New Cancellation policy...how does that affect onboard booking for dummy dates?

[cats mom]

That's what TRIP INSURANCE is for!

I agree.

But there are plenty of folks out there who don't buy travel insurance. Just take a look at some of the polls here on the Dis asking who gets insurance and who doesn't.

So lets assume little jr. starts getting sick a day or two before the cruise is set to depart... mom and dad happen to be in the insurance is too expensive and not necessary camp.

Before they could be honest about jr being sick and running a fever, and DCL would let them all reschedule for a minimal cost.
But if the cancellation policy is now strictly enforced, they're out the entire cost of the cruise.

You think mom and dad are going to bring jr up to the check-in counter and admit he's sick... or are they more likely to try and sneak him by and hope he feels better in a day or two? Never mind the fact that he could infect a whole lot of other folks before then.


I know what I'd like the answer to be... but having experienced one kid infecting a whole summer camp of kids because her parents refused to keep her home when they knew she was sick... after all, they already paid all that money and wouldn't be able to get any of it back (and I guarantee camp was a whole lot less than the cost of a cruise for a family) I also know what I think the answer is more likely to be.

 

[NancyIL]

I have read plenty of personal stories on Cruise Critic from uninsured people who had to cancel a cruise due to a sudden illness or death of a family member - and then they got mad at the cruise line for not extending them a credit for a future cruise. It is certainly sad if someone is out the cost of a cruise, or worse - if they have huge bills because someone had to be evacuated from the ship. On the other hand, I pay for trip insurance - hoping I'll never need to use it. I kind of resent those who think that the cruiseline will bail them out of their sad situations when they opted not to get the insurance.

It would not surprise me if the same people who chose not to buy the insurance also decided to make their sick family members go on the cruise.

 

[Coach Rick]

I'm glad your dad is no longer in critical condition.

I buy trip insurance in case of a situation like you experienced. If you had trip insurance and had to cancel, the insurance company would've reimbursed you for the entire cost of the cruise - no matter what category cabin you booked. (The deposit on cat. 1-3 is only non-refundable if you cancel before final payment. If you cancel after final payment for a covered reason, you should get back all that you paid.) Perhaps some people used DCL's goodwill gestures of the past as an excuse to not spend the money for trip insurance, if they thought they could reschedule their cruises for a small fee if an emergency arose.

DCL specifically told me when I called that the insurance would definitely not reimburse the $2,000 desposit, because it's non refundable.

Now it's on to planning a cruise a full year once again....

 

[itutorfortravel]

the dcl rep told me that if i carried the dcl insurance that i could change my date at any point up to time of travel and though there would be a cancellation penalty, i would receive 100% of that towards a new booking. i even gave her a scenario of having to cancel a couple weeks prior due to a lot of school absences and she said it was a perfect example. we would not get any money back BUT we would have 100% of our non-refundable amount applied to a future cruise date. so essentially, we wouldn't "lose" any money. she said you could only do this if you had the dcl insurance but i have heard others say you can do it with or without the insurance....anyhow, i do need to know if what she told me is no longer true. not sure i feel okay taking the chance of losing thousands spent on cruise fare...i was okay if i could move the date and still have all the money applied to the new date. but i'm not okay with losing any money at all (other than the insurance premium, which i understand)..anyone know?!

things like this are what makes cruising a hard sell for me...i mean, life is uncertain and goodness knows what all can happen to make you change your plans...i wish we had the $$$ to gamble on it but we don't...so i've been stressing about anyone getting hurt, sick, etc. almost to the point of not being able to be excited anymore! UGH!

 

[NancyIL]

DCL specifically told me when I called that the insurance would definitely not reimburse the $2,000 desposit, because it's non refundable.

Now it's on to planning a cruise a full year once again....

It's non-refundable if you cancel before final payment is due. When you are in the penalty phase, most insurance policies will reimburse you for ANY penalties you are assessed by the cruiseline for cancelling, if it's done for a covered reason. That's the purpose of insurance - to reiumburse you for expenses that are non-refundable!

Did you buy DCL's insurance? It's a moot point, since you changed to another date. But if I were a betting woman, I'd bet that what the phone rep told you was wrong - unless that policy applied only to DCL's insurance.

**Sorry I keep editing, but this idea that the deposit on cat. 1-3 cabins is non-refundable under ell circumstances is just not true! Once you're within 7 days of your cruise, the whole trip is non-refundable - not just your deposit! That's why you buy trip insurance - to reimburse you if you have to cancel for a covered reason. IF DCL's insurance makes an exception for cat. 1-3 cabins, then that's a reason to NOT buy their insurance. I won't buy the policy that DCL sells, because it doesn't cover pre-existing conditions - no matter when you purchase it.

 

[cats mom]

the dcl rep told me that if i carried the dcl insurance that i could change my date at any point up to time of travel and though there would be a cancellation penalty, i would receive 100% of that towards a new booking. i even gave her a scenario of having to cancel a couple weeks prior due to a lot of school absences and she said it was a perfect example. we would not get any money back BUT we would have 100% of our non-refundable amount applied to a future cruise date. so essentially, we wouldn't "lose" any money. she said you could only do this if you had the dcl insurance but i have heard others say you can do it with or without the insurance....anyhow, i do need to know if what she told me is no longer true. not sure i feel okay taking the chance of losing thousands spent on cruise fare...i was okay if i could move the date and still have all the money applied to the new date. but i'm not okay with losing any money at all (other than the insurance premium, which i understand)..anyone know?!

things like this are what makes cruising a hard sell for me...i mean, life is uncertain and goodness knows what all can happen to make you change your plans...i wish we had the $$$ to gamble on it but we don't...so i've been stressing about anyone getting hurt, sick, etc. almost to the point of not being able to be excited anymore! UGH!

As I understand it what the DCL rep told you is no longer true. As far as I can tell there is no grandfather period for cruises booked prior to the announcement of the crack down.

The new rules are effective for all cruises departing on or after 8/31/2008

DCL Change and Cancellation policy as of 8/31/2008:

Guests who have provided payment on a reservation and who wish to make changes (i.e. sail date, passengers, etc.) within the final payment period will no longer be able to pay a change fee and defer cancellation penalties to a future cruise date. Any change made is now considered a cancellation and the appropriate fees apply.

Those fees for cruise itineraries under 10 days are:

Categories 4 through 12

· 74 to 45 days prior to vacation commencement date: Deposit amount per guest

· 44 to 8 days: 50% of the vacation price per guest

· 7 days or less: No refund


Suite Categories 1 through 3

· anytime after deposit has been made: Deposit amount per guest

· 44 to 8 days: 50% of the vacation price per guest

· 7 days or less: No refund