Right to Cancel & Refund

[jimb98]

NCL has changed our January 2024 Asia itinerary with two stops dropped, one added and an extra sea day added. Are we entitled to cancel and claim refund of deposit?

We are UK based.

[eileeshb]

5 minutes ago, jimb98 said:

NCL has changed our January 2024 Asia itinerary with two stops dropped, one added and an extra sea day added. Are we entitled to cancel and claim refund of deposit?

We are UK based.

Possibly if you booked less than 14 working days ago (assuming the UK has kept that EU rule). Otherwise nope! You might get lucky and persuade them to move your deposit to a new booking, I managed to do that once but that was before covid and they're a lot more reluctant to do that these days. 

[Melody7]

January 2024? You are WELL outside of the final payment date, correct? If so, you should be able to simply cancel and get your deposit back. That is in the US. I am not sure if that is the case in the UK. 

[Rob_H]

9 minutes ago, Melody7 said:

January 2024? You are WELL outside of the final payment date, correct? If so, you should be able to simply cancel and get your deposit back. That is in the US. I am not sure if that is the case in the UK. 

 

The UK (and EU I think) doesn't have refundable deposits.  NCL has different deposit terms, cancellation terms and final payment dates for each region of the world.

[Melody7]

33 minutes ago, Rob_H said:

 

The UK (and EU I think) doesn't have refundable deposits.  NCL has different deposit terms, cancellation terms and final payment dates for each region of the world.

Darn! Learn something new everyday. Then I would try to move the deposit, as suggested. But unfortunately, a change in ports is not a justifiable reason for a refund.

[CruiseMH]

1 hour ago, Rob_H said:

 

The UK (and EU I think) doesn't have refundable deposits.  NCL has different deposit terms, cancellation terms and final payment dates for each region of the world.

 

Absolutely right.

At least in Germany there is usually nothing such as a refundable deposit.

[CaptainBazz]

4 hours ago, jimb98 said:

NCL has changed our January 2024 Asia itinerary with two stops dropped, one added and an extra sea day added. Are we entitled to cancel and claim refund of deposit?

We are UK based.

There should be a cancellation policy on the UK website...did you check for that? Also, you should post this on the UK Cruisers page...someone there will probably know.

Edited February 10, 2023 by CaptainBazz

[mjkacmom]

1 hour ago, CaptainBazz said:

There should be a cancellation policy on the UK website...did you check for that? Also, you should post this on the UK Cruisers page...someone there will probably know.

I don’t think that’s necessary, the deposit is non refundable and a changed itinerary isn’t a valid reason to cancel.

[jennjess]

I did manage to move my deposit to a different cruise recently.  I am in the EU.  No questions were asked about why but the replacement cruise was slightly more expensive.

[cassie55]

You may be entitled to a refund under the Package Trip Regulations 1992. Which protects consumers in the event of a material change to a package holiday. A cruise counts as a package even if booked as a standalone as it contains both travel and accommodation. 

 

However, the problem is that NCL has to agree it's a material change. We are booked on the Jade in May. We booked 2 years ago. It was a cruise from Athens to Ukraine, Bulgaria, Romania and Istanbul. 

 

Ukraine was cancelled - absolutely fair enough and we expected it. 2 days after final payment we got an email saying Romania and Bulgaria were cancelled. We are now on a Greek Island cruise. We have 6 out of 7 ports changed. We are sticking with it but our friends wanted to cancel.

 

They quoted the PTR 1992 and NCL said they didn't consider it a material change (6 out of 7 ports!). Eventually they agreed to allow a rebook to a different cruise without penalty. That was after threatening Trading Standards. 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 12, 2023 by cassie55

[Deacon123]

I booked a NCL cruise in Apr 22 to travel in Nov 22 but NCL have cancelled all cruises from Oct22 to Apr 23. they have said that they will refund all funds applied and compensation where additional costs have occurred but they wont return my deposit. I have claimed it back on my CC section 75 so the bank has agreed I can do that but NCL are chasing me for the deposit using debt collection agency. this cannot be right can it.

[ggTexasGal]

36 minutes ago, Deacon123 said:

I booked a NCL cruise in Apr 22 to travel in Nov 22 but NCL have cancelled all cruises from Oct22 to Apr 23. they have said that they will refund all funds applied and compensation where additional costs have occurred but they wont return my deposit. I have claimed it back on my CC section 75 so the bank has agreed I can do that but NCL are chasing me for the deposit using debt collection agency. this cannot be right can it.

Where you live, and/or when you cancelled, seem likely to be the determining factors as to why NCL would dispute your deposit being returned.  

Unfortunately, your post isn't quite clear regarding the dates and whether you cancelled during a penalty period.  (2022?  2023?  Future cruise?)

