The deposit schedule, the cancellation schedule and the right to change prices come from the cruise line's contract and policy pages. A seller can add conditions of its own: Royal Caribbean's All Other Countries conditions, for example, say the travel agent's booking conditions also apply. The Royal Caribbean U.S., NCL, Carnival and Princess contracts all name the travel agent as your own agent. So the channel changes who you deal with (who holds the money, who receives refunds, who handles changes), what the seller adds (fees and perks) and which contract version applies to you. This page compares terms, not fares; the official pages do not say that booking direct costs less.
Quick answer by situation
- First cruise: a travel agent or the cruise line's phone line, for a person to call; the cruise line's contract applies either way, and an agent can add conditions of its own.
- Plans likely to change: the cruise line, or a seller that states no extra change fee; the cruise line's rules set change costs in every channel.
- Several cabins or a family group: the cruise line's group line or an agent; Royal Caribbean's online system takes up to 4 staterooms, and Costco Travel asks for a separate booking or a call beyond two.
- Price guarantee matters most: the channel whose guarantee you have read; each compares something different.
- Loyalty tier: any channel that puts your member number on the reservation at booking.
- Costco member: Costco Travel, if you accept rewards that arrive after your sailing starts and can shrink after changes.
Which contract applies to you?
This page covers Royal Caribbean, NCL, Carnival and Princess, not MSC or other lines (see how the major cruise lines compare). Royal Caribbean and Princess say "travel advisor"; this page says "travel agent".
- Royal Caribbean: the U.S. Ticket Contract applies only to guests whose primary country of residence is the U.S.; others go to the guest-terms page. Guests whose country is not listed there fall under the Booking Conditions – All Other Countries, which are governed by the laws of England and Wales. Its deposit, final-payment and cancellation FAQs cover only bookings made in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.
- Princess: one contract covers most sailings; some sailings that start in Australia, Japan, Singapore, China or Korea use another (Passage Contract page). Booked guests find the contract that applies to their booking in Manage Booking, and the Princess Cruise Lines, Ltd contract is marked "Updated August 2026 Version 1.0".
- NCL and Carnival: U.S.-website terms (NCL contract file dated February 2026; Carnival pages undated).
What do the contracts say about your travel agent?
Contract wording, not a verdict on any agent.
| Document | What it says |
|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean U.S. contract, §16 b, §8 d | The agent is your agent; the cruise line is not liable for its representations; you stay liable for the price; if the agent paid the cruise line, refunds go back to the agent |
| Royal Caribbean, All Other Countries | The agent's own conditions also apply; an authorized agent holds your money on your behalf until it is transferred (§1.5); only the agent's written cancellation is accepted, and the booking is cancelled on the date Royal Caribbean receives it (§1.10) |
| NCL terms page | The agent acts for you; NCL is not responsible if it fails to pass on a deposit or refund; the agent telephones cancellations to NCL |
| Carnival contract, §3 a | The agent is solely your agent; if it fails to pass on your money you stay liable; a refund paid to it counts as paid to you |
| Princess Passage Contract and cancellation page | The advisor is your agent; Princess is not responsible if it fails to pass on a deposit or refund; only direct bookings cancel through Princess |
Will the cruise line still help if you booked through a seller? The contract and policy pages above settle money, refunds and changes; they do not describe onboard help by channel. Royal Caribbean's payment FAQ says that if a travel advisor made your reservation you cannot view or pay the balance online and must contact your original booking agent. Costco Travel's Cruise General Information page says you can arrange add-ons such as beverage packages, spa services and specialty dining directly with the cruise line or through your online cruise planner.
How big is the deposit, and when is the final payment due?
| Cruise line and page | Deposit | Final payment |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean deposit FAQ and final-payment FAQ, bookings made in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico | Per person: $100 (1–5 nights), $250 (6–9), $450 (10–14), $500 (15+); Bermuda $250; suites 10% of the fare or the standard deposit, whichever is higher | 75 days (1–4 nights), 90 (5–14), 120 (15+); groups differ |
| Royal Caribbean, All Other Countries | Varies by length, package and category | 60–150 days before departure |
| NCL terms page, sailings departing August 15, 2022 and beyond | $100 per person (1–6 days), $250 (7 days or more); The Haven, suites and Garden Villas 10% of the voyage fare | 120 days |
| Princess cancellation page | Cruises up to 44 days: no amount stated; the refund schedule says "Deposit (unless you have upgraded to a refundable deposit)". Cruises of 45+ days: 10% at booking and 30% in total by 320 days before departure | 120 days for bookings made on or after September 2, 2026 (cruises up to 44 days); before that, 90 days (1–13 days) or 120 (14–44). Cruises of 45+ days: 120 days |
Royal Caribbean's FAQs give another schedule for reservations created on or after September 29, 2026 for Alaska, Hawaii, Transpacific, Panama Canal and Pacific Coastal sailings departing on or after April 11, 2028: $450 for 10+ nights, final payment 90 days (5–9 nights) or 120 (10+). The Carnival pages give no deposit amounts or final-payment days. Suites have their own rules (see how inside, oceanview, balcony and suite cabins differ).
