Non-Refundable Deposit

[Biker19]

Hint to others in the above situation, don't cancel till just before final payment (not 15 months out) so the FCC 1 yr clock doesn't start till then.

[molly361]

Unless you are booking a suite no one is being forced to book a non refundable rate. I read a few of these type of complaints every week on FB. It reminds me of the beverage package threads where folks make it sound like RCL is forcing them to buy a package:halo::halo:

[HicksRA]

Sorry for your situation, but I doubt that RCCL is going to change their policy or panic at the prospect of losing one customer.

[Ourusualbeach]

To: Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein

1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132

Dear Mr Goldstein and Royal Caribbean.

My wife and I have been loyal customers of Royal Caribbean (RC) for over 20 years and we have enjoyed our cruises from beginning to end … from booking our cruises to disembarking the ship on the final day. Recently we have encountered your RC “non-refundable deposit program” (NR Program) which we do not agree with and we are now caught up in it.

For the first time since RC instituted the NR Program, we booked a cruise which required a $900 deposit. Due to unforeseen circumstances, just 30 days after our booking, and 15 months prior to the cruise departure, we had to cancel the cruise. Not only did we lose $200, as a “no change fee” but we also are in the process of possibly losing an additional $700 of our $900 deposit. RC’s NR Program states that after the $200 mandatory forfeiture, the remaining deposit balance cannot be refunded but must be used on a future RC cruise. This future cruise would have to be booked within 1 year of cancellation. In our case we live in Arizona and we do not fly. RC doesn’t have any cruises departing from California which makes it so difficult.

Why doesn’t RC increase the time limit to 2 years to ease the sting of losing $200 right off the bat, and to help the customer not lose the balance of their deposit? It would make your program a little more palletable and it would help your customers not feel like they are being thrown overboard by RC with this strict program!

In our situation we will be out of the country the entire year so in essence we will stand to lose our entire $900 deposit. RC will most definitely book our room to another customer because we cancelled our cruise 15 months before departure. We certainly could understand losing our deposit if it were 60 or even 90 days from sailing, however, 15 months and you are going to basically keep a loyal customer’s money when you will be receiving another loyal customers deposit when REFILLING the room that was cancelled 15 months earlier? This does not make sense to us.

For these reasons we will never sail with RC again and we are requesting your IT Department delete from your companies Data base, ALL of our personal information, including our loyal Crown and Anchor membership numbers. It is unfortunate that your non-refund policy has created a negative black mark on your companies reputation. Word of month spreads far and wide.

Sincerely,

Dennis and Kathie J.

 

Payson, Arizona.

 

You could have waited until final payment date (12 months from now) to cancel. You would have then had a year from that point to take the cruise. By cancelling now you limited your options.

[swoopy2110]

To: Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein

1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132

Dear Mr Goldstein and Royal Caribbean.

My wife and I have been loyal customers of Royal Caribbean (RC) for over 20 years and we have enjoyed our cruises from beginning to end … from booking our cruises to disembarking the ship on the final day. Recently we have encountered your RC “non-refundable deposit program” (NR Program) which we do not agree with and we are now caught up in it.

For the first time since RC instituted the NR Program, we booked a cruise which required a $900 deposit. Due to unforeseen circumstances, just 30 days after our booking, and 15 months prior to the cruise departure, we had to cancel the cruise. Not only did we lose $200, as a “no change fee” but we also are in the process of possibly losing an additional $700 of our $900 deposit. RC’s NR Program states that after the $200 mandatory forfeiture, the remaining deposit balance cannot be refunded but must be used on a future RC cruise. This future cruise would have to be booked within 1 year of cancellation. In our case we live in Arizona and we do not fly. RC doesn’t have any cruises departing from California which makes it so difficult.

Why doesn’t RC increase the time limit to 2 years to ease the sting of losing $200 right off the bat, and to help the customer not lose the balance of their deposit? It would make your program a little more palletable and it would help your customers not feel like they are being thrown overboard by RC with this strict program!

In our situation we will be out of the country the entire year so in essence we will stand to lose our entire $900 deposit. RC will most definitely book our room to another customer because we cancelled our cruise 15 months before departure. We certainly could understand losing our deposit if it were 60 or even 90 days from sailing, however, 15 months and you are going to basically keep a loyal customer’s money when you will be receiving another loyal customers deposit when REFILLING the room that was cancelled 15 months earlier? This does not make sense to us.

For these reasons we will never sail with RC again and we are requesting your IT Department delete from your companies Data base, ALL of our personal information, including our loyal Crown and Anchor membership numbers. It is unfortunate that your non-refund policy has created a negative black mark on your companies reputation. Word of month spreads far and wide.

Sincerely,

Dennis and Kathie J.

 

Payson, Arizona.

