Carnival Modifies Cancellation Policy

[caryatid]

I am considering rebooking our families April 4th cruise.  My son has some special needs and if we were quarantined it would especially difficult.  My question is: Can I rebook a future cruise with just my husband and myself, or does the rebooking have to include all the members on the current reservation?  My kids are in school, so we are limited to when we can travel, we already have a big vacation planned over the summer, and my husband can't travel over Christmas because of his job.  I was thinking of rebooking just my husband and myself on a cruise in September, would that work? 

[pirateg11]

On 3/7/2020 at 9:38 AM, Ready2SailAway said:

 

FYI  Cruise Critic posted full details for Carnival's (and other cruise lines) new cancellation policies here - https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5151/

 

Just received that email from Carnival at 02:33am PST this morning Sat 7Mar.

 

We booked on 4Mar for a cruise sailing on 5Apr because it was so inexpensive AND fit our vacation schedule over spring break here (my wife is a teacher), and purchased Carnival's vacation protection for the option to cancel without cause up to 48hrs prior to sailing.

 

So... I'll have to call and find out how Carnival's new cancellation policy will work if we decide to re-book.  I'm guessing that vacation protection plan would just carry over to the future cruise...

 

No, according to both the fine print on the official letter and a response I got from a Carnival rep, their own vacation protection is non-refundable, and non-transferable.  So wave bye-bye to that portion of what you paid.  

[gambleballs]

Has anyone had experience canceling/rebooking a rate that was through a casino offer? I have two cabins booked at a discount plus $500 OBC each for April. Was wondering if that OBC would carry over to the new booking along with the cruise credit for the rate paid? No luck getting through to my PVP so far, and I've read a number of threads with similar questions asked but no answers it seems.

[bobsfamily]

3 hours ago, gambleballs said:

Has anyone had experience canceling/rebooking a rate that was through a casino offer? I have two cabins booked at a discount plus $500 OBC each for April. Was wondering if that OBC would carry over to the new booking along with the cruise credit for the rate paid? No luck getting through to my PVP so far, and I've read a number of threads with similar questions asked but no answers it seems.

Would like to know that as well, leaving 3/21 and trying to decide if I want to rebook...

[momof3hungryboys]

19 hours ago, pirateg11 said:

No, according to both the fine print on the official letter and a response I got from a Carnival rep, their own vacation protection is non-refundable, and non-transferable.  So wave bye-bye to that portion of what you paid.  

I have a question about Carnival's cancel for any reason insurance - if my penalty is the deposits for our cruise will the insurance kick in and refund 75% of the deposits for a future cruise?  Isn't this what the insurance is for to refund your cruise fare/penalty should you have to cancel.

I'm considering just canceling and not rebooking because there really won't be another opportunity for the 4 of us to cruise together due to our schedules.

[sailawaykaye]

5 hours ago, gambleballs said:

Has anyone had experience canceling/rebooking a rate that was through a casino offer? I have two cabins booked at a discount plus $500 OBC each for April. Was wondering if that OBC would carry over to the new booking along with the cruise credit for the rate paid? No luck getting through to my PVP so far, and I've read a number of threads with similar questions asked but no answers it seems.

Hi. So I had booked a cruise with a casino rate. It was the “Hot Streak Bonus” which included $500 OBC. I was only able to cancel and rebook when I received another Hot Streak Bonus offer under my VIFP profile, which actually appeared today. You have to call the Oceans Players number for casino booked cruises.

 

When talking with her, she said that I wouldn’t need to pay anything more than the cruise fare difference. I paid that while on the phone with her. After looking at my confirmation email it says  guest balance due $300! I thought that I read somewhere somebody explaining this but I can’t find it.🤓 Any info would be greatly appreciated!

[dietpepsi]

On 3/6/2020 at 2:00 AM, Cyn874 said:

I'm really hoping this is true. It's being heavily circulated on social media. People who called Carnival were told it wasn't real, however, if it's dated tomorrow then it might not be made official until then and the agents answering the phones might not know about it yet. 

