Cruise line cancellation policies are as varied as the cruise lines themselves. Some cruise lines let clients cancel up to three months before sailing with no penalty. Others charge an administrative fee for a cancellation from the minute a cruise has been booked.

One universal truth does apply, though: the more expensive or longer the cruise, the less time people have to cancel their sailing with the least penalty.

To help advisors quickly and easily identify the cancellation policy for ocean-going cruise lines, Travel Market Report has rounded up each line’s standard policy.

This roundup does not include any special promotions that require either a non-refundable deposit or a non-refundable fare. Additionally, unless noted otherwise, cancellation charges are person.

In this article: American Cruise Lines | Azamara | Atlas Ocean Voyages | Carnival Cruise Line | Celebrity Cruises | Celestyal Cruises | Cunard | Disney Cruise Line | Holland America Line | Lindblad Expeditions | MSC Cruises | Norwegian Cruise Line | Oceania Cruises | Paul Gauguin Cruises & Ponant | Princess Cruises | Regent Seven Seas Cruises | Royal Caribbean | Scenic | Seabourn | Silversea Cruises | UnCruise Adventures | Viking | Virgin Voyages | Windstar Cruises

American Cruise Lines Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Azamara Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Atlas Ocean Voyages Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Carnival Cruise Line Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

COVID-19 Exception: If you, your family members living with you in the same household or a travel companion assigned to the same stateroom cancels a cruise booking due to testing positive for COVID-19 within seven days of embarkation, you and those traveling companions assigned to the same stateroom are entitled to an FCC for the amount paid to Carnival. To qualify for the FCC, you are required to notify Carnival within 24 hours or receiving a positive COVID-19 test result. Results must be presented to Carnival in an “acceptable” format – ie, a laboratory test record, digital certificate or healthcare record that indicates your full legal name, date of birth, type of test, date and time sample was taken, test result stating “POSITIVE” and laboratory, testing site, and/or healthcare provider details. Handwritten test results and photographs of at-home test results are not acceptable.

Celebrity Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For 1 to 4 Night Cruises (including holiday sailings)

For cruises of 5 nights or longer (including holiday sailings & cruise/tours)

COVID-19 Exception: For cruises departing through November 30, 2022, Celebrity will provide a 100% refund (or FCC) for any guest and their traveling party, if any test positive for COVID-19 within 10 days prior to embarkation. To qualify for a refund or FCC, the person who has tested positive must present a verified positive test in a form acceptable to Celebrity.

Celestyal Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Cunard Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For voyages of 30 nights or less on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing through February 23, 2023 (including World Voyage segments

For all other cruises or voyages of 30 nights or less on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing after February 23, 2023

For voyages of 31 nights or longer on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing through February 2023 (including World Voyages & World Voyage segments)

For all other cruises or voyages of 30 nights or less on Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, departing after February 23, 2023

Disney Cruise Line Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For sailings that depart on or before March 31, 2023) Cruises of 1 to 5 nights (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)

Cruises of 6 nights or more (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)

For sailings that depart after March 31, 2023 Cruises of 1 to 5 nights (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)

Cruises of 6 nights or more (excluding suites and concierge staterooms)

Holland America Line Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Grand World, Grand Voyages, Segments of Grand World or Grand Voyages, 28+ Day Hawaii, Tahiti & Marquesas, Tales of the South Pacific, Amazon Explorer, Incan Empires (including segments), 30+ Day Transatlantic Voyages (including segments)

All Other Voyages of 7 Nights or Longer

COVID-19 Exceptions: All cruises booked through September 30, 2022 that depart through December 31, 2022 can be canceled up to 30 days before departure through Holland America’s “Worry Free Promise” policy and receive a Future Cruise Credit in the amount of any non-refundable cancellation fees, with the remainder of what was paid for the cruise refunded to the original form of payment. Additionally, on these cruises a guest may cancel up to sailing date if they test positive for COVID-19 and receive the same remuneration.

