How far in advance would you book a Non-refundable?

[xcell]

I just booked cabins for an upcoming cruise Mar 2019.

 

I was booking on RCCL website and for 2 cabins so it was weird they didn't offered R/NR rooms -- so I assumed it was a R.

 

So here's the deal...

 

2 Central Park cabins for $4800 CDN R or I can get it for $4300 CDN plus $200 USD OBC ($100 per room).

 

I was calling in to switch it but the CSR told me that "he wouldn't".

 

Now I'm second guessing my original choice of changing it to NR... I usually go in March so, it's not that I will change it but you never know...kids are in school, maybe something will happen to their school schedule.

[Clarea]

I've booked non-refundable around 4 months in advance, but I would not go much more than that. Plans change, things come up.

[Friend100]

We committed to a non-refundable after we have booked the air - about 6 months out for our upcoming Oasis cruises.

[3monkeys4me]

For us... probably not more than 4-6 months out. But we frequently have schedule changes and things come up with the kids. We just had to change cruises last week from one that was early February 2019 to late March 2019 because my daughter was accepted into a program through her school and she would be unable to travel with us in February.

 

I can see circumstances changing for us in a few years when the kids are in college and our career situation changes. But for now, we just don't have a predictable enough schedule.

[Ourusualbeach]

March 2020 booked as non refundable. March break, the date won’t change.

[ARandomTraveler]

100 days

 

 

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[Beachammo]

I've become comfortable booking NR on cruises I intend on taking.

 

It's a Risk Vs Reward. Is the reward greater than the $200 I'm risking? I know I can apply anything over the $200 towards another cruise.

 

Now my back up cruises are a different story and I book those as refundable.

 

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[grandgeezer]

I only book nonrefundable fares as I figure the risk is worth it. I book when I find a good price on a cruise I definitely will take, baring any unexpected occurrances. We booked a B2B on the Allure about nine months before departure.

[gaylemh]

I booked non-refundable for 2020 already.

[Merion_Mom]

The price difference depends on your tolerance for losing $100.

[nelblu]

I guess based on the above replies, I'm at the extreme. Booked NR Harmony for Easter 2020. Price was worth the gamble, plus got $100 in obc. Also, transferred to TA and got prepaid grats and $50 in obc as a loyalty member.

[Florida_cruisers]

I’d would only book a non refundable cruise if the airfare is also booked. Once I book the plane tickets, there’s no turning back.

[nelblu]

I’d would only book a non refundable cruise if the airfare is also booked. Once I book the plane tickets, there’s no turning back.

 

I take the approach that fares booked far in advance will be higher in the future, therefore, mitigating the possible increase in the air fare.

[Sorcerer Tim]

For me it is always about price. I booked one about 8 months out NR at the best pricing I have seen.

[bouhunter]

depends on your tolerance for losing $100.

 

That sums it up. Beyond that there are far too many variables in everyone's travel plans and situations to bother with recommendations or opinions.

[Dizneydreamer_PA]

For some rooms, a refundable deposit isn’t an option, so you can only book a NRD. We have 5 cruises booked going out as far as Thanksgiving 2019 and all nonrefundable. But, we also travel only when we are completely certain my son will be out of school.

[papaflamingo]

Depends on the cruise and savings. I'm not a fan of NR, but we booked Brilliance for July 2019 British Isles cruise. The NR rate was significantly lower than the Refundable. So I'm risking $200 to have the room I want at a price that is much better. Oh, the cabin category we have, JS, as well as all but a balcony are sold out. The balcony cost is $100 more than I paid for my JS non-refundable. So, glad I did it. If I can't go, so be it.

[xcell]

Thanks for your replies...

[ARandomTraveler]

I’d would only book a non refundable cruise if the airfare is also booked. Once I book the plane tickets, there’s no turning back.

 

 

 

This is why I switched over to flying Southwest a long time ago. I don’t like being locked into anything, and airfare is the biggest rip-off of all when people need to make a change. The change fees are often close to 100% or more of the cost of the airfare itself.

 

I once needed to make a change to my American Airlines flights and they told me I had to pay $900 ($450/ticket) plus the additional cost of the fare to change my flights to another day (our tickets were only $350 to begin with). I have flown Southwest ever since, even if the price of the flight is higher than other airlines.

 

 

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[travelinmoma]

Question: Can't you book a NR fair and then just buy insurance?

[SheehanDJ]

This is why I switched over to flying Southwest a long time ago. I don’t like being locked into anything, and airfare is the biggest rip-off of all when people need to make a change. The change fees are often close to 100% or more of the cost of the airfare itself.

 

I once needed to make a change to my American Airlines flights and they told me I had to pay $900 ($450/ticket) plus the additional cost of the fare to change my flights to another day (our tickets were only $350 to begin with). I have flown Southwest ever since, even if the price of the flight is higher than other airlines.

 

 

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The only good news is this is really starting to burn the airlines when they are looking for volunteers on an over booked flight. No body even moved toward the podium until the "reward" for taking a later flight was in the $900 range the last time we flew Delta thru Atlanta. So someone pretty much got two free flights for delaying an hour and a half.

 

Since NR has become a thing we haven't really changed out cruise booking schedule of a year in advance. If we lose $200 we lose $200, looking at cruise prices over the past couple years, it would cost us more than $200 it we waited until closer to the cruise to book them.

[Clarea]

Question: Can't you book a NR fair and then just buy insurance?

Sure, but the insurance will only pay for a covered reason. Unless you buy cancel for any reason insurance (more expensive), the insurance won't pay if you simply change your mind and want to cancel or change the cruise.

[RocketMan275]

Question: Can't you book a NR fair and then just buy insurance?

Certainly. I just checked the Delta website. $600 trip expenses. Insurance would be $92. Covers pretty much the same things as cruise insurance.

[RocketMan275]

NR is the only option if you book a suite.

[LuCruise]

They changed the website recently where it's not obvious at all that you can still have option of both. The default is now non-refundable (where before they gave you the selection of both) and only if you fill out all customer details is there a Mon obvious selection for refundable.

 

We booked our March break cruise 2 years is advance and it was refundable (only option at the time). Then last month at a year in advance we switched to non-refundable as the savings was enough and school break date isn't changing.

 

For our summer cruise we weren't sure if keeping it or not so we went refundable..even though less than a year. So it depends.

 

Yours seems like a substantial difference so for us I would consider non-refundable if you knew you wanted to cruise and only unknown circumstances (such as health) would cause you to cancel.

 

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