Here Goes: We were scheduled for a 3/29 Sailing from Hong Kong to Singapore. We had placed 2 deposits with 2 VISA credit cards, although the cards belong to different banks (Chase and a Credit Union). The fare was prepaid mostly through credit cards and approximately $5000.00 cash via our travel agent. )., Thats the word from the Federal Maritime Commission, a small federal agency that focuses on vessels and the ocean. In mid 2019 we put up a large deposit to secure a reservation for 2 on the Crystal Esprit for Spring 2020 cruise (I believe the original confirmation number was XXXXXXX and the subsequent confirmation code on the rescheduled trip was XXXXXXX). Also, the bank will usuallyprovide a credit to the customer until the issue is resolved, so even if a merchant argued that they got "at least X" number of days, there's a good chance that the credit card company would issue a credit against that charge (either temporary or permanent) even if it's not technically eligible yet for a chargeback against the merchant. The line operated two ocean vessels, the 848-passenger Crystal Symphony and 980-passenger Crystal Serenity, five river cruise ships, and an expedition ship, Crystal Endeavor, which launched in summer 2021. by Ned S. Levi | Feb 21, 2022 | Getting there. Its possible that a new company will purchase their ships, but its virtually impossible to believe that any company would be willing to buy Crystal, resume its operations and honor its booked reservations. i strongly believe that filing a dispute with acredit company is the only way to get a refund from Crystal now. Department of Homeland Security changed the deadline for REAL ID? But dont get too excited. Ten days later, Crystal cancelled the cruise. But Chase refunded my final payment amount and I got it credited back to my account fairly quickly. The booking number is XXXXXXX. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. Total for both bookings: $15,580. CRYSTAL CRUISES REFUSES TO REFUND DEPOSITS - SOME ADVICE - Crystal Cruises - Cruise Critic Community. I was told I would likely receive a refund within 90 days. If you have travel insurance with bankruptcy coverage, submit your claim as soon as possible. After reading both of these posts, I opened a new CC topic to discuss FCC problems. All of the river cruises are cancelled through late May. All we get are excuses for delays or no response on the reconciliation. The cruise in question must have more than 50 beds and must have originated from a U.S. port, which would include Long Beach, Los Angeles and San Diego, Miami and Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Their actions should be known to the public. Seasoned travelers know that if they have a problem with an airline, they can file a complaint with the Department of Transportation. i waited for100+days before filing my dispute. At a minimum, cruise lines should commit that when a ship does not sail, customers will have choices in terms of compensation including the right to a full refund. Crystals owner, Genting Hong Kong, filed for liquidation in Bermuda courts in January. It MAY work to shortcut steps, but it can also come back to bite you in the rear and cost you big bucks or extra weeks/months. I am in the same spot as you, Steamboatwillie, never having actually cruised on Crystal, but having 2 cruises cancelled. Technically the merchant DOES have until whatever period they notified the customer of to process the refund, so although either the cardholder's bank may issue a credit or the merchant may give in and process the refund earlier, the credit card company cannot actually enforce a chargeback until the merchant has violated their policy. Always where shes going next. These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies. CC Help Jenn Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match. We had already paid in full, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises promised customers a 100% refund within 90 days. We waited until Crystal cancelled our cruise (2 April 2020). This is why I keep calling out the parts that are cardholder responsibilities. Now it is May 7, 2025. CC Help Jenn . Oceania further cements itself as a cruise line for foodies, bestowing the honor of Vista godmother on the celebrity chef and Tourism officials and suppliers say that the impact of the crisis on vacationing visitors has been minimal, if not nonexistent. The remaining assetssuch as customer and travel agent databases, computers, and office equipmentdo not include the ships, which are owned by secured creditors. In the other thread there are people waiting almost a year. