Passengers should check the terms of their transfer agreement to see if they are entitled to a refund if their cruise is canceled due to weather. Many cruise lines offer a full refund if the cruise has not started, but conditions vary. If the cruise is canceled after it has started, partial credits may be offered. It is important to read the terms of the agreement before booking to understand the refund policy.
Given the incidence of hurricanes and other natural weather formations in recent years, many travelers wonder what would happen if a scheduled cruise is canceled due to potentially dangerous weather conditions. In particular, prospective passengers often wonder if they will get a refund for their tickets. To find out whether or not a refund is possible, you should consult the terms of the transfer agreement that is part of the transaction. Most will include a section specifically outlining what happens if the cruise is canceled due to weather.
In some cases, a canceled cruise is subject to a partial or full refund. However, conditions vary from cruise line to cruise line, so there is no definitive answer that applies to all canceled cruises.
Many cruise lines will offer a full refund if the cruise is canceled due to bad weather, as long as the cruise hasn’t already started. Typically, a full refund will be made by crediting any credit card used to book the cruise or by refunding the full amount by check within 60 to 90 days of canceling the cruise. The cruise line may also offer incentives to use the refund to book another cruise for a future date. In this case, there may be free upgrades that come with the rebooking, such as a larger room or some sort of credit that can be used in one of the onboard shops. Getting passengers to use cruise refunds to book future voyages helps retain a customer, eliminates credit processing, and eliminates the need to process and cut a check.
If the cruise is canceled due to weather after the voyage has already begun, many cruise lines will offer partial credits. This is often based on the number of ports of call scheduled for the cruise but could not be completed due to weather. It should be noted that, in most passage contracts, the cruise line does not make a firm commitment to do so. Often, the cruise line uses wording that allows them to issue credits as they see fit after a time-bound cancellation. For example, if the journey was planned with five stopovers and three have been completed, the line may choose not to issue any credit and still be largely within the terms of the passage agreement.
The bottom line is that passengers should read the terms of the agreement before booking a cruise. While it is possible to get a refund, this is not a universal standard among cruise lines. Make sure you understand what the line will and will not commit to in terms of refunds, so you can make an informed decision about whether or not you want to do business with that particular cruise line.
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