Effective Mar 2 2023: Changes to Non-Refundable Deposit Policy

[jagoffee]

11 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Just more reason to look at more premium lines, we have Oceania booked for 2025 and their deposits are 100% refundable.

Never mind.  Did not read your correction,

Edited March 3, 2023 by jagoffee

[terrydtx]

5 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

Even at the 6 month point?

Yes up to 6 months out, then there is a $250 fee to cancel. This is still better than Celebrity's new policy. BTW HAL is 100 % refundable as well.

[jagoffee]

8 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Not when I can book Oceania for about the same as a Sky Suite with Celebrity. On a cost per day Oceania can be a better deal than a retreat SS and I am getting much more of a premium experience with Oceania. If you are content to be in cabin categories less than suites or Aqua on Celebrity, then Celebrity is a better deal for you. For us we want at this point in our lives something more.

Terrydtx, when did you last cruise in Oceania?  Which ship?

[terrydtx]

Just now, jagoffee said:

Terrydtx, when did you last cruise in Oceania?  Which ship?

We canceled one last year on the Marina that was 100% refundable and we have one booked for March 2025 on the Marina. We have not been on any Oceania cruise yet but we have many friends who have and swear by them.

[jagoffee]

1 minute ago, terrydtx said:

We canceled one last year on the Marina that was 100% refundable and we have one booked for March 2025 on the Marina. We have not been on any Oceania cruise yet but we have many friends who have and swear by them.

You will find out for yourself in March 2025.  I have been on two Oceania cruises. The  Oceania experience is different depending on the ship category and the category booked.   If food quality is your number one priority, I suspect you will be very pleased.  My wife and I still prefer the overall Celebrity Retreat experience, but we would not hesitate to booked Oceania again.  Although I do not care for their drink package options, their internet, and their Air program.

[terrydtx]

37 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

You will find out for yourself in March 2025.  I have been on two Oceania cruises. The  Oceania experience is different depending on the ship category and the category booked.   If food quality is your number one priority, I suspect you will be very pleased.  My wife and I still prefer the overall Celebrity Retreat experience, but we would not hesitate to booked Oceania again.  Although I do not care for their drink package options, their internet, and their Air program.

I appreciate your comments on your experience with Oceania.  Food is an important priority and one of the main reasons we book suites for Luminae. Our last non suites Celebrity cruise in 2019 on the Infinity the MDR food quality was not good at all and with all that has been cutback this year it has to be even worse. We had another Celebrity cruise booked for 2021 in Aqua ( only for Blu access)  that got Covid canceled 3 weeks after final payment and the 125% FCC we got was enough o book a Sky Suite on the Equinox. That retreat experience kept us on Celebrity for 2021 and 2022 and for 4 more this year and next. The 9-day Sky Suite on the Equinox in 2021 was only $700 more than an aqua class cabin. 

 

We love the retreat experience but when you reach the point where future pricing of Sky Suites by Celebrity exceeds an A 1 concierge class cabin on Oceania, we have no choice but to look elsewhere. When Celebrity specialty restaurant pricing is increased 20% for restaurants that are hit or miss, we have no choice but to look elsewhere. We have 4 future retreat cruises booked that we booked in 2021 and early last year that are now 20-30% higher in cost than what we booked. If we were looking at those cruises to book now, we would have no choice but to look elsewhere. Our Sky Suite on Edge New Zealand cruise next January is today $2000pp more than what we booked in January last year. I would not book any cruise with Oceania that is not in one of their 3 newer ships with larger cabins and more food options. 

[ISABELLA]

On 3/1/2023 at 1:54 PM, davekathy said:

Agree and was just going to post what you said. 

 

On 3/1/2023 at 1:52 PM, RichYak said:

No, the real difference is you can outright cancel a booking made on board and only be out $200.

Just wait.... Celebrity will change that also.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

55 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

I will take whatever discount I can get.  I would hate to see it no longer being offered.

