At Sandals, he said, all guests pay in advance, and the rule says there is a cancellation penalty.

"And add a cancellation penalty to what I'm already trying to pay?"

Several years ago the cancellation penalty was only 25 percent.

In the last week or so, some relaxation of cancellation penalties has been seen.

The risk, however, is that because of cancellation penalties the traveler who changes plans can lose money.

The terms for the ticket, including cancellation penalties, should be clearly understood before purchase.

The fare, however, carries a cancellation penalty of 25 percent.

The tickets are refundable, but there is an $8.50 cancellation penalty.

People who visit popular resorts will want to ask specifically about cancellation penalties.

The contract should also include the total price, when payments will be made and whether there is a cancellation penalty.