Fee to cancel before final payment

[eby]

  We had to cancel a 3/31/20 cruise and Oceania charged us $500 .Has this happen to anyone else?

[Cruseforme]

 see the T&C’s:

 

DAYS PRIOR
TO CRUISE SAIL DATE - CANCELLATION AMOUNT

• 91-120 Days Prior - $250 per person administrative fee++
• 76-90 Days Prior - 25% of Fare
• 61-75 Days Prior - 50% of Fare
• 31-60 Days Prior - 75% of Fare
• 0-30 Days Prior - 100% of Fare

Cruises of more than 15 days except 180-Day Voyages: 

DAYS PRIOR 
TO CRUISE SAIL DATE - CANCELLATION AMOUNT 

• 151-180 Days Prior - $250 per person administrative fee++
• 121-150 Days Prior - 25% of Fare
• 91-120 Days Prior - 50% of Fare
• 61-90 Days Prior - 75% of Fare
• 0-60 Days Prior - 100% of Fare

180-Day Voyages

DAYS PRIOR
TO CRUISE SAIL DATE - CANCELLATION AMOUNT

• Deposit-181 Days Prior - $500 per person 
• 151-180 Days Prior - 25% of Fare
• 121-150 Days Prior - 50% of Fare
• 91-120 Days Prior - 75% of Fare
• 0-90 Days Prior - 100% of Fare

For Owner's, Vista and Oceania Suites, the cancellation amounts are as listed above with two exceptions: For cruises of less than 15 days, the administrative fee from 91 to 120 days prior to sailing is 10% of the Fare; and for cruises 15 days or longer, the administrative fee from 151 to 180 days prior to sailing is 10% of the Fare. 

++The Administrative Fee may be converted to a Future Cruise Credit redeemable on bookings made up to 12 months after cancellation date and for travel within 2 years of date of issue. 

 

[StanandJim]

Yes, people were taking advantage of the previous "free cancellation" policy to the extent that legitimate passengers were being locked out of availability.

The new way ensures that only serious candidates make bookings.

I want to say that it has been in place for 3 or 4 years now.  

[LHT28]

Did you not read the T & C's when you booked?

It is usually noted on your invoice  when your book the cruise

 

If you plan to take another O cruise in the next 12 mths then just use it for that cruise

if not maybe  see if you can claim on your cancellation insurance

[pna]

I thought if you have only made it deposit, that deposit was 100% refundable until final payment is due?

 

[LHT28]

3 minutes ago, pna said:

I thought if you have only made it deposit, that deposit was 100% refundable until final payment is due?

 

the cancellation  schedule is posted above 

What do not not understand ??

[StanandJim]

41 minutes ago, pna said:

I thought if you have only made it deposit, that deposit was 100% refundable until final payment is due?

 

It was like that many years ago-

 

[pinotlover]

Far too many cruisers booking multiple cruises and waiting until the last minute to cancel. This particularly includes those doing placeholder bookings aboard ship and waiting to cancel or shift! To much of a good thing resulted in a bad deal for Oceania. Policy changed a couple of years ago. Hello almost 2020!

[rhohea]

Just a suggestion.   When booking for 2 people only make the booking in 1 persons name.   

 

You have up until final payment (at least)  to add the other people to your booking and only pay their deposit when you add them.

 

Less deposit to loose or fight to get back.

[Glenndale]

4 hours ago, rhohea said:

Just a suggestion.   When booking for 2 people only make the booking in 1 persons name.   

 

You have up until final payment (at least)  to add the other people to your booking and only pay their deposit when you add them.

 

Less deposit to loose or fight to get back.

Another suggestion, only book a cruise that you intend to take, not as a placeholder while you make your mind up.

Buy insurance to cover against unexpected problems.

 

[pna]

LHT 28:   No need to be snippy!

 

[LHT28]

2 hours ago, pna said:

LHT 28:   No need to be snippy!

 

You have not seen snippy 😉

 

Sorry but the  cancellation penalties are listed in several places  no reason why anyone should be surprised

they are on the O website

on the invoice you recieve

in the Brochures

 

[Kate-AHF]

I don't consider myself a neophyte traveler, a new cruiser, or naive in most ways.  You would think after years of cruising I would be familiar with a cruise line's cancellation policy - particularly one I'm currently sailing on.

 

Whether it's printed on my the three O invoices I have on my desk, I couldn't tell you.  And you would think the way I analyze just about everything before I make a deposit I would have looked up the cancellation policy on O.  But I didn't.  So this came as a surprise to me - I guess I was just thinking that Seabourn's cancellation policy was the industry standard.  Now I know, thanks to the original poster.  And I thank the original poster for that.

 

What I find so off-putting is the tone that some of posters have taken with this question.... such an undercurrent of "How stupid are you?"

 

Honestly, the people we cruised with on O for a month last year were the NICEST folks we've ever met on any ship, any line going back 15 years.  But if I didn't know that from personal experience, the frequent tone on this board would make me think twice.

[Mura]

I would never accuse you of stupidity for being in this situation!  It does seem to me that it has been clearly on our invoices what penalties and dates are, but beyond that our TA always makes sure we know what those cancellation timelines are.  So we've never been caught the way you were.  In fact, I had to cancel my last booked cruise and was able to do so the day before our penalties would have kicked in.  This was well in advance -- as I recall we cancelled on December 5th for an April 4th departure.  And we weren't in a top suite although we *were* in a PH.  Timings differ (as you now know) depending on room category and length of the cruise. 

 

In the gold old days it was much simpler.  Deposits were $250 pp and it was90 days before departure no matter what category you were in.

 

That was then and now is now!

 

 

 

At least, now you know ... but it IS a hard lesson.

 

Mura

[keithm]

On ‎10‎/‎17‎/‎2019 at 4:48 PM, pna said:

I thought if you have only made it deposit, that deposit was 100% refundable until final payment is due?

 

This fault is either yours or your TA. You should always ASK when will I lose the deposit? On Princess you lose it from day one!

[Charles4515]

4 hours ago, keithm said:

This fault is either yours or your TA. You should always ASK when will I lose the deposit? On Princess you lose it from day one!

 

I agree always ask when you lose the deposit but you can book a refundable deposit or a non refundable deposit on Princess. If you open their website today you will see Princeess is offering $100 refundable deposits today. Usually they have been offering refundable and non refundable. The incentive to book non refundable is a lower fare. 

[keithm]

4 hours ago, Charles4515 said:

 

I agree always ask when you lose the deposit but you can book a refundable deposit or a non refundable deposit on Princess. If you open their website today you will see Princeess is offering $100 refundable deposits today. Usually they have been offering refundable and non refundable. The incentive to book non refundable is a lower fare. 

True, thanks.

[Caroldoll]

On 10/18/2019 at 3:41 PM, Kate-AHF said:

I don't consider myself a neophyte traveler, a new cruiser, or naive in most ways.  You would think after years of cruising I would be familiar with a cruise line's cancellation policy - particularly one I'm currently sailing on.

 

Whether it's printed on my the three O invoices I have on my desk, I couldn't tell you.  And you would think the way I analyze just about everything before I make a deposit I would have looked up the cancellation policy on O.  But I didn't.  So this came as a surprise to me - I guess I was just thinking that Seabourn's cancellation policy was the industry standard.  Now I know, thanks to the original poster.  And I thank the original poster for that.

 

What I find so off-putting is the tone that some of posters have taken with this question.... such an undercurrent of "How stupid are you?"

 

Honestly, the people we cruised with on O for a month last year were the NICEST folks we've ever met on any ship, any line going back 15 years.  But if I didn't know that from personal experience, the frequent tone on this board would make me think twice.

I personally am sorry this happened to you.  Doesn't cost for people to be nice.

[Ga_Girl]

We are looking at a 14-night cruise for late 2021. The cancellation fee schedule is pretty clear for those cancelling 120 days or less before the cruise. What I cannot find is the cancellation fee schedule for cancelling MORE than 120 days prior. What if we decide 150 days out that we can no longer take the cruise? Is it $250 still?

 

My TA is out of town this weekend, and I thought I might get a faster response here! Thanks in advance.

[KatieBelle]

On 10/18/2019 at 5:41 PM, Kate-AHF said:

I don't consider myself a neophyte traveler, a new cruiser, or naive in most ways.  You would think after years of cruising I would be familiar with a cruise line's cancellation policy - particularly one I'm currently sailing on.

 

Whether it's printed on my the three O invoices I have on my desk, I couldn't tell you.  And you would think the way I analyze just about everything before I make a deposit I would have looked up the cancellation policy on O.  But I didn't.  So this came as a surprise to me - I guess I was just thinking that Seabourn's cancellation policy was the industry standard.  Now I know, thanks to the original poster.  And I thank the original poster for that.

 

What I find so off-putting is the tone that some of posters have taken with this question.... such an undercurrent of "How stupid are you?"

 

Honestly, the people we cruised with on O for a month last year were the NICEST folks we've ever met on any ship, any line going back 15 years.  But if I didn't know that from personal experience, the frequent tone on this board would make me think twice.

 

Well said.............and Thank You!

Katie

[KS&JW]

11 hours ago, Ga_Girl said:

We are looking at a 14-night cruise for late 2021. The cancellation fee schedule is pretty clear for those cancelling 120 days or less before the cruise. What I cannot find is the cancellation fee schedule for cancelling MORE than 120 days prior. What if we decide 150 days out that we can no longer take the cruise? Is it $250 still?

 

My TA is out of town this weekend, and I thought I might get a faster response here! Thanks in advance.

 

You can cancel for free prior the the posted fee schedule.  

[dog]

On 10/17/2019 at 3:38 PM, Cruseforme said:

The Administrative Fee may be converted to a Future Cruise Credit redeemable on bookings made up to 12 months after cancellation date and for travel within 2 years of date of issue. 

 

On 10/17/2019 at 4:46 PM, LHT28 said:

 

To OP--glad you posted.

I am new to Oceania, and I do remember getting the cancellation policy clarified with my TA when I booked, but I never noticed the above. Good to point out this option.

[pinotlover]

This thread is actually a continuation, or precursor, of another on going thread about passports. Most all of these issues are very clearly spelled out in the invoice/ contract one receives upon booking. It’s not a long contract, perhaps three (3) pages, but it seems to be beyond the capabilities of some to read. Then, of course, some can’t accept the person responsibility of having not read those simple three pages and want to come here and vent and blame everyone except themselves for their laziness. One of the OP even though it wasn’t fair, I guess to expect her to even read the thing!

 

For many Oceania cruisers, money is no object for anything they do. For us, if we’re spending $5K-$15K on a cruise, we read the t&c surrounding that fairly major expenditure. In fact, all those provisions are clearly listed on Oceania’s website and we read them before we booked.

[Georgia_Girl]

On 1/25/2020 at 6:10 AM, KS&JW said:

 

You can cancel for free prior the the posted fee schedule.  

Thank you!

 

[DOJO466]

On October 18, 2019 at 1:52 PM, LHT28 said:

You have not seen snippy 😉

 

Sorry but the  cancellation penalties are listed in several places  no reason why anyone should be surprised

they are on the O website

on the invoice you recieve

in the Brochures

 

Our TA always advises us to peruse the cancellation policy when she sends our booking deposit. Lyn snippy?? Nah, just brings things to light that should be obvious. 😳