Dream cancellation policies- every angle?

[DenverDis]

I know this has been canvassed in various different threads but I’m not sure all the permutations have been captured in one place. If they have and I missed it in my search, apologies all. But here goes:

We are booked 8/27.

I think PIF Dream reservations can be 100% refunded through today 8/6 for sailings through (??-not sure??). But I think 8/6 is a magic (sorry) day for us where we can still pull out, notwithstanding sailing in 21 days.

In addition there is the cancel w/in 14 days of sail date due to covid, covid symptoms, covid exposure. Seems like that gets a 100% refund except for travel insurance (per updates posted yesterday). Wonder if that will require proof/a doctor’s note to invoke or if DCL will just accept on faith/honor system.

In addition I added the DCL trip insurance that includes a cancel for any reason 75% coverage. I don’t think that is a refund. I think that is something like a 75% FCC to be used within a year? Not sure the trigger on that (how many days prior to sailing) but I can find that in the policy.

I would ideally wait on all this until 8/9 to see what actually happens, see if the Dream sails, see what the on board experience is like. But today is 8/6 so . . .quandary!

Any thoughts? My head hurts!

 

[sethschroeder]

Wonder if that will require proof/a doctor’s note to invoke or if DCL will just accept on faith/honor system.

It has to be the honor system right? If you work with someone as an example and they have COVID you can't expect a guest to get a "stranger's" testing results to show to Disney.

 

[seasalt81]

I was just on a chat with DCL to ask about this as we're booked for September and likely canceling. Today is the last day for the full refund for cruises on the Dream through March 2022. (Edited to fix erroneous info.)

If you don't cancel by today for the refund, you can also modify your cruise date up to 15 days before sailing for cruises book prior to July 31 and scheduled to sail before December 31, 2021. They have to be rescheduled prior to September 2022.

And then like you said, there's the refund for COVID symptoms, exposure, positive test of you or anyone in your travel party within 14 days of sailing.

 

[DenverDis]

It has to be the honor system right? If you work with someone as an example and they have COVID you can't expect a guest to get a "stranger's" testing results to show to Disney.

Agree. Which I think will make for a wave (sorry) of cancellations 14 days prior to sailing. Crazy trying to navigate (sorry yet another pun) all this. And to add to my quandary literally as I was posting this thread I got the “all clear” notifications from Safe Passage. Wish I had a crystal ball.

 

[DenverDis]

I was just on a chat with DCL to ask about this as we're booked for September and likely canceling. Today is the last day for the full refund (for cruises booked or modified prior to July 31).

If you don't cancel by today for the refund, you can also modify your cruise date up to 15 days before sailing for cruises scheduled before December 31, 2021. They have to be rescheduled prior to September 2022.

And then like you said, there's the refund for COVID symptoms, exposure, positive test of you or anyone in your travel party within 14 days of sailing.

Is the 15 days prior a DCL thing or is that invoking the DCL trip insurance? If the former it is yet another permutation that I omitted / forgot about in this labyrinth of dates. Now my head hurts worse (but seriously thanks for the reminder on this aspect).

 

[seasalt81]

Is the 15 days prior a DCL thing or is that invoking the DCL trip insurance? If the former it is yet another permutation that I omitted / forgot about in this labyrinth of dates. Now my head hurts worse (but seriously thanks for the reminder on this aspect).

It's a DCL policy for all cruises booked prior to August, sailing through December. This is what the cast member quoted:


For any sailings booked by July 31, 2021 scheduled to sail on or before December 31, 2021, you can change your sail date up to 15 days prior to departure. Guests who wish to change their sail date must move their sail date to one that commences prior to September 30, 2022. Standard prevailing rates will apply.

 

[Cheburashka]

there is the cancel w/in 14 days of sail date due to covid, covid symptoms, covid exposure. Seems like that gets a 100% refund except for travel insurance (per updates posted yesterday). Wonder if that will require proof/a doctor’s note to invoke or if DCL will just accept on faith/honor system.

DCL has stated that they will not require any proof of illness if someone claims Covid symptoms within 14 days of boarding.

They'll put up with some people lying to get their money back in exchange for less chance of Covid positive people boarding. It's probably a liability issue for them, too. Imagine if there were an outbreak traced back to a passenger who had been denied a refund because he or she couldn't prove symptoms, so they sailed anyway rather than lose all of their travel money. No way that DCL would want that to come out- bad publicity and legal exposure. They can afford to just give the refund rather than risk that scenario.

