If your travel plans have changed, you may be wondering, what is the cancellation fee for Disney Cruise Line? The amount you lose depends mainly on how far in advance you cancel, the length of your cruise, your stateroom category, and whether your reservation has special restrictions.
Disney Cruise Line does not use one flat cancellation fee for every booking. For many standard reservations, the cancellation charge increases as the sailing date approaches. Depending on the booking, you may pay no cancellation fee, lose the deposit, owe 50% or 75% of the vacation price, or receive no refund of the cruise fare because a 100% cancellation fee applies.
Restricted-rate reservations and Suite or Concierge bookings have different cancellation schedules, so checking the conditions attached to your particular reservation is important.
For standard stateroom categories that are not Suites or Concierge, Disney Cruise Line's published cancellation schedule generally works as follows:
Time Before Sailing1–5 Night Cruise6+ Night Cruise
Far enough in advanceNo feeNo fee
Deposit periodDeposit per guestDeposit per guest
44–30 days before sailing50% of vacation price per guest50% of vacation price per guest
29–15 days before sailing75% of vacation price per guest75% of vacation price per guest
14 days or less100% of vacation price per guest100% of vacation price per guest
For a 1–5 night cruise, the standard schedule is no fee at 90 days or more, the deposit from 89–45 days, 50% from 44–30 days, 75% from 29–15 days, and 100% at 14 days or less.
For a 6-night-or-longer cruise, the standard schedule is no fee at 120 days or more, the deposit from 119–56 days, 50% from 55–30 days, 75% from 29–15 days, and 100% at 14 days or less.
These amounts are based on Disney Cruise Line's published terms and should be checked against the terms applicable to your specific reservation.
For standard Inside, Oceanview, and Verandah categories without special restrictions, the cancellation schedule is:
The important point is that the cancellation period is measured against the vacation commencement date. Waiting until the last few weeks can therefore substantially reduce the amount you receive back.
Longer cruises have an earlier cancellation-fee schedule:
This means a guest booking a longer cruise generally needs to cancel earlier to avoid losing money.
The deposit is an important part of Disney Cruise Line's cancellation policy.
For many standard bookings, cancellation far enough before departure may result in no cancellation fee. However, once the reservation enters the applicable deposit-penalty period, the deposit per guest can become the cancellation fee.
The exact amount of the deposit depends on your reservation, so do not assume that every Disney cruise has the same deposit amount.
Yes. Suite and Concierge staterooms have different cancellation deadlines from standard categories.
For a 1–5 night Suite or Concierge booking, Disney's published schedule lists:
For a 6-night-or-longer Suite or Concierge booking:
Because these reservations can become subject to cancellation fees much earlier, check the applicable terms before changing or cancelling a premium stateroom.
Restricted-rate reservations require particular attention.
Disney's terms state that reservations for restricted Inside, Outside, or Verandah categories are nonrefundable and nontransferable, with a 100% cruise cancellation fee applying from the time of payment under the applicable terms.
This is substantially different from a standard reservation where cancelling early may result in no cancellation fee.
If you booked a discounted or restricted fare, read the conditions attached to that specific offer before cancelling.
If a cancellation fee applies, Disney Cruise Line generally deducts the applicable cancellation fee and other amounts owed from the money already paid. The remaining eligible amount is then refunded according to the applicable terms.
For reservations booked through a travel agency, the refund may be processed through the travel agency. Disney states that certain travel agencies may also have their own cancellation fees under their agency agreements.
This means your final refund can sometimes differ from a simple calculation based only on Disney's cruise cancellation schedule.
In many cases, yes.
Disney Cruise Line's Help Center says guests can make most modifications and cancellations online by signing in to their MyDisney account, opening My Reservations, selecting the reservation, and choosing Modify Reservation.
However, Disney specifically advises guests to contact Disney Cruise Line for assistance with reservations that have been paid in full or those booked under restricted rates or the Concierge category.
If your reservation was made through a travel agency, Disney instructs you to contact your travel advisor.
Changing a cruise is not always completely separate from cancellation.
Disney states that some modifications made after final payment may require the reservation to be cancelled and rebooked. In such cases, cancellation fees may apply.
Changing your sailing date can therefore have financial consequences, particularly if your reservation is already inside the cancellation-fee period.
Before confirming a change, check:
Disney's terms state that there are no refunds when a guest interrupts or cancels the vacation after the vacation commencement date.
