Non-Dreams Unlimited Travel Agent Claims September Cruise Can’t Be Canceled Currently

[zakmac]

My spouse booked a Disney Cruise through a recommended travel agent for September 21-25. We’ve been hit hard by job issues re: the virus and thus would like to cancel and have the refund money to help get us through. It’s been paid in full since 2/21 but my travel agent swears that Disney won’t do anything right now and won’t even discuss with her any trips that far out. Can anyone shed some light on this or am I getting snookered? I honestly don’t know what to think. Thanks!

 

[SamFaniam]

My spouse booked a Disney Cruise through a recommended travel agent for September 21-25. We’ve been hit hard by job issues re: the virus and thus would like to cancel and have the refund money to help get us through. It’s been paid in full since 2/21 but my travel agent swears that Disney won’t do anything right now and won’t even discuss with her any trips that far out. Can anyone shed some light on this or am I getting snookered? I honestly don’t know what to think. Thanks!

The DCL homepage - https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/guest-services/advisory/

it would appear that they are not yet making alterations for cruises in September.

 

[cvjw]

You are due a full refund if you aren’t passed the Paid in Full date - and you aren’t. I have September cruises also and my PIF date is late May. I will be cancelling mine also and getting refunds.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

What type of stateroom did you book? As long as it isn't a concierge stateroom or a stateroom with restrictions, you are well within the time frame to get a full refund. All your TA needs to do is get on the phone and cancel your cruise, pronto. If he/she won't, I would get on the phone with DCL and explain what is going on (your TA refuses to cancel your cruise) and see if they will help you.

From DCL's website:

CRUISE CANCELLATION FEES:
CATEGORIES WITH RESTRICTIONS: Reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions are NONREFUNDABLE and NONTRANSFERABLE. A 100% cruise cancellation fee applies from time of payment.
Cruises 1 to 5 Nights (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)

Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date	Fee Amount
89-45 days	Deposit per Guest
44-30 days	50% of vacation price per Guest
29-15 days	75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less	100% of vacation price per Guest

 

[pearljammer]

Agreed, you haven’t hit the PIF yet as we have one in Sept also and I believe you have until late May/first week of June (don’t recall exactly) so you may be getting ”snookered”. If you go back with what you know, PIF isn’t here yet, you may find you don’t have an issue......

 

[zakmac]

Thanks, all. According to the TA, Disney will not currently discuss dates that aren’t being currently affected by the ships being docked for the next few weeks. This is where I feel the “dishonesty” might be.

 

[VictoriaAndMatt]

I would press your TA and explain the situation (if you haven’t already). If they still say they can’t I would call DCL yourself and do the same. Good luck! I’m sorry you have to cancel your cruise and hope things work out for you and your family.

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Thanks, all. According to the TA, Disney will not currently discuss dates that aren’t being currently affected by the ships being docked for the next few weeks. This is where I feel the “dishonesty” might be.

Sounds like she just doesn't want to wait on hold. Of course, they will discuss these dates. They are taking reservations for these dates so why wouldn't they discuss them? They have to service all of the reservations currently on the books. I would tell her to call tomorrow or you will.

 

[knewton64]

My spouse booked a Disney Cruise through a recommended travel agent for September 21-25. We’ve been hit hard by job issues re: the virus and thus would like to cancel and have the refund money to help get us through. It’s been paid in full since 2/21 but my travel agent swears that Disney won’t do anything right now and won’t even discuss with her any trips that far out. Can anyone shed some light on this or am I getting snookered? I honestly don’t know what to think. Thanks!

To shed some light here goes nothing -

Due to the onslaught of major issues with any travel company in relation to this global health issue, even if you were to cancel your trip right now , imo your travel company will deem it low priority and won’t process it for about 60 days .
How do I know this?
Because I too inquired about canceling my upcoming late sept trip to Memphis , Nashville and NO (via trafaglar.com) and was told this by my travel company .
Hope this helps .
Stay safe -

P.s... I am choosing to still keep my sept trip at this time but .... the WH stating “June, July , August “ for a time table and 2) imo increased TSA screening-
(The summer timetable could be extended)
once I perceive 4 issues , I’m canceling as well
I will know more in 60 days my final decision since trafaglar said even in 60 days , my refund would still be the same .
So to a certain extent in my issue , I’m learning to chill out and stay positive.

 

[pearljammer]

Thanks, all. According to the TA, Disney will not currently discuss dates that aren’t being currently affected by the ships being docked for the next few weeks. This is where I feel the “dishonesty” might be.

Sounds concerning to me. I bet they’d let you Book one. I find it hard to believe they won’t let you cancel. What I wouldn’t do is they them stall PAST the PIF date as then you would be at a loss of a %. Can’t say I’d use them again.....that’s just me.

 

[zakmac]

To shed some light here goes nothing -

Due to the onslaught of major issues with any travel company in relation to this global health issue, even if you were to cancel your trip right now , imo your travel company will deem it low priority and won’t process it for about 60 days .
How do I know this?
Because I too inquired about canceling my upcoming late sept trip to Memphis , Nashville and NO (via trafaglar.com) and was told this by my travel company .
Hope thus helps .
Stay safe -

That’s very enlightening. Mildly depressing, but enlightening. Thank you!

