Before booking a cruise, you might want to know: are Royal Caribbean cruises refundable?
The answer isn’t a simple yes or no, unfortunately.
It’s a yes for the most part, but there are some restrictions, caveats, and special circumstances to take note of.
But generally speaking, your cruise refund typically depends on a number of factors.
For instance, what type of deposit you made, when you decide to cancel, what travel insurance you purchased, and so on.
Some Royal Caribbean cruises are refundable, but others are not.
Let’s go through what you need to know before you book (or cancel) your trip.
Are Royal Caribbean Cruises Refundable if I Paid a Deposit
Cruise deposits aren’t usually refundable.
However, if you booked a Royal Caribbean cruise with a clearly-stated refundable deposit, you might be able to get your money back if you cancel.
Royal Caribbean honors refundable deposits.
This simply means that the money you paid for the cruise deposit will be returned, as long as you cancel before the final payment date.
The final payment date is when you’re expected to pay the full ticket.
For most cruises, the final payment date is about 90 days before your departure date.
If you cancel before the 90 days are up, you’ll get your full deposit refunded.
But if you cancel after the 90-day window, you’ll face charges and penalties.
Here’s a good rule of thumb: the closer you cancel to your cruise, the lower your refund will be.
What About Non-Refundable Deposits
If you booked your cruise with a clearly-stated non-refundable deposit, you’ll lose your deposit if you cancel.
It doesn’t matter when you cancel or for what reasons.
If the deposit is non-refundable, Royal Caribbean will keep it.
So why do some people book cruises with non-refundable deposits?
Because they’re usually sold at a lower price than cruises with refundable down payments.
The downside is that lower prices mean less flexibility.
The good news is that if you made extra payments aside from the deposit – i.e., drinks packages, cruise add-ons, etc. – those could still be refunded.
But how much you get back depends on what you bought and how close it is to your cruise date.
Are Royal Caribbean Cruises Refundable After Final Payment
Once you make the final payment, things get a bit stricter.
After the final payment date, Royal Caribbean will apply cancellation fees to your refund amount.
For shorter cruises, like 1 to 4 nights, you will be charged cancellation fees if you cancel 75 days before the cruise departure date.
For longer cruises, like 5 to 14 nights, penalties start 90 days before you leave.
And for trips longer than 15 nights, penalties begin 120 days before sailing.
Lastly, if you cancel within 30 days of your cruise, you won’t get any refund at all.
Can I Get Refunds with Travel Insurance
Generally speaking, most travel insurance can protect you if you have to cancel for certain reasons.
Royal Caribbean actually offers its own travel insurance under the CruiseCare Cancellation Penalty Waiver program.
This program gives you a refund if you cancel for covered reasons, like getting sick.
But just note that even with insurance, a full refund is not guaranteed.
If you cancel for a reason that isn’t part of your coverage, you might only get Royal Caribbean’s future cruise credit (FCC) instead of cash back.
And without insurance, all regular refund rules apply.
If you’re booking your cruise through a travel agent, you can ask them for travel insurance recommendations
What if Royal Caribbean Cancels the Cruise
During rare cases that the cruise line itself cancels the cruise, you’ll be fully refunded.
There are things beyond even Royal Caribbean’s control.
They recognize this and, therefore, do grant full refunds to compensate passengers for the inconvenience.
Regardless of how close to the departure date they cancel, all passengers are given full refunds (including non-refundable deposits), no questions asked.
In some cases, they may offer future cruise credits instead of cash refunds.
But if the cancellation is on their end, you may have the option to choose between cash or cruise credit as your refund.
Can Taxes and Fees Be Refunded
In most cases, Royal Caribbean is amenable to refunding taxes, port fees, and prepaid gratuities.
Regardless of how close you are to your departure date, these additional charges are often fully refunded under the cruise line’s cancellation policy.
So, even if you lose part of your fare, you may get some money back from those extra charges.
Can You Change Your Cruise Without Penalties
Changing your cruise dates is akin to canceling and rebooking.
So because of this, it would still fall under Royal Caribbean’s cancellation policies.
Before the final payment date, you might be able to switch dates or ships without big fees.
After the final payment date, you’ll face the same penalties as if you were canceling, and it will also be dependent on how close to the departure date you’re switching ships.
And in these cases, the policies around Royal Caribbean’s non-refundable deposits are even stricter.
You might have to pay a $100 per person change fee, and you’ll still lose your original deposit.
What Happens if I Miss My Cruise
Royal Caribbean is very strict about missed cruises.
If you miss the cruise because you arrived late or missed your flight, there’s no refund.
This is why a lot of people fly to the port city a day early.
Travel insurance might cover you in some cases, but only if your policy is comprehensive enough to include travel delay coverage.
Once the ship leaves, your trip is over.
Are Royal Caribbean Cruises Refundable With Cancel For Any Reason Coverage
Royal Caribbean actually offers a Cancel for Any Reason option.
This lets you cancel your cruise for any reason, even if it wouldn’t normally qualify for a refund.
Instead of a cash refund, you’ll get up to 90% of the cruise price back as future cruise credit.
It’s not a full refund, but it helps you avoid losing everything if your plans change.
Get Help With Royal Caribbean Refund Policies
There is no straightforward answer to the question, are Royal Caribbean cruises refundable?
It’s always dependent on specific cruise clauses, schedules, cancellation dates, and so on.
This is why cruise refund policies can get confusing fast.
If this is something you’re worried about, give us a call.
At Team Thompson Travel, we know how Royal Caribbean’s refund rules work.
We’ll help you understand your deposit options and what happens if you need to cancel.
We can also guide you through travel insurance choices so you’re protected from the unexpected.
And best of all?
Our help doesn’t cost you anything extra.
We work directly with Royal Caribbean to make sure you get the best cruise for your needs.
So reach out to us today, and we’ll help you find peace of mind while we book your perfect cruise.