Coronavirus and DCL Megathread - Suspension of Departures for the fleet until early November. Booking only available from early December.

[harriet2]

Well we cancelled our 7 night Northern Europe cruise in August as PIF was tomorrow. DCL. were unable, or unwilling to give any reassurances that if we couldn’t get to the cruise due to lockdown again, or the airport closed, we would not incur any penalty for cancellation.

They also couldn’t tell us what would be in place by way of pools bring open, theatre shows etc.

So we have lost our OBC and our discount, as they wouldn’t let us move that, as it was up in October.

We had booked our flights, so are hoping to transfer those and we have booked 10 nights Northern Europe next year.
Maybe we should have had a gamble for the 125% FFC - but it’s a lot of money to lose even part of and so many variables.

If you moved (instead of cancelled and rebooked), they might still give you the 125% (and placeholder?) after your original cruise is cancelled. They have done it before and that'll be what we're going for (also booked with placeholder)

 

[Canadian Girl]

I cancelled my Greek cruise on the paid in full date and also lost my booking credit . I did rebook after the fact, for next year, but did not receive any compensation. Moving my OBC was not given as an option for me, which I is why I just cancelled. Luckily I did have another more recent OBC sans the $200.00 applied. I also didn't want more than $11,000 CAD tied up for a year when there was no guarantee the cruise would go ahead back then.

 

[K8T]

If you moved (instead of cancelled and rebooked), they might still give you the 125% (and placeholder?) after your original cruise is cancelled. They have done it before and that'll be what we're going for (also booked with placeholder)

we asked if we just rebooked would they honour at least the OBC and was told no. The only way was if we PIF and then the FFC if the cruise was cancelled, which at the moment it wasn’t.
It’s done now and to be honest, for the peace of mind I’m happier. I don’t think any cruises this year, will be like the cruises as we knew them and that’s no fun.

 

[Seamama]

I see where you’re coming from. I was taking more of a legal definition of “wholeness.”

If I pay a company for a product/service, and they don’t deliver it, I should get my money back. I wouldn’t expect more than 100% of what I paid. I get 100% back, then I consider myself “whole.”

That Disney gives an extra 25% is simply their goodwill and/or an incentive to rebook. It would be nice if the extra money I got would be equal to the extra money I’m out (because it’s late now to be booking for next year’s cruises) but given the situation, everyone’s going to be stuck taking some losses here and there.

One of the many reasons why I do not use the term "fair" or "unfair". Most adults have no expectation of fairness in life.

On another note we all understand that the cancellation is through no fault of their own but I do not agree that refunding your money makes you whole, which is why they offer the 125%. I do not understand why airlines think this way as well. You pay for a service of getting from point A to point B. If they do not deliver and refund your money, you're not made whole because your left sitting in the terminal at point A with a pocket full of refund money. We had an expectation of service to be at point B rather than being left sitting at point A. Airlines usually shrug it off with a voucher or refund and act like they're doing you a favor but we didn't want nor pay for a voucher, we paid to get to a destination that they offered to do for a pre-paid price.
Also, most of us plan cruises a year+ out or more. When DCL cancels, you're doing a last minute re-book for a future cruise that is only 2 to 15 months out. We all know that many times the closer you wait to the cruise date the higher the price is. So when they give you 125%, they're just covering you for the last minute re-book increase in prices rather than lowering the prices of their upcoming cruises. They can keep the published rates of their upcoming cruises inflated high or even raise them.

 

[kittlesona]

I apologize, I have not read through all 164 pages of this thread. My cruise was supposed to be July 19-24. That is obviously within the most recent set of cancellations. Any idea when I’ll get the email from Disney regarding getting my money back or putting it toward a future cruise? I booked through a travel agent if that makes a difference.

 

[BadPinkTink]

I apologize, I have not read through all 164 pages of this thread. My cruise was supposed to be July 19-24. That is obviously within the most recent set of cancellations. Any idea when I’ll get the email from Disney regarding getting my money back or putting it toward a future cruise? I booked through a travel agent if that makes a difference.

contact your travel agent

 

[Elsa75]

Hi all - quick question - I cancelled my August Northern Europe cruise for all the obvious reasons and I did not want to risk having our flights cancelled or another outbreak over the summer now that everything is reopening. I would like to ultimately go if things settle down but the cruises are not on the website. If they are not cancelled, has anyone asked about rebooking, closer to the cruise date? I should have thought of that in advance when I was on the call, but to be honest the guy I spoke to, to cancel seemed to have NO IDEA what he was doing - very very unusual for DCL!! We went in circles for almost an hour trying to transfer my deposits and FCC to other cruises. Please let me know if anyone has thoughts.

 

[_auroraborealis_]

Hi all - quick question - I cancelled my August Northern Europe cruise for all the obvious reasons and I did not want to risk having our flights cancelled or another outbreak over the summer now that everything is reopening. I would like to ultimately go if things settle down but the cruises are not on the website. If they are not cancelled, has anyone asked about rebooking, closer to the cruise date? I should have thought of that in advance when I was on the call, but to be honest the guy I spoke to, to cancel seemed to have NO IDEA what he was doing - very very unusual for DCL!! We went in circles for almost an hour trying to transfer my deposits and FCC to other cruises. Please let me know if anyone has thoughts.

