Royal Caribbean Changes Cruise Cancellation Policy
by Daniel McCarthy /
Royal Caribbean International has reportedly adopted a new cancellation policy that will it make more difficult to retain a deposit and cruise fare when cancelling a sailing.
For sailings of five nights or longer, including holiday sailings, cancellations made more than 90 days in advance will not be charged extra; cancellations made 89 to 75 days in advance will cost 25 percent of the cruise fare per person; cancellations made 74 days to 61 days in advance will cost 50 percent per person; cancellations made 60 to 31 days in advance will cost 75 percent per person; and those made 30 days or less in advance will cost 100 percent.
The old policy allowed cruisers to cancel their sailing up to 57 days in advance, with only the deposit to be charged, and only charged 100 percent of the cruise fare 14 days or less in advance.
For sailings of one to four night, Royal will not charge any cancellations made 75 days or more in advance, though it will charge 50 percent per person for cancellations made between 74 and 61 days in advance; 75 percent for those made 60 to 31 days in advance; and 100 percent for cancellations made within 30 days.
The old Royal policy for those shorter sailings allowed cruisers to cancel their sailing up to 43 days in advance, with only the deposit to be charged, and only charged 100 percent of the cruise fare 14 days or less in advance.
According to Royal's unofficial blog, the change was made in an effort to encourage guests to book earlier.
The news comes just two years after Royal tightened its cancellation policy in March 2016.