cruises for years, the big seller in the travel industry. Hardly a tour operator, not you. The Run seems to be on some of the routes to be so large that travelers need to book well in advance in order to secure the desired range. So, too, Susanne V.: she has booked in November 2017, for both herself and her man at the tour operator TUI two cruises, the takes place only in the next September. For this, the couple have dug deep into the pocket: The seven-day tour of the Mediterranean in a Suite will cost you, including flight around 9200 Swiss francs.
Meanwhile, came to the couple, but the anticipation thoroughly lost. The reason is the experience that you would have made on the first voyage, Susanne V. says The constant hustle and bustle, you would have experienced, were you and your husband don’t do this to yourself again. So they decided last February to make the booking for the second cruise will be reversed.
2500 Swiss francs for the Cancel
Because it lasted until the trip is still more than seven months, Susanne V. that TUI could sell the coveted cruise arrangement in this period of time easily and you would have to pay only processing fees.
missing Yet. TUI referred to the General terms and conditions (GTC). Therefore, travelers who cancel a cruise, liabilities, costs, along with a processing fee cancellation. In the case of ship travel with TUI Cruises, there are at least 25 percent of the package price. So a lot of travelers to pay, even if you make a cruise a long time in advance or even shortly after booking to undo. The couple V. would thus have to cost a lot of money, including processing fee is around 2500 Swiss francs.
TUI Cruises showed the Opposite: You could try to sell the trip again. Because this does not succeed, but always have to Susanne V. and her husband expect to remain on the full cancellation costs. Not be able to pass the couple on the cancellation insurance. Insurance companies only pay when travelers have to cancel out involuntary and non-controllable reasons.
Similar to flights
That in the case of vessel cancellation costs to be paid, if customers cancel long in advance, was exceptional, says travel Ombudsman Franco Muff travel even then. “This practice is widespread.” In the case of cruises it was to travel packages, the cancellation conditions are sharper than the usual package holidays. In the Latter case, Cancel up to a few weeks prior to that, in addition to the processing fees for free.
The conditions would be determined by the shipping companies – in this case, of TUI Cruises, Muff. “It is similar to the Airlines: As the cancellation are widely used costs, also. Often passengers get nothing, regardless of how early you need to cancel your booking.”
However, while in the case of flights of any cancellation charges from the Fare as a dependent, this does not apply in the case of ship travel. No matter how expensive the cruise is Cancel cost. A glance at the terms and conditions of individual shipping companies.
MSC: The cruise company MSC is required for the Cancel, at least 20 percent of the package price. With World Cruises, there are a Minimum of 15 percent. Costa For bookings with the shipping company Costa to travelers to pay a Minimum of 10 percent of the sale price if you cancel. Hurtigruten: with The company Hurtigruten, which specializes in post-ship traveling in Norway, it is also 10 percent. For cruises from next spring, a cancellation will cost at least 20 percent . Canton of Thurgau: Comparatively cheap early cancellations by the river vessels shipowners a means of Thurgau. Because debt customers 5 per cent of the invoice totals.
The costs are the same for all shipping companies, the higher, the closer the cancellation is to the start of the trip.
customers paid less, if the Arrangement could not be re-sold, like TUI, have this offers in the case of Susanne V., is common, says Bianca Schmidt, spokesperson of TUI Suisse. The Cancellation fees are fix. Even if it manages to sell a cancelled cabin again, “we need to do this is usually at a lower price,” explains Dominik Gebhard from the cruise company MSC. Added to this is the effort for the search of new passengers, and for the transfer of the cabin.
According to the law, travellers may transfer their booking to a replacement person, unless they accept the Arrangement unchanged. Then the processing only charges for the additional administrative costs.
it is Important to know that the cancellation conditions of the shipping companies shall also apply, if you book a cruise through a travel agent. The tour operator would in this case only as an intermediary and give the specifications of the shipping companies to their customers, says Ombudsman Franco Muff. The terms and conditions of the tour operators also point explicitly to the fact.
risk early booking
to book, Given the currently widespread practice, and cruises far in advance, must be travelers of your thing very sure, if you want to be unpleasant and sometimes a high cost for any cancellation prevent.
Susanne V. and her husband have finally refused to cancel their tour of the Mediterranean. The risk that your cabin will not be sold at the same price and you would have to shell out the full 2500 CHF for the Cancel, whether you have been to big.
(editing Tamedia)
Created: 14.04.2019, 20:21 PM