Non-refundable deposits. On Royal Caribbean non-refundable deposit fares, the full deposit is kept if you cancel outside final payment, other payments are refunded, and change fees apply. Princess gives no refund of the deposit on a booking with a non-refundable deposit, and none of the cruise charges on a specially priced promotion that is 100% non-refundable from the point of payment. Carnival's Early Saver deposit is non-refundable; cancelling before final payment earns a non-refundable, non-transferable future cruise credit of the deposit less a $50 per person service fee. It is for a new reservation within 12 months of cancellation, in US dollars, and any unused part is forfeited. Promotions can have their own terms, shown in the promotion's terms and the booking confirmation.
What does cancelling cost, and which schedule applies to you?
Each row applies only to the bookings it names.
| Cruise line and page | Applies to | Charge by days before sailing |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean U.S. contract §8 b | Bookings made on or after October 11, 2026, and 2028 Alaska, Hawaii, Pacific Coastal, Panama Canal and Transpacific voyages bought from September 29, 2026; earlier bookings follow the booking confirmation | 1–4 nights: none at 75+ days, 50% (74–61), 75% (60–31), 100% (30 or fewer). 5–9 nights: none at 90+, 50% (89–61), then as above. 10+ nights: none at 120+, 50% (119–61), then as above. "None" excludes non-refundable deposit amounts |
| Princess cancellation page | Bookings made on or after September 2, 2026, cruises up to 44 days | Deposit at 120+ days (unless you upgraded to a refundable deposit); 25% (113–119); 50% (91–112); 75% (61–90); 100% (60 or fewer) |
| Princess, same page | Bookings made before September 2, 2026, cruises of 1–13 days | Deposit at 90+ days (same exception); 25% (75–89); 50% (61–74); 75% (31–60); 100% (30 or fewer) |
| NCL terms page (no effective date) | All sailings, Club Balcony Suites and below; The Haven Suites, Suites and Garden Villas | 25% (119–91), 50% (90–61), 75% (60–31), 100% (30 or fewer); Haven and suites: 25% (119–106), 50% (105–91), 75% (90–61), 100% (60 or fewer) |
| Carnival cancellation page (no effective date) | 2–5 day cruises (not Alaska, Europe, Transatlantic or Panama Canal); 6+ day cruises and all Alaska, Europe, Transatlantic and Panama Canal cruises | 2–5 days: none up to 76 days (except cruise charges with non-refundable payments), deposit (75–56). 6+ days: none up to 91 days (same exception), deposit (90–56). Both: deposit or 50% of Total Fare, whichever is greater (55–30); deposit or 75% (29–15); 100% (14 or fewer) |
- Royal Caribbean: charges are per guest, based on double occupancy; single occupancy or a third to fifth guest can differ. The cancellation FAQ gives a default table for U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico bookings with an extra 25% band (89–75 days for 5–14 nights; 119–75 for 15+), and ties the new table to reservations created on or after September 29, 2026 for the named sailings departing on or after April 11, 2028; the contract says bookings made on or after October 11, 2026. Your booking confirmation shows the schedule that applies.
- Princess: the percentage applies to the total cruise price, including Princess Plus and Princess Premier, and pre-purchased gifts and special services. The page also has tables for longer cruises.
- Carnival: the cancellation page defines Total Fare as cruise charges, transfers, pre/post-cruise packages and air supplements (restricted air is non-refundable), and says government taxes and fees and prepaid service gratuity are refunded without a cancellation penalty. Contract §7 also counts required cruise fees and expenses and government taxes and fees in Total Fare, and says prepaid taxes, fees and required cruise fees are refunded after deducting the cancellation charges that apply; prepaid service gratuity is refunded without penalty.
What happens if you change a name, a date or a ship?
- Royal Caribbean: its All Other Countries conditions let you request a name change up to 7 days before sailing (the cruise line's fee is not above US$100 per name change per booking) and other changes, such as ship or sail date, up to the final payment date, or 91 days before departure for flight-inclusive holidays (not above US$200 per guest per booking). Under those conditions Royal Caribbean does not promise to accept every change request; if it accepts, a non-refundable fee, any fare difference and third-party charges apply. Changing the lead guest or both names counts as a transfer, accepted only for the same ship, sail date and stateroom. The U.S. contract bars assigning the ticket (§18). On non-refundable deposit fares, direct bookers contact its Consumer Outreach team about a ship or sail-date change; agent bookers contact the advisor.
