Holland America Line guests who purchase the line’s Cancellation Protection Plan (CPP) can cancel their cruise or CruiseTour for any reason and receive a refund of up to 90 percent of the cruise fare paid.
Holland America Line now also permits CPP coverage to be added any time after booking, as long as it is purchased before the date cancellation fees begin — or 75 days prior to the departure date for most sailings.
“Many of our guests book several months before their cruise and we understand that things happen,” said Richard D. Meadows, CTC, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “With Holland America Line’s Cancellation Protection Plans, guests can rest assured they don’t have to have specific reasons to be protected. It provides added peace of mind for our guests to know that whatever might be affecting them, they can receive nearly a full refund, if needed.”
Under the new plan, travel agent commissions are protected with CPP. If a guest cancels, the travel agent retains the 10 percent commission earned on the original purchase of CPP, as well as 10 percent commission on the cancellation fee for the cruise booking. For example, if the guest cancels three days before departure, the travel agent still receives 10 percent commission on the cruise fare even though the guest canceled.
Two Levels of CPP
CPP Standard reimburses 80 percent of eligible amounts paid for cancellations for any reason up to 24 hours prior to the cruise or CruiseTour departure. Plus, the plan provides an additional $500 (for a total of $600) for lost, damaged or delayed baggage.
CPP Platinum features a 90 percent refund upon cancellation for any reason prior to departure. Other benefits under the expanded plan include increased baggage protection for lost or damaged luggage up to $1,600 total, delayed baggage coverage up to $1,100, trip-interruption protection if a guest must return home unexpectedly and trip-delay coverage.
Medical coverage under the CPP Platinum plan covers emergency medical expenses for illness or injury occurring during the voyage, emergency medical evacuation and 24-hour emergency hotline assistance for legal, passport, cash transfer, medical and documentation assistance.
CPP Standard and CPP Platinum are available to U.S. and Canadian residents, and must be purchased prior to the date cancellation fees begin. The cost varies by cruise fare and is nonrefundable. For example, CPP coverage for a guest paying up to $1,000 for a seven-day Caribbean cruise is $79 for CPP Standard and $99 for CPP Platinum per person.
