Cruise lines are modifying their payment and cancellation policies in an attempt to provide reassurance and flexibility for passengers in the wake of the Covid-19 novel coronavirus outbreaks around the world.
While also protecting those with previously-booked voyages, these new policies are also designed to provide comfort and flexibility to those considering booking a cruise this summer and fall, particularly as the international travel landscape continues to fluctuate. These changes are a positive development for concerned travelers, many of whom don’t want to see their hard-earned vacation disappear.
In many cases, these policies are temporary and are intended to be in place only as long as necessary. Note that if lines aren’t represented here, their standard payment and cancellation policies still apply as of this writing.
Here is a roundup of the modifications to cruise lines’ booking and cancellation policies. This list will be updated as new information becomes available.
APT
APT has extended the terms of its deferral policies and fees (excluding Tailor Made Holidays).
Deposited Bookings: Guests have the option to change dates for travel in 2020 or 2021, postpone or change their travel destination up to 30 days prior to departure with a $250 deferral fee per person. Additional airfare and third party fees may apply. Clients who purchased APT’s Deposit Cancellation Peace of Mind Policy at time of booking will not be charged additional fees.
Full Paid Bookings: For departures 100 to 31 days from date of travel, APT is offering the option to change dates for travel in 2020 or 2021, postpone or change travel destination with a $1000 deferral fee per person applied. Additional airfare and third party fees may apply. Cancellation or deferment within 30 days of travel will incur 100 percent cancellation fees.
Avalon Waterways
Avalon Waterways is temporarily waiving cancellation fees until three days prior to departure for any Europe departure. For all other departures, travelers with existing bookings can be moved to any other Avalon Waterways (or sister-brands Globus, Cosmos, and Monograms) departure in 2020 or 2021 without penalty prior to final payment. Passengers booked on itineraries that include Italy can move to another destination at no cost.
Cancellations will be refunded in the form of a future travel credit.
Azamara
Azamara’s new “Cruise With Confidence” policy allows cruisers to cancel up to 48 hours before sailing. Those who cancel will receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of their choice in 2020 or 2021. The policy applies to both new and existing cruise bookings for cruises with a sailing date on or before July 31, 2020.
Carnival
Carnival has updated its policy to provide options and flexibility to reschedule any cruise booked between March 6 and May 31, 2020. The line is also offering incentives for those passengers that opt to go ahead with their cruise vacation. Guests who choose to keep their booking as currently scheduled for departures between March 6 and May 31 will receive the following Onboard Credit (OBC) amounts:
- $100 per cabin for 3 and 4 day cruises
- $150 per cabin for 5 day cruises
- $200 per cabin for 6 day and longer cruises
Carnival will automatically apply the onboard credit to your sail and sign if you opt to sail.
For our guests booked on Carnival Radiance European itineraries, we are finalizing some itinerary changes and a special offer that we will be sharing in the next few days.
For passengers who booked before March 6, 2020, if you decide to change vacation plans, Carnival will allow those booked on sailings between now and May 31 to move their booking to a new date and receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) in the amount of the non-refundable cancellation fee.
Guests booked on sailings departing between March 9 and March 31 can move a booking to a future date up to three days before sailing.
Guests booked on sailings departing between April 1 and May 31 can move a booking to a future date by March 31.
The FCC must be used for a sailing by March 31, 2021.
Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity’s new “Cruise With Confidence” policy allows cruisers to cancel up to 48 hours before sailing. Those who cancel will receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of their choice in 2020 or 2021. The policy applies to both new and existing cruise bookings for cruises with a sailing date on or before July 31, 2020.
Celestyal Cruises
Celestyal has introduced a Peace of Mind & Low Deposit policy, which allows anyone booking a cruise between March 6 and April 30, 2020, for travel in 2020 or 2021 to change or cancel without incurring cancellation fees up to seven days before sailing date.
How Peace of Mind works:
• Guests will be able to cancel up to seven days prior to sailing and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit for any monies paid to Celestyal Cruises.
• Notification must be received no later than 7 days prior to sailing date.
• Future Cruise Credit is only valid on cruises sailing in 2020 & 2021.
• The value of the Future Cruise Credit is non-transferrable and not redeemable for cash.
• All cruises are subject to availability at time of booking.
Crystal Cruises
Effective immediately and until further notice, Crystal has established a temporary cancellation policy* to provide more flexibility for our guests. This temporary policy is applicable to all Crystal experiences and replaces the standard cancellation policy of 120 days or earlier. Guests may cancel up to 7 days prior to first service and receive a 100% credit for cruise fare monies paid that may be redeemed on any future voyage through the end of 2022.
| Days before first service | Future Cruise Credit | Refund |
| Deposited bookings prior to 90 days | Admin Fee (equal to deposit amounts below) | Monies paid less admin fee |
| 90 – 31 days | 25% | 75% |
| 30 – 8 days | 100% | 0 |
| 7 days or less | 0 | 0 |
| Above applies to cruise fare paid | ||
Disney Cruise Line
Disney Cruise Line has modified its cancellation policy to allow cruisers currently booked on European sailings that depart on or before July 25 can change their reservation up until the day before embarkation and receive a 100 percent cruise credit to be used for future sailing within 15 months of their original sail date. Cancel by calling (866) 325-2112 or 407-566-3510 or contacting your travel agent.
