Is all prepayment with a nonrefundable deposit considered nonrefundable?

[EllieinNJ]

Was going to book my first Celebrity cruise with the Amex offers.  First with my husband's offer for $500 (deposit) and in March, just before it expires, my offer on $1000.  The cruise is not until May, 2024. 

 

While talking with my travel agent I mentioned this additional payment and she said that if you book a nonrefundable deposit, all payments before final payment are considered nonrefundable.  Is this true?  If I instead booked with a refundable payment, would the extra $1000 payment be considered refundable?

[CHEZMARYLOU]

This is not true, only the required and paid deposit is non refundable.  Any additional payments are refunded as long as you do not cancel after the required final payment date.  If you change your sailing before final payment date you would be charged a $100 pp change fee.

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

8 minutes ago, EllieinNJ said:

Was going to book my first Celebrity cruise with the Amex offers.  First with my husband's offer for $500 (deposit) and in March, just before it expires, my offer on $1000.  The cruise is not until May, 2024. 

 

While talking with my travel agent I mentioned this additional payment and she said that if you book a nonrefundable deposit, all payments before final payment are considered nonrefundable.  Is this true?  If I instead booked with a refundable payment, would the extra $1000 payment be considered refundable?

I don't believe your TA is correct. The cancellation penalty schedule is very clear that only the non-refundable deposit is forfeited if cancelling prior to the final payment due date. It may be that your TA has a group rate, but I don't believe that has any effect on the cancellation rules.

[chamima]

If you cancel the cruise you will lose the Amex benefit so if you got miles you'll lose the miles but if you got cash back you'll only get the amount minus the benefit. (If it was $350 off $1000 you'll only get $650 back)

If you can transfer the $$$ to another cruise rather than refunding you're better off.

[RosieRoo]

3 hours ago, chamima said:

If you cancel the cruise you will lose the Amex benefit so if you got miles you'll lose the miles but if you got cash back you'll only get the amount minus the benefit. (If it was $350 off $1000 you'll only get $650 back)

If you can transfer the $$$ to another cruise rather than refunding you're better off.

Has this actually happened to you?  Because I have cancelled a cruise booked with the AmEx offer and gotten the full amount back no problem. 

[chamima]

55 minutes ago, RosieRoo said:

Has this actually happened to you?  Because I have cancelled a cruise booked with the AmEx offer and gotten the full amount back no problem. 

If you booked with the “pay $1000 get $350 back” incentive you have really only paid $650.  So that IS getting the full amount you actually paid back. You lose that $350 bonus. 

[RosieRoo]

4 minutes ago, chamima said:

If you booked with the “pay $1000 get $350 back” incentive you have really only paid $650.  So that IS getting the full amount you actually paid back. You lose that $350 bonus. 

I understand that. I’m telling you I’ve booked before using one of these promos. You are charged the $1000 and the $350 is then given as a credit after you make the transaction. When I had to cancel the cruise I was reimbursed the entire $1000. That’s why I asked if this actually happened to you because that was not my experience. 

Edited January 16, 2023 by RosieRoo

[chamima]

1 minute ago, RosieRoo said:

I understand that. I’m telling you I’ve booked before using one of these promos. You are charged the $1000 and the $350 is then given as a credit after you make the transaction. When I had to cancel the cruise I was reimbursed the entire $1000. 

I transferred my $1000 to another cruise to avoid losing the bonus. 
Never dreamt I would keep it. 
You got lucky or maybe I’m overly cautious. 

 

 

[RosieRoo]

1 minute ago, chamima said:

I transferred my $1000 to another cruise to avoid losing the bonus. 
Never dreamt I would keep it. 
You got lucky or maybe I’m overly cautious. 

 

 

I honestly wasn’t sure what would happen, but Celebrity refunded the full amount and AmEx never recharged the $350. Maybe it was because it was a long time after I booked 🤷🏻‍♀️  Whatever the reason, I didn’t complain. 

[mandream]

21 hours ago, RosieRoo said:

I honestly wasn’t sure what would happen, but Celebrity refunded the full amount and AmEx never recharged the $350. Maybe it was because it was a long time after I booked 🤷🏻‍♀️  Whatever the reason, I didn’t complain. 

Yes - timing will almost certainly matter in this case.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

21 hours ago, RosieRoo said:

I honestly wasn’t sure what would happen, but Celebrity refunded the full amount and AmEx never recharged the $350. Maybe it was because it was a long time after I booked 🤷🏻‍♀️  Whatever the reason, I didn’t complain. 

This was our experience also. I'm not sure who is giving the bonus, Am Express or Celebrity but we got the full $1000 back and did not lose the bonus.

[cruisebabe50]

22 hours ago, chamima said:

I transferred my $1000 to another cruise to avoid losing the bonus. 
Never dreamt I would keep it. 
You got lucky or maybe I’m overly cautious. 

 

 

I tried to do this recently and was told it would cost me $200 to book a different cruise because I didn't pay for the refundable deposit.  I said well I don't want to refund I just want to move it to another cruise and the agent said that's the policy.  Ugh.  

[chamima]

1 hour ago, cruisebabe50 said:

I tried to do this recently and was told it would cost me $200 to book a different cruise because I didn't pay for the refundable deposit.  I said well I don't want to refund I just want to move it to another cruise and the agent said that's the policy.  Ugh.  

 

I always get the refundable fare - even if it's more expensive.

I don't know what the future will bring. ESPECIALLY after the last three years.