Cancellation Question/Help

[rgatt1]

Hi All,

 

I am scheduled to go on a big family cruise later this year. My wife and I are soon to be divorced, but I am still going to go on the trip with the rest of my family. I will just be solo in the room we had reserved for the two of us.

 

What is the best way to handle this with Carnival? I have read that I should not tell Carnival until we show up in port, but I cant remember why that is the best way to handle it.

 

Will I run into any issues? What if I want to get Cheers? Will I still have to pay double?

 

Thanks so much for your help!!

[thomarvin]

Sorry about your divorce. But some questions need to be answered:

 

How did you book?

Have you made final payment?

Can someone else (under 21) join you so you are not paying solo rate?

[rgatt1]

Sorry about your divorce. But some questions need to be answered:

 

How did you book?

Have you made final payment?

Can someone else (under 21) join you so you are not paying solo rate?

 

I booked online, early saver. Final Payment is made. I am not interested in adding someone else to the booking. I'm not concerned about the money, I'm more concerned about the logistics. I don't want to have it become an ordeal once I get to the port with the rest of my family...

 

I also don't want to have my room be changed. I heard that it might be something that they could do. I am booked in an OV room, it is only allowed to sleep 2...

[PresDuLac]

You should be able to call and remove her from your cabin and sail solo.

Your rate won't go up but you'll probably get her portion of the port fees and taxes refunded or added to your S&S as OBC.

 

Anyone can travel solo and the rate isn't any higher than it is for 2 people even though sometimes you can get lucky and cruise solo without paying for 2.

However, you only pay port fees and taxes for 1 person if you sail solo.

[bigman01]

You should be able to call and remove her from your cabin and sail solo.

Your rate won't go up but you'll probably get her portion of the port fees and taxes refunded or added to your S&S as OBC.

 

Anyone can travel solo and the rate isn't any higher than it is for 2 people even though sometimes you can get lucky and cruise solo without paying for 2.

However, you only pay port fees and taxes for 1 person if you sail solo.

 

 

Since the OP is booked Early Saver, I'm afraid that if he cancels, I think he will forfeit a portion of his soon to be ex-wife's fare, and Carnival will hold the rest in her name for a future cruise. Which, in turn, would mean that HE would be responsible for paying the other half of the fare.

 

If the ex-wife isn't the vindictive kind and will cancel her portion of the cruise, I'd suggest just letting her be a no-show at the pier. He'll get the port fees and taxes back on her portion anyway. But, if she is the vindictive kind and may cancel her portion, that opens up the other possiblity of him having to come up with the rest of the fare.

 

I probably didn't do a very good job of explaining it, but hopefully someone else will chime in and clarify it.

[loxley]

You should be able to call and remove her from your cabin and sail solo.

Your rate won't go up but you'll probably get her portion of the port fees and taxes refunded or added to your S&S as OBC.

 

Anyone can travel solo and the rate isn't any higher than it is for 2 people even though sometimes you can get lucky and cruise solo without paying for 2.

However, you only pay port fees and taxes for 1 person if you sail solo.

 

 

OP, please do not follow this person's advice.

 

Do not cancel your wife as you are in the cancelation penalty phase and then as a solo you would have to pay a 100% single supplement fee.

 

Just make her be a no show. When you check in you can tell them then that she will not be able to make it. There will be no extra expense and you will automatically receive the port fees and taxes back. (that is not much but it is better than having to pay more which you will have to do if you cancel her)

 

Let me try to explain better. If you cancel her, she will be chaged a cancellation penality, depending on how close you are to sailing that could be 100%.

 

If she cancels. that makes you solo and you will be chaged the solo supplement which is !00%. They will not say, oh, 2 people were already paid for so it is even. As I said, the cancelled person would lose their money and you would be charged more.

 

If she is a no show, everything will be fine with what was paid and you will receive the taxes and port fees back.

[rgatt1]

Since the OP is booked Early Saver, I'm afraid that if he cancels, I think he will forfeit a portion of his soon to be ex-wife's fare, and Carnival will hold the rest in her name for a future cruise. Which, in turn, would mean that HE would be responsible for paying the other half of the fare.

 

If the ex-wife isn't the vindictive kind and will cancel her portion of the cruise, I'd suggest just letting her be a no-show at the pier. He'll get the port fees and taxes back on her portion anyway. But, if she is the vindictive kind and may cancel her portion, that opens up the other possiblity of him having to come up with the rest of the fare.

