Whether you need to adjust your travel dates, switch itineraries, or cancel your cruise, Royal Caribbean has rules about making adjustments to your reservation.
Generally, as long as you cancel your cruise before the final payment date, you won't lose your entire cruise fare. After final payment passes, you will be subject to a cancelation fee, which varies depending on how far in advance you cancel.
If you need to change your travel dates or switch itineraries, there's usually a rebooking fee applied. You will also have to pay the difference in fare.
Here's everything you need to know about how to change or cancel a Royal Caribbean cruise.
How to cancel or change a Royal Caribbean cruise
The easiest way to change or cancel a Royal Caribbean cruise is to contact your travel agent.
However, if you didn't book through an agent, you will need to go through whatever method you used to place your deposit, whether that is Royal Caribbean directly or a third party like Expedia. Note that third parties may have their own cancelation policies, too.
The same applies to guests who wish to change their booking. If you want to change dates, simply contact the appropriate channel. Third parties might not be as flexible when it comes to changes, so be sure you understand their terms and conditions before booking.
Non-Refundable vs. Refundable Deposit
The cancelation terms and conditions vary based on your deposit.
Non-refundable deposits are stricter than refundable deposits because, outside of final payment, the full deposit amount is held for any cancelations. So long as you cancel before the final payment date, you will receive a refund on what you've paid toward the fare.
If you booked a refundable cruise fare and haven't made your final payment, you can cancel your cruise for a full refund. In other words, you will receive your full deposit and any monies paid toward the fare.
What about changes?
Last year, my partner and I had to change the date of an Icon cruise we booked because she changed jobs. As a teacher, we knew we didn't want her to have to take PTO, so we changed our sailing to her new spring break, resulting in a $100 change fee per person since we booked with a non-refundable deposit. That said, the initial deposit wasn't withheld and was applied toward our new sail date.
With a refundable deposit, you can change your cruise for no extra charge. These deposits are ideal for travelers with vacation plans that aren't set in stone, as you can change your mind about the ship or sail date without incurring penalties. However, refundable cruise fares are only available for non-suite cabins.
Royal Caribbean cancelation policies
1 to 4-night cruises if cancelation is made (including holiday sailings):
- 75 days or more before the first day of the cruise — no charge (except for non-refundable deposit amounts)
- 74 to 61 days — 50% of total price
- 60 to 31 days — 75% of the total price
- 30 days or less — 100% of the total price (no refund)
5 to 14-night cruises if cancelation is made (including holiday sailings and Cruisetours):
- 90 days or more before the first day of the cruise — no charge (except for non-refundable deposit amounts)
- 89 to 75 days — 25% of total price
- 74 to 61 days — 50% of total price
- 60 to 31 days — 75% of total price
- 30 days or less — 100% of total price (no refund)
15-night or longer cruises if cancelation is made (including holiday sailings and Cruisetours):
- 120 days or more before the first day of the cruise — no charge (except for non-refundable deposit amounts)
- 119 to 61 days — 25% of total price
- 60 to 41 days — 50% of total price
- 50 to 25 days — 75% of total price
- 24 days or less — 100% of total price (no refund)
For bookings made outside of the United States and Canada, a different cancellation policy may apply.
Cruise Planner Refunds
If you cancel or change your Royal Caribbean cruise, you might wonder what will happen to your existing bookings.
An exciting part about booking your Royal Caribbean cruise is planning your add-ons. From shore excursions to specialty restaurants, drink packages, and spa treatments, there are endless ways to customize your vacation, most of which can be done through Royal Caribbean's Cruise Planner.
All existing add-ons will be refunded to your original form of payment; they won't carry over to a new reservation. That means that if you scored a great deal on a drink package, you will have to be willing to pay the new sale rate.
Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is a must-have for any cruise vacation. However, it rarely covers "just because" cancelations. It's best for events like medical emergencies and lost luggage.
If you want peace of mind, make sure you have a "Cancel For Any Reason" clause added to your policy. Otherwise, don't expect your insurance policy to reimburse you for lost money unless an outside influence prevents you from going on your cruise as planned.
Miscellaneous Refunds
What about airfare and pre-cruise hotels? Let's assume that you didn't book through Royal Caribbean. In that case, you are subject to your specific airline and hotel's cancelation terms. Best case scenario? You can cancel your flights for an airfare credit. However, it depends on the exact fare you booked, as most aren't fully refundable after 24 hours.
Hotels are usually more flexible, but, again, it depends on the rate. Non-refundable hotel rooms are typically cheaper, but if you want peace of mind that you can cancel your reservation without any penalties, book a flexible rate. This will usually give you anywhere from 5 days to 24 hours before arrival to cancel for no charge.
If you booked through Royal Caribbean's Air2Sea program, the penalties vary based on the type of ticket purchased. For example, non-refundable tickets won't receive a refund, but some airlines will issue a travel credit for the value of the ticket.
Royal Caribbean's website further explains that "If you are holding a refundable (with fee) flight reservation and need to cancel, you can do so at any time. You will be assessed $200 (plus the Air2Sea fee) as a cancellation penalty per guest; all other air money will be refunded."
Elizabeth Wright
Elizabeth graduated from New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute with her M.A. in Journalism in May 2023. Growing up, she had the privilege of traveling frequently with her family and fell in love with cruising after sailing on the Oasis of the Seas her freshman year of high school. She wanted to pursue a career that highlighted her passion for travel and strengths as a writer.
