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Royal Caribbean vs Carnival Cruise Refund Process

Side-by-side comparison of refund processs, conditions, and refund timelines.·Last updated: 2026-03-21

Quick Summary

Royal Caribbean has a 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). refund window with Varies — contact provider for estimated timeline processing, while Carnival Cruise offers Standard fares generally have no penalty before final payment; after final payment, penalties increase based on the number of days before sailing. with The public FAQ does not publish a standard refund processing timeline. processing. See the full breakdown below.

Royal Caribbean logo

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

Category

travel
Carnival Cruise logo

Carnival Cruise

Refund Window

Standard fares generally have no penalty before final payment; after final payment, penalties increase based on the number of days before sailing.

Processing Time

The public FAQ does not publish a standard refund processing timeline.

Category

travel

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, 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.

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, 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.

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 agent, the refund will be provided back to that travel agent.

Carnival Cruise

  • Original payment method

Partial Refunds

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.

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

  • 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.

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.