Princess Cruises has provided an update on refunds due to ongoing frustrations from guests who still have not received their refunds.
Princess Cruises Refund Update
Due to the ongoing suspension of operations, there is an unprecedented amount of refunds to process, not just by Princess Cruises but by many major cruise lines. With guests still waiting to receive their refunds, there have been frustrations due to the delays and in some cases anger towards the cruise line for not processing refunds more quickly.
Princess Cruises included in the update:
Although we can’t give a specific date as to when the refund will be received, please know that we’re working as hard as we can to get it to you as quickly as possible. We appreciate your continued patience and understanding as we do our very best during this extraordinary time.
As a result, Princess Cruises provided an update on what’s happening with refunds. This impacts guests who chose not to automatically receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) and instead request a full refund.
Princess Cruises has so far completed 60% of the requested refunds but it remains a complex operation, which is one of the cruise line’s top priorities. Princess has stated it’s dealing with 13 different currencies and payment systems.
A significant amount of resources have gone into making sure guests get their refunds and Cruise Hive posted about this earlier in the month. The amount of staff dealing with refunds has been increased as well, in an effort to expedite the process.
The Future Cruise Credit (FCC) which guests can use to re-book a cruise at a later date is handled separately from just a regular refund and the cruise line has posted, it’s normal for these two options to be received at different times. Refunds may also be received in a series of payments rather than one lump sum. This could include one payment for purchased shore excursions, another one for the purchase of onboard packages, one for the return of port taxes and fees, and so on.
Princess Cruises has explained the process and it isn’t as simple as just a standard refund, such as a purchase from a single store. The complexity is the same for a Future Cruise Credit due to a number of extras that can go along with a cruise booking.
At the moment the cruise line has suspended cruise operations around the globe. Cruises out of Australia are cancelled through mid-September, and all sailings out of Vancouver and Seattle are cancelled in September and October. Also, the Cruise Lines International Association recently announced that cruises from the U.S. will be suspended through September 15.
