Warning .... cancelling a person in the cabin has an additional cost/penalty

[CruisingAgain]

I have read on here many times that you can cancel a person out of the cabin at the port and get the taxes and gratuities refunded.  But no one ever says that there is a PENALTY to cancel the person. I know that the remaining person as a solo has to pay double and they will not refund any part of the cruise fare or deposit but I never knew there was also a penalty - the $250 deposit. I didn't want the deposit returned but I didn't expect to have to pay it again.   This may only be with early saver but still does not make any sense to me.

Situation:

• I booked a solo cruise and paid double deposit ($500) and then double cruise fare and taxes/gratuities for one.  I take a solo cruise every January.
• Later I added someone to my room and paid her taxes/gratuities
• She went into the hospital 2 weeks prior to the cruise and I did not feel comfortable cruising with her after that - my decision.
• At the port I told them she would not be cruising and they said I would be refunded taxes and gratuities - just as I expected.
• I knew I would be responsible for the full cruise fare  - just as i had originally booked so that was no problem.
• After the cruise they told me there was a $250 penalty and only returned to me the difference.
• Today (after 3 months) they finally explained it .... seems that when I added her they split the $500 deposit - $250 each and when she cancelled that $250 was her penalty.  But they still had my original $500 deposit so I don't agree with their logic. 
• YES ... she had insurance but since I expected to be back to my original solo cruise cost we did not contact her doctor to get anything in writing saying she couldn't cruise (never asked) and we did not report anything to the insurance company (not Carnival's). I guess I can try now but it is probably too late.

 

[lazydayz]

I am trying to understand this.

 

Let's say the cabin, double occupancy was $1,000 each, for a total of $2,000 plus taxes and fees for two.  When the second person was a no show, Carnival keeps the entire $2,000, then refunds one person's taxes and fees.  Are you saying they are now charging an additional penalty of $250, so the refund of taxes and fees was reduced by $250?  

[CruisingAgain]

45 minutes ago, lazydayz said:

I am trying to understand this.

 

Let's say the cabin, double occupancy was $1,000 each, for a total of $2,000 plus taxes and fees for two.  When the second person was a no show, Carnival keeps the entire $2,000, then refunds one person's taxes and fees.  Are you saying they are now charging an additional penalty of $250, so the refund of taxes and fees was reduced by $250?  

That is exactly what they did.  This is with Early Saver but probably any fare type that has "non refundable" deposit.   Do you agree that this is new or strange?

[cruizergal70]

Don't cancel the person. Allow them to be a no show.  I think that's the difference. 

[Babr]

1 hour ago, cruizergal70 said:

Don't cancel the person. Allow them to be a no show.  I think that's the difference. 

She was a no show unless you mean the OP should have pleaded ignorance of her traveling companion’s intentions.

 

Since insurance was available, it would have been better to let them reimburse the costs. That is why you buy it.

[CruisingAgain]

1 hour ago, cruizergal70 said:

Don't cancel the person. Allow them to be a no show.  I think that's the difference. 

They were a no show. I did not cancel ahead of time. Told them at the port that the other person wasn't cruising.

[CruisingAgain]

1 minute ago, Babr said:

She was a no show unless you mean the OP should have pleaded ignorance of her traveling companion’s intentions.

 

Since insurance was available, it would have been better to let them reimburse the costs. That is why you buy it.

I didn't have (and never buy) cancel for any reason insurance. Probably could have had the doctor say she couldn't go since her diabetes was out of control 2 weeks before cruise.  But, as i mentioned, I didn't know there was a $250 penalty - I never saw that in writing anywhere and I thought they made a mistake.

[n6uqqq]

I have done a few no shows and I never tell Carnival the other travelers intentions. They don't usually ask but if they do I say we are arriving separately. Never been charged and all port fees/gratuities returned to me. Hopefully this isn't a new policy.

[Babr]

Don’t have to have CFAR insurance for a covered reason like medical - hence the name, cancel for ANY reason means any other reason than those defined in the policy.
 

The companion was the one who canceled. Her insurance should pay, but she apparently did not cancel. Not sure if they will do anything after the fact.

Edited May 31, 2022 by Babr

[klfrodo]

14 minutes ago, CruisingAgain said:

. Told them at the port that the other person wasn't cruising.

THAT was the problem. Telling them was essentially a cancellation.

 

What people do when insurance isn't an issue, is just board the ship on your own and don't say a word.

[reeinaz]

I just cruised the beginning of the month. My cabin mate got sick the night before she was to fly out and decided not to travel. At check in I told them she missed her flight. I wasn’t charged anything extra. I only book early saver. I received her portion of the port fees and taxes and prepaid gratuities as OBC. 

[Illbcruzn4life]

3 hours ago, CruisingAgain said:

I have read on here many times that you can cancel a person out of the cabin at the port and get the taxes and gratuities refunded.  But no one ever says that there is a PENALTY to cancel the person. I know that the remaining person as a solo has to pay double and they will not refund any part of the cruise fare or deposit but I never knew there was also a penalty - the $250 deposit. I didn't want the deposit returned but I didn't expect to have to pay it again.   This may only be with early saver but still does not make any sense to me.

