Booking a refundable deposit cruise

[Gracie115]

Have been looking at the website and I can't figure out how to book a refundable deposit cruise.  Is it possible to do that or do you have to call?

[Biker19]

17 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

Is it possible to do that or do you have to call?

Assuming you are bit booking a suite (which don't have that option), go all the way to the end of the booking process - there should be an option there.

Edited December 12, 2022 by Biker19

[CaptainBazz]

Yes..you go all the way to the payment section...on that page there is the option to pay for a refundable deposit.

[Katems75]

Are refundable deposit cruises more money?  How much, typically?

[CaptainBazz]

1 minute ago, Katems75 said:

Are refundable deposit cruises more money?  How much, typically?

Yes there is a charge for a refundable deposit. I can't recall exactly how much because I never take it, but it was (I think) around $150pp. If you go non refundable and then cancel they charge you $100pp and give you the rest as a FCC (at least that is what I recall when I looked into it).

[easyqueasy]

I don’t know if there’s logic to what they charge for refundable fare. I’ve had it at $2 additional for 4 people to $700 on others. It even changes from one mock booking to the next even if just minutes apart for the same trip. 

[Merion_Mom]

40 minutes ago, CaptainBazz said:

Yes there is a charge for a refundable deposit. I can't recall exactly how much because I never take it, but it was (I think) around $150pp. If you go non refundable and then cancel they charge you $100pp and give you the rest as a FCC (at least that is what I recall when I looked into it).

 

There is absolutely NO standard amount.  It varies tremendously, and unpredictably.  The only thing you can do is look at a cruise that you are actually pricing and, as stated above, go all the way through the booking process, then options such as insurance, dining time, and making your cruise deposit refundable, will appear.

[Another_Critic]

IIRC, in addition to suites, guarantees do not offer a refundable option.

[ATSEAMYLIFE]

1 hour ago, Katems75 said:

Are refundable deposit cruises more money?  How much, typically?

I just went to book a Voyager sailing in 2024 for 15 nts and the difference is $1200 for a GS.  The deposit is $900 and the difference is $6500 vs $9700.  

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, CaptainBazz said:

If you go non refundable and then cancel they charge you $100pp and give you the rest as a FCC (at least that is what I recall when I looked into it).

That changed this past summer so that if you cancel you lose your entire deposit - you need to move it to another sailing to only incur the $100/pp penalty.

[sfaaa]

An online big box TA sometimes has refundable group rate on some sailings but not all. 

[matj2000]

Like the above poster said.

 

Book through a TA.

 

I always have NR deposits.

 

 

[mattg43]

Never made much sense to me to book refundable.  It's an additional $150 to save a $200 change fee in the rare case that you need to change it.  Spend $150 every cruise to maybe save $50 once in awhile.  Assuming 2 people of course, but even at 3 it's not worth it unless you're changing every other cruise.

[Gracie115]

9 hours ago, Biker19 said:

That changed this past summer so that if you cancel you lose your entire deposit - you need to move it to another sailing to only incur the $100/pp penalty.

 

Yes, this is what I found on the website yesterday.  Too bad, we didn't book anything at all.  I'm willing to lose $100 but sure as heck not willing to lose $900, which was the deposit we needed to pay.  When a cruise is nearly 2 years out there's just no way of telling if plans may change.  So we'll be looking elsewhere than Royal for everything except last minute sailings.

[Biker19]

58 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

So we'll be looking elsewhere than Royal for everything except last minute sailings.

RCI does offer, usually at a higher cost, refundable rates. 

[Gracie115]

34 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

RCI does offer, usually at a higher cost, refundable rates. 

But apparently not for suites.

[Biker19]

11 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

But apparently not for suites.

That part has been true ever since NRD rates were introduced several years ago. 

[Gracie115]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

That part has been true ever since NRD rates were introduced several years ago. 

 

Ok, but that was a $100.00 penalty not the full amount as it is now.  We switch between Celebrity and Royal, Celebrity offers refundable for all categories and still has just the $100pp penalty when you choose nonrefundable.

[CaptainBazz]

3 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

When a cruise is nearly 2 years out there's just no way of telling if plans may change.  So we'll be looking elsewhere than Royal for everything except last minute sailings.

We started using a TA that gave refundable deposits for bookings that were a long way out just in case we had to cancel.

[Gracie115]

1 hour ago, CaptainBazz said:

We started using a TA that gave refundable deposits for bookings that were a long way out just in case we had to cancel.

Interesting that a TA can provide a refundable deposit when the cruiseline doesn't.  I may ask the TA I've used in the past if they can do the same without any increase in fare.

[Biker19]

3 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

Interesting that a TA can provide a refundable deposit when the cruiseline doesn't.  I may ask the TA I've used in the past if they can do the same without any increase in fare.

Again, the cruise line has refundable rates. What some TA's provide (and the cruise line doesn't) in addition to that option is a group rate (on some cabin categories) which is refundable and may be lower than even the NRD rate. All this excludes suites.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Biker19

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

Interesting that a TA can provide a refundable deposit when the cruiseline doesn't.  I may ask the TA I've used in the past if they can do the same without any increase in fare.

A TA can only offer refundable deposits on Junior suites and below which is no different than what the cruise line offers.  There is absolutely no difference.  You may get a lower rate from the TA for that refundable fare if it is a category that they are holding group space in.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 hours ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Ok, but that was a $100.00 penalty not the full amount as it is now.  We switch between Celebrity and Royal, Celebrity offers refundable for all categories and still has just the $100pp penalty when you choose nonrefundable.

It is only if you outright cancel that the entire deposit is forfeit.  If you change the ship or sail date then it is still the $100 pp penalty.

Edited December 13, 2022 by Ourusualbeach

[Gracie115]

3 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

  All this excludes suites.

 

Exactly...which is what we like to book.😟

[Gracie115]

17 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

It is only if you outright cancel that the entire deposit is forfeit.  If you change the ship or sail date then it is still the $100 pp penalty.

 

I wish there was somewhere on the website that states this.  All I can find is this, which does not list an amount:

 

Should you choose to change your original ship and/or sail date, if you booked directly with us, please contact our Consumer Outreach team at (866) 562-7625 where a representative will assist in making the desired changes, while also applying the qualifying change fee(s) and collecting payment, if not already done so.