 

Someone else just said that Princess announced a similar thing. I haven't checked to see if that's true or not. Hoping this will pop up in my email tomorrow. I'm sailing on May 9th with no plans to cancel, so $200 OBC would be great!

it is suppose to be true, as i have been calling carnival since friday trying to switch or cancel my 3/30 dream cruise....how can we cancel if we cant get thru the line...it says network update try again later and then it hangs up

[dietpepsi]

On 3/6/2020 at 10:25 AM, Butterbean1000 said:

Thank you, Carnival.  We sail on 3/30 and it never occurred to us to cancel.  We'll be enjoying our $150 unexpected OBC.

i sale on 3/30 also and i cant get thru the telephone line to carnival... it just hangs up after long wait....

[Jerseygirl1416]

3 hours ago, dietpepsi said:

it is suppose to be true, as i have been calling carnival since friday trying to switch or cancel my 3/30 dream cruise....how can we cancel if we cant get thru the line...it says network update try again later and then it hangs up

You can cancel on line at carnival.com.

[Butterbean1000]

4 hours ago, dietpepsi said:

i sale on 3/30 also and i cant get thru the telephone line to carnival... it just hangs up after long wait....

I can imagine how crazy busy they are.  The lines are probably overloaded.  The phone systems can only handle so much traffic.

[cheney_23]

Booked directly with Carnival several months ago for the 3/22 Magic sailing.  Have not received any email about option to cancel with FCC and have been unsuccessful getting through to Carnival over the phone.  Am I eligible for the FCC if I cancel?  Do I just role the dice and cancel online and keep my fingers crossed that they give me the FCC?  

 

Edited March 10, 2020 by cheney_23

[ginger123snaps]

If you booked through a big box store can you still cancel online through carnival or do you have to go through the big box store?

[buckeyefrank]

I read an article yesterday that mentioned Carnival is / has upped their benefit for proceeding with cruise plans.  I know the offer of $150 OBC but the article also specifically mentions drink credits and spa credits as well.  I have not seen anything regarding this other than that article.  Has anyone else seen or heard about that?

[1kaper]

4 minutes ago, buckeyefrank said:

I read an article yesterday that mentioned Carnival is / has upped their benefit for proceeding with cruise plans.  I know the offer of $150 OBC but the article also specifically mentions drink credits and spa credits as well.  I have not seen anything regarding this other than that article.  Has anyone else seen or heard about that?

 

I wonder if it is the same article I read.  It seemed like poor wording to me.  It implied free drinks and spa stuff, but when I re-read it, it was basically saying that Carnival is giving OBC that can be used for that.  
I haven't seen it anywhere else. 

[lostsoulcruiser]

On ‎3‎/‎6‎/‎2020 at 2:48 PM, pirateg11 said:

Ha, I think this makes me more confused.  Transferring the entire balance sounds like everything paid is being issued in cruise credit.  Otherwise, how would you get the refundable parts back aside from cancelling the new cruise and forfeiting the  new deposit?

In my case it works out that way.  The non-refundable part of my payment is being given as a future cruise credit which I used to book a future cruise.  Since I had already paid in full for the cancelled cruise I decided to move the remaining balance as payment toward the future cruise.  I could have received it as a refund but I just paid the cruise off.

[SRQbeachgirl]

36 minutes ago, lostsoulcruiser said:

In my case it works out that way.  The non-refundable part of my payment is being given as a future cruise credit which I used to book a future cruise.  Since I had already paid in full for the cancelled cruise I decided to move the remaining balance as payment toward the future cruise.  I could have received it as a refund but I just paid the cruise off.

 

When you rebooked, how long did it take for your FCC to show up as applied to your new booking on your cruise manager page? I called and canceled a May cruise yesterday that was paid in full and moved it over to a new booking in July, but the new booking still shows a balance due (the FCC will more than pay for the new booking and the Carnival rep said the rest would be OBC).