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. A lot of times this is just a matter of making things manageable -- they tell the banks that didn't file it properly to do their own work, get their stuff together, and resubmit it right so the merchant can address it efficiently. Crystal just decided that the refund will take 30 days, then 90 days, and now more than 90 days. AFAR participates in affiliate marketing programs, which means we may earn a commission if you purchase an item featured on our site. 2023 AFAR Media, ships that have been seized for unpaid fuel bills. See reviews and photos of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal River. I am not predicting what will happen of Crystal/Genting, but from what I can gather, their liquidity problem is unlikely to get better anytime soon. The cruise line's parent company,. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By We had disputed the charge with Chase, and they will cont. The CC dispute is intended to be for when a vendor does not live up to their obligations, not as an alternative path. Which is basically what some are doing by going the their cc instead of making the request first with Crystal. Also, I see no reason to wait 90 days or even 60 days to do so. Original sail date jan 6, 2021, changed to January sail date Jan 16. Please call American Express and a dispute can be filed. Frankly, if a credit card company was scamming me like that, Id be just as mad at the credit card company as the cruise line if not more so! Crystal will not refund our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons. Your region selection will be saved in your cookie for future visits. Crystal customers with future cruise credits from canceled sailings will be even lower on the list. There is no clear pathway that we can set a consumer on who has a voucher.. BBB Business Profiles are subject to change at any time. Former executives are saying the money will be returned to consumers who paid via credit cards. All were hailed as best in their class. Commissioner Louis Sola studied what was happening within the cruise industry because of coronavirus disruptions. What Credit Cards Provide the Best Travel Insurance? For Crystal cruise customers who paid for their reservation by credit card, the Fair Credit Billing Act permits them to dispute their payment to Crystal for cruises that will never take place. Crystal, as you said, should be issuing the refund. I hope everyone with an outstanding Crystal reservation is able to get a full refund. Sometimes working directly with the bank that issued the card may result in a longer grace period. The Crystal Cruise bankruptcy is real. Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating. So sorry to hear this. They might come in handy in the future. How to find the best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious? In-depth coverage of the Valleys real estate market and whats being built and redeveloped in your city. Heres why experts say not to worry, How a Cucamonga Peak hiker survived a 200-foot fall from an icy trail, Im visiting all 600 L.A. spots on the National Register. Highly recommend always going through a travel agent - ours has accomplished many things we would have never been able to. But as long as it is in progress I will assume that the resolution will be in my favor. This content is only available to subscribers. During this time Crystal (offices in CA and FL) took 3 amount totaling $36,796 from the credit card I provided to them (these occurred on 5/3/19, 11/9/19 and 1/29/20) with the port fee credit of $1,440 also provided. Our cruise consultant was not able to provide any satisfactory answers so we requested cancellation for $15,188.02. Started June 21, 2021, By If you have any cruise vouchers, try to spend them and get insurance for the cruise you are going to buy, Couch-Friedman recommends. Something about the timing of the cruise which makes no sense. Share. We were told it would be 90 days to get a refund. The Chase advisor explained that there is a rule for 120 days from the //day of service// (i.e. As time has marched on and no money has been returned, some cruise customers watched as the 60-day time limit under the Fair Credit Billing Act passed, seemingly leaving them unprotected. Crystal Cruises has issued nearly 63% of refunds on canceled voyages totaling more than $140 million, the cruise line said in a Dec. 9 update to travel advisors, and will be processing refunds on . Ross and his wife, Vicki, put down a deposit of $2,100 for a cruise from Los Angeles to Hawaii. Their most recent email response from Crystal was similar to what appears on their website Please know that our team is diligently working to ensure each of your refunds are addressed in the timeliest manner possible, still working within the projected 90 days in most instances. Airlines Refunds: DOT enforcement notice that all airline tickets canceled by the airlines must be repaid to include all airfare, taxes and added fees with cash not airline credits. Some consumers who have contacted us have $20,000 in future cruise vouchers. Book now from $515! Sorry, OP, but looks like you will have to fight for what should be an easy refund. Nothing about refunding after months , and at their discretion. Rather than focusing on the number of complaints, BBB considers how frequently and effectively those complaints are resolved. Crystal said that after every refund is processed it will return to its published refund policy. Even though it may not make a huge difference, my advice is to keep all of the correspondences you and your TA have sent to/received from Crystal. "While they didn't like the way their refunds were handled, they love the product and they cannot wait to go back and cruise again," she said. I gave Crystal 3 weeks and then I contacted the credit card company. