Flexible refund policy for covid?

[lanejudy]

Not sure how this could end at any current date. It is advertised that you can book with confidence because of this policy. So I can book today a cruise for July 2023 knowing that Disney has a Flexible Refund policy. They cannot take that away suddenly after I have been baited into booking under the policy. IMO

I expect they'll give a few weeks notice. Or give a special cancellation period for those who are already within their penalty phase -- similar to what they've done each time a major change in vaccine/testing requirements changed. They aren't going to keep it indefinitely and since they are always booking at least 12-18 months out, some cruises will be booked before the policy ends.

 

[KevinFL]

I expect they'll give a few weeks notice. Or give a special cancellation period for those who are already within their penalty phase -- similar to what they've done each time a major change in vaccine/testing requirements changed. They aren't going to keep it indefinitely and since they are always booking at least 12-18 months out, some cruises will be booked before the policy ends.

I hope not to me that would be false advertising. They advertise as "book with confidence" because of this policy. So if I make plans for a July 2023 Disney Cruise under this premise, I am now giving up the opportunity of planning a different vacation and committing to this Disney cruise under these terms. If DCL after I have booked relying on this flexible refund policy tries to take it away then I think that is false advertising IMO. As with all things we will see unless someone has concrete info in the meantime.

 

[lanejudy]

Covid-related policies are dropping very quickly, no reason to believe this will stick around indefinitely. Personally I think they'll keep it as long as they have the extended final payment and relaxed cancellation fees in place. It is noted as a "temporary modification."

 

[Snowwhyt]

No stress “Grandfather clauses”
Nothing will be taken away, just not offered in the future. Just like the $100 booking credit I got. Bought a place holder the last week it was offered and got it extended because of Covid. I like Grandpa!

 

[KevinFL]

No stress “Grandfather clauses”
Nothing will be taken away, just not offered in the future.

I agree with this. DCL is taking in millions in $$$ new bookings based off their advertising of "Book with Confidence" Flexible Refund Policy. There are no dates or language to serve notice that this can end after you have already been roped in to book with confidene because of the policy. I have personally made many future bookings up through Nov 2023 based off this and expect it to be honored

 

[lanejudy]

It does say temporary:


I'm not saying that I want DCL to drop it. But since the restart this policy has always been listed as a temporary policy. I personally would NOT trust that DCL will still have this policy exactly as it has been if even still in place by next summer; I would be getting my own insurance to cover my investment. Too many people have ended up on the raw end of policy changes that didn't work in their favor over the past couple of years - I simply would not trust it to remain or to be grandfathered.

 

[KevinFL]

It does say temporary:
View attachment 703745

I'm not saying that I want DCL to drop it. But since the restart this policy has always been listed as a temporary policy. I personally would NOT trust that DCL will still have this policy exactly as it has been if even still in place by next summer; I would be getting my own insurance to cover my investment. Too many people have ended up on the raw end of policy changes that didn't work in their favor over the past couple of years - I simply would not trust it to remain or to be grandfathered.

Hi lanejudy I disagree that would be so vague and not how a large coporation would put forth the terms of such a significant policy. "Temporary" means these are temporarily offered policies for new bookings. It does not mean that you book under the premise of the policy but it can suddenly be taken away afterwards from your booking at anytime. How can you book with confidence under a refund policy if it is a policy that can disapear on your booking after you have made it? That would not make sense. The way it reads and interprets in english is that you are covered with the flexible refund policy for the life of that booking

 

[malba2366]

At this point, I can't find an end date for the flexible refund policy for covid but I can't imagine that Disney will keep it around forever. What are the chances that Disney will give us a heads up that it is going away before final payments are due? We have a placeholder on a short cruise in October and I worry that Disney might take our flexibility to cancel because of covid. Are we at the point that we need to have insurance to cover canceling cruises for covid?

Check your credit card benefits. Some have quite generous travel insurance included, so that you do not need to go out and buy a policy at additional cost.

 

[KevinFL]

"Temporary" is refering to the many policies being temprarily offered. They advertise to "Book with Confidence" because there is a "Flexible Refund Policy" that allows you a full refund if you have the listed covid issues within 14 days of your sailing. So if I read this offered flexible refund policy, and book with confidence a sailing in November 2023, they cannot take away this flexible refund policy as I have booked knowing that within 14 days of my Nov 2023 sailing I can get a full refund under the terms of the policy. Otherwise how am I booking with confidence on a refund policy that might disapear overnight? No where on the policy does it state dates or that it can dissapear after you have booked with confidence knowing that you have he felxible refund policy. If that were to be taken away that IMO would be consumer class action lawsuit. You are placing incorrect meaning on the word 'temporary' from a different portion of the website. They could remove this policy tomorrow but anyone who booked while it was available should be covered by that policy. IMO.

 

[starry_solo]

You need to click on “read more” on all the options. The flexible COVID policy talks about modifying a future sail date to a date no later than September 30, 2023. so, I would expect it to not apply to any cruises that occur after that date

 

[DMickey]

I agree with this. DCL is taking in millions in $$$ new bookings based off their advertising of "Book with Confidence" Flexible Refund Policy. There are no dates or language to serve notice that this can end after you have already been roped in to book with confidene because of the policy. I have personally made many future bookings up through Nov 2023 based off this and expect it to be honored

View attachment 703742

View attachment 703743

Does anyone have the date this policy was last updated?

