Travel agent not giving me my refund of NRD

[sailing sue]

I was told by RCI that I would received a full refund for my January cruise, which I cancelled due to the mask issue. Royal told me I would received back my money for my cruise,   FCC and my NRD. That was 90 days ago. Royal has informed me that they sent checks to my travel agency and the agency was to forward my refund on to me via credits to my visa. I received a visa refund for the cruise and the FCC. The agency is holding back my NRD of $105.00. I have emailed them and not received any response.

I remember this topic has been discussed on this board  before, but I can't remember the details. Could anyone kindly inform me as to why they are not giving me back my NRD when Royal has told me that it will be refunded?

 

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, sailing sue said:

I was told by RCI that I would received a full refund for my January cruise, which I cancelled due to the mask issue. Royal told me I would received back my money for my cruise,   FCC and my NRD. That was 90 days ago. Royal has informed me that they sent checks to my travel agency and the agency was to forward my refund on to me via credits to my visa. I received a visa refund for the cruise and the FCC. The agency is holding back my NRD of $105.00. I have emailed them and not received any response.

I remember this topic has been discussed on this board  before, but I can't remember the details. Could anyone kindly inform me as to why they are not giving me back my NRD when Royal has told me that it will be refunded?

 

Thst is odd.  I've never had a refund gone to our agency, they always go direct to client 

 

What I think has happened us that they have paid the commission to the agent and they need to start a commission recall in order to pay you what is owed 

[sailing sue]

After a long back and forth, I have a resolution. I will accept a FCC of $105.00 instead of the refund. I will be cruising again and will be able to use the credit towards my new cruise.

[beachluver9]

Some agencies have cancellation fees shown in their fine print.  The one that we used to use (note the past tense) has now doubled this penalty to $100 pp regardless if the deposit is refundable or non-refundable.  The last several cruises I have booked direct.  Not always the least expensive, but definitely far less hassle.

 

[not-enough-cruising]

I would be looking for a new travel agent. 
 

My travel agent makes my payments to Royal Caribbean on my behalf using my credit card on file, any and all times I have ever received money back it comes back to my card directly from Royal. The only way the travel agent would have been sent your refund is if the agency was collecting your money and then they were paying Royal Caribbean, I find this practice completely unacceptable

[SRF]

18 hours ago, not-enough-cruising said:

I would be looking for a new travel agent. 
 

My travel agent makes my payments to Royal Caribbean on my behalf using my credit card on file, any and all times I have ever received money back it comes back to my card directly from Royal. The only way the travel agent would have been sent your refund is if the agency was collecting your money and then they were paying Royal Caribbean, I find this practice completely unacceptable

 

This is how my TA does it.  And I would not work with a TA that takes the payment first, then submits it.

 

There have been cases where people using a TA that operated this way took payments, then closed their doors and kept the payment.

[leaveitallbehind]

19 minutes ago, SRF said:

 

This is how my TA does it.  And I would not work with a TA that takes the payment first, then submits it.

 

There have been cases where people using a TA that operated this way took payments, then closed their doors and kept the payment.

Agree.  In addition, there should be a booking confirmation issued by the agency as well as one provided by them from the cruise line with any and all all transactions - financial and otherwise - affecting your booking.  In that manner you have verification from both the agency and the cruise line to assure no issues. 

 

I would also not work with any agency who charges any fees separate and above those charged directly by the cruise lines for originating, changing, or canceling a reservation. Some do, most don't. 

Edited April 4, 2022 by leaveitallbehind

[SRF]

7 hours ago, leaveitallbehind said:

Agree.  In addition, there should be a booking confirmation issued by the agency as well as one provided by them from the cruise line with any and all all transactions - financial and otherwise - affecting your booking.  In that manner you have verification from both the agency and the cruise line to assure no issues. 

 

I would also not work with any agency who charges any fees separate and above those charged directly by the cruise lines for originating, changing, or canceling a reservation. Some do, most don't. 

 

Both very good points.

 

[graphicguy]

I went through several cancellations during the shutdown.  Some,  I took a refund.  Some, I was forced to take a FCC when I was promised a refund (looking at you, NCL).

 

For the refunds, the cruise line sent a credit directly to my method of payment (AMEX).  What commissions were or weren't collected or paid is between the TA and the cruise lines.  That has no bearing on your reservation.

 

 

If you were charged a fee by the TA, that's between you and the TA.  It's your business between them and you.

[dcgrumpy]

I agree with the others that it's very odd that the refund went to your TA.   When you were initially charged did it say that you were charged by the agency or Royal Caribbean?