Onboard Account Refund in the UK

[david63]

I will just make two points before starting:

1. This was my first cruise with Princess (not, however, my first cruise overall).
2. I am from the UK.

 

I was recently on Sky Princess and due to the fact that I had the Princess Premier package, cancelled excursion and return of port tax due to missed ports there was a sizeable credit on my final account.

 

Prior to leaving the ship I asked, on two occasions, if this credit would be returned to my credit card and was assured by two different Guest Services agents that it would. I was also informed in the disembarkation paperwork that I would receive a copy of my final statement by email within 24 hours of disembarkation. I therefore left the ship in the expectation of receiving both statement and refund promptly.

 

Some 30 hours after disembarkation I had received neither account nor refund so I phoned Princess Cruises UK eventually getting through to some overseas call centre agent who did not inspire me with ant confidence whatsoever and was told that this process takes between 7 and 10 days (so why say that I will get it within 24 hours?)

 

As nothing had materialised after 10 days another call was made. Unfortunately I found myself back in the overseas call centre where after some heated argument I was given a phone number for "Customer Services" in the UK (for anyone in need 0238 065 7203). I duly called this number and explained my situation again only to be told that I needed to speak with someone in Guest Services and was transferred.

 

Now for the interesting part. I was told that as Princess Cruises is an American company they cannot hold my credit card details once I have left the ship (seems strange that they don't have a problem holding my card details before I join the ship!). As I am not conversant with the banking rules I have no way of knowing whether this is true or not. As it is not possible to refund to my credit card after having left the ship the refunds have to be done manually from a list that is sent from the ship. (I am fairly sure that if I owed money on my account that it would have been taken before I was off the ship but for some reason that same computer is unable to give me my money back!).

 

Anyway the process, once you get into the system, is fairly straightforward - I was sent an email with a link to process the refund. I entered my booking reference and then went through a 2fa by entering a code sent to my mobile phone (not sure how this would work if I did not have a mobile phone) after which I was directed to another page where I entered my bank account details, hit submit and a few minutes later the money was in my account.

 

Apparently the agents onboard are not supposed to say to UK passengers that any refund will go back onto a credit card and there is also supposed to be letter outlining the procedure given to passengers - obviously some training is required.

 

As of typing this post I still have not received my emailed copy of my onboard account - just as well that I printed one off before leaving the ship.

 

I hope that this may be of help to other UK passengers in a similar situation.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

2 minutes ago, david63 said:

I will just make two points before starting:

1. This was my first cruise with Princess (not, however, my first cruise overall).
2. I am from the UK.

 

I was recently on Sky Princess and due to the fact that I had the Princess Premier package, cancelled excursion and return of port tax due to missed ports there was a sizeable credit on my final account.

 

Prior to leaving the ship I asked, on two occasions, if this credit would be returned to my credit card and was assured by two different Guest Services agents that it would. I was also informed in the disembarkation paperwork that I would receive a copy of my final statement by email within 24 hours of disembarkation. I therefore left the ship in the expectation of receiving both statement and refund promptly.

 

Some 30 hours after disembarkation I had received neither account nor refund so I phoned Princess Cruises UK eventually getting through to some overseas call centre agent who did not inspire me with ant confidence whatsoever and was told that this process takes between 7 and 10 days (so why say that I will get it within 24 hours?)

 

As nothing had materialised after 10 days another call was made. Unfortunately I found myself back in the overseas call centre where after some heated argument I was given a phone number for "Customer Services" in the UK (for anyone in need 0238 065 7203). I duly called this number and explained my situation again only to be told that I needed to speak with someone in Guest Services and was transferred.

 

Now for the interesting part. I was told that as Princess Cruises is an American company they cannot hold my credit card details once I have left the ship (seems strange that they don't have a problem holding my card details before I join the ship!). As I am not conversant with the banking rules I have no way of knowing whether this is true or not. As it is not possible to refund to my credit card after having left the ship the refunds have to be done manually from a list that is sent from the ship. (I am fairly sure that if I owed money on my account that it would have been taken before I was off the ship but for some reason that same computer is unable to give me my money back!).

 

Anyway the process, once you get into the system, is fairly straightforward - I was sent an email with a link to process the refund. I entered my booking reference and then went through a 2fa by entering a code sent to my mobile phone (not sure how this would work if I did not have a mobile phone) after which I was directed to another page where I entered my bank account details, hit submit and a few minutes later the money was in my account.

