Is it ever possible to cancel and rebook to get around New Bookings Only specials?

[PartyAllDaTyme]

Seldom would it pay to try to cancel and rebook after final payment, since you'd lose at least the deposit, but how about those times when a special for New Bookings Only (NBO) is announced before final payment is due? You'd think if you cancel the cruise, you'd wipe the slate clean, then starting over would constitute a new booking. Yes, you'd lose out on any benefits you might have had with the old booking and you might not get your original cabin back. But for those who would be willing, is it ever possible to do? If you cancel and they deny you the NBO price, is it possible to rebook at your old price, or at the last price prior to the special?

 

How about if you book the same sailing, but a different cabin? Would booking it in the name of another cabin occupant (for those not traveling solo) have any bearing? Is there a time frame involved, such as booking a cruise a year out, cancelling it right away, then rebooking three months out when the special comes out? Are they consistent with their policy, or does it depend on who you talk to?

 

What's been your experience? This question would be for North American bookings-- I realize other rules apply for EU bookings, for example.

[CaptData]

You would have to cancel at least 48-72 hours before to be a new booking. You would lose everything you had ie obc, free dinners extra. Then when you rebook go to a different TA as well. I did this once. I had booking with the cruiseline then cancelled. Three days later I rebooked with a TA and got special and better pricing. I lost my cabin but went up a class or two (Inside to balconey).

[jt1120]

Great question, Party. I've wondered the same thing. I'd like to hear from others who have done this, successful or not.

[Jenna109]

We have done it - twice!! - saved £700 on one cruise and £1000 on another plus upgrade from original ocean view to balcony! Both were done on the very last day we had to pay the original bookings in full. It feels really odd losing your deposit - as if you are throwing money away - BUT in both cases we really saved and would have been annoyed if we had paid in full.

[terp4life]

I remember reading a post once, but could not find it in a quick search about a person who cancelled and rebooked to get a lower rate, but the revenue dept caught up with them and gave them a choice of going back to the original price or cancelling altogether. I seem to remember that person did it very quick, maybe same day.

 

I was interested in the discussion because at the time I had just cancelled a cruise (day before final payment) because of sudden health scare with my father (cancer recurrence). The hope was that we would still be able to go, but we would have to wait until the last second to make the decision as my parents were to be the ones watching our young children. In the end my dad was absolutely well enough and 2.5 weeks before departure we grabbed a special rate on a room that was $500 pp less than the original price we had reserved. At first we had an sunset verrandah reserved on Solstice, then, when we booked last second we took our chances with a 2B gty, and landed in 1A. So not exactly apples to apples but close :) So, the time difference in our case must have been a little more than 2 months between canceling in rebooking. I had been watching the website that shows you which rooms are available and kept seeing a lot of availability for our January sailing so I remained hopeful throughout.

[Valley Girl of VA]

Sorry for my ignorance but why did you lose your deposit if you canceled before final payment. I had thought it was refundable up till final payment.

[Christine Frances]

People in the UK etc lose their deposit if they cancel - I don't understand why it is different:confused:

[PartyAllDaTyme]

As I understand it, European Union (EU) has different consumer protection laws-- they're tougher, but come with more restrictions, such as nonrefundable deposits. That's why I mentioned this would be a topic more for North American bookings, though I imagine similar conditions for EU may apply.

 

Thanks for the responses so far!

[John73]

Seldom would it pay to try to cancel and rebook after final payment, since you'd lose at least the deposit, but how about those times when a special for New Bookings Only (NBO) is announced before final payment is due? You'd think if you cancel the cruise, you'd wipe the slate clean, then starting over would constitute a new booking. Yes, you'd lose out on any benefits you might have had with the old booking and you might not get your original cabin back. But for those who would be willing, is it ever possible to do? If you cancel and they deny you the NBO price, is it possible to rebook at your old price, or at the last price prior to the special?

 

How about if you book the same sailing, but a different cabin? Would booking it in the name of another cabin occupant (for those not traveling solo) have any bearing? Is there a time frame involved, such as booking a cruise a year out, cancelling it right away, then rebooking three months out when the special comes out? Are they consistent with their policy, or does it depend on who you talk to?

 

What's been your experience? This question would be for North American bookings-- I realize other rules apply for EU bookings, for example.

 

 

Depends on your travel insurance coverage :)