Deposit?

[lucky13uk]

Hi All,

New poster here from the UK

I hope you're all ok?

 

We have got a cruise booked for April on the Horizon.

The balance is due early January, and we're uncertain as to what to do?

We'd love to cruise but our government is all over the place on travel corridors. 

 

If we decide not to pay the balance-

1. Do we just lose all our deposits?

2. Get our deposits refunded-with a $50 penalty per person?

3. Get to have a credit to use on future cruise?

4. Any other options?

 

We don't have a UK number to phone so it would cost a fortune to contact the US.

I've looked at the faq's but don't quite get the answers there.

 

Thanks for any help everyone

[Até]

At this point the best thing to do is create another thread in the Carnival forum and specifically mention the cruise line.

[lucky13uk]

Thanks Ate

That's why it was moved do you think?

[Bloodgem]

Hi and welcome to CC (Cruise Critics).

Check out https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2020/02/coronavirus-travel-help-and-your-rights/ It has a section on 'I've a future trip booked – what are my rights?'.

 

Have you thought of emailing Carnival with your questions ExistingBookingsUK@carnival.com 

[Bill Y]

Hi,

 

I have had three cruises cancelled one way or another this year. I assume that you are in the UK as my experience is only relevant to UK protection.

 

1 if you do not pay the balance the cruise line cancels you and you lose your deposit.

2 if you pay the balance and the cruise line cancels the cruise you are entitled to a cash refund.

3 if you pay the balance and the ship sails but you don't following FCO advice or insurance voided you stand to lose everything.

4 if you accept future cruise credit then you have waived your right to a cash refund further down the line.

 

I suggest checking Carnival's web sight carefully to see what options they are actually offering, or as suggested email your questions to them sooner rather than later so you have the facts available to make a decision later.

 

P&O offered us the deposit as future cruise credit on one cruise if we cancelled 90 day before sailing, The deposited was due before then but the travel agent gave us an extension in time to pay the balance. We then cancelled at 93 days. Another cruise we asked for an extension and luckily before the extension expired the cruise lane cancelled.

 

Things are constantly changing, restarts get pushed back, deadlines for using future cruise credits get extended. so things might be very different in Jan.

 

Cruising might be very different to the cruising that we know, so until there is feed back once the restart happens will it be something that you want to pay a lot of money for?

 

Feel free to ask more questions.

 

Bill

 

 

 

[terry2]

On 11/20/2020 at 9:02 PM, lucky13uk said:

 

 

We don't have a UK number to phone so it would cost a fortune to contact the US.

 

 Well you could try phoning the UK (free) reservations number 0808.234.0680 and see if they can help or transfer you to the right place. 

 

If not and you have a landline, then check with your provider  (a) the price to the US (they came down a lot some years back) and (b) if they have a call package for free overseas calls (normally charged monthly and you only have to take it for the month during which you are phoning  - gives you a cap on expenditure - we did that when daughter went to the US for a year).

[babs135]

On 11/20/2020 at 9:02 PM, lucky13uk said:

 

We don't have a UK number to phone so it would cost a fortune to contact the US.

Hello and welcome to Cruise Critic.  I would go back to the Carnival forum and ask this question.  I would imagine that there will be UK cruisers there who can help.

[lucky13uk]

Thanks everyone, both for the welcome and advice.

I'll email carnival and try and post again on the Carnival forum.

 

With the uncertainty at the moment, I think it would be too much of a risk to pay in full, 

I mean-the cruise could go ahead but the USA may not be on the travel corridor?

That wouldn't be good!

If we can't get our deposit back, I'd be ok with our deposit being held and then used towards a future cruise.

 

 

[terry2]

19 hours ago, lucky13uk said:

If we can't get our deposit back, I'd be ok with our deposit being held and then used towards a future cruise.

 

 

 probably the most sensibly thing to do at the moment.  I suggest you try that phone number - one of the options is for people with existing bookings. 

[Aulanis]

Hi @lucky13uk

How did you get on with this?   

I have been trying to guess which cruise you were on -  if more than 7 nights

they would be cancelled  by Carnival?   in which case you should be able to get

something back. 

2 I still see are 6 day cruises that will probably still go  but the problem will be

getting flights and maybe having to quarantine in the US before and  here when you get back?

 

 How did you book it?  Direct with Carnival Online /phone 

or via an agent?

[lucky13uk]

Hi Aulanis,

 

I haven't done anything as yet. I'm going to email today, and when I get a response I'll let you know on here.

We're on the Horizon 6 day to Ochio Rios, Grand Cayman and Cozumel.

There's 4 of us on the cruise, and we've 3 nights before and 5 nights after in Florida booked. 

We were thinking of staying on the gulf coast if we didn't cruise. But even that is in doubt now?

 

We booked direct on Carnival.com

Looks like they've cancelled all cruises up to end February.

So ours in April is still 'live' so to speak.

 

We've pretty much decided not to travel and do it all when we can enjoy it all without all the hassle. 

We've got Delta flights booked too!

 

[lucky13uk]

Hi All,

Finally had a reply from Carnival.

Basically we have 2 options-

 

1. Cancel the cruise and be charged a $50 fee each. With the remainder being held as a future cruise credit.

2. Change dates with no fee.

I think it matters with which promotion I originally booked?

We booked 'early saver'.

 

We'll go for option 2 and book for 2022 when hopefully we're back to the old normal.

[Aulanis]

Thanks for coming back

Both options seem reaonable   will you be able to get a refund or credit for your flights?  I havent heard how Delta are dealing with them. IIRC some of the smaller cos are saying if the flight goes and you dont - Tough!     (  maybe not quite as blunt as that.  ) 

Hope it works out ok for you.

Edited December 13, 2020 by Aulanis

[lucky13uk]

I'm waiting for Delta to get back to me.

Hopefully they'll do similar and let us book different dates?

[lucky13uk]

Just spoke to Delta, it's taken days to get through.

If we cancel, we will get an e-credit of the full amount we paid  

This credit has to be used 1 year from the date we cancel.

We don't have to fly within 1 year, we just have to book within 1 year of the cancellation date.

So hopefully we'll do the same or similar trip a year April🤞

[Aulanis]

Sounds good to me -  gives you something to look forward to and

hopefully  cruising (in some form) will be back by then. - If not  the industry will be in a sad state.   At least you will be able to use the flights even

if not for a cruise.  - Happy Christmas