Refund When Disney Changed Requirements

[kps7795]

Thank you! Then it looks like we will only lose half our money or have to cruise alone. At least our family can get a refund (although they'd rather cruise!).

You should really just contact DCL directly to get all of your questions answered. The information that you're relaying from your TA does not sound correct. I was just on the phone with DCL regarding my upcoming cruise next month, so I asked about any change in cancellation policy. The castmember informed me that you still get a 100% refund as long as you cancel prior to 60 days before sailing.

 

[lanejudy]

The information that you're relaying from your TA does not sound correct. I was just on the phone with DCL regarding my upcoming cruise next month, so I asked about any change in cancellation policy. The castmember informed me that you still get a 100% refund as long as you cancel prior to 60 days before sailing.

The TA is correct. That poster cancelled (moved the date) within 60 days but outside of 14 days, so penalties apply.

 

[Sykes]

Last time this happened they announced it on November 17, 2021 and allowed cancellation for those affected until December 1st, 2021. Notably, however, the waiver of cancellation fees only applied to sailings on the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy through May 30, Disney Magic through May 8 and Disney Wonder through April 17, 2022, so your October sailing wouldn't have qualified for the waiver. It's possible that they'll do another round of free cancellations once the health and safety protocols are finalized(-ish) for later sailings.

My understanding is that for cancellations eligible under this specific waiver even nonrefundable FCC was eligible for refund, but I don't have personal experience with it. (It wouldn't be the case, however, for a voluntary cancellation without the waiver.)

 

[kps7795]

The TA is correct. That poster cancelled (moved the date) within 60 days but outside of 14 days, so penalties apply.

I stand corrected. Good luck to the OP.

 

[MomOTwins]

This is why I don't use a TA.

In this case, the TA is correct. When you move a cruise as under the flexible cruise date policy, it retains the cancellation penalty effective for the original cruise date before you moved it. I am dealing with something similar--my whole cruise fare for mid-april is non-refundable even though it is before 60 days in advance of the cruise because it was moved from a previous cruise that was "in penalty" phase (several actually--this one has been moved a LOT). Something to keep in mind--these days, with FCCs, and postponed cruises, calculating your cancellation penalty has become a lot more complicated.

 

[meremac]

Currently, Disney's cancellation penalty phase doesn't begin until 60 days in advance, which is much more generous than the pre-pandemic policy. Once you hit that 60-day mark, you will incur penalties if you cancel. However, Disney is currently allowing folks within their cancellation penalty phase to move their cruise (provided the new cruise sails on or before May 31 of 2023). The caveat is that, if you choose to reschedule and you were within the original cancellation penalty phase, you will STILL incur whatever penalties you would have had with your original cruise if you choose to cancel your rescheduled cruise down the line. You can keep rescheduling it if you want to (as long as the sailing you reschedule to departs on or before May 31 of 2023), but you cannot cancel without incurring penalties. Concierge bookings and the maiden voyage of the Wish have different caveats, all of which should have (hopefully) been explained at time of booking. Now, will DCL make an exception IF the vaccine is approved for kids under 5 soon thus (most likely) leading to proof of vaccination requirement for young guests? I don't know, but I bet they will. When they changed the vaccination requirements before, there was a brief window where DCL allowed guests to cancel and get a refund even if they were within their cancellation penalty phase (minus the cost of any insurance they may have added). I don't see why this time would be different, but I guess we won't know until we know.

 

[DCLMP]

We booked the inaugural sailing on the Wish with a 4 yo in our party. She is now 5 and I’m told by TA no refund, no moving the deposit, no change of any kind. So when I remove her and her parents from the reservation I will loose a lot of money.

Well your cruise was cancelled\moved so it looks like you should be good for a refund now.

 

[KashasMom]

This is why I don't use a TA.

I'm not quite sure why you think the TA is at fault. Seems it's a Disney policy, which I'm personally pretty annoyed with considering all the extenuating circumstances of cruising now.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Our TA told us specifically it's this cruise or we'll lose almost all of our money so I'm going with what he says. Seems we were within penalty period. Tough times to be traveling in!

That is not correct.

 

[Sykes]

That is not correct.

As discussed in subsequent replies, the TA was indeed correct.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

The TA is correct. That poster cancelled (moved the date) within 60 days but outside of 14 days, so penalties apply.

That is not correct. When the vaccination policy changed last time, Disney gave everyone sailing in that window a "free" cancellation, even within 60 days.

They also allow you to cancel if you experience ANY "symptoms associated with COVID-19" prior to sailing. The list of "symptoms associated with COVID-19" is long....

As discussed in subsequent replies, the TA was indeed correct.

The policy is irrelevant. Disney has a consistent track record of changing or waiving the policy when the rules change. Every single time, without fail, they've proven this.

"We have a new rule that applies to your sailing. If you don't like the rule, feel free to cancel for refund or credit by X date."