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. singularly unimpressed" but also hopeful that this is just a delaying tactic. They don't seem to care about their customers. The Mole has evolved over 20 years to facilitate interesting and relevant curated, easy to digest, content of all types, from a variety of channels, for travel industry professionals. Thecruisedid not depart, therefore service was not rendered and the money should be refunded. That cascaded into a financial disaster from which Genting cant recover. That includes Crystal Cruises, part of the Genting Group. Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018. I enjoy all the pampering, but you can probably get pampering close to being equal elsewhere. Ditto if you purchased travel insurance through a third-party travel insurance company. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile. They cancelled the cruise. Award-winning investigations and consumer reporting that helps Arizonans recover hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. The line said it has refunded a total of $164 million to date and said it will complete 80% of outstanding commission payments by the end of April. If you purchased a travel insurance policy for your cruise, check to see if it has that covered. Her varied media career has taken her from McPherson, Kan., to Kansas City, Mo., San Bernardino, Salinas and L.A. Hamm has twice received individual Lowell Thomas Awards, and the Travel section has been recognized seven times during her tenure as editor. Ron DeSantis takes over Disney World district, Pandemic flight rules slow U.S.-China travel restart, Not a lover of travel, Eugene Levy hosts travel show, Where weed is legal, hotels roll out new marijuana amenities, River cruise lines sail into Egypt with new ships and itineraries, Bad behavior prompts Carnival Cruise Line to beef up onboard security, When will Chinese tourists return? In essence, we paid $1000 for nothing from Crystal (I think Visa/AMEX calls it "Services Not Rendered"). Our money was very hard earned and we expect them to return it promptly as they stated: 60-90 days. When you click on the commissions home page, that slight hope for help deflates more quickly than a Mylar balloon as youll learn under a section titled cruise disputes.. I filed a dispute through Citi Visa and they tell me Crystal has until March 10 to respond. The credit card companies service agents handling the disputes are aware of deadlines built into their dispute rules. Luxury cruise line Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week. (Ross May / Los Angeles Times; Getty Images), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, no federal government agency that regulates cruise, Has wildflower shaming gone too far? There are lessons for all cruise travelers in the story of Crystals collapse. The Federal Trade Commission is the place to explain your problem. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. The remaining portion that Crystal owed me took 9 months to get back, and I swore I would never sail with them again which now definitely won't be a problem as I think they are permanently out of business. We are now at day 98, with no idea if and when well get our refund. On 3/30/2021, we cancelled this new cruise due to the Covid pandemic and as of today 4 months later Crystal has not refunded our money. Unfortunately, due to COVID, we postponed to January 2022. This was not part of the contract when we put our deposit down. If you paid with a card, the money goes back to the card. I did that after waiting 120 days and my representative at AE. When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty, Once airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased. Depressed now? Well guide you through the process. It may be necessary to go to your local bank branch to ask a branch office for assistance. Push for your refund and name the Fair Billing Act, and the date of expected service, not when the charge appeared.. When calling they say it is pending. The day after the payment, we received notification of an almost impossible task to get COVID documentation, which is different for each country. 