When you book a sailing with Seabourn Cruise Line, you choose a departure date. Sometimes your plans shift due to work, health, family or travel logistics — and you may need to move your reservation to a different sailing date. By “changing a cruise date,” we mean either shifting your original cruise to a different sailing (same ship or similar itinerary) or moving the embarkation date. It might involve cancellation of the original booking and re-booking the new date, or the cruise line treating it as a change of date.It’s important because for Seabourn, date changes are treated similarly to cancellations of the original reservation (or at least partly so) — meaning cost and policy apply accordingly.
According to Seabourn’s Cruise Contract terms, “Name changes and departure date changes are considered reservation cancellations and are subject to cancellation fees.” What this means: If you request a new departure date, the cruise line may require cancellation of your current booking under the cancellation schedule, apply fees, and then you need to re-book the new date (possibly at prevailing fare). So the cost is not simply a flat “date-change fee” in all cases, but depends on when you request the change and the fare/timing.
Additionally, on the FAQ page Seabourn states that for certain “Flexible Fares,” no fees will be charged for changes and cancellations made prior to the cruise final payment due date. This suggests that if you are early enough (before final payment) and booked a flexible rate, you may change without a penalty beyond any fare difference. But this is the exception rather than always guaranteed.
Because date changes are treated like cancellations for fee purposes, we look at Seabourn’s cancellation schedule to infer cost. Key points:
For cruises booked December 17, 2024 or later (21 days or less cruise length) the schedule shows: until 121 days prior: US$100 fee per guest (refunded as Future Cruise Credit); 120-91 days: 15% of Cruise Charges; 90-61 days: 50% of Cruise Charges; 60-46 days: 75% of Cruise Charges; 45 days or less: 100% of Cruise Charges.
For cruises of 22-69 days: until 151 days: US$250 per guest; then 15% of Cruise Charges for 150-121 days; 50% for 120-91; 75% for 90-76; 100% for 75 days or less.
For older bookings (before December 17, 2024) a different chart: 25 days or less: 120-91 days = 15%; 90-46 days = 50%; 45-31 days = 75%; 30 days or less = 100%. For 26 days or more: 150-121 = 15%; 120-91 = 50%; 90-76 = 75%; 75 days or less = 100%.
Therefore: if you request to change your sailing date, depending on when you make that request relative to your original departure date, you could incur a percentage of your cruise fare as a penalty. If you are late in making the change, you might effectively lose 100% of your original cruise fare— meaning the original booking yields no refund or credit.
Putting the above together:
If you pay a “Flexible Fare” and make the change before final payment date, you may incur no penalty, aside from fare difference between sailings. (Seabourn FAQ)
If you make a change after final payment or outside the flexible window, then you are subject to cancellation-fee schedule. That could be, for example, 15% of fare (if 120-91 days out), or 50% (90-61 days), or 100% (within 45 days) (for short cruises) etc.
Additionally, when you re-book the new date, if fares have increased you will have to pay the difference in cruise fare for that new sailing. So your cost = cancellation penalty + fare increase (if any).
If you request the date change extremely close to departure (e.g., within 45 or 30 days depending on cruise length) you may incur 100% of the original fare as penalty, meaning you effectively lose all value of your prior booking.
Other costs may include administrative or change fees through your travel advisor or airline/land arrangements that you need to rebook.
Example: Suppose you booked a 10-day cruise (≤21 days category). You paid US$5,000 per person. If you request to change your date 100 days before sailing: you might pay US$100 per guest (if 100+ days). Then you re-book a new date at US$5,500 per person — you pay US$500 extra. So total cost = US$100 + US$500 = US$600. If instead you make the change 30 days out, you may incur 100% of fare: US$5,000 lost. Then re-book the new date paying full fare (US$5,500). So cost = US$10,500 (original lost + new fare).
There are several details to keep in mind:
If you booked a specially priced promotion that is 100% non-refundable from the point of payment, then date changes may not be permitted at all or you may get no refund/credit. Also, if your booking is a “Flexible Fare” or you have a change-friendly tariff, your penalties may be less or even waived if you change early. The Seabourn FAQ mentions “No fees will be charged for changes and cancellations made prior to the cruise final payment due date” under Flexible Fares.
As shown above, the earlier you request the change, the lower the cancellation-fee percentage. And if you act before final payment, you may avoid internal penalties (but still pay fare difference). If you wait until near departure, heavy penalties apply.
Seabourn’s cancellation schedules differ depending on cruise length (≤21 days, 22-69 days, etc). Longer cruises generally require earlier deadlines for minimal penalty, and their cancellation fees (for switching) may be higher baseline (e.g., US$250 per guest vs. US$100) for certain time-frames.
When you ask to move the date, the new sailing may have higher fare (or lower). If higher, you pay difference; if lower, Seabourn may not always refund difference— depends on fare terms. You are entering a new booking so you are subject to the fare at that time.
