Cancellation Options

[superduper123]

I want to make sure I understand the policy correctly in order to choose the best option for my Nov 28 cruise:

 

1. Wait for Royal to announce cancellation. Then I have the option for a refund, or FCC.

2. Cancel now and my only option is FCC. (no refund)

3. Lift and Shift to same itinerary next year.

 

I much prefer to receive a refund vs FCC, however final payment is due Aug 30. I am not optimistic cruises will resume by November, and I'm also not excited about having to make final payment, and then wait weeks /months to get my money back.  Do I understand the options correctly? Am I overlooking anything? 

[molly361]

If you have e refundable rate you can cancel now for a full refund or you y lift and switch

[twins_to_alaska]

If nonrefundable those are your options.

[Noreen411]

Hi

 

You can also move your deposit to any cruise of your choice paying current rates. They will waive the non refundable penalty.   You won’t have to pay final payment until whenever the final payment date for the new cruise is.

 

This way you aren’t limited to the lift and shift options.  The downside is you are not price protected.  This gives you more flexibility.

 

Noreen

[CruisinNole]

8 minutes ago, Noreen411 said:

Hi

 

You can also move your deposit to any cruise of your choice paying current rates. They will waive the non refundable penalty.   You won’t have to pay final payment until whenever the final payment date for the new cruise is.

 

This way you aren’t limited to the lift and shift options.  The downside is you are not price protected.  This gives you more flexibility.

 

Noreen

We chose this option for our 14 November 2020 cruise. We couldn't find an acceptable cruise to L&S so we moved our nonrefundable deposit to a cruise in November 2021. It's shorter than our 2020 cruise and more expensive but we figure we have over a year to hopefully get a price reduction. We received a refund for an April cruise cancelled by Royal Caribbean. It was not a positive or easy experience and we decided not to go through that again. If we have any doubts about our upcoming cruises, we're not going to make final payments.

 

[Sunshine3601]

As of right now, the lift and shift is available till August 1st.    So if you wish to proceed with L & S you will need to do that soon.    If you prefer full refund of monies paid to date, you can wait till August 30th and see if your cruise is cancelled; however, most cancelled cruises have been less than 90-days (usually 30 to 60 days).   Or like others have said you can move your deposit to a different future cruise.   Good luck!

[pstone1]

Can you cancel one reservation and move your deposit to a different existing reservation?

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, pstone1 said:

Can you cancel one reservation and move your deposit to a different existing reservation?

Yes

[pstone1]

8 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes

Thanks Ken!  Sadly, I’m afraid I’ll have to make lots of changes in the next couple of weeks.  We have at least a dozen cruises that are unlikely to sail.

[molly361]

9 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

YesQ : How are Non-Refundable Deposit bookings impacted by this policy update?
A : Non-Refundable Deposits that were booked on or before August 1st, 2020 and are sailing on-or-before April 30th, 2022 are eligible for the Cruise with Confidence Policy and follow the same guidelines. Prior to the Final Payment deadline, guests with a Non-Refundable Deposit bookings that wish to change to a different ship or sail date can do so with no fee assessed prior to August 1, 2020 - the change fee will be waived.

If it's non refundable that has to be done prior to 8/1 right?  

 

[Ourusualbeach]

5 minutes ago, molly361 said:

If it's non refundable that has to be done prior to 8/1 right?  

 

Yes, assuming that they don’t extend the CWC.

[molly361]

15 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Yes, assuming that they don’t extend the CWC.

Thanks  - I'm getting confused (easy for me to do)  I thought CWC will still be around until April 2022 except only for bookings made prior to August 1.  Such as if anyone needs to cancel a booking in 2021 as long as it was made prior to August 1 they can still do so and get a FCC no penalties.    Only parts of CWC expire, such as L and S  and transferring a deposit.   Is that correct?

Edited July 18, 2020 by molly361

[Ourusualbeach]

13 minutes ago, molly361 said:

Thanks  - I'm getting confused (easy for me to do)  I thought CWC will still be around until April 2022 except only for bookings made prior to August 1.  Such as if anyone needs to cancel a booking in 2021 as long as it was made prior to August 1 they can still do so and get a FCC no penalties.    Only parts of CWC expire, such as L and S  and transferring a deposit.   Is that correct?

As it stands now bookings made prior to Aug 1 will still be eligible for the price protection and cancel up to 48 hours prior to date of departure and get a 100% FCC.  The moving of a deposit may remain as that was really just an extension of the  FCC speeding things up.  The lift and shift will disappear unless they extend it. 

[kadedid]

I'm in the same "boat" (pun intended).  Does L & S have to be the same ship?  Current reservation is 11/15/2020 on Oasis Neighborhood Balcony, 7 day, Eastern & Perfect Day.  Can I L & S to 11/13/2021 on Symphony, 7 day, Eastern & Perfect Day?