Lindblad Expeditions Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For Departures through December 31, 2023 (National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Islander II, Delfin, The Jahan, Lord of the Glens, Oberoi Philae, and Sea Cloud)

For Departures Starting January 1, 2024 (National Geographic Venture, National Geographic Quest, National Geographic Sea Bird, National Geographic Sea Lion, National Geographic Endeavour II, National Geographic Islander II, Delfin, The Jahan, Lord of the Glens, Oberoi Philae, and Sea Cloud)

For Departures through March 31, 2024 (National Geographic Explorer, National Geographic Orion, National Geographic Endurance, and National Geographic Resolution)

MSC Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Cruises of 4 Nights or Less

Cruises of 15 Nights or Longer

MSC Yacht Club Cruises of 4 Nights or Less

MSC Yacht Club Cruises of 5 Nights or Longer

COVID-19 Exception: If a passenger tests positive for COVID-19 within 14 days, the denied passenger is entitled to a refund or future cruise credit equal in value to the amount the passenger paid to MSC. Subject to passenger providing verification satisfactory to MSC.

Norwegian Cruise Line Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

The Haven Suites, Suites, Garden Villas and Holiday Sailings

1 to 6 Day Sailings (Club Balcony Suites and Below)

Sailings of 7 Days or More (Club Balcony Suites and Below)

COVID-19 Exception: If a guest, family member or travel companion assigned to the same stateroom cancels a cruise due to testing positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of embarkation, each is entitled to a FCC for the amount paid to NCL. To qualify for the FCC, guest must present a verified positive test result in a form acceptable to NCL.

Oceania Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Cruises of 15 Days or Longer (except Around the World or World Odyssey Cruises)

For Around the World and World Odyssey Cruises

Paul Gauguin Cruises & Ponant Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

COVID-19 Exception: For a cancellation due to a positive COVID-19 test within 30 days prior to departure, Ponant will offer to transfer all funds without penalty to a different departure or provide a Future Cruise Credit worth 100% of all funds paid, valid for travel within 24 months from the original sail date.

Princess Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Sailings of 5 Days or Less

Sailings of 6 to 24 Days (including World Cruise Segments)

Sailings of 25 Days or More (including Full World Cruise & World Cruise Segments)

COVID-19 Exception: If a guest, family member living in the same household or traveling companion assigned to the same stateroom cancels a cruise due to testing positive for COVID-19 within 14 days of embarkation, all are entitled to an FCC for the amount paid to Princess Cruises. To qualify for the FCC, guest must present verified positive test result in a form acceptable to Princess Cruises.

Regent Seven Seas Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Cruises of 14 Nights or Less

Cruises of 14 Nights or Longer

Seven Seas Grandeur Inaugural Season (Nov. 25, 2023 – June 21, 2024)

Royal Caribbean International Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For Cruises of 1 to 4 Nights

For Cruises of 5 Nights or Longer

COVID-19 Exception: Effective for cruises through April 30, 2023, if a guest cancels a cruise due to their, or someone else in their traveling party, testing positive for COVID-19 within 10 days before embarkation, they and anyone else in the traveling party who cancels, are eligible for a refund of the cruise fare paid to RCI. To qualify for refund, guest must present verified positive test result in a form acceptable to Royal Caribbean.

Scenic Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For 2022 & 2023 Scenic Eclipse Ocean Cruises

Seabourn Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Cruises of 25 Days or Less

Cruises of 26 Days or Longer

COVID-19 Exception: For voyages departing on or before March 31, guests may cancel no less than 30 days prior to embarkation – or within 30 days if they or someone in their immediate travel party test positive for COVID-19 – and receive a future cruise credit.

Silversea Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For Silver Door-to-Door All-Inclusive Fares

COVID-19 Exception: On sailings through March 31, 2023, if a guest or someone in their travelling party tests positive for COVID-19 within 10 days of embarkation, all are eligible for a refund or FCC of the cruise fare paid to Silversea. To qualify, proof of verified positive test must be presented in a form acceptable to Silversea.

UnCruise Adventures Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Viking Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

For all Sailings except Grand & World Cruise Voyages

For Grand & World Cruise Voyages

Virgin Voyages Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

Windstar Cruises Days Prior to Departure | Cancellation Charge

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