What do you think about this cancellation policy?

Hello all,

I would like to hear opinions about the fairness or unfairness of NCL cancellation policies in my country (Spain).

I booked my cruise 1 year and a half in advance on the NCL Epic on a 2 bdr suite haven. After trying MSC YC I decided that the experience was excellent and thought about cancelling with NCL and booking MSC YC on the same dates. That was more than 300 days before sailing.

I found out that if I cancelled any time until 90 days before sailing, the cancellation fees are 20% of the cruise fare. That is about 1900€/2100$.

I really find it disproportionate in relation with the days in advance I want to cancel (276 at present time). It is also completely different to the cancelation fees most (or all) of the other cruise companies apply. They usually have no cancellation fee if you cancel at least 120 days in advance.

It is also worth noting that my booking was not under any promotional non refundable rate.

What do you think about this situation?

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I think you have misread things. That is NOT NCLs policy. If you booked through a TA it might be their issue but not NCLs.

 

https://www.ncl.com/about/cancellation-fee-schedule

Thanks for sending the link. If you read it you can see that if you cancel anytime until 31 days in advance or anytime until 91 days in advance in the case of suites and haven cats. you must pay 20% of cruise fare.

I have been in contact with NCL’s customer service to discuss the issue and they have confirmed the amount to pay if I cancelled today (276 days in advance).

Or it may be that you sent a link to US terms and conditions and I got redirected to the Spanish page that says what I wrote before.

Before booking the cruise, I looked for the cancellation fees to make sure that change was possible. The thing is that I got to NCL’s American site. It was written in Spanish and I just thought those were the T&C. In the US there is no cancellation fee for suites if the cancellation is made 120 days in advance or 90 days on the other categories.

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I think you have misread things. That is NOT NCLs policy. If you booked through a TA it might be their issue but not NCLs.

 

https://www.ncl.com/about/cancellation-fee-schedule

I believe cancellation policies in Europe are different than those in the US.

Yes indeed. Completely different. The thing is that if you cancel for example 500 days in advance you have to pay 20% of cruise fare.

I understand that it is not fare that many passengers decide to cancel just before final payment and that creates some time situations in which some categories are sold out until then. But I guess this is a different situation.

I also doubt that NCL bottom line would be affected for cancellations made so far in advance.

My view is that it is an unfair policy but would like to hear different points of view.

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"I found out that if I cancelled any time until 90 days before sailing, the cancellation fees are 20% of the cruise fare" was what you said. Untrue, the fee kicks in AFTER 90 days. Prior to that there is no fee.

Here, it is in Spanish. That’s what I get after clicking your link. It states that 20% of cruise fare is due if cancelling any time before 90 days. That’s for suites and haven cabins. Same for rest of cabins but instead of anytime before 90 days is any time before 30 days.

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"I found out that if I cancelled any time until 90 days before sailing, the cancellation fees are 20% of the cruise fare" was what you said. Untrue, the fee kicks in AFTER 90 days. Prior to that there is no fee.

MC - there is a whole different world outside of the US with different ways of doing things and different laws, terms and conditions etc..

European terms and conditions are way different to US.

It’s not NCLs fault that the terms are different booking on an overseas NCL site, it’s because laws are different, and the terms are different. Overseas customers also get better travel protection.

It’s not NCLs fault that the terms are different booking on an overseas NCL site, it’s because laws are different, and the terms are different. Overseas customers also get better travel protection.

Actually it’s NCL’s solely decision what terms and conditions are applied in each country regarding their cancellation fees. Protection here is the same (virtually none), and as I said most cruise lines here, including Oceania (part of NCL Corp) establisha number of days before which there is no fee to be paid.

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Were you not aware of those terms when you made your booking?

Not meaning to sound flippant but it is pretty much irrelevant if any of us on this internet forum thinks it is fair or unfair. If that is the policy for NCL Spain then you are stuck with those terms and you will lose some money.

Hope you have good cruises on whatever lines you choose.

Were you not aware of those terms when you made your booking?

No because when I searched for those T&C I got NCL site in Spanish for the US. I had no way to know that was the US site and not the Spanish one. There it said no fee if canceling 120 days in advance.

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Not meaning to sound flippant but it is pretty much irrelevant if any of us on this internet forum thinks it is fair or unfair. If that is the policy for NCL Spain then you are stuck with those terms and you will lose some money.

 

 

 

Hope you have good cruises on whatever lines you choose.

Thanks for the good wishes. I just like to read different points of view. I would be glad if you gave yours.

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The only unfair cancellation policy is one that is imposed but wasn’t in effect at the time you booked. No sympathy here.

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The only unfair cancellation policy is one that is imposed but wasn’t in effect at the time you booked. No sympathy here.

 

 

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Just wanted your point of view (thanks for it), not your sympathy.

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Thanks for the good wishes. I just like to read different points of view. I would be glad if you gave yours.

 

 

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Just one question: Have you actually cancelled the Epic cruise yet? If not, even though you enjoyed the MSC cruise, I would sail in the Epic Haven in a heart beat. It is a wonderful experience, and one I don't think you would regret. The Haven is beautiful and dining and entertainment on the Epic is a wonderful experience.

The only unfair cancellation policy is one that is imposed but wasn’t in effect at the time you booked. No sympathy here.

 

 

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That is sort of what the OP is saying. They THOUGHT they were reviewing the terms, but it turns out they were looking at the wrong ones.

Might be unfair, a bummer and a stick in the eye, but at the end of the day - it is what it is.

In general, Europe has much different rules on cancel, trip interruption, and other travel related events.

