Can I get a partial refund from Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean?

Norwegian Cruise Line: Cancellation fees are assessed as a percentage of the cruise fare, meaning partial refunds may be issued depending on the timing of the cancellation relative to the departure date.. Royal Caribbean: Partial refunds are issued according to a sliding scale of cancellation charges based on the number of days prior to sailing..

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Norwegian Cruise Line vs Royal Caribbean Refund Process

Q: Which has a longer refund window, Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean?

Norwegian Cruise Line offers a For NCL-cancelled or delayed cruises (more than 3 days) boarding at a United States port, refund claims must be made on or before the 90th calendar day after the original scheduled embarkation. Deposits for most cruises are refundable until 90 days prior to sailing. Excursions can be modified or canceled up to 48 hours prior to arrival in port without penalty. Cancellation fees apply based on a schedule determined by the number of days prior to departure, with varying percentages of the cruise fare becoming non-refundable closer to the sailing date. refund window, while Royal Caribbean offers For cruise cancellations, the refund window and applicable charges depend on the cruise length and the time of cancellation prior to sailing. For 1-4 night cruises (including holiday sailings), a full refund (excluding nonrefundable deposits) is available for cancellations 75 days or more before the cruise. 50% of the total price is charged for cancellations 74 to 61 days prior, 75% for 60 to 31 days prior, and no refund for 30 days or less. For cruises 5 nights or over (including holiday sailings and CruiseTours), a full refund (excluding nonrefundable deposits) is available for cancellations 90 days or more before the cruise. 25% of the total price is charged for cancellations 89 to 75 days prior, 50% for 74 to 61 days prior, 75% for 60 to 31 days prior, and no refund for 30 days or less. For 15+ night cruises, there is no charge (except non-refundable deposit amounts) for cancellations 120+ days prior. A 25% charge applies for 119-61 days, 50% for 60-41 days, 75% for 40-25 days, and 100% (no refund) for 24 days or less. If a refundable cruise fare was booked, a full refund of the deposit and any other payments can be received if cancelled before the final payment due date (up to 90 days before sailing)..

Q: Which processes refunds faster, Norwegian Cruise Line or Royal Caribbean?

Norwegian Cruise Line: NCL will review refund requests for nonperformance and respond by email or U.S. mail within 180 days of the claim date. General refund processing time is about 3 to 4 weeks. For cancellations under the Peace of Mind policy, Future Cruise Credits (FCC) are applied to the guest's profile in 7 business days.. Royal Caribbean: Varies — contact provider for estimated timeline.

Side-by-side comparison of refund processs, conditions, and refund timelines.·Last updated: 2026-03-20

Quick Summary

Norwegian Cruise Line has a For NCL-cancelled or delayed cruises (more than 3 days) boarding at a United States port, refund claims must be made on or before the 90th calendar day after the original scheduled embarkation. Deposits for most cruises are refundable until 90 days prior to sailing. Excursions can be modified or canceled up to 48 hours prior to arrival in port without penalty. Cancellation fees apply based on a schedule determined by the number of days prior to departure, with varying percentages of the cruise fare becoming non-refundable closer to the sailing date. refund window with NCL will review refund requests for nonperformance and respond by email or U.S. mail within 180 days of the claim date. General refund processing time is about 3 to 4 weeks. For cancellations under the Peace of Mind policy, Future Cruise Credits (FCC) are applied to the guest's profile in 7 business days. processing, while Royal Caribbean offers For cruise cancellations, the refund window and applicable charges depend on the cruise length and the time of cancellation prior to sailing. For 1-4 night cruises (including holiday sailings), a full refund (excluding nonrefundable deposits) is available for cancellations 75 days or more before the cruise. 50% of the total price is charged for cancellations 74 to 61 days prior, 75% for 60 to 31 days prior, and no refund for 30 days or less. For cruises 5 nights or over (including holiday sailings and CruiseTours), a full refund (excluding nonrefundable deposits) is available for cancellations 90 days or more before the cruise. 25% of the total price is charged for cancellations 89 to 75 days prior, 50% for 74 to 61 days prior, 75% for 60 to 31 days prior, and no refund for 30 days or less. For 15+ night cruises, there is no charge (except non-refundable deposit amounts) for cancellations 120+ days prior. A 25% charge applies for 119-61 days, 50% for 60-41 days, 75% for 40-25 days, and 100% (no refund) for 24 days or less. If a refundable cruise fare was booked, a full refund of the deposit and any other payments can be received if cancelled before the final payment due date (up to 90 days before sailing). with Varies — contact provider for estimated timeline processing. See the full breakdown below.

