9/4 Refund - have you checked the amount??

[HooKooDooKu]

I'm not expecting the insurance, but 50% off the rest.

While maybe not 50%, I would expect SOMETHING back from the insurance. Didn't you purchase insurance for a 7 day trip that turned into a 5 day trip?

 

[selvey]

I meant that I wasn't expecting to get the money we paid for the insurance back. I already sent in our claim.

 

[virago81]

Called Disney Cruise line and finally got to a supervisor. Here's the bottom line folks: They are attempting to rip us off. They are trying to refund 50% of the fare amount minus the travel agent markup! (not including port charges, insurance or anything else)

So for my cruise with the family, the total fare was 1780. Half of that is 890, but they are trying to refund only 600 dollars or so. It's unbelievable the rip off they are trying to perpetrate. The manager was even embarrassed about it.

Even though the insurance and port fees are less for a 4 day cruise, they are trying to get away with not refunding the difference.

It's a very cynical move. They are counting on the fact that most people won't remember the details and just be happy that they got something back and they'll take care of the 'squeaky wheels' one at a time because that's cheaper for them.
Don't take this guff off of them. Be a squeaky wheel. Here's the email address to write to them.
dcl.guest.communications@disneycruise.com

Be factual. List out your reservation number, all the details of what you paid and what you expect back and let them know that we are totally dismayed to find this type of attempted rip off coming from Disney.

--V

 

[mommyz]

I hope we all get our money back! I am still waiting on the 100% refund b/c we could not get there (between the post- hurricane issues and lack of communication from DCL....btw we drove 14 hrs and had to drive back 14 hrs and didn't even get to go on the cruise).

I already e-mailed them (we are trying to recoup our rental car and gas expenses either by reimbursement or a future credit b/c our flight was cancelled and flights for monday were either booked, arriving too late, or too freaking expensive so we drove and looking back DCL was just useless...they just kept changing things and never once called) I got an email back saying they will respond w/in 3-4 weeks.

We better get our money. It only took about 2 days for the charges to show up on my credit card so why the hell is it taking so long to put them back???

If for some reason I don't get 100% back (I know I won't get the travel insurance $ back) I will file a claim w/ the travel insurance and talk to the Better Business Bureau and maybe even State's Attorney's office.

Sucky part is our family wants this resolved immediately so we can book our next Disney cruise. I mean we had a blast on our 1st trip last year that's why we booked for this year. I mean I am not blaming DCL for the hurricane but come on now they are the experts and have been through hurricanes before.

If I don't get what I want I will be boycotting them!

 

[cindalu]

I totally understand your frustration. I hope you get your money back soon. I am sorry that you didn't get to cruise. I would be dissapointed too.

I agree that DCL has been through hurricanes before but not back to back like that. You say you aren't blaming Disney sounds to me like you are. It has only been three weeks. I'm sure they have a lot of refunds to make not just yours so be patient. That is what is wrong with society today everyone wants it now. No wonder kids today don't know how to be patient. I am not blaming you at all this is just a blanket statement. This is just a generalization.

I hope you get this resolved soon.

I am very sorry for what you are going through.

 

[Doctor P]

Sorry, cindalu, but your criticism is wholly unwarranted and unnecessary. As a 9/4 cruiser, who ended up not being able to cruise after getting all the way to Florida, I know that I put out over $1500 in additional expenses just to TRY to make the cruise. After nearly two weeks, I expect my money to be back in my account (I might add that my refund from United Airlines was posted within 36 HOURS of cancellation and they certainly were not dealing with fewer people than DCL). I am being very patient, but it would seem to me that things could be handled a whole lot quicker and better than they are being handled.

 

[HooKooDooKu]

Attempted Rip Off in Progress

It wouldn't be a rip-off is DCL explained up front what 50% ment. Instead it seems that they just said 50% to make it sound like a deal for those that stayed on the cruise rather than doing a 100% cancel, and now on the backend they are "explaining" what 50% means.

 

[selvey]

HooKooDooKu - I'm with you!!!
I called and talked to Deidra today. Of course, the usual apology crap and of course, the CM's and CM supervisors can't do anything. What it finally came down to after going over all the numbers is (and please everyone, figure out if this is what is happening to you too), they are keeping $139.00/person because it's for "port fees and taxes that they have to pay regardless of whether we go to the port(s) or not." That's what she said. So, that's the grand total you paid minus the vacation protection plan minus approx. half of the taxes/fees stated on your reservation sheet. All that at 50% off. So, in my case, they are keeping $556.00 just because they have to pay for places we didn't go (that would be the non-commissionable crap I keep hearing about).
If anyone wants to know, I can tell you actuals if you want to compare yours - just email me.

For all of us on the cruise, we definitely know how unorganized and poor the communication was and I think we should all email DCL regularly to let them know how disappointed we are for once again, miscommunicating information to us about the refund. Personally, I think they misguided us on purpose. Knowing what I know now, we would have cancelled altogether. They didn't do me any favors.
Karen

 

[mommyz]

Quick question to "cindalu"....Did you go on that cruise or planned to go? Because if you didn't you have no idea how frustrating it was for those that couldn't make it or did go and were not treated well.

And yes I was blaming DCL for the situations they COULD control. They knew there were hurricanes back to back and knew the potential of Hurricane Frances, but still decided to set sail. If they would have cancelled the cruise (which they partially did anyways) they probably would have been better off. And yes I am aware the bottom line is always money but now they have so many unhappy customers and will probably be out even more money.

