Hidden cancellation fee....

[aloha43]

I am not complaining because this was my mistake.  I take full responsibility....but I wanted to warn others who might not notice this when booking.

 

I booked a cruise through a cruises website last year because it was a no deposit offer.  By reading the "terms and conditions", I understood that there was a $24.99 non-refundable processing fee.

 

I just had to cancel my cruise and they charged me a $100 cancellation fee also.

 

Because I was unsure, I went back and did a mock booking.  I read the terms and conditions and there was no mention of it.  

 

In order to actually see that the fee is mentioned, one has to start the booking, read the terms, choose your room, add guest info and then right by where you add credit card info there is a blue hyperlink that says read terms.  If you don't click on this link, you would never know this fee exists.

I'm just warning others of how difficult it was to find.  You have to read the terms twice to see it.

 

It actually cost me $124.99 to cancel. 

 

The worst part is that I talked 2 more family members to book through them, so I will have to take the dive on the cancellation fees for them.

 

Live and learn....just be careful who gets your booking.

[vacationlover_mn]

Good to know, thx

[awestover89]

Yup, that's why I personally prefer smaller travel agencies I can get an actual relationship with. The first cruise we booked through one of the big name websites and in order to get the advertised special deal we had to call in, and they charged a "processing fee" for booking over the phone, and then a cancellation fee if we had to cancel, and a "repricing fee" if we ever called in for a discount on the cruise.

 

Travel agents can get some excellent perks and deals, but you have to be absolutely certain what their terms are.

[ldubs]

Thanks for the heads up.  I would likely have done the same thing and missed the fine print.  

[schmeed]

This is probably the Royal Caribbean $100 non-refundable deposit.  Not hidden.  Clearly published.

 

You should have a future cruise credit for the difference between the deposit you paid less the $100.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/booking-cancellation-refund-policy

Edited May 22, 2019 by schmeed

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for the heads up.

[Sunkissed Mommy]

3 hours ago, schmeed said:

This is probably the Royal Caribbean $100 non-refundable deposit.  Not hidden.  Clearly published.

 

You should have a future cruise credit for the difference between the deposit you paid less the $100.

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/booking-cancellation-refund-policy

 

If it's the website I am thinking of, it's not a Royal Caribbean non-refundable fee.  It's the agency.

There are a few "big" internet agencies out there they charge fees up the yingyang for every little thing.  I like to call them the Spirit Airlines of travel agencies.  Sure it's enticing to book with no deposit and the like, but go ahead and change something, move something etc, and you are smacked with a ton of fees! 

[awestover89]

4 minutes ago, Sunkissed Mommy said:

 

If it's the website I am thinking of, it's not a Royal Caribbean non-refundable fee.  It's the agency.

There are a few "big" internet agencies out there they charge fees up the yingyang for every little thing.  I like to call them the Spirit Airlines of travel agencies.  Sure it's enticing to book with no deposit and the like, but go ahead and change something, move something etc, and you are smacked with a ton of fees! 

 

That's a really good analogy. I think we're all thinking of the same website to be honest, although there are probably several that do this same thing

[aloha43]

This was not a Royal Caribbean "non-refundable" cancellation fee.  I selected to pay more for my room so it could be cancelled if need be.  I would have preferred to pay the entire deposit and book with Royal then what I just went through. 

 

Yes...it is a non Royal site, and very sneaky about it.

 

I just say be careful out there.