If you’re new to sailing with Disney Cruise Line or if it’s been a while since you’ve been aboard one of the amazing ships in Disney’s fleet than it’s important to stay abreast of final payment deadlines and cancellation windows! Disney Cruise Line sticks firmly to these deadlines and failure to pay up before the deadline will mean losing your stateroom or in the case of cancellations, hefty fees. At the end of August, Disney Cruise Line revised these deadlines meaning guests booking on or after September 11, 2018 will have final payment deadlines happening further out than in years past. That’s why we here at Disney Addicts thought we’d give you a quick rundown of current dates to be aware of.
When is the final payment due on my cruise?
- Standard Staterooms (Non-Suite/ Non-Concierge) for 1- 5-night sailings booked beginning September 11, 2018: Final Payment is due 90 days prior to sailing.
- Standard Staterooms (Non-Suite/ Non-Concierge) for 1-5 night sailings booked before September 11, 2018: 75 days before sailing.
- Standard Staterooms (Non-Suite/Non-Concierge) for sailings of 6 or more nights booked beginning September 11, 2018: 120 days before sailing.
- Standard Staterooms (Non-Suite/Non-Concierge) for sailings of 6 or more nights booked before September 11, 2018: 90 days before sailing.
- Suite and Concierge Staterooms for sailings of 1-5 nights: 120 days before sailing.
- Suite and Concierge Staterooms for sailings of 6 nights or more: 150 days before sailing.
A Note about Holiday Sailings or Those from non-U.S Ports – In the past, this could get quite complicated as Disney would offer bespoke deadlines for select holiday or international sailings. Going forward these have been done away with and all sailings will adhere to the table above.
So I booked my cruise last year. Will my final payment be changing? No. as mentioned above, the changes only apply to cruises booked on or after September 11, 2018. Guests that have already booked should adhere to the final payment schedule outlined in your original Disney Cruise Line confirmation. These should match the old deadlines which I have outlined above. The only exception to this would be if you changed the date of your cruise after September 11th, 2018. When in doubt visit disneycruiseline.com for your up-to-date payment information or contact your travel agent.
Up to what date can I cancel my cruise without there being a penalty? Under the new schedule, the cancellation policy is as follows:
Standard (Non-Suite/Non-Concierge) Rooms for sailings of 5 nights or less with a 90 day final payment deadline:
- 89-45 days – Loss of deposit
- 44-30 days- Loss of 50% of your cruise costs
- 29-15 days – Loss of 75% of your cruise costs
- 14 days or Less – No refund
Suite/Concierge Rooms for sailings of 5 nights or less with 120-day final payment deadline:
- 119- 90 days – Loss of deposit
- 89-56 days – Loss of 50% of your cruise costs
- 55-30 days – Loss of 75% of your cruise costs
- 29 days or less – No refund
Standard (Non-Suite/Non-Concierge) Rooms for sailings of 6 nights or more with a 120-day payment deadline:
- 119-56 days – Loss of deposit
- 55-30 days – Loss of 50% of your cruise costs
- 29-15 days – Loss of 75% of your cruise costs
- 14 days or less – No refund
Suite/Concierge Rooms for sailings of 6 nights or more with 150-day final payment deadline:
- 149- 90 days – Loss of deposit
- 89- 56 days – Loss of 50% of your cruise costs
- 55-30 days – Loss of 75% of your cruise costs
- 29 days or less – No refund
I booked before September 11, 2018 what would my cancellation schedule be? Your countdowns would be similar but would adhere to your final payment deadlines given above. For specific information visit disneycruiseline.com.
I booked a last minute IGT, OGT or VGT Fare, what is my cancellation policy? In some instances, Disney Cruise Line will offer last-minute low fare discounts to fill up the ships. These are called guaranteed rooms. If you book one of these full payment is due at the time of booking and the cruise fares on non-refundable. For more information on these special fares check out this article.
Can I still make changes to my reservation after the final payment deadline? It depends on what changes you’d like to make? If you’re looking to add ground transfers, add guests you can be accommodated. However, any changes to guest names or sailing dates will be considered cancellations and will result in the penalties listed above.
What if I have a medical emergency or need to cancel after final payment deadline? If you are worried about having to cancel your cruise at the last minute then I 100% recommend Disney Cruise Line travel insurance. This plan was created so that travellers don’t take a total loss on your vacations. To get insured through Disney’s plan will set you back 8% of the per person voyage fare at a minimum cost of $29 and a maximum cost of $399 per person. In the event of a last minute cancellation under the policy, you will get back up to 75% of the costs of your cruise which you can apply to a future sailing. Click here for more information on Disney Cruise Line’s vacation protection plan.
Disney Cruise Line does have a much more strict policy regarding final payments and cancellations than you will find when booking a visit to the theme parks so it’s important to stay abreast of these deadlines. You’ll also want to keep up to date on the latest Disney Cruise line news at our sister site Chip and Co. as well as continue to follow along with us here at Disney Addicts where we’ll share tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your time at sea!
Thinking about a Disney Cruise? Packages are currently available to book through until the end of 2019. Read below to find out how you can get your FREE, no obligation quote.
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Why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I can help you with everything from finding your perfect sailing and stateroom to sharing tips and tricks to help you get the most out of your time at sea. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE! Contact me at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or on Facebook and let’s get planning!
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