New DCL PIF Date Rules

[Ila Sikorski]

Just received this email from DCL.
We are supposed to be on a 7 Night SWDAS end of January.

 

[TestingH2O]

Just got an email from DCL that final payment dates for cruises through March 31, 2021 have been extended to 60 days prior to sailing.

All of us at Disney Cruise Line continue to think of you and your family. We realize these are uncertain times for many of our Guests, and want to let you know we’ve temporarily modified our final payment and cancellation policies to provide you with greater flexibility.

For sailings through March 31, 2021, we are temporarily extending final payment until 60 days prior to sailing for Guests booked in unrestricted stateroom categories. This means that those Guests who have not yet reached their final payment due date can wait until up to 60 days prior to sailing to pay for their cruise vacation. Onboard cruise activities can be scheduled within your Castaway Club booking window once final payment is received.

In addition, we are temporarily relaxing our cruise cancellation fee schedule for sailings through March 31, 2021, as described below.

Cruises 1 to 5 Nights (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date Fee Amount
60 days or more No fee
59 – 45 days Deposit per Guest
44 – 30 days 50% of vacation price per Guest
29 – 15 days 75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less 100% of vacation price per Guest

Cruises 6 Nights or More (Excluding Suites and Concierge Staterooms)
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date Fee Amount
60 days or more No fee
59 – 56 days Deposit per Guest
55 – 30 days 50% of vacation price per Guest
29 – 15 days 75% of vacation price per Guest
14 days or less 100% of vacation price per Guest

Suites and Concierge Staterooms
Days Prior to Vacation Commencement Date Fee Amount
60 days or more Deposit per Guest
59 – 56 days 50% of vacation price per Guest
55 – 30 days 75% of vacation price per Guest
29 days or less 100% of vacation price per Guest

Categories with Restrictions
Reservations for Inside, Outside or Verandah Categories with Restrictions remain nonrefundable and nontransferable.

These temporary changes are in addition to our Cruise Date Flexibility Option that already allows Guests the flexibility to change their sail date up to 15 days prior to departure for any cruise booked by October 31, 2020 for scheduled sailings on or before May 31, 2021. Additional details on the Cruise Date Flexibility Option can be found on our website at DisneyCruise.com.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard for your sailing and hope that this added flexibility is helpful.
Sincerely,

The Cast and Crew
Disney Cruise Line

 

[DCLDVC1]

I don't think that's a good sign.

 

[Ila Sikorski]

I don't think that's a good sign.

I don’t see the ship sailing and if it is..We probably won’t be on it. Today was actually our original PIF day but we already have Sept 2021 booked to move this deposit to.

 

[MomOTwins]

I got this email too. I was so scared opening up the email thinking "have they cancelled March already?" and was really happy to see this instead. I know we might not sail, but I appreciate not having to tie up my funds until a bit closer in time. Am impressed they are loosening it for Concierge too even though that doesn't apply to us--I always thought the non-refundable deposit was one of the biggest downsides to booking Concierge in these uncertain times.

 

[AgentMama]

I don't think that's a good sign.

Definitely looks as though they're hedging and don't think they'll be operational before then.

 

[Husker Mike]

H/T: DisneyCruiseLineBlog

• Guests who experience one or more of the qualifying scenarios within 14 days prior to embarkation may change their sail date on the same terms as the Cruise Date Flexibility offer. Qualifying scenarios include Guests who:
  

  • Have symptoms of COVID-19
  • Have a temperature of 100.4°F or greater
  • Have had known exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the previous 14 days
  • Have tested positive for COVID-19
  • Indicate a high health risk in response to any questions contained in the Disney Cruise Line health questionnaire

  [*]Guests who do not wish to select a new sail date will be provided a full refund without Disney imposed cancellation fees in their original form of payment.
  [*]Guests who experience one or more of the qualifying scenarios and do not contact Disney Cruise Line prior to their cruise vacation will not be able to sail and will receive a full refund without Disney imposed cancellation fees.

The way this reads is that for cruses through May 31, 2021, if you come down with anything COVID-esque or are exposed to anyone with COVID in the 14 days prior to departure, you can reschedule or receive a refund. I assume that once Disney is able to implement testing at the port, if you test positive and are denied boarding, you get a refund (or can reschedule).

 

[T & R]

This helps with a lot of people's concerns that they would test positive at the port and lose their cruise and their money. DCL is giving you a refund or a do over option. (Ban ends in 5 days!!!).

 

[Snowwhyt]

So I don’t believe that Disney will be the first to sail, but how soon after the first US cruise would they follow? Day’s, week’s, a month?

 

[MomOTwins]

This is fantastic!!! I had been worried that, having had Covid already, there could be some lingering dead virus in my system that could create a positive result months from now. Knowing we can reschedule if we get a positive test is a HUGE relief to me.

The one thing I don't love about this is the second asterisk, coupled with the high risk. So if I am high risk, I can't sail, period, even if I am willing to take the risk???? I want to see that questionnaire to know what they define as high risk.

