Cruising vacation planning is always full of complexities and requires a great understanding of the cancellation policy. To this end, Princess Cruises has taken a more holistic approach toward cruise booking management and eventual cancellations to make things transparent and easy for travelers. The whole policy is carefully thought out to balance both parties’ interests with fair treatment in different cases. Here we will know of Princess cruise cancellation policy in detail.
Basics of Princess Cruises Cancellation Policy
Princess Cruise’s cancellation policy is a complex framework that considers several factors when determining refund eligibility and fees. The main considerations are the length of the cruise and the timing of the cancellation from the departure date. This allows travelers to make informed decisions about their travel plans while providing the cruise line with a structured method of managing potential booking changes.
Princess Cruises Cancellation Timeline for Shorter Cruises
Princess Cruises has established a clear and structured cancellation schedule for cruises ranging from 1 to 24 days. The final payment deadline is set 90 days prior to the departure date, giving ample time for travelers to plan and make necessary arrangements. The cancellation fee structure is progressively more significant as the departure date approaches, reflecting the increasing difficulty of reselling cruise accommodations.
Princess Cruises Cancellation Fee Schedule for short-duration (1-24 days)
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| 90+ days | No fee charged |
| 75-89 days | 25% of the total charges |
| 61-74 days | 50% of the total charges |
| 31-60 days | 75% of the total charges |
| Within 30 days | 100% of the total charges |
Extended Princess Cruises Cancellation Policy
Cruises that are 25 days or more in duration, including world cruises, have a slightly different cancellation policy. The final payment date is 120 days prior to departure, allowing more time for the passenger who is making longer bookings. This gives more leeway to those who will be embarking on a longer cruise because it takes much more planning and commitment to such an experience.
Cancellation Fee Schedule for Longer Cruises (25 Days or Greater Than That)
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| 120+ days | No fee |
| 113-119 days | Deposit (30% of cruise charges) |
| 61-112 days | 50% of the total charges |
| 60 days or less | 100% of the total charges |
Additional Travel Arrangements Cancellation
Princess Cruises offers a different cancellation policy when it comes to pre-and post-cruise hotel packages. It means that customers will have an easily traceable fee structure that shows guidelines for canceling any travel arrangements that go along with their cruise.
Hotel Package Cancellation Fee Schedule
| Days Before Departure | Cancellation Fee |
|---|---|
| 57+ days | No fee |
| 56-29 days | 50% of total charges |
| 28-15 days | 75% of total charges |
| Within 15 days | 100% of total charges |
Special Promotional Considerations for Priceline Cruise Cancellation
Certain promotional offers come with specific cancellation restrictions. In these cases, deposits may be non-refundable from the moment of payment, regardless of the cancellation timing. This clause applies equally to cruise and cruise tour bookings under special promotional rates, emphasizing the importance of carefully reviewing booking terms.
Princess Cruises Refund Process and Considerations
The refund policy at Princess Cruises is quite comprehensive and transparent. Usually, pre-paid shore excursions, onboard purchases, and applicable government taxes and fees are fully refundable. However, cruise credits are not automatically available through the standard cancellation policy, unless travelers have purchased Princess Vacation Protection.
What Are the Exceptions To the Princess Cruise Cancellation Policy?
You won’t be entitled to any refund if you have purchased a policy under a special promotion that is completely non-refundable. Under such circumstances, you won’t be granted any credit, refund, or compensation upon the cancellation of your booking.
Princess Cruise Cancellation Policy For Excursions
In planning your cruise adventure, it is very important to know the shore excursion cancellation policy so that your cruise will be a hassle-free and stress-free holiday. The cruise line has well-defined policies to assist passengers in handling their pre-booked excursions with flexibility and transparency.
Pre-Paid Shore Excursion Cancellation Options
For those seeking to cancel a pre-paid shore excursion, the policy offers reasonable options when this is done in advance. If you cancel your excursion five or more days before sailing, you have two primary methods for refund. You can either have the money applied to any existing shore excursion balance you may have. In case you have no outstanding balance, then the full amount will be credited back to the original payment method which was used at the time of booking.
Refund Processing
The cruise line appreciates that refund processing takes time and asks for your patience. They promise to process refunds as soon as possible, and they know that sometimes it may be delayed. This approach shows how much they care about their customers and at the same time, the complexities involved in tour cancellations.
Specialized Excursion Cancellation Rules
Specialized excursions have their unique cancellation policies. Trips involving hotels, air, or private cars require stricter cancellation policies; these trips are non-refundable 30 days before sailing. Helicopter flights, on the other hand, follow a very specific rule and only offer refunds if canceled before noon the day after boarding. Such rules account for the intricacies and scarcity of such exclusive experiences.
Port-Specific Excursion Policies
Port-specific excursions have their own rules. Each port has a specific “Closing Time for Cancellations” listed on the Shore Excursion Order Form in your stateroom. You can cancel without penalty up to this time. However, if you miss an excursion you’ve booked, no refund will be given.
Alaska Land Excursions Cancellation
Alaska Land Excursions are more flexible. These tours can be cancelled up to three days before travel without any fees. The refund is processed back to the original booking credit card. However, cancellations within three days of travel usually incur a full 100% cancellation fee, with rare exceptions being made only if the tour operator cannot conduct the excursion.
Travel Protection Options
To ensure further peace of mind for the traveler, Princess Cruises has Vacation Protection tailored for United States and Canadian residents. This protection may be added at the time of booking or before the final payment date to ensure a further layer of financial security in case a cancellation needs to occur.
How to Handle the Cancellation Process
Much attention to detail must be paid to managing cruise cancellations. Travelers are encouraged to read carefully through their booking confirmation and passage contract to understand exactly which terms apply to their reservation. The sooner one cancels, the more positive the financial outcome will be.
Purpose of the Princess Cruises Cancellation Policy
The cancellation policy has many purposes. It ensures the cruise line does not incur substantial losses while being transparent to the traveler on possible costs of changing the travel plans. The increasing fee structure reflects the progressive difficulty of reselling the cruise accommodations as the date of departure approaches.
Final Verdict
Understanding the Princess Cruises Cancellation Policy is very important to any traveler who would want to have a cruise vacation. The policy strikes a balance that considers the complexity of travel planning and operational challenges in the cruise line. Travelers can better navigate possible cancellations by carefully reading the terms, purchasing appropriate travel protection, and making informed decisions.
Travelers are always advised to refer to the latest available version of the Princess Cruises cancellation policy and specific booking confirmation for the best information related to their itinerary.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cancel your Princess cruise at least 90 days before departure to avoid cancellation fees and receive your full refund of the total charges.
Cancellation fees start at 25% and rise to 100% of total charges, depending on how close your cancellation is to the cruise departure date.
Your deposit is fully refundable if you cancel more than 90 days before departure. For any cancellation within 90 days, you may lose the partial or full amount of the deposit.
You can cancel your Princess cruise up to 90 days before departure to obtain a full refund with no additional cancellation fees.
The standard cancellation policy of Princess Cruise doesn’t grant any cruise credit. However, residents of some parts of the United States, and Canada can be eligible for Princess Vacation Protection.