How to Cancel Your Upcoming Royal Caribbean Cruise?

Have you been eagerly counting down the days until your next Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, only to have an unforeseen event throw your plans into question? Whether it’s an illness, family emergency, or even a simple change of heart, canceling a booked cruise can certainly dampen one’s travel spirits.

So what steps should you take if you now need to cancel your upcoming cruise booking on Royal Caribbean?

The process will depend chiefly on three key factors:

1. The cancellation policies and timeline set forth by Royal Caribbean
2. The specifics of your reservation such as deposit status
3. Any additional insurance or change/cancellation coverage you may have purchased

By understanding Royal Caribbean’s refund rules and procedures, communicating promptly with the cruise line or your travel agent, and leveraging things like travel protection to reduce cancellation fees, you can aim to get back as much money as possible and even retain future cruise credits.

Throughout this comprehensive guide, we will explore:

• How the Royal Caribbean cancellation timeline impacts your refund eligibility
• The step-by-step process to officially cancel your cruise reservation
• Tips for minimizing cancel penalties and re-booking future sailings
• Answers to frequently asked questions about canceling Royal Caribbean cruises

So if life has thrown a wrench in your upcoming cruise plans, take a deep breath and read on to make this unpleasant process as smooth as possible!

Decoding Royal Caribbean’s Cancellation Policies

Before diving into the logistics of canceling your cruise, it’s essential to understand Royal Caribbean’s official cancellation policies. These rules and deadlines essentially dictate how much money is refundable and when penalties apply if you decide not to sail as originally planned. Here are some key cancellation considerations when booking and subsequently canceling Royal Caribbean cruises:

Refundable vs. Non-Refundable Cruise Deposits

When you book a cruise, you typically put down an initial deposit per passenger to reserve your cabin. Royal Caribbean offers both refundable and non-refundable deposits when making reservations.

If you booked with a refundable deposit and cancel before the final payment deadline, you’ll receive your full deposit amount back. No penalties or cancellation fees apply.

However, if you booked a non-refundable deposit cruise fare, that initial deposit money is forfeited if you cancel in advance of the final payment date. You won’t get that initial non-refundable deposit back. Rules vary slightly for chartered sailings.

Royal Caribbean’s Cancellation Timeline

Royal Caribbean’s policies outline cancellation penalties on a clearly defined timeline leading up to your departure date. How far in advance you cancel greatly impacts any refund you’ll receive.

Here is an overview of Royal Caribbean’s cancellation policies:

For Cruises 1-4 Nights Long:

• Cancel 75 days before trip – Full refund
• Cancel 74-61 days before trip – 50% cancellation penalty
• Cancel 60-31 days before trip – 75% cancellation penalty
• Cancel 30-0 days before trip – 100% cancellation penalty

For Cruises 5 Nights or Longer:

• Cancel 90+ days before trip – Full refund (minus any non-refundable deposit)
• Cancel 89-75 days before trip – 25% cancellation penalty
• Cancel 74-61 days before trip – 50% cancellation penalty
• Cancel 60-31 days before trip – 75% cancellation penalty
• Cancel 30 days or less before trip – 100% cancellation penalty (no refund provided)

The associated dates relate to the cruise departure rather than when you actually cancel, so timeliness is key! You’ll also want to check details on Royal Caribbean’s website as policies can occasionally change.

Step-by-Step: How To Cancel Your Royal Caribbean Cruise

Alright, now that you know the key rules and policies around cancellation fees and timing, let’s walk through the required steps to actually cancel your upcoming Royal Caribbean cruise vacation.

Contact Royal Caribbean or Your Travel Agent

You’ll need to inform Royal Caribbean (or your travel agent if you booked via an agency) that you need to cancel your upcoming sailing. Here are the best contact channels:

To Cancel Directly With Royal Caribbean

• By Phone: Call Royal Caribbean at 1-800-256-6649. Have your reservation number and details handy.
• Online: Visit Royal Caribbean’s contact page and complete the electronic form to request cancellation.

