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Celebrity Cruises’ refund policy depends mainly on when you cancel, the length of your cruise, your fare conditions, and where you booked. Some reservations can receive a full refund of eligible amounts when cancelled early, while cancellations closer to departure can result in substantial charges or no refund.
Celebrity Cruises also states that some fare programs require a non-refundable deposit, meaning that deposit is not returned even when the reservation is cancelled within a period that otherwise has no cancellation charge.
The policy is also different when Celebrity Cruises cancels the cruise or delays embarkation by three days or more. In qualifying situations, guests who choose not to sail may be eligible for a refund or future cruise credit.
Because the exact rules can change by itinerary and booking conditions, it is important to check the cancellation terms attached to your specific reservation before cancelling.
The basic principle is simple: the closer you are to the sailing date when you cancel, the greater the potential cancellation charge.
For many U.S. bookings, Celebrity currently publishes separate cancellation schedules for shorter and longer cruises.
For cruises of one to four nights, the published cancellation schedule is:
| Cancellation timing | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| 75 days or more before sailing | No charge, except non-refundable deposits |
| 74–61 days | 50% of total price |
| 60–31 days | 75% of total price |
| 30 days or less | 100% of total price |
These charges are based on Celebrity Cruises' current published cruise contract.
For cruises of five nights or longer, the general published schedule is:
| Cancellation timing | Cancellation charge |
|---|---|
| 90 days or more before sailing | No charge, except non-refundable deposits |
| 89–75 days | 25% of total price |
| 74–61 days | 50% of total price |
| 60–31 days | 75% of total price |
| 30 days or less | 100% of total price |
Therefore, cancelling earlier can make a significant difference to the amount you may recover.
Not always.
Celebrity Cruises specifically says that select fare programs require a non-refundable deposit at the time of booking. Once paid, that deposit is not refunded. Change fees can also apply to reservations with a non-refundable deposit.
This means that seeing "no cancellation charge" in a cancellation schedule does not necessarily mean you will receive every dollar you paid back.
Before cancelling, check whether your reservation includes:
The terms shown with your particular booking should take priority when determining the amount you can recover.
Celebrity Cruises states that applicable Taxes/Fees and Fuel Supplement charges are refundable when a cruise or CruiseTour reservation is cancelled, subject to the applicable cancellation terms.
However, the amount actually returned can depend on the cancellation charges applicable to the booking.
For example, a cancellation close to departure may result in a 100% cancellation charge on the cruise fare while certain prepaid taxes and fees remain refundable under the applicable contract.
Potentially, yes—but "full refund" needs to be understood carefully.
If you cancel sufficiently far before departure and your fare does not contain a non-refundable deposit, Celebrity's published schedule may impose no cancellation charge.
For example, the current general schedule for a five-night-or-longer cruise shows no cancellation charge when cancellation is made 90 or more days before sailing, except for non-refundable deposits.
A reservation may still contain other non-refundable products or services, so guests should review the complete booking terms rather than assuming every amount will automatically be returned.
This is one of the most important parts of the Celebrity Cruises refund policy.
For many cruises covered by the current published schedule, cancelling 30 days or less before departure results in a cancellation charge equal to 100% of the total price. In other words, the cruise fare may become non-refundable.
A cancellation made this late should therefore be treated differently from an early cancellation.
If you are inside the final 30 days, check your exact reservation conditions before cancelling because specific fare, itinerary, group, occupancy, or promotional terms may affect the calculation.
Generally, no.
Celebrity Cruises states that no-shows and cancellations made after the cruise has begun are without refund, compensation, or liability under the applicable contract. Early disembarkation also generally does not create a right to a refund.
This is important if you are considering simply not showing up rather than formally cancelling.
If you know you cannot travel, contact Celebrity Cruises or your travel advisor as soon as possible instead of waiting until departure.
The rules are different when the cancellation is made by Celebrity Cruises rather than the passenger.
Celebrity Cruises states that if it cancels a voyage, eligible guests may receive a refund or future cruise credit, depending on the circumstances and applicable terms.
Celebrity also states that if it cancels a voyage or delays embarkation by three days or more, and you decide not to take the delayed or substitute voyage offered, you may obtain a refund or future cruise credit.
Celebrity says its practice is to issue a future cruise credit automatically in qualifying situations, but guests may instead request a refund.
For the qualifying cancellation or major embarkation-delay situation described by Celebrity, refund requests must be made within six months of the cruise cancellation date or scheduled embarkation date, whichever is earlier.
This particular provision does not apply to chartered sailings; Celebrity directs guests on cancelled chartered sailings to contact the third-party reseller that sold the cruise.
The refund method generally depends on how the original payment was made.
Celebrity's cruise contract states that:
Therefore, if you booked through a travel agency, contacting the agency may be necessary to understand how the refund will be processed.
Not necessarily.
Celebrity Cruises has separate terms for products and services such as:
The cancellation conditions for these products can differ from the cruise cancellation policy.
For example, Celebrity's published global purchase terms state that refundable shore excursions can generally be cancelled or modified up to 48 hours before the scheduled tour departure for a full refund. Some excursions involving flights, trains, special events, overnight stays, hotels, or Private Journeys have different deadlines.
Always check the terms attached to the specific service you purchased.
Travel insurance or cancellation protection can provide another route for recovering eligible costs when a traveller has to cancel for a covered reason.
Celebrity states that U.S. guests can purchase cruise cancellation protection through CruiseCare®, in partnership with AON.