 

[hnthomps]

We got this email as well, for our late March sailling.

Question though. We are already PIF, as we were supposed to sail in March 2020, and moved it a year forward very close to the sail date when all this started -- and since we moved from an 8 night to a 7 night, and got the credit for moving it, etc etc, it's PIF plus an OBC.

The way I read this, if we cancel before 60 days out (mid-January) we get all our money back. Am I reading that right?

 

[mrp4352]

Interestingly, we go this email for our cruise that has already passed the PIF.

 

[MomOTwins]

The way I read this, if we cancel before 60 days out (mid-January) we get all our money back. Am I reading that right?

Yep.

 

[MomOTwins]

Interestingly, we go this email for our cruise that has already passed the PIF.

They are sending this to cruises that are past PIF because it also moves the cancellation penalty dates not just the PIF dates. So now you can cancel up to 60 days before the cruise or a full refund.

 

[T & R]

Seems like they're trying to take away people's reasons to not put down money on a cruise. During a normal non-Covid year, the Spring 2022 itinerary release would be days/weeks away and would be released sometime between 09/28 and 11/09 based on recent history. By them trying to take away reasons for people not to invest in a Disney Cruise, hopefully this may mean that the itinerary release schedule is getting back on track and that we may get a Spring 2022 itinerary release in the upcoming weeks like it normally would come out. I know the new policy is only to May of next year but still it's a start in taking away people's fears and looks like DCL is trying to generate some deposit cash. What better way to generate deposit cash then to release the itineraries on time?

 

[DisneYE]

This is fantastic!!! I had been worried that, having had Covid already, there could be some lingering dead virus in my system that could create a positive result months from now. Knowing we can reschedule if we get a positive test is a HUGE relief to me.

The one thing I don't love about this is the second asterisk, coupled with the high risk. So if I am high risk, I can't sail, period, even if I am willing to take the risk???? I want to see that questionnaire to know what they define as high risk.

I think getting a full refund/rebooking for Covid-related cancelations by DCL at port is great & kind of normal I think. And tbh I'm extremely thankful they're doing this.
If they didn't it would've created an uproar and triggered mass cancellations.
Can you imagine being denied boarding at port and the cruise line saying "oh well, tough luck, no money back" ... I'd be up in arms, as most people would.

The other point you make is scary. It'd be devastating to be denied boarding if the test catches it all the while you thought you were healthy. Imagine all the asymptomatic ppl that will get denied. Just thinking about it makes me cringe. I have allergies and I sneeze lots and have a runny nose every morning. I could easily fail a test. Scary stuff.

 

[insureman]

This is great news! It was the only thing holding us back from booking in the Spring. Here's the DCL link
https://disneycruise.disney.go.com/special-offers/cruise-date-flexibility/#flexible-refund-policyThe other part that I like is you can cancel even if you were exposed!

Flexible Refund Policy

• Guests who experience one or more of the qualifying scenarios within 14 days prior to embarkation may change their sail date on the same terms as the Cruise Date Flexibility offer. Qualifying scenarios include Guests who:
  • Have symptoms of COVID-19
  • Have a temperature of 100.4°F or greater
  • Have had known exposure to a person with COVID-19 within the previous 14 days
  • Have tested positive for COVID-19
  • Indicate a high health risk in response to any questions contained in the Disney Cruise Line health questionnaire
• Guests who do not wish to select a new sail date will be provided a full refund without Disney imposed cancellation fees in their original form of payment.
• Guests who experience one or more of the qualifying scenarios and do not contact Disney Cruise Line prior to their cruise vacation will not be able to sail and will receive a full refund without Disney imposed cancellation fees.

 

[Snowwhyt]

They are sending this to cruises that are past PIF because it also moves the cancellation penalty dates not just the PIF dates. So now you can cancel up to 60 days before the cruise or a full refund.

I got the letter and my PIF date has not come for my January date. But it’s close.

 

[FigmentSpark]

If I can still get my money back, there's no hurry to cancel. What I really want to do is wait for the 2022 spring cruises to release. But I don't want to be in a position where nothing is refundable, even if it is movable, since I don't know if my son will be able to cruise with us when we finally get back to it.

 

[MomOTwins]

Can you imagine being denied boarding at port and the cruise line saying "oh well, tough luck, no money back" ... I'd be up in arms, as most people would.

Except that is exactly what used to be the case. Plenty of people have been denied boarding for illness in the pat. My husband spent his first Disney Cruise in quarantine because he came down with a stomach bug after dinner on the first day. And it was absolutely "tough luck, no money back" for us--we even had the Disney cruise insurance, but they gave us the runaround and wouldn't grant our claim and we didn't want to go through the expense of taking them to court. Now that was shipboard quarantine but denial of boarding works the same--it's up to insurance; the cruise contract you signed did not provide for refunds if you are denied boarding due to illness.

Knowing Disney is basically giving everyone free denial-of-boarding insurance without having to go through the insurance claims process is a huge plus.