Alternatively, anyone currently booked on the July 13, July 18 or July 25, 2020, European sailing may delay their final payment to 30 days prior to sailing.
All cruisers scheduled to depart on Disney Magic between now and May 8, 2020, and Disney Dream, Disney Fantasy and Disney Wonder between now and May 31, 2020, can change their reservation up until the day before embarkation and receive a 100 percent cruise credit to be used for a future sailing within 12 months of their original sail date.
Emerald Waterways / Evergreen Cruises
Emerald’s new cancellation policy gives cruisers the option to transfer their booking to an alternate cruise departure without penalty, up to 30 days prior to sailing. The policy applies to all currently booked cruisers with a departure on or after June 1, 2020 as well as to anyone booking after that date.
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has launched a ‘Booking Reassurance Guarantee’ for passengers who are concerned about their travel plans as a result of the coronavirus situation, allowing them to cancel their cruise in return for a future cruise voucher, penalty-free, within the same year of departure. The new guarantee applies to all new cruise bookings made between March 4 and May 5, 2020, and guests can move their cruise once only.
All passengers who book a Fred Olsen ocean or Brabant river cruise for 2020 will be able to cancel their cruise in return for a future cruise voucher for the entirety of the monies paid to date, when giving at least two weeks’ notice of the cancellation. The future cruise voucher can then be used on another 2020 sailing.
The guarantee also applies to the line’s newly launched 2021/22 itineraries when cancelled no later than 90 days prior to departure.
Holland America Line
For guests currently booked on upcoming cruises, Holland America Line is temporarily changing its cancellation policy and allowing cruisers to cancel their cruise or Alaska Land+Sea Journey departing through May 31, 2020. Any cancellation will receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the amount of the paid fare which can be used for another cruise in 2020 or 2021.
The FCC must be booked by Dec. 31, 2020, and the cancellation must be made with a minimum of 72 hours in advance of departure date but no later than March 31, 2020. However, anyone booked between now and March 9, 2020 may also cancel under this new policy despite being within 72 hours.
Additionally, with the new “Book with Confidence” policy, anyone who makes a new booking by April 30, 2020, for itineraries that depart on or before Oct. 15, 2020, can cancel for any reason and receive a FCC in the amount of any cancellation fees applied. The cancellation must be made up to 30 days before departure.
Holland America is also offering onboard credit to anyone who keeps their booking on departures through May 31, 2020 — $200 per cabin on voyages longer than seven days and $100 per stateroom on voyages of less than six days.
G Adventures
G Adventures are offering a relaxed rebooking policy to travelers from COVID-19 countries, or those who have recently travelled (or are traveling) to COVID-19 countries (China, South Korea, Japan, Italy).
MSC Cruises
Effective March 10, 2020 MSC has adapted its cancellation policy to allow cruisers to cancel their existing reservation for sailings on or before July 31, 2020 up to 48 hours prior to departure and receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the amount paid. The FCC can be applied to any future cruise of their choice departing on or before December 31, 2021. This policy applies to new bookings for sailings on or before July 31, 2020 as well.
Final and full payment must be made on a cruise departing prior to July 31, 2020 to qualify for the Cruise Assurance program. Guests interested in participating in MSC’s Cruise Assurance program can contact MSC Cruises at (866) 420-3584 or work with their travel advisor.
Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian is offering a short term Peace of Mind policy, which gives anyone who books a Norwegian Cruise Line sailing through September 30, 2020 the ability to cancel up to 48 hours prior to the sail date and receive a 100 percent future cruise credit (FCC) for use on any sailings through December 31, 2022.
This new policy also applies to existing bookings for any voyages beginning March 10, 2020 or later.
Oceania Cruises
Oceania has introduced a Travelers Assurance Program, allowing passengers to cancel up to 48 hours prior to cruise departures and receive a Future Cruise Credit equal to 100 percent of the cruise fare paid.
The new policy is valid for all existing and new reservations for voyages departing from March 10, 2020 through September 30, 2020. Future Cruise Credit must be redeemed within one year of issue and travel must commence by December 31, 2022.
Additionally, guests and travel advisors can book with confidence knowing that up to day of sailing, should there be another applicable public promotion that offers a better value through amenities or price, they may take advantage of that promotional offer and/or price as long as the same category of accommodations is available and that promotion is still open for sale. If there is a better promotion or price after you’ve made your final payment, Oceania will provide you/your clients with an upgrade, shipboard credit, or future cruise credit.
