Carnival Changing Cancel Penalties

[Mbandy]

Carnival is changing their cancel penalties for all bookings made on or after 4/5/2010 and they are stiffer than before.

2-5 Day Cruises
Up to 61 Days Prior ~ No penalty
60-46 Days Prior ~ Deposit amount
45-30 Days Prior ~ 50%
29-15 Days Prior ~ 75%
14 Days or Less ~ 100%

6, 7 & 8 Day Cruises
Up to 76 Days Prior ~ No penalty (Except Early Saver)
75 to 46 Days Prior ~ Deposit amount
45 to 30 Days Prior ~ 50%
29 to 15 Days Prior ~ 75%
14 days or Less ~ 100%

Alaska Cruises, Cruise Tours and 10 Day And Longer Cruises
Up to 76 Days Prior ~ No penalty (Except Early Saver)
75 to 46 Days Prior ~ Deposit Amount
45 to 30 Days Prior ~ 50 %
29 to 15 Days Prior ~ 75%
14 Days or Less ~100%

Penalties for 14-18 Day South America and 14 Day Panama Canal Will not change.

All the more reason to get that insurance!

 

[bob]

Money's tight, Carnival is stage one, the rest will get in line

 

[Mbandy]

Money's tight, Carnival is stage one, the rest will get in line

My thought was that they might be doing this in leiu of having to reinstate the fuel surcharge. No cruise line wants to go first to do that. :whistle:

 

[MisterD21]

I think i agree with you MIchael. While no cruiseline wants to be first in raising the fuel surcharge, Carnival, at least, seems to be ok with extending an increase in cancelation fee/surrender amounts. This makes sense since it only applies to a small segment of their customer base. Secondly, they cannot be blamed for when someone has to cancel a cruise, AND the cruiser has every option to purchase insurance to offset the penalty.

The thing i would like to see is reverse cancelation reimbursement, meaning that if the cruiseline has to cancel a cruise, or drop a port of call at the last minute you should either get to sail free, or recieve deep discounts on your cruise for the inconvienence it causes you the customer... From what i've heard, you have to practically fight with a cruiseline to get a refund, or take the issue to the press... no cruiseline likes negative press. Sometimes even that doesn't work.... sigh, where is the customer service i used to know....:whistle:

 

[Giles612]

Besides... who cancels a cruise?

 

[Mbandy]

Yes D, reinstating the fuel surcharge would be much more of a PR disaster for Carnival than charging stiffer cancel fees. Me thinkst somebody at Carnival was thinking outside the box. :scratch: You're right too, purchasing insurance negates the cxl fee in most cases so it is on the guest not the cruise line.

I was speaking with a Holland America agent this morning. I asked her if HAL and the other Carnival owned lines were going to follow suit on the cxl changes. She said it was "being discussed" but no decision yet.