 

I probably didn't do a very good job of explaining it, but hopefully someone else will chime in and clarify it.

 

No, not vindictive. Amicable separation...

 

Are there any repercussions to having a person be a "no-show"? Will it cause any problems or delays? Any other potential issues during the trip?

[loxley]

No, not vindictive. Amicable separation...

 

Are there any repercussions to having a person be a "no-show"? Will it cause any problems or delays? Any other potential issues during the trip?

 

No, there will be no problems with a no show.

 

Cancel and no show ae two different things that mean the same thing, ie, she will not be on the boat.

 

But to cancel incurs fees. to no show means she missed the boat.

[thomarvin]

Hope you have a great time with your family. Go and enjoy.:)

[hockeyluver]

have fun, and no you will not be charged for 2 with the cheers package. :D

[Vitality08]

Isn't the best course of action also dependant on if he had insurance or not? And what reasons are covered by the policy?

 

Although, if he's saying money isn't an issue then I guess none of that would matter either.

[RuthlessBoss]

Looks like still not in penalty phase:D Either way, the fare won't change, you'll pay for 2 minus taxes etc. you'll get back after the "no show". You might want to keep track of prices on fareviewer for lower price, and check if per chance that specific cruise may have no single supplement (as an option).

[bigman01]

No, not vindictive. Amicable separation...

 

Are there any repercussions to having a person be a "no-show"? Will it cause any problems or delays? Any other potential issues during the trip?

 

 

No sir, should be no repercussions for a no-show, just tell them when you check in that she's travelling seperately and she'll arrive a little later. Shouldn't be a problem at all.

 

I forgot to mention one other thing about the Cheers program - as long as you are the only adult (over 21) in the room, you should be able to buy it just for yourself, I think. I would, however, wait until after the ship sails so that they'll know your ex-wife didn't show up. At least I think that'll work.

[rgatt1]

Thanks all for your help!! I appreciate it!

[StillPooh]

I forgot to mention one other thing about the Cheers program - as long as you are the only adult (over 21) in the room, you should be able to buy it just for yourself, I think. I would, however, wait until after the ship sails so that they'll know your ex-wife didn't show up. At least I think that'll work.

It's best to wait until after sailing to avoid paying taxes on your drink package, too.

[AdGuyMG]

You should be able to call and remove her from your cabin and sail solo.

Your rate won't go up but you'll probably get her portion of the port fees and taxes refunded or added to your S&S as OBC.

 

Anyone can travel solo and the rate isn't any higher than it is for 2 people even though sometimes you can get lucky and cruise solo without paying for 2.

However, you only pay port fees and taxes for 1 person if you sail solo.

 

This advice is correct. As long as the cruise was totally paid for by you with a credit card in your name. If she paid separately you can ignore the rest of my post.

 

Other threads you may have seen here on CC with the "she'll be joining us later" no-show charade involve groups of 3 travelers and then 1 of the 3 drops out after final payment leaving 2 people in a triple occupancy cabin. This triggers 2 things. 1) If the dropout requests a refund, the remaining 2 passengers are on the hook to make up the difference for the revenue of the triple occupancy cabin and 2) the remaining 2 passengers can be booted to a double occupancy cabin and if there are no doubles in the same category and the only remaining doubles are in a higher up category, they will pay that difference at the current best prevailing rate that they qualify for. In a scenario like this AND provided the 3rd passenger is just willing to walk away with no refund request the best way to handle it is the No-Show game.

 

 

On the other hand in the OP's case where he is already in a double occupancy OV cabin, and assuming the trip for both of the is paid for in full with a credit card in his name, and passenger 2 will not be sailing, yes he can call Carnival and cancel passenger 2 off the booking and keep the same cabin as he is paying the 200% single supplement. He will not be booted out to a 1A.

 

Will this move trigger a cancellation penalty? Absolutely!!! 50% / 75% or 100% depending when he makes the call. But since he is still sailing on the ship the penalties will be waived by a Guest Solutions agent and the booking will be documented accordingly.

 

If he is sailing in September, the Government fees and Taxes will be refunded to his credit card.

Edited July 19, 2014 by AdGuyMG

[AdGuyMG]

Since the OP is booked Early Saver, I'm afraid that if he cancels, I think he will forfeit a portion of his soon to be ex-wife's fare, and Carnival will hold the rest in her name for a future cruise.