- NCL and Princess: name and departure-date changes count as cancellations (Princess also needs prior approval).
- Carnival: no transfer or change of the ticket without written consent (§1 d); neither its contract nor its cancellation page gives a name-change fee.
What changes when you book several cabins or a family group?
Royal Caribbean says a group reservation starts at 8 staterooms and follows a different final-payment schedule. NCL says group policies may differ. Carnival says a group contract may have its own cancellation schedule, and applies its cancellation schedule to the entire reservation of a multiple-occupancy cabin. When a Carnival fare needs a minimum number of guests per cabin, one cancellation can change the others' fare, payable by the stated time or the whole cabin is cancelled (§8 b). Princess lets no guest under 21 book, and each stateroom in a family group needs a guest aged 16 or older travelling with a parent or legal guardian (see cruising with kids and cruise age rules).
What do sellers add on top?
Other sellers have their own terms. These lines come from each seller's own help page; Costco Travel is covered below.
- Priceline Cruises: an automatic $100 cancellation charge per reservation (page updated October 6, 2025), waived if you book a different cruise on the call; if the charge applies, the $25 processing fee already collected is not refunded. Payment schedules vary by cruise line (page updated March 20, 2026).
- American Express Travel: no service fee from American Express Travel Online for changing or cancelling, though cruise-line penalties may apply. Its FAQ says that if you have not paid in full by the final due date, the cruise line cancels and you get no refund of payments made.
If the price drops after you book, do you get anything?
No page says a price drop is refunded automatically. Each guarantee compares a different thing.
| Source | What it says |
|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean Best Price Guarantee | Matches a lower price for the same cruise, date and room type on its website or call center: for the same cabin class it adjusts your fare and refunds the difference if you have paid, and a higher cabin class at a lower price may qualify for a free upgrade, subject to availability. Ask before final payment or within 24 hours of booking; not available in all countries or for all reservations |
| Princess Better Than Best Price Guarantee | Bookings made December 16, 2024 to December 15, 2025 for 2026 or 2027 cruises remain eligible before final payment. The comparison fare must be public on Princess.com with identical details; payout is onboard credit worth 120% of the difference, or another make-good Princess agrees, for residents of the 50 U.S. states, D.C. and Canada. The page does not say whether later bookings qualify |
| Priceline Cruises | Price Match page (updated August 25, 2026): 110% of the difference for a lower price on any public website within 48 hours of booking, if it is an exact match (same ship, sailing dates and cabin category), in USD, at the same rate you previously booked and are eligible for, and verifiable and bookable when you contact the seller; claim by online form, and an agent emails within 72 hours. Another page (March 5, 2025) says prices for new bookings do not typically apply to an existing reservation, and generally not after final payment |
Prices can also go up. Royal Caribbean may raise or lower published rates without notice and add supplements to existing bookings (price FAQ); its U.S. contract allows a fuel supplement of up to US$12.00 per guest per day if West Texas Intermediate closes above US$65.00 per barrel or Henry Hub gas above US$3.00 per million BTU. NCL allows a fuel supplement of up to $10.00 per passenger per day if the closing price of West Texas Intermediate Fuel on NYMEX goes above $65 per barrel.
How do onboard credit, shop cards and rewards work?
- Cruise-line credit. Royal Caribbean's guide (published August 8, 2025) says a promotional credit appears on your SeaPass account, typically two or three days into the cruise. Its FAQ says non-refundable deposit fares combine with promotional onboard credit, instant savings offers and Crown & Anchor discounts (among others it lists), but not with any other offer or promotion, including Standard Group fare, Travel Advisor, Travel Advisor friends & family, net Rates and Weekly sales events.
- Seller credit. The cruise-line pages describe the cruise line's own credit, not a seller's. Get a seller's amount, timing and conditions in writing, and ask what happens to it if you change or cancel.
- Costco Travel. Shipboard credit shows on the lead passenger's account once the sailing has started; credit from promotions or goodwill offers is non-refundable and must be used during the sailing. To cover gratuities with it, wait until you are on board; some lines may not allow it (see how cruise gratuities are charged). The Digital Costco Shop Card is emailed about 10 days after the cruise starts, to the primary member; the Executive 2% Reward applies only to select Costco Travel purchases and is applied after travel is completed, taking up to two months to show in the rewards balance.
- Loyalty points. Royal Caribbean's Crown & Anchor rules (effective January 30, 2026) and Princess's Captain's Circle terms require your member number at booking; NCL says to link it to all reservations. All three pages exclude reduced fares and list agent fares among them: Royal Caribbean "travel agent rates" (within "sailings purchased at a reduced cruise fare"), Princess "travel agent" fares (within "reduced rate fares") and NCL "travel agent rates" (within cruises "taken at a reduced fare"). The pages do not define these terms or say whether a sailing you book through an agent earns points; ask the seller and the cruise line about your fare.