Us too. But we play the long game and don’t want to be “locked in” 2+ years out if by chance we find a better itinerary offered 6 months later in the same timeframe by any of the other cruise lines we sail with. So when we see the super high refundable prices currently being offered by Celebrity, it better be a great itinerary like the Galapagos, an Apex cruise to Norway and above the Arctic Circle, or a New Orleans cruise during Mardi Gras; otherwise we’ll probably book our 3-5 week “refundable deposit” cruises with Princess, and sometimes even NCL if the itinerary is just right like with some of their awesome African cruises!
 

As far as discounts go, we usually refare most of our bookings at least 1-3 times prior to actually going on the cruise. What’s funny is when we first started cruising with HAL back in 2012, we went on 5 cruises before we found out we could refare a booking prior to Final Payment. Can you guess where we learned that trick? Right here on Cruise Critic! 😂
 

[Hlitner]

11 hours ago, terrydtx said:

Yes up to 6 months out, then there is a $250 fee to cancel. This is still better than Celebrity's new policy. BTW HAL is 100 % refundable as well.

This is not true.  HAL generally offers non-refundable deposits for which you get a lower cruise price.  If you select the non-refundable deal it is truly non-refundable and you are not even permitted to take advantage of lower priced promotions without losing that deposit.

 

Hank

[terrydtx]

28 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

This is not true.  HAL generally offers non-refundable deposits for which you get a lower cruise price.  If you select the non-refundable deal it is truly non-refundable and you are not even permitted to take advantage of lower priced promotions without losing that deposit.

 

Hank

Hank, Here is HAL's cancelation policy from their website and most cruises the fare including deposits are 100% refundable up to 90 days out. I have never seen or been offered any bookings that had a NRD option with the booking.

Cancellation Policy

Our generous cancellation policy and optional Cancellation Protection Plan provides reassurance that you can book your next cruise vacation with confidence.

Your entire booking including cruise fare, air add-ons, ground transfers, pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel and tour packages, excluding Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses, is subject to the same cancellation policy. If you booked any travel arrangements through other operators, you will be responsible for any cancellation fees imposed by the airlines, other transportation carriers, other tour and ground operators, and other hotel properties. Refunds (except for amounts paid for Cancellation Protection Plan) will be made directly to the method of payment you used to book with Holland America Line.

Refund schedule for guests with bookings made in US$, CA$, or AU$:

GRAND WORLD, GRAND VOYAGES, ANY SEGMENT OF A GRAND WORLD OR GRAND VOYAGE; 28+ DAY ULTIMATE ALASKA; 28+ DAY AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION AND ANY SEGMENT OF AN AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION;  28+ DAY HAWAII, TAHITI & MARQUESAS; TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC; AMAZON EXPLORER; INCAN EMPIRES (INCLUDING SEGMENTS); 30+ DAY TRANSATLANTIC VOYAGES AND ANY SEGMENT OF A 30+ DAY TRANSATLANTIC:

SAILING DEPARTURES THROUGH MAY 2024:
Cancellations through 121 days commencing travel: 100% refund;
120-91 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
90-76 days before commencing travel: 40% refund of gross fare;
75 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

SAILINGS DEPARTURES JUNE 2024 OR LATER:
Cancellations through 120 days commencing travel: 100% refund;
119-91 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
90-76 days before commencing travel: 40% refund of gross fare;
75 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available

ALL OTHER VOYAGES 6 NIGHTS OR LONGER:
Cancellations through 90 days before commencing travel: 100% refund;
89-76 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
75-61 days before commencing travel: 50% refund of gross fare;
60-31 days before commencing travel: 25% refund of gross fare;
30 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

VOYAGES UP TO 5 NIGHTS:
Cancellations through 75 days before commencing travel: 100% refund;
74-57 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
56-29 days before commencing travel: 50% refund of gross fare;
28-16 days before commencing travel: 25% refund of gross fare;
15 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

CANCELLATION POLICY EXCEPTION: If you have purchased a specially priced promotion that is 100% non-refundable from the point of payment, you are not entitled to any refund, payment, compensation or credit whatsoever of your gross fare if you cancel your booking. If you have purchased a specially priced promotion that requires a non-refundable deposit, that deposit amount shall not be refunded if you cancel your booking. 