If your booking included air, land/hotel, transfers, etc., there may be change fees on those parts too. The cruise line’s date-change may not cover third-party services. The FAQ mentions that if you cancel or change airfare after final payment date you may incur full cost of ticket.
In some cases, penalties are refunded as a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) rather than a cash refund. The Cruise Contract states when you cancel or transfer, “A Payment-Type FCC (‘FCP’) will be placed in your account with Carrier … A FCP expires twelve (12) months from the date of issuance; you must use the FCP in its entirety by such date or the FCP will expire.” So part of your “cost” is the limitation that you must use the FCC within 12 months, and only for one future voyage.
If you anticipate the possibility of changing dates, here are some practical tips:
Book a Flexible Fare (if available)When you make your reservation, ask if a Flexible Fare option exists (or what the change/cancellation terms are). If you book early and the fare is flexible, you might avoid penalties entirely if you change before final payment.
Request the change as early as possibleThe sooner you request your date change, the lower the cancellation penalty percentage. Aim for beyond the “120-91 days” window rather than weeks out.
Check the fare difference for the new dateBefore you commit, ask how much the new sailing costs. If the new date has a higher fare, you’ll pay the difference. If it’s lower, ask whether Seabourn refunds the difference or offers a credit.
Understand and factor in non-cruise componentsIf your booking included flights, hotels, transfers: check their change/cancellation terms. Even if Seabourn waives a penalty, your airline or hotel may impose one.
Use a reputable travel advisorThey can guide you through change rules and may negotiate with Seabourn on your behalf, especially if you hold a loyalty status.
Consider travel insuranceIf you might need to change your date for unforeseeable reasons (illness, family emergency), insurance may offset some of the lost cost if the reason is covered.
Keep track of deadlinesNote the “final payment due” date and the “no penalty change” window. Missing these deadlines often pushes you into higher-penalty zones.
Here are some hypothetical cases:
Scenario A – Early change, flexible fare: You booked a 14-day Seabourn voyage 12 months ahead, paid deposit but not final payment. You choose to move to a new date 11 months out. Because you’re before final payment and booked flexible fare, Seabourn waives change/cancellation fees; you only pay any fare difference if new date costs more.
Scenario B – Mid-term change, standard fare: You booked 6 months ahead, final payment was due 90 days out. You request date change at 100 days out. The cancellation penalty for 120-91 days might be 15% of cruise charges. For US$6,000 booking, that’s US$900 per guest. Then you re-book the new date at US$6,500 = US$500 extra. Total cost per guest = US$1,400.
Scenario C – Late change, high penalty: You attempt to change date 40 days before departure. According to schedule, you now face 75% or 100% penalty (depending on length). Suppose penalty is 75% of US$5,000 = US$3,750 lost from original. Then you re-book new sailing at US$5,500. Your cost = US$9,250 (lost + new fare). If penalty is 100%, you lose whole US$5,000 + new fare => US$10,500.
It helps to understand the cruise line’s rationale:
Cruise ships have fixed capacity; when you reserve a stateroom you displace another potential sale. If you cancel or change your date late, the cruise line often cannot resell your cabin at full fare. So they impose increasing penalties as departure approaches.
A date change creates administrative burden, possible repositioning of itinerary, staffing planning, room inventory management — which is why policies treat date changes like cancellations.
For luxury lines such as Seabourn, the overall fare tends to be higher than mainstream lines, so the penalty percentages translate into larger dollar amounts.
If the cruise line itself changes the itinerary or date, your rights differ — you may get more lenient terms or full refund/credit rather than penalty.
Promotions or “deep-discount” fares may have stricter rules (non-refundable, no changes allowed) — always check booking terms.
If your booking is for a very long voyage (e.g., 70 + days) the cancellation schedule may differ significantly (see Seabourn’s 70-day+ category) with higher baseline fees.
If you wish to change your date because of poor health, travel alert or other uncontrollable event, Seabourn’s “Worry Free Promise” (for COVID-19 etc.) may apply, though note it is specific to COVID-19 related circumstances.
The “Future Cruise Credit” may have expiry or restrictions — the value you actually receive may effectively be less than cash refund. Always check terms of the credit issuance.
The cost to change a cruise date with Seabourn is not a simple fixed fee — rather it depends on when you request the change, your fare type, the cruise length, and whether there is a fare difference for the new date.
If you act early and booked a flexible fare, your penalty may be zero (aside from fare difference).
If you change closer to departure, you may incur cancellation-like penalties of 15 %, 50 %, 75 % or even 100 % of the original fare — meaning a large cost.
On top of that you will likely pay any fare increase for the new date.
To minimise cost: choose flexible fare, request early, check fare difference, and review all associated travel components.
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