Full refunds now being offered as option for sailings booked through July 31

[OceanZena]

Just got this e mail today and as some of you know from my previous thread---i'm taking the refund and going to wait things out. I'm so glad they're finally doing something like this instead of us waiting for cancellations. Here's the full e mail I received this morning:

 

Dear Carnival Cruise Line Guest: As you know, the return of cruise operations in the U.S. is still not determined. While we await guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we continue to work on our plans and protocols, but we cannot provide our guests with a specific timetable.  Our operations are currently paused through April 30, 2021.  However, if you are booked on a departure through July 31, 2021 we are prepared to give you some options so you can choose what works best for you and your vacation plans. Option 1:  Maintain your existing reservation (including making any final payment that might come due) and automatically receive a US$100, per stateroom, onboard credit (OBC) should the cruise operate.  This is in addition to any other OBC currently on the booking.   If the cruise is eventually cancelled, and you haven’t already received our enhanced value offer, you will be entitled to what we have provided guests throughout this extended pause: a future cruise credit (FCC) for the full amount paid on your booking, PLUS a US$300, per stateroom, OBC (for cruises 5 days or less) or US$600, per stateroom, OBC (for cruises 6 days or more), as long as your FCC is used on a booking made by September 30, 2021 for a sailing departing by April 30, 2023.  At the time of the sailing cancellation, you will still have the option to receive a full refund.   If you choose this option, you do not have to take any action at this time.  We will continue to keep you informed of the status of your cruise.  Option 2:   If you are not comfortable waiting, you may cancel any time between now and March 31, 2021 and receive a full refund to your original form of payment.    If you booked with an FCC, you will receive a refund for any amount paid above the FCC.  You will retain the FCC (and the accompanying OBC) as long as your next cruise is booked by September 30, 2021 for a sailing departing by April 30, 2023.    Taxes, fees and port expenses, Carnival Vacation Protection, pre-paid gratuities, pre-purchased Carnival shore excursions, beverage and Wi-Fi packages, and Fun Shop purchases will also be automatically refunded to the original form of payment.   If the cruise is eventually cancelled, and your booking did not already have an FCC/OBC, you will not be eligible for the rebooking offer made to guests who remain on the sailing.   You may make this selection by using our online tool available here.  There is no need to call.  Our contact center continues to experience a high level of activity and calling will not expedite your refund. We appreciate your ongoing patience and support and look forward to welcoming you aboard a Carnival ship just as soon as possible. Sincerely,

Christine Duffy President, Carnival Cruise Line

Edited February 15, 2021 by OceanZena

[cmukid87]

Got the same.  I am 99.9% confident my May 2 sailing is going to be cancelled.  I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.  I don't want to tie up money for final payment when it's just going to get cancelled.  I also don't want to bail from the sailing because I want the opportunity to rebook with FCC.  What to do!

[OceanZena]

I felt the exact same way as you a few months ago which was why I chose rebooking with FCC then because I wanted to sail so badly and hoped for the best. But now my hope is waning and playing the rebooking/cancelling game for me is getting old. So for the time being I just want out and will closely watch how everything evolves.

 

After sailing finally resumes, i'll keep watch for a few months and if there's no major issues, then i'll jump back in and rebook. I can't wait until all this is a bad memory far into the past!

 

I have a question for others about refunds....When the deposit is paid with a debit from a now closed bank account, I assume Carnival will process the refund to that original form of payment and when the bank doesn't accept it, they'll just mail a check to my home address on file? That's what the latest IRS Stimulus did so I hope Carnival will do the same. It took an extra month with IRS so i'm hoping it will be the same with Carnival and not a long drawn out wait. 

[Jamesatgsu]

Writing on the wall. They absolutely should be able to sail before August at a reasonably safe level, but the CDC doesn't seem like it wants to do anything right now, and will likely wait until the vaccine is more widely distributed, and then still require test sailings and the same timeframe, which pushes us back to an August timeframe for restart.  At the pace we are going, vaccines should be open to pretty much every adult by the end of April.

[BoozinCroozin]

I got the same email. We are riding it out until cancelation. We would roll the deposit and OBC to our November cruise. Then, if November is canceled, we will roll the dice on a June/July 2022 cruise.

[FiremedicMike151]

Same email..

 

My final payment is due in two weeks, going to see if I can extend that.  

 

I will likely reschedule.. I don't have a hugely impactful amount of money tied up at the moment (other than airfare, which was a dumb purchase), so I'll just let it ride..

 

If I do reschedule, I think it'll be for May of 2022.. I'm done with this whole "will it happen, won't it happen" game.. 

 

 

[pamesacruisin]

57 minutes ago, cmukid87 said:

Got the same.  I am 99.9% confident my May 2 sailing is going to be cancelled.  I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.  I don't want to tie up money for final payment when it's just going to get cancelled.  I also don't want to bail from the sailing because I want the opportunity to rebook with FCC.  What to do!

It's crazy that your May 2nd sailing has not been officially cancelled.  It would be pretty much impossible for it to be a go.  I'm feeling the same way you are with our July 3rd cruise.  Do we bail now or hold off and use the FCC and keep the $600 obc?  No doubt the cruise would not be cancelled before final payment is due, but I don't want to tie up any more money.

[Linda the Book Lover]

We have two cruises booked. One the DS and DD are taking me on a cruise for my birthday and the other my DD and DGD are taking our summer trip. I told them I want to keep the money in. The birthday one my DS will be paying the final payment so it is truly up to him. The other one is my DD and I and I think she like me will decide to just go for it. I have imaged biting down on a Guy's burger too many times! 😉

[BoozinCroozin]

2 minutes ago, pamesacruisin said:

It's crazy that your May 2nd sailing has not been officially cancelled.  It would be pretty much impossible for it to be a go. 