 

[Snowwhyt]

It does say temporary:
View attachment 703745

I'm not saying that I want DCL to drop it. But since the restart this policy has always been listed as a temporary policy. I personally would NOT trust that DCL will still have this policy exactly as it has been if even still in place by next summer; I would be getting my own insurance to cover my investment. Too many people have ended up on the raw end of policy changes that didn't work in their favor over the past couple of years - I simply would not trust it to remain or to be grandfathered.

I’m not sure I’m reading this right so I’m asking for clarity.
So say it’s December 2 and without a ton of fanfare they ended the policy December 1.

Would you say I understood your post if…

Vacation family: “We need to cancel our reservation my son, who’s not traveling with us, has Covid”.
Disney Reservation agent: “We Understand you’ve had a reservation for eight months under the old policy but that ended yesterday. You will not be getting a refund.”

I’m dyslexic so I do misinterpret things.

 

[0FF TO NEVERLAND]

If I pay off a upcoming cruise that departs in 3 months, would they allow me to change the trip to a later date after full payment?

 

[malba2366]

I think the policy will be changed soon, especially now that the president has declared that the pandemic is over. It will probably remain in effect for bookings made before the change, or at the very least cruises that outside the full refund period before the change, because the t&c can't be unilaterally changed without giving the customer an opportunity to back out of the deal.

 

[closetmickey]

I think the policy will be changed soon, especially now that the president has declared that the pandemic is over. It will probably remain in effect for bookings made before the change, or at the very least cruises that outside the full refund period before the change, because the t&c can't be unilaterally changed without giving the customer an opportunity to back out of the deal.

So the hope is that once it it removed, that any current booking past the PIF date would have the opportunity to cancel for a set amount of time? Isn’t that what has been happening….letters are sent out with the policy change and everyone is given the opportunity to cancel?
Hope this makes sense…cant seem to find the words tonight!

 

[gismo1554]

So the hope is that once it it removed, that any current booking past the PIF date would have the opportunity to cancel for a set amount of time? Isn’t that what has been happening….letters are sent out with the policy change and everyone is given the opportunity to cancel?
Hope this makes sense…cant seem to find the words tonight!

I would assume so. The removal of testing for vaccinated guests had a clause that you could cancel without penalty for a few weeks after the policy was implemented even if you were past paid i full date. I would expect something similar

 

[KevinFL]

So the hope is that once it it removed, that any current booking past the PIF date would have the opportunity to cancel for a set amount of time? Isn’t that what has been happening….letters are sent out with the policy change and everyone is given the opportunity to cancel?
Hope this makes sense…cant seem to find the words tonight!

I don't think so. I think refund policy would stay in force on bookings made under those terms. I gave up on better pricing and options for other future vacations to select a Disney cruise base on the advertised policy. They cannot then take away after baiting me in and tell me I can cancel they would have taken away my other options for other travel that no longer exists or now is more costly and thereby causing me damages. I think if you book while flexible refund is advertised that it applies to the life of that booking.

 

[KevinFL]

"Temporary" is referring to the many policies being temporarily offered and is used in describing multiple policies currently being offered. It would be insinuating language that does not exist there to try and say that applies specifically to flexible refund and that the policy can disappear after you have booked. They would need to add strong terms and language within the advertisement of that specific policy that it can disappear on your booking after you have booked. Instead the words and language in the advertisement of the flexible refund policy make it clear what is offered and what you can expect for the life of that booking.

They advertise to "Book with Confidence" because there is a "Flexible Refund Policy" that allows you a full refund if you have the listed covid issues within 14 days of your sailing. So if I read this offered flexible refund policy, and book with confidence a sailing in November 2023, they cannot take away this flexible refund policy as I have booked knowing that within 14 days of my Nov 2023 sailing I can get a full refund under the terms of the policy. Otherwise how am I booking with confidence on a refund policy that might disapear overnight? No where on the policy does it state dates or that it can dissapear after you have booked with confidence knowing that you have he felxible refund policy. If that were to be taken away that IMO would be consumer class action lawsuit. They could remove this policy tomorrow but anyone who booked while it was available should be covered by that policy for the life of their booking

 

[lanejudy]

I’m not sure I’m reading this right so I’m asking for clarity.
So say it’s December 2 and without a ton of fanfare they ended the policy December 1.

Would you say I understood your post if…

Vacation family: “We need to cancel our reservation my son, who’s not traveling with us, has Covid”.
Disney Reservation agent: “We Understand you’ve had a reservation for eight months under the old policy but that ended yesterday. You will not be getting a refund.”

I’m dyslexic so I do misinterpret things.

So there have been 4 temporary "Book with Confidence" policies:

The "Cruise Date Flexibility" is almost expired - only valid for cruises through 9/30/2022.

Two go hand-in-hand and pertain to PIF and cancellation fees. Currently that is extended for sailings through March 31, 2023. Essentially you can wait to PIF until 60 days prior to the cruise without incurring penalty.

The final has no specified end date. It essentially allows cancellation within 14 days of the cruise for full refund. I expect they will give a type of "warning" period as they have with other policy changes. Probably enough to allow anyone who is already within the penalty phase a free option to cancel; those who are not yet within the penalty phase would already have ability to cancel without penalty. I highly doubt it would end without announcement, so your hypothetical situation is highly unlikely.

 

[sethschroeder]

What did DCL do in the past if you had the flu before your trip?

I can't believe there wouldn't be some option moving forward for the long term. I think Disney realizes so few people use the policy that it's likely a rounding error in the grand scheme.