Norwegian Cruise Line

Refund Window

For NCL-cancelled or delayed cruises (more than 3 days) boarding at a United States port, refund claims must be made on or before the 90th calendar day after the original scheduled embarkation. Deposits for most cruises are refundable until 90 days prior to sailing. Excursions can be modified or canceled up to 48 hours prior to arrival in port without penalty. Cancellation fees apply based on a schedule determined by the number of days prior to departure, with varying percentages of the cruise fare becoming non-refundable closer to the sailing date.

Processing Time

NCL will review refund requests for nonperformance and respond by email or U.S. mail within 180 days of the claim date. General refund processing time is about 3 to 4 weeks. For cancellations under the Peace of Mind policy, Future Cruise Credits (FCC) are applied to the guest's profile in 7 business days.

Royal Caribbean

Refund Window

For cruise cancellations, the refund window and applicable charges depend on the cruise length and the time of cancellation prior to sailing. For 1-4 night cruises (including holiday sailings), a full refund (excluding nonrefundable deposits) is available for cancellations 75 days or more before the cruise. 50% of the total price is charged for cancellations 74 to 61 days prior, 75% for 60 to 31 days prior, and no refund for 30 days or less. For cruises 5 nights or over (including holiday sailings and CruiseTours), a full refund (excluding nonrefundable deposits) is available for cancellations 90 days or more before the cruise. 25% of the total price is charged for cancellations 89 to 75 days prior, 50% for 74 to 61 days prior, 75% for 60 to 31 days prior, and no refund for 30 days or less. For 15+ night cruises, there is no charge (except non-refundable deposit amounts) for cancellations 120+ days prior. A 25% charge applies for 119-61 days, 50% for 60-41 days, 75% for 40-25 days, and 100% (no refund) for 24 days or less. If a refundable cruise fare was booked, a full refund of the deposit and any other payments can be received if cancelled before the final payment due date (up to 90 days before sailing).

Processing Time

Varies — contact provider for estimated timeline

Refund Conditions

Norwegian Cruise Line

Refunds for NCL-cancelled or delayed cruises (more than 3 calendar days) boarding at a US port are applicable if the passenger does not accept an alternative cruise or chooses not to travel on a delayed cruise.
Cancellation fees are assessed based on a schedule determined by the number of days prior to departure.
No refunds will be given for no-shows or in the event of interruption or cancellation by any passenger after the commencement of the cruise.
Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.
Deposits for bookings made using 'Buy One Get One Half Off' or 'Buy One Get One Free' promotions become non-refundable from the time of booking.
Failure to produce an original, notarized parental/guardian consent letter for minors may result in boarding being denied with no refund provided.
Air deposits made under the Interactive Air Program are non-refundable.
Reservations not paid in full by the final payment due date are subject to cancellation and associated fees.

Royal Caribbean

Cancellation charges are determined by how far in advance of the sail date (or first day of the CruiseTour) Royal Caribbean receives notice of cancellation.
Refunds and penalties for cancellation depend on the type of fare purchased, the length of the cruise, and how long before the cruise the cancellation is attempted.
If a non-refundable deposit fare was selected, the deposit amount will not be refunded at any time after it has been paid, and change fees will apply.
Cancellation by the guest after the cruise or CruiseTour has begun, early disembarkation for any reason, or 'no-shows' shall be without refund, compensation, or liability.
For cancellations of air flights, hotel stays, transfer services, shore excursions, pre-purchased amenities, and other pre-booked services, applicable terms and conditions and cancellation charges apply.
Taxes and fees, gratuities, and fuel supplement charges will be refunded if applicable upon cancellation of a Cruise or CruiseTour.

