10/12/2026
NEW Cancellation Policy as of October 2026
Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises have completely overhauled their North American cancellation policies, eliminating the 25% penalty tier. This means that once you enter the penalty window, your initial fee jumps immediately to a 50% charge of your total cruise fare.
Additionally, both cruise lines will now automatically enforce cancellation penalties for 3rd and 4th guests in a cabin instead of routinely waiving them.
Royal Caribbean Schedule Changes
The cruise line has reorganized its sailing lengths into new categories, effectively shortening the penalty-free window for longer cruises:
1 to 4 Nights: Remains unchanged. Penalty-free until 75 days before sailing.
5 to 9 Nights: The 25% tier (previously 89–75 days) is gone. Canceling anywhere from 89 to 61 days before departure now triggers an automatic 50% penalty.
10+ Nights: These sailings now follow the long-cruise schedule. Your penalty-free window is cut short by a full month, meaning final payments are due and a 50% penalty kicks in at 119 to 61 days before sailing (previously, 10-to-14-night cruises had no standard penalty up to 90 days out).
All Sailings: Canceling 60–31 days out incurs a 75% penalty, and canceling 30 days or less results in a 100% penalty.
Celebrity Cruises Schedule Changes
Celebrity has consolidated its framework from three penalty tiers down to two:
1 to 5 Nights: Grouped together. The penalty window now starts later at 75 days before sailing instead of 90 days.
6+ Nights: The penalty period begins significantly earlier, starting 120 days before your sail date.
What Else to Keep in Mind
Booking Date Exceptions: These rules apply to new bookings made on or after October 11, 2026. If you have an existing reservation booked before today, your original cancellation terms are grandfathered in. Note that certain 2028 deployments (like Alaska and Hawaii) opened early and are already bound to these new rules.
Related Travel Rule Changes: If you are booking flights to catch your cruise, note that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is also introducing a new rule on October 19, 2026. It removes 10 specific events (like severe weather damage, third-party baggage system failures, and unruly passengers) from the "airline-controlled" category, meaning airlines won't owe you meals or hotel vouchers if those specific issues delay your flight to the port.
Reposted TY Rose
Mad Hatter