What does Costco Travel require, and how do you move a booking to it?
Costco Travel's U.S. help center says every booking needs a Costco membership number. Its Booking Requirements page says cruise passenger names must match passports exactly.
- Membership. The booker need not be the traveler, but documents and invoices go to the booker's email and rewards go to the primary member. A membership started on Costco.com needs 24 hours before you can book travel online.
- Booking and payment. The Cruise Bookings page says booking takes a deposit or full payment, with no courtesy holds. The cruise line processes payments and its name shows on your card statement; scheduled payments are not available for cruises; final payment is due 104–134 days before sailing, depending on the cruise line. The Payment Information page says online bookings take Visa and Mastercard credit or debit, not American Express, Discover, checks, money orders or mileage points.
- Cancelling and changing. The Cruise Changes & Cancellation page says Costco Travel adds no cancellation fee beyond the cruise line's, and airfare is non-refundable unless stated otherwise. Cancel online if a cancel link shows on your booking; otherwise use the Cruise Cancellation Request Form. Allow up to 72 hours; penalties follow the date the cancellation is completed, not the date you submit. Name changes, adding or removing guests, cabin-category changes and ship or sail-date changes need a Costco Travel expert; smaller requests, such as a past-passenger number or dining time, go through the Cruise Change Request Form (up to 72 hours).
- If the price drops. Call to review prices; changing the booking may affect a promotion or add penalties.
To move an existing booking, every line below needs a deposit on the booking, not paid in full and not booked in a group.
| Cruise line | Booking age and other conditions | Steps and processing time |
|---|---|---|
| Royal Caribbean | 30 days or less | Complete Royal Caribbean's Travel Agency Transfer Form on its website and Costco Travel's Reservation Transfer Request; up to 10 business days after the request is received |
| NCL | 30 days or less; not created with a casino host onboard; no cruise-line airfare | Complete NCL's Direct Guest Reservation Transfer Request Form and email it to NCL (NCL accepts a scan or photo), then complete Costco Travel's Reservation Transfer Request; up to 7 business days after the request is received |
| Princess | 60 days or less | Complete Princess's US Transfer Request Form and email it to Princess, then complete Costco Travel's Reservation Transfer Request and call Costco Travel about 72 hours after submitting the form to complete the transfer |
| Carnival | 90 days or less; not within cancellation penalties | Get a PIN from Carnival and send Costco Travel your membership and booking details with the PIN; up to 7 business days after Costco Travel receives them |
Which channel fits you?
| Channel | Best for | Not for, or the drawback |
|---|---|---|
| Cruise line's site or phone line | One party for payment, refunds and changes | You handle changes and cancellations yourself |
| Travel agent | A person to handle changes and cancellations | Changes and refunds run through the agent, who can add fees |
| Online seller or card-travel portal | Seller fees and price-match rules stated in writing | Rules differ: Priceline Cruises' own page states an extra cancellation charge; American Express Travel Online's own FAQ states no service fee for changes or cancellations |
| Costco Travel | Costco members | Rewards arrive after the sailing starts and can shrink after changes |
What should you ask before you pay?
- Is the deposit refundable, and when is the final payment due?
- Which contract version and booking date set the cancellation schedule?
- Who handles changes and cancellations, and what does the seller add?
- What happens to a perk if you change or cancel?
- Does the seller's price promise expire, and what does it compare with?
- Where do refunds and your loyalty number go?
FAQ
Can I move a booking between the cruise line and an agent?
Royal Caribbean's FAQs say yes, within limits. An agent booking can move to another agent or to a direct booking up until final payment, with a Release Letter from the current agent and, if applicable, an Acceptance Letter from the new one. A direct booking can move to an agent up to 30 days from creation, outside final payment and while not paid in full, unless it has an Air2Sea ticket or the transfer changes the currency. These terms may not apply in all countries.
If my agent does not pass my money on, am I still liable?
Yes, on the pages above. The Royal Caribbean U.S., NCL, Carnival and Princess pages all say you stay liable to the cruise line.
Can changing a booking reduce a Costco Shop Card?
In two cases, yes. Costco Travel's Cruise Pricing Details page says a Future Cruise Credit applied to an existing booking may reduce the Shop Card value, based on the reduction applied to your cruise rate, and a casino rate applied to an existing booking might reduce member benefits (Shop Card, Executive reward).
Does the cruise line's price guarantee cover bookings made through an agent?
Royal Caribbean's page tells you to contact your travel partner to submit a request, and says the program is not available for all reservations. Princess's page compares only public fares on Princess.com, and says negotiated fares with travel agencies, corporations, groups or associations are not public fares. Neither page says whether a fare you booked through your own agent qualifies.
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