Potential problem with adoption and planned cruise

[perkli25]

My husband and I are currently in the process of adopting a baby. We are currently on a waiting list and have no way of knowing when the adoption will happen. We are not currently matched with any birth mother/parents.

 

We have a cruise planned for this September. It has been booked since early 2015. We had just started the adoption process at that time and I honestly figured we would have adopted by the time the cruise came up OR that if we didn't already have a baby, we would just have another vacation as a couple. However, now that we are in the the 2-3 month window, I am starting to worry.

 

If we do happen to adopt between now and then and for legal reasons can not cruise with the child yet... do you think RC will penalize us? Or do you think we would be allowed to rebook with a fee? I know I should have bought trip insurance but I didn't. Is it too late?

 

Thanks for any advice or insight.

[Nado44]

Congratulations on the upcoming adoption! With such an important life event on the horizon, I'd rebook and incur whatever rebooking fees there are. I also imagine RCL would be understanding of your situation and allow you to rebook without penalty. They may ask for documentation.

[Ourusualbeach]

Since you are before final paymént you could cancel now without penalty and then rebook another cruise and take out "cancel for any reason" insurance.

[reallyitsmema]

Here is a link to the cancellation policy:

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&pnav=5&snav=2&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323&faqSubjectName=After+You+Purchase&faqType=faq

 

The earlier you make a decision the less you lose. Where you are just after final payment, they might allow you to move the funds to a cruise in the future, I would call and ask.

[RadioRob]

You mentioned your cruise is 2-3 months away. That's anywhere between 60-90 days out.

 

Depending on your cruise length and if it's a holiday cruise, you could get anywhere from all of your money to half of your money back.

 

Cancellation details can be found at:

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/details.do?pagename=frequently_asked_questions&faqId=227&faqSubjectId=323

 

Also you might want to look at cruise insurance that lets you cancel for any reason in the future.

 

Once you are in the last days/weeks before your cruise, you get next to nothing back or nothing back at all if you cancel.

 

Good luck and congrats in advance!

[gerif]

While I wish you all the best with the adoption, I agree that you should cancel now and cut your losses. You really can't expect the cruise line to take responsibility for any losses that would have been covered by insurance you chose not to purchase. If you rebook, you need to get cancel for any reason insurance.

[bethco]

Can't you add insurance if you are before final payment date?

[dcgrumpy]

Can't you add insurance if you are before final payment date?

 

Yes. I added my trip insurance 2 weeks before final payment was due.

[reallyitsmema]

Can't you add insurance if you are before final payment date?

 

OP ticker says 74 days out, final payment is 75 days prior to a 6 day or more cruise, so if that ticker is correct, they are after final payment.

[Ourusualbeach]

OP ticker says 74 days out, final payment is 75 days prior to a 6 day or more cruise, so if that ticker is correct, they are after final payment.

 

Looks like they waited a couple days too long to ask this question.

 

OP here are the cancellation penalties. Right now you would only lose your deposit. I would suggest calling Royal ASAP and ask nicely if there is any way to move this cruise to a date further out. Be prepared to graciously accept an answer of no although you may be pleasantly surprised with a yes.

 

 

6 Nights or longer

75+ No charges

74-57 Deposit amount

56-29 50% of total price (taxes & fees excluded)*

28-15 75% of total (taxes & fees excluded)*

14 or less No refund except for taxes and fees

Edited June 28, 2015 by Ourusualbeach

[dcgrumpy]

OP ticker says 74 days out, final payment is 75 days prior to a 6 day or more cruise, so if that ticker is correct, they are after final payment.

 

Oh you're right I didn't notice that. It's too late to add Cancel for Any Reason insurance.

[marci22]

Since you are before final paymént you could cancel now without penalty and then rebook another cruise and take out "cancel for any reason" insurance.

 

If you read the policy, there is usually a line that says that, in order to be covered, this must be your first payment for this particular trip. Otherwise, people would cancel and rebook just to get certain cancellation benefits.

[BND]

Actually the ticker says 74, but RCIs count will say 75 so today would be the final payment day. I agree, cancel, rebook and take out cancel for any reason insurance. The problem with adoptions is you could be notified anywhere from several months to several days out that there is a baby for you so there's no way to know. But, a baby trumps everything and if I'd been waiting to adopt, I wouldn't care about the lost money for a cruise that had to be cancelled.

[Ourusualbeach]

If you read the policy, there is usually a line that says that, in order to be covered, this must be your first payment for this particular trip. Otherwise, people would cancel and rebook just to get certain cancellation benefits.

 

I was thinking more of booking a different date that may work better with their adoption timeline.

[perkli25]

Thank you all for your responses and well wishes! I would have responded sooner but we've been out for most of the day.

 

It sounds like we missed the boat with insurance. So I think we are just going to take our chances with a potential adoption. We got this cruise for a steal so I think we may just take our chances and just cancel if we are matched between now and then. If we cancel now, we are still going to lose some money. And we may or may not have adopted come cruise time. I would hate to miss out on a trip if the adoption hasn't moved forward by then.

 

Thanks again!

[mollyeilis]

"We got this cruise for a steal so I think we may just take our chances and just cancel if we are matched between now and then."

