Non-refundable deposits and canceling...

[leisuretraveler223]

I am going to assume I'll get scolded as this has probably been asked and answered, but frankly trying to search wasn't getting me there.  I have a cruise with final payment due next week.  There is ZERO chance I am going on this cruise for a number of reasons.  The original reservation was a non-refundable deposit.  I was patiently waiting for the cruise line to cancel the booking but nonsensically, they have not yet.   So, if I cancel now, do I lose my non-refundable deposit?  And if so, what happens when Royal then cancels the sailing, but conveniently waits until after final payment to do so?  Will the people who make final payment get a full refund, but those of us that canceled get screwed out of our deposits?

[marci22]

I think you pay a $100 per person admin fee and for the rest you get a FCC.

[Sunshine3601]

If you cancel with a NRD you will receive a FCC for the full amount of your deposit.

Or you  have the option to transfer that deposit to a new booking.

If you want a cash refund then maybe consider changing you cabin to the cheapest available then make final payment.  That way when and if they cancel your sailing you will have option to receive full cash refund.

Refunds are being processed much quicker than earlier this year.

Edited October 27, 2020 by Sunshine3601

[Sunshine3601]

5 minutes ago, marci22 said:

I think you pay a $100 per person admin fee and for the rest you get a FCC.

With cwc in place that $100 fee no longer applies.   They can get fcc for full deposit amount.

[Ourusualbeach]

Options

 

cancel before final and get a 100% FCC no penalties, apply and sail by Dec 31, 2021

 

make final payment and hope Royal cancels And get a 100% refund or a 125% FCC that has an apply by date of Dec 31, 2021 and a sail by date of Apr. 30 2022

 

if you cancel before final it does not matter what Royal does after that, you are locked into your decision and you cannot then claim a refund. 

[scottraveller]

There does appear to be a sting in the tail however. You can only use one fcc per cruise so if you have a few FCC’s then you cannot use multiple credits on one cruise. You’ll have to book other cruises and that must be before 31st December 2021. I know as it’s happened to me.. I’ve had around four cruises cancelled one by myself and the others by RCI. They provided FCC’s for them but I can’t use them all at once. I consider that to be a con

[Mapleleafforever]

57 minutes ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

I am going to assume I'll get scolded as this has probably been asked and answered, but frankly trying to search wasn't getting me there.  I have a cruise with final payment due next week.  There is ZERO chance I am going on this cruise for a number of reasons.  The original reservation was a non-refundable deposit.  I was patiently waiting for the cruise line to cancel the booking but nonsensically, they have not yet.   So, if I cancel now, do I lose my non-refundable deposit?  And if so, what happens when Royal then cancels the sailing, but conveniently waits until after final payment to do so?  Will the people who make final payment get a full refund, but those of us that canceled get screwed out of our deposits?

It's gambling and a game of chicken with the cruise line. Another option is just do a L&S to a cruise next year which gives you another year to make your decision. Your cruise is price protected and you don't have to pay any more money until next year. CWC still applies in case you want to cancel and take an FCC. 

[leisuretraveler223]

5 minutes ago, Mapleleafforever said:

It's gambling and a game of chicken with the cruise line. Another option is just do a L&S to a cruise next year which gives you another year to make your decision. Your cruise is price protected and you don't have to pay any more money until next year. CWC still applies in case you want to cancel and take an FCC. 

 

I feel like FCCs are a bit of a fantasy right now.  I am not optimistic about this industry getting back to anything close to functional any time soon.  I believe they won't be in a position to safely sail (which also means safely and reliably get back to port of origin and be allowed to have passengers debark) before next spring or summer at best.  And even then, I suspect the offerings will be severely limited, with arduous restrictions placed on virtually every aspect, thereby decreasing demand.  The market for cruising will take far longer to recover.

 

So to me it seems like a desperate move to take an FCC from an industry that's likely headed for bankruptcy reorganization at best.