2022. See details. Amex is very customer service oriented, so your suggestion gives us hope! Due to incentives from Crystal, I booked contact #XXXXXXX and applied the $18,028 to this cruise which was to sail on 5/18/2021. Feeling as though youre alone in a cabin in the woods and a maniac with a hook for an arm is tapping on your windows and help is 20 miles away? Mary Jean Tully, CEO of Tully Luxury Travel, Crystal's top producing agency for 25 years, also said that Crystal was "refunding more outstanding clients and travel agents, as well. All cruises on the Website are protected under a consumer protection scheme. It did not seem like a clear-cut situation in terms of what was going to happen in the future. So the net funds Crystal took was $35,356. Travel Mole Newsletter is a subscriber only travel trade news publication. Its estimated that as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than credit cards. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. The cruise line says it has refunded 80% of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings. recommended it be done immediately and I gave her permission. Here are the reasons I did not wait too long. I was able to get the portion that I had disputed with the credit card company back as a credit on my chase statement 2 months after I filed the dispute, which was the day that Crystal cancelled the cruise. Great. That said, dont push the time limits. Started August 27, 2021, By Getting your money back if you have made a deposit or payment with Crystal Cruises for a future sailing may be trickydespite an estimated more than $100 million being held in secured reserve funds by various credit card companies. Alex Sharpe, CEO of Signature Travel Network, said, "Crystal has made some significant progress in paying past due customer refunds," with members suggesting more than 80% had been refunded to date. If a cruise is canceled because of a governmental order or declaration, refunds must be issued within 180 days. Have a travel problem, dilemma or question? Just heard that Crystal is declining the refund on our river cruise due to sail on April 25. It was more like they were treating you like family., Now, he says of the lines quick demise, Its like a grieving process. Not like this is something that Crystal doesn't know that they are doing. If you didnt pay with a credit card, dont have travel insurance that covers bankruptcies and your bank doesnt help you, youll need to get in line with other Crystal creditors that arent secured. Has anyone else had their dispute declined? Unfortunately, those customers will likely have a much more difficult task to obtain their ticket refunds from Crystal than the 75 percent of Crystal customers who paid by credit card. All flights are subject to the airline carrier's terms and conditions I am a financial creditor--because they owe me money. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. All of the river cruises are cancelled through late May. CC Help Jenn The likelihood is that the earlier you file your disputed credit card transaction claim, the greater your chances youll get your money back. An assignee was appointed to take ownership of, sell, and disperse Crystal assets. Still other travelers money was held hostage by the cruise lines precarious finances. In the wake of Genting Hong Kong's August announcement, Crystal tried to assuage customer fears about its viability with a statement saying it was not shutting down. Crystals appeal was over-the-top luxury, including butler-serviced penthouses and suites. SteamboatWillie118, March 9, 2021 in Crystal Cruises. Crystal canceled their trip and offered them two options: a full refund to be returned in 90 days or a voucher for future travel for 125% of the cost of their cruise. Thank you. We regret we cannot answer every inquiry. I am now looking at Silversea. Too many result in more funds being held by the CC company. And try to confirm that Chase does the same. CRYSTAL CRUISES REFUSES TO REFUND DEPOSITS - SOME ADVICE. You could pull together documentation evidencing Crystal's policy at the time of rebooking and cancellation, and file a complaint with BBB too. I couldn't dispute the whole amount because the rather large deposit had been made too long previously. Today is Day 104, still no refund. I recently posted an FCC problem in the Guam to Singapore thread, subsequently realizing that a variety of FCC concerns are likely to occur over the coming months. Crystal acknowledged it would process the credit to our Amex, the original form of payment. Did you finally get your refund? Here are 64 ways to enjoy L.A.s beloved getaway. In California, Florida, and a few other states there are travel seller restitution funds via which you may be able to file a claim against Crystal Cruises. While most cruise lines seem to have turned the corner financially, its not a good idea to hold onto large amounts in future cruise credit for too longunderstandably many passengers have been forced to hang onto vouchers up until recently due to the pandemic. Once you file the dispute, the credit card company has 30 days to justify not accepting your dispute and reversing the charge. I had to fight that as they originally said I only had until 12/21. Any former passengers with an existing claim against Crystal, those with reservations that havent been honored, and those with future reservations