Deposits are usually non-refundable. Cancelling 90+ days out often loses only the deposit; inside 60 days most operators charge 50–100% of the trip price.
Liveaboard cancellation terms are stricter than hotel terms because a boat sails with a fixed number of cabins and a fixed cost base. An empty cabin cannot be resold at the last minute in most cases.
The typical structure: the deposit, usually 20 to 30 percent, is non-refundable from the moment the booking is confirmed. Cancelling more than 90 days before departure generally costs you that deposit only. Between 90 and 60 days, expect a charge of around 50 percent. Inside 60 days, most operators charge 100 percent of the trip price.
There are softening options
Many operators will allow you to transfer the booking to another person, or to move to a different departure of the same vessel within 12 months, sometimes for an administration fee. That is almost always a better outcome than cancelling outright, and it is worth asking before you decide.
This is precisely what trip cancellation insurance exists for
A policy bought at the time of booking, covering illness, injury, family emergency and flight disruption, costs a small fraction of the charter and turns a total loss into a claim. Buy it early — most policies only cover events that were unforeseeable when you purchased.
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