 

I think that's a good idea. You're still on the waiting list and not matched.

 

Having dealt with unexplained (we haven't looked very hard for reasons...just not people who will move heaven and earth, and will take what comes) secondary infertility since our 11 year old was 9 months old, I will tell you that cancelling things *just in case* gets heartbreaking when those things don't come to pass. Sure we all hope that the joy will come, but IF it doesn't...it's rotten to have cancelled.

 

So...if the joy happens before your cruise and you have to cancel, you got it for a steal and it's OK. Future cruises, get the insurance. :)

 

I wish you the best of luck.

[wshyangmur]

I'd rebook and incur whatever rebooking fees there are.

[Merion_Mom]

Thank you all for your responses and well wishes! I would have responded sooner but we've been out for most of the day.

 

It sounds like we missed the boat with insurance. So I think we are just going to take our chances with a potential adoption. We got this cruise for a steal so I think we may just take our chances and just cancel if we are matched between now and then. If we cancel now, we are still going to lose some money. And we may or may not have adopted come cruise time. I would hate to miss out on a trip if the adoption hasn't moved forward by then.

 

Thanks again!

 

Call (800-526-9723) and beg nicely. They may allow you to move your cruise to a later date. They don't have to, but sometimes they do.

 

:)

[cyntil8ing]

I think your decision to just take the chance is probably the best. Moving to a later date won't help as you may be in the same situation or have a new family member.

 

But anyway, congratulations on your upcoming adoption! You're in what I found to be the toughest part right now, just waiting, waiting, waiting. Our's was an international adoption, so there was a huge flurry of activity to get the dossier complete, and then we were like, "What do we do now?" In the beginning, I was afraid to go to the grocery store, worried I wouldn't be home to get the call. I did not want to get the news on my cell phone in the grocery store! We decided just to continue on as usual. We took a vacation, letting the agency know so they'd know how to get hold of us. I was at work when the call finally came.

 

A few years ago, there was a thread here on Cruise Critic that was about a waiting couple whose baby was born while they were on the ship. That thread got a lot of attention!

 

Best wishes for a quick and smooth process.

[BoyntonBeth]

There's another thing to consider. I don't think they allow infants under 6 months on the ship. If that's still the case, if your baby is born today and you could adopt tomorrow (I know that's impossible) you still could not sail in September!

 

At this point, since you're already in the penalty period, I think you should keep the reservation. If nothing happens in the meantime, you'll take another cruise as a couple as you mentioned. When something does happen, based on when the baby is born (not based on the adoption date) you would then know when to cruise.

 

Good luck!!!

[mollyeilis]

"Moving to a later date won't help as you may be in the same situation or have a new family member."

 

Exactly.

 

Right now, as they said, they are on a waiting list and aren't matched. They aren't waiting for a particularly baby, they are just waiting. They are just nervous b/c the cruise is so close.

 

If they are suddenly matched, THEN they can call and beg and see IF something can be done. But for now, they should just plan to go. IMO.

[Luvcruisin76]

Hey I actually have experience on this! :) We had a cruise booked I honestly now can't remember when it was supposed to sail but we were finally (after a 18 month wait) blessed with a beautiful baby girl shortly before we were supposed to sail. (Now this was on Celebrity but same company) We were already past the final payment and did not purchase trip insurance but they did allow us to re book at a later time with no penalties. We did have to pay a little more because the price of the cruise was higher than what we paid but we were able to do it. Good luck to you and enjoy your trip if no baby comes but hopefully you will be blessed soon and then just have to reschedule for a later date! :) Good luck!

[perkli25]

Hey I actually have experience on this! :) We had a cruise booked I honestly now can't remember when it was supposed to sail but we were finally (after a 18 month wait) blessed with a beautiful baby girl shortly before we were supposed to sail. (Now this was on Celebrity but same company) We were already past the final payment and did not purchase trip insurance but they did allow us to re book at a later time with no penalties. We did have to pay a little more because the price of the cruise was higher than what we paid but we were able to do it. Good luck to you and enjoy your trip if no baby comes but hopefully you will be blessed soon and then just have to reschedule for a later date! :) Good luck!

 

 

Thank you and congratulations on your adoption!! I appreciate everybody's input but I am happy to hear from someone who actually has experience with this situation. What year did you adopt?

 

Like I told DH, if we have to cancel or reschedule our cruise because we have been blessed with a baby, I am okay with that. But while we wait, I don't want to put our lives on complete hold. The waiting game is hard enough as it is. Thanks again!!

[Luvcruisin76]

We adopted in 2011. I agree do not put your life on hold. We worried about everything we did to and it only makes an exhausting process more exhausting and makes you crazy! :) Our main problem was our airfare and it wasn't too much of a problem except they gave us a time limit to how far out we could r/s our airline tickets. We had to rebook within 6 months to not loose our airfare but there again it didn't matter a baby was way more important than any money that we would have lost, but it did work out very well for us in the end. I have to say the airline and cruise lines were very accommodating and seems excited for us. I really do wish you luck. I know how it is!

[Isaboo]

Can't you add insurance if you are before final payment date?

 

 

Yes, but best to call the insurance company and ask if this particular situation would be covered.