To the OP - sorry.

Just one question: Have you actually cancelled the Epic cruise yet? If not, even though you enjoyed the MSC cruise, I would sail in the Epic Haven in a heart beat. It is a wonderful experience, and one I don't think you would regret. The Haven is beautiful and dining and entertainment on the Epic is a wonderful experience.

No I have not. I have no doubt it will be great if I sail in that 2 bedroom suite.

In the T&C is also said that the pax can argue that the cancellation fee is higher than any possible losses that NCL may have. I really doubt they would have any so I will try to get a different answer with that approach.

I was doubtful to make the change but getting those conditions is really making me more eager to cancel and change. Not very rational but that’s how I feel.

I will undoubtedly miss the huge bathroom and shower with sea views if I make the change!

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That is sort of what the OP is saying. They THOUGHT they were reviewing the terms, but it turns out they were looking at the wrong ones.

 

 

 

Might be unfair, a bummer and a stick in the eye, but at the end of the day - it is what it is.

 

 

 

In general, Europe has much different rules on cancel, trip interruption, and other travel related events.

 

 

 

To the OP - sorry.

Thanks for your contribution! I really appreciate it!

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By the way, any thoughts on one sentence on those T&C regarding cancellation fees that says “the pax has the right to prove that the economical loss for NCL is significantly lower that the penalty paid”

Is there really any way to prove that?

I really think that 2100$ 276 days before departure is much more than any loss (if any at all) that NCL could have with the cancellation.

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You should push back. It is a nasty policy. Disney Cruise Line is similar and also does not refund any deposit money for a concierge (similar to Haven) cancellation. Tacky if you ask me. Whatever about it being their policy, it is a bad one. Remember that in life everything is negotiable. Even contracts already signed. Good luck.

You should push back. It is a nasty policy. Disney Cruise Line is similar and also does not refund any deposit money for a concierge (similar to Haven) cancellation. Tacky if you ask me. Whatever about it being their policy, it is a bad one. Remember that in life everything is negotiable. Even contracts already signed. Good luck.

Wow! Did not know that DCL follows the same pattern on concierge. In this case though, NCL is asking for 20% of cruise fare which is roughly double the deposit amount. Much worse...

Thanks for your advice. I will try to negotiate!

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Wow! Did not know that DCL follows the same pattern on concierge. In this case though, NCL is asking for 20% of cruise fare which is roughly double the deposit amount. Much worse...

 

Thanks for your advice. I will try to negotiate!

 

 

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Unfortunately, DCL deposits are 20%, very high!

Unfortunately, DCL deposits are 20%, very high!

Yes, very high indeed.

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Yes the rules for EU (and UK) and US are very different. There are pros and cons:

- cancellation fee starts asap for EU bookings compared to US bookings 90 or 120 days - so obviously this is bad for EU bookings

- you pay your final payment only 30 days prior to cruise for EU bookings whereas you need to pay your final payment 90 or 120 days in advance for US bookings - so here making an EU booking gives you an edge

- you cannot take advantage of price drops when you book via EU (even if the price drops prior to final payment your fare does not drop, ever) - so this is obviously worse than for US where you can just call and adjust

- however the cancellation charge for EU reservations is only the 20% until 31 days prior to your cruise - this is a huge advantage compared to US reservations where the cancellation fee would be considerably higher way earlier (cancellation fee 25% 89-76 days out, cancellation fee 50% 75-61 days out, cancellation fee 75% 60-31 days out)

So totally different set of rules for totally different countries. Booking through EU makes sense sometimes and sometimes not. We don't hear the US folks getting angry at NCL EU that they need to pay a 75% cancellation fee if they cancel 31 days out whereas we EU ones pay only 20% at that time. :)

Very sorry though for you op that you were unaware which rules are used. That sucks. And considering the cancellation fee of 20% started from day 1 of you making the first payment you really should have known what you are agreeing already prior to even the first payment.

Yes the rules for EU (and UK) and US are very different. There are pros and cons:

 

- cancellation fee starts asap for EU bookings compared to US bookings 90 or 120 days - so obviously this is bad for EU bookings

- you pay your final payment only 30 days prior to cruise for EU bookings whereas you need to pay your final payment 90 or 120 days in advance for US bookings - so here making an EU booking gives you an edge

- you cannot take advantage of price drops when you book via EU (even if the price drops prior to final payment your fare does not drop, ever) - so this is obviously worse than for US where you can just call and adjust

- however the cancellation charge for EU reservations is only the 20% until 31 days prior to your cruise - this is a huge advantage compared to US reservations where the cancellation fee would be considerably higher way earlier (cancellation fee 25% 89-76 days out, cancellation fee 50% 75-61 days out, cancellation fee 75% 60-31 days out)

 

So totally different set of rules for totally different countries. Booking through EU makes sense sometimes and sometimes not. We don't hear the US folks getting angry at NCL EU that they need to pay a 75% cancellation fee if they cancel 31 days out whereas we EU ones pay only 20% at that time. :)

 

Very sorry though for you op that you were unaware which rules are used. That sucks. And considering the cancellation fee of 20% started from day 1 of you making the first payment you really should have known what you are agreeing already prior to even the first payment.

Yes, that’s completely true. Just one comment. If you book in the EU a suite or haven cabin you have to pay 20% if cancelling 91 days prior to departure (not 31 days as in “regular” cabins). After that 90 days mark it gets higher (45%) which is even higher than in the US at the same days prior to cruise.

What do you think about the right the pax has to prove the economical loss for NCL is lower than what is asked as cancellation fees??

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