Situation:

• I booked a solo cruise and paid double deposit ($500) and then double cruise fare and taxes/gratuities for one.  I take a solo cruise every January.
• Later I added someone to my room and paid her taxes/gratuities
• She went into the hospital 2 weeks prior to the cruise and I did not feel comfortable cruising with her after that - my decision.
• At the port I told them she would not be cruising and they said I would be refunded taxes and gratuities - just as I expected.
• I knew I would be responsible for the full cruise fare  - just as i had originally booked so that was no problem.
• After the cruise they told me there was a $250 penalty and only returned to me the difference.
• Today (after 3 months) they finally explained it .... seems that when I added her they split the $500 deposit - $250 each and when she cancelled that $250 was her penalty.  But they still had my original $500 deposit so I don't agree with their logic. 
• YES ... she had insurance but since I expected to be back to my original solo cruise cost we did not contact her doctor to get anything in writing saying she couldn't cruise (never asked) and we did not report anything to the insurance company (not Carnival's). I guess I can try now but it is probably too late.

 

Are you the same person who posted about this a little while back? Story sure sounds familiar?

[lazydayz]

I have never encountered this.  But it could be a weird Early Saver rule.  Did they give your no show guest a Future Cruise Credit?  

[CruisingAgain]

1 hour ago, reeinaz said:

I just cruised the beginning of the month. My cabin mate got sick the night before she was to fly out and decided not to travel. At check in I told them she missed her flight. I wasn’t charged anything extra. I only book early saver. I received her portion of the port fees and taxes and prepaid gratuities as OBC. 

I wonder if telling them she missed her flight would have worked. IN FACT .... it would have been true because we had a snow storm and her flight was cancelled so she was refunded for that.  But they never asked WHY  she wasn't cruising.  And it is wierd that they gave you OBC but refunded ours (minus the $250).

[CruisingAgain]

1 hour ago, Illbcruzn4life said:

Are you the same person who posted about this a little while back? Story sure sounds familiar?

Probably me. I posted in a thread asking about when to cancel a person who wasn't cruising. But at the time I hadn't heard back from Carnival yet. Istarted this thread separately to let people know about this new (I think) penalty.

[CruisingAgain]

1 hour ago, lazydayz said:

I have never encountered this.  But it could be a weird Early Saver rule.  Did they give your no show guest a Future Cruise Credit?  

No Future Cruise Credit but I wouldn't have expected one. Of course, I didn't expect the $250 penalty either.

[Indytraveler83]

We've informed Carnival at the port that someone wasn't cruising (medical emergency) and we did not get charged.  I'm wondering if 1 of 2 things has happened:

 

1) They figured out the no show strategy and are now assessing they penalty onboard.  If you cancel the 2nd person in advance, they charge the remaining passenger with the solo suppliment (or whatever that fee is called).  Maybe this is closing the loophole?

 

2) The booking going from solo occupancy to dual, back to solo might have weirded things out.  Carnival's systems aren't always known for accuracy, and it may not have recognized you'd already paid these fees, so it assessed them again?

 

Either way, hopefully your traveling companion is feeling better and can try again once their health condition stabilizes! 

[ButterflyGirly]

Does this make sense?... Once you added her to the cabin half of your $500 deposit became her non-refundable deposit.  Which meant you only had a $250 deposit, not a $500 deposit.  Since her deposit was non-refundable and your rate converted to the single rate when she bailed you now owe $250 for your balance to be $0.

[Homosassa]

"No shows" are specifically mentioned in Carnival's Ticket Contract which is available on the website. No refunds are given for "no shows."

 

The information is in section 7, Cancellation by Guests and refunds

 

https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/legal-notice/ticket-contract.aspx?icid=CC_Footer_84

[RollingMeadows]

What you experienced is not new or surprising. The cheapest fare always comes with a risk and cruisers eventually figure this out. I know I did. 🙂

[Schoifmom]

3 hours ago, Homosassa said:

"No shows" are specifically mentioned in Carnival's Ticket Contract which is available on the website. No refunds are given for "no shows."

 

The information is in section 7, Cancellation by Guests and refunds

 

https://www.carnival.com/about-carnival/legal-notice/ticket-contract.aspx?icid=CC_Footer_84

Only in that there is no refund available for no-shows.  

 

@CruisingAgain made the mistake of effectively cancelling the second party rather than letting her be a no-show because she told them at check-in that the other person would not be coming.  I'm sure that they went into the system and cancelled her reservation.

[Brkintx]

Zero criticism here, but more intended as a word to the wise...

I travel solo more than 50% of the time. I always book the room for two people. I leave the other person's name as the TBA that it auto-enters. by check-in time, I know whether someone is going with or not. If not, I can drop the TBA and there's not anyone no-showing and the other port taxes and fees are credited back (either as OBC or directly). If someone does come with, I can just enter their info at that point and all is well.

 

TLDR = leaving the ressie at double occupancy until travel time rather than booking solo is a safer bet.

[BlerkOne]

Not at all strange. Before you change any booking ASK what else changes.

 

I see Royal is going to keep some deposits on bookings going forward

https://www.royalcaribbeanblog.com/2022/05/31/royal-caribbean-will-keep-full-deposit-if-you-cancel-your-non-refundable-cruise-fare

 

 

[cruizergal70]

On 5/31/2022 at 7:08 PM, CruisingAgain said:

They were a no show. I did not cancel ahead of time. Told them at the port that the other person wasn't cruising.

Don't tell then at the port. Just check in and say nothing. 

[snowballs mom]

10 hours ago, Brkintx said:

Zero criticism here, but more intended as a word to the wise...

I travel solo more than 50% of the time. I always book the room for two people. I leave the other person's name as the TBA that it auto-enters. by check-in time, I know whether someone is going with or not. If not, I can drop the TBA and there's not anyone no-showing and the other port taxes and fees are credited back (either as OBC or directly). If someone does come with, I can just enter their info at that point and all is well.

 

TLDR = leaving the ressie at double occupancy until travel time rather than booking solo is a safer bet.

I have my daughter booked with a TBA is case one of her friends wants to travel with us in November. How do you go about dropping the TBA at check-in?