If you’re planning a trip on a Disney Cruise Line ship, know that as of next month, they’ll be changing when your final payment is due. As a result, there will also be a change with regards to the cancellation fees assessed as your vacation gets closer.
What Disney Cruise Line Is Changing
According to Disney Cruise Line Blog, final payments will be due about a month earlier than had been the case previously. This change will go into effect for any new reservations made on or after September 11, 2018. Reservations made prior to that date will be “grandfathered,” meaning that the final payment date will not change.
So what will the new final payment dates be?
- For cruises lasting 1-5 nights, final payment will come due 90 days prior to sailing (as opposed to the previously-required 75 days) for all guests except those traveling in suites or concierge class stateroom. Final payment for suite and concierge guests will now be 120 days prior to sailing. It’s worth noting that for suite and concierge guests, the deposit is entirely non-refundable.
- On cruises lasting six nights or more, final payment will come due 120 days prior to sailing (as opposed to the previously-required 90 days) for all guests except those traveling in suites or concierge class stateroom. Final payment for suite and concierge guests will now be 150 days prior to sailing. Again, the deposits paid by suite and concierge guests are non-refundable.
After the final payment date passes, any cancellation incurs a fee that can run anywhere from the amount of the deposit, per guest, to the entire cost of the cruise if cancellation occurs 14 days or less before sailing (for non-concierge guests) and 29 days of less before sailing (for those booked in a suite or concierge class cabin).
The cruise line’s Terms & Condition page also states that “reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions are nonrefundable and nontransferable. A 100 percent cruise cancellation fee applies from time of payment.”
Last November, Norwegian Cruise line made a similar move regarding their final payment dates. At the time, we noted that this situation is much more a win for cruise lines than it is for their passengers. After all, not only does the cruise line in question get to collect your money sooner (and begin earning interest on it), but it greatly impacts the flexibility of guests to make changes to a reservation without incurring a fee.