 

[Mapleleafforever]

34 minutes ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

 

I feel like FCCs are a bit of a fantasy right now.  I am not optimistic about this industry getting back to anything close to functional any time soon.  I believe they won't be in a position to safely sail (which also means safely and reliably get back to port of origin and be allowed to have passengers debark) before next spring or summer at best.  And even then, I suspect the offerings will be severely limited, with arduous restrictions placed on virtually every aspect, thereby decreasing demand.  The market for cruising will take far longer to recover.

 

So to me it seems like a desperate move to take an FCC from an industry that's likely headed for bankruptcy reorganization at best.

 

I agree, that's why I did the L&S. Prices are crazy for winter 2022 and there's no way we could afford those prices so the price protection came in pretty handy. If by next year things are still crazy we'll take advantage of the CWC. EIther way it was a NRD deposit so we're not losing anything......yet. If our January cruise was still on (it may or may not sail) we may have gone on it but not if you have to wear masks.....I do that enough in my every day real life. 

[SG65CB]

3 hours ago, leisuretraveler223 said:

I am going to assume I'll get scolded as this has probably been asked and answered, but frankly trying to search wasn't getting me there.  

 

You won't get scolded, you'll get thanked by me. The information has changed over time, so even if you find an old post it is quite possibly no longer accurate. I have the exact same question as you and now it is answered. 

 

 

[pcur]

I was on a conference call with my TA and RCCL booking a cruise a few days ago.  The RCCL rep said that everything turns into an FCC for a non-refundable deposit right now with their Cruise With Confidence policy.  Plus, you have up to 48 hours before the sailing to cancel, but this means you have to make final payment.  Here's the link for cruises booked before 11/30/20:

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/cruise-with-confidence

 

I had a cruise cancelled by RCCL last week,  and they did not offer an FCC.  I got a 100% refund, but the sail date wasn't until September 2021.

[gmerick]

Today was final payment day for 26 Jan 2021 Anthem.  I paid.  If the ship sails, I'll be there (I could CWC cancel, but I hope I don't have to.).  If RCI cancels it, I will apply 125% FCC to my already booked (for a fantastic price) 31 Jan 2022 Anthem, but I won't apply it until much later in the year.  I will have enough left over on the FCC to completely cover the deposit  when I book my 2023 long Caribbean.  When that one sails, the world will be different, maybe not normal, but different from now.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, gmerick said:

Today was final payment day for 26 Jan 2021 Anthem.  I paid.  If the ship sails, I'll be there (I could CWC cancel, but I hope I don't have to.).  If RCI cancels it, I will apply 125% FCC to my already booked (for a fantastic price) 31 Jan 2022 Anthem, but I won't apply it until much later in the year.  I will have enough left over on the FCC to completely cover the deposit  when I book my 2023 long Caribbean.  When that one sails, the world will be different, maybe not normal, but different from now.

FYI, Royal is changing how leftover FCC’s are handled.  Up until now any leftover FCC was reissued upon the cruise returning.  They are now going to start reissuing the Leftover FCC as soon as you apply it to the first cruise so in you may not be able to use it to cover that 2023 cruise.

[PTAngel]

I'm sure some people are having the same problem.  I made final payment in January for a May Bermuda on Empress cruise.  It was cancelled by RCI.  I requested a refund.  I received everything but the NRD.  I later booked an Oct 2020 cruise to Bahamas on Oasis.  I paid my deposit of $500.00.  I got uneasy with the possibility of that cruise so I did a Lift & Shift to Oct 2021.  With all this activity,  I did not receive my original of $500 for NRD from Jan.  I had to call my TA yesterday & inquire about it.  She called me back today with an apology from RCI & a statement that I will receive it within 14 days.  I'm keeping my fingers crossed.  The Lift & Shift worked fine for me because my original price is about $200 to $300 cheaper than the current price.  I did have to pay an increase of port fees.  My excitement has been delayed but I'd rather be safe than sorry.  For a while there I would not have been allowed to cruise anyway because of age & pre-exsisting conditions.  Yes, I will take the vaccine when required (after seeing how it works).