Cancel vs "No Show" Question

[varkgirl]

I have created a cluster ___ and have some hypothetical questions...

Right now in two different rooms are

My brother, My dad, and my two nieces
My SIL, My mom

We did it this way to get the FL resident rate on both rooms (my parents are not FL residents)

If for some reason my parents can't go (hopefully this won't happen), would it make more sense to just have them be "no shows" on the day of the cruise?

If we cancel them, will we have to pay double occupancy on SIL's room? Disney says moving her with my brother would cause her to also be a "cancellation" and we would have to pay to add her back.

If they just don't show up on the day of the cruise, do they just let us board as-is?

 

[lanejudy]

That's correct.

If your parents are simply "no shows" - the only refund will be the port fees for those 2 passengers. Full fares are already paid.

If you cancel out your parents and wish to move SIL to your brother's stateroom, it is a cancel of SIL/Mom room and adding SIL will be at prevailing rates.

If you simply cancel out your parents and keep both rooms, you will be paying the single occupancy surcharge on SIL's room. You might be able to move one of the kids into that room, but it would be at prevailing rates unless DCL will allow a name change before cancelling Mom.

If any of this occurs after PIF - any individual canceled is subject to penalty. If you do the cancels/moves before PIF, no penalty but prevailing rates apply as noted above.

 

[varkgirl]

So "no show" is better, right??

 

[lanejudy]

"No show" is simpler. It may or may not be "better" financially speaking. Considering you also have multiple families involved, one option may be better for MIL/FIL but another option better for Brother/SIL. You'd have to crunch the numbers to determine how much extra it will cost to move SIL to Brother's room, or to change Mom's name to one of the kids and cancel a kid from Brother's room. It will depend on how much that cruise has increased in fare since you booked as well as how close you are to sail date.

 

[varkgirl]

Wait... so if they no show then we have to pay extra or they would just let everyone board who was there?

I know if we cancel after PIF there will be extra charges for double occupancy or moving somebody, etc. But if they no show... they still charge more if we just leave everyone elsen alone?

 

[varkgirl]

(Also, we're paying for Mom/Dad so we are all screwed either way, LOL. Trying to make the cheapest move overall for everyone.)

 

[varkgirl]

Sorry for being dense.

If they no-show and we don't try to move anyone around when we arrive, can we just board without any additional fees?

 

[lanejudy]

A "no show" means embarkation day arrives and that passenger never arrives. Full fare has been paid, no refund given. The port taxes and fees will be refunded, but not the fare.

If you cancel prior to embarkation day, there are penalties. How much depends on how close to the sail date. Moving other passengers between rooms incurs additional expense depending on prevailing rates.

 

[varkgirl]

A "no show" means embarkation day arrives and that passenger never arrives. Full fare has been paid, no refund given. The port taxes and fees will be refunded, but not the fare.

If you cancel prior to embarkation day, there are penalties. How much depends on how close to the sail date. Moving other passengers between rooms incurs additional expense depending on prevailing rates.

Thank you for being so patient and answering all of my questions. I know I am being really slow here... We've been on 20 disney cruises and never cancelled so this is all new to me...

If we just left the rooms alone, didn't try to move anyone, and just boarded with mom and dad as no-shows, would they make SIL pay double occupancy?

 

[lanejudy]

SIL will not have to "pay more" but there will be no fare refund for MIL. Just port taxes + fees will be returned for MIL.

Same with FIL - no refund other than port taxes+fees if he simply doesn't show up on embarkation day.

 

[varkgirl]

SIL will not have to "pay more" but there will be no fare refund for MIL. Just port taxes + fees will be returned for MIL.

Same with FIL - no refund other than port taxes+fees if he simply doesn't show up on embarkation day.

Perfect. So that seems like the least $$ overall... We just don't want to lose/spend more than mom and dad's fare if they cancel.

THANK YOU for all your help!!!!!

 

[lanejudy]

You could actually get some amount of refund if you cancel earlier than a "no show." I forget the cut-off dates for penalty, but there could be some amount of refund (particularly for FIL's fare). How much depends on what you do with the remaining passengers.