[lostsoulcruiser]

3 minutes ago, SRQbeachgirl said:

 

When you rebooked, how long did it take for your FCC to show up as applied to your new booking on your cruise manager page? I called and canceled a May cruise yesterday that was paid in full and moved it over to a new booking in July, but the new booking still shows a balance due (the FCC will more than pay for the new booking and the Carnival rep said the rest would be OBC).

You and I are in the same situation. I know Carnival means well, I know the phone centers are overloaded with calls but this is not seamless. My rebooked cruise reflects a balance due however when the FCC shows up I will have an OBC since my new booking is less than the cancelled booking.  No time given as to when that will happen. 

Next, to get a refund on the Vacation Protection package, you have to do that through another company connected to carnival (Aon travel; hope the spelling is correct).  I just called them today, a very understanding and helpful individual took my claim.  It will take a few weeks to get that refund as it will not just carry over to the rebooked cruise even though I purchase the Vacation Protection package with the rebooked cruise.

Right now, I also show a balance due, but that should go away, timeframe unknown. 

Computer/company systems are not made for this type of disruption.   

[SRQbeachgirl]

27 minutes ago, lostsoulcruiser said:

You and I are in the same situation. I know Carnival means well, I know the phone centers are overloaded with calls but this is not seamless. My rebooked cruise reflects a balance due however when the FCC shows up I will have an OBC since my new booking is less than the cancelled booking.  No time given as to when that will happen. 

Next, to get a refund on the Vacation Protection package, you have to do that through another company connected to carnival (Aon travel; hope the spelling is correct).  I just called them today, a very understanding and helpful individual took my claim.  It will take a few weeks to get that refund as it will not just carry over to the rebooked cruise even though I purchase the Vacation Protection package with the rebooked cruise.

Right now, I also show a balance due, but that should go away, timeframe unknown. 

Computer/company systems are not made for this type of disruption.   

 

Thank you! This is very helpful and makes me feel better. Fingers crossed that all this resolves itself soon (and before the final due dates - mine is April 19).

[dietpepsi]

8 hours ago, Jerseygirl1416 said:

You can cancel on line at carnival.com.

no you can't i tried to

[dietpepsi]

7 hours ago, Butterbean1000 said:

I can imagine how crazy busy they are.  The lines are probably overloaded.  The phone systems can only handle so much traffic.

and you cant cancel online

[ginger123snaps]

I cancelled my cruise for this Saturday.  I want to reschedule for the summer but not sure how all this is going to work.  If I book a cruise for July I will need it all paid in April....I'm not sure I will be comfortable doing that?  Has anyone spoken to carnival as to what their plans are?  This is only going to get worse.

[Pyxie]

It may get better with the warmer weather. We don't really know at this point. But I'm sure that Carnival is watching and will update their policy accordingly.

[thatoneguyyouknow]

So I paid for cheers / spa with gift cards.  I tried to just get that applied as a future cruise credit but they are telling me they will be mailed to my address on file in 2-3 weeks.  Hopefully that all works out ok.  Anyone got a gift card refund from carnival before?  Did it got smooth 

[Joe817]

18 minutes ago, Pyxie said:

It may get better with the warmer weather. We don't really know at this point. But I'm sure that Carnival is watching and will update their policy accordingly.

Exactly! This nasty bug is so new, there is no history on it. So many unknowns, it's ridiculous. Time will tell. Right now we can only speculate, theorize, and argue back and forth. I think we have to 'wait and see', as hard as that is to do.  

[RenoNanaOz]

27 minutes ago, ginger123snaps said:

I cancelled my cruise for this Saturday.  I want to reschedule for the summer but not sure how all this is going to work.  If I book a cruise for July I will need it all paid in April....I'm not sure I will be comfortable doing that?  Has anyone spoken to carnival as to what their plans are?  This is only going to get worse.

No one knows if it will get worse. it isn't the plague like the Media would have you believe. Everyone has to make their own decisions about whether to cruise or not. We choose to Cruise, we chose to go to the Mall, Grocery Store, Movie and Dinner on Saturday. I was in Seattle last week (ground zero as the media said), saw zero masks, people were out and about, my Daughter was at a Conference. It could be anywhere and I refuse to live in fear.