Refundable deposit

[Vlad]

Guys, have a question. 

I've always booked with non refundable deposit option. 

Now I'm looking into 2023 and found refundable option, it say for additional $170.

If I cancel my booking, will I loose this fee of $170 ?

[melmar02]

The amount is added directly to the cruise fare, not a separate line item. If you cancel, you would lose the amount of your deposit unless there is something else in play like Cruise with Confidence which allows the deposit to move to another booking, be issues as a FCC or whatever (if anything) is in that program. 

[Vlad]

7 minutes ago, melmar02 said:

The amount is added directly to the cruise fare, not a separate line item. If you cancel, you would lose the amount of your deposit unless there is something else in play like Cruise with Confidence which allows the deposit to move to another booking, be issues as a FCC or whatever (if anything) is in that program. 

You're confused me even more. 

My question was about refundable deposit fee. And you're saying I'll still lose my deposit?.. 

[melmar02]

Sorry, forget what I said - that's what would happen for non-refundable. I should really have a sip of coffee this morning. 

For refundable deposit the extra amount is added to the cruise fare like I said, but you can cancel and not lose that money (subject to the cancelation schedule). If you do take the cruise, you paid the extra amount "just in case" you needed to cancel. 

[Bochano1951]

For instance, let's say my cruise costs $2000.  I pay and extra $200 to make it a refundable cruise.  A week before final payment is due, I want to ask for the $200 back and make the cruise nonrefundable.  Can something like this happen?

[FionaMG]

8 hours ago, Bochano1951 said:

For instance, let's say my cruise costs $2000.  I pay and extra $200 to make it a refundable cruise.  A week before final payment is due, I want to ask for the $200 back and make the cruise nonrefundable.  Can something like this happen?

You don't get the $200 back as such because you don't actually pay it until you make final payment. What you can do is have your TA, or Royal if you booked direct, convert your booking to non-refundable.

BUT (in capitals because it is a very big but) this means your cruise will be repriced at the prevailing rate on the day you make the switch and the chances are very good that by that time the price, even for a non-refundable deposit, will be much higher. In addition, you would lose any promotional offers, such as onboard credit, that came with your original booking.

However, you can convert a refundable deposit to non-refundable at any time prior to the final payment date, so the best strategy is to keep monitoring the prices and if/when you see a decent price drop convert the booking at that time, assuming you are ready to commit.

[twangster]

16 hours ago, Bochano1951 said:

For instance, let's say my cruise costs $2000.  I pay and extra $200 to make it a refundable cruise.  A week before final payment is due, I want to ask for the $200 back and make the cruise nonrefundable.  Can something like this happen?

When you convert from refundable to NRD you do so at prevailing rates that day you call.  What the rates were, or what the difference between refundable and NRD was way back when you made the deposit is irrelevant.  The difference between refundable and NRD is not tracked by Royal.  There is the rate for refundable and there is the rate for NRD.   The difference is something we care about as customers but its not something Royal cares about.  They only see the rate you booked and the current rate today at this moment in time when you call.

Cruise fares increase (typically) as a ship books up.  Chances are at or near final payment due date the NRD rates have increased to the point where it won't make sense to convert to NRD.  You can always check and maybe your cruise will be the exception.