My deposit refund experience

[GottaKnowWhen]

Last Thursday or Friday (4 days ago, with an intervening weekend period) I went online to my Celebrity account and reluctantly pushed the Cancel button on the website page for each of two cruises I had booked for early 2024. Both were booked as Refundable fares. Both had a $900 deposit ($450/pp). I had used two different credit cards.

 

Today I received a notice from each credit card company that I had a $900 credit pending from Celebrity Cruises.

 

No hassle, no fuss, no long phone conversations! Thanks Celebrity!

 

Stan

[Joanne G.]

That's great you can do it on the website, assuming a refundable deposit, of course.    I had to call to cancel a Princess and a Royal Caribbean cruise, with a fair amount of time waiting on hold and then give a reason why I was canceling.   

[Georgia_Peaches]

32 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

Last Thursday or Friday (4 days ago, with an intervening weekend period) I went online to my Celebrity account and reluctantly pushed the Cancel button on the website page for each of two cruises I had booked for early 2024. Both were booked as Refundable fares. Both had a $900 deposit ($450/pp). I had used two different credit cards.

 

Today I received a notice from each credit card company that I had a $900 credit pending from Celebrity Cruises.

 

No hassle, no fuss, no long phone conversations! Thanks Celebrity!

 

Stan

Sounds easy-peasy. But had you kept those bookings, your fare would have been significantly more money, right?  That’s the difference, I guess. I’d rather risk losing $900 for a NRD on a cruise I will most likely take than pay significantly more for a cruise that I will most likely take…even though I can cancel pretty easily. Not knocking your strategy at all. I’m glad there are options that fit all of us. 

[GottaKnowWhen]

22 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Sounds easy-peasy. But had you kept those bookings, your fare would have been significantly more money, right?  That’s the difference, I guess. I’d rather risk losing $900 for a NRD on a cruise I will most likely take than pay significantly more for a cruise that I will most likely take…even though I can cancel pretty easily. Not knocking your strategy at all. I’m glad there are options that fit all of us. 

I think the final cost is about the same, the refundable just requires more upfront. But I haven’t done the numbers in detail. For me, these were “risky” bookings from the start just because of expected high airfares, and other issues. I was optimistic but not committed enough to go with a NRD.

[Georgia_Peaches]

2 minutes ago, GottaKnowWhen said:

I think the final cost is about the same, the refundable just requires more upfront

Ahh, well that makes sense then. Perhaps I misunderstood my TA a while back. She was quoting us prices on a summer cruise and one was with a refundable deposit and the other was NRF deposit. The difference in price was a few thousand dollars. I could be remembering incorrectly but I completely understand your rationale. Airline tickets are so unpredictable these days. 

[horseymike]

Glad things went smoothly for you.

Hopefully , there will be other cruises in your future. 🛳️

[sanger727]

 

9 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Ahh, well that makes sense then. Perhaps I misunderstood my TA a while back. She was quoting us prices on a summer cruise and one was with a refundable deposit and the other was NRF deposit. The difference in price was a few thousand dollars. I could be remembering incorrectly but I completely understand your rationale. Airline tickets are so unpredictable these days. 

 

Your TA is correct. A refundable deposit fare is significantly more expensive than a non-refundable deposit fare. 

[spammie]

10 hours ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Ahh, well that makes sense then. Perhaps I misunderstood my TA a while back. She was quoting us prices on a summer cruise and one was with a refundable deposit and the other was NRF deposit. The difference in price was a few thousand dollars. I could be remembering incorrectly but I completely understand your rationale. Airline tickets are so unpredictable these days. 

You did not misunderstand.  The prices are "usually" a lot higher with the refundable deposit.  

[Josie201]

Agree.  The refundable deposit fare is generally more than the $900 you risk with a non-refundable fare deposit.  If its less than $900 wouldn't everyone take it ...?

[TequilaJane]

2 hours ago, sanger727 said:

 

 

Your TA is correct. A refundable deposit fare is significantly more expensive than a non-refundable deposit fare. 

I have had some up charges for a refundable fare be over $1000. 

[sanger727]

what they do allow you to do, apparently - is book refundable and then switch to non-refundable right before final payment. However, the overall cruise price would have to stay the same or go down for that to be worthwhile. If the non-refundable rate went up by $900 it would be a wash.

[Fly and Sail]

That's what I love most about casino comp bookings because they are always fully refundable (since you only pay the tax).

 

At least the Celebrity system made it easy for you to process everything online without human interaction and more roadblocks.

[Georgia_Peaches]

50 minutes ago, Fly and Sail said:

That's what I love most about casino comp bookings because they are always fully refundable (since you only pay the tax).

Interesting point!  I have a casino comped room on the books right now.  I have a few days left to pay the taxes and port fees but I haven't yet because DH isn't sure he can go.  What is the solo supplement on a casino comped cruise...or is there one?

[Fly and Sail]

24 minutes ago, Georgia_Peaches said:

Interesting point!  I have a casino comped room on the books right now.  I have a few days left to pay the taxes and port fees but I haven't yet because DH isn't sure he can go.  What is the solo supplement on a casino comped cruise...or is there one?

 

None. You don't pay anything extra, no matter if you travel by yourself or as a double. Another point I love about them.