Refund Steps

Norwegian Cruise Line

For NCL-cancelled or delayed cruises, submit a refund request using the Case Submission Form on or before the 90th calendar day after the original scheduled embarkation.
Submit required documentation including a copy of the boarding pass/documents, proof of payment, and a copy of the cancellation or delay notice (if booked directly with NCL).
If booked through a travel advisor, they may complete the form and submit the required documentation.
For general cancellations, requests for refunds must be submitted in writing to Norwegian Cruise Line.
Cruise tickets, air tickets, transfer coupons, and/or vacation package vouchers must be returned before a refund can be made.
Cancellations (except for excursions) must be telephoned to the Reservations Department by your travel agent.
To cancel an excursion, write 'Cancel' on the tickets and return them to the Shore Excursion Desk or Drop Box up to 48 hours prior to arrival in port.

Royal Caribbean

Review the terms of the booking and cancellation policies, as refunds and penalties depend on the type of fare purchased, cruise length, and timing of cancellation.
If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean and need to change your original ship and/or sail date with a non-refundable deposit, contact the Consumer Outreach team at (866) 562-7625.
If you booked via a travel advisor, contact them for any booking changes or cancellations.
To cancel existing orders for pre-cruise products like Shore Excursions, Beverage Packages, Specialty Dining, and Spa services, use 'My Royal Cruise' or contact 1-800-398-9819 for Pre-Cruise Planning Assistance.
For specialty dining reservations, cancellations must be made on the My Royal Cruise website at least 24 hours before your reservation time to avoid a fee.

Refund Methods

Norwegian Cruise Line

Refund of cruise fare and charges for accommodations, services, and facilities (including port fees, taxes, and other ancillary charges).
NCL may offer an alternative such as a future cruise credit, which guests are free to decline.
Guests who purchase NorwegianCare or BookSafe may be eligible for up to 100% cash-back for qualified reasons or credits (90% for Platinum, 75% for Standard) for non-refundable cancellation charges if the reason is not covered.

Royal Caribbean

If payment was received via credit card, the refund will be made to that credit card.
If payment was received from a travel agent, the refund will be provided back to that travel agent.

Partial Refunds

Norwegian Cruise Line

Cancellation fees are assessed as a percentage of the cruise fare, meaning partial refunds may be issued depending on the timing of the cancellation relative to the departure date.
Cancellation fees for air, land, and other add-on charges may apply even if the reservation is not canceled in full.

Royal Caribbean

Partial refunds are issued according to a sliding scale of cancellation charges based on the number of days prior to sailing.
If a non-refundable deposit cancellation occurs outside of final payment, the full deposit amount will be held as a penalty, but any additional payments made will be refunded.
Any applicable Taxes and Fees, Gratuities, and Fuel Supplement charges will be refunded.

Dispute Process

Norwegian Cruise Line

NCL will review refund requests and respond. If NCL determines a guest is entitled to a refund, their response may include an offer of an alternative (e.g., a future cruise credit), which the guest is free to decline.

Royal Caribbean

Not available

Additional Notes

Norwegian Cruise Line

Norwegian Cruise Line's Payment and Cancellation Policy is subject to change without notice.
Group passenger policies may differ from individual bookings.
Air tickets issued by Norwegian Cruise Line's Air/Sea Department are refundable only to Norwegian Cruise Line.
No refunds will be given for any missed days of a Land Package.
Failure to provide the correct complete legal name prior to final payment will result in a non-refundable change fee of $150 USD.
For assistance, guests may contact Norwegian Cruise Line at 1-866-234-7350 (Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to Midnight, Eastern Time, and Saturday-Sunday 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Eastern Time).

Royal Caribbean

The provided policy details are for US bookings; different cancellation policies may apply for bookings made outside of the United States and Canada.
Royal Caribbean reserves the right to offer promotional cruise fares or other offers that may modify the stated cancellation policies.
The Cruise Ticket Contract or Booking Conditions contain important limitations on passenger rights, including provisions relating to limitation of liability, forum selection, governing law, and alternative dispute resolution.

Read the full refund processs

Norwegian Cruise Line Refund Process

Full details, exceptions, and more

Royal Caribbean Refund Process

Full details, exceptions, and more