Name changes require prior approval and may not always be possible. Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.

Submit your written cancellation request through post or email, as follows:

Edited March 3, 2023 by terrydtx

[Hlitner]

11 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Hank, Here is HAL's cancelation policy from their website and most cruises the fare including deposits are 100% refundable up to 90 days out. I have never seen or been offered any bookings that had a NRD option with the booking.

Cancellation Policy

Our generous cancellation policy and optional Cancellation Protection Plan provides reassurance that you can book your next cruise vacation with confidence.

Your entire booking including cruise fare, air add-ons, ground transfers, pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel and tour packages, excluding Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses, is subject to the same cancellation policy. If you booked any travel arrangements through other operators, you will be responsible for any cancellation fees imposed by the airlines, other transportation carriers, other tour and ground operators, and other hotel properties. Refunds (except for amounts paid for Cancellation Protection Plan) will be made directly to the method of payment you used to book with Holland America Line.

Refund schedule for guests with bookings made in US$, CA$, or AU$:

GRAND WORLD, GRAND VOYAGES, ANY SEGMENT OF A GRAND WORLD OR GRAND VOYAGE; 28+ DAY ULTIMATE ALASKA; 28+ DAY AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION AND ANY SEGMENT OF AN AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION;  28+ DAY HAWAII, TAHITI & MARQUESAS; TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC; AMAZON EXPLORER; INCAN EMPIRES (INCLUDING SEGMENTS); 30+ DAY TRANSATLANTIC VOYAGES AND ANY SEGMENT OF A 30+ DAY TRANSATLANTIC:

SAILING DEPARTURES THROUGH MAY 2024:
Cancellations through 121 days commencing travel: 100% refund;
120-91 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
90-76 days before commencing travel: 40% refund of gross fare;
75 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

SAILINGS DEPARTURES JUNE 2024 OR LATER:
Cancellations through 120 days commencing travel: 100% refund;
119-91 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
90-76 days before commencing travel: 40% refund of gross fare;
75 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available

ALL OTHER VOYAGES 6 NIGHTS OR LONGER:
Cancellations through 90 days before commencing travel: 100% refund;
89-76 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
75-61 days before commencing travel: 50% refund of gross fare;
60-31 days before commencing travel: 25% refund of gross fare;
30 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

VOYAGES UP TO 5 NIGHTS:
Cancellations through 75 days before commencing travel: 100% refund;
74-57 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
56-29 days before commencing travel: 50% refund of gross fare;
28-16 days before commencing travel: 25% refund of gross fare;
15 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

CANCELLATION POLICY EXCEPTION: If you have purchased a specially priced promotion that is 100% non-refundable from the point of payment, you are not entitled to any refund, payment, compensation or credit whatsoever of your gross fare if you cancel your booking. If you have purchased a specially priced promotion that requires a non-refundable deposit, that deposit amount shall not be refunded if you cancel your booking. 

Name changes require prior approval and may not always be possible. Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.

Submit your written cancellation request through post or email, as follows:

Quite aware of HAL's cancellation rules (we have 3 HAL cruises in March-April.  But HAL ALSO offers lower fares with a non-refundable deposit...at least for those that use decent cruise/travel agents.   If you read the "Cancellation Policy Exception" (above) it speaks to non-refundable fares.  Quite a few cruise lines offer optional non-refundable fares which come with a substantial discount off the regular fares.  In the case of HAL we are talking about potentially saving over a thousand dollars.  The downside is only if you cancel.  And if you would have to cancel for a covered reason, the non-refundable deposit may well be covered by any trip insurance you might purchase or have through a credit card.

[Ken the cruiser]

34 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Hank, Here is HAL's cancelation policy from their website and most cruises the fare including deposits are 100% refundable up to 90 days out. I have never seen or been offered any bookings that had a NRD option with the booking.