The cruises aren't on the site because they're likely going to cancel them and they don't want fresh bookings now. IF they decide as a sure thing they will sail they will allow booking.

 

[harriet2]

The cruises aren't on the site because they're likely going to cancel them and they don't want fresh bookings now. IF they decide as a sure thing they will sail they will allow booking.

Not only does it not allow new bookings, we're booked on one of those cruises and it doesn't let us change our room type, they are in some kind of hibernate setting

 

[Garyjames220]

Not only does it not allow new bookings, we're booked on one of those cruises and it doesn't let us change our room type, they are in some kind of hibernate setting

Do u think they will just get cancelled

 

[pearljammer]

Just saw where Canada and Mexico travel ban was extended to June 22nd. Wonder if airlines will further extend times to use vouchers.

 

[bcwife76]

Just saw where Canada and Mexico travel ban was extended to June 22nd. Wonder if airlines will further extend times to use vouchers.

We live in Vancouver, supposed to be travelling to Orlando in late August. Now that the border closure has been extended to June 21 I'm going to have to cancel our Dream cruise because if it gets extended AGAIN next month and the cruise actually sails, I'm not going to be able to get on it. We have tickets roundtrip with Westjet and the refund will go into a travel bank for up to 24 months (and can extend that for another 24 months if you pay a $21 fee). However, I have up until the day before we fly to cancel and get that travel credit so eventhough I need to cancel our cruise by June 10 in order to not lose our deposit, I have until August 23rd to cancel the flight which actually gives me an extension. I don't know about US airlines but I don't see WJ or Air Canada changing their policies at this point.

 

[FSU Girl]

Hi all - quick question - I cancelled my August Northern Europe cruise for all the obvious reasons and I did not want to risk having our flights cancelled or another outbreak over the summer now that everything is reopening. I would like to ultimately go if things settle down but the cruises are not on the website. If they are not cancelled, has anyone asked about rebooking, closer to the cruise date? I should have thought of that in advance when I was on the call, but to be honest the guy I spoke to, to cancel seemed to have NO IDEA what he was doing - very very unusual for DCL!! We went in circles for almost an hour trying to transfer my deposits and FCC to other cruises. Please let me know if anyone has thoughts.

I would guess even if they end up not cancelling they won’t come back on to book. They would need to comply with distancing and a full ship wouldn’t allow that. But I do think it’s way more likely they’ll just end up being cancelled. Some places are slowly starting to reopen, cruises will probably be the last to do so

 

[Elsa75]

Hello everyone - I was just notified by air canada that all our flights to Copenhagen and back were cancelled (departure date Aug 10). Relieved to have cancelled the cruise. What a mess. I cant wait for this to just end! I hope everyone is staying safe and well.

 

[harriet2]

I would guess even if they end up not cancelling they won’t come back on to book. They would need to comply with distancing and a full ship wouldn’t allow that. But I do think it’s way more likely they’ll just end up being cancelled. Some places are slowly starting to reopen, cruises will probably be the last to do so

I really wonder how many booking they have left on these cruises... Our group on the page which shall not be named has multiple families cancelling daily

 

[FSU Girl]

I really wonder how many booking they have left on these cruises... Our group on the page which shall not be named has multiple families cancelling daily

I’m in one of those groups too. We cancelled and a lot of others have too, but there are still many saying they won’t be cancelling unless Disney cancels

 

[harriet2]

I’m in one of those groups too. We cancelled and a lot of others have too, but there are still many saying they won’t be cancelling unless Disney cancels

for our cruise that group seems to be really getting small. Some said it a few weeks ago, but now they're also cancelling

 

[Primeval Princess]

I don't think there will be any European or Alaskan cruises in 2020.

 

[mmmears]

I’m in one of those groups too. We cancelled and a lot of others have too, but there are still many saying they won’t be cancelling unless Disney cancels

I'm in one, too, and I am seeing what you are seeing, but I have a feeling that the ones who are "going no matter what" are a very vocal minority. Sadly we canceled before the (old) PIF date. It just wasn't worth the stress.

 

[Primeval Princess]

I do not understand why airlines think this way as well. You pay for a service of getting from point A to point B. If they do not deliver and refund your money, you're not made whole because your left sitting in the terminal at point A with a pocket full of refund money. We had an expectation of service to be at point B rather than being left sitting at point A. Airlines usually shrug it off with a voucher or refund and act like they're doing you a favor but we didn't want nor pay for a voucher, we paid to get to a destination that they offered to do for a pre-paid price.

Reevaluate which airlines you fly with, if the ones you're using will leave you stranded at the gate. Some people love to hate on the legacy carriers (American, Delta, United) but they have interline agreements to help one another get stranded passengers to their final destinations if they had to cancel a flight on them. So if American cancels last-minute & can't offer me a replacement flight, they'll do their best to put me on a flight (at their expense) via Delta or United.

The low cost carriers like Southwest and Frontier, have no such agreements with other carriers, which is why they hand out refunds/vouchers, shrug their shoulders & walk away if they have to cancel last-minute.