Is Non-refundable deposit returned on cancelled cruise?

[zeke81]

Our cruise has been cancelled because of virus -- will we get back the non-refundable deposit if we ask for a refund?

[omeinv]

Yes.  Assuming you mean the cruise line cancelled it, and not that you cancelled it before the cruise was cancelled. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[upwarduk]

I have been told FCC and I cancelled our cruise when a doctors letter was still required on embarkation for the over 70’s.

I have asked for a refund, as I doubt we will cruise until a vaccine  is available, but I was told that our booking is not eligible( made in UK where deposits have never been refundable, due to our T&C).

[fizzy1]

I have been told FCC and I cancelled our cruise when a doctors letter was still required on embarkation for the over 70’s.
I have asked for a refund, as I doubt we will cruise until a vaccine  is available, but I was told that our booking is not eligible( made in UK where deposits have never been refundable, due to our T&C).

Deposits are refundable in UK if cruise line cancels cruise


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[upwarduk]

3 minutes ago, fizzy1 said:

Deposits are refundable in UK if cruise line cancels cruise


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

But, I cancelled due the circumstances, under the ‘Cruise with Confidence’ programme.

It was then up to September 1st. 

I wouldn’t be any close to knowing whether our cruise would still be on, as it is still scheduled to  Southampton on August 1st.

[twins_to_alaska]

If Celebrity cancelled then you already had to have made final payment for the full amount. You'll get the full amount including the NRD part back if you ask for a refund.

 

[Sherman78]

Yes, our May 12th cruise was cancelled by Celebrity and we had a NRD. We requested a refund and received full refund, including NRD. 

[Shadow9612]

On 5/20/2020 at 11:01 PM, omeinv said:

Yes.  Assuming you mean the cruise line cancelled it, and not that you cancelled it before the cruise was cancelled. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

I know this has been discussed on various threads, but I still feel the need to vent  🤨

 

I don't feel it's fair given the current climate/pandemic.  

 

I canceled a July cruise with a NRD before final payment date. I didn't want to tie up money that I don't have right now by making the final payment (my income has substantially decreased due to covid) and then wait for a refund to get back the NRD when celebrity canceled the cruise.

 

I understand those are the rules under normal circumstances, but given the pandemic, I think NRDs should be refunded if Celebrity cancels the cruise regardless of whether the person canceled first.  This unfairness is compounded by the fact that Celebrity is waiting until after final payment to cancel (in many cases).

 

just my opinion.

[omeinv]

1 minute ago, Shadow9612 said:

I know this has been discussed on various threads, but I still feel the need to vent  🤨

 

I don't feel it's fair given the current climate/pandemic.  

 

I canceled a July cruise with a NRD before final payment date. I didn't want to tie up money that I don't have right now by making the final payment (my income has substantially decreased due to covid) and then wait for a refund to get back the NRD when celebrity canceled the cruise.

 

I understand those are the rules under normal circumstances, but given the pandemic, I think NRDs should be refunded if Celebrity cancels the cruise regardless of whether the person canceled first.  This unfairness is compounded by the fact that Celebrity is waiting until after final payment to cancel (in many cases).

 

just my opinion.

I totally get your point.  Alas, when many of us (certainly I did) booked non-refundable deposit bookings, we undertook it based on our experiences with what could possibly happen.   I know that my history was that I can't recall the last time I cancelled a cruise, and I figured - at worst - I'd move a booking, so I'd effectively lose no more than $100.00 per person. 

 

Now comes COVID-19, and many people who could not have foreseen cancelling, are now in a position to do just that, and a sizable sub-set of that group does not foresee cruising again, and thus feels the future cruise certificate for the remainder of the deposit is not useful to them.  Again, your point is quite valid. 

 

However, I would not say that unforeseen equals unfair.  It would be nice if Celebrity allowed for cash refunds in this instance, but I suspect they feel the "Cruise With Confidence" offer, allowing for future cruise credit if a customer decides to cancel is already more than fair, and objectively I would agree.  Subjectively of course it's easier for me than you to have that attitude, as I'm not out $200.00 cash, and the remainder of a deposit in a future cruise certificate you likely don't value as you once would have. 

 

Compared to other travel providers, the cruise lines are actually doing pretty well by customers.  I have a dive trip to a reputable resort in the Cayman Islands that was scheduled for May, then rescheduled to August, and now has been cancelled altogether.  The only thing the resort is offering is a credit of the amount paid (100%) toward an eventual trip.  The reality is, if this place refunded everyone's money ( or even started down a list of refunds) they'd be bankrupt immediately.  So here I sit with a couple thousand dollars tied up, and with a resort that's likely far more precariously financed than the cruise lines.  My point isn't to compare woes, but that while your situation is unfortunate, and your angst completely understandable, it's also imminently "fair".  Too fair I'm afraid.  You are being held to the terms of the deal you made, when no one had any idea how the world would change.  You acted fairly, Celebrity acted fairly; but we're back to the old adage:

 

Life ain't fair.

