Cancellation Fees

[olippold]

I've booked a Fjords cruise for this August with my wife and daughter, with the three of us in one cabin. Since we booked, near the end of last year, my daughter decided that actually she probably doesn't want to come, so I emailed Cunard to ask about cancellation charges. Cunard has responded that the standard fee applies which is 15% of the cost for my daughter, which comes in at just under £120. 

 

I appreciate that we have to pay some sort of fee for the inconvenience caused to Cunard, and the cost of administration, but I think this seems quite excessive given that there are still over 200 days until the cruise and the cabin will still be occupied by two of us. I don't believe there is even any need to reassign staterooms, since we don't have a stateroom assigned anyway. It doesn't seem right to me that the cancellation fee for the third passenger in a stateroom should be the same as the other passengers. Cunard suggested we could swap her for someone else for £20, so if that is the cost of changing one person, why does removing one cost so much more? Does anyone here have any views on this?

 

Thanks

[PORT ROYAL]

3 minutes ago, olippold said:

I've booked a Fjords cruise for this August with my wife and daughter, with the three of us in one cabin. Since we booked, near the end of last year, my daughter decided that actually she probably doesn't want to come, so I emailed Cunard to ask about cancellation charges. Cunard has responded that the standard fee applies which is 15% of the cost for my daughter, which comes in at just under £120. 

 

I appreciate that we have to pay some sort of fee for the inconvenience caused to Cunard, and the cost of administration, but I think this seems quite excessive given that there are still over 200 days until the cruise and the cabin will still be occupied by two of us. I don't believe there is even any need to reassign staterooms, since we don't have a stateroom assigned anyway. It doesn't seem right to me that the cancellation fee for the third passenger in a stateroom should be the same as the other passengers. Cunard suggested we could swap her for someone else for £20, so if that is the cost of changing one person, why does removing one cost so much more? Does anyone here have any views on this?

 

Thanks

Think one agreed to the Cunard T&C when booking.

 

[bluemarble]

Just in case it isn't clear, the 15% cancellation fee should be the amount of the deposit you paid at the time of booking. The fare for your daughter as the third passenger on your booking was presumably £800 for which you paid a 15% deposit of £120 at the time of booking. For Cunard bookings made under the standard terms and conditions in the UK, cancellations incur the loss of your deposit.

 

Is that fair? That's not really for me to judge. The terms and conditions are different in different countries. In the US, the standard deposit amount is a larger 25% but it is sometimes reduced to 12.5% and is often (but not always) refundable. And those who book today in the UK can take advantage of a lower 5% deposit instead of the usual 15% deposit. But the terms and conditions under which you booked presumably called for a 15% non-refundable deposit. So, as harsh as this may sound, I'm afraid it is what it is.

[Yaldi]

 

Admin fee for amending booking versus compensation for contracted revenue loss.

 

The loss of a third person from the cabin is a loss of £800 revenue for Cunard. Swapping for someone else means Cunard will receive the contracted £800 revenue. I expect that’s the difference between the cost to you of the two options.

[olippold]

1 hour ago, Yaldi said:

 

Admin fee for amending booking versus compensation for contracted revenue loss.

 

The loss of a third person from the cabin is a loss of £800 revenue for Cunard. Swapping for someone else means Cunard will receive the contracted £800 revenue. I expect that’s the difference between the cost to you of the two options.

Yes, that is quite true, but then you could argue any cabin with 2 people is a loss of revenue if the cabin can hold 3

[olippold]

3 hours ago, PORT ROYAL said:

Think one agreed to the Cunard T&C when booking.

 

I’m not disputing that - it is more about the fairness of them. Plus I have no control over them - I have to accept them if I want to go on a Cunard cruise.

[olippold]

2 hours ago, bluemarble said:

Just in case it isn't clear, the 15% cancellation fee should be the amount of the deposit you paid at the time of booking. The fare for your daughter as the third passenger on your booking was presumably £800 for which you paid a 15% deposit of £120 at the time of booking. For Cunard bookings made under the standard terms and conditions in the UK, cancellations incur the loss of your deposit.

 

Is that fair? That's not really for me to judge. The terms and conditions are different in different countries. In the US, the standard deposit amount is a larger 25% but it is sometimes reduced to 12.5% and is often (but not always) refundable. And those who book today in the UK can take advantage of a lower 5% deposit instead of the usual 15% deposit. But the terms and conditions under which you booked presumably called for a 15% non-refundable deposit. So, as harsh as this may sound, I'm afraid it is what it is.

That’s correct - thanks for clarifying it

[jimdee3636]

Yes, the penalty is spelled out on the Terms and Conditions. But there's no negotiating those terms; if you don't like them your only option is to walk away. There are plenty of other cruise lines out there, but they're not necessarily offering the itinerary you want, on the type of ship you want, at the time you want to sail.

 

I like Cunard, but I have to say that this is a money grab, plain and simple. It's legal, but it would leave a bad taste in my mouth.