Coronavirus - Travel impacts II

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by sengsational One of my cards has a $1,500 balance (that they owe me), due to refunds. Interest rates, what they are (or are not) makes me not care. In the past, I've had CC issuers send a check, spontaneously. Since I used those charges to get to the signup bonus, I'm not complaining. I had spent the points before any of this, so my point balance is negative. Just a weird situation all around. To be fair, I plan to use the card on travel again, some day, even though the spending will be associated with negative rewards, hehehe!

I have a similar situation, the travel CC where I have "temporarily" won my dispute has a credit of about $4,800 on it due to some other small refunds.

Now I owe or at least have a reward point balance of -$500 worth of rewards.

Frankly it's a weird situation, not sure what will happen, but I anticipate they will deduct the point value from actual money at some point.

[Lagniappe]

Quote:

Originally Posted by athena53 I wanted to add an update to this- their most recent e-mail in reply to my inquiry is that they're still working on processing refunds and hope to be done by the end of this month. I'd be OK with a credit but cash is even better. I really like this company and hope to do more tours with them. Will post when I get a final resolution.

I was one of the people who was feeling hostile toward OAG. My April 30 Egypt trip was cancelled and I was told I would be issued a refund. Instead I was re-booked on a trip next year, on a date that does not work for me. When I called I was told that they changed their policy retroactively. Based on the NY Times article someone posted a link to here, I filed a complaint with the State of Massachusetts. I received a full refund last Friday!

[explanade]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lagniappe I was one of the people who was feeling hostile toward OAG. My April 30 Egypt trip was cancelled and I was told I would be issued a refund. Instead I was re-booked on a trip next year, on a date that does not work for me. When I called I was told that they changed their policy retroactively. Based on the NY Times article someone posted a link to here, I filed a complaint with the State of Massachusetts. I received a full refund last Friday!

They just picked arbitrary dates for you as opposed to give you at least a credit with some flexibility on when you can use it?

What is the full name of the company?

[Lagniappe]

Overseas Adventure Travel.

They picked dates close to the original, but a year later. I was originally going April 30-March 21, they rebooked April 2. I have a family obligation then and couldn't make it. You could change the date, but when I tried to do that the single rooms (they have a limited number of single bookings) were all taken.

[braumeister]

IIRC, OAT got a ton of bad reviews based on their cancellation/refund policy this year. It was already pretty strict, but then they decided to make it even stricter, and then make the new rules retroactive.

It has been a good company, and we had a wonderful trip with them last year in Ireland, but apparently their profit margin was small and they were hit much harder by COVID-19 than they ever imagined.

[The Cosmic Avenger]

Um...I am not a lawyer, but I read up on legal issues quite a bit, and I am pretty sure you are not allowed to make retroactive, unilateral changes to a contract, like retroactively changing your T&C. They would need to offer to release you from the contract, which would mean a full refund, or get your consent to the new contract. Consent can sometimes be implied, like renewing/not canceling, but this is not an ongoing relationship like a bank or credit card account, or a subscription service, this is a sale for a specific thing, the terms of which were already agreed upon.

[ElizabethT]

Well, it took three months, but we just received an $1800 refund from Norwegian Airlines for a flight they drastically changed, which meant I had the legal right to cancel for a full refund. Three full months, plus the assistance of my bank when I lodged a dispute after two full months of waiting.

Norwegian, please be assured that I see you, and will refrain from ever booking with you again.

Those companies that made it easy? I will rebook with you as soon as I possibly can. Thank you.

[Brat]

I see that Carnival is planning to sell several ships to raise cash... but who would be the buyers?

[dixter]

got and email today from SouthWest Airlines... they are going to start flying back to Cabo on July 1.... we'll see how that goes... I spent Jan in Cabo... would like to go back again

[dixter]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brat I see that Carnival is planning to sell several ships to raise cash... but who would be the buyers?

Razor Blade companies...

[Chuckanut]

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Cosmic Avenger Um...I am not a lawyer, but I read up on legal issues quite a bit, and I am pretty sure you are not allowed to make retroactive, unilateral changes to a contract, like retroactively changing your T&C. They would need to offer to release you from the contract, which would mean a full refund, or get your consent to the new contract. .

Retroactive changes seem weird to me. After all why couldn’t Acme Widgets retroactively change their order agreement with me to raise the price of items I already
bought. Or suddenly say that I agree to pay them $50 a month starting June of 2018 for the privilege of remaining on their email list? Where does it end?

Basically it’s changing the rules of the game after its played. Making Ex Post Facto laws is forbidden to our government for a very good reason. Who do these companies think they are, George the Third?