To Cancel Through a Travel Advisor or Booking Site

• If you originally booked your cruise via Costco, Expedia, vacationstogo.com or any other third-party website, you will need to contact them directly to handle cancellation.
• Similarly, inform your specific travel advisor if you booked via an agency.

Be prepared to explain the reason for cancellation, though some disclosure is optional. Royal Caribbean also notes they “[reserve] the right to verify the reason for cancellation.”

Confirm Cancellation Has Been Processed

Whether canceling directly or via an agency, ensure you receive official written confirmation that your cruise cancellation has gone through. You’ll generally be provided a cancellation case number as reassurance it’s been processed.

Note any cancellation ID details for future reference. Having this cancellation confirmation will be key if any issues later arise regarding refund amounts, credits, or re-booking eligibility.

Understand Your Refund Options

When officially canceling your cruise, Royal Caribbean will present you with options regarding any refund that you are entitled to. Here is an overview:

Cash Refund Back to Original Form of Payment

• A cash refund reimburses your refundable money back to the original payment method used to book the cruise. So back to your credit card, debit card, etc.
• The amount of cash refund depends heavily on 1) timing of cancellation and 2) if you had a refundable or non-refundable booking. Review Royal Caribbean’s tiered cancellation policy above to estimate your refund.
• Refunds can take 30 days or more to fully process.

Future Cruise Credit (FCC)

• As an alternative to getting money directly back, Royal Caribbean may issue you a Future Cruise Credit equal to any refundable amount.
• An FCC must be used to book another Royal Caribbean cruise within 12-24 months before it expires. So it locks you in to sailing with them again.
• You can request a mix of Future Cruise Credit and cash refund depending on preferences.

Carefully review which options make the most sense for your situation before confirming the refund method with Royal Caribbean. Future Cruise Credits provide flexibility to cruise later but aren’t ideal if you need the immediate cash back.

Cancelling Pre-Booked Shore Excursions, Dining & More

If you booked or pre-paid for any shore excursions, specialty dining, drink packages, or spa reservations for your now-cancelled Royal Caribbean cruise, you’ll also need to cancel these separate add-ons to prevent being charged.

Here’s an overview on how to cancel additional pre-cruise purchases if no longer sailing:

Shore Excursions

• Excursions can be cancelled online via Royal Caribbean’s Cruise Planner website up to 48 hours before the scheduled tour time without penalty.
• Some excursions involving flights, hotels or special events require 30+ days notice before cancellation deadline to avoid fees. Check exact tour.
• You can also call Shore Excursions desk for assistance cancelling tours bought on Cruise Planner.

Specialty Dining & Beverage Packages

• Pre-paid dining reservations and drink packages can be cancelled online up to 2 days before sailing for a full refund.
• Once onboard the ship, you would need to visit Guest Services desk to cancel these add-ons if past the online deadline.

When you cancel the core cruise reservation itself, Customer Support should provide details on how to cancel any other pre-cruise purchases. But be proactive in addressing these as the cancel deadlines differ.

Reducing or Avoiding Cruise Cancellation Penalties

Unless you have a refundable fare and cancel far in advance of your departure, chances are that canceling your Royal Caribbean cruise will incur cancellation penalties and fees that subtract from any potential refund.

However, travelers do have options when it comes to reducing cancel fees. Here are tips:

Purchase Travel Insurance with “Cancel For Any Reason”

Opting into travel insurance when first booking your cruise can provide financial protection if you later need to cancel. There are a couple key insurance options:

Standard Insurance: This covers you if you need to cancel for a covered medical, family, or travel issue, such as illness, injury, military deployment, airline strikes, and more. It does NOT allow cancellation for any personal reason.

“Cancel For Any Reason” (CFAR) Insurance: As the name implies, this more premium policy allows you to cancel your Royal Caribbean cruise for practically any personal reason up to 2 days before departure and still receive reimbursement. CFAR provides maximum cancellation flexibility.

