Cancellation before final payment not 100% now?

[nbsjcruiser]

Looking at perhaps booking a cruise on the Sun Princess for November 2024. I noticed that the cancellation policy now states that if you cancel before final payment it is total fare paid minus $135CAD ($100USD) unless you have Princess Vacation Protection.

 

I've never noticed this before. Am I understanding this correctly? If it is as I read it, this is an issue. We cruise twice and sometimes three times a year and we often change them - maybe work commitments or airfare is cheaper at a different time. This makes it much less likely that I'll book well in advance. I'm not open to throwing away money and I have my own insurance. Screen grab below:

 

[voljeep]

Non-refundable deposit?

[nbsjcruiser]

Just now, voljeep said:

Non-refundable deposit?

Yeah, that's what it is unless I buy their insurance which I'm not going to do. Gotta admit, this leaves a bad taste. The more Princess changes things, the less I like it.

[PacnGoNow]

13 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

Looking at perhaps booking a cruise on the Sun Princess for November 2024. I noticed that the cancellation policy now states that if you cancel before final payment it is total fare paid minus $135CAD ($100USD) unless you have Princess Vacation Protection.

 

I've never noticed this before. Am I understanding this correctly? If it is as I read it, this is an issue. We cruise twice and sometimes three times a year and we often change them - maybe work commitments or airfare is cheaper at a different time. This makes it much less likely that I'll book well in advance. I'm not open to throwing away money and I have my own insurance. Screen grab below:

 

If you pick a fully refundable deposit, then you would not lose anything if you cancel before FP.

 

They changed this a while ago. 

Edited September 28, 2023 by PacnGoNow

[nbsjcruiser]

I went back in, chose the identical options I did first time through and now I see this:

 

 

So it is refundable? I wish they could get their website figured out. Confused now

[nbsjcruiser]

ok, I figured this out - the non-refundable deposit relates to the current sale they have on. It is a reduced deposit sale. If I ignore the current sale, deposit is fully refundable.

 

sorry for the confusion

 

(I still dont like their website 🙂 )

[Steelers36]

1 hour ago, nbsjcruiser said:

Yeah, that's what it is unless I buy their insurance which I'm not going to do. Gotta admit, this leaves a bad taste. The more Princess changes things, the less I like it.

This is not a change.  PCL has had non-ref deposits for years.  It's the guest's choice - book non-ref and you have a risk; book a ref deposit and you do not have the risk.  Insurance doesn't matter prior to the Final Payment Date.

[Steelers36]

57 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

ok, I figured this out - the non-refundable deposit relates to the current sale they have on. It is a reduced deposit sale. If I ignore the current sale, deposit is fully refundable.

 

sorry for the confusion

 

(I still don't like their website 🙂 )

I am not sure where you are getting this info.  I just looked up Sun Princess voyages for Nov 24 and picked one at random.  I was looking to book an Inside at Standard Fare.  Deposit was labeled as Refundable whether I went GTY route or pick-my-own route.  Were you looking at something from an email promotion which might be a targeted audience ad?  These have Fare Codes like Uxx.  Do you know which Fare Code you were seeing online?

 

Generally - even with a sale - there are Refundable Deposits.  Nov 24 is too far out to be a "Drop 'n' Go" promo as those will have Non-Ref deposits. 

 

ETA:  As to not liking the website, Princess.com is setup to supposedly offer you the best deal when you are logged in.  Other travel sites and agency web pages can have booking engines that show you ALL of the eligible fares and you can select the one you want.  Princess can book you in any of them, but only shows you one on Princess.com.

 

Do you use a TA?  Wish I could tell you about a wonderful one from your province who is partnered in a US type agency that does discounting.

 

Edited September 28, 2023 by Steelers36

[nbsjcruiser]

2 hours ago, Steelers36 said:

I am not sure where you are getting this info.  I just looked up Sun Princess voyages for Nov 24 and picked one at random.  I was looking to book an Inside at Standard Fare.  Deposit was labeled as Refundable whether I went GTY route or pick-my-own route.  Were you looking at something from an email promotion which might be a targeted audience ad?  These have Fare Codes like Uxx.  Do you know which Fare Code you were seeing online?

 

Generally - even with a sale - there are Refundable Deposits.  Nov 24 is too far out to be a "Drop 'n' Go" promo as those will have Non-Ref deposits. 

 

ETA:  As to not liking the website, Princess.com is setup to supposedly offer you the best deal when you are logged in.  Other travel sites and agency web pages can have booking engines that show you ALL of the eligible fares and you can select the one you want.  Princess can book you in any of them, but only shows you one on Princess.com.

 

Do you use a TA?  Wish I could tell you about a wonderful one from your province who is partnered in a US type agency that does discounting.

 

 

If I go to the bottom of the Princess home page and click the 50% sale:

 

and then follow through to booking my cruise on the Sun, guaranteed Oceanview, I get this:

 

 

 

So $270 non-refundable deposit.

 

If, however, I just do a search on the front page, same cruise but instead pick an ocean view room instead of a guaranteed oveanview cabin, I get this:

 

 

Higher deposit, completely refundable.

 

¯\_(ツ)_/¯

 

 

[nbsjcruiser]

To clarify a little more, a vacation planner called us yesterday. She noticed we had put this cruise on hold. She told me the reason why it was non-refundable was because of the cabin category we chose, ocean-view guaranty. She moved us up to a selected room (it was cheaper actually) and the $100USD deposit became refundable. She also was able to give us a $75USD OBC so it was a timely call.

 

Might use cruise planners from now on instead of the website or calling in to the 1800 number which lately has become a crap shoot. At least the planner knew everything about the ship and was able to steer us in the right direction with a little OBC as well. I'm not generally a fan of TA's. We've tried TAs a few times and it's always the same issue. Booking the cruise is great but if you want to talk to them later, get a price drop or make a change, it's difficult to get them. We've missed price drops this way. At least with the Princess planner, if the person you need is not there, you get someone else.

 

Anyway, confusion clarified 🙂

[Steelers36]

5 minutes ago, nbsjcruiser said:

.....,...

 

Might use cruise planners from now on instead of the website 

..........

Anyway, confusion clarified 🙂

Happy for you.  IF I was going to book direct and not use a discount TA, I would for certain find a good CVP (a.k.a. internal TA) to handle my bookings, so I think you are on the right track there.

 

In my experience, using booking tool on Princess.com for shopping a cruise, it is quite clear whether deposit is Non-Ref or Ref.  No doubt you will be using the tool in future, even with having a CVP.  Generally, if you take the pick-your-own option, those cabins sell with a Ref deposit.  When taking the GTY option at the initial choice screen (before seeing deck sections), SOMETIMES you will see Ref deposit, but also Non-Ref.  Just check the text in the box first.