 

You are confusing the cancellation terms and conditions of the nonrefundable Early Saver deposit before final payment ($50 admin Fee / Remaining Balance held for 2 years as a Future Cruise Credit) with the cancellation terms and conditions of a paid in full cruise. After final payment, the cancellation penalties are identical no matter what fare code you booked.

 

Penalty Phase 1: Amount equal to Deposit Phase 2: 50% of cruise fare Phase 3: 75% of cruise fare Phase 4: 100% of cruise fare

 

With the exceptions of Easy Saver and Pack N Go which are 100% nonrefundable from the moment of booking.

Edited July 19, 2014 by AdGuyMG

[Danacat222]

I booked online, early saver. Final Payment is made. I am not interested in adding someone else to the booking. I'm not concerned about the money, I'm more concerned about the logistics. I don't want to have it become an ordeal once I get to the port with the rest of my family...

 

I also don't want to have my room be changed. I heard that it might be something that they could do. I am booked in an OV room, it is only allowed to sleep 2...

 

 

Don't do a thing, she will be a no show. You will not have to pay double for cheers, as you will be alone.

[fishtaco]

Don't do a thing, she will be a no show. You will not have to pay double for cheers, as you will be alone.

 

A "No Show" could be for many reasons that are beyond your control and the No Shows control, so the cruise line cannot penalize you in any way if your wife is a "NO Show" In fact it is none of their business as to why she is a "no show" so they dont make it their business:)

 

Budget airlines run passenger numbers on "No Shows" and very often over book flights as they know a certain percentage of passenger will be "No Show"

 

If I were in your situation I would just tell them at check in counter that your wife cant make the cruise.:)

[AdGuyMG]

A "No Show" could be for many reasons that are beyond your control and the No Shows control, so the cruise line cannot penalize you in any way if your wife is a "NO Show" In fact it is none of their business as to why she is a "no show" so they dont make it their business:)

 

Budget airlines run passenger numbers on "No Shows" and very often over book flights as they know a certain percentage of passenger will be "No Show"

 

If I were in your situation I would just tell them at check in counter that your wife cant make the cruise.:)

 

Bad advice... because now you are telling an agent who is an employee of Carnival that there is a last minute cancellation on your booking and per policy and procedure, the check-in agent is obligated to update and document a significant event such as this on your booking in order to provide an accurate passenger manifest. This includes multiple computer steps that include deleting the 2nd name on one screen and documenting the reason. Waiving system generated penalties on another screen and documenting the reason. Refunding the Government fees and Taxes on yet another screen. Voiding passenger #2's Sail and Sign account on yet another screen and documenting that, too. And having you signing some paperwork. You will most likely not be charged any fees or penalties, however this procedure may take anywhere from 10-15 minutes to accomplish and will delay your boarding and hold up the others you are traveling with. You want to all be together for for the family group Welcome Aboard photo, don't you?

 

So if you don't take my advice from post #16 and cancel the soon to be Ex over the phone with the Carnival service department or your travel agent, just play the "she'll be along later" no show game. The Carnival check in agents will still have to update and provide an accurate manifest with her no-show status and process the Tax refunds, etc.. but all that will be done in the terminal after all the passengers have been boarded and you are onboard hopefully enjoying your 1st D.O.D.

 

BTW... cruise lines run numbers for no shows, too but they do not use that data to overbook ships. Heck, cruise lines run numbers on practically everything from weekly weigh-ins for the dancers to how many drinks were bought at a particular comedy club performance to how much sludge was pulled from the bilge. But this is completely off topic. Sorry.

Edited July 20, 2014 by AdGuyMG

[kona_wahine]

I'm just going to throw this our there so please no flaming. With the ability to cancel cruises at the moment because of the new smoking policy would this help the OP out? Not sure how long that was to last. Just a suggestion....

[AdGuyMG]

I'm just going to throw this our there so please no flaming. With the ability to cancel cruises at the moment because of the new smoking policy would this help the OP out? Not sure how long that was to last. Just a suggestion....

 

From the FAQ's:

I don’t like the new smoking policy; can I cancel my cruise without penalties? The new smoking policy for stateroom balconies goes into effect on October 09, 2014, allowing guest’s time to cancel outside the penalty period if they feel the new policy will impact their ability to enjoy their cruise. Once the penalty period starts, normal penalties will apply. Guests booked under the Early Saver promotion for sailings October 09, 2014, and onward may cancel prior to the final payment due date and receive their deposit back if the change in policy will adversely impact their cruise experience.