The key trade-off is that CFAR insurance costs more, usually an extra 40-50% premium on top of the base travel insurance price. But for many cruisers, this added peace of mind is worth it. Just be sure to read fine print on exactly which reasons are excluded even from CFAR.

Insurance will still reimburse you minus the cost of insurance paid and minus an “admin fee” stated in the policy. But recovering most money beats a 100% cancellation penalty without insurance.

Time Your Royal Caribbean Cruise Cancellation Strategically

As outlined previously, Royal Caribbean’s cancellation policies are tied closely to number of days prior to your cruise departure date when you actually cancel.

Aim to cancel as early as logistically possible to avoid stringent penalties. Waiting another week means jumping into the next cancellation tier with higher fees withheld from refund.

If certain life events are even possibilities – job changes, military deployment, shaky family medical history – consider cancelling very proactively just in case.

Retaining Future Cruise Credit

If you cancel your Royal Caribbean cruise less than 30 days before departure, you forfeit your entire cruise fare paid – no cash refund back.

However, in some cases, Royal Caribbean may offer you a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for the full amount paid even with late cancellation. An FCC gives you 12-24 months to rebook another cruise with them.

So last minute canceling still stings, but an FCC for future use beats losing 100% of your money. Definitely inquire about this option as a back-up plan before processing a late cancellation without insurance.

Frequently Asked Questions About Canceling a Cruise

Let’s wrap up this definitive cancelation guide by answering some commonly asked questions from cruisers:

Can I cancel just one passenger from my cruise booking or do I have to cancel the whole reservation?

If it’s just one member of your traveling party that can now not make it, you can cancel that one passenger without canceling the entire booking. However, Royal Caribbean may require you to switch to a smaller cabin category suited to the new lower number of guests.

A couple things to note with partial cruise cancellations:

• If you cancel the 3rd guest in a triple occupancy cabin, Royal Caribbean will likely ask you to drop to a double occupancy room.
• You typically still must pay the full fare for the canceling passenger regardless, as cruise pricing is based on double occupancy.

If I booked a refundable cruise fare, will I definitely get my full deposit back?

If you booked a refundable fare and need to cancel before making your final payment (so only the deposit paid so far), then yes – you are entitled to the full deposit amount back without any Royal Caribbean cancellation fees or penalties. That’s the benefit of booking flexible refundable rates upfront.

Just be aware of the final payment date. If you cancel AFTER that full payment deadline, even with a refundable fare, cancellation fees based on the numbered days prior to sailing will still apply and impact your refund.

Can I start the cancellation process online or do I have to call Royal Caribbean?

Royal Caribbean actually gives you multiple options here:

• You can call their customer support line at 1-800-256-6649 to cancel by phone.
• You can also complete Royal Caribbean’s online cancellation form electronically to initiate cancellation.
• If you booked via a travel agency or third-party website, you would need to contact them specifically about processing your cancellation.

So check your confirmation details and use whichever cancellation contact method works best for your situation!

Key Takeaways: Next Steps for Canceling Your Cruise

Canceling your Royal Caribbean cruise last minute can certainly dampen travel spirits temporarily. But by acting quickly, understanding policies, being strategic with insurance, aiming to retain future cruise credit, and asking questions, you can make the best of an imperfect situation.

To recap next steps as you maneuver cruise cancellation:

• Review Royal Caribbean cancellation timelines – Days prior to departure determines penalties
• Contact Royal Caribbean or your travel agent ASAP – Start cancellation process immediately
• Understand all refund options available – Cash back, future cruise credit or both
• Cancel separate add-on purchases – Excursions, dining, drink packages, etc
• Consider “Cancel For Any Reason” insurance – Allows cancellation for personal reasons up to 48 hours pre-departure
• Aim to cancel as early as realistically possible – Avoid stringent tiered penalty levels
• Ask questions! Royal Caribbean or a travel pro can clarify anything you might be unsure about

Canceling a future cruise you were looking forward to is never fun. But staying aware of policies, acting quickly, and using resources available gives you the power to make the process admittedly less painful. Bon voyage on your next adventure when the time is right!