Refund & Cancellation Policy

Effective Date: January 1, 2026
Last Updated: January 1, 2026

At Load Cruises, we want your booking experience to be transparent. This Refund & Cancellation Policy outlines how cancellations and refunds work for cruise vacations booked through loadcruises.com. Please read it carefully before completing any booking.

1. Important Note on Cruise Line Policies

All cruise bookings are ultimately subject to the cancellation and refund policies of the operating cruise line (Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, Princess, Celebrity, etc.). Each cruise line maintains its own schedule of fees and refund timelines. Load Cruises acts as a facilitator and applies the cruise line's rules to your booking.

2. Standard Cancellation Schedule

The following is a typical cancellation fee structure used by most major cruise lines. Your specific cruise line may have different rules, which will be confirmed at booking:

• 90+ days before sailing: Full refund of cruise fare (deposit may be non-refundable depending on the fare type).
• 89 to 60 days before sailing: 25% cancellation fee.
• 59 to 45 days before sailing: 50% cancellation fee.
• 44 to 30 days before sailing: 75% cancellation fee.
• Less than 30 days or no-show: 100% cancellation fee — no refund.

Note: Holiday sailings, group bookings, repositioning cruises and certain promotional fares often have stricter cancellation rules. Always confirm at booking.

3. Non-Refundable Components

The following are typically non-refundable regardless of when you cancel:

• Travel insurance premiums
• Visa processing fees
• Airfare on non-refundable tickets booked separately
• Pre-paid shore excursions (some cruise lines do allow refunds within a window)
• Service fees charged by Load Cruises
• Promotional bonuses or onboard credits already used

4. Service Fees

Load Cruises may charge a service or processing fee per booking and/or per cancellation. These fees, if applicable, are disclosed before you complete payment and are independent of any fees imposed by the cruise line.

5. How to Request a Cancellation

1. Call us at +1-888-909-1339 (24/7) or email support@loadcruises.com.
2. Provide your booking confirmation number, full name and reason for cancellation.
3. Our agent will review your booking, check applicable cruise line fees and confirm the refund amount in writing.
4. Once you authorize the cancellation, we will process it with the cruise line and issue any eligible refund.

6. Refund Processing Time

• Credit/Debit Cards: 7-21 business days to appear on your statement after the refund is processed.
• Bank Transfers: 10-30 business days depending on your bank.
• Future Cruise Credits (FCC): Issued within 7-14 business days; typically valid for 12-24 months from the original sailing date.

Refunds are issued to the original payment method only. If your card has expired, please contact your bank to ensure receipt.

7. Cruise Line Cancellations

If the cruise line cancels your sailing (due to weather, mechanical issues, or other operational reasons), you are typically entitled to a full refund or a Future Cruise Credit, depending on the cruise line's compensation policy. Load Cruises will assist you in claiming the maximum benefit available.

8. Itinerary Changes

If a cruise line changes the itinerary, ports of call, or ship — but the sailing still operates — refunds are generally not provided. The cruise line may offer onboard credit or other compensation at its discretion.

9. Travel Insurance

We strongly recommend purchasing travel insurance at the time of booking. A good policy can cover cancellations due to medical emergencies, family illness, job loss and other unforeseen events that the cruise line's standard policy will not cover. Travel insurance is offered through third-party providers and is subject to its own terms and exclusions.

10. Name Changes & Date Changes

Name changes and date changes are not technically cancellations but may incur fees from the cruise line. Please refer to our Date Change page for details, or call us for assistance.

11. Disputed Charges & Chargebacks

If you have an issue with your booking, please contact us first at +1-888-909-1339 so we can resolve it directly. Initiating a chargeback without first attempting resolution may result in additional administrative fees and may delay resolution. We are committed to resolving issues fairly and quickly.

12. Force Majeure

Neither Load Cruises nor the cruise line is responsible for cancellations or disruptions due to events beyond their control, including but not limited to natural disasters, pandemics, government actions, war, terrorism, strikes, or other extraordinary circumstances. In such cases, refunds or future credits will be handled per the cruise line's force majeure policy.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Refund & Cancellation Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Bookings already confirmed will be governed by the policy in effect at the time of booking.

14. Contact Us