Poll: Would you make final payment or cancel?

[Lou33]

Would you make final payment or cancel?

[mking8288]

We have a few weeks to actually decide on what to do, but that final payment deadline is today.  Given what we've know, don't know and seen, leaning toward cancelling & moving our deposit and booking to a later date.  DW is definitely in the let's just cancel camp, along with our friends also booked on same sailing with us.  

 

It is important to note that for NCL reservations or booking with payment deadline at 60 days out, cancel or change would be too late "today" as that must be done one day earlier, at 61 days (cruises with final payment at 120 days have a different time & penalty schedule ... read the fine prints & disclosures, of course, subject to change upon/without notice, for your (in)convenience.  

 

We have trip/cancellation insurance for ours, if we proceed - would take a 25% hit on all non-refundable charges plus the paid insurance (and, any/all processing & fees, etc.)  To us, we are still on a wait-and-see mode - not flying & cruise terminal is just 25+ minutes "masked" car service ride, door to curbside drop-off. 

[heidikay]

I'd cancel.  If things are looking up closer to the date rebook.  I bet the price will be better.  

[Lou33]

@mking8288 I meant the last day that you are allowed to cancel.  But why would it matter?  Because if you never make that final payment, then they can't get your money?  Would they keep your deposit if you cancel at 60 days instead of 61?

[wampuscat7]

We're two weeks or so from final payment, and I'd consider cancelling but I paid for the vast majority of the cruise with FCC from my March 2020 cruise that got canceled. Not sure I'd be able to use that FCC later this year, and I was told I had to use it on a 2022 cruise or lose it. 

Edited December 30, 2021 by wampuscat7

[PhillyTravelBug]

I would not cancel. These variants seem to come in waves, and things could be much better by the time you cruise. 

[BermudaBound2014]

Not only would I cancel, but I'd attempt to get every penny I could back from NCL in the form of CASH. I wouldn't accept a FCC last year and I sure as heck wouldn't accept one in this climate.

[ricksurf]

If cruising from a port in Florida, then I would consider cancelling and especially if I was on RCCL.  It looks like the majority of the Covid cases are coming out of the Florida ports.

[Gatordad1967]

you can always book much closer to your desired sail date to wait and see if things calmed down.

 

[phillygwm]

Unless NCL put a policy in place allowing cancellation for FCC without penalty, or rescheduling to a later date, I'd cancel outright.  Even if you have CFAR insurance, that usually doesn't cover 100% so you'd be eating some amount of loss.  Not worth it.

[TNcruising02]

There is no way I would make final payment.  Cruises can always be booked closer to the sail date.  Things might be better in a month or this could drag on for 6 months. I would not tie my money up, especially with how strict Norwegian is on their cancellation policy.

[WorkNCruise]

I will be the Breakaway in January.  I would cancel but I do not have CFAR insurance.  I am insured for everything else though.

 

I did  cancel 3 other cruises.  2 with NCL and 1 with RCCL.

 

The situation is to fluid for my level of acceptable risk.  

 

I will be doing land based vacations that I can drive to within 2 days.  Being from the midwest this includes most of the United States.

 

This is not only because of issues with cruises changing policies or port issues or closed venues/shows it's that you cant even count on the airline getting you there.

 

Once you leave your vehicle in the parking ramp you are giving control of your destiny to the airline and the cruise lines.  That was fine in 2019 and I eagerly await the day thats the case again.

 

I love the cruise lines.

 

I am vaccinated

 

I have had ports changed and didn't complain.

 

I wear a mask

 

But its time for me to say goodbye to cruising until the situation changes.

[Lou33]

FYI, there is a similar poll on the RCI forum.  The vote counts are a mirror image of what we see in this poll.  But most of those votes probably came in before the latest CDC announcement.  

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2821098-poll-time-are-you-still-planning-to-cruise/

 

[craig01020]

I am after final payment date and I'm still going to cancel.

[leithbones]

Final Payment was yesterday.

Swallowed hard & did it.  

Let emotion of 3 consecutive cancellations (2 by me, 1 by them) influence my decision.

Triple-vax, maskers, observe all avoidance protocols >> seems like none of this may matter to Omicron.

If NCL cancels, it might be a bit of a relief.  Fully insured (3rd party) but no CFAR.

Usually the planning process leading up to our cruise is half the fun.

That fun is non-existent, replaced by anxiety.  Still planning, but stressed about unpredictability.

[craig01020]

Just now, leithbones said:

Usually the planning process leading up to our cruise is half the fun.

That fun is non-existent, replaced by anxiety.  Still planning, but stressed about unpredictability.

^^^^ This! ^^^^

[Lou33]

4 minutes ago, craig01020 said:

I am after final payment date and I'm still going to cancel.

Best wait and see if NCL cancels first so that you can get a full refund.

 

It may reach a point that there are so many cancellations that they won't sail with just 450 passengers.

[mamajean1113]

We made final payment last week.  If NCL cancels we will get our money or credits back.  If it is a go then we will sail.  We all have 2 shots and a booster.  It is what it is and I can't live my life in fear anymore.  The current variant is said to dwindle by mid January.  We are sailing in February. We were on the next to last sailing of the Gem in Feb 2020, we were in paradise and came home to hell.  

[HowardK]

Not only would I cancel I wouldn't book anything until cases decrease if that ever happens. I am already looking at 2023-2024 cruises though.

[Lou33]

My final payment was due on Tuesday.  I called my TA to cancel, and I asked if there are a lot of cancellations on NCL because of the restrictive policies.  He said that he's getting cancellations on "all" the cruise lines.  I feel for him.  A very nice guy and his business as a cruise only TA has been devastated.

[ChiefMateJRK]

2 hours ago, leithbones said:

Fully insured (3rd party) but no CFAR

That really doesn't sound like "fully insured."

[don't-use-real-name]

My May cruise in Alaska - rescheduled it for September - - -

Mid May will review that and either cancel or reschedule it to 2023.

In the event I cancel I am out $25 TA fee and the agency $100 cancel fee.

But it beats being committed to over 4k in cruise fare.

Insurance - option - will execute that 10 days after making a final payment.

 

[Lou33]

In this environment, I think it would be better for NCL if they had a 30 day final payment.  Things may change for the better in the next 30 days.  If we could have waited another 30 days we could have let it ride.  They may have a hard time filling the March and April sailings.

 

According to the poll, 75% are cancelling at final payment time.  So if they were already sailing at a reduced capacity of say 2000, that may leave them with just 500 passengers on a megaship.  

[WarfRatWA]

If we have concerns at final payment, it's a no brainer for us.  We cancel.  

[bigrednole]

23 hours ago, heidikay said:

I'd cancel.  If things are looking up closer to the date rebook.  I bet the price will be better.  

There are no NCL cruises when we can cruise again in 2022 at the price we are currently booked. We are kind of screwed without a full refund and that includes the cruise certificate. I would be more than happy to pay in full if I get a future cruise for what I am currently paying. The problem is all cruises on NCL are 2X. We are going over Spring Break in April. 

Edited December 31, 2021 by bigrednole