Norwegian Cruise Line: refund request
If you cancel, the fee depends on days before departure (from 119 days out). If NCL cancels or delays the cruise more than 3 calendar days, request a refund by the 90th day after the original embarkation date; you may decline a future cruise credit.
What does this mean?
Grade A (high: almost everything comes from official pages read directly). 96% of 26 sources are the organization's own pages or government sites.
Collect
- reservation number
- boarding pass or cruise documents
- proof and amount of payment
- cancellation or delay notice
Steps
To cancel, telephone the Reservations Department (the Guest Ticket Contract requires cancellations by phone). Note the fee tier for the date of the call.
If NCL cancelled or delayed the cruise more than 3 calendar days, submit a refund request on or before the 90th calendar day after the original scheduled embarkation, with the boarding pass or documents and proof and amount of payment.
Decline a future cruise credit if you want money back. NCL says it responds by email or U.S. mail within 180 days of the claim.
If the nonperformance claim is denied or not resolved within 180 days, file with the FMC against NCL's financial instrument.
Dispute the charge with your card issuer if the refund is owed and not paid.
More contacts for this issue
Facts you can cite
- Fee
NCL's Cancellation Policy (Club Balcony Suites and below, all sailings): 25% at 119 to 91 days before departure, 50% at 90 to 61 days, 75% at 60 to 31 days, 100% at 30 days or less. The Haven Suites, Suites and Garden Villas: 25% at 119 to 106 days, 50% at 105 to 91 days, 75% at 90 to 61 days, 100% at 60 days or less. The schedule begins once money is applied to the reservation; no refunds for no-shows.
Source: ncl.com, verified 2026-10-13
- Deadline
NCL's Nonperformance Policy: if NCL cancels your cruise or delays it more than 3 calendar days, you are entitled to a refund of cruise fare and charges for accommodations, services and facilities, including port fees, taxes and other ancillary charges paid to the carrier. Request it on or before the 90th calendar day after the original scheduled embarkation; NCL responds within 180 days of the claim.
Source: ncl.com, verified 2026-10-13
- Deadline
NCL's Cancellation Policy says refund processing time is about 3-4 weeks, and cruise and air documents must be returned before a refund is made.
Source: ncl.com, verified 2026-10-13
- Policy
NCL's website Terms of Use say it does not provide price protection or refunds when a price is reduced or a promotion is offered.
Source: ncl.com, verified 2026-10-13
- Policy
The air deposit made under the Air Choice Program at booking is non-refundable.
Source: ncl.com, verified 2026-10-13
- Process
46 CFR 540.9(f): for nonperformance, the passenger first makes a written refund request to the cruise line. If the claim is not resolved within 180 days (or the line's shorter stated period) after nonperformance, or is denied, the passenger may claim against the line's FMC financial instrument.
Source: law.cornell.edu, verified 2026-10-13
- Process
Guest Ticket Contract section 16(a): all other claims, except those brought in small claims court in Miami-Dade County, go to binding arbitration in Miami-Dade County administered by National Arbitration and Mediation (NAM). Each party pays its own costs and attorney fees and the cost of the arbitration is split equally. Section 11(b) waives class actions.
Source: ncl.com, verified 2026-10-13
If that fails, escalate
Go up one step at a time. Keep the reference numbers and dates from each contact.
Customer service
Written complaint
Federal regulator
RegulatorFederal Maritime Commission, Office of Consumer Affairs and Dispute Resolution Services +1-202-523-5807For a refund NCL owes after it cancelled a cruise or delayed it more than 3 calendar days (nonperformance).
Card or bank dispute
Fair Credit Billing Act billing-error and purchase-dispute rights (Regulation Z)
Electronic Fund Transfer Act error resolution and unauthorized-transfer liability (Regulation E)
Card dispute for a refund NCL owes but has not paid.
Arbitration
Claims other than injury, illness or death go to binding NAM arbitration in Miami-Dade County, or small claims court in Miami-Dade County. Written notice within 30 days of the end of the cruise; legal action within 6 months.
State agencies for this sector: your state’s attorney general. Find yours in the list of state agencies, or as JSON in states/<code>.json (for example states/ny.json).
Watch out
- Cancellations must be telephoned to the Reservations Department, so an agent cannot cancel by form or email.
- The Guest Experience form may need sign-in (the page showed a Logout link) and asks you to certify travel insurance status.
- The contact page's "Speak With A Consultant" chat link is a placeholder; no working chat link was found.
Let your AI agent handle this
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