princess and forego the OBC.

 

Good luck going forward.

[Steelers36]

2 minutes ago, dog said:

Be careful with this as it usually adds on more time if you file a creed card dispute 

This route works best if the charged amount has not already been paid as the CC bank puts the amount in suspense, so you can pay the rest of each monthly bill, ignoring the charge in dispute.  If you win and it is removed, no harm done.  However, if it comes back, you can be charged the interest for lack of payment.  In this case the OP seems to have already paid for the deposit, so IDK that the CC bank will refund the amount until dispute is settled.  As long as customer is not out the money and certain to win eventually, it doesn't matter how long it takes.

[2 cruises a year]

Try:

customerrelations@princesscruises.com

If nothing else, you will have a good paper trail.

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by 2 cruises a year

[dog]

My impression from OP’s post is “it does matter to them” 

[bogeydi]

23 minutes ago, 2 cruises a year said:

Try:

customerrelations@princesscruises.com

If nothing else, you will have a good paper trail.

 

Thanks. I'll try this as well. 

 

30 minutes ago, Steelers36 said:

I realize nothing can help you now, but there are TA's in US who give a cash discount off the cruise fare instead of OBC which may or may not be hard to spend.  And you have your own agent with their own phone number and email to contact, so you are not dealing with a call center.  Maybe your lesson will be to look into that and see if you cannot find something better.  I do know if my only option was same as yours, I'd probably be booking directly with Princess and forego the OBC.

 

Good luck going forward.

Thank you. Yes, may start looking for a real TA. This big box one offered $6K in a Cash Card. Hard to resist. 

[bogeydi]

1 hour ago, dog said:

I did have an issue once where the agent I spoke to put me through to a Supervisor and she was able to expedite the refund and I got my money back in 3 payments over 2 weeks. She expediated it due to an error Princess made in the booking. Since you have used a TA they may have to do it for you. I don’t believe the IT excuse they gave you 

I've been wondering about that. Seems more like a cash flow issue. But who knows. 

[bogeydi]

1 hour ago, tamsno said:

Not an appropriate answer you were given.  But, realistically, 4 weeks would be about the minimum you could expect for refunds right now.  Two recent full paid cancellations I made with HAL and Princess took at least  six weeks to appear on credit card and both came in more than one installment.   Back in the beginning of the cancellation nightmare, 144 days was my longest wait so at least we’ve gotten somewhere.  Keep an eye on it.  

I'm fine waiting 4+ weeks for the refund. But they won't even START the refund process until its officially canceled. Frustrating. 

[Coral]

1 hour ago, bogeydi said:

Thanks. I'll try this as well. 

 

Thank you. Yes, may start looking for a real TA. This big box one offered $6K in a Cash Card. Hard to resist. 

You can probably get that as a discount off of your cruise from some agents.

[Steelers36]

4 hours ago, bogeydi said:

Thanks. I'll try this as well. 

 

Thank you. Yes, may start looking for a real TA. This big box one offered $6K in a Cash Card. Hard to resist. 

That is some serious coin.

[Coral]

5 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

That is some serious coin.

It is a world cruise. Deposit is over $9K. Not surprised.

[Dietemann]

I was booked on a part of the World Cruise. We received the email where we could select a refund or take the FCC with 10% bonus. The date by which to make the selection was Nov. 18, I believe. I chose refund and the cruise still shows on the Personalizer, no refund yet. I believe that no refunds or credits will be processed and issued before that date.

[Gitmo]

Silver Sea did the same thing to us.  We disputed it on our credit card.   Silver Sea did not respond too the credit card company and we were refunded rather quickly from American Express.  Our cruise was never cancelled,  we just figured out that the ship would not be built in time for our cruise, so we cancelled it early.  

Edited November 12, 2021 by Gitmo

[bogeydi]

Well guess what?  The day after I post on Cruise Critic my booking was finally cancelled. Coincidence?  Thank you all for your suggestions and comments. Now I will patiently await the refund. 

[2 cruises a year]

39 minutes ago, bogeydi said:

Well guess what?  The day after I post on Cruise Critic my booking was finally cancelled. Coincidence?  Thank you all for your suggestions and comments. Now I will patiently await the refund. 

Maybe you are psychotic. 😉

[bogeydi]

Just now, 2 cruises a year said:

Maybe you are psychotic. 😉

DH always says I'm psycho-something....

[tamsno]

Whatever it takes 🙂

[TracieABD]

That is great news!

Keep us posted on the refund...

[bogeydi]

One day after posting on Cruise Critic the cruise was finally cancelled!