Cancellation Policy

Our generous cancellation policy and optional Cancellation Protection Plan provides reassurance that you can book your next cruise vacation with confidence.

Your entire booking including cruise fare, air add-ons, ground transfers, pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel and tour packages, excluding Taxes, Fees and Port Expenses, is subject to the same cancellation policy. If you booked any travel arrangements through other operators, you will be responsible for any cancellation fees imposed by the airlines, other transportation carriers, other tour and ground operators, and other hotel properties. Refunds (except for amounts paid for Cancellation Protection Plan) will be made directly to the method of payment you used to book with Holland America Line.

Refund schedule for guests with bookings made in US$, CA$, or AU$:

GRAND WORLD, GRAND VOYAGES, ANY SEGMENT OF A GRAND WORLD OR GRAND VOYAGE; 28+ DAY ULTIMATE ALASKA; 28+ DAY AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION AND ANY SEGMENT OF AN AUSTRALIA CIRCUMNAVIGATION;  28+ DAY HAWAII, TAHITI & MARQUESAS; TALES OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC; AMAZON EXPLORER; INCAN EMPIRES (INCLUDING SEGMENTS); 30+ DAY TRANSATLANTIC VOYAGES AND ANY SEGMENT OF A 30+ DAY TRANSATLANTIC:

SAILING DEPARTURES THROUGH MAY 2024:
Cancellations through 121 days commencing travel: 100% refund;
120-91 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
90-76 days before commencing travel: 40% refund of gross fare;
75 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

SAILINGS DEPARTURES JUNE 2024 OR LATER:
Cancellations through 120 days commencing travel: 100% refund;
119-91 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
90-76 days before commencing travel: 40% refund of gross fare;
75 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available

ALL OTHER VOYAGES 6 NIGHTS OR LONGER:
Cancellations through 90 days before commencing travel: 100% refund;
89-76 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
75-61 days before commencing travel: 50% refund of gross fare;
60-31 days before commencing travel: 25% refund of gross fare;
30 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

VOYAGES UP TO 5 NIGHTS:
Cancellations through 75 days before commencing travel: 100% refund;
74-57 days before commencing travel: 100% refund, less required deposit amount;
56-29 days before commencing travel: 50% refund of gross fare;
28-16 days before commencing travel: 25% refund of gross fare;
15 days or less before commencing travel: No refund available.

CANCELLATION POLICY EXCEPTION: If you have purchased a specially priced promotion that is 100% non-refundable from the point of payment, you are not entitled to any refund, payment, compensation or credit whatsoever of your gross fare if you cancel your booking. If you have purchased a specially priced promotion that requires a non-refundable deposit, that deposit amount shall not be refunded if you cancel your booking. 

Name changes require prior approval and may not always be possible. Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.

Submit your written cancellation request through post or email, as follows:

As with our 2019 Australia circumnavigation cruise which dropped around $1800 per person prior to Final Payment, you are not allowed to refare your NRD booking either.

[luv4cruises]

On 3/1/2023 at 7:16 AM, stellarose said:

so I guess when I cancel my trip for the summer due to my MIL's declining health I guess  no FCC.

Time to look at Princess again!  All deposits are refundable. 

[Lastdance]

It’s a new and more expensive world of travel; I count my blessing that I have 7 more cruises booked before any of these new rules, so at least I can take a deep breath, but with all the changes moving forward, I would not want to guess what may be coming next, but it will not get better...it is what it is!  Resilience is always a a great predictor of how one handles change.

 

Now, it’s snowing again...darn!  I really mean yea; I love the snow😛

Edited March 4, 2023 by Lastdance

[intr3pid]

We have a few bookings out all the way till 2025, and this is the script we tend to follow.

 

- Book on board (no exceptions) to reduce your deposit down to just the change fee

- Also keep 2-3 open passages in hand for booking new deals (or releases) in between your sailing dates

- Book NRD for dates you are sure of (holiday seasons for us, or less than a year out)

- Book refundable for speculative dates, and secure the cabin or category you want for a minimal deposit.