[Ourusualbeach]

12 minutes ago, kadedid said:

I'm in the same "boat" (pun intended).  Does L & S have to be the same ship?  Current reservation is 11/15/2020 on Oasis Neighborhood Balcony, 7 day, Eastern & Perfect Day.  Can I L & S to 11/13/2021 on Symphony, 7 day, Eastern & Perfect Day?

Yes that shift is acceptable. 

[kadedid]

Ken - Thank you so much for your help.  

[DrDani226]

This is the closest to my question I could find, so I hope you don’t mind me asking for further clarification, OP. Our sailing is 11-19-20 (non refundable deposit). There are 4 of us. So if I opt for a FCC prior to final payment, each of us would get $250 FCC per person, correct? When does that need to be used by? TY!

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, DrDani226 said:

This is the closest to my question I could find, so I hope you don’t mind me asking for further clarification, OP. Our sailing is 11-19-20 (non refundable deposit). There are 4 of us. So if I opt for a FCC prior to final payment, each of us would get $250 FCC per person, correct? When does that need to be used by? TY!

It needs to be applied by and sailed by Dec 31, 2021

[bigrednole]

We are in the same situation. However, I am already paid in full. The ultimate issue for us is the cost of cruising when we can next go. RCL has priced us out of cruising with them. We are booked over Thanksgiving week now. Our next opportunity is over Easter. HotS is 50% dropping from a Balcony room to an Interior room. Going to OotS will be about the same price with 125% FCC. However, we would need ~$1,000 in flights to get there. The final option is to drop from Oasis class to the Explorer OTS. The advantage of that cruise are the ports and times at ports. The cost of that cruise along with $1,000 in flights is almost what we are in for on HotS now. I just can't grasp having to drop to a lower ship and one that has missed it's refurbishment and won't be for the time we can cruise.

 

With all that said, I am left to explore other options on other cruise lines. Carnival Breeze has a nice opportunity which would wind up being $500 less than we are paying now if I take a full refund when they cancel. I think if I cancel with CWC I only get FCC. So, it is possible these prices go up over the next 3 months while I sit in limbo. NCL has a few options that are about equal money as well. Mardi Gras would be even money on a refund, but not really sold on the itinerary yet. 

Edited July 21, 2020 by bigrednole

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, bigrednole said:

So, it is possible these prices go up over the next 3 months while I sit in limbo.

And they could also go down. Take the refund when the cancellation comes and rest easier with the money in your bank account and not RCG.

[Ourusualbeach]

3 hours ago, bigrednole said:

We are in the same situation. However, I am already paid in full. The ultimate issue for us is the cost of cruising when we can next go. RCL has priced us out of cruising with them. We are booked over Thanksgiving week now. Our next opportunity is over Easter. HotS is 50% dropping from a Balcony room to an Interior room. Going to OotS will be about the same price with 125% FCC. However, we would need ~$1,000 in flights to get there. The final option is to drop from Oasis class to the Explorer OTS. The advantage of that cruise are the ports and times at ports. The cost of that cruise along with $1,000 in flights is almost what we are in for on HotS now. I just can't grasp having to drop to a lower ship and one that has missed it's refurbishment and won't be for the time we can cruise.

 

With all that said, I am left to explore other options on other cruise lines. Carnival Breeze has a nice opportunity which would wind up being $500 less than we are paying now if I take a full refund when they cancel. I think if I cancel with CWC I only get FCC. So, it is possible these prices go up over the next 3 months while I sit in limbo. NCL has a few options that are about equal money as well. Mardi Gras would be even money on a refund, but not really sold on the itinerary yet. 

You are before final payment so even though you paid in full you can cancel and get a cash refund for most of the cruise.  If you had a refundable deposit it would be for all of your cruise, if you had a non refundable deposit you would get a FCC for your deposit and cash for the extra that you paid.

 

you could also do a lift and shift now to next Thanksgiving...price protected.

 

or wait and if the cruise line cancels then get a refund

[bigrednole]

2 hours ago, Biker19 said:

And they could also go down. Take the refund when the cancellation comes and rest easier with the money in your bank account and not RCG.

The prices of cruises will not go down when they start. I am expecting cruising may start around March for Spring Break crowds which will be 12 months of shutdown. With reduced capacity to start, I think cabins will be at a premium. They are up 50% in the last 2-3 weeks when we can go in March.

[zebra36]

I would not part with any more $'s and if possible(sounds as though it is) transfer your deposits to a cruise as far out as possible that works for you. Good luck!

[cruisefoodie1946]

I have a deposit for a cruise on Dec 23,2020,can I apply for a FCC of that deposit after august 1, or do I have to apply before 

august 1

[Ourusualbeach]

3 hours ago, cruisefoodie1946 said:

I have a deposit for a cruise on Dec 23,2020,can I apply for a FCC of that deposit after august 1, or do I have to apply before 

august 1

Anytime up until final payment is fine.