Upcoming changes to NRD (non-refundable deposit) program

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Updated information:

• Effective 6/1/22 ANY reservation booked with a NRD will lose the ENTIRE deposit if cancelled, no exceptions, no FCC.
• Suites (categories GS and higher) will ONLY be bookable with NRD, no more refundable deposit option.  All categories JS and below will continue to be bookable with a refundable deposit (at increased cost)
• Changes to NRD bookings will be permitted for a $100pp change fee and even if moved to a refundable deposit fare booking still remains as a NRD booking

 

Reservations created on or before 5/31/22 will continue under the old NRD terms.  This only affects NEW bookings made 6/1/22 and beyond.

 

Should I learn anything else I will come back and update

 

Edited May 28, 2022 by AtlantaCruiser72

[A&L_Ont]

2 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Updated information:

• Effective 6/1/22 ANY reservation booked with a NRD will lose the ENTIRE deposit if cancelled, no exceptions, no FCC.
• Suites (categories GS and higher) will ONLY be bookable with NRD, no more refundable deposit option.  All categories JS and below will continue to be bookable with a refundable deposit (at increased cost)
• Changes to NRD bookings will be permitted for a $100pp change fee and even if moved to a refundable deposit fare booking still remains as a NRD booking

 

Should I learn anything else I will come back and update

CC needs a thumbs down button for info like this.
 

Thanks for sharing the info though. 

[pcur]

1 hour ago, Biker19 said:

Except that unless RCI publishes something official, bookings before 3/31 have CWC protection till at least 9/30.

Yes, CWC ends for new bookings after 5/31/22.

[mac_tlc]

This change will certainly change our booking pattern and perhaps cruise line, especially if Celebrity follows along. No more booking two years in advance, and probably less suites which will mean less sailings overall.

 

 

mac_tlc

[pcur]

I've always avoided cancelling a cruise, and try to move it to another cruise. This way I'll pay the change fee, and now as of 6/1 I KNOW I want to do this for sure.  

 

I misread original post, and thought the lost deposit was on ship and sail date changes for some reason.

Edited May 28, 2022 by pcur

[HicksRA]

This will definitely make me think long and hard before booking a TA or a long cruise way ahead of time as I’ve done in the past. $900 is quite a risk. 

[pcur]

2 minutes ago, HicksRA said:

This will definitely make me think long and hard before booking a TA or a long cruise way ahead of time as I’ve done in the past. $900 is quite a risk. 

I have paid the $100 change fee under some circumstances.  Twice I did so to book a better itinerary, BUT the per day price was better, too.

[Biker19]

37 minutes ago, pcur said:

Yes, CWC ends for new bookings after 5/31/22.

CWC ended on 3/31, unless there was some secret extension.

Edited May 28, 2022 by Biker19

[Ourusualbeach]

As long as you are willing to move to another ship and sail date there really isn't any difference between the old policy and this new one.  You will pay the $100pp change fee just as you would have in the past.

[nelblu]

10 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

As long as you are willing to move to another ship and sail date there really isn't any difference between the old policy and this new one.  You will pay the $100pp change fee just as you would have in the past.

Only for changes and not cancellations.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, nelblu said:

Only for changes and not cancellations.

Thats what I said

[Markanddonna]

I canceled a cruise last week and was told that a $100 cancelation fee would be charged. I challenged it and the agent said "Oh, you're right. No fee..."  I'm waiting to see my credit card statement.

[HicksRA]

1 hour ago, Ourusualbeach said:

As long as you are willing to move to another ship and sail date there really isn't any difference between the old policy and this new one.  You will pay the $100pp change fee just as you would have in the past.

So basically, they’re just eliminating the fcc part and you’d have to book something else immediately.  

[Sunshine3601]

Isn't this how it was pre-covid?

[Biker19]

4 minutes ago, Sunshine3601 said:

Isn't this how it was pre-covid?

Yes, they are just going back to those rules. 

[Ourusualbeach]

18 minutes ago, HicksRA said:

So basically, they’re just eliminating the fcc part and you’d have to book something else immediately.  

Yes, or cancel and lose the whole deposit.

 

Even if you knew a year in advance that you would need to cancel you could still wait until 3 months out until final to cancel potentially waiting for new itineraries to open up.

[pcur]

5 hours ago, Biker19 said:

CWC ended on 3/31, unless there was some secret extension.

That's what the D+ desk at C&A told me after he read the latest update to their change and cancellation policies.  I'm just the messenger.  Once they actually have something on their web site, we can all read it for ourselves.

[Ourusualbeach]

2 minutes ago, pcur said:

That's what the D+ desk at C&A told me after he read the latest update to their change and cancellation policies.  I'm just the messenger.  Once they actually have something on their web site, we can all read it for ourselves.

Not uncommon for Royals agents to not know the correct information. 

[pcur]

4 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Not uncommon for Royals agents to not know the correct information. 

Except that he was reading the new, unpublished policies, and consulting with another department about it while I was on hold.  We don't know what's in the new policies, even though I believe you are correct.  I think the 5/31/22 date is related to some other portion of it.  We'll all see when it's made available.

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, pcur said:

Except that he was reading the new, unpublished policies, and consulting with another department about it while I was on hold.  We don't know what's in the new policies, even though I believe you are correct.  I think the 5/31/22 date is related to some other portion of it.  We'll all see when it's made available.

They dont annpunce a new policy just days before it is set to expire.  He was definitely confused about something. 

[mcatmcat]

I never book NRD unless Im sailing next week

[mac_tlc]

9 hours ago, Biker19 said:

Yes, they are just going back to those rules. 

Pre-Covid, if I cancelled, I would be charged the $100 fee but get an FCC for the remainder of the deposit. As of 6/1, if I cancel, I lose the whole deposit. 
 

Covid rules (CWC) eliminated the $100 fee and changed the cancellation timeline to essentially eliminate any penalties, so long as you were 48 hrs away from sailing. 
 

 

mac_tlc

[Biker19]

44 minutes ago, mac_tlc said:

As of 6/1, if I cancel, I lose the whole deposit. 

Let's wait and see what really happens. The FCC was rather limited anyway as you had a relatively short amount of time to use it.

[A&L_Ont]

9 minutes ago, Biker19 said:

Let's wait and see what really happens. The FCC was rather limited anyway as you had a relatively short amount of time to use it.

Wasn’t it a year to use it?  It’s been so long since I cancelled a cruise for a specific reason other than Covid I don’t remember. 🤷‍♂️

[Biker19]

5 minutes ago, A&L_Ont said:

Wasn’t it a year to use it?  It’s been so long since I cancelled a cruise for a specific reason other than Covid I don’t remember. 🤷‍♂️

Right, though with the pace of FCC issuance these days and seemingly not wanting to have stuff like that hanging on the books, I can see why RCI wants to do away with them. Instead of an FCC, you might be able to just move the money to a different booking (new or existing) - functionally doing about the same thing as the FCC was doing.

Edited May 29, 2022 by Biker19