 

The NRD fares hardly budge for dates longer than a year out.  Or until the flights are released.  The availability and OBC deals do though.  If you book two years out, you still have a year or so to firm things up and switch from refundable to NRD.  Or drop the booking altogether.

Edited March 4, 2023 by intr3pid

[TCBFlash]

On 3/2/2023 at 5:17 PM, phoenix_dream said:

The main problem is the amount of difference is rarely "a bit more" but rather substantially more. 

Not only is the difference in price substantially more than the NRD, but the prices for the NRD are quite high as well. I expected prices to go up after the cruise industry was shut down and impacted due to COVID, but these prices are crazy high.  And with all of the cutbacks in service, it's making cruising less desirable.  We just can't justify committing $900 non refundable dollars for a $4500 cruise over two years away.  I'll take the advice of some on this thread and check out Princess or Holland America. Otherwise, we will have to look into other vacation options I guess.

[wrk2cruise]

21 hours ago, intr3pid said:

We have a few bookings out all the way till 2025, and this is the script we tend to follow.

 

- Book on board (no exceptions) to reduce your deposit down to just the change fee

- Also keep 2-3 open passages in hand for booking new deals (or releases) in between your sailing dates

- Book NRD for dates you are sure of (holiday seasons for us, or less than a year out)

- Book refundable for speculative dates, and secure the cabin or category you want for a minimal deposit.

 

The NRD fares hardly budge for dates longer than a year out.  Or until the flights are released.  The availability and OBC deals do though.  If you book two years out, you still have a year or so to firm things up and switch from refundable to NRD.  Or drop the booking altogether.

 

This is exactly my strategy as well other than I don't do open passages as I find them too restrictive.  In place I make a couple of dummy refundable deposit bookings for sailings as far out as possible that I don't intend to take.  I try to book an undesirable cabin so I'm not blocking a primo cabin someone else may want to book.   If the open passages didn't have time restrictions on selecting a sailing or lose the OBC I'd use them but given the restrictions I use the placeholder booking as it's more advantageous for me.  Then when I move the placeholder to the sailing I wish to take I generally make it NRD.

[RD64]

On 3/1/2023 at 12:52 PM, tfred said:

not all airlines have that no change fee option.  Southwest is one thing but Delta and most legacy carriers dont allow it without some penalty

Air Canada is another one of the legacy carriers that does not allow it.

[mahdnc]

2 hours ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

This is exactly my strategy as well other than I don't do open passages as I find them too restrictive.  In place I make a couple of dummy refundable deposit bookings for sailings as far out as possible that I don't intend to take.  I try to book an undesirable cabin so I'm not blocking a primo cabin someone else may want to book.   If the open passages didn't have time restrictions on selecting a sailing or lose the OBC I'd use them but given the restrictions I use the placeholder booking as it's more advantageous for me.  Then when I move the placeholder to the sailing I wish to take I generally make it NRD.

 

I read this four times and I don't understand what you are saying (sorry), but I am curious enough that I am asking for clarification.

 

What I discern from your note is that you do not use open passages which is the "book on board, but pick out the sailing later" option?

 

What does the dummy booking on a sailing you don't intend to take achieve for you when your target sailing becomes available?

[Ken the cruiser]

7 minutes ago, mahdnc said:

 

I read this four times and I don't understand what you are saying (sorry), but I am curious enough that I am asking for clarification.

 

What I discern from your note is that you do not use open passages which is the "book on board, but pick out the sailing later" option?

 

What does the dummy booking on a sailing you don't intend to take achieve for you when your target sailing becomes available?

We do the same thing. We book 2 refundable deposit “place holder” B2B itineraries when we’re onboard as far out as we can, which is usually about 2 years out. The deposit is usually $100 per person per booking plus you get the OBC associated with booking a cruise onboard.
 

Then over the next 6 months to a year when Celebrity releases newer itineraries we like better, we’ll have our TA switch one or both of those onboard “place holder” bookings to them, keeping the original booking numbers to maintain the OBC perk. If by chance we don’t find any better “new” itineraries over a period of time, we can always indefinitely keep reassigning those “place holder” bookings until we do find some that interest us. 

