Are All Deposits Now Not Refundable

[cruzsnooze]

I don't remember having the deposits non refundable but all the cruises I was pricing are so.  Is that a post covid thing?

[Coralc]

I don't know for sure. But I certainly agree with you, that it kind of stinks. We are branching out to other cruise lines. I know suites have been non-refundable for a while. Which would be a huge hit to the pocketbook. 

[FionaMG]

You can still get a refundable deposit on some cabin types but you have to go all the way through the booking process to get to page where it shows you how much extra you'll pay. It's on the same page where you select your dining options, so before you input payment details.

It's a real pain if you're trying to price several cruises.

If you work with a TA, they can get the prices for you.

[Ocean Boy]

Other than suites, you can still get refundable deposits. However, lately I have found the amount to be rather eye popping. RCI is definitely trying to push people into booking non-refundable. I wouldn't really mind non-refundable as I figure that another cruise is always in my future. However,  I'd don't agree with them then charging a "change fee" if something comes up and you need to make a change before final payment is due. RCI wants to get people to book early and they also want the customer to assume all the risk of that early booking.

[Billy Baltic]

I’m far from an RC cheerleader but I don’t blame them. They don’t need people holding up rooms just in case they can travel. I recall some of the discussions on here before this and people would book multiple rooms and decide coming up to final payment which, if any, they would take. 
Refundable rates were never available for UK / Ireland bookings.  
 

[LuCruise]

We always book refundable, including bookings post covid (we don't book suites or guarantee rooms). On Royal's site, you need to go to the last page and click refundable (where you pick you dining time). I've noticed for some booking the refundable difference can be a lot, but it depends on the cruise. 

 

Note we are Canadian as I'm not sure refundable is available for all (e.g. UK)

Edited May 8 by LuCruise

[FionaMG]

42 minutes ago, Ocean Boy said:

However, lately I have found the amount to be rather eye popping.

 

I have noticed this too.

 

[FionaMG]

23 minutes ago, Billy Baltic said:

Refundable rates were never available for UK / Ireland bookings. 

 

Exactly. Same here. Once you've paid your deposit that's it. If you want to change your booking there's a change fee. If you decide not to go you forfeit your deposit.

[not-enough-cruising]

Find a good travel agent with group space. Those are nearly always refundable, and relatively reasonably priced. 

[Biker19]

8 hours ago, cruzsnooze said:

Is that a post covid thing?

NRD started being the default before COVID.

[la_croisiere_s'amuse]

35 minutes ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Find a good travel agent with group space. Those are nearly always refundable, and relatively reasonably priced. 

Exactly this. Unless it's a suite, we ALWAYS get refundable deposits with no price bump. It does require some flexibility, since balcony groups rates may not be available for every single cruise. But since we seldom have our heart set on one specific date/ship/itinerary, it works well for us.

[leaveitallbehind]

To clarify with US originated bookings, no, all deposits are not now NRD.  The only stateroom deposits that are always non-refundable are suites.  All other stateroom categories have the option for refundable or non-refundable deposits and corresponding fares.  The key to note is that the default option on the website is NRD.  But refundable is an option, and available to any booking.  Travel agents have no special access to them, but do have access to non-published group fares.

 

The deposit amounts for all non-suite categories is the same for NRD and refundable fares, with refundable having the option to change or cancel a booking without penalty.  NRD will charge a fee for changes, but the full deposits are sacrificed if the cruise is canceled.

 

Our current Odyssey Oct. '25 cruise is booked with a refundable deposit.

Edited May 8 by leaveitallbehind

[twangster]

The default is NRD unless you make a point of adding the refundable fee.  Started long before the pandemic but junior suites becoming NRD only was a more recent change, like 2022 IIRC. 

 

Echo what others said, using a TA allows access to group rates when they are available, or refundable rates for non-suites.  In the case of non-groups the upcharge for refundable may not be appealing.  

[leaveitallbehind]

39 minutes ago, twangster said:

The default is NRD unless you make a point of adding the refundable fee.  Started long before the pandemic but junior suites becoming NRD only was a more recent change, like 2022 IIRC. 

 

Echo what others said, using a TA allows access to group rates when they are available, or refundable rates for non-suites.  In the case of non-groups the upcharge for refundable may not be appealing.  

