Cancelling cruise/Changing rooms

[MSPeeler]

Hey there, me again

I'm planning to book on Wednesday for a November 2018 cruise, however my in-laws are not too keen on the idea of booking so far in advance. I'd like to go ahead and book the rooms for both of us, and then they can pay us back over time as needed. I don't have a problem with that at all.

What is the cancellation policy for the cruise if I purchase cruise insurance for all of us? Is it 100% money back up until a certain time, or do you automatically forfeit a percentage by cancelling?

If my in-laws decide to cancel their room, and I need to move my family of 5 to a larger room to accommodate us, how does the deposit work? Does the payment we've made get transferred to the new room as if nothing has changed? I'm so confused.

We are getting together tomorrow and I want to be able to answer all these questions. I know their main questions are about cancelling. He's a "dooms day world is ending soon" type of person, been saying it for the past 15 years at least, same outcome... we go on the trip and we have a great time and plan for the next with his same worries and etc....

Can anyone help me?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Hey there, me again

I'm planning to book on Wednesday for a November 2018 cruise, however my in-laws are not too keen on the idea of booking so far in advance. I'd like to go ahead and book the rooms for both of us, and then they can pay us back over time as needed. I don't have a problem with that at all.

What is the cancellation policy for the cruise if I purchase cruise insurance for all of us? Is it 100% money back up until a certain time, or do you automatically forfeit a percentage by cancelling?

If my in-laws decide to cancel their room, and I need to move my family of 5 to a larger room to accommodate us, how does the deposit work? Does the payment we've made get transferred to the new room as if nothing has changed? I'm so confused.

We are getting together tomorrow and I want to be able to answer all these questions. I know their main questions are about cancelling. He's a "dooms day world is ending soon" type of person, been saying it for the past 15 years at least, same outcome... we go on the trip and we have a great time and plan for the next with his same worries and etc....

Can anyone help me?

Unless you book Concierge, up until the final payment date (Paid In Full), any money you pay toward a cruise is 100% refundable. If you book Concierge, the deposit is non-refundable. After the PIF date, there's a sliding scale of what's refundable up until (I think) 10 days prior to the cruise. You can see the numbers here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/contracts-terms-safety/terms-conditions/united-states/

Scroll down to "Cruse Cancellation Fees"

Whether you'll be able to move your family to a larger room depends on how close the sailing date you are. The larger rooms do tend to sell out, so you may not be able to. The monies on the cancelled room would be refunded. I don't think they can just "move" them to a different reservation.

 

[MSPeeler]

Unless you book Concierge, up until the final payment date (Paid In Full), any money you pay toward a cruise is 100% refundable. If you book Concierge, the deposit is non-refundable. After the PIF date, there's a sliding scale of what's refundable up until (I think) 10 days prior to the cruise. You can see the numbers here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/contracts-terms-safety/terms-conditions/united-states/

Scroll down to "Cruse Cancellation Fees"

Thanks.

What about Transferring to a different room? Say we have 2 interior cabins and need to cancel and transfer to 1 family ocean view (for 5 people), will the money I put down/pay towards the Interior cabins transfer to the new room automatically, or is it a "new booking"?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

Thanks.

What about Transferring to a different room? Say we have 2 interior cabins and need to cancel and transfer to 1 family ocean view (for 5 people), will the money I put down/pay towards the Interior cabins transfer to the new room automatically, or is it a "new booking"?

You can change categories on the same cruise (and pay the cost the room was on the original booking date, not the prevailing rate). But, as I said, it will depend if there's one available.

Also, when changing categories, only those people on the un-cancelled reservation will get the original price. I believe the people being "added" to the reservation (from the other room) will pay the prevailing price. Might be more cost-efficient to keep the 2 interior rooms. I'd suggest booking (assumptions being made here) Mom, Grandma and (1 or 2) kids in one room, and Dad, Granddad, and (1 or 2) kids in the other. That way, if Grandparents cancel you can make the call whether you want to move to one room, or just keep the two. If they are connecting, it might even be a better option, as you'll have 2 bathrooms, 2 TVs and the kids can sleep separate from Mom & Dad.

 

[MSPeeler]

Unless you book Concierge, up until the final payment date (Paid In Full), any money you pay toward a cruise is 100% refundable. If you book Concierge, the deposit is non-refundable. After the PIF date, there's a sliding scale of what's refundable up until (I think) 10 days prior to the cruise. You can see the numbers here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/contracts-terms-safety/terms-conditions/united-states/

Scroll down to "Cruse Cancellation Fees"

Whether you'll be able to move your family to a larger room depends on how close the sailing date you are. The larger rooms do tend to sell out, so you may not be able to. The monies on the cancelled room would be refunded. I don't think they can just "move" them to a different reservation.