[sengsational]

Getting ready for my first post-pandemic travel ("camping", in a cabin with private facilities). First time travel for the others in our group of 5 couples. 3 have camping trailers and 2 have rented cabins. We plan to share the food that's served steaming hot, BYO serving tongs/utensils. Also, the plan is to sit around a fire most of the time, so everyone's exhales should pretty much go straight up.

[Gearhead Jim]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chuckanut Retroactive changes seem weird to me. After all why couldn’t Acme Widgets retroactively change their order agreement with me to raise the price of items I already bought. Or suddenly say that I agree to pay them $50 a month starting June of 2018 for the privilege of remaining on their email list? Where does it end? Basically it’s changing the rules of the game after its played. Making Ex Post Facto laws is forbidden to our government for a very good reason. Who do these companies think they are, George the Third?

They think, and know, that they are desperately short of money. They will do anything to preserve cash unless it will actually land the execs in prison, and maybe even that.
Some people will let them get away with it, and that's free money. The ones who fight will eventually get their money but maybe by then the companies will have enough cash or credit to handle the payouts.

But you already knew that...

[athena53]

Quote:

Originally Posted by braumeister IIRC, OAT got a ton of bad reviews based on their cancellation/refund policy this year. It was already pretty strict, but then they decided to make it even stricter, and then make the new rules retroactive. It has been a good company, and we had a wonderful trip with them last year in Ireland, but apparently their profit margin was small and they were hit much harder by COVID-19 than they ever imagined.

A recent letter from them offers a transfer to any other departure date with no fee, up to 24 hours before your departure, for trips reserved by 9/30/20 for 2021 and 2022 reservations. I think they're trying. Still waiting on news of my refund but this motivates me to think about something for next summer. Maybe!

[sweetana3]

We had four trips this year. Just got our refund for the cancelled United flight to Italy (fastest refund), got the refund for the cruise (60+ days), and transferred our deposits on Road Scholar trips to a new trip in the US next year. Learned a good lesson to not pay for things in full to get discounts. Stuff happens. But we only lost a tiny bit and it could have been a disaster. Thinking we may have completed all the foreign trips we are ever going to take.

[athena53]

I just got a letter from Overseas Adventure Travel- I'm getting a credit of $5,800 (a bit more than I expected) plus an additional $500 "just because", all valid through 2022. I know that their domiciliary state requires cash refunds and I could insist, and that I'm gambling that they'll still be around, but I'm taking it. I really like the way they do business overall and I'm looking forward to more trips with them. They cannot have gotten full refunds from all the money they advanced on the part of the trip I didn't take- Latam Airlines is in bankruptcy and I suspect that other businesses they paid in advance have closed their doors or aren't issuing refunds. Tough times.

[Sunset]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset I disputed Princess cruise charge approx $4,500 as they didn't give me a refund within 10 days as I was told I would get. That was my reason: didn't get the refund. The Credit card company has given me the money, temporarily. That took about 2 weeks to happen. So if the cruise line cannot prove they refunded me, or that they don't have to refund me, then I get to keep the money. The seller (cruise line) has 60 days to object. Actually they owe me more for the trip, but the rest was paid long ago, so that was the best I could do, it is now approaching 90 days I'm waiting for the 10 day refund of the full amount.

I'm past the 90 days after cancelling my Costco Travel trip with Princess.
Still no refund...
I phoned Costco - it's an hour long wait on the phone. Guess I'm not the only one with Costco Travel problems

[braumeister]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sunset I'm past the 90 days after cancelling my Costco Travel trip with Princess. Still no refund...

You're not alone. Holland America canceled on me in April and said they would need up to 90 days to process my refund. Everything I've found online confirms that, so I have nearly another month to wait. I could have had a quick credit with a bonus but I didn't want to trust them that far.

[fh2000]

EU banned visits from Americans on 6/30. Norwegian Air texted me right away that my flights to/from Paris in September are now cancelled. I booked the flights thru Flyfar, a Canadian booking company.

I tried to call them 2 days in a row and their answering message was always saying your hold time is 7 hour 30 minutes! After 2 hours on hold, I gave up.

I then called Chase credit card department to dispute the charge. I wasn't sure if they will do that for me since the charge was made more than 6 months ago, but they promptly refunded my charge. I have now 3 trips canceled on me, and got all the refunds. I am looking forward to the day when we can resume traveling.

[JoeWras]

Chicago requiring quarantine for travelers from many states.

My sister wanted us to come this summer. DW and I really don't want to in order to avoid risk during travel. This will give me an excuse I can use when I speak with my sister.