Agree. Which I think will make for a wave (sorry) of cancellations 14 days prior to sailing.

There will be some, but I doubt a large number. People who are wanting to cancel without penalty have had a few weeks to do so with all penalties waived. It seems unlikely that many are going to wait until the last minute to do so. Some on-the-fence concierge guests, maybe, but I doubt many people are that indecisive & want to leave their vacation plans & money hanging until the very last minute.

 

[sethschroeder]

There will be some, but I doubt a large number. People who are wanting to cancel without penalty have had a few weeks to do so with all penalties waived. It seems unlikely that many are going to wait until the last minute to do so. Some on-the-fence concierge guests, maybe, but I doubt many people are that indecisive & want to leave their vacation plans & money hanging until the very last minute.

Except this wouldn't apply to concierge though right? This 15 day rule would still have all your money locked in? The one shot you have for concierge is when Disney seems to release the restrictions like the Dream and let people outright cancel.

 

[Mommb]

In addition I added the DCL trip insurance that includes a cancel for any reason 75% coverage. I don’t think that is a refund. I think that is something like a 75% FCC to be used within a year? Not sure the trigger on that (how many days prior to sailing) but I can find that in the policy.

That is correct. Information is here: https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/...ction-plan/?int_cmp=INS-intDCLtoDCL-Insurance
If you have purchased the trip insurance through Disney Cruise Line and then cancel due to non-covered event (that is, an event that is not covered by the insurance and doesn't result in a full refund from DCL) then you can get a credit for 75% of the "cancellation fee" (which is the fare you have paid, minus any refunds). The credit can be applied to a Disney Cruise within 1 year from its issue date, taken by the person/people covered by the insurance. The cancellation must be made prior to the ship's departure, and a claim must be filed with the insurer, Aon Berkely, and rejected before this coverage is available. If the new cruise costs less than the credit, the credit will still be considered fully used up. If the rebooked cruise is cancelled, the credit cannot be applied to another booking.

 

[Cheburashka]

Except this wouldn't apply to concierge though right? This 15 day rule would still have all your money locked in? The one shot you have for concierge is when Disney seems to release the restrictions like the Dream and let people outright cancel.

I was responding to a question about the ability to cancel within 14 days prior of sailing without penalty due to Covid symptoms or exposure, and that does apply to everyone including concierge.

 

[sethschroeder]

I was responding to a question about the ability to cancel within 14 days prior of sailing without penalty due to Covid symptoms or exposure, and that does apply to everyone including concierge.

I was just going through this again.

Am I reading it correctly that between Day 0 and Day 14 you can cancel because of COVID19 symptoms or exposure? Originally I was thinking by Day 14 but now this makes more sense.

If you get up for the flight, feel the symptoms, you can then call DCL and cancel 24 hours out as an example.

 

[DenverDis]

I was just going through this again.

Am I reading it correctly that between Day 0 and Day 14 you can cancel because of COVID19 symptoms or exposure? Originally I was thinking by Day 14 but now this makes more sense.

If you get up for the flight, feel the symptoms, you can then call DCL and cancel 24 hours out as an example.

That would make a lot more sense. Suffice to say it is difficult to parse all this and keep it straight.

 

[Cheburashka]

Am I reading it correctly that between Day 0 and Day 14 you can cancel because of COVID19 symptoms or exposure?

If you get up for the flight, feel the symptoms, you can then call DCL and cancel 24 hours out as an example.

Correct. They don't want sick people on the ship.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

It's a DCL policy for all cruises booked prior to August, sailing through December. This is what the cast member quoted:


For any sailings booked by July 31, 2021 scheduled to sail on or before December 31, 2021, you can change your sail date up to 15 days prior to departure. Guests who wish to change their sail date must move their sail date to one that commences prior to September 30, 2022. Standard prevailing rates will apply.

I wonder what the policy is for those who book after July 31. What if I book tomorrow for September or late August? I am SOL?
Makes me want to wait to the last minute to book. Luckily our flights are booked with SWA points so they're easy to cancel for full refund.

 

[sethschroeder]

I wonder what the policy is for those who book after July 31. What if I book tomorrow for September or late August? I am SOL?
Makes me want to wait to the last minute to book. Luckily our flights are booked with SWA points so they're easy to cancel for full refund.

I barely made it moved my December cruise to Sept 18th on like July 28th.