Non-Refundable Fares

[Merion_Mom]

2 hours ago, Ashland said:

Our booking on Harmony for 2020 was $200-$300 more per booking not pp...we've booked 3 JS's for 10 people.

 

Read Ken's post again, or read it in my quote.  😉 😄

[John&LaLa]

25 minutes ago, Nightnurse55 said:

That’s fine to be locked in if you know you can go. But what if there is an illness or a death? And the part that really bugs me is that not every cruise line does this. In fact I’m pretty sure RCL didn’t do this 5 years ago when we last booked with them. 

 

It's only been a couple years

[Ashland]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Read Ken's post again, or read it in my quote.  😉 😄

Confused......My point was our's was per booking not per person.

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, Merion_Mom said:

 

Read Ken's post again, or read it in my quote.  😉 😄

Yeah I had a typo in there.  Meant to say $100 to $200 per person.

[wwcruisers]

On 3/27/2019 at 9:19 PM, Nightnurse55 said:

No, there are 8 of us so everything from insides to balconies . I hate that RCL does this now. Another way to nickel and dime the customer. 🤬

 

As much as I too hate this new pricing policy, the reason for non-refundable fares popping up across the cruise industry can be laid squarely at the feet of us, the cruising public. Although my DH and I have only ever canceled twice, I've lost count of the folks (especially on roll-calls) who BRAG about having two or three cruises booked, for the same time slot. Then, right before final payment, they decide which (if any) of those cruises to take -- canceling the others for a complete refund of their deposit(s). While I'm rarely sympathetic to the plight of the big cruise lines, I can understand the position this put them in -- having to fill those cabins at the last minute. I also thought found that practice to be incredibly inconsiderate of fellow cruisers -- since these folks usually know what the best cabins are, and book them up as soon as they become available. So -- we really should have seen this one coming, IMHO. 😕

Edited March 29, 2019 by wwcruisers

[molly361]

15 minutes ago, wwcruisers said:

 

As much as I too hate this new pricing policy, the reason for non-refundable fares popping up across the cruise industry can be laid squarely at the feet of us, the cruising public. Although my DH and I have only ever canceled twice, I've lost count of the folks (especially on roll-calls) who BRAG about having two or three cruises booked, for the same time slot. Then, right before final payment, they decide which (if any) of those cruises to take -- canceling the others for a complete refund of their deposit(s). While I'm rarely sympathetic to the plight of the big cruise lines, I can understand the position this put them in -- having to fill those cabins at the last minute. I also thought found that practice to be incredibly inconsiderate of fellow cruisers -- since these folks usually know what the best cabins are, and book them up as soon as they become available. So -- we really should have seen this one coming, IMHO. 😕

People can still do that.  All they have to do is pay a little more and book refundable fares

[dacsmom]

I don't think of it as nickel and diming at all. It gives people a choice. 

[nightnurse]

Thanks everyone for your  input. I think my sister (our TA)has found a way to book us as a group with refundable deposits, the way it used to be done and still is by cruiselines like Celebrity, who we are sailing with again next month.

Although I hate to admit how old I am, I am from the era of appreciation in travel. When the customer came first and most, if not everything was included in the fare.

No extra parking fees, no resort fees, no luggage or seat fees, meals included etc. You get the point I’m sure. It’s not that way anymore and times have changed I know, but it has taken some of the enjoyment out of traveling for me, and I often miss the old days. Sigh. 🙁

Edited March 30, 2019 by nightnurse
Corrections

[Merion_Mom]

On 3/27/2019 at 11:42 PM, Nightnurse55 said:

We are looking at a cruise in March 2020 out of Miami for 7 days. RCI has a special on for a non-refundable fare at 30% off. I don’t want to book that far ahead and not be able to cancel if I need to. This is different from the way Celebrity does it where I can cancel up to so many days before the cruise and it is pro rated after that. Does any one have any advice on this? Can I book the non-refundable fare and get cancellation insurance if I need to get out of it?

 

You can cancel.  You simply forfeit $200.

[Nightnurse55]

Thanks Molly361. That is a good insight. I hadn’t thought of it that way. 

[SRF]

On 3/29/2019 at 3:14 PM, Nightnurse55 said:

That’s fine to be locked in if you know you can go. But what if there is an illness or a death? And the part that really bugs me is that not every cruise line does this. In fact I’m pretty sure RCL didn’t do this 5 years ago when we last booked with them. 

 

It is only $100 of the deposit that is totally non-refundable.

 

After final payment, the same rules apply as any other booking.

[SRF]

20 hours ago, molly361 said:

People can still do that.  All they have to do is pay a little more and book refundable fares

 

Except for full suites.

 

But then, they have more money tied up.

 

It has only been in place a couple of years, if it working, it will continue, if it does, they will stop doing it.

 

By working, that could be reducing cancellations OR increasing revenue overall.

[BrandFam4]

On 3/29/2019 at 1:42 PM, Host Clarea said:

 

Was that a guarantee category or did you pick a specific stateroom?

We picked the room. But this was also the one where adding the non-refundable option was only $56.

[Clarea]

28 minutes ago, BrandFam4 said:

We picked the room. But this was also the one where adding the non-refundable option was only $56.

 

Thanks for the update.  I'm thinking that as time goes on, the opportunities for getting a refundable deposit booking will be fewer and fewer.