Hellish Treatment -- Vacation Totally Wrecked

[kryos]

Rita, Grumpy has basicly summed it up in a nutshell. You can cancel a cruise (and forfeit all your money), but you cannot then turn around and uncancel that same cruise. If you change your mind (again) and decide to go after-all, it's a new booking.

I understand that entirely.

 

What I don't understand then is what possible benefit it would be to the passenger to cancel a cruise at the last minute if you're not gonna get reimbursed (say, no insurance)? Wouldn't it make more sense just not to bother cancelling so that if something changes at the last minute and you are now able to go, your cabin will be waiting for you? Why let the cruise line double sell your cabin? If I'm gonna have to cancel at the last minute anyway, let the cabin sail empty. I'm still paying for it. At least that way I keep my options open until the very last minute.

 

Guess that's just my warped way of looking at it.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I understand that entirely.

 

What I don't understand then is what possible benefit it would be to the passenger to cancel a cruise at the last minute if you're not gonna get reimbursed (say, no insurance)? Wouldn't it make more sense just not to bother cancelling so that if something changes at the last minute and you are now able to go, your cabin will be waiting for you? Why let the cruise line double sell your cabin? If I'm gonna have to cancel at the last minute anyway, let the cabin sail empty. I'm still paying for it. At least that way I keep my options open until the very last minute.

 

Guess that's just my warped way of looking at it.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

You Philadelphians DO have a strange way of thinking!!:D

 

Bill

[kryos]

You Philadelphians DO have a strange way of thinking!!:D

LOL ... it's all the greasy cheesesteaks, Bill. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Grumpy1]

Rita, there could be a hundred reasons for cancelling. The easiest would be someone that hadn't read the fine print and didn't know they wouldn't get their money back... then there's the husband that got mad at his wife, cancelled for spite, they kiss and make up, but now he can't tell her he cancelled the cruise.... the list goes on and on...

[kryos]

... then there's the husband that got mad at his wife, cancelled for spite, they kiss and make up, but now he can't tell her he cancelled the cruise.... the list goes on and on...

LOL ... good thing I'm not married.

 

I'd have killed him. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[HeatherInFlorida]

Obviously Rita makes a point. If you have no travel insurance, let the cabin sail empty. If I'm going to lose all my money, I'm not going to let the cruiseline double it by getting a last minute booking!

 

But I have a question: What if I had no insurance so it's money down the tubes anyway, could I get 2 friends to go in my place ... In my cabin/suite, whatever? I can't see why not as long as they have passports, fill out immigration forms, etc., or are the tickets non-transferable?

 

..... love Grumpy's scenerio ... can you imagine???;)

[RuthC]

But I have a question: What if I had no insurance so it's money down the tubes anyway, could I get 2 friends to go in my place ... In my cabin/suite, whatever? I can't see why not as long as they have passports, fill out immigration forms, etc., or are the tickets non-transferable?

Heather, I have some cruise contract fine print in fron of me, but alas, no magnifying glass. Can't read it worth a darn.

But if I could, I bet there's a sentence, paragraph, clause, or some such that declares that would be a cancellation and a new booking. Otherwise it's just too darned easy.

One thought to make it more bearable when HAL can re-sell a cabin for double the cost is that it does help the corporate bottom line. And that can help keep fares just a titch lower.

Sounds good, anyway.

[Captain Crunch]

Obviously Rita makes a point. If you have no travel insurance, let the cabin sail empty. If I'm going to lose all my money, I'm not going to let the cruiseline double it by getting a last minute booking!

 

But I have a question: What if I had no insurance so it's money down the tubes anyway, could I get 2 friends to go in my place ... In my cabin/suite, whatever? I can't see why not as long as they have passports, fill out immigration forms, etc., or are the tickets non-transferable?

 

..... love Grumpy's scenerio ... can you imagine???;)

 

I have no expertise in these matters, but as a matter of contract law, even if one breaches the contract, the agrieved party must attempt to mitigate damages. If you cancel and the line can book your cabin and it can be shown that the cabin would not have been booked but for your cancellation, you could make a claim for at least part of your fee back. Such as, if you cancel the PH and they rebook it, since there is only 1 PH, you should have most of your money back, less deductions for administrative costs, otherwise the line is unjustly enriched, a legal term.

 

Of course, the cruise contract may have specific language regarding this.

[SailAways]

But I have a question: What if I had no insurance so it's money down the tubes anyway, could I get 2 friends to go in my place ... In my cabin/suite, whatever? I can't see why not as long as they have passports, fill out immigration forms, etc., or are the tickets non-transferable?

 

This has been such an interesting thread, I have had to follow, although I have no experience with this cruise line. Just lurking, and learning.

Anyway, with NCL, there is a statement regarding cancellations and name changes which states:

 

Quote: "Gateway changes, flight date changes and name substitutions are considered cancellations, and air cancellation fees will apply. Additionally, spelling corrections may be considered cancellations. Name substitutions and departure date changes for cruise land and other add-ons are considered cancellations and are subject to all cancellation fees." Unquote.

 

The Cancellation Fees Policy is available in the brochure also, and the penalty gets stiffer the closer to the cruise date.

 

Perhaps you have a brochure for the intended cruise, and could read of this under "Terms and Conditions".

[HeatherInFlorida]

I have to review this and see if I can figure it out. It would never apply to me because we always take travel insurance. I take no chances.

 

But never say never;) . What if, for example, either DH or me couldn't go (for some reason other than illness) but wanted the other to go. And perhaps that person would ask a friend to join her/him. I could swear that I've heard of this happening and it really seems only fair.

 

Of course just because it seems fair doesn't mean it's the way things work! But I'm just curious.

[jetskier]

Rita, there could be a hundred reasons for cancelling. The easiest would be someone that hadn't read the fine print and didn't know they wouldn't get their money back... then there's the husband that got mad at his wife, cancelled for spite, they kiss and make up, but now he can't tell her he cancelled the cruise.... the list goes on and on...

 

It could have been worst, instead of losing out on the money by cancelling, do a name change and add his girl friend.

 

Dave

[Grumpy1]

Obviously Rita makes a point. If you have no travel insurance, let the cabin sail empty. If I'm going to lose all my money, I'm not going to let the cruiseline double it by getting a last minute booking!

 

But I have a question: What if I had no insurance so it's money down the tubes anyway, could I get 2 friends to go in my place ... In my cabin/suite, whatever? I can't see why not as long as they have passports, fill out immigration forms, etc., or are the tickets non-transferable?

 

..... love Grumpy's scenerio ... can you imagine???;)

 

But not everyone does sensible things, so what you or rita would do might not be what someone else would do.

 

Regarding name changes, the line will sometimes allow a minor change, but a completely different name triggers the cancellation/new booking clause. I imagine the reason for this is to keep people from blocking cabins when prices are low and selling the cruise on Ebay if the price goes up later, or similar scenarios.

 

Captain Crunch, the contract is very specific about no refund being due, even if the cabin is resold.

[jhannah]

I imagine the reason for this is to keep people from blocking cabins when prices are low and selling the cruise on Ebay if the price goes up later, or similar scenarios.

Amazing what some folks will do to make a buck, isn't it? For this high dollar an item, I'd be afraid no one would bid.