 

Apparently the agents onboard are not supposed to say to UK passengers that any refund will go back onto a credit card and there is also supposed to be letter outlining the procedure given to passengers - obviously some training is required.

 

As of typing this post I still have not received my emailed copy of my onboard account - just as well that I printed one off before leaving the ship.

 

I hope that this may be of help to other UK passengers in a similar situation.

thank you for this.

 

im a UK passenger about to go on my first Princess cruise. If we find ourselves with credit at the end I feel like I’m better prepared now for potential pitfalls

 

I agree it sounds like more training is needed so UK national are not told that the refund process works the same as for a USA national

 

also the bit about not holding bank card details after we’ve sailed? Very strange!

 

Princess have already had my bank details for months and we don’t sail until august.

Interested to hear why they don’t keep card details after cruise, if anybody on here knows?

[Rick&Jeannie]

In the past, we truly *have* received the email you spoke of regarding your final account.  The past coupe of sailings this has not happened (for me, anyway.)  We almost *always* get the survey...

 

Regarding the "holding of CC details after the cruise...yes, I agree that it does seem very inconsistent given that they have it BEFORE the cruise.  I am retired from a career in IT.  One of the BIG things I had to deal with was "PCI" (Payment Card Initiative) which is an arrangement pushed forth by Visa that dictates exactly how credit card data is handled and what is allowed.  There definitely *is* some language in the agreement about "not holding data any longer than is necessary".

 

The CC industry has a HUGE influence on financial matters...and Visa has actually been able to force companies that take credit cards to abide by this PCI agreement.  In the US, if you take credit cards in any fashion you MUST abide by the terms or your right to accept credit cards can be revoked!  So...it's a REALLY BIG DEAL.  I have no idea if PCI extends beyond US borders...I would not be surprised if *some* form of it does.  The whole thing is supposed to provide more protection for you as a consumer.  I'm sure it does...but it was truly a thorn in my side as an IT Manager!

[david63]

27 minutes ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

There definitely *is* some language in the agreement about "not holding data any longer than is necessary".

I would probably agree with that and almost certainly will apply in the UK but "no longer than necessary" is very open-ended.

 

I bet that if they suddenly found that they had missed a charge after you had disembarked that they would very quickly find your credit card details!

[RaspberryCremeBrulee]

We are in UK.  At end of our Island Princess cruise last July/August we were due refund.  We eventually received via bank transfer after about 11 weeks, after we had chased it up.

 

If possible, if you can see your folio on the app at the end of your final evening, make a note on final amount and try to take a screenshot for your own reference. Alternatively ask reception for print out.

 

We did receive an email with final folio attached, think it may have been day after disembarkation, and the balance was the same as screenshot we'd taken.

 

After 8 weeks we still hadn't received refund. We sent Guest Relations a message. Once they responded we eventually got a link so we could respond with bank details and get payment via NatWest payit.  As mentioned above this took about 11 weeks following disembarkation.

 

With hindsight we should have started chasing Princess far sooner than we did.

 

 

[Rick&Jeannie]

5 minutes ago, david63 said:

I would probably agree with that and almost certainly will apply in the UK but "no longer than necessary" is very open-ended.

Agree 100%.  I don't know for a fact that this is the exact wording...no doubt there is some type of "legalese" added there which lays out more restrictive terms.  I've been "out of the game" for 5 years now...I can only imagine how much worse it has gotten (strictly from the IT viewpoint...)

[CaptainPedantic]

Well that data is definitely still necessary if that's the way they are going to automatically provide a refund! But I've been through the PayIt process with Princess previously and it is straightforward once they finally get around to processing your refund...

[david63]

The cynic in me says that it is all part of a ploy by Princess/Carnival to hold on to as much money as they can for as long as they can.

[Steelers36]

There are large retail companies that retain CC information.  For example, if I return something to Home Depot or Walmart, the refund auto-posts to the CC used when paying without me needing to take card out of my pocket.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

2 hours ago, david63 said:

The cynic in me says that it is all part of a ploy by Princess/Carnival to hold on to as much money as they can for as long as they can.

I’d normally share that cynicism, for sure.