 

[ajo]

Thanks, all. According to the TA, Disney will not currently discuss dates that aren’t being currently affected by the ships being docked for the next few weeks. This is where I feel the “dishonesty” might be.

I called Costco on Sunday and cancelled a fall cruise that was before the PIF date. The agent said refunds are taking longer than usual (10-14 days), but the cancellation was no problem. Your TA appears to be the problem.

 

[monkeydawn]

I agree that your TA seems to be the problem since they said DCL will not discuss cancellations in September right now. It'd be another thing if they said they couldnt get through. I would wonder if the TA line was overloaded when they tried and ask that they try again, at least once per day until they get through. Id either call Disney and explain and ask what my options are with them (doubt they can do anything but maybe...MSC was able to cancel my Expedia booked cruise when I couldnt even get on hold at Expedia). Or I'd fib right back to the TA and say I called DCL to confirm they are now taking cancellations in September and that they need to go ahead and do that right now.

And Id never use this TA again. Because that's just a lousy thing they are doing.

 

[SL6827]

Next time, use Dreams!

 

[DisneyWishes14]

To shed some light here goes nothing -

Due to the onslaught of major issues with any travel company in relation to this global health issue, even if you were to cancel your trip right now , imo your travel company will deem it low priority and won’t process it for about 60 days .
How do I know this?
Because I too inquired about canceling my upcoming late sept trip to Memphis , Nashville and NO (via trafaglar.com) and was told this by my travel company .
Hope this helps .
Stay safe -

P.s... I am choosing to still keep my sept trip at this time but .... the WH stating “June, July , August “ for a time table and 2) imo increased TSA screening-
(The summer timetable could be extended)
once I perceive 4 issues , I’m canceling as well
I will know more in 60 days my final decision since trafaglar said even in 60 days , my refund would still be the same .
So to a certain extent in my issue , I’m learning to chill out and stay positive.

Except DCL doesn't work that way. If the TA calls, DCL will cancel now. It may take a little longer for the refund to show up on the OP's cc account, but DCL will not wait 60 days to process the cancellation.

 

[tvguy]

Except DCL doesn't work that way. If the TA calls, DCL will cancel now. It may take a little longer for the refund to show up on the OP's cc account, but DCL will not wait 60 days to process the cancellation.

I suspect DCL is swamped and I for one find it entirely reasonable that DCL would not want to deal with a September cruise now when they have roughly 120 sailings between now and then ahead of you, roughly One million reservations ahead of you.

 

[StarSeven7]

I see that a lot of companies are asking those who do not have cruises/flights/reservations for the next couple of weeks to hold off on calling because they are trying to process those cancellations right now and their phone lines are overloaded. Maybe that's what your TA meant?

 

[ofcabbagesandkings]

I think your TA is being shady. Of course they will cancel. Use DU. They are great, never had a problem.

 

[monkeydawn]

I suspect DCL is swamped and I for one find it entirely reasonable that DCL would not want to deal with a September cruise now when they have roughly 120 sailings between now and then ahead of you, roughly One million reservations ahead of you.

Unless DCL is willing to give the OP a 0% interest loan in the amount of their cruise immediately then DCL doesnt get to keep the OPs money because its inconvenient right now. If she is willing to wait in the queue then she should be helped. The flip side of this is that anyone without a pressing need for the money back right now probably should wait so that those with more urgent needs can be taken care of first.

Keeping in mind that we dont know what the future holds and that getting ahold of DCL in the future may be even tougher than now in between cancellation batches. I feel like I would have gotten through to my TA had I just called at the onset even though they were urging people not to do so (reports from others indicate I would have gotten a call back). But I waited until I had 48 hours to act and couldnt get through at all. Thankfully MSC was willing to help me directly.

All that is really moot though because I think it really is the TA not wanting to call now and DCL never even said what was reported. If that was really going on I think we'd be seeing many more reports of it.

 

[tvguy]

Unless DCL is willing to give the OP a 0% interest loan in the amount of their cruise immediately then DCL doesnt get to keep the OPs money because its inconvenient right now. If she is willing to wait in the queue then she should be helped. The flip side of this is that anyone without a pressing need for the money back right now probably should wait so that those with more urgent needs can be taken care of first.

Keeping in mind that we dont know what the future holds and that getting ahold of DCL in the future may be even tougher than now in between cancellation batches. I feel like I would have gotten through to my TA had I just called at the onset even though they were urging people not to do so (reports from others indicate I would have gotten a call back). But I waited until I had 48 hours to act and couldnt get through at all. Thankfully MSC was willing to help me directly.

All that is really moot though because I think it really is the TA not wanting to call now and DCL never even said what was reported. If that was really going on I think we'd be seeing many more reports of it.

Not saying it is inconvenient. The volume of calls may make it impossible for the TA to get through. I suspect Disney will refund all money. I don't understand the loan comment, though, sorry.