Cruise Cancellation Policy

[lynzi2004]

Question regarding cruise cancellation....1st time Disney cruiser here. Question on cancellation after the 90 day PIF date.

Disney's hotel policy is that it is non-refundable after you pay your 30 day deposit on packages. But I also know that as long as you are more than 2 days of arrival, you can just modify for your package for a different date in the future. After 2 days, you're at the mercy of Disney.

Is Disney Cruise Line similar? Is there an undocumented grace period between the 90 days and sail date if you just pick a later sail date vs get your money back completely?

 

[plutolovr]

Question regarding cruise cancellation....1st time Disney cruiser here. Question on cancellation after the 90 day PIF date.

Disney's hotel policy is that it is non-refundable after you pay your 30 day deposit on packages. But I also know that as long as you are more than 2 days of arrival, you can just modify for your package for a different date in the future. After 2 days, you're at the mercy of Disney.

Is Disney Cruise Line similar? Is there an undocumented grace period between the 90 days and sail date if you just pick a later sail date vs get your money back completely?

No there isn't. If you change the date after your pay in full date (90 or 120 days prior to departure), the cancel penalties will be added to your new cruise date and will remain non-refundable.

 

[lanejudy]

No, there is no "grace period" for DCL. Once you are within the penalty phase then the penalty kicks in. It is a graduated penalty so the further out from the cruise date the less you lose, the closer you are to the cruise date the more you lose.

 

[lynzi2004]

Ok thank you all! That is very helpful!

 

[lynzi2004]

Somehow I typed my question into the wrong thread! lol

I went to the DCL page for their insurance and there is apparently a "cancel for any reason" option available that doesn't require Disney travel protection plan if you are a resident of Missouri, Minnesota, or New York. I'm from Missouri so I called the insurance company and of course the lady on the phone had no clue what I was talking about. Is anyone here familiar with it?!

 

[lanejudy]

The "cancel for any reason" (CFAR) coverage is typically an add-on to the travel insurance sold via DCL. Since insurance is regulated by state, there must be something about the insurance laws in those 3 states. Whether that is that the insurance is not available in those states, or they specifically require the program to be available without purchase of the travel insurance, I don't know. So below is the basics of how the program typically (with insurance) would work.

• You cancel your cruise
• Submit a claim to insurance; insurance denies the claim as a non-covered reason
• Contact DCL with that denial -- DCL then offers 70% (or 75%?) "credit" to be used within a specified period of time (I think it might be 12-months from the cancellation date - so you may have already lost some of that window while the claims processing takes place)
• Next time you book, assuming the new cruise date is within that window, your credit is available.

You may need to call DCL back and keep pushing it up ladder to get an answer.

By chance do you have any travel insurance coverage through a credit card?

ETA: be aware that any flight changes, pre- or post-cruise hotel, etc. will need to be cancelled by you with any resulting penalties not covered by the DCL CFAR offer.

 

[lanejudy]

This is from the DCL website -- did you call the regular DCL number or the number I bolded below?

Restrictions for the Cancel For Any Reason Feature (Non-insurance Feature)

• The Cancel For Any Reason cruise credit feature is equal to 75% of the non-refundable cancellation fee imposed by Disney for your use toward a future cruise.
• Credits are valid for one year from issue date, are not transferrable, and have no cash value.
• To be eligible for credits, notification of cancellation must be given to Disney Cruise Line prior to the ship’s departure and a cancellation claim must be filed with Aon Berkely.
• If the credit is applied to a cruise booking of lesser value, the credit will be considered used, and the difference will not be carried forward or redeemed for cash. Credit may not be used toward deposit.
• If, after credit is applied to a booking, that booking is cancelled, the credit will not be carried forward to any other booking.
• Credit is non-commissionable to travel agents.
• Residents of Minnesota, Missouri and New York are not required to purchase the Disney Cruise Line Protection in order to access the cancel for any reason credit feature. Please contact 1-888-722-2195 for details.

 

[lynzi2004]

This is from the DCL website -- did you call the regular DCL number or the number I bolded below?

Restrictions for the Cancel For Any Reason Feature (Non-insurance Feature)

• The Cancel For Any Reason cruise credit feature is equal to 75% of the non-refundable cancellation fee imposed by Disney for your use toward a future cruise.
• Credits are valid for one year from issue date, are not transferrable, and have no cash value.
• To be eligible for credits, notification of cancellation must be given to Disney Cruise Line prior to the ship’s departure and a cancellation claim must be filed with Aon Berkely.
• If the credit is applied to a cruise booking of lesser value, the credit will be considered used, and the difference will not be carried forward or redeemed for cash. Credit may not be used toward deposit.
• If, after credit is applied to a booking, that booking is cancelled, the credit will not be carried forward to any other booking.
• Credit is non-commissionable to travel agents.
• Residents of Minnesota, Missouri and New York are not required to purchase the Disney Cruise Line Protection in order to access the cancel for any reason credit feature. Please contact 1-888-722-2195 for details.

Thank you! I did call the number that you had bolded. I was put on a hold for while and eventually she came back on and basically told me she just didn't know. We do have some coverage with our credit card which is why I initially wasn't too concerned about canceling. We booked this cruise about a year ago (for this May) so about 18 months out. Unfortunately, during that time, my dad was re-diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer. He is starting chemo on Wednesday and will take his last chemo treatment the week after we return home. He isn't going on the cruise, but obviously when a loved one is in this condition, I'm leery of booking something without some sort of coverage. And since it isn't my immediate party that I'm concerned about but rather if my dad would take a turn for the worse right before leaving, I'm thinking the cancel for any reason would be more what I would need. I'll try calling back tomorrow and see if I get someone else!

 

[lanejudy]

Sorry to hear about your's dad's diagnosis. You may be covered by regular trip insurance coverage. Do you already have insurance? If so, call and ask. If not, I'm not sure how that would be covered since it is now a known risk but not directly the travelers - so it may still be covered.

Unfortunately, my internet search hasn't come up with anything useful...actually, the opposite. From what I've found, nobody has been able to invoke a CFAR feature (from other cruiselines) without the insurance.

Good luck to your dad for his treatment!

 

[lynzi2004]

Sorry to hear about your's dad's diagnosis. You may be covered by regular trip insurance coverage. Do you already have insurance? If so, call and ask. If not, I'm not sure how that would be covered since it is now a known risk but not directly the travelers - so it may still be covered.

Unfortunately, my internet search hasn't come up with anything useful...actually, the opposite. From what I've found, nobody has been able to invoke a CFAR feature (from other cruiselines) without the insurance.

Good luck to your dad for his treatment!

Thank you for all your help! I really appreciate it!

Edit to add: No I had not already purchased other insurance, bc I was planning to use the credit card coverage in the event of an onboard emergency or something specifically related to us as cruisers.

 

[SteveMouse]

DCL has hist not included a preexisting condition waiver on its trip protection which has created an issue with several states' laws over time.

 

[lanejudy]

Edit to add: No I had not already purchased other insurance, bc I was planning to use the credit card coverage in the event of an onboard emergency or something specifically related to us as cruisers.

It's still worth checking the details to see if you are covered if you end up cancelling due to a family emergency for a non-traveling family member.

 

[starry_solo]

Here is the information re: CFAR from DCL:

https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/contracts-terms-safety/vacation-protection-plan/?

 

[Mango7100]

DCL has hist not included a preexisting condition waiver on its trip protection which has created an issue with several states' laws over time.

This is why we never buy DCL insurance. And we have found private companies give better coverage for less money. The only exception is cancel for any reason is pricey to add in with private insurance, but we typically don’t need that since there are so many covered reasons for the one we buy