 

But in this case they only want to keep your credit if you’re British. I don’t think there are as many of us compared with American customers

 

i don’t think we have more money either. Someone better tell Princess that 😂 

[Guest ldtr]

6 hours ago, david63 said:

I will just make two points before starting:

1. This was my first cruise with Princess (not, however, my first cruise overall).
2. I am from the UK.

 

I was recently on Sky Princess and due to the fact that I had the Princess Premier package, cancelled excursion and return of port tax due to missed ports there was a sizeable credit on my final account.

 

Prior to leaving the ship I asked, on two occasions, if this credit would be returned to my credit card and was assured by two different Guest Services agents that it would. I was also informed in the disembarkation paperwork that I would receive a copy of my final statement by email within 24 hours of disembarkation. I therefore left the ship in the expectation of receiving both statement and refund promptly.

 

Some 30 hours after disembarkation I had received neither account nor refund so I phoned Princess Cruises UK eventually getting through to some overseas call centre agent who did not inspire me with ant confidence whatsoever and was told that this process takes between 7 and 10 days (so why say that I will get it within 24 hours?)

 

As nothing had materialised after 10 days another call was made. Unfortunately I found myself back in the overseas call centre where after some heated argument I was given a phone number for "Customer Services" in the UK (for anyone in need 0238 065 7203). I duly called this number and explained my situation again only to be told that I needed to speak with someone in Guest Services and was transferred.

 

Now for the interesting part. I was told that as Princess Cruises is an American company they cannot hold my credit card details once I have left the ship (seems strange that they don't have a problem holding my card details before I join the ship!). As I am not conversant with the banking rules I have no way of knowing whether this is true or not. As it is not possible to refund to my credit card after having left the ship the refunds have to be done manually from a list that is sent from the ship. (I am fairly sure that if I owed money on my account that it would have been taken before I was off the ship but for some reason that same computer is unable to give me my money back!).

 

Anyway the process, once you get into the system, is fairly straightforward - I was sent an email with a link to process the refund. I entered my booking reference and then went through a 2fa by entering a code sent to my mobile phone (not sure how this would work if I did not have a mobile phone) after which I was directed to another page where I entered my bank account details, hit submit and a few minutes later the money was in my account.

 

Apparently the agents onboard are not supposed to say to UK passengers that any refund will go back onto a credit card and there is also supposed to be letter outlining the procedure given to passengers - obviously some training is required.

 

As of typing this post I still have not received my emailed copy of my onboard account - just as well that I printed one off before leaving the ship.

 

I hope that this may be of help to other UK passengers in a similar situation.

Actually Princess and the rest of Carnival Corporation is more of a UK company than a US company as a result of the purchased of P&O UK (who owned Princess at the time) a few years ago).  AS a result the corporate entity is registered both in the UK and Panama.  It is also list on the UK stock exchange as well as the NYSE in the US.

 

That said most procedures on Princess are setup for the US market.  Just as the procedures for P&O UK are setup for UK passengers.  Interesting in that usually the UK and the EU have tighter restrictions than than the US when it comes to CC information.  Being from the US they certainly have retained my CC information since they have quite often made refund to my CC when I have canceled booked cruises or made other changes without any information having to be added.

 

The refund procedures vary by country US passengers get a check in the mail 4-6 weeks after the cruise ends.  In Australia and NZ the refund is directly back to CC because checks have generally gone out of use in those countries.  First time I have heard anything about the process you have described.  Very interesting Thank you.

[JG&Lcruisingnewbies]

5 hours ago, Rick&Jeannie said:

Agree 100%.  I don't know for a fact that this is the exact wording...no doubt there is some type of "legalese" added there which lays out more restrictive terms.  I've been "out of the game" for 5 years now...I can only imagine how much worse it has gotten (strictly from the IT viewpoint...)

Have a husband who works in Data marketing. He thinks it might be related to our very strict data protection laws in the UK & EU. Stricter than USA

 

I don’t fully understand why they can have the data before cruise but not after though.
 

Perhaps once we are on the cruise, when the account and card become active, that changes things

 

They’ll want no part in getting into trouble breaking GDPR (General data protection regulations). They could be fined huge sums of money, and potential prison sentences. Get rid of the data as soon as they can!

 

facebook META were fined €1.2 billion for breaking GDPR this year. They don’t mess about 

Edited June 6, 2023 by JG&Lcruisingnewbies

[david63]

The plot thickens.

 

Having just booked another Princess cruise (mainly to use a generous FCC) when I log into the app lo and behold there are my credit card details - the very same details that they cannot retain once I have left the ship!!