Canadian Railroads > Rocky Mountaineer scraps 2020 season, Don't ask for your money

On July 22,
Rocky Mountaineer pulled the plug on the entire 2020 season.
Don't ask for your money back, though.
They will give a 110% credit of monies paid
which can be used in 2021 or 2022.

https://www.rockymountaineer.com/covid19-keeping-you-updated

On March 17, the start of the season was cancelled through the end of April.
On March 30, the season was cancelled through July 1.
On May 14, the season was cancelled through July 31.
On June 17, the season was cancelled through August 30.
On July 22, the entire season was declared cancelled.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/20 22:45 by Marcus.

They don't perform but won't refund? Not a reputable business model.

My parents got the same kind of deal with airline tickets--but only 100%, usable next year.

Victor A. Baird
http://www.erstwhilepublications.com

RevRandy Wrote:
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> They don't perform but won't refund? Not a
> reputable business model.

Time to call your credit card company and let them yank the money back

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> My parents got the same kind of deal with airline
> tickets--but only 100%, usable next year.
>

If it's a US airline that canceled the flight and can't reaccommodate reasonably (DOT says within 2 hours) then they should have received a full refund. 
I did

Alaska Airlines refunded all of our money when they changed our flights to times that were not workable. They gave the option of a credit or refund.

RevRandy Wrote:
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> They don't perform but won't refund? Not a
> reputable business model.

Join the club. We had Arizona baseball Spring Training tickets through Vivid Seats where they did not honor their 100% money-back guarantee. Instead we received a 110% credit.
There's a class-action suit going.....

TJY

That's really a horrible business practice and very disrespectful of the company to do something like this. They are cancelling for at least a year out and that could cause all kinds of issues.

Hopefully people will remember their re-booking, but what if there's a medical issue and you can't make it one year from now?
What if that favorite niece finally decides to get married and it falls right when the RMR trip is to happen?

The refund for ANY future "conflicts" just got REALLY complicated, and the owness reverts back to the customers/riders as they are basically being booked into a "new reservation" platform and receiving an extra 10% of "add-on" that likely costs RMR pennies. It's also an accounting nightmare.

God forbid, but what happens of one of the riders passes away between 2020 and 2022. Now the Estate has to try and recover the money? Yikes!

Do people book airline vacation tickets one to two years out? Not unless there's something definitely committed too.

I just lost the rest of the little respect I had for Rocky Mountaineer. With Canada literally in more of a lock down than the US, who knows when the country is going to be opened back up to US citizens. They should just refund and start over. I have clients whose customers complained over not getting a $8 refund back for an Easter Egg Hunt!!! I can only imagine if they had rail tickets for THOUSANDS of dollars. Can people even ascertain vacation time that far in advance? I am sure there's leeway that they have to book by a certain date (to allow for some flexibility), but it's just REALLY BAD business practice to do something like this..........

 

From the announcement. Very clever!

"The COVID-19 pandemic, and the governmental restrictions imposed in response, are a force majeure event, beyond the control of Rocky Mountaineer. Force majeure events are addressed in sections 11 and 12 of the Terms and Conditions. In keeping with those provisions, we are allowing guests to rebook their travel to a later date, once the force majeure event has passed.To those guests who have booked one of our world-class rail tours, Rocky Mountaineer remains committed to providing you with this experience, when it is possible and appropriate to so do.  If you have a departure date in 2020, please contact our team, once you have determined your travel plans and are ready to rebook. Guests affected by the suspended departures will receive a travel credit in the amount equivalent to 110% of monies paid*, which can be used for travel until the end of the 2022 season. The credit must be redeemed by November 30, 2021, may not be redeemed for cash or other credit, and has no cash value." 

After their union busting stunt some years ago, no one should be surprised when they then shake down customers in a devious manner.

