American cruise line cancellation policy

[Ed the sailor man]

Anyone aware if American Cruise line is extending its cancellation policy for cruises to Washington and Oregon?   Many cruise lines are doing this to allow passengers to monitor Coronavirus outbreak  rather than canceling.   Right now I would wait to cancel but if it approaches my cancellation date and they have not extended I feel I would have to Cancel.

 

Any input?

[ortleybeachgirl]

Google their new Cruise with Comfort policy. You can postpone cruises booked through June 2020.

[BaumD]

If you opt-into their new cancellation policy, you will get a voucher for a future cruise if YOU decide to cancel and you will get a voucher for a future cruise if ACL decides to cancel or “postpone” your cruise.  If you DON’T opt-in to the new policy, and you cancel your cruise within 45 days of sailing, you lose 100% of your money. If ACL cancels the cruise, you get your money back per the old contract terms. Here’s the question. Understand ACL has “postponed” all cruises thru April 10th. If you are under the old cancellation policy, does that mean if they postpone it, they will give you a voucher instead of a refund. So, is ACL postponing different from ACL cancelling a cruise?

 

Anyone on a cruise between now and April 10th?  What happened between you and ACL?

Edited March 16, 2020 by BaumD

[DaveinCharlotte]

From ACL's website:  

 

"The spread of COVID-19 has necessitated that we suspend cruises departing from March 14 through April 19, 2020. Guests who are booked on cruises with embarkation dates from March 14, 2020 through April 19, 2020 will receive their choice of Cruise Vouchers equal to 125% of all amounts paid for their Cruise Package, or a full money-back refund. Cruise Vouchers can be applied to any future 2020 or 2021 Cruise Package."

 

[Izena]

My cruise is April 22, Puget Sound.   My travel advisor recommended to wait and let ACL  , cancel.    It is hard to just wait but that is all we can do.  I’m in Texas and corona seems to be hitting it’s peak.   Just stay healthy that’s all that is important at this time.

[Izena]

On 3/20/2020 at 9:44 PM, Izena said:

My cruise is April 22, Puget Sound.   My travel advisor recommended to wait and let ACL  , cancel.    It is hard to just wait but that is all we can do.  I’m in Texas and corona seems to be hitting it’s peak.   Just stay healthy that’s all that is important at this time.

Update I received call from ACL today.   My cruise has been postponed.   I was provided generous options of which I can think about before my decision.   My travel advisor was correct.  Her advise to wait until ACL  calls.    
 

[djp29]

On 3/20/2020 at 11:15 AM, DaveinCharlotte said:

From ACL's website:  

 

"The spread of COVID-19 has necessitated that we suspend cruises departing from March 14 through April 19, 2020. Guests who are booked on cruises with embarkation dates from March 14, 2020 through April 19, 2020 will receive their choice of Cruise Vouchers equal to 125% of all amounts paid for their Cruise Package, or a full money-back refund. Cruise Vouchers can be applied to any future 2020 or 2021 Cruise Package."

 

I have looked on their web site for this quote and cannot find it.  Can you send me a link? Thanks.

[DaveinCharlotte]

The link is right on ACL's main page.  Look for "Current Sailings Update"  (just underneath the larger "Your Upcoming Travel Has Flexibility - Cruise With Comfort" link).

[jebhoward3]

Has anyone had a cruise that was booked onboard (with discount and also taxes and fees waived) canceled by American Cruise Lines?  Did you rebook a cruise with them and if so did they offer any discounts such as when booking onboard?   We have an Alaskan Explorer cruise coming up on June 26th and really hoping it will happen as we do not need to go to any Canadian ports. 

[DaveinCharlotte]

On 4/26/2020 at 9:42 AM, jebhoward3 said:

Has anyone had a cruise that was booked onboard (with discount and also taxes and fees waived) canceled by American Cruise Lines?  We have an Alaskan Explorer cruise coming up on June 26th... 

 

We have a booked-on-board cruise coming up on July 31, and we too are wondering about this.  If our cruise is canceled, we'll try to book the same one next year -- and we sure don't want to lose that discount (when you include the waived fees and port charges, discount amounts to roughly 20%). If nobody else posts on this, and your cruise in fact gets canceled and you re-book, I hope you'll come back here and tell us what ACL did.

[BaumD]

Had an April 2020 cruise cancelled and received a voucher for 125% which we used to upgrade cabins for re-scheduled cruise in April 2021. Be careful about the "125%". Our Travel Agent handled the negotiation with ACL and the amount wasn't 125% of what we paid. Never got a clear understanding of what DIDN'T get 125%, but was probably related to TA commission, taxes or port fees or a combination of those three. Only got 100% of what they didn't include in the 125% voucher.

[pspindel]

Beware Alaska Dream Cruises and LiveAboard

 

There we were, two months before departure.  ADC and the Government telling us to "shelter in place, not to travel or cruise" and ADC suspending its spring sailings. We had to cancel our vacation plans. Under these pandemic conditions exceptions to normal payment/refund policy should change.

 

When we asked for a refund for a cruise that would not sail ADC offered a credit for a future cruise. We are in our late eighties. Who knows when, or if, we will be healthy enough for another vacation? We are in no position to make any reservations under current conditions and many forecast a return of the crono virus next year. An other option offered to us was to cancel our booking and receive the stated 45 day before departure (50%) refund. We raised the unfairness of this alternative and were told by LiveAboard, the agent representing ADC, that this was the policy of ADC management and its owners. After numerous attempts by our travel agent and calls to ADC management, “LiveAboard” offered us ADC’s published “early cancellation” fee $350 per person, then added an additional 3% fee for handling transaction. 

 

Others may have had great experiences on ADC ships and or booking through Liveaboard but keeping prepaid bookings under pandemic conditions is pure greed from two companies I would not recommend or support.

[jebhoward3]

The previous post about ADC and Liveaboard confuses me.  Does this have anything to do with American Cruise Line?

[pspindel]

No . . . This was Alaska Dream Cruise out of Sitka Alaska.

[DaveinCharlotte]

On 5/12/2020 at 10:07 AM, pspindel said:

No . . . This was Alaska Dream Cruise out of Sitka Alaska.

Since this forum is for American Cruise Lines, you might consider re-posting your comment in the Other Cruise Lines forum.  Better chance of getting a response there...

[DaveinCharlotte]

On 4/26/2020 at 9:42 AM, jebhoward3 said:

Has anyone had a cruise that was booked onboard (with discount and also taxes and fees waived) canceled by American Cruise Lines?  Did you rebook a cruise with them and if so did they offer any discounts such as when booking onboard?   We have an Alaskan Explorer cruise coming up on June 26th and really hoping it will happen as we do not need to go to any Canadian ports. 

 

Just got a call from ACL; our July 31 Complete Mississippi cruise has been canceled.  Rebooked the same cruise for 2021, and yes, they DID honor our on-board booking discount, allowing us to book the same cabin without having to pay anything extra.  Plus, the 125% offer allowed us to upgrade to a higher cabin.  We took the upgrade.