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Royal Caribbean vs Carnival Cruise Refund Process
Side-by-side comparison of refund processs, conditions, and refund timelines.·Last updated: 2026-10-12
Refund Conditions
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, the booking date, and how long before the cruise the cancellation is made.
- 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.
- Any applicable taxes/fees and fuel supplement charges are refunded upon cancellation of a Cruise or CruiseTour.
- Refund requests for sailings cancelled or delayed 3+ days by Royal Caribbean must be made within six (6) months of the cancellation date or the scheduled embarkation date, whichever is earlier.
Carnival Cruise
- Before final payment, standard bookings generally have no cancellation penalty unless a non-refundable promotion or deposit applies.
- From final payment date to 56 days before sailing, the penalty is the standard deposit.
- From 55 to 30 days before sailing, the penalty is 50% of total fare or the standard deposit, whichever is greater.
- From 29 to 15 days before sailing, the penalty is 75% of total fare.
- From 14 days before sailing through no-show, the penalty is 100% of total fare.
- Government taxes, fees, and prepaid gratuities are refunded when applicable.
Refund Steps
Royal Caribbean
- Review the terms of the booking and cancellation policies, as refunds and penalties depend on the type of fare purchased, cruise length, booking date and timing of cancellation.
- If you booked directly with Royal Caribbean and need to change your original ship and/or sail date, contact the Consumer Outreach team (reservations: (866) 562-7625); change fees apply.
- 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.
Carnival Cruise
- Review your booking details and fare type before canceling, because some promotions use non-refundable deposits.
- If you booked directly with Carnival, review the booking in your profile or contact Carnival to cancel.
- If you booked through a travel advisor, cancel through the advisor.
- Confirm whether any air add-ons or extras have separate refund rules before finalizing the cancellation.
Refund Methods
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 advisor, the refund will be provided back to that travel advisor.
- If Royal Caribbean cancels a voyage or delays embarkation by 3 days or more, a future cruise credit is issued automatically, but you can request a refund instead.
Carnival Cruise
- Original payment method
Partial Refunds
Royal Caribbean
- Bookings created on or after October 11, 2026: 1–4 nights: 50% of total price charged at 74–61 days, 75% at 60–31 days; 5–9 nights: 50% at 89–61 days, 75% at 60–31 days; 10 nights or longer: 50% at 119–61 days, 75% at 60–31 days.
- Bookings created before October 11, 2026: 1–4 nights: 50% at 74–61 days, 75% at 60–31 days; 5–14 nights: 25% at 89–75 days, 50% at 74–61 days, 75% at 60–31 days; 15 nights or longer: 25% at 119–75 days, 50% at 74–61 days, 75% at 60–31 days.
- 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/fees and fuel supplement charges will be refunded.
Carnival Cruise
- Refundable amounts can be reduced by the applicable fare penalty based on the sailing date.
- Flexible Air is generally refundable outside 60 days before travel, while Restricted Air is non-refundable after booking.
Additional Notes
Royal Caribbean
- These terms apply only to bookings made in the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico; other countries have their own terms.
- The newer schedule also applies to Alaska, Hawaii, Transpacific, Panama Canal and Pacific Coastal sailings departing on or after April 11, 2028 that were booked on or after September 29, 2026.
- Cancellation charges vary for single occupancy, third and fourth occupants in a stateroom, and groups.
- Royal Caribbean reserves the right to offer promotional cruise fares or other offers that may modify the stated cancellation policies.
- Guests on chartered sailings must contact the third-party reseller about refunds for cancelled or delayed sailings.
Carnival Cruise
- Carnival's public FAQ says direct-booked guests can review penalty details in their profile before canceling.
- Air programs and some promotions follow separate rules from the standard cruise-fare schedule.