Posted from Android

jp1822 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From the announcement. Very clever!
>
> "The COVID-19 pandemic, and the governmental
> restrictions imposed in response, are a force
> majeure event, beyond the control of Rocky
> Mountaineer. Force majeure events are addressed in
> sections 11 and 12 of the Terms and Conditions. In
> keeping with those provisions, we are allowing
> guests to rebook their travel to a later date,
> once the force majeure event has passed.To those
> guests who have booked one of our world-class rail
> tours, Rocky Mountaineer remains committed to
> providing you with this experience, when it is
> possible and appropriate to so do.  If you have a
> departure date in 2020, please contact our team,
> once you have determined your travel plans and are
> ready to rebook. Guests affected by the suspended
> departures will receive a travel credit in the
> amount equivalent to 110% of monies paid*, which
> can be used for travel until the end of the 2022
> season. The credit must be redeemed by November
> 30, 2021, may not be redeemed for cash or other
> credit, and has no cash value." 

I hope everyone makes it very clear to RMR that once they have used the credit, they will never ever consider another trip on RMR. 
I have never traveled on RMR and I now have no interest in giving any of my business.

WP17

They just spent big dollars on equipment too!  They probably need to pay those capital expenses.
It probably staves off bankruptcy for a year.

If they raise their prices by more than 10% next year will customers with that 110% credit have to shell out more cash to get their trip?


cp1400

cp1400 Wrote:
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> If they raise their prices by more than 10% next
> year will customers with that 110% credit have to
> shell out more cash to get their trip?

Rail fares will be kept at 2020 levels for 2021 and 2022.

As for the total package price, which would include other elements of a trip (hotels, etc.), Rocky says:  "If you are booked on a suspended departure, we are providing you with a future travel credit of 110% value, pre-tax, of the monies you’ve already paid toward your itinerary, which is valid towards your rebooked travel through to the end of our 2022 season. . . . If you rebook a similar package, in terms of the components and travel date, and the package price is higher than the 110% credit, we want to assure you that you will not pay more for that package with our price guarantee."



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 07/23/20 02:16 by railsmith.

Same with Air Canada.  Only a credit for a flight from Vancouver to Sacramento last March. Not only was the flight canceled, the border was closed as well so no way to get there even if the flight went.  I highly doubt I would find a reason to fly them again anytime soon. This was a one off itinerary to get me to a steam charter in California coming off the Canadian. By contrast, I had a Delta flight to Heathrow also canceled. I could choose either a credit in my wallet or a full refund. Since Delta is my  home town airline I fly them often so choose the credit. The actions by these Canadian companies are despicable. Note also that VIA instantly gave me a full refund as  soon as my departure on the Canadian was canceled. Further the Detroit Red Wings also offered a full re-fund for the 5 canceled games since they didn't qualify for the still to be completed playoffs. That said, I'm still waiting for the check.  If the mode of transport ran and the clients choose not to go, that's a different story. A credit would be sufficient. 

RMR's COVID cancellation practice is legal, but hardly ethical. 

On the other hand, it's always interesting to see how rich people fight with other rich people about money.

I did get a refund from Charlevoix Train, though was difficult to contact them and get it. Their website was often down, and they did not keep it up to date very much. March 24th notification remained until June. 

It's a Force Majeure.....beyond their control. And Rocky Mountaineer isn't the only ones invoking it: Airlines, Hotels, Tours, Cruises etc.

Just look for a Force Majeure clause in your home owners insurance policy and you might be surprised !

ghCBNS Wrote:
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> It's a Force Majeure.....beyond their control. And
> Rocky Mountaineer isn't the only ones invoking it:
> Airlines, Hotels, Tours, Cruises etc.
>
> Just look for a Force Majeure clause in your home
> owners insurance policy and you might be surprised
> !

Yes.  The cruise lines and various travel insurance providers are squabbling about who  pays for refunding various ancillary services.  Airfare to the cruise, hotel packages before, and after.  The cruise itself.

Some lines, like Holland America, are selling off ships and cutting some destinations for the forseeable future.  That reduces the value of a voucher / future cruise credit considerably.

(One big issue in Florida is how business interruption insurance pays out.  Was your floral shop etc closed because of the virus, which was not a problem in your area when the regional order was issued?  Or was your business closed because of the state health order?  Under many policies, the first is excluded, the second is covered.)

Time for a full-on, class-action lawsuit .....

 

Will MacKenzie
Dundas, ON