Cruise lines Deposits

[KEN W]

Do you ever balk at what a line wants for a deposit on a cruise? I only book cruises that are refundable. That's another question.

Example......

Carnival is asking for $49 deposit per person.

Royal and Celebrity are asking for $450 per person.

 

I only book refundable deposits. Especially with these uncertain Covid problems. I want to know what is needed to go and what is required on ship before I book any cruises.

[Flatbush Flyer]

23 minutes ago, KEN W said:

Do you ever balk at what a line wants for a deposit on a cruise? I only book cruises that are refundable. That's another question.

Example......

Carnival is asking for $49 deposit per person.

Royal and Celebrity are asking for $450 per person.

 

I only book refundable deposits. Especially with these uncertain Covid problems. I want to know what is needed to go and what is required on ship before I book any cruises.

The amount of the deposit becomes somewhat irrelevant if a cruise line’s final payment/penalty/cancellation policies are favorable to its customers AND the cruise line keeps its promises.
Depending on itinerary, the deposit required on our preferred cruise line can easily exceed $1500 per person. But, right now, bookings come with “no fee” cancellation for full refund up to 15 days pre-embarkation AND there’s also a “price drop” match guarantee. And, having received full refunds (within ten days) plus bonus FCCs for two of our cruises they cancelled in 2020, we trust them to continue “doing the right thing.”

Another side of the issue is the cost of balking at deposits for future cruises -particularly for 2022 and 2023. I recently reviewed that same line’s availability for its most popular exotic/multisegment itineraries in 2022. Pretty much every cabin class on every one of its ships are already waitlisted for those cruises.  

[sanger727]

No, I've really never worried about the deposit amounts. I'm primarily concerned with the final cost. I would rather pay $500 now and $1000 later than $50 now and $1700 later. Though I do consider whether it's refundable or not based on how likely it is that I think there are any potential scheduling problems. 

[mom says]

If I'm doing a refundable deposit, I really don't care how much it is. If I cancelled within the allowed period, I'll get it back. I'm more concerned with the total final cost. 

[clo]

36 minutes ago, mom says said:

If I'm doing a refundable deposit, I really don't care how much it is. If I cancelled within the allowed period, I'll get it back. I'm more concerned with the total final cost. 

Are there lines that have non-refundable deposits?

[mom says]

Celebrity does as an option. I'm sure it isn't alone.

[ldubs]

When it comes down to it, if we liked the cruise and we liked the price, then we are going to go for it.   

 

However, the uncertainty that goes along with COVID has certainly thrown a wrench in the works.  I'm not sure nonrefundable fares were common pre-COVID.   The way things are right now, I agree with the OP.   We will stick to refundable fares, at least for the time being.   I think we paid about $10/person/day more for a refundable fare on the cruise we just booked.   

[msmayor]

This is one big reason why, when my husband and I sail on HAL, we always buy a future cruise deposit for $100pp.  That allows us to book our next cruise when we're ready with just that certificate as the deposit.  Good for four years, if we never use it the $100pp is refunded back...but we've always booked within 12-18 months for the next trip.

 

It's how we booked our March 2022 trip.  Last fall, it was nice not to have to pull any funds out of our account to deposit a nice 11-night trip.

 

We always, always book refundable deposits.  I know it may cost us more on some lines, but I'm not willing to take the risk.

[Heidi13]

16 hours ago, KEN W said:

Do you ever balk at what a line wants for a deposit on a cruise? I only book cruises that are refundable. That's another question.

Example......

Carnival is asking for $49 deposit per person.

Royal and Celebrity are asking for $450 per person.

 

I only book refundable deposits. Especially with these uncertain Covid problems. I want to know what is needed to go and what is required on ship before I book any cruises.

 

The cost of the deposit is a very minor consideration in selecting a cruise line and itinerary. We are more interested in the quality of the cruise, terms & conditions, itinerary, how quickly they refund upon cancellation, etc.

 

We will always take out cancellation insurance, so any non-refundable deposit is covered, if we cancel for a stated reason, or any reason if the policy has a CFAR clause.

[Roz]

18 hours ago, clo said:

Are there lines that have non-refundable deposits?

 

HAL has refundable and non-refundable deposits, so does Carnival.

[cruisingguy007]

I go with lowest fare, don't care about refundable deposits because I'll buy travel insurance anyways and that will cover any unforeseen cancellation reasons. Most of the time the money saved pays for the travel insurance and then some. I'm also not worried about the cruise lines adding a bunch of restrictions because if they change the cruise contract significantly (beyond ports of call for weather etc) then I would be entitled to a return of my monies based on the goods and services contract. This is why I won't take a FCC and find it strange when some wouldn't book a nonrefundable deposit but would also take a FCC which essentially turns their cash into store credit. Seems strange but whatever works.     

[clo]

1 minute ago, cruisingguy007 said:

I'm also not worried about the cruise lines adding a bunch of restrictions because if they change the cruise contract significantly (beyond ports of call for weather etc) then I would be entitled to a return of my monies based on the goods and services contract.

Can you talk about this please?

[cruisingguy007]

4 minutes ago, clo said:

Can you talk about this please?

 

https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0219-disputing-credit-card-charges

[KEN W]

We had booked a cruise with Carnival for this past January .We took  out and paid for insurance. when we cancelled it, Carnival refunde our deposit. But the insurance company would not. Is this recoverable from them?

 

This was through Travel Insurers International.

Edited March 18, 2021 by KEN W

[ldubs]

14 hours ago, KEN W said:

We had booked a cruise with Carnival for this past January .We took  out and paid for insurance. when we cancelled it, Carnival refunde our deposit. But the insurance company would not. Is this recoverable from them?

 

This was through Travel Insurers International.

I may be (probably am) missing something.  If the cruise line refunded your money, why would the insurance company do the same.  You did not suffer a loss.  

[ldubs]

On 3/17/2021 at 2:15 PM, Roz said:

 

HAL has refundable and non-refundable deposits, so does Carnival.

 

RCI also has both.  

[NantahalaCruiser]

On 3/16/2021 at 11:30 PM, mom says said:

Celebrity does as an option. I'm sure it isn't alone.

Actually it's now the reverse; with few exceptions, Celebrity's published prices are for non-refundable deposits and there is an optional surcharge for a refundable deposit.

[sverigecruiser]

On 3/17/2021 at 3:32 AM, clo said:

Are there lines that have non-refundable deposits?

 

I don't know any line with refundable deposits if the cruise is booked here.

[clo]

6 minutes ago, sverigecruiser said:

 

I don't know any line with refundable deposits if the cruise is booked here.

Interesting. We have a cruise booked for 9/22. We have until 6/22 to cancel and get our deposit refunded.

[donaldsc]

On 3/16/2021 at 8:32 PM, clo said:

Are there lines that have non-refundable deposits?

 

Hurtigrutin has a non-refundable deposit or at least a penalty for cancelling which is sort of the same.  With regard to whether I would book on a line that requires a deposit which is what I think the OP is asking - you pay me  now or you pay me later.  Doesn't matter to me whether I have to pay a deposit and I have done cruises that require a significant deposit.

 

DON

[sverigecruiser]

15 hours ago, clo said:

Interesting. We have a cruise booked for 9/22. We have until 6/22 to cancel and get our deposit refunded.

 

We have paid more than $1000 for our 7/22 cruise and that is 100% non-refundable.