 

The entire world outside of North America has to deal with Non-Refundable deposits. I don't agree with it but I understand why it's done. You agreed to booking a NRD when you booked you crusie. You've had to cancel so you now fall into the penalties that you agreed to at the time of booking. End discussion.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

To: Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein

1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132

Dear Mr Goldstein and Royal Caribbean.

My wife and I have been loyal customers of Royal Caribbean (RC) for over 20 years and we have enjoyed our cruises from beginning to end … from booking our cruises to disembarking the ship on the final day. Recently we have encountered your RC “non-refundable deposit program” (NR Program) which we do not agree with and we are now caught up in it.

For the first time since RC instituted the NR Program, we booked a cruise which required a $900 deposit. Due to unforeseen circumstances, just 30 days after our booking, and 15 months prior to the cruise departure, we had to cancel the cruise. Not only did we lose $200, as a “no change fee” but we also are in the process of possibly losing an additional $700 of our $900 deposit. RC’s NR Program states that after the $200 mandatory forfeiture, the remaining deposit balance cannot be refunded but must be used on a future RC cruise. This future cruise would have to be booked within 1 year of cancellation. In our case we live in Arizona and we do not fly. RC doesn’t have any cruises departing from California which makes it so difficult.

Why doesn’t RC increase the time limit to 2 years to ease the sting of losing $200 right off the bat, and to help the customer not lose the balance of their deposit? It would make your program a little more palletable and it would help your customers not feel like they are being thrown overboard by RC with this strict program!

In our situation we will be out of the country the entire year so in essence we will stand to lose our entire $900 deposit. RC will most definitely book our room to another customer because we cancelled our cruise 15 months before departure. We certainly could understand losing our deposit if it were 60 or even 90 days from sailing, however, 15 months and you are going to basically keep a loyal customer’s money when you will be receiving another loyal customers deposit when REFILLING the room that was cancelled 15 months earlier? This does not make sense to us.

For these reasons we will never sail with RC again and we are requesting your IT Department delete from your companies Data base, ALL of our personal information, including our loyal Crown and Anchor membership numbers. It is unfortunate that your non-refund policy has created a negative black mark on your companies reputation. Word of month spreads far and wide.

Sincerely,

Dennis and Kathie J.

 

Payson, Arizona.

 

is that you blackjack22?

 

Bill

[proshopred]

If you have trip insurance & you cancel....wouldn't you get the deposit back?

[maggie cruises]

To: Royal Caribbean CEO Adam Goldstein

 

1050 Caribbean Way, Miami, FL 33132

 

 

 

Dear Mr Goldstein and Royal Caribbean.

 

 

 

My wife and I have been loyal customers of Royal Caribbean (RC) for over 20 years and we have enjoyed our cruises from beginning to end … from booking our cruises to disembarking the ship on the final day. Recently we have encountered your RC “non-refundable deposit program” (NR Program) which we do not agree with and we are now caught up in it.

 

 

 

For the first time since RC instituted the NR Program, we booked a cruise which required a $900 deposit. Due to unforeseen circumstances, just 30 days after our booking, and 15 months prior to the cruise departure, we had to cancel the cruise. Not only did we lose $200, as a “no change fee” but we also are in the process of possibly losing an additional $700 of our $900 deposit. RC’s NR Program states that after the $200 mandatory forfeiture, the remaining deposit balance cannot be refunded but must be used on a future RC cruise. This future cruise would have to be booked within 1 year of cancellation. In our case we live in Arizona and we do not fly. RC doesn’t have any cruises departing from California which makes it so difficult.

 

Why doesn’t RC increase the time limit to 2 years to ease the sting of losing $200 right off the bat, and to help the customer not lose the balance of their deposit? It would make your program a little more palletable and it would help your customers not feel like they are being thrown overboard by RC with this strict program!

 

 

 

In our situation we will be out of the country the entire year so in essence we will stand to lose our entire $900 deposit. RC will most definitely book our room to another customer because we cancelled our cruise 15 months before departure. We certainly could understand losing our deposit if it were 60 or even 90 days from sailing, however, 15 months and you are going to basically keep a loyal customer’s money when you will be receiving another loyal customers deposit when REFILLING the room that was cancelled 15 months earlier? This does not make sense to us.

 

 

 

For these reasons we will never sail with RC again and we are requesting your IT Department delete from your companies Data base, ALL of our personal information, including our loyal Crown and Anchor membership numbers. It is unfortunate that your non-refund policy has created a negative black mark on your companies reputation. Word of month spreads far and wide.

 

 

 

Sincerely,

 

Dennis and Kathie J.

 

 

 

Payson, Arizona.

 

 

 

You should have waited until right before final payment to cancel

 

You would have bought yourself the additional 15 months back

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Biker19]

You should have waited until right before final payment to cancel

 

You would have bought yourself the additional 15 months back

 

12 (final payment is 3 months out)

[Iamcruzin]

I would never book under those conditions. Many sales on Princess have involved a non refundable deposit. I never booked during a sale on that line. I always waited and received a lower price than the sale with a refundable deposit. I have found that the difference in price between a refundable and non refundable deposit on Royal is so small that it doesn't pay to risk it especially if you are booking so far out. I have found the entire pricing system on Royal Caribbean to be exhausting. Too many confusing promotions and policies. I have never been on a board where the pricing of the drink, dining and internet packages comes up so often and there is never a definitive answer. I'm going to need a vacation by the time my cruise rolls around just from planning it. I guess If I wasn't a member of CC I would just overpay like those who don't have a clue. Ignorance is bliss in this case but I can't afford to be ignorant.

[Clarea]

If you have trip insurance & you cancel....wouldn't you get the deposit back?

Only if the cancellation is for a covered reason.

[LuCruise]

Have 3 cruises booked for four of us.

 

For first cruise, it was refundable at booking (non-refundable didn't exist when this cruise was booked). Kept it as non-refundable until we booked our flights and refundable price reduced our cost by more than $400.

 

For second cruise, booked refundable. About 2 weeks before final payment, upgraded room and switched to non-refundable. Flights were booked.

 

For third cruise, booked refundable as booked almost 2 years out.

 

SO it gives options for pricing but also a risk (which we only switch when we know we want to keep the booking...but still, life happens so you never know). But I definitely preferred when only refundable existed as when they introduced it, I found that our first cruise booked (which was refundable rate) was inline with the non-refundable pricing.

[Bird82]

What do you think about RCL new non-refundable deposit?

 

I don't like it and it will cause me to cruise a lot less. Its not a fair policy. One more example of a few bad apples spoiling it for the rest of us. This was put in place because a minority percentage of people booked a ton of cruises they never really intended to go on and then cancelled right before final payment. RCCL should have found a way to penalize those people and not everyone.

[Biker19]

I don't like it and it will cause me to cruise a lot less. Its not a fair policy.

Tell that to everyone outside of NA who have no choice but to book NRD.

[molly361]

I don't like it and it will cause me to cruise a lot less. Its not a fair policy. One more example of a few bad apples spoiling it for the rest of us. This was put in place because a minority percentage of people booked a ton of cruises they never really intended to go on and then cancelled right before final payment. RCCL should have found a way to penalize those people and not everyone.

 

As long as they are not booking suites people can still do that as long as they make a refundable booking (at least until refundable bookings go away completely)

[bsblindab]

Not a fan. Unless you know for sure you are going to travel you will eventually loose that deposit. I guess RCL's ploy was to get travelers to book a lot of cruises with the refundable deposit, assuming people would eventually cruise and the company would have a cash account with extra $$$$$ in it.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

sorta like Banks..they raise deposit interest rates hoping for more deposits so their bottom line looks good prior to a merger :(. this will probably be my first and last RCCL cruise that i do.. like NCL's minimum deposit much better...

[bsblindab]

Out of 8 cruises, only 1 was lower for the NRD than what I currently have them booked at refundable rates and that one was already an NRD booking that I converted last month to experiment with.

 

With the roll out today, the base rate went down another $91 p/p. It is supposed to default to the best rate automatically. Logged into my cruise and as you would expect, no price change. I had to call C&A to get the rate applied. C&A said they did not know why the price did not adjust automatically as it should have.

 

So if you have an NRD, I guess you still have to check the prices for now until their IT department straightens it out. :rolleyes:

 

If the rate goes down for NRD sailings..will the amount adjust automatically? or do you still need to request it?

[John&LaLa]

Book onboard, $100 deposit I believe.

 

Truthfully, I wouldn't let deposit policy push me to a line that I don't like.

sorta like Banks..they raise deposit interest rates hoping for more deposits so their bottom line looks good prior to a merger :(. this will probably be my first and last RCCL cruise that i do.. like NCL's minimum deposit much better...

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[John&LaLa]

If the rate goes down for NRD sailings..will the amount adjust automatically? or do you still need to request it?

Pretty sure you still call for adjustment

 

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

[Biker19]

or do you still need to request it?

You need to call with whoever you booked to get any price drop.

[Clarea]

If the rate goes down for NRD sailings..will the amount adjust automatically? or do you still need to request it?

You need to contact whoever booked your cruise.

[whitshel]

Quick question, when you cancel do you have a year to book or a year to sail?

[Clarea]

Quick question, when you cancel do you have a year to book or a year to sail?

Year to sail.

[deliver42]

That's the reason to wait till just before final payment date before cancelling

[Ourusualbeach]

You can “move” a sailing out further than a year.

 

For example I could move a NRD to a sailing in April 2020.

 

There are no time restrictions when you move a cruise as no FCC is ever issued.