Deposits: Refundable vs. Non-Refundable

[Annefran]

Hi all,

 

I searched but couldn't find an answer to this question. I know that Royal slowly started the refundable vs. non-refundable deposits about a year ago on their site and booking process. Now I'm seeing on the site there isn't any refundable deposit options available for most cruises I search on. Has that option fully gone away now?

 

Thanks, happy cruising! :cool:

[mikmouse]

When you prepare a mock booking, you will see that there is a charge for "refundable" that you can add, just like the options for prepaid gratuities and insurance.

[Clarea]

Hi all,

 

I searched but couldn't find an answer to this question. I know that Royal slowly started the refundable vs. non-refundable deposits about a year ago on their site and booking process. Now I'm seeing on the site there isn't any refundable deposit options available for most cruises I search on. Has that option fully gone away now?

 

Thanks, happy cruising! :cool:

They have made choosing refundable even more difficult. You have to go farther into the booking process, entering passenger names, and then you get a checkbox that chooses refundable.

[Annefran]

Thanks all, I had no idea. I just noticed the 2 tabs for refundable and non-refundable weren't popping anymore in an online booking. FYI, I've noticed when calling to make a booking, you have to make sure you tell them you want a refundable booking. Otherwise, they automatically give you non-refundable. I think they need to tell you about both categories and prices upfront. I have had to call back and request they switch me to refundable deposit. At times, I have lost that booking # and was given a new one. Then on other times, they just switched me to refundable and I didn't lose the booking #. I guess it depends who you get on the phone. Weird!

[molly361]

Thanks all, I had no idea. I just noticed the 2 tabs for refundable and non-refundable weren't popping anymore in an online booking. FYI, I've noticed when calling to make a booking, you have to make sure you tell them you want a refundable booking. Otherwise, they automatically give you non-refundable. I think they need to tell you about both categories and prices upfront. I have had to call back and request they switch me to refundable deposit. At times, I have lost that booking # and was given a new one. Then on other times, they just switched me to refundable and I didn't lose the booking #. I guess it depends who you get on the phone. Weird!

 

Yes you have to be very careful to make sure that you get the refundable rate. Even when I have asked them for it and we are almost done they find out that the rate has reverted to non refundable. It's a pain

[The Fun Researcher]

We just did the opposite. We booked our two cabins for our March 2019 cruise as refundable originally, but now that we just booked airfare, we're more certain that we are going. I called and changed the booking deposits to non-refundable. Saved $300+ plus we got OBC now. The booking numbers did not change.

 

Re the non-refundable option, if you cancel you lose $100 deposit per person right away, and the remaining deposit is good towards a future cruise credit within 12 months of issue.

 

It does really bother me that RCCL has now made it a major PITA to find the refundable options price

 

Dan

[Clarea]

... I think they need to tell you about both categories and prices upfront. ...

I would bet they are either instructed not to mention refundable, and/or incented to book non-refundable.

[cpa09]

I think if you select one room at the beginning of the booking, that's the non-refundable fare. If you select two or more rooms, then the fare is higher which is probably the refundable fare. That's a quicker way to see both the refundable and non-refundable fares than going all the way to the end of the mock booking to see what the refundable fare is.

[Annefran]

I would bet they are either instructed not to mention refundable, and/or incented to book non-refundable.

 

I bet you are exactly right Bob! :o

[dcgrumpy]

We just did the opposite. We booked our two cabins for our March 2019 cruise as refundable originally, but now that we just booked airfare, we're more certain that we are going. I called and changed the booking deposits to non-refundable. Saved $300+ plus we got OBC now. The booking numbers did not change.

 

Re the non-refundable option, if you cancel you lose $100 deposit per person right away, and the remaining deposit is good towards a future cruise credit within 12 months of issue.

 

It does really bother me that RCCL has now made it a major PITA to find the refundable options price

 

Dan

For some reason it seems like when you search for 2 cabins together it defaults to refundable. When you search for one cabin it defaults to nonrefundable. Just when you think their website can't get any more screwy.

[The Fun Researcher]

For some reason it seems like when you search for 2 cabins together it defaults to refundable. When you search for one cabin it defaults to nonrefundable. Just when you think their website can't get any more screwy.

 

It's voodoo magic.

 

Dan

[S.S.Oceanlover]

They have made choosing refundable even more difficult. You have to go farther into the booking process, entering passenger names, and then you get a checkbox that chooses refundable.

 

But remember, it's for our convenience.;)

 

Bill

[Clarea]

But remember, it's for our convenience.;)

 

Bill

Yes, and to "enhance the cruising experience".:rolleyes:

[cpa09]

For some reason it seems like when you search for 2 cabins together it defaults to refundable. When you search for one cabin it defaults to nonrefundable. Just when you think their website can't get any more screwy.

 

 

Thanks for confirming my observations.

[molly361]

Yes, and to "enhance the cruising experience".:rolleyes:

 

AND make it so quick and seemless:halo::cool:

[CategoryQ]

I've also learned to be careful when transferring a booking to a TA. I had a refundable deposit booking which Royal converted to non-refundable when it was transferred - with no notification to me or the TA. It was resolved eventually, but very sneaky IMO.

[molly361]

I've also learned to be careful when transferring a booking to a TA. I had a refundable deposit booking which Royal converted to non-refundable when it was transferred - with no notification to me or the TA. It was resolved eventually, but very sneaky IMO.

 

RCL did the same thing to me. When they changed ships and changed my bookings to the new ship they changed them from refundable to non refundable. Did not find out until I cancelled one and never got the deposit refunded. I did get them fixed and my deposit back for the one that I cancelled

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Yes, and to "enhance the cruising experience".:rolleyes:

 

All the cruise lines must do these enhancements for us.

 

We are booked on the NCL Dawn in December and had 8 islands in 10 days. Received an email that they were changing the itinerary to enhance our experience.

 

Changed 5 of the 8 islands on the itinerary and 2 of the 3 that didn't get changed have shorter ports of call times.

 

Gotta love those enhancements.;p

 

Bill

[CategoryQ]

RCL did the same thing to me. When they changed ships and changed my bookings to the new ship they changed them from refundable to non refundable. Did not find out until I cancelled one and never got the deposit refunded. I did get them fixed and my deposit back for the one that I cancelled

Now that you mention it, that happened to me as well. The most frustrating part is being told that as a "courtesy gesture" they are refunding the deposit.

[mcatmcat]

For some reason it seems like when you search for 2 cabins together it defaults to refundable. When you search for one cabin it defaults to nonrefundable. Just when you think their website can't get any more screwy.

 

 

 

Thank you !!!!!

 

 

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[Bella O]

And just a reminder that suite reservations are always non-refundable. Im guessing all rooms will have non-refundable deposits down the line.

[Curly-Q]

And just a reminder that suite reservations are always non-refundable. Im guessing all rooms will have non-refundable deposits down the line.

 

And a $100 per person change fee....due up front when the change request is made.

[Russ Lomas]

Hi all,

 

I searched but couldn't find an answer to this question. I know that Royal slowly started the refundable vs. non-refundable deposits about a year ago on their site and booking process. Now I'm seeing on the site there isn't any refundable deposit options available for most cruises I search on. Has that option fully gone away now?

 

Thanks, happy cruising! :cool:

Thanks for posting this question. I was just about to ask the same thing.

 

I noticed about a week ago that the refundable rate was not showing as an option any longer when using Firefox, but was still showing when using Chrome. Not it is not showing for either. At least from others comments here, I now know that it is something RCCL has done in an effort to make it even more inconvenient and hard to book a refundable cruise fare.

 

Pretty shady choice to not be forthcoming and offer two different tabs when starting the booking.

[Annefran]

Thanks for posting this question. I was just about to ask the same thing.

 

 

 

I noticed about a week ago that the refundable rate was not showing as an option any longer when using Firefox, but was still showing when using Chrome. Not it is not showing for either. At least from others comments here, I now know that it is something RCCL has done in an effort to make it even more inconvenient and hard to book a refundable cruise fare.

 

 

 

Pretty shady choice to not be forthcoming and offer two different tabs when starting the booking.

 

 

 

You’re very welcome. I have to agree that Royal is making it more difficult to book exactly what you want. It’s almost like they are being shady and devious. Thankfully those of us who are loyal to Royal, know when things aren’t right and where to go to ask the right questions. I feel for the newbies because they won’t know any better or what to ask. Let’s hope Royal reads our concerns here and makes it easier to book refundable vs. non-refundable deposits going forward, but doubt it.

 

On another subject; now you cannot update your gift preferences online in your C&A account anymore. You actually have to call them to change or update them. What a waste of time for agents. I think that was a dumb move on the IT department.

 

 

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[ReneeFLL]

I would bet they are either instructed not to mention refundable, and/or incented to book non-refundable.

 

You are probably right. I booked a cruise in a hurry on my phone 2 days ago. We always book refundable, but I almost decided to book nonrefundable. I was going to mention it to Mike to see what he thought, but he was busy talking with a friend so I decided to stick with the refundable. Thank goodness I did because I realized later that night that I was supposed to book the cruise for the next week. I called the next day and had the deposit transfered to the new cruise. During talking with the guy I had mentioned that we always book refundable even though this was the first time I ever screwed up like that. At the last minute before hanging up I decided to make sure that this one was also refundable. Low and behold it wasn't even after I had mentioned it several times. I was a bit annoyed because I then had to wait longer for him to correct it. Had I not thought about asking at the last minute I would have been stuck with a nonrefundable when I didn't choose it. They really should make it clear that one price is for nonrefundable and a different price for refundable. This way people will know what they are booking.