Non-refundable deposit question

[KKB]

We are looking at a cruise with a great price we would like to book, but we aren't 100% sure we will go.

To do a refundable deposit is $1K more--that's insane!

The deposit is only $500.

(makes more sense to simply lose the $500 than pay $1K more to recoup $500...)

 

Is a NR deposit transferrable if we change to another cruise?

My understanding is we would pay $100pp change fee.

Do I have this right?

[RTShaker]

That is correct. You will forfeit a fee each time you change the ship and/or sail date

[mac_tlc]

I believe you do have it right. Anytime you change the ship or sail date, you incur the $100 change fee. With the latest changes, if you cancel entirely, you lose the entire deposit. 

 

If you can wait until you are on-board in 16 days, book it onboard. The deposit will only be $100 pp and you have less exposure. 

 

OK, now tell me when it is!!

 

mac_tlc

[Georgia_Peaches]

We just traded out a cruise in the Med for Alaska. Changed from Connie to Edge. Lost $200 total and the rest of the deposit transferred to the new booking. I’d rather risk losing $200 than pay an extra $1000+ depending on the category booked to get a fully refundable deposit. 

[mayleeman]

@mac_tlc   I remember several years ago someone posted that they had to forfeit a total of $500 after cancelling a $100 deposit on-board booking. They were told that the discounted on-board deposit was really just like a down payment on the actual deposit of $500.

 

Does anyone else remember that? I remember a bit of discussion of whether it was fair for X to charge more money than the amount charged to make the booking. 

 

I don’t remember the particulars or if it was a mistake that got resolved.

[mac_tlc]

31 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

@mac_tlc   I remember several years ago someone posted that they had to forfeit a total of $500 after cancelling a $100 deposit on-board booking. They were told that the discounted on-board deposit was really just like a down payment on the actual deposit of $500.

 

Does anyone else remember that? I remember a bit of discussion of whether it was fair for X to charge more money than the amount charged to make the booking. 

 

I don’t remember the particulars or if it was a mistake that got resolved.

Ouch!

 

I never heard of that happening, I hope it was resolved. Even if they had to forfeit the entire $500, they should have gotten $300 as an FCC. 
 

I guess a few extra questions at booking time are in order! 
 

mac_tlc

[woodinville cruisers]

I believe that Celebrity's non refundable policy changed March 2, 2023.  Bookings made before that date are grandfathered with the old policy but any new bookings will lose the entire deposit when you cancel.

[RTShaker]

11 minutes ago, woodinville cruisers said:

I believe that Celebrity's non refundable policy changed March 2, 2023.  Bookings made before that date are grandfathered with the old policy but any new bookings will lose the entire deposit when you cancel.

Operative word is cancel. Moving to a new ship or sail date keeping the original booking number only incurs the $100pp fee.

[mayleeman]

47 minutes ago, RTShaker said:

Operative word is cancel. Moving to a new ship or sail date keeping the original booking number only incurs the $100pp fee.

Do they still let you move your entire amount (no fee) to another already booked cruise--but same ship on a different date? We did that in 2019, but it doubled the forfeitable deposit on that other cruise. Had to be booked prior to the transfer, though.

[RTShaker]

20 minutes ago, mayleeman said:

Do they still let you move your entire amount (no fee) to another already booked cruise--but same ship on a different date? We did that in 2019, but it doubled the forfeitable deposit on that other cruise. Had to be booked prior to the transfer, though.

Can't say for sure,but I doubt it, but you never know unless you ask. Has to do with keeping the original booking number.

[Ken the cruiser]

Here's a fun fact. We booked two cruises with the refundable deposits, one in July 2024 on the Apex and the other on the Constellation in March 2025, when they were first released. On both of these cruises, the NRD fare is now more than the refundable deposit fare we paid.

 

Lesson learned - If you want to get the best price for a cruise, book it as soon as it is published.

 

By the way @KKB, if by chance you decide to book that cruise with a refundable deposit and later decide not to go on it, you can always transfer it to a future cruise way out there and not be charged an administration fee. You can also keep doing this indefinitirely. In addition if you originally booked it on board to take advantage of the $100 pp deposit perk, the OBC perk you got for doing that stays with the booking. Just remember if you want the option to possibly transfer the onboard booking, it has to be made with a refundable deposit.

 

Edited March 25, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[mac_tlc]

2 hours ago, mayleeman said:

Do they still let you move your entire amount (no fee) to another already booked cruise--but same ship on a different date? We did that in 2019, but it doubled the forfeitable deposit on that other cruise. Had to be booked prior to the transfer, though.

I think technically, no. That would still constitute a change in sail date. Never hurts to ask.

 

mac_tlc

[Jeremiah1212]

2 hours ago, mayleeman said:

Do they still let you move your entire amount (no fee) to another already booked cruise--but same ship on a different date? We did that in 2019, but it doubled the forfeitable deposit on that other cruise. Had to be booked prior to the transfer, though.

They shouldn’t. The $100/pp fee applies to any  ship or sail date change. Are you saying you have a cruise booked, want to cancel, then apply those funds to another cruise you have booked that just happens to be on the same ship? You would lose the entire deposit in that case. 

[mayleeman]

16 minutes ago, Jeremiah1212 said:

They shouldn’t. The $100/pp fee applies to any  ship or sail date change. Are you saying you have a cruise booked, want to cancel, then apply those funds to another cruise you have booked that just happens to be on the same ship? You would lose the entire deposit in that case. 

 

Then that is a change. What happened was we called before final payment to cancel a March Eq cruise (ABCs) and the rep was preparing our FCCs minus $100 pp. I asked how long it would take to get the FCCs because we we wanted to apply them to help pay for our upcoming Oct Eq cruise (also ABCs). She said to wait a minute and came back to inform us that she could just directly transfer the funds to October since it was previously booked. But if that was cancelled, our fee would be the sum of both fees, $200 pp. Our new Oct invoice she sent reflected the full payment, but $400 as subject to forfeiture if cancelled. She said it wasn't well known, and no one here has ever mentioned having done it.

 

Just lucky, right? No...that cruise got Lifted/Shifted another year due to the shutdown, the shifted one we cancelled 49 hrs away due to a close Covid contact, and the one we replaced it with for last October we decided to cancel when X stopped testing. Now replaced with one next Feb...and we have ultimately lost far more than that first $200! 

[jagoffee]

5 hours ago, mayleeman said:

@mac_tlc   I remember several years ago someone posted that they had to forfeit a total of $500 after cancelling a $100 deposit on-board booking. They were told that the discounted on-board deposit was really just like a down payment on the actual deposit of $500.

 

Does anyone else remember that? I remember a bit of discussion of whether it was fair for X to charge more money than the amount charged to make the booking. 

 

I don’t remember the particulars or if it was a mistake that got resolved.

I am wondering if you are not recollecting the situation where the booking later  was move to a group booking requiring a full deposit?

 

No, I do not remember anything about what you are asking unless it was after the final payment.  Then I could see where a loss of the deposit would be $500.  I cannot imagine a situation where you would have to pay Celebrity more money just to canceling an on board booking.

Edited March 25, 2023 by jagoffee

[mayleeman]

12 minutes ago, jagoffee said:

I am wondering if you are not recollecting the situation where the booking later  was move to a group booking requiring a full deposit?

 

That could have been it. I was also relatively new to all this stuff, so I easily could have not really understood what was going on!