When do you pay in full?

How do you typically pay for your cruise? Do you make payments over several months? Do you make monthly payments? Do you wait till right before final payment is due and then pay in one lump sum? Any benefit to doing it one way or the other?

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How do you typically pay for your cruise? Do you make payments over several months? Do you make monthly payments? Do you wait till right before final payment is due and then pay in one lump sum? Any benefit to doing it one way or the other?

 

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If you wait until just before PIF date, that money is yours to use before that date. If you pay in small payments all the way up to PIF date, that money is no longer yours to use.

We've done it both ways. Small payments, and lump payment. Depends on how much we still owe, and how soon the PIF date is after we book.

Normally I make the lump sum payment a few days before the final payment deadline.

Of course this assumes your card's credit limit is sufficient to cover the balance.

How do you typically pay for your cruise? Do you make payments over several months? Do you make monthly payments? Do you wait till right before final payment is due and then pay in one lump sum? Any benefit to doing it one way or the other?

 

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Why anyone would not pay a final payment (all required beyond the deposit) only when it's due defies common sense.

pay a few days prior to FP

If the payment is over my credit limit with the CC I pay them before the cruise line

I usually book a year out. I pay whenever I feel like it. Usually 6 mos out.

It’s not my job to satisfy Flatbushs idea of common sense.

We usually make 2 payments besides of course the deposit but the last payment is usually a day or two before final payment is due.

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We don't pay for things until we have to. We wait for final payment to make that payment, not before. That way, if we have to cancel prior to that final payment, we only have to wait for the deposit to be refunded, not a larger amount. Businesses are known to be quick about taking your money, but very slow to give it back if it is being refunded. Cruise lines are no different. I have heard of some refunds taking six weeks or longer to be made.

Contrary to what some people here think, common sense would be to pay only when absolutely needed. It is not my job to satisfy kