what is this -- Non Refundable pricing?

[igar39]

Just got quote from our TA and she said the price is non refundable.  I do not remember receiving this notice ever before when we checked pricing with her.

We would be purchasing travel insurance.  Husband doesn't want to book now.  Any advice regarding going ahead and booking with a non refundable  price?  I remember reading some posts about non refundable posts but do not know how to find them.  What to do?

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Only book non refundable if you are totally satisfied with the price and it won’t bother you if the price drops later.  You cannot expect any adjustment, OBC as compensation, or anything whatsoever in the event that the fare goes down later, if you buy a non refundable fare.

[canadianbear]

We booked the non refundable only when we had insurance and were going within a couple months.  Can you ask what the refundable fare would be?  

[jb008]

If the price is right on the non-refundable fare, consider adding cancel for any reason coverage on your travel insurance.  You'll pay a little more for the CFAR option, but it'll leave more wiggle room and still may be a major cost savings when combined with the NR fare.  I think some of the discount fares, like resident rates, will also book as non-refundable so that may be why you're getting that fare restriction tacked on?  Group bookings (like what some agencies will negotiate to offer better rates) can also be NR fares.

 

Also as was mentioned, make sure you're willing to pay the sticker price; very unlikely you'll be able to take advantage of any price drops if they happen.  Albeit on another line, I've had success upgrading on an NR fare to a better cabin with a small price increase since the lines are generally very happy to take more of your money.

 

I personally wouldn't automatically be afraid of an NR fare if you're carrying travel insurance and are comfortable with both the price and the travel dates.  And we've booked a few cruises after final payment where they were already NR fares... ymmv

Edited January 8, 2019 by jb008

[mcrcruiser]

Non Refundable fares is a new marketing  idea for the cruise lines  so they know what cabins are generally open for sale as  refundable & to have less people cancelling before final payment . Imo not a good idea .These non refundable is a recent  marketing tool 

 

 We carry the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card & one of the prime benefits is free trip cancellation & free trip interruption & free baggage insurance up to $10000 each person  as long as that is the credit card used . We encourage people to check out this credit card . I am 80 yrs young & it saves me thousands in Insurance cost ;because at 70 years of age the insurance can be 10 to 12 % of the trip cost  .There are also rebates of $500 & leaving that there with chase for future travel gets a 25% bonus or $625 in travel dollars .There are other perks that are valuable for travelers as well . Imo a worthwhile exploration of that credit card  .earns 2 points per dollar .Great card in my wallet .Very Very happy with it & Chase service

Edited January 8, 2019 by mcrcruiser

[AtlantaCruiser72]

With the HAL non-refundable rates ANY change - price drop, new promo, room # change, cabin category change, etc can result in full forfeiture of all monies paid. 

 

They typically offer two types of advance booking non-refundable rates - Non-refundable deposit is available on almost all sailings outside final payment, and on selected sailings and categories they offer a pay in full, deeper discount fully non-refundable fare.  Sometimes the promotional offer they are running may require paying a reduced, non-refundable fare as well.

 

If the booking is within the final payment/standard penalty window for the particular sailing HAL may also offer a Flash Fare that is 100% non-refundable.

 

HAL CPP & Platinum CPP can ONLY be added at time of initial payment. 

 

Travel agent promotional group fares almost always have a refundable deposit, unless booking within the standard penalty period.  Promotional group rates typically do not combine with any other promotional offers or reduced deposit offers.

 

Except for NCL the other mainstream lines like Princess, Carnival, Royal and Celebrity all have fares or offers that also require non-refundable deposits.

[Krazy Kruizers]

There is no way we would book a cruise with a non refundable price.

 

Ask your TA to get a refundable price for you.  It will be higher but you are safe if you have to cancel.

[Djptcp]

I book Carnival cruises all the time at casino rates and the $198 deposits are non-refundable. I've had to change cruises several times and when I have, I receive a form to put the cancelled cruise information along with the new booking. $98 of the non-refundable deposit from the cancelled cruise is then credited to my new booking. I have two years to do this, but normally I have booked something right away. I recently booked a HAL casino cruise rate and the whole fare was due at booking and non-refundable. I got a Neptune Suite for a song and we knew we would definitely be going on the cruise so didn't mind the non-refundable aspect. I would not do it, however, for just any old cruise without a huge discount. Royal Caribbean does the same thing, so it looks like the non-refundable rates are here to stay.

[igar39]

Thanks for all the information. Just emailed our TA and said we would wait until price drops so can take advantage of those.  Hope there are some.  Looking at March cruises on Zuiderdam which we've sailed and enjoyed.  Also, the Koningsdam which we have not sailed and have reservations about going on it. 

[EbayCruiser]

We just booked the non-refundable fare, price was too good to pass up, but we added the platinum insurance and we can still cancel if need be and get a 90% refund (minus insurance of course).

 

Our cruise is in March, too, which is within the final payment window.

[IPB4IGO]

As mcrcruiser said, check the credit card you are using to book the cruise.

 

Our plain old Costco Citi Visa card includes coverage that would fully reimburse us for our fares if we cancel for any of the reasons that would cause us to cancel: health issues, death of anyone in our immediate family (not only the two of us who are cruising), if "the Covered Traveler’s Family Member, not traveling on the Trip, has an injury or illness that is either life threatening or requires care from the Covered Traveler(s) and is verified by a licensed medical practitioner", even a sick pet!

[zqvol]

3 hours ago, igar39 said:

Thanks for all the information. Just emailed our TA and said we would wait until price drops so can take advantage of those.  Hope there are some.  Looking at March cruises on Zuiderdam which we've sailed and enjoyed.  Also, the Koningsdam which we have not sailed and have reservations about going on it. 

 

I don't know when in March you are looking but that is prime spring break time in the US, and since the ship is sailing out of FLL then, I would expect price increases instead of price drops, especially considering that you are very close to, if not already past the date for final payment.

[JR42]

21 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Non Refundable fares is a new marketing  idea for the cruise lines  so they know what cabins are generally open for sale as  refundable & to have less people cancelling before final payment . Imo not a good idea .These non refundable is a recent  marketing tool 

 

 We carry the Chase Sapphire Preferred credit card & one of the prime benefits is free trip cancellation & free trip interruption & free baggage insurance up to $10000 each person  as long as that is the credit card used . We encourage people to check out this credit card . I am 80 yrs young & it saves me thousands in Insurance cost ;because at 70 years of age the insurance can be 10 to 12 % of the trip cost  .There are also rebates of $500 & leaving that there with chase for future travel gets a 25% bonus or $625 in travel dollars .There are other perks that are valuable for travelers as well . Imo a worthwhile exploration of that credit card  .earns 2 points per dollar .Great card in my wallet .Very Very happy with it & Chase service

I checked out the Chase Sapphire Preferred card for trip cancellation insurance  but they do not cover pre-existing conditions.

 

Janet

[Tampa Girl]

On 1/8/2019 at 2:12 AM, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

HAL CPP & Platinum CPP can ONLY be added at time of initial payment. 

 

 

Unless that has changed within the last three months or you are referring solely to non-refundable deposits, this statement is not correct.  HAL's CPP policies must be purchased by time of final payment, not at the time of initial payment.  That is what makes it so advantageous over the travel insurance cancellations plans, which must be purchased within so many days of initial deposit.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

8 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

Unless that has changed within the last three months or you are referring solely to non-refundable deposits, this statement is not correct.  HAL's CPP policies must be purchased by time of final payment, not at the time of initial payment.  That is what makes it so advantageous over the travel insurance cancellations plans, which must be purchased within so many days of initial deposit.

 

I was referring solely to non-refundable deposit fares, bookings made within the penalty period, or the early saving pay in full non refundable fares, perhaps my previous post was not clear in that is what I was referring to.

[Randyk47]

On the surface both non-refundable deposits or fares scare me.   We plan the heck out of our cruises.   Part of that is our nature and part of it is necessary due to still working.   Luckily, at least in the past, health and age has not been a big consideration though that’s starting to creep into our research and planning.   Bottom line is we now insure all of our cruises and have added the cancel for any reason option.   Makes non-refundable options a little more palatable but we’re still not totally comfortable with those.  

[I Luv Crusin]

I booked a non-refundable fare with my TA for our Boston-Montreal cruise last fall.  I booked it a year-plus in advance and purchased insurance to cover us in case we had to cancel.

 

A bit out from our cruise I noticed fares were much better so I called my TA.  I was offered an upgraded cabin and a drink OBC or two specialty restaurant meals.  We took the upgraded cabin.  

 

In the future I may not be planning cruises so far in advance.  After our Feb. cruise we won't be cruising again until we can pay cash!

[Curly-Q]

I strongly disagree with this marketing ploy and believe, in time, it will come back and bite the cruise lines in the you-know-where!  I'm thinking the next generation of cruising Millennials don't like pre-planning or losing money....

[iancal]

Non refundable?  Only if we are buying inside the final payment window.  Or if the price is exceptional...which it probably is not.

 

Cruise lines want to lock you in reduce cancellations and re-faring.  To date, we have not seen any discounts that would make us consider the option.

[cruiserchuck]

6 hours ago, Curly-Q said:

I strongly disagree with this marketing ploy and believe, in time, it will come back and bite the cruise lines in the you-know-where!  I'm thinking the next generation of cruising Millennials don't like pre-planning or losing money....

 

On some upcoming cruises that I was looking at, HAL is offering much lower rates with a non-refundable deposit.  The cruises are already in the final payment period, so the deposit is not refundable anyway.  It seems like a no-brainer to take the discount and go with the non-refundable deposit.  

[Oceansaway17]

replying to Curly Q  - not sure why I could not hit a button on that section to reply. 

 

Well us Boomers don't like it either.  Back in 2017 I had a deposit on a cruise that was REFUNDABLE.

Then in early 2018 during the time that HAL was doing something special with promos that required all new bookings to be paid in full.

 

During that time I made a change to my reservation and was never TOLD it would switch deposit to NON refundable.

Apparently unlike other cruise lines, HAL for any changes will create a new BOOKING NUMBER.  Then one gets caught  in the web of new rules and promos.  Then later in year I made another change from Alaska to Baltic area because of the earthquake in Alaska and possible infrastructure issues.  At that time I was told I could only move my interior room to a full blown fancy balcony.  They would not accept anything less for a change.  Fascinating crap................

So fast forward a few months to yesterday, I decided to try my luck and call.  Nope they won't budge or accommodate me at all.  I wanted to get an interior room back.  They told me I could not get another cruise or even get a lesser room.  They just don't want to deal with solo traveler nor do they want to extend any goodwill to me even though I had been on 4 cruises with HAL already.

In a nutshell, they have longer cruises to avoid kids, they are doing things with deposits that are sneaky, and they were willing to lose my business forever.

 

Disney, Princess, NCL and Celebrity will work with you.  Also they are good about giving deposits back.  Now - more and more lines are doing both refundable and non.  But if one starts off with a refundable, it should flow through changes and remain a refundable.  HAL did not want to hear that I was not verbally told in 2017 and only discovered when I got email with update.

 

 oh well.  Plenty of other cruise lines.  I have been on 26 cruise with 7 different lines, and NEVER had a problem resolving changes or other issues.   HAL wants rich couples without kids.

Anyone else can just go away.  And so I will forever.   Besides their new ship is ugly.........

[iancal]

Cruises booked in the final payment window require immediate and full non refundable payment.  Depending on the cruise they are 90 to 75 days out.  We usually book anywhere from 45 days out to 3 days out.  

[CruisinNana]

I know this is an old topic, but I have a question about non-refundable deposits that I cannot find the answer to in research.

If you have a non-reundable deposit rate, can you:

    Purchase a drink package?

    Purchase  Club Orange and if yes, where do you find the price for a 14 day sailing.

 

[Cruise Suzy]

2 minutes ago, CruisinNana said:

If you have a non-reundable deposit rate, can you:

    Purchase a drink package?

    Purchase  Club Orange and if yes, where do you find the price for a 14 day sailing.

 

Yes, you can purchase a drink package.

 

The Club Orange price seems to vary depending on length of cruise and sometimes ship. You have to call to get rate and purchase. The numbers I have seen to do this are (206) 626-7381 and (888) 628-8107.

[CruisinNana]

7 minutes ago, Cruise Suzy said:

 

Yes, you can purchase a drink package.

 

The Club Orange price seems to vary depending on length of cruise and sometimes ship. You have to call to get rate and purchase. The numbers I have seen to do this are (206) 626-7381 and (888) 628-8107.

Thank you so much for the excellent information!