Examples:
If you simply cancel MIL and FIL: SIL will be subject to the single-occupancy upcharge, so no refund of MIL's fare. FIL's fare (actually, 4th passenger fare) can be partially refunded, depending how close you are to sail date.

If you opt to shift passengers around, it may or may not result in some additional savings. In particular, I think you could shift one child to SIL's room to take MIL's fare, which will also partial refund the 3rd passenger fare from Brother's room in addition to partial refund for FIL. But again, refund amounts depend on how close to sail date.

 

[varkgirl]

You could actually get some amount of refund if you cancel earlier than a "no show." I forget the cut-off dates for penalty, but there could be some amount of refund (particularly for FIL's fare). How much depends on what you do with the remaining passengers.

Examples:
If you simply cancel MIL and FIL: SIL will be subject to the single-occupancy upcharge, so no refund of MIL's fare. FIL's fare can be partially refunded, depending how close you are to sail date.

If you opt to shift passengers around, it may or may not result in some additional savings. In particular, I think you could shift one child to SIL's room to take MIL's fare, which will refund the 4th passenger fare from Brother's room in addition to partial refund for FIL's fare.

Hmm, ok. Things to think about. Thank you for all of your help!!

 

[lanejudy]

Hmm, ok. Things to think about. Thank you for all of your help!!

That's why I said "easy" is to simply no-show but it may not be the "better" option financially. No-show = nothing more owed, but very minimal refunded. Shifting passengers could get more refunded. How much will depend on how close to sailing and what the prevailing rates are.

 

[varkgirl]

That's why I said "easy" is to simply no-show but it may not be the "better" option financially. No-show = nothing more owed, but very minimal refunded. Shifting passengers could get more refunded. How much will depend on how close to sailing and what the prevailing rates are.

Thank you!! Hopefully we never need to use any of this info!

 

[monkeydawn]

Wouldnt a combination of easier and still getting some money back be to cancel only the FIL? Have the MIL be a no show.

 

[varkgirl]

Wouldnt a combination of easier and still getting some money back be to cancel only the FIL? Have the MIL be a no show.

Maybe. Depends when they cancel I suppose Lots to think about depending on what happens. I appreciate all the info!

 

[jrabbit]

not to toss in another twist, but isn't DCL allowing you to cancel now without penalty? (COVID-19)

But i just reread the thread and I think that you do need two rooms still, so just having a couple of no shows is better than cancelling at this point.

Since The first two people in a room get charged "Full Rate" any additional people in a room get a discount (based upon age) so if you cancel Dad out of room #1 there still would be three people in that room and you might get a credit for one of the nieces (the other niece would go to "full fare" in place of dad.

I would leave the second room alone since there are only 2 people in it - and DCL basically charges 1 person the same as if 2 were in the room. Either way you will get port charges back on whoever does NOT sail - and those are the same for every person (regardless of age)

I assume that you are in room #3 since you were not listed in the first post.

 

[varkgirl]

not to toss in another twist, but isn't DCL allowing you to cancel now without penalty? (COVID-19)

Oh, are they? Interesting... do you have a link to that info?

Yes, we're in room #3 (there are actually 5 rooms altogether, but these two are the funky ones!)

We wouldn't NEED both rooms if my parents cancelled. But would keep the 2nd room if it was cheaper to do so.

I think it is all going to depend on when the (hypothetical) cancellation happens. Hoping they know before 45 days so we can just lose a deposit and move people around and all will be good

Really just hoping none of this info is ever needed at all!!!

 

[jrabbit]

Sorry about the "bad" info. Well, not incorrect, but out of date. Our sailing was at the end of April and "way back then" DCL at some point instituted the policy that you could cancel up to 24 hours before sailing without penalty. That was through the end of May.

I assumed that they were continuing this policy for a while into the future since cruises have been cancelling into the summer. I think that the Europe cruises were/are covered under this policy.

I don't think you ever said what your sailing dates were ... as that probably will make a difference as to what policy is in place.