I hope you and your family never go through what we have gone through but if you do you will understand how patient you become! We are the customers and might I add PAYING CUSTOMERS!!!! I expect to get what I pay for and I paid a lot for this trip.

 

[cindalu]

to mommy,
I am very sorry if I have offended you or anyone else.

From now on I will just bite my tongue and keep quiet.

I wish I would have never joined this group.

You are being very mean to me. The posts I have made have been generalizations and not at anyone specific.


I hope you get all the money back that you deserve so you and everyone else can move on.


By the way no I wasn't on the cruise nor did I plan on going so you are right in your point.

What else is new wherever I open my mouth I am always wrong so I will just shut up.

Again I am very sorry. I will just read posts and bite my tongue so I can't get attacked.

 

[ldb1030]

virago81- What travel agent mark up???

 

[virago81]

They told me that since I bought my Disney Cruise through a travel agent that they wouldn't refund 50% of the cruise fare. That they would only refund 50% of (fare minus travel agent commission). So in my case, I paid $760 fare for the cruise, but the travel got it for less and marked it up, so I should expect only 50% of $600 or so, not 50% of what I paid.

And they told me to forget about recovering any insurance, port fees or the like.

How's that for outrageous? Walt Disney would be rolling over in his grave.

You are not valued guest to Disney any more, you're a "revenue opportunity".

 

[ohiominnie]

cindalu, I'm sending you a PM.

 

[ohiominnie]

cindalu,
i was *going* to send you a PM, but it appears i can't. can you email me please? i promise, it's not bad.

 

[cindalu]

Ohiominnie,
I sent you an email. I included my email address.

Hope to hear from you soon

 

[mommyz]

cindalu,

I am sorry if I have offended you as well. By no means was I trying to attack you. But a lot of us have been through so much w/ this vacation. I have a 4 year old son that was so excited to go. My husband and I were probably even more excited and DCL did not handle this properly.

I just want them to do the right thing. I am not even asking them for all of my expenses (food, phone calls, time off work...)

And I hope you do not get off this board b/c it can be pretty useful!

MommyZ

 

[cindalu]

To mommy,
I want you to know something very important. When we went on the cruise in May it was one of a few times we had planned to go. My mother in law has terminal breast cancer that is now in her lungs. I also have three girls ages 8,6 and 4. We had put off going a couple of years ago but because of her health we had to postpone. So I know how it feels to have a vacation ruined or postponed. I hope you get all the money back that you deserve.


I am not going to leave this board. I was just upset because of what I have gone through too. It might not be because of the weather but we put it off too.

 

[flexsmom]

I'm promising myself not to regret posting this, and I'm prepared for the flames. First of all, I am certain that this is extraordinarily frustrating for those of you going through the added burden of dealing with DCL to get what you believe is fair compensation for your cruise. No one is trying to say you shouldn't be upset and/or have expectations of compensation. And no, I wasn't on this specific cruise, but I have had catastrophic events cancel trips that required a lot of frustrating legwork after the fact. That said, we do know that Disney (and any other cruise line) always reserves the right to change ports, stay at sea for an entire cruise, etc., and never once in the past have I seen people on this board expecting to get their port charges back. In fact, I don't think it ever occurred to anyone to ask for them if Nassau was cancelled on a four day, for instance. I might be wrong - more of a question for consideration than anything. Again, I know this was an extreme situation.

Also, I just want to point out that this is the second thread I've seen where Cindalu has been pretty viciously attacked by three or four people just because she was stating fairly generic opinions. It's a bad time to be a newbie on the board since tempers are running so high that people are being told they will be ignored (happened on the other thread) if they dare to vocalize a thought that is contrary to the prevailing anger and frustration.

I know this is a good place for people to vent, and to share the good AND the bad, but civility and courtesy seem to have taken a hike. Things are being said that no one would dare to say to someone's face. I may not have many posts, but I've been on the boards for several years and Cindalu's situation got me riled. We'll just go hang out with the "uncool" kids, since that seems to be what this has become.......

Sorry if this is OT.

 

[Drcell01]

Selvey (Karen) ..I would not have expected anything less than the response you received from Deidra at DCL. She is the one that told me to "have a nice day" and hung up on me on the day we were to leave from the Boardwalk resort at 10:30 am and never got picked up by a bus until 3:00 pm.

As for a refund and response, I have not received the 50% refund nor a response to my issues of the added expenses of phone calls, travel, car rental, and hotel room costs from just trying to make it to FL just to get on the cruise.

I do agree with those that have stated the obvious that Disney can not control the weather (although they might try...LOL) but (and I think that I speak for most) that the LACK of COMMUNICATION is what we are all agrivated about. It is not just the lack of but the inaccuracy (different answers to guests in the same situation) of the limited amount of communication from DCL that frustrates us all!

I hope that DCL can get their act together and resolve these issues so we can all talk about our next Disney cruise rather than cruise problems.

 

[Grumbo]

flexsmom said ...

and never once in the past have I seen people on this board expecting to get their port charges back.

I broached this subject in another thread a week or so ago.
The difference between the Eastern and Western cruises pricewise, is mostly caused due to more ports are visited on the Western and the obvious port charges cost DCL more to operate the ship. (This is comparison at similar times of the year with no holidays in there).
Now if you miss a couple of ports, THAT is not Disney's, nor your fault as the weather is uncontrollable. That said however why should you pay for port fees that are not going to be paid out?
I was advised that onboard credits have been given to cruisers on a cruise in lieu of a refund for port charges.
I think that is the "fair" thing for any cruise line to do.

Cheers,
Grumbo