May just be semantics, but there are two fare bases - refundable and non-refundable deposits.  Refundable is at a higher fare base and NRD is at a lower fare base.  There is not a fee per se being added to NRD to make it refundable.  Selecting that deposit option simply directs your booking to the higher fares.  Often those fares are at a higher differential than the NRD deposit amount, in a sense mitigating the NRD change and cancelation risks.

 

And I am not aware of any suite refundable deposits.  That is something new in my experience but certainly worth looking for.

 

BTW you can convert a refundable deposit fare to a NRD fare prior to final payment at the then prevailing NRD fare base at n/c.

Edited May 8 by leaveitallbehind

[celoplyr]

As others have said, you absolutely can make a refundable deposit on lower categories (balcony and below) but it's a pain, and you have to either do it at the end of booking on line, or call and keep saying the words "refundable deposit".  

We often book with this category, and then once we are sure we are going, switch it to a NRD, and the price left goes down.  I would advise doing this as early as possible because they reprice it to the current rates (I called last week and our cruise had gone UP $3100/cabin).

[NateUpNorth]

6 hours ago, Billy Baltic said:

I’m far from an RC cheerleader but I don’t blame them. They don’t need people holding up rooms just in case they can travel. I recall some of the discussions on here before this and people would book multiple rooms and decide coming up to final payment which, if any, they would take. 
Refundable rates were never available for UK / Ireland bookings.  
 

From the company side - couldn't agree with you more.
From the customer side - one more reason we've decided to start booking closer to sail date. The difference to switch to refundable is sometimes quite significant.  And if prices increase closer to sail date we'll choose a different vacation option. Unintended consequences and all that.

Also - be careful when you call to lock in lower prices... IIRC we once had a decrease processed but after that fact realized part of it was a switch from a refundable to non-refundable option. Our fault, but the rep didn't notice either.

[nelblu]

6 hours ago, Biker19 said:

NRD started being the default before COVID.

If I recall, to encourage NRD initially, Royal offered OBC.  I like to book on board as my exposure is limited a $100 deposit.

[bajathree]

You can get a refundable deposit rate on just about every category cabin including suites.

[RobInMN]

Refundable makes sense to me if:

1. There is a high chance that you won't be able to make it
2. If you can't make it, you have no plans to sail on RCI in the next 2 years

 

1. If the chances are low, and you have every intention to book another one in the next couple years, the $100/person change fee makes more sense to me than paying the refundable upcharge. You'll be ahead in the long run.
2.  

[ONECRUISER]

11 hours ago, Ocean Boy said:

Other than suites, you can still get refundable deposits. However, lately I have found the amount to be rather eye popping. RCI is definitely trying to push people into booking non-refundable. I wouldn't really mind non-refundable as I figure that another cruise is always in my future. However,  I'd don't agree with them then charging a "change fee" if something comes up and you need to make a change before final payment is due. RCI wants to get people to book early and they also want the customer to assume all the risk of that early booking.

Agree, most ones I check Refundable is almost same as Deposit up to 2-3times more. Last one I Booked $450 Deposit, Refundable $1368 more. 

[leaveitallbehind]

18 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Agree, most ones I check Refundable is almost same as Deposit up to 2-3times more. Last one I Booked $450 Deposit, Refundable $1368 more. 

The deposit amounts for non-suite category staterooms are the same for NRD and refundable deposits. There has never been a difference in our experience booking both.  The fare rates are different.

Edited May 8 by leaveitallbehind

[Ocean Boy]

50 minutes ago, leaveitallbehind said:

The deposit amounts for non-suite category staterooms are the same for NRD and refundable deposits. There has never been a difference in our experience booking both.  The fare rates are different.

Of course. It wouldn't matter if the deposit was all that increased. It is the cost of the cruise that matters. That is what increases.

[leaveitallbehind]

1 minute ago, Ocean Boy said:

Of course. It wouldn't matter if the deposit was all that increased. It is the cost of the cruise that matters. That is what increases.

I was responding to another poster that indicated deposits are higher for refundable deposits - which they are not.  Obviously the increase is in the base fare for the privilege of complete change and cancelation flexibility without penalty.  We are saying the same thing.

[cruzsnooze]

Paying the higher fare for a refundable deposit vs paying a lower fare for a non refundable deposit seems to me not much of a choice. The only winner is RCL

[Ourusualbeach]

5 hours ago, bajathree said:

You can get a refundable deposit rate on just about every category cabin including suites.

You cannot on suites.  JS and above are now always non refundable.