Especially with NCL "unofficially" canceling May already. They haven't canceled, but you cannot book May any longer.

[Linda the Book Lover]

 Does anyone know the answer to this one - if you booked with a travel company on a cruise do you still have to rebook with them or can you take your FCC and book directly through Carnival? Thanks!

[dbrucern]

Yup received the same 5 notices this morning we have two booked May and July, thinking of rebooking May (it is out of California) and holding off on the July since it was an Elite cruise

[PFV]

I'm tired of this new game. I owe the balance of a May 10th cruise on 2-24-21.  I have only deposited $150.00.  I know this cruise will be cancelled, but I'm going to do it first.  I have had all rescheduled cruises cancelled so far.  Now I wonder about my 8 day on Carnival Magic on Nov. 20th?

 

I was speaking to my consultant at NCL and she told me that they are cancelling through July and hasn't been announced publicly yet.

[asalligo]

If you had told me before Covid that all cruises from the US would be cancelled and stay cancelled for over a year I would have laughed out loud at the prospect. Here we are looking at a possible 1.5 years closed. 

[BoozinCroozin]

15 minutes ago, PFV said:

Now I wonder about my 8 day on Carnival Magic on Nov. 20th?

I am on that one as well and hoping it goes. That is all we can do at this point. 

[VentureMan_2000]

1 hour ago, cmukid87 said:

Got the same.  I am 99.9% confident my May 2 sailing is going to be cancelled.  I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.  I don't want to tie up money for final payment when it's just going to get cancelled.  I also don't want to bail from the sailing because I want the opportunity to rebook with FCC.  What to do!

Call Carnival and get your final payment date moved out to Mid March... which is what I did for my May 8th cruise -- moved out to March 25.

[PFV]

BoozinCroozin, we'll have to have a drink if it sails!

[CruiseHealing]

This is Carnival setting up the ground rules for the protocols on starting up cruising. Once they announce the new rules to sail, be it May, June or any other month, you will know the rules if you want to cancels because the new protocols are too uncomfortable for you.  This way you can bail on your cruise and know the rules.  Very smart of Carnival to lay down the ground rules before the Protocol Announcement.  That will be coming soon.

[VentureMan_2000]

My Final payment date for my May 8 cruse is March 25 ( I had it pushed out from early February ).  I'm going to wait for the cruise to actually be cancelled.

My concern is getting a refund of my travel insurance ($175).  If I cancel the cruise, can I also get a refund on my travel insurance or am I out of luck on that refund since I'm the one who cancelled ?

[BoozinCroozin]

3 minutes ago, PFV said:

BoozinCroozin, we'll have to have a drink if it sails!

I will be having dozens that week 🙂 (responsibly) when it sails. Lots of time at the Red Frog Cantina, Alchemy Bar, and several other places.

[OceanZena]

3 minutes ago, CruiseHealing said:

This is Carnival setting up the ground rules for the protocols on starting up cruising. Once they announce the new rules to sail, be it May, June or any other month, you will know the rules if you want to cancels because the new protocols are too uncomfortable for you.  This way you can bail on your cruise and know the rules.  Very smart of Carnival to lay down the ground rules before the Protocol Announcement.  That will be coming soon.

That makes a lot of sense and I agree it's a smart thing to do. I wouldn't really mind the escorted only tours off ship, but it's the wearing of masks that makes me want to wait until (hopefully) this is all over. I'm glad they're giving us a choice to bail out if we don't feel comfortable with the new (and hopefully temporary) protocols. 

[RiotAct]

2 hours ago, cmukid87 said:

Got the same.  I am 99.9% confident my May 2 sailing is going to be cancelled.  I am stuck between a rock and a hard place.  I don't want to tie up money for final payment when it's just going to get cancelled.  I also don't want to bail from the sailing because I want the opportunity to rebook with FCC.  What to do!

quite honestly, I’d take the cash refund now.  Pinning your hopes on a nebulous “future state” might be foolish the way things have unfolded the past year.

[stellarose]

so should those for the fall be worried??

 

[embarkation75]

6 minutes ago, stellarose said:

so should those for the fall be worried??

 

Who knows anymore. I would be willing to bet some form of cruising will be ongoing in the fall from US ports but to what extent and where is a wild guess. I'd just toss your hopes toward 2022 at this stage as it appears the first half of 2021 will look like 2020 with the latter half of 2021 becoming a slow reintegration back to normal. 

[asalligo]

1 hour ago, stellarose said:

so should those for the fall be worried??

 

I am honestly concerned about even January 2022 at this point. No movement has happened on even one test cruise yet. I am starting to worry someone wants the US cruise industry dead. That is why I would love to see Carnival take hold of the Cozumel as a home cruise port idea. I think that the CDC would have internal pressure to get on the ball so to speak if it looked like Carnival might seriously take their ball and play elsewhere. 

[Linda the Book Lover]

23 minutes ago, asalligo said:

I am honestly concerned about even January 2022 at this point. No movement has happened on even one test cruise yet. I am starting to worry someone wants the US cruise industry dead. That is why I would love to see Carnival take hold of the Cozumel as a home cruise port idea. I think that the CDC would have internal pressure to get on the ball so to speak if it looked like Carnival might seriously take their ball and play elsewhere. 

My DD and I give a thumbs up to Cozumel as well. We already decided to spend a few days pre-cruise in an all-exclusive hotel. Go for it Carnival!