Cruises 6 to 9 nights Nights Where Embark or Debark is U.S. Port (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date
Standard Sailings // *Holiday Sailings // Fee Amount


89-56 days // 104-75 days // Deposit per Guest
55-30 days // 74-43 days // 50% of vacation price per Guest
29-15 days // 42-15 days // 75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less // 14 days or less // 100% of vacation price per Guest

This is saying we lose our deposit, right?

You can change categories on the same cruise (and pay the cost the room was on the original booking date, not the prevailing rate). But, as I said, it will depend if there's one available.

Also, when changing categories, only those people on the un-cancelled reservation will get the original price. I believe the people being "added" to the reservation (from the other room) will pay the prevailing price. Might be more cost-efficient to keep the 2 interior rooms. I'd suggest booking (assumptions being made here) Mom, Grandma and (1 or 2) kids in one room, and Dad, Granddad, and (1 or 2) kids in the other. That way, if Grandparents cancel you can make the call whether you want to move to one room, or just keep the two. If they are connecting, it might even be a better option, as you'll have 2 bathrooms, 2 TVs and the kids can sleep separate from Mom & Dad.

I like that idea. Good thinking.

 

[NZMUM]

Cruises 6 to 9 nights Nights Where Embark or Debark is U.S. Port (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date
Standard Sailings // *Holiday Sailings // Fee Amount


89-56 days // 104-75 days // Deposit per Guest
55-30 days // 74-43 days // 50% of vacation price per Guest
29-15 days // 42-15 days // 75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less // 14 days or less // 100% of vacation price per Guest

This is saying we lose our deposit, right?

It's saying that you lose your deposit if you cancel between 56-89 days before your cruise. So up to 90 days before there is no penalty. On holiday sailings it is 105 days before the sailing, that there is no penalty.
That is assuming you aren't travelling in Concierge.

 

[MSPeeler]

It's saying that you lose your deposit if you cancel between 56-89 days before your cruise. So up to 90 days before there is no penalty. On holiday sailings it is 105 days before the sailing, that there is no penalty.
That is assuming you aren't travelling in Concierge.

I'm really not dumb... I just have a lack of reading comprehension unlike any other...

Makes total sense now that you've said it. I couldn't even read it correctly...

Golly I love you guys, so helpful.

 

[NZMUM]

I'm really not dumb... I just have a lack of reading comprehension unlike any other...

Makes total sense now that you've said it. I couldn't even read it correctly...

Golly I love you guys, so helpful.

Never thought you were dumb, so don't worry about that . It's just that I have read those cancellation clauses so often because we have had the "in case they don't go" situation. And, like you, I wanted to be absolutely sure I knew I would be losing anything, and when I would be.

 

[MSPeeler]

Never thought you were dumb, so don't worry about that . It's just that I have read those cancellation clauses so often because we have had the "in case they don't go" situation. And, like you, I wanted to be absolutely sure I knew I would be losing anything, and when I would be.

LOL I know you weren't. I'm glad I'm not alone!!

 

[lanejudy]

And since you mentioned the insurance in your initial question... the insurance premium will not be refundable if purchased immediately. If you plan to get DCL's insurance, it can be added with your last payment just prior to PIF, therefore you don't lose money if you cancel before PIF. If you plan to purchase insurance through a third party, you may need to buy early if you want pre-existing condition coverage. Whether any insurance will kick in if you cancel after PIF will depend on the reason for canceling and the insurance policy purchased. Do your research for insurance.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[olookasquirrel]

Not sure if this is an option, but we also had some "on-the-fencers" for our big trip, and it was coming time to book plane tickets. I was able to get a sale on Southwest points so that the points cost what the tickets I was looking at cost (so $100 ticket cost $100 worth of points). I had to buy a LOT of points at once, but if you sign up for the SW CC your sign on bonus is in the neighborhood of 4-5 $200 round trip tickets.

Well, long story short, the fence people had to cancel about 3 days after tickets were bought, because of course they did. Everything from DCL was refunded, and I was able to cancel their plane tickets and have SW put all the points back in my account, which I was able to turn around and use for other trips. Obviously a lot of caveats here, but something to look into.

Also, we had an adult cancel very late, turning 2 rooms of 3 into 5 people total. I called DCL and was able to transfer their reservation into a larger cabin. This was fairly close to sailing, so they lost the deposit on Grandpa, but because there were 3 adults and 2 children, it ended up being $1400 cheaper to transfer to a single room, and we got a refund of the difference. (now, was it a fabulous idea to stuff 3 adults: Grandma/Mom/Aunt, and 2 older children into a single cabin? In retrospect, not particularly.... )