For that reason, travellers should not assume that unused cruise days will automatically be refunded if they leave the ship early.
If an unexpected situation occurs during your trip, contact Disney Cruise Line as soon as possible and review any applicable travel-protection coverage.
It can, depending on the reason for cancellation and the policy terms.
Disney Cruise Line offers an optional Vacation Protection Plan. Its published information says the plan includes travel insurance benefits for certain covered circumstances and a separate Cancel For Any Reason feature that can provide a future cruise credit of up to 75% of the applicable cancellation fee amount, subject to restrictions.
The Cancel For Any Reason feature is not the same as receiving a cash refund. Disney describes it as a future cruise credit, and the credit has conditions, including a one-year validity period and no cash value.
If you are considering travel protection, read the policy's covered reasons, exclusions, deadlines, and payment requirements before relying on it.
Cancelling the cruise may also affect other components of a Disney Cruise Line vacation package.
For example, Disney's terms explain that applicable airline cancellation or change fees may apply when air transportation is part of the package. Hotel and ground-transfer cancellation fees can also apply separately.
This is why the total financial impact of cancelling a cruise can be greater than the cruise cancellation fee alone.
Before cancelling, review each component of your trip:
Suppose a guest has a standard 4-night cruise and cancels during a period when the applicable fee is 50% of the vacation price per guest.
If the applicable vacation price is $4,000 for two guests, a 50% cancellation fee would be $2,000, leaving $2,000 potentially refundable before considering other applicable charges or components of the trip.
This is only an illustration. Your actual cancellation amount depends on your reservation's price, category, timing, and applicable terms.
The simplest way to reduce potential cancellation costs is to understand your deadline before you book.
Do not wait until you need to cancel. Review the terms when you make the reservation and again before making any major travel changes.
Disney's cancellation deadlines are based on the sailing date. Put the important dates on your calendar so you know when the booking moves into the next penalty period.
If losing a substantial portion of your cruise fare would create a financial problem, compare the available protection options before the reservation becomes nonrefundable.
If a travel advisor made your reservation, ask them to explain the applicable cancellation deadline and any agency-specific charges before you cancel.
There is no single fee. Depending on the cruise length, stateroom category, booking type, and time remaining before sailing, the fee can range from no fee to the deposit, 50%, 75%, or 100% of the applicable vacation price.
For many standard 1–5 night cruises, cancellation 90 days or more before the vacation commencement date has no cancellation fee. For standard cruises of 6 nights or more, the no-fee period is generally 120 days or more. Other booking categories have different rules.
Yes. For many standard reservations, a 100% cancellation fee applies when the cancellation is made 14 days or less before the vacation commencement date. Restricted-rate bookings can have different and stricter conditions.
It depends on the booking type and when you cancel. A deposit can become the applicable cancellation fee once the reservation enters the relevant penalty period. Restricted-rate reservations may be nonrefundable from the time of payment.
You can generally request cancellation, but whether you receive a refund depends on the cancellation terms that apply at the time. Disney also notes that some modifications after final payment may require cancellation and rebooking, potentially resulting in cancellation fees.
Disney's Vacation Protection Plan includes a Cancel For Any Reason feature that can provide a future cruise credit of up to 75% of the cancellation fee amount, subject to the plan's restrictions. It is a future cruise credit rather than a cash refund.
Contact the travel advisor who made the reservation. Disney states that guests with reservations booked through a travel agency should contact their travel advisor for modifications and cancellations. An agency may also have its own cancellation fee.
Disney's terms provide for refunds in certain circumstances when Disney cancels a cruise. The exact remedy can depend on why the cruise was cancelled and the applicable terms.
The Disney Cruise Line cancellation fee depends on several factors rather than being one fixed amount. For standard reservations, the penalty generally increases as the sailing date gets closer: it can move from no fee to the deposit, then 50%, 75%, and ultimately 100% of the applicable vacation price.
Cruise length and stateroom category matter, too. Suite and Concierge reservations have different deadlines, while restricted-rate bookings can have significantly stricter cancellation conditions.
Before cancelling, check the terms attached to your reservation, consider the effect on flights and hotels, and review any travel-protection benefits you purchased. If the booking was made through a travel advisor, speak with the advisor before cancelling so you understand both Disney's rules and any agency-specific charges.
Because cancellation policies can change and individual promotions may have additional conditions, the most reliable approach is to verify the current terms for your specific reservation before taking action.
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