Carnival Cruise Line is an internationally oriented cruise line headquartered in Doral, Florida. Carnival Corporation & plc is the parent company of this company. The company’s logo features a funnel that looks like a tail of a whale, along with a red, blue, and white color scheme. The line’s ships feature this trademark funnel design. Carnival ranks first in the cruise line’s passenger count based on how many passengers they carry each year.

Carnival Cruise Line

Cancellation Policy

Cancelling your booking before your final payment is due will not result in a penalty, unless you have booked a promotion that requires a non-refundable deposit or fare.

  • Cruises of 5 days or less are due 76 days before sailing. Cruises of 6 days or longer require a final payment by 91 days before sailing.
  • These promotions require a non-refundable deposit or fare at the time of booking. You will be punished accordingly. Regular penalties will be applied within our cancellation policy period.
  • Early Saver: After the booking has been made, the deposit cannot be refunded. Cancellations made before the due date for final payment will be issued a future, non-refundable, and non-transferable cruise credit in US Dollars in the amount of the deposit plus a $50 USD per-person service fee. You can only use the future cruise credit on a new cruise booking that is made within 12 months of the date of cancellation. Any unutilized portion of the credit will be forfeited.
  • Super Saver: After the booking has been made, the deposit cannot be refunded.
  • Pack and Go: The 100% Total Fare is non-refundable after booking has been made.
  • The penalty for cancelling your cruise booking within the cancellation period will increase as you get closer to departure. The day of sailing is not included in the calculation of days before sailing. The first day of a cruise is the day of sailing.
  • The penalty is the standard deposit amount. It starts at the last payment date and ends 56 days before sailing.
  • The penalty for sailing less than 55 days before sailing is equal to 50% of the total fare, or the standard deposit amount.
  • The penalty for sailing less than 29 days before departure is 75% of either the total fare, or the standard deposit amount.
  • The penalty for not sailing within 14 days of your cruise is 100%*.
  • If you don’t show up on your cruise, or if your vacation is canceled or interrupted after it begins, there will not be any refunds.

The total fare includes the Cruise Fare, Transfer Service, and Pre/Post Cruise Vacation Packages. Fly2Fun Restricted Air is not refundable at time of booking.
Notice: The 100% penalty will be refunded only if the following are included: Taxes and fees, port Expenses, and optional prepaid gratuities.

Please note:

that if you have booked Carnival’s Fly2Fun, it will affect the cancellation of your air ticket.

  • Flexible Air: Air can be refunded if it is not used within 60 days of sailing. Changes made within 60 days of sailing are subject to penalties.
  • Restricted Air: The air is non-refundable upon booking.
  • Carnival guests who booked directly with Carnival: Log in to your carnival.com account to check if you are subject to cancellation penalties. Click on the link ‘Is there any penalty for cancelling this reservation’ under the section ‘My Cruise Details.

For guests who booked via a travel agent/advisor: To find out if you are subject to cancellation penalties, please contact your travel agent.

How to cancel Carnival Cruise booking

Cancellation before the Final Payment:

This is the most basic and straightforward tier of Carnival Cruises cancellation policy. You will likely get a full refund if you cancel before making your final payment. You should mark this date in your calendar as it may be 3 months before you sail.

Your deadline for a short cruise will be longer than for a longer one. The final payment deadline for cruises shorter than 5 days is 75 days prior to sailing. Cruises of 6 days or more require a final payment 90 days before sailing. You will be able to cancel your 3 or 4-day cruise within a few weeks and receive a full refund.

 If the promotion you booked included a cruise, it might not be possible to rescind the deposit or the fare. If you are unsure if you can make the trip, it is a good idea to keep an eye out for these deals.

You have the best chance of getting your money back if you cancel your cruise at least 3 months or 90 days before the sailing. There are no cancellation fees, and you will get your money back. No matter how long the trip is, this is the best option. You will be charged the fees outlined below if you cancel after these dates.

Cancellation after Final Payment:

Cancellations made after the final payment due date will be subject to a penalty system. These penalties will increase with the date of departure. You can use a calendar to see the penalties that will apply depending on when you cancel your cruise.

The first tier applies between 89 to 56 days before your sailing date and between 12 and 8 months after your departure. The penalty here is your standard deposit amount. If you cancel within these limits, the rest of your money is returned to you.

Next, you have 55 days to cancel before sailing and 30 days after sailing. Cancellation fees of 50% or more will apply between 8 and 4 weeks before sailing. The fee will be refunded for the remainder.

There is also a tier that you can choose between 29 and 15 days before your sailing date. Your fee at this stage will be 75% of your total fare, or the standard deposit amount whichever is higher. It will be harder to cancel your spot if you do not cancel by this time.

From the day of your cruise, the final tier will be between 14 and 0 days. The penalty is now 100% of your total fare. Your fare will not be refunded, but any additional packages that you have purchased will. No-shows to reservations will not be eligible for a refund. However, any additional packages you have booked will be refunded.

 When calculating the days before the cruise, it is important to remember that the day of sailing will be considered the first day. You should cancel your Carnival Cruise as soon as possible. Even after the final payment deadline has passed, you will get a greater refund if you cancel your Carnival Cruise sooner than later.

Special Deals:

Carnival cruisers can enjoy great prices with the Early Saver promotion. This is the lowest core rate available when it’s open. These Early Saver promotions offer price protection up to two business days before sailing. The deposit cannot be refunded after the booking has been made.

 For short cruises of less than 5 days, the Early Saver prices can be accessed up to 76 days before sailing and for longer cruises up to 91 days before sailing (6 days or more). They are only available until the usual cancellation date, so you won’t have much chance to get a refund.

Refund

Refunds for COVID-19-specific reasons:

Carnival has yet to finalize its COVID-19 policies, but the current ticket contract allows for denial of boarding to any guest who is unable to travel. In such cases, there is no refund.

Pricing Guarantees:

For the first 48 hours following a booking, Carnival guarantees the lowest possible price on cruise fares. You will receive onboard credit for the 110 percent difference in price between what you paid and what you find.

Cancel the cruise:

Cancellations made within 76 nights of sailing date for shorter cruises up to 5 days are eligible for full refunds. For longer sailings, cancellations made within 91 nights of sailing date will be subject to a 9% fee. Cancellation fees will be charged for cancellations made within these dates.

Carnival cancels the cruise:

You can get full refunds or accept future cruise credit with additional onboard credit. This depends on how long the cruise is.

 All pre-paid Wi-Fi or beverage packages will be refunded in full according to the payment method used.