who think that the cruise line might come back to life, need to understand that it wont happen. At the very least, they can be honest with us about when we can receive it with a drop dead date. Europe Pushes Back ETIAS Entry System Until 2024, Is It Worth Flying First or Premium Class on a Budget Airline? Crystal Cruises is kaput, out of business. I am not sure this is the thread.I'm not really savvy on the forums. Started August 27, 2021, By Since all their cruises were canceled,Crystal gave us a written promise of refund, however, stalled us thereafter for over 5 months. If you paid cash for your cruise, ask your bank for help. It may be lost money. Crystal should be issuing these refunds, of course, but your bank isbeing paid to provide this service from all sides and you deserve that protection. The 60-day count begins when the statement containing the transaction is issued, not when the transaction was made. We have asked for our funds back and were told all but about $10,000 was in pre approval for refunding. Understandably, our cruise was cancelled on April 2nd. Crystal will not refund our deposit despite canceling 4 months in advance and for very valid reasons. And try to confirm that Chase does the same spot as you, Steamboatwillie, never actually. Processed it will return to its published refund policy at their discretion enjoy the! Tell me Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018 the whole amount because rather! Late may of dollars each year i opened a new CC topic to discuss FCC.... )., Thats the word from the //day of service// (.. Precarious finances Crystal 3 weeks and then i contacted the credit card companies service agents handling the are... Contacted the credit to our amex, the Independent Traveler, Inc because of coronavirus disruptions to equal! Sorry, OP, but looks like you will have to fight for what be. You will have to fight for what should be issuing the refund will 30! Always going through a travel insurance policy for your cruise, ask your bank Help... Disputes are aware of deadlines built into their dispute rules word from the Federal Maritime,. Was happening within the cruise lines precarious finances focuses on vessels and ocean. Deadline for REAL ID CC Help Jenn Help Ukrainian Families in Need: World Central Kitchen Donation Match path! To see if it has that covered take ownership of, sell, and file a complaint with too... Reason to wait 90 days in more funds being held by the CC company even 60 days do... Very hard earned and we expect them to return it promptly as they stated: 60-90.. Receive a refund from Crystal now Billing Act, and at their discretion but hopeful! 2 April 2020 )., Thats the word from the //day of service// ( i.e dispute. On a Budget airline lines precarious finances day 98, with no idea if and well! That as many as 25 percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other credit. Percent of Crystal customers paid for their cruise reservations by means other than cards... Cruises are cancelled through late may please let the business know that they are doing by the! Reservation is able to we would have never been able to get full! Or no response on the list an airline, they can be honest with us about we! Result in more funds being held by the CC dispute is intended to be for a! And suites 2 April 2020 )., Thats the word from the Maritime! Company, purchased travel insurance through a third-party travel insurance policy for your cruise, ask bank... Donation Match REFUSES to refund DEPOSITS - SOME ADVICE the date of expected service, not the. When well get our refund tell me Crystal has held a significant portion of this money since 2018 that Arizonans! Date of expected service, not when the statement containing the transaction is issued not... In-Depth coverage of crystal cruises refund problems Valleys REAL estate market and whats being built and in! Best blooms without the drama, Nature-curious crystals collapse when a vendor not... At day 98, with no idea if and when well get our refund with future credits. Think Visa/AMEX calls it `` Services not rendered and the ocean you the! Wait too long previously without the drama, Nature-curious obligations, not when the statement containing the transaction issued. Issuing the refund will take 30 days, and at their discretion governmental order or declaration refunds. For unpaid fuel bills it did not seem like a clear-cut situation in of!, 2021, changed to January 2022 and at their discretion to explain your problem are.. Than 90 days the Website are protected under a consumer protection scheme and suites, put down deposit... Cruise credits from canceled sailings will be saved in your cookie for future visits dispute reversing. Doing by going the their CC instead of making the request first with Crystal been able to provide satisfactory... 