[Deacon123]

I did not cancel ncl did a few weeks later but they want to keep my deposit. Im in the uk

[Asawi]

2 hours ago, ggTexasGal said:

Where you live, and/or when you cancelled, seem likely to be the determining factors as to why NCL would dispute your deposit being returned.  

Unfortunately, your post isn't quite clear regarding the dates and whether you cancelled during a penalty period.  (2022?  2023?  Future cruise?)

As I understand it was NCL that cancelled the cruise. Surely they can't keep any money if THEY cancel?? No matter where you live. 

[Deacon123]

Exactly, since they would not return the deposit I claimed it back from my CC using the section 75 refunds. but they have appointed debt collectors to get the amount back from me

[Asawi]

I'm in Europe and should have similar terms and conditions as a UK based person. When NCL cancelled all Epic sailings earlier this year I got my deposit back (Plus a discount towards another cruise.)
No way it can be OK to keep the deposit unless the passenger does the cancelling! 

 

From EU T&C

Pre-departure cancellation:

a. Occasionally, it may be necessary to cancel confirmed holiday arrangements. In the event we are prevented from performing your contracted holiday arrangements as a result of unavoidable and extraordinary circumstances (see clause 11) and we notify you of this as soon as reasonably possible, we have the right to terminate your contract. In this situation, we will refund all monies you have paid to us within the period prescribed by the legislation applicable at the relevant time from the effective date of cancellation (see clause 10(1)d) but will have no further or other liability to you including in respect of compensation or any costs or expenses you incur or have incurred as a result. We will of course endeavour to offer you alternative holiday arrangements where possible which you may choose to book (at the applicable price) in place of those cancelled.

[KeithJenner]

I’m in the UK and we had our Epic cruise cancelled last year. The email stated that all money paid would be refunded, which was only the deposit at the time.

 

My deposit was paid by cruisenext, and that was refunded to my account very quickly.

[durberville]

1 hour ago, Asawi said:

As I understand it was NCL that cancelled the cruise. Surely they can't keep any money if THEY cancel?? No matter where you live. 

Absolutely! There has got to be something more to this. If NCL cancelled the cruise how can they keep the deposit?! 😳 Passenger’s country of residence shouldn’t matter. 🤨

[DCGuy64]

10 minutes ago, durberville said:

Passenger’s country of residence shouldn’t matter.

Oh but it DOES matter. Laws differ all over the world. It should matter, because it does matter.

[durberville]

6 minutes ago, DCGuy64 said:

Oh but it DOES matter. Laws differ all over the world. It should matter, because it does matter.

Oh I know passenger rights by law are country specific (and I’m rather envious of my European friends because they seem to have more protections than those of us in the US) BUT in this case the cruise line cancelled the cruise - how in the heck can they keep ANY money?? 🤷‍♀️

[DCGuy64]

2 minutes ago, durberville said:

Oh I know passenger rights by law are country specific (and I’m rather envious of my European friends because they seem to have more protections than those of us in the US) BUT in this case the cruise line cancelled the cruise - how in the heck can they keep ANY money?? 🤷‍♀️

I am envious of my European friends for many reasons, but I also know the 1st rule of economics: there's no such thing as a free lunch. Those protections cost money, often in the form of higher taxes and nonrefundable deposits. Just sayin'. I'd agree with you that if the cruise line cancels the cruise, it ought to refund the money. But what governs is what you agreed to in the fine print.

Edited September 27, 2023 by DCGuy64

[DCGuy64]

1 hour ago, Deacon123 said:

Exactly, since they would not return the deposit I claimed it back from my CC using the section 75 refunds. but they have appointed debt collectors to get the amount back from me

There is more to this story, I am sure. Mind you, I'm not asking @Deacon123 to spill the beans, but the story is surely more complex than this.

[durberville]

So a non-refundable deposit isn’t returned even if the cruise line cancels the cruise? I will certainly keep this in mind. 🫤👍🏻

[KeithJenner]

9 minutes ago, durberville said:

So a non-refundable deposit isn’t returned even if the cruise line cancels the cruise? I will certainly keep this in mind. 🫤👍🏻

It is returned. Something seems to have gone wrong with the one we are discussing here, but if NCL cancel the cruise then they refund whatever has been paid in the UK.

[DCGuy64]

3 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

It is returned. Something seems to have gone wrong with the one we are discussing here, but if NCL cancel the cruise then they refund whatever has been paid in the UK.

This is like a game of telephone aka Chinese whispers. The OP was talking about canceling on his own due to a change of itinerary, and somewhere along the line, the thread morphed into NCL doing the cancelling. If YOU cancel and not before the penalties kick in, that's not NCL's fault.