The important point is that cancellation protection is separate from Celebrity's standard cancellation schedule. Whether a particular cancellation is covered depends on the protection plan's terms and the reason for cancellation.
Before relying on insurance, check:
Do not assume that buying cancellation protection automatically makes every cancellation refundable.
Yes.
Celebrity Cruises treats CruiseTours separately from ordinary cruise-only reservations in certain circumstances. The cancellation deadline is connected to the first day of the CruiseTour, which can be earlier than the cruise departure itself.
If you want to cancel only the land portion while keeping the cruise, special CruiseTour rules can apply. Celebrity states that converting a CruiseTour to a cruise-only booking within a specified period before the land-tour segment can result in a cancellation charge.
This is one reason CruiseTour customers should not rely solely on the standard cruise cancellation table.
They can.
Celebrity states that cancellation charge policies can vary for:
Celebrity advises guests to consult their travel agency or contact the cruise line for the applicable details.
If your booking is part of a group, check the group's specific cancellation conditions before cancelling.
Yes.
Celebrity's cruise contract states that the carrier may offer promotional cruise fares or other offers that modify the standard cancellation policies.
That means two passengers travelling on the same ship can potentially have different refund conditions if their bookings were made under different fare terms.
This is especially important when comparing a discounted promotional fare with a standard fare.
The cancellation rules can differ depending on where the reservation was made.
Celebrity explicitly states that bookings made outside the United States and Canada may be subject to a different cancellation policy and advises customers to contact the relevant local office or travel agency.
For international customers, therefore, the U.S. cancellation table should not automatically be treated as the governing policy.
If you believe you are entitled to a refund, follow these steps:
Look at your confirmation and identify:
Calculate how many days remain before departure.
Do not wait unnecessarily because cancellation notices are effective when received by the operator under Celebrity's published policy.
If you booked directly with Celebrity, contact Celebrity's customer service team.
If you booked through a travel advisor or agency, contact that advisor because the agency may need to process the cancellation or refund.
Before finalising the cancellation, ask what will be:
Save emails, confirmation numbers, receipts, and any communication relating to the cancellation.
These records can be useful if you later need to follow up about an outstanding refund.
Before cancelling a Celebrity Cruises reservation, review these points:
| Situation | General result |
|---|---|
| Cancel early enough | May have no cancellation charge, subject to fare conditions |
| Non-refundable deposit | Deposit is generally retained |
| Cancel 30 days or less before sailing | Often 100% cancellation charge under the applicable schedule |
| No-show | Generally no refund |
| Leave cruise early | Generally no refund |
| Celebrity cancels qualifying voyage | Refund or future cruise credit may be available |
| Embarkation delayed by 3+ days and you decline to sail | Refund or future cruise credit may be available under applicable terms |
| Shore excursion | Separate cancellation terms may apply |
| Travel-agent booking | Refund generally goes through the travel agent |
| Booking outside U.S./Canada | Different rules may apply |
The exact result depends on the terms governing the individual reservation.
Not every Celebrity Cruises booking is fully refundable. Some fares have non-refundable deposits, and cancellation charges increase as the sailing date approaches.
It depends on the cruise length and booking terms. Under the current general U.S. schedule, cancellations 30 days or less before departure can carry a 100% cancellation charge for applicable cruises.
Some deposits are refundable, while selected fare programs require non-refundable deposits. Check the terms of your specific fare.
Celebrity states that applicable prepaid Taxes/Fees and Fuel Supplement charges are refundable when a cruise or CruiseTour is cancelled, subject to the applicable cancellation terms.
Celebrity's published policy states that no-shows generally receive no refund or compensation.
In qualifying circumstances, yes. Celebrity states that when it cancels a voyage, eligible guests may receive a refund or future cruise credit under the applicable terms.
If Celebrity delays embarkation by three days or more and you choose not to sail on the delayed or substitute voyage offered, Celebrity states that you may obtain a refund or future cruise credit, subject to the applicable conditions.
Contact Celebrity Cruises or your travel advisor, depending on where you made the booking. For qualifying cruise cancellations or major embarkation delays, Celebrity says refund requests must be made within six months of the relevant cancellation or scheduled embarkation date, whichever is earlier.
If Celebrity received your payment by credit card, its contract states that an applicable refund is made to that card. If payment was received through a travel agent, the refund is provided to the travel agent.
No. Shore excursions and other pre-booked services can have separate cancellation terms. Celebrity's published terms, for example, provide a 48-hour cancellation deadline for refundable shore excursions, while certain specialised excursions have different rules.
Generally, no. Celebrity's published contract states that early disembarkation by a passenger does not create a right to a refund or compensation.
Not necessarily. Celebrity states that bookings made outside the United States and Canada may have different cancellation policies.
Celebrity Cruises' refund policy is primarily based on how early you cancel, your cruise length, fare conditions, and booking location. Cancelling well before departure can avoid standard cancellation charges, but a non-refundable deposit may still be retained. As departure approaches, the cancellation charge can increase to 100% of the applicable cruise price.
The rules are different when Celebrity cancels a qualifying sailing or delays embarkation by three days or more. In those circumstances, eligible guests may have the choice between a refund and future cruise credit, subject to the applicable terms and deadlines.
The safest approach is to check the specific terms attached to your reservation before cancelling, especially if you booked a promotional fare, non-refundable deposit, CruiseTour, group reservation, or through a travel advisor.
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