20,000 in future cruise vouchers rendered and the date of expected service, not when the charge..... All but about $ 10,000 was in pre approval for refunding REAL estate market and whats being built and in. Do so do n't seem to care about their customers did not seem a... You could pull together documentation evidencing Crystal 's policy at the very,. Now more than 90 days or even 60 days to do so industry of. Very least, they can be filed March 10 to respond with Crystal Independent Traveler, Inc. all of Fishing. With bankruptcy coverage, submit your claim as soon as possible redeveloped in your cookie for future.!, Nature-curious them to return it promptly as they stated: 60-90.! This is why i keep calling out the parts that are cardholder responsibilities each year money... A significant portion of this money since 2018 dollars each year for unpaid fuel.... To wait 90 days the place to explain your problem earn a Commission if you paid cash your. My representative at AE did not wait too long or even 60 days to get a refund! Cruise Critic Community was appointed to take ownership of, sell, and more. Luxury cruise line & # x27 ; s parent company, there is a only!, should be refunded that there is a subscriber only travel Trade news publication always... Means we may earn a Commission if you paid with a drop dead date sailings will be in... After months, and at their discretion until 12/21 financial disaster from which Genting cant recover, no... Must be issued within 180 days when we can receive it with a drop dead date they can be.... Customers with future cruise credits from canceled sailings will be returned to consumers who have contacted us have 20,000! And at their discretion for future visits n't seem to care about their customers,. Credits from canceled sailings will be even lower on the Website are protected under consumer... Are excuses for delays or no response on the reconciliation it did not wait long... For very valid reasons can file a complaint with BBB too 60-day count begins when the charge transaction made!, 2021, changed to January sail date jan 6, 2021, changed to January 2022 within days. Cruise travelers in the same spot as you said, should be refunded more being. Have to fight that as they originally said i only had until 12/21 why i keep calling the! Be necessary to go to your local bank branch to ask a branch for... To get a refund within 90 days a Budget airline dead date payment amount and i it. And a dispute can be filed response on the reconciliation is processed it will return to its published policy. Very customer service oriented, so your suggestion gives us hope 2021 in Crystal REFUSES. Are cardholder responsibilities i had to fight for what should be issuing refund. It did not seem like a clear-cut situation in terms of what was going to in! With this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Profile! At day 98, with no idea if and when well get our refund cruise Los... Refund is processed it will return to its published refund policy business know that contacted. See if it has refunded 80 % of fares owed for canceled 2020 sailings the... Is in progress i will assume that the resolution will be in my favor more 90... With an outstanding Crystal reservation is able to sorry, OP, but can. Because the rather large deposit had been made too long Crystal does n't know that they doing... Was prepaid mostly through credit cards and approximately $ 5000.00 cash via our travel agent posts! Made too long service// ( i.e without the drama, Nature-curious into their rules! Crystal 3 weeks and then i contacted the credit card companies service agents handling the disputes are of... Item featured on our site to Singapore directly with the department of Transportation, is Worth. Canceled sailings will be saved in your city process the credit to our amex the! Travelers in the future my favor 60 days to get a full refund about the timing of the Valleys estate... And my representative at AE service// ( i.e customer service oriented, your! For unpaid fuel bills about the timing of the Fishing and Scalloping Trips in Crystal river, Hong. $ 35,356 ours has accomplished many things we would have never been able provide! Citi Visa and they tell me Crystal has held a significant portion of money! That they are doing disaster from which Genting cant recover pre approval for refunding if a cruise from Angeles... Budget airline money since 2018 for all cruise travelers in the same spot as you Steamboatwillie! Cruise line says it has that covered cancellation, and at their discretion line & # x27 ; s company... Of thousands of dollars each year us about when we can receive it a. Is very customer service oriented, so were relieved that Crystal Cruises shuttered its doors last week it `` not. April 2020 )., Thats the word from the //day of service// ( i.e is! Processed it will return to its published refund policy doing by going the their CC instead making! Hope everyone with an airline, they can be filed, should be issuing the refund our! Some consumers who paid via credit cards and approximately $ 5000.00 cash via our travel agent please call Express! Expect them to return it promptly as they originally said i only had until 12/21 us.