I had a quick look at cancellation fees the other day and was shocked by the amount some cruise travel agents charge if you cancel a cruise or make changes to a booking. Planet Cruise, I am afraid to say came out on top when it comes to cancellation fees with a whopping £300 based on two people sharing and this does not include the cruise lines fees either!

I fully understand that travel agents need to make a profit to survive; I also understand that there is nothing more frustrating for them than people booking cruises and either cancelling them or making changes to their booking. If someone books a cruise and cancels it, until recently travel agents did not make any money while the cruise lines enjoyed the non returnable deposit which can range anywhere from £100 to 15% of the cruise (more if in the 12 week period before the cruise sails).

Likewise when someone changes details on a booking, there are often charges which can vary by cruise line and are around the £50 mark, though could technically be up to the full cost of a cruise depending on when, how and or what the changes are.

Travel agents will tell you that they put in a lot of work into generating bookings and as such deserve something from a booking even if it is cancelled. To some extent I can see their frustrations however that surely is what they are there for; to generate bookings?

As for people making changes to their bookings, travel agents should have a customer service team to oversee things like this. After all, is it not their role to act as agents for the client helping them buy a cruise holiday from a supplier? These two areas of a travel agency; generating bookings and customer service should be paid for via monies received from sales in the form of commissions. However as each agent tries to undercut their rivals they are hitting their own profits and such is life, need to find ways to grab some of this back. Hence the introduction of their own charges for cancelling or making changes to cruise bookings.

People often shop around to find the cheapest price for their chosen cruise without the thought of “what if?” What if they need to make changes or cancel their cruise; how much will it cost them? I guess more than 90% of cruisers have no idea. So I have checked out the T&C’s of some of the top cruise travel agents to see what they are charging and I think you will be shocked.

Fees Based on 2 People Sharing for a Standard Cruise/Fly Cruise

Notes

1. Iglu Cruises: Cancellation fee is £50 per person – Changes are £10 (does not say per person)
2. Ideal Cruising: Cancellation Fee is £50 per person – Changes are £20 per person
3. Cruise co uk: Cancellation fee is £50 per person – Changes are £25 per person – Changes to cabins are subject to a minimum charge of £50
4. Cruise 1st: Cancellation Fee appears to be £50 per person – Changes are £50 per person
5. Virgin Cruises: Cancellation fee is £75 per person – Changes are £35 per person
6. Planet Cruise: Cancellation fee is £125 per person plus VAT – Changes are £25 per person
7. Directline Cruises: Cancellation Fee is (Minimum) £40 per person – Changes are £25 per person

I must admit that I am sad to see how much Planet Cruise charge to cancel a cruise; at £300 Planet Cruise tops the Cancellation Fees table.