Current Deposit Refund Policy?

[BridgeMates]

Hi, We are "looking" at a family cruise for next summer with a large online agency.

If we make a deposit now and have to cancel before final payment, can we get our deposit back, do we lose the entire deposit, or can we transfer the deposit to another cruise?

Someone told me RC has a new policy regarding the deposit that just recently started.

Any info you can give me will be appreciated.  Thanks!

 

 

 

[firefly333]

Idk about new but for $100 pp you can transfer to another date. If you cancel you lose the deposit.

 

I'd look for a TA who has refundable group rates. Many post here who have them. Then you can cancel up until final payment.

[Biker19]

1 hour ago, BridgeMates said:

If we make a deposit now and have to cancel before final payment, can we get our deposit back, do we lose the entire deposit, or can we transfer the deposit to another cruise?

RCI still has refundable deposits (usually at a higher fare than the default NRD) or as mentioned, find a TA with group rates which are refundable.

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, firefly333 said:

Idk about new but for $100 pp you can transfer to another date. If you cancel you lose the deposit.

 

I'd look for a TA who has refundable group rates. Many post here who have them. Then you can cancel up until final payment.

Plus 1; this is the ONLY way I book.  Have booked refundable deposits with TA cheaper than non refundable deposits directly with the line (and not just Royal)

[firefly333]

1 hour ago, not-enough-cruising said:

Plus 1; this is the ONLY way I book.  Have booked refundable deposits with TA cheaper than non refundable deposits directly with the line (and not just Royal)

Bella2 is the only one. I had my TA on board. Went to next cruise and booked solo refundable. Just for the extra obc. The guy at next cruise put it in TAs name. Sky high price for refundable but I knew it was temporary.. solo gets $75 obc, couple gets $76 obc if you book refundable, not $100. Full deposit.

 

Then TA said he had it and moved to group rate and applied my DP340. Went from like $3300 to $1700. Half. Whew. Also D+ discount applied to group rates that gets lost in direct booking. Booked the double long balcony 10th deck .. again. I saw tree skier posted how much he saved. Hope I'm allowed. D+ discount isnt bigger than the $650 off so if you book direct you dont get it off, only off group space is what was explained to me. The $3300 price for a refundable was giving me a heart attack. To me that's high. Cheaper to book nonrefundable but then when you transfer it ta cant make it refundable group rate. .. I know everyone's discount is different. .. just giving a example. 

 

Hard to compare apples to apples since I ordinarily wouldnt have paid that much extra to book nonrefundable rates direct with next cruise. Wonder still isnt cheap, but now I can live with the price.

[HicksRA]

As it was with a canceled NRD, you’d lose $100 pp and the rest could be transferred to an existing booking or used toward a new booking deposit. 
 

As it is now, you still lose the $100 pp and can use the remaining balance for deposit on a new booking but can no longer transfer it to an existing booking 

[ARandomTraveler]

If you go through the whole booking process of picking a room and putting in the names of all the travelers, you'll get to a page that allows you to check boxes for things like dining time, opting in for the cruiseline's insurance, and making your booking refundable. 
 

Every sailing charges a different amount for the "perk" of making your booking refundable. I always opt-in for this. Lately it's cost around $184-$250 for most sailings, but sometimes it's around $500, and recently I saw $2400 (anything over $600 or so and I start to look for other itineraries).

 

You can re-price your cruise right up until the final payment date, and if the non-refundable price is still lower than the price you booked at, you can switch to non-refundable right before final payment. This allows you the ability to keep your options flexible, and you can cancel and get 100% of your deposit back until final payment date, and then once it comes time to pay final payment, (when you enter a penalty phase regardless of whether your booking was non-refundable or not), you can switch to non-refundable if it saves you money. 
 

Problem is, by that time, the price of the refundable and non-refundable rates will have likely gone up and will be more than what you paid, but sometimes it does work out that you can save some money at the last minute by switching.

 

This is of course assuming you're booking through Royal Caribbean yourself.