Princess Cruises
Princess Cruises temporarily revises cancellation policy for cruises and cruise tours departing up to May 31, 2020. The line is implementing a revised policy to assist guests making decisions regarding their cruise holidays during the evolving worldwide COVID-19 situation.
The details vary by departure date:
- April 3 or earlier: Cancel up to 72 hours before sailing to receive a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for 100% of cancellation fees
- April 4 – May 31: Cancel by March 31, 2020 and receive a FCC for 100% of cancellation fees
Meanwhile, for cruises from June 1 – June 30, the final payment moves to 60 days prior to sailing from 90 days.
Guests that choose to keep their booking for departures between March 9 and May 31 will receive the following complimentary onboard spending money:
- $100 per cabin for three-day and 4-day cruises
- $150 per cabin for five-day cruises
- $200 per cabin for six-day and longer cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises
Regent Seven Seas Cruises has introduced a temporary Regent Reassurance policy that is applicable to all Regent voyages departing between March 10 through September 30, 2020. Cruisers who have paid in full on any sailing between these dates may cancel their cruise up to 48 hours prior to sailing and receive a 100 percent Future Cruise Credit (FCC), which can be applie to any new reservation made within one year on any Regent voyage sailing between March 6, 2020 and December 31, 2022.
Regent Reassurance is applicable to all existing and new reservations made by April 30, 2020.
Riviera River Cruises
Effective immediately Riviera River Cruises has amended its cancellation policy so that the required deposit of $400 is fully refundable up to 60 days after being made. If a booking is canceled after 60 days, the deposit will be transferred to a future 2020 departure.
For those who have already deposited or paid in full, any 2020 booking can be canceled with 24 hours notice, with the full cost of the cruises credited to a future 2020 cruise. If the future cruise costs more, the cruiser will be responsible for paying the difference.
Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s new “Cruise With Confidence” policy allows cruisers to cancel up to 48 hours before sailing. Those who cancel will receive a full credit (FCC) for their fare, usable on any future sailing of their choice in 2020 or 2021. The policy applies to both new and existing cruise bookings for cruises with a sailing date on or before July 31, 2020.
If the cruise fare for a subsequent booking is less than the FCC issued when they canceled, a second FCC will be issued for the difference for use in the future.
Sea Cloud Cruises
Cruisers booked on a Sea Cloud sailing that departs between March 6 and May 31, 2020 can cancel their cruise, free of charge, up until one month prior to the departure date.
Seabourn
Seabourn has launched a Book with Confidence policy, which means all bookings made between March 2, 2020 and April 30, 2020, for sailings departing between April 1 and October 15, passengers will be able to cancel up to 30 days prior to sailing and receive a 100% Future Cruise Credit. The Future Cruise Credit must be booked within 90 days for any published voyage(s) departing before to December 31st 2021.
Scenic
Scenic is giving cruisers the option to transfer their booking to an alternate cruise departure without penalty, up to 30 days prior to sailing. The policy applies to all currently booked cruisers with a departure on or after June 1, 2020 as well as to anyone booking after that date.
Silversea
Silversea’s new “Cruise With Confidence” policy allows cruisers to cancel up to 48 hours before sailing. Those who cancel will receive a full credit for their fare, usable on any future sailing of their choice in 2020 or 2021. The policy applies to both new and existing cruise bookings for cruises with a sailing date on or before July 31, 2020.
For all sailings departing after July 31 and through December 3, 2020, a 30-day prior to sailing cash cancellation option is in place.
Additionally, Silversea will negotiate on guests’ behalf for the same cancellation options on other components of the booking such as air travel, hotels and shore excursions. However, Silversea does not have control over these third-party suppliers, and, therefore, different terms may apply for these specific components.
Uniworld
Cruisers with Uniworld voyages departing May 1, 2020 or later will have the option to cancel their voyage up to 30 days prior to departure for \$200 per person — typically the rate for cancellations made 120 days out.
Viking
Viking’s new temporary cancellation policy allows passengers to postpone their ocean or river cruise at any time, up to 24 hours prior to departure, without incurring any cancellation fees. Passengers will be issued a voucher good for future Viking travel that is valid for 24 months and can be transferred to any Viking cruise, either river or ocean. This temporary exemption applies to all guests with existing bookings made prior to March 2, 2020 and those with new reservations made departing through April 30, 2020.
Windstar
Windstar announced a new sweeping cancellation policy, which it calls the ‘Travel Assurance Booking Policy’, that is applicable to cruises departing on or after June 1, 2020. This policy allows passengers with bookings departing after this date to cancel their cruise up to 15 days prior to departure without incurring a cancellation penalty. It applies to new and existing cruise bookings for departures scheduled June 1 to December 21, 2020. Cruisers who elect to cancel their sailing 15 days prior to departure will receive a future cruise credit that can be applied to any Windstar sailing departing one year from the date of issue.
Written by: Ian McIntosh
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