 

 

The guy is booked in an Ocean View Cabin for October. He's past Final Payment.

[cruisinfanatic]

This advice is correct. As long as the cruise was totally paid for by you with a credit card in your name. If she paid separately you can ignore the rest of my post.

 

Other threads you may have seen here on CC with the "she'll be joining us later" no-show charade involve groups of 3 travelers and then 1 of the 3 drops out after final payment leaving 2 people in a triple occupancy cabin. This triggers 2 things. 1) If the dropout requests a refund, the remaining 2 passengers are on the hook to make up the difference for the revenue of the triple occupancy cabin and 2) the remaining 2 passengers can be booted to a double occupancy cabin and if there are no doubles in the same category and the only remaining doubles are in a higher up category, they will pay that difference at the current best prevailing rate that they qualify for. In a scenario like this AND provided the 3rd passenger is just willing to walk away with no refund request the best way to handle it is the No-Show game.

 

 

On the other hand in the OP's case where he is already in a double occupancy OV cabin, and assuming the trip for both of the is paid for in full with a credit card in his name, and passenger 2 will not be sailing, yes he can call Carnival and cancel passenger 2 off the booking and keep the same cabin as he is paying the 200% single supplement. He will not be booted out to a 1A.

 

Will this move trigger a cancellation penalty? Absolutely!!! 50% / 75% or 100% depending when he makes the call. But since he is still sailing on the ship the penalties will be waived by a Guest Solutions agent and the booking will be documented accordingly.

 

If he is sailing in September, the Government fees and Taxes will be refunded to his credit card.

You made that sound a lot more confusing than it is. There is no reason to cancel the second person ahead of time. Carnival will charge a $50 fee just to change from 2 to one regardless if the cruise cost goes up or not. That's why folks say don't cancel till you get there. The op will get the taxes back even if waiting till getting to the pier.

The OP also does not risk getting his cabin changed regardless of when he cancels the X out.

[cruisinfanatic]

Bad advice... because now you are telling an agent who is an employee of Carnival that there is a last minute cancellation on your booking and per policy and procedure, the check-in agent is obligated to update and document a significant event such as this on your booking in order to provide an accurate passenger manifest. This includes multiple computer steps that include deleting the 2nd name on one screen and documenting the reason. Waiving system generated penalties on another screen and documenting the reason. Refunding the Government fees and Taxes on yet another screen. Voiding passenger #2's Sail and Sign account on yet another screen and documenting that, too. And having you signing some paperwork. You will most likely not be charged any fees or penalties, however this procedure may take anywhere from 10-15 minutes to accomplish and will delay your boarding and hold up the others you are traveling with. You want to all be together for for the family group Welcome Aboard photo, don't you?

 

So if you don't take my advice from post #16 and cancel the soon to be Ex over the phone with the Carnival service department or your travel agent, just play the "she'll be along later" no show game. The Carnival check in agents will still have to update and provide an accurate manifest with her no-show status and process the Tax refunds, etc.. but all that will be done in the terminal after all the passengers have been boarded and you are onboard hopefully enjoying your 1st D.O.D.

 

So where did you hear all that? Wasn't here because I haven't heard. If the OP tells the agent she'll be arriving later, none of what you wrote happens

[AdGuyMG]

You made that sound a lot more confusing than it is. There is no reason to cancel the second person ahead of time. Carnival will charge a $50 fee just to change from 2 to one regardless if the cruise cost goes up or not. That's why folks say don't cancel till you get there. The op will get the taxes back even if waiting till getting to the pier.

The OP also does not risk getting his cabin changed regardless of when he cancels the X out.

 

Of course there's no cabin change going from double to single occupancy and of course the taxes come back. I don't see where I stated otherwise.

 

If he's going to wait until he gets to the pier he's best off leaving guest 2 as a no-show, in other words saying "she'll be along soon", rather than cancelling.

 

But then.... If he wants to buy the Cheers beverage plan as the only 21+ adult cabin occupant, he will have to visit Guest Services once the ship sails to get her name off the booking because no-shows remain on the shipboard record in case the no-show legitimately missed the ship and legitimately plans on meeting up with the ship at the 1st port of call. Hence Cheers X2.

Edited July 20, 2014 by AdGuyMG