Future Cruise Credit Refund

[matondo]

Without getting bogged down in the details...bottom line is there any way we can get our $250 deposit back that we put down when we booked our future cruise. We did not use the onboard credit that was offered but decided to apply it on the future cuise which we want to cancel.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Since you did not use the deposit as an on board credit on the cruise you were on when you booked, and you are in the US there should not be any issues getting your deposit back.

 

If you just want to change cruise dates you can move the deposit to another cruise.

[matondo]

Good to know...thank you....

 

I keep finding better rates on other websites...lesson learned...I will probably book again onboard but make sure it gets transferred to a TA instead of keeping it inhouse.

[jagoffee]

Since you did not use the deposit as an on board credit on the cruise you were on when you booked, and you are in the US there should not be any issues getting your deposit back.

 

If you just want to change cruise dates you can move the deposit to another cruise.

 

Are you sure about this? Have you actually been refunded the deposit on an on board or open passage booking? I know you can change them, but I thought the deposit was no refundable?

Any difference between the on board booking and Open Passage?

 

Thanks

[CHEZMARYLOU]

Are you sure about this? Have you actually been refunded the deposit on an on board or open passage booking? I know you can change them, but I thought the deposit was no refundable?

Any difference between the on board booking and Open Passage?

 

Thanks

 

The deposit on an open passage purchase is not refundable. The OP booked a cruise on board according to his/her post. This deposit is refundable or can be transferred to another cruise as long as it was not taken as an on board credit on the cruise you are on at time of booking.

 

We have moved both types of deposits and have also cancelled a cruise but I don't remember if it was an on board booking.

Edited February 1, 2016 by CHEZMARYLOU

[Cruise Raider]

Are you sure about this? Have you actually been refunded the deposit on an on board or open passage booking? I know you can change them, but I thought the deposit was no refundable?

Any difference between the on board booking and Open Passage?

 

Thanks

 

Now that I have had have first hand experience with a future cruise deposit on Celebrity, I would never again book an open passage. An open passage is purchased and not attached to any one particular sailing - it just gives you the ability to use it as your deposit when you do decide to book but it is attached to whichever travel agency (or Celebrity) that is chosen within the first 30-60 (?) days of the purchase. You will then have to use this choice for any booking made under this open passage reservation number. Also, this is completely non-refundable but you can move it to another sailing without losing it, however, if the agency you chose has a cancelation or change fee associated with it, you may lose double...that and the deposit if you cancel. Ouch! Anyhow, you can even transfer it to another traveler but again, it has to be done within that specific time frame allotted. I was not given all these facts when I purchased it so shame on me as I have an unusable one hanging out under my account. Well, maybe one day but for now, I consider it lost money.

 

What I will always do from now on is book a particular sailing and assign it to my TA of choice. That's a bit tricky as we don't always know who is going to have the best prices / perks and at which time. But, this is a gamble I will take....and I assign it to an agency with no additional cancelation / change fees, even though they might not always have the best pricing.

If I do find pricing that is worth a lot more than the $200 (or whatever amount) I would be receiving in onboard credit, I will just cancel the initial booking and get a full refund for that initial deposit. I did encounter this recently where I had a booking through Celebrity and found a price that saved me nearly $1000, so rebooked through another agency, canceled my cruise and received a refund of the initial deposit amount within a week or so. This would not have been allowed if I had an Open Passage booking....I would have lost that initial deposit. So, lesson learned ... kind of the hard way. Wish they would convert their onboard bookings to more like Princess's method. If you cancel, they just go back into your bank and are refunded if not used within 2 years and lastly, can be used at any travel agency you choose at any time.

[jagoffee]

The deposit on an open passage purchase is not refundable. The OP booked a cruise on board according to his/her post. This deposit is refundable or can be transferred to another cruise as long as it was not taken as an on board credit on the cruise you are on at time of booking.

 

We have moved both types of deposits and have also cancelled a cruise but I don't remember if it was an on board booking.

 

Chezmarylou, thank you for the information. I did not realize that the on board booking was refundable and different than the Open Passages. Good to know.

 

Now that I have had have first hand experience with a future cruise deposit on Celebrity, I would never again book an open passage. An open passage is purchased and not attached to any one particular sailing - it just gives you the ability to use it as your deposit when you do decide to book but it is attached to whichever travel agency (or Celebrity) that is chosen within the first 30-60 (?) days of the purchase. You will then have to use this choice for any booking made under this open passage reservation number. Also, this is completely non-refundable but you can move it to another sailing without losing it, however, if the agency you chose has a cancelation or change fee associated with it, you may lose double...that and the deposit if you cancel. Ouch! Anyhow, you can even transfer it to another traveler but again, it has to be done within that specific time frame allotted. I was not given all these facts when I purchased it so shame on me as I have an unusable one hanging out under my account. Well, maybe one day but for now, I consider it lost money.

 

What I will always do from now on is book a particular sailing and assign it to my TA of choice. That's a bit tricky as we don't always know who is going to have the best prices / perks and at which time. But, this is a gamble I will take....and I assign it to an agency with no additional cancelation / change fees, even though they might not always have the best pricing.

If I do find pricing that is worth a lot more than the $200 (or whatever amount) I would be receiving in onboard credit, I will just cancel the initial booking and get a full refund for that initial deposit. I did encounter this recently where I had a booking through Celebrity and found a price that saved me nearly $1000, so rebooked through another agency, canceled my cruise and received a refund of the initial deposit amount within a week or so. This would not have been allowed if I had an Open Passage booking....I would have lost that initial deposit. So, lesson learned ... kind of the hard way. Wish they would convert their onboard bookings to more like Princess's method. If you cancel, they just go back into your bank and are refunded if not used within 2 years and lastly, can be used at any travel agency you choose at any time.

 

I am not really defending Open Passages, but I do know that when you buy them on board you can ask for them to either be assigned to the TA that you used or directly to Celebrity and you do not need to transfer them to a TA until you actually make a booking.

Of course the on board booking one are a better deal especially now that I know they are refundable. I am not sure that I will be able to use all my Open Passages.

Thanks.

 

 

For anyone,

Can an Open Passage once booked be transfer to another ship later without losing the deposit?

 

Thanks

[mandream]

For anyone,

Can an Open Passage once booked be transfer to another ship later without losing the deposit?

 

Thanks

 

Yes, once booked it is like any other reservation and can be transferred to another sailing.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

The last on board booking flyer I have from 2015 does not even mention an open passage and I don't remember the agent talking about it when we cruised in Sept, 2015. I wonder if Celebrity has done away with them.

 

The one that I bought in January 2014 has been moved to several cruises and we are finally using it in March.

[jagoffee]

Appreciate the responses. Thank you.

[az_tchr]

Appreciate the responses. Thank you.

 

There used to be big advantages to booking an open passage. Not today. If in the USA you basically for the price of a refundable deposit get a free look until the final payment date. Elsewhere the rules are different and almost always require a transfer to a new cruise of the loss of some money.

[matondo]

Thank you to everyone...I did it!

 

I called and cancelled my cruise and they said the money I put down as a deposit will be credited to my card in 5 to 10 business days.

 

I appreciate everyone's imput.

[Bollinge]

I booked a cabin for a friend for our forthcoming April cruise on board another Celeb vessel last year.

 

Final payment day was yesterday, but my friend has decided to cancel due to work commitments. Our US travel agent told him the deposits of $100 p.p. will be refunded to whichever credit card was used to make the booking.

 

Looks like I'll owe my friend two hundred bucks in due course.