Canceling in less than 28 days

[bowlman23]

Hi everyone,

 

I have a cruise booked in mid-April and cannot go due to unforeseen circumstances. The only money I've ever put down is the $200. I know the cancellation policy says 75% cancellation charge.

 

Is there any way I can avoid this, even if I move the cruise to another time? I'm OK with them keeping my deposit, but not OK with the 75% charge.

 

Any suggestions on how to avoid?

 

Thanks.

[bigedwin]

If you only put deposit down and have not made final payment then is deposit .

Unless your full payment was due and you did not pay? In this case your reservation usually automatically cancels!

If final payment I'd due soon then if you cancel you forfeit the deposit!

Again as soon as you call to cancel they will tell you if you get money back but they will not make you pay up to cancel!

[rednancy1]

You would only lose your deposit i:)f you haven't made final payment.

[bowlman23]

We only put $200 down and now they are asking for final payment. I'm 27 days from embarkation, but haven't put any additional funds in. If I call today to cancel, will I still have to pay the balance even if they don't have any more than my deposit. I guess I'm concerned that I'm going to get a bill from RCCL for canceling. If they want to keep the $200, that's fine with me. I just want to make sure I won't have to cough up an additional $1500 in cancellation fees.

[Virtopia]

If your cruise is mid April, wouldn't final payment have been due already? My final payment for my late April cruise was due the last day of February.

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Help me understand how you could only put down only a deposit instead of full payment so close to sailing?

Normally full payment would be required!

 

***

[bowlman23]

Final payment is due. I just got this email from them:

 

You may make final payment by calling the Royal Caribbean International

Reservations Center at 1-800-327-6700. Please ensure final payment is

submitted in full by 5:00 PM EST, 03/18/13. Please note that cancellation

penalties apply if your reservation is cancelled.

 

What I'm concerned about is that I'll receive a bill in the mail from RCCL asking for the 75% of the total cruise value. Again, I don't care if I lose the $200. That's what I'm most concerned about is owing 75% of the balance.

[bowlman23]

Help me understand how you could only put down only a deposit instead of full payment so close to sailing?

Normally full payment would be required!

 

***

 

I put down this deposit like 18 months ago and just never put another payment down. Then I got the e-mail from RCCL asking for the final payment, which I never sent in.

[Merion_Mom]

I put down this deposit like 18 months ago and just never put another payment down. Then I got the e-mail from RCCL asking for the final payment, which I never sent in.

 

You are obviously not in the U.S. Policies are different here. If you would list your country, perhaps some of your countrymen would weigh in here with the appropriate and helpful responses.

 

:)

[Arizona Cruz Chic]

Final payment is due. I just got this email from them:

 

You may make final payment by calling the Royal Caribbean International

Reservations Center at 1-800-327-6700. Please ensure final payment is

submitted in full by 5:00 PM EST, 03/18/13. Please note that cancellation

penalties apply if your reservation is cancelled.

 

What I'm concerned about is that I'll receive a bill in the mail from RCCL asking for the 75% of the total cruise value. Again, I don't care if I lose the $200. That's what I'm most concerned about is owing 75% of the balance.

 

I put down this deposit like 18 months ago and just never put another payment down. Then I got the e-mail from RCCL asking for the final payment, which I never sent in.

 

This is the first I've ever heard of anyone "getting away" (so to speak) with that.

 

Final Payment was due about 60 days ago, not sure what you will be responsible for.

 

***

[bowlman23]

You are obviously not in the U.S. Policies are different here. If you would list your country, perhaps some of your countrymen would weigh in here with the appropriate and helpful responses.

 

:)

 

I am in the United States. Why do you think the policies are different? This is from the RCCL website:

 

Effective August 1, 2010, new reservations will fall under the following cancellation schedule:

 

Days to Departure Charges Per Person

60+ No charges

59-43 Deposit amount

42-29 50% of total price (taxes & fees excluded)*

28-15 75% of total price (taxes & fees excluded)*

14 or less No refund except for taxes and fees

[lalalisa]

What was the date of the email asking for final payment?

[bowlman23]

What was the date of the email asking for final payment?

 

This last Friday, March 15th.

[lalalisa]

If I were you, I would just call them and let them know you won't be sailing.

 

Your final payment should have been due about a month ago, and by not paying the cruise off at the deadline, your reservation should have already been cancelled. Very strange.

[Merion_Mom]

I am in the United States. Why do you think the policies are different? This is from the RCCL website:

 

Effective August 1, 2010, new reservations will fall under the following cancellation schedule:

 

Days to Departure Charges Per Person

60+ No charges

59-43 Deposit amount

42-29 50% of total price (taxes & fees excluded)*

28-15 75% of total price (taxes & fees excluded)*

14 or less No refund except for taxes and fees

 

Because you said that you had only made a deposit.

 

I don't know why your reservation was not automatically cancelled 32 days ago.

 

The only way that you will find out your actual position is to call Royal Caribbean. No one here is able to tell you what they will or will not be willing to do.

 

They *may* let you transfer your reservation, or they *may* just keep your deposit. They have a FULL right to do that.

 

So call.

[Merion_Mom]

Because you said that you had only made a deposit.

 

I don't know why your reservation was not automatically cancelled 32 days ago.

 

The only way that you will find out your actual position is to call Royal Caribbean. No one here is able to tell you what they will or will not be willing to do.

 

They *may* let you transfer your reservation, or they *may* just keep your deposit. They have a FULL right to do that.

 

So call.

 

But they can't keep any money that they haven't collected yet.

[bowlman23]

Just called. They just kept the $200 deposit. No invoice for the balance. Thanks for your help everyone.

[cruisequeen10]

the cancellation policy penalties are for when you have paid the final payment, then the cancellation policy starts

[cruisnseas]

This does happen quite often if you book through their cruise planners. Royal does not auto cancel reservations, unless a ship is particularly full, if final is not paid right away. They give you a few extra days and usually a phone call or two and then cancel if it isn't paid.

 

That said, there won't be a bill you just won't get your deposit back. Royal never bills for a higher penalty.

[molly361]

the cancellation policy penalties are for when you have paid the final payment, then the cancellation policy starts

 

They start after the final payment due date, not necessarily after final payment as lots of people pay their cruises off before the final payment date.

[cruisnseas]

the cancellation policy penalties are for when you have paid the final payment, then the cancellation policy starts

 

Not quite. Deposit penalty starts the day after final is due, regardless of whether or not you have paid your final payment. All other penalties only come into play if you have paid final.

 

Also of note, let's say your deposit is more than 50% of your total cruise price and you are in 50% penalty - they will just keep your deposit. I dealt with someone that was going to cancel during deposit penalty until they realized 50% would be less than their deposit so they waited....only to find out Royal keeps the deposit as a minimum. That guy was livid.

[maggieq]

If your cruise is mid April, wouldn't final payment have been due already? My final payment for my late April cruise was due the last day of February.

 

 

That's exactly what I was thinking.

[molly361]

That's exactly what I was thinking.

 

For some reason RCL or the TA did not catch that final payment had not been made.

[kerrydee]

if the OP only put down a $200 deposit, and final was just due now, that would indicate that is was a less than 7 day cruise.

therefore a lower deposit and a later final payment day.

[Clarea]

if the OP only put down a $200 deposit, and final was just due now, that would indicate that is was a less than 7 day cruise.

therefore a lower deposit and a later final payment day.

The OP's cruise is mid April, and even the shortest cruise must be paid off 60 days in advance. That would have put final payment date in mid Feb.