ONBOARD THE CRYSTAL SYMPHONY -- Crystal Cruises will begin
charging customers an administration fee on 2020 departures, said vice president of
revenue management Rolando Trejos during Crystal's Annual Sales Gala sailing.
Also in 2020, the luxury line will increase the initial deposit from
20% to 25% across all products and require final payment sooner.
The administration fee will vary depending on the length of
the voyage. The fee for ocean cruises of 13 days or fewer will be $100 per
person; for cruises of 14 to 21 days, $200 per person; and sailings
longer than 21 days, $500 per person. River and yacht sailings will be
$500 per person.
Trejos said that if a guest decides to cancel, the fee can
be a future cruise credit; if they book a cruise within a 12-month period, it
will be deducted as a payment, not as a discount, for the cruise. That means
agents will still get a commission on that fee.
Ocean cruises of 13 days or fewer will require final payment
120 days in advance (previously 90 days). The same policy will hold true for
yacht and river cruises. Final payment on ocean cruises of 14 to 21 days will be
due 150 days before departure, up from 120. Final payment on ocean cruises of
22 days or longer must be made 180 days in advance, up from 150.
Trejos said Crystal will require final payment sooner because
Crystal has "a very high attrition rate, especially during the final
payment, and on the longer voyages it becomes very difficult to fill those
ships, to fill those staterooms, when we have such a high amount of
cancellations. So hopefully by extending out the final payment date, it will
allow us an opportunity to sell the rooms."