 

[Sykes]

That is not correct. When the vaccination policy changed last time, Disney gave everyone sailing in that window a "free" cancellation, even within 60 days.\

That was true at the time, but only for sailings through certain dates, and that window is closed. Unless the poster has COVID symptoms within 14 days of sailing there is currently no policy under which they can currently cancel voluntarily for a full refund. As myself and others have speculated, it's very likely that they would extend a similar goodwill policy if they expand or extend the vaccination requirement, but there's no guarantee of it, and the TA was absolutely correct about their current circumstances.

 

[KashasMom]

The policy is irrelevant. Disney has a consistent track record of changing or waiving the policy when the rules change. Every single time, without fail, they've proven this.

"We have a new rule that applies to your sailing. If you don't like the rule, feel free to cancel for refund or credit by X date."

We were within 60 days AND don't have an under 5. WHY would they offer a full refund to us just because under 5s have to be vaccinated?

 

[DCLMP]

I'm not quite sure why you think the TA is at fault. Seems it's a Disney policy, which I'm personally pretty annoyed with considering all the extenuating circumstances of cruising now.

I don't recall saying the TA was at fault. I just prefer to fight my own battles.

 

[Dug720]

Unless the poster has COVID symptoms within 14 days

Or exposure. And they are not asking for proof of either. Before I changed my Feb cruise to August, I'd forgotten the cxl policy was 60 days (for some reason I had 30 in my head), she said to just hold onto it until I was within 14 days and since I teach in the public schools in NYC and am on a city bus or the subway every day, she would have ZERO qualms saying I'd been exposed.

But yes. If I cancel this one, even more than 60 days out, I'd lose everything I would have had I cancelled rather than moving it.

 

[anneeb]

I'm still confused on one point. OP said their TA said it was the October cruise or lose all their money. Could they still bump that October cruise to a different date before May 2023 without penalty under the current flexible cruise policy? Not that that will probably help their situation as vaccine policy May 2023 is not likely to be a lot different than October 2022?

 

[meremac]

I'm still confused on one point. OP said their TA said it was the October cruise or lose all their money. Could they still bump that October cruise to a different date before May 2023 without penalty under the current flexible cruise policy? Not that that will probably help their situation as vaccine policy May 2023 is not likely to be a lot different than October 2022?

That depends. If they were initially scheduled to sail before May 2022 and rescheduled to October from that sailing, then yes. But I wasn't clear on whether or not this was an original or rescheduled cruise. I probably just missed it.

Edit: I looked back and I did miss it. They were supposed to sail in February so in most cases, they should be able to push their cruise back to a sailing on or before May 31 2023. But they were concierge so that factors in too. I would hope that their TA called and asked to speak to someone at Guest Services (not just the person who answers the phone) to get clarification. If they did do that and they were still given the same answer, than it likely "is what it is".

 

[Marthasor]

We booked the inaugural sailing on the Wish with a 4 yo in our party. She is now 5 and I’m told by TA no refund, no moving the deposit, no change of any kind. So when I remove her and her parents from the reservation I will loose a lot of money.

You may already know this, but, due to the rescheduling of the Wish inaugural cruise, you can now either take the cruise on the new date with a 50% discount, get a full refund or use the money you currently have down as FCC and get 50% off a future cruise.

 

[lanejudy]

That is not correct. When the vaccination policy changed last time, Disney gave everyone sailing in that window a "free" cancellation, even within 60 days.

They also allow you to cancel if you experience ANY "symptoms associated with COVID-19" prior to sailing. The list of "symptoms associated with COVID-19" is long....


The policy is irrelevant. Disney has a consistent track record of changing or waiving the policy when the rules change. Every single time, without fail, they've proven this.

"We have a new rule that applies to your sailing. If you don't like the rule, feel free to cancel for refund or credit by X date."

Yes, there was an open cancellation period, but OP didn't cancel during that period. It was approx. 2 weeks back in Nov. right after the policy change was announced.

Yes, DCL allows you to cancel within 14 days of embarkation without penalty. BUT the OP didn't wait until that 14-day window to move her cruise, she did so within the 15-59 days of embarkation. That is a nasty little window that carries penalty forward -- no immediate penalty moving the funds to a new date, but the penalty carries forward and will take effect if OP decides to cancel the future cruise.

 

[CaptainAmerica]

Yes, there was an open cancellation period, but OP didn't cancel during that period. It was approx. 2 weeks back in Nov. right after the policy change was announced.

Yes, DCL allows you to cancel within 14 days of embarkation without penalty. BUT the OP didn't wait until that 14-day window to move her cruise, she did so within the 15-59 days of embarkation. That is a nasty little window that carries penalty forward -- no immediate penalty moving the funds to a new date, but the penalty carries forward and will take effect if OP decides to cancel the future cruise.

???

OP hasn't cancelled anything. Her cruise is scheduled for October 2022 and she's discussing hypothetically cancelling if the policy changes in the future.