 

I wish it weren't so, but here we are. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

 

 

[NantahalaCruiser]

23 minutes ago, Shadow9612 said:

I know this has been discussed on various threads, but I still feel the need to vent  🤨

 

I don't feel it's fair given the current climate/pandemic.  

 

I canceled a July cruise with a NRD before final payment date. I didn't want to tie up money that I don't have right now by making the final payment (my income has substantially decreased due to covid) and then wait for a refund to get back the NRD when celebrity canceled the cruise.

 

I understand those are the rules under normal circumstances, but given the pandemic, I think NRDs should be refunded if Celebrity cancels the cruise regardless of whether the person canceled first.  This unfairness is compounded by the fact that Celebrity is waiting until after final payment to cancel (in many cases).

 

just my opinion.

There is much unfairness being shared by both cruise lines and their customers (not to mention the thousands of people dying.)

 

Under normal rules, when you canceled your cruise you would have lost your NRD without any compensation. But given the pandemic Celebrity instead is giving you a future cruise credit rather than nothing at all. You may not view that as fair, but nor does Celebrity see losing millions of dollars every month fair. Just as you did not have sufficient cash to pay your final payment and wait for a much later full refund when Celebrity cancels your cruise, Celebrity does not have sufficient cash to even consider refunding your NRD in cash at this time.

 

By the way, I also cancelled a July cruise prior to final payment and am pleased that I at least will be receiving FCC rather than nothing!

[omeinv]

43 minutes ago, Shadow9612 said:

I know this has been discussed on various threads, but I still feel the need to vent  🤨

 

I don't feel it's fair given the current climate/pandemic.  

 

I canceled a July cruise with a NRD before final payment date. I didn't want to tie up money that I don't have right now by making the final payment (my income has substantially decreased due to covid) and then wait for a refund to get back the NRD when celebrity canceled the cruise.

 

I understand those are the rules under normal circumstances, but given the pandemic, I think NRDs should be refunded if Celebrity cancels the cruise regardless of whether the person canceled first.  This unfairness is compounded by the fact that Celebrity is waiting until after final payment to cancel (in many cases).

 

just my opinion.

Something else occurs to me.  It's a long shot, but it might be something that could help. 

 

Depending on the itinerary of your cancelled cruise, it may not have been possible for it to proceed.  For example, if it was scheduled to sail from a US port, prior to the date the CDC order expired (July 24, 2020 I believe).  If that's the case, many credit cards offer a travel insurance benefit.  At least here in the US this is particularly true of the premium cards.  For instance I have a Chase Sapphire Reserve card that offers very good travel insurance coverage.  Now, if you cancelled based upon what's referred to as general disinclination to travel (e.g fear of contracting COVID) you'd be out of luck.  But, if you could show that - while Celebrity had not specifically cancelled the cruise - the actions of the US Government (or perhaps another country's depending on your cruise) effectively cancelled it; you MIGHT have a claim.  You would be able to demonstrate that if you continued with the final payment you'd be putting additional insured money at risk, and that's a fairly well established doctrine in the insurance field: one should reduce or prevent further risk. 

 

It's a bit of a long shot, especially since it's based on an "if" (you have a card with insurance), followed by another "if" (your itinerary falls into the criteria where you could argue it could not go forward), compounded by a "maybe" (you can provide documentation of all this above, and convince the carrier of a valid claim) but I'd say it's got a better chance of success than other avenues I've heard discussed. 

 

EDIT:

 

After typing all this I looked at your signature, and see you were apparently booked on a Millennium  Alaska Cruise sailing July 24.  It seems to me that date falls within the CDC order, and on top of that It would but the US and Canadian Governments to open up currently closed ports.  If you had any travel insurance coverage, I'd certainly try the gambit that not putting further money at risk was prudent, and thus you should be covered.  It's certainly not a sure thing, but it's got some merit.  Of course if you're successful, you'd have to forfeit any future cruise certificate you received from Celebrity.  Although it would have no value to the insurance carrier, they'd insist you don't get compensated twice. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Edited May 22, 2020 by omeinv
Make it longer and more confusing

[fizzy1]

If Celebrity cancelled then you already had to have made final payment for the full amount. You'll get the full amount including the NRD part back if you ask for a refund.
 

Agree


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Virgo61]

I cancelled a June cruise a few days before final payment. We had booked 3 cabins because we were treating our daughters and families to the trip to celebrate our 50th anniversary. All payments including for massages, shore excursions etc. were returned to the credit card used to pay for them, namely ours. However $1000 of future cruise credits are in the names of our children. I’m not sure that we will ever convince them to get on a cruise ship. We’ve applied our $500 to a June 2021 cruise.