Royal Caribbean tightens cancellation rules starting Oct. 11

Royal Caribbean shared it's updating its North American cancellation policies, with changes set to take effect on October 11, 2026. 

In a September 28 email to travel advisors, the cruise line outlined a revised penalty structure that could mean higher cancellation costs for some clients.

Shared in a Facebook group dedicated to Symphony of the Seas, the email describes a simplification of the North American cancellation penalty structure “by consolidating sailing length categories and streamlining penalty tiers.” 

The company says it aims to establish “a simpler, more consistent cancellation framework.”

According to several sources sourced reviewed by PAX, including Royal Caribbean Blog, the most significant change appears to be the removal of the 25 per cent penalty tier across all sailing lengths, resulting in higher cancellation costs shortly after the final payment deadline.

The main changes are:

• New sailing length categories are being introduced: five to nine nights and ten nights or longer.

• The previous five-to-14-night and 15-plus-night categories are being eliminated.

• The 25 per cent cancellation penalty tier is being removed across all sailing lengths.

“As we launch the 2028–2029 deployment season, all new Alaska, Hawaii, Pacific Coastal and Transpacific 2028 sailings opening tomorrow, September 29, 2026 [the email was sent September 28], will be subject to this new cancellation penalty structure,” the email states. 

“Please note that sailings already open for sale within these products will remain under the current schedule until the full implementation of this new structure on October 11, 2026.”

Cancellation policy for third and fourth guests

Beginning October 11, the existing cancellation policy for third and fourth guests will also be automatically enforced within the reservation system.

“While this policy remains unchanged, applicable cancellation penalties for third and fourth guests will no longer be waived,” the email states. 

“Moving forward, the system will calculate and apply the appropriate penalty percentage to the cancelled guest’s cruise fare based on the booking’s penalty status at the time of cancellation. This enhancement helps ensure consistent application of the policy across all reservations.”

Beginning October 11, 2026, these updates will apply to all new and existing sailings, for both individual and group bookings.

PAX contacted Royal Caribbean Group to confirm the information but had not received a response at the time of publication.

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