BALTIMORE — Cruise customers are still seeking refunds for their canceled trips in 2021 and 2022.
WMAR-2 News Mallory Sofastaii reported on these delays back in 2022 and has heard from a handful of customers who have yet to receive those refunds.
READ MORE: Cruise customers still seeking refunds after trip was canceled in January
Among them are Gwen Scott, Alma Richards, and Tom King.
These repeat customers booked the Capital Jazz SuperCruise thinking they were in for another memorable trip but a week before the sail date in January 2022, they were notified it’d been cancelled due to COVID-19 and a CDC alert to avoid cruise travel.
“They gave us the option of either going to the next year or asking for a refund. Her and I, we asked for a refund, an immediate refund,” Gwen Scott and Alma Richards told Sofastaii in November 2022.
Tom King also requested a refund as soon as he was notified of the change.
“Originally, you were told that you would receive your refund by April 2022. It is now April 2024. Have you received your refund?” Sofastaii asked King.
“I have not,” King responded.
“And how much are you owed?” Sofastaii asked him.
“$4,647 and change,” said King.
And he’s been trying to get it back. He's sent email after email, filed complaints with government agencies, and eventually hired an attorney and won a judgment in small claims court.
King received the judgment last month not knowing that this month, the Maryland Office of the Attorney General would reach a settlement with Royal Caribbean Cruises to refund customers.
RELATED: Royal Caribbean to pay $1.3 million in refunds over canceled Capital Jazz Cruises
“Under our settlement, the company is going to be sending refunds to more than 300 people,” said Phil Ziperman, deputy chief for the Consumer Protection Division with the Maryland Office of the Attorney General.
According to the settlement, the refunds that remain owed to consumers who purchased tickets for the SuperCruises total nearly $1.3 million.
When asked, Ziperman said he couldn’t say where the money went after customers paid Capital Jazz and why it hadn’t been returned sooner.
“What I can tell you is Capital Jazz was the cruise seller, they are the ones that organized the cruise and sold tickets, and then they had partnered with Royal Caribbean to provide, you know, rooms and facilities on a Royal Caribbean ship. My office’s view is both parties were responsible for consumers to provide refunds,” said Ziperman.
However, the settlement is only with Royal Caribbean who denies receiving any payments from passengers from the SuperCruises.
“It seems like everything is going to be on Royal Caribbean,” said King.
“What do you think about that?” Sofastaii asked King.
“I think that's wrong. I think Capital Jazz should pay. If I give you money, I think that you, for whatever reason, you should give it back to me if our agreement doesn't go through,” King responded. “And after three years, they should pay me the interest.”
Capital Jazz declined to comment on the settlement and referred us to the Maryland Attorney General and Royal Caribbean.
Royal Caribbean told us they were stepping in to make sure guests get their refunds.
“If you're a consumer that's owed a refund from one of these cruises, and you don't receive a check within the next 90 days, you should contact my office, and we can follow up,” said Ziperman.
Royal Caribbean also agreed to pay the Office of the Attorney General $100,000. Ziperman clarified this isn’t a penalty.
“They’ve denied liability. And, you know, we didn't prove our allegations, because we didn't prosecute the case. They're just alleged violations [of the Maryland Consumer Protection Act],” Ziperman added.
According to the OAG, consumers who have not received a refund related to the Capital Jazz SuperCruises do not need to take any action. Consumers who have not yet received a refund will receive a check in the mail within the next three months. Consumers with questions about the Attorney General’s settlement with Royal Caribbean can call 410-528-8662.