[mahdnc]

3 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

We do the same thing. We book 2 refundable deposit “place holder” B2B itineraries when we’re onboard as far out as we can, which is usually about 2 years out. The deposit is usually $100 per person per booking plus you get the OBC associated with booking a cruise onboard.
 

Then over the next 6 months to a year when Celebrity releases newer itineraries we like better, we’ll have our TA switch one or both of those onboard “place holder” bookings to them, keeping the original booking numbers to maintain the OBC perk. If by chance we don’t find any better “new” itineraries over a period of time, we can always indefinitely keep reassigning those “place holder” bookings until we do find some that interest us. 

 

Thank you.  That makes perfect sense.

[wrk2cruise]

16 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Thank you.  That makes perfect sense.

 

@Ken the cruiser explained it better.   The problem with the open booking where you don't select the sailing while onboard is that you only had 90 days to select a sailing or you no longer received the bonus OBC.  They have recently been playing with extending this deadline to 90 days up to a year.  If you don't assign a sailing after a year they refund your deposit.

 

Using the placeholder method the deposit and the OBC never expire and you have up to the final payment deadline (almost 2 years out) to select another sailing (or cancel).   Even then you could

just move it another 2 years to another placeholder.d

[NorthStarStateCruiser]

5 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

@Ken the cruiser explained it better.   The problem with the open booking where you don't select the sailing while onboard is that you only had 90 days to select a sailing or you no longer received the bonus OBC.  They have recently been playing with extending this deadline to 90 days up to a year.  If you don't assign a sailing after a year they refund your deposit.

 

Using the placeholder method the deposit and the OBC never expire and you have up to the final payment deadline (almost 2 years out) to select another sailing (or cancel).   Even then you could

just move it another 2 years to another placeholder.d

I believe that time period for selecting a sailing with the Cruise Later booking changed again and it's now 6 months.

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/2022_CruiseLater_TCCv2.pdf

 

I'd agree that best strategy involves picking a sailing onboard with a refundable deposit fare and moving it as you'd like/need.

[mahdnc]

30 minutes ago, wrk2cruise said:

 

@Ken the cruiser explained it better.   The problem with the open booking where you don't select the sailing while onboard is that you only had 90 days to select a sailing or you no longer received the bonus OBC.  They have recently been playing with extending this deadline to 90 days up to a year.  If you don't assign a sailing after a year they refund your deposit.

 

Using the placeholder method the deposit and the OBC never expire and you have up to the final payment deadline (almost 2 years out) to select another sailing (or cancel).   Even then you could

just move it another 2 years to another placeholder.d

 

21 minutes ago, NorthStarStateCruiser said:

I believe that time period for selecting a sailing with the Cruise Later booking changed again and it's now 6 months.

https://creative.rccl.com/Sales/Celebrity/General_Info/Flyers/2022_CruiseLater_TCCv2.pdf

 

I'd agree that best strategy involves picking a sailing onboard with a refundable deposit fare and moving it as you'd like/need.

 

The deadline to select a cruise for the pick later option (aka open booking) has moved around a lot of late. During our recent Oct Constellation TA, I was surprised to see that the form listed it as 18 months. We ended up "purchasing" two while on board. 

[Ken the cruiser]

17 hours ago, mahdnc said:

 

Thank you.  That makes perfect sense.

Here's a fun fact. A couple of years ago we booked a 30-day "place holder" B2B for April 2023 from Sydney to Hawaii then onto Vancouver. About a year later we realized we couldn't find a cruise we liked better to swap them for, so we decided to go on it. In fact, we wound up booking the 3-day very reasonably priced RT Sydney "cruise to nowhere" just prior to the TP leg just in case the plane was late arriving in Sydney. Basically, the cruise to nowhere was like booking a 3 day stay prior to the cruise, only the hotel is a floating one. The price had also gone up over $2,5000 per person since we had originally booked it.😂

Edited March 6, 2023 by Ken the cruiser