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Disney Cruise Line Refund Policies

Contributor
Melinda Crow

Last updated
Apr 20, 2021

Read time
4 min read

Disney Cruise Line's refund policies can get a bit complicated, so it helps to understand what you are entitled to and under what circumstances.

Disney is offering relaxed policies for final payments and cancellations through September 30, 2021, as well as the flexibility to change dates on select sailings. Standard refund policies are based on length of cruise, category booked, and time remaining before sailing, as outlined below.

On This Page

  • The Refund
  • Important Dates
  • Future Cruise Credit
  • The Fine Print
  • More information

The Refund

COVID-19 specific refunds: Passengers who have been exposed to COVID-19, have fever or other symptoms of COVID-19, or who have tested positive within 14 days of their sailing may move their cruise to a future date (prior to September 30, 2022) or receive a full refund without standard cancellation fees applied.

Pricing guarantees: Disney does not have a specific policy regarding prices that drop after booking.

When you cancel the cruise: On bookings made by April 30, 2021 for sailings through September 30, 2021, full refunds are available on cancellations made 60 days or more before sailing, except for restricted fares, suite, or concierge fares. Suites and concierge bookings cancelled inside 60 days prior to sailing will receive a refund of the fare minus their deposit.

Beyond the relaxed cancellation policies, cancellation fees are incurred on non-suite or concierge bookings of cruises 6 nights or longer inside 120 days and inside 90 days on shorter cruises, suites, and concierge staterooms.

Taxes, fees, and port charges are refundable on all cancellations other than mid-cruise early departures and no-shows.

When Disney cancels the cruise: Disney offers a choice of future cruise credit or full refunds for guests who have paid in full for cancelled cruises. For guests who have not made final payment, refunds are issued for the amount paid at the time of the cancellation.

On cruises cancelled or shortened due to mechanical issues prior to or during sailing, passengers should expect full or partial refunds.

Important Dates

Final payment on all sailings through September 30, 2021 is 60 days prior to sailing. Standard final payment dates coincide with the end of the penalty-free cancellation period.

If you must cancel the cruise: Short cruises of fewer than 6 nights (excluding suites and concierge staterooms), must be cancelled 90 days before departure or more to receive full refund. From 89 to 45 days before sailing, you forfeit the deposit; between days 44 and 30 you lose 50 percent of the vacation price; between days 29 and 15, the fee is 75 percent, and 14 days or less from departure, the vacation price is non-refundable.

Cruises 6 nights or longer (excluding suites and concierge) are entitled to full refunds until 120 days before departure. From 119 and 56 days before departure the deposit is forfeited. From day 55 to day 30, you give up 50 percent of the fare; from day 29 to day 15 the fee jumps to 75 percent, and from day 14 to the date of sailing, the fare is non-refundable.

For all suite and concierge stateroom bookings, the deposit is forfeited on cancellations made 90 days or more from departure. From day 89 to day 56 prior to sailing the fee is 50 percent, which goes up to 75 percent from day 55 to day 30 prior to the beginning of the vacation, and the booking is non-refundable from day 29 to the day of sailing.

If Disney must cancel the cruise: Disney Cruise Line notifies guests and/or their travel advisors directly regarding specific dates, particularly if there are choices that must be made within a set time frame when cancellations become necessary.

Future Cruise Credit

Disney has offered as much as 150% future cruise credit on some of its cancelled cruises. Guests are notified directly of their FCC options when a cruise is cancelled.

The Fine Print

While Disney does, in some cases, include bonus future cruise credits on some cancellations, the terms and conditions are clear that their only responsibility when they cancel a cruise before departure, is a refund of the amount you have paid.

Disney has specific cancellation policies relating to airfare, hotel reservations, and ground transfers booked through Disney. Those are found in the terms and conditions.

Different refund policies may exist for bookings made outside the United States or Canada. Refer to your specific cruise contract, provided at the time of booking.

More information

Standard cancellation policies are found on the Terms and Conditions page. Additional information is found in the Cruise Contract. Cancelled or altered cruises are posted on the advisory page. Guests who have booked through a travel advisor should contact the advisor regarding refunds. Guests booked through Disney should call (866) 325-6685. There are also email and chat options found on the help page.

Publish date April 20, 2021
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