Friend might cancel - what to do?

[gmros]

38 minutes ago, papaflamingo said:

It sounds like your friend won't enjoy the cruise anyway.  She'll worry the whole time.  What a shame.  Of course no one can really tell, but it seems the cruise ships are taking extraordinary precautions.  Seems more likely to get coronavirus in an airport or even a shopping mall than on a cruise ship.  

Your friend can not claim against the insurance.  They simply won't cover that.  Only cancel for any reason would work, and you said she didn't have that.  So best bet is either pay her the 25% she'd get back and have her no show, or find a replacement.  I suspect that the 25% is less than a single supplement.  

Eitherway, enjoy your cruise.  

I agree... airport, shopping mall... subway! We ride the NYC subway to work *sigh*

[ARandomTraveler]

11 hours ago, molly361 said:

Does your friend have insurance,?

 

11 hours ago, gmros said:

She does.

In this case, double check to see if your insurance (assuming you also purchased it), has a “single supplement” clause. You may be able to make a claim on your insurance to cover the additional money you’ll have to pay for the single supplement if she cancels.

Edited March 2, 2020 by ARandomTraveler

[gmros]

24 minutes ago, ARandomTraveler said:

 

In this case, double check to see if your insurance (assuming you also purchased it), has a “single supplement” clause. You may be able to make a claim on your insurance to cover the additional money you’ll have to pay for the single supplement if she cancels.

 

It actually does cover single supplement. Unfortunately, her canceling from being scared is not a covered reason 😞.

[ARandomTraveler]

2 hours ago, gmros said:

 

It actually does cover single supplement. Unfortunately, her canceling from being scared is not a covered reason 😞.

In that case, I hope she does the honorable thing and offers to pay for your single supplement since she’s putting you in this position. 

[2yves]

Just wanted to say that you two have more risk catching COVID 19 on the subway than on a cruise.  At least on a cruise, people are washing their hands with sanitizer several times a day.

 

I hate it when friends or family flake out on plans.  It sucks.

[gmros]

7 hours ago, ARandomTraveler said:

In that case, I hope she does the honorable thing and offers to pay for your single supplement since she’s putting you in this position. 

If she does cancel, she will probably do that. She’s good like that 🙂

[gmros]

17 minutes ago, 2yves said:

Just wanted to say that you two have more risk catching COVID 19 on the subway than on a cruise.  At least on a cruise, people are washing their hands with sanitizer several times a day.

 

I hate it when friends or family flake out on plans.  It sucks.

Agree! She takes the bus and subway everyday. And now we have our first positive case in NYC. Now that I think about it, maybe she’s scared to be with me for a week+. I take the subway to work everyday and I work in the healthcare industry 😬 (I don’t deal with patients tho).

[cruiserRay55]

 

 

We are also worried about catching COVID-19 or being quarantined in the ship.  Therefore, we decide to cancel the cruise.

 

What is the best way to cancel the cruise?  I am asking this question because we booked the cruise through online travel agent and this travel agent would charge us $100pp if we cancel the cruise.   

 

Should we cancel before the cruise or just not show up?  We already pass the final payment date and almost 30 days prior to departure.  Thanks for anyone suggestion.  

 

[robtulipe]

At 60 to 31 days prior you will only get back 25 % of the cruise fare plus port fees and taxes. At 30 days or less prior or If you simply do not show up RCI will still refund port fees and taxes.

Is 25 % of the fare more or less than the TA $100 PP cancellation fee?

Even if the 25% refund is more but not a large amount more I would wait to see what develops with Covid-19 in the area you are to cruise in.

Also any prepaid gratuities, excursions and on board purchases will be refunded either way.

Edited March 2, 2020 by robtulipe

[Tulsacoker]

Best defense I suggest it to quickly upgrade to the best suite available ... 

[cruiserRay55]

23 minutes ago, robtulipe said:

At 60 to 31 days prior you will only get back 25 % of the cruise fare plus port fees and taxes. At 30 days or less prior or If you simply do not show up RCI will still refund port fees and taxes.

Is 25 % of the fare more or less than the TA $100 PP cancellation fee?

Even if the 25% refund is more but not a large amount more I would wait to see what develops with Covid-19 in the area you are to cruise in.

Also any prepaid gratuities, excursions and on board purchases will be refunded either way.

 

 

Thank you for your answer.  We just don’t know whether Royal Caribbean will charge us penalties if we don’t show up.  I just don’t want to lose the cruise fare plus TA cancellation fees plus RC penalties at the end.

 

[xxHadleyxx]

On 3/1/2020 at 5:43 PM, gmros said:

 

Thank you. We don't have "cancel for any reason" coverage. I looked at the policy and I don't think cancelling for pandemic concern without being ill is one of the covered reasons. My friend doesn't mind losing the money, that's how afraid she is. But I can't afford to lose money or pay any more so I am concerned that if she cancels, I will be paying extra.

As others have said---in the case you explain the best thing is for her to no show (or you fund someone to take her place).

If you find someone to take her place--they can just pay her directly to go in her place (she'll need to cal RCI to change the name at least 72 hours before sailing).

If she no shows, taxes and fees will be credited back to her and you will get double points.

 

She should NOT cancel outright by calling ahead of time as it will force you to reprice as a single and spend far more money

[mandream]

3 hours ago, gmros said:

Agree! She takes the bus and subway everyday. And now we have our first positive case in NYC. 

 

Give it another week.  Maybe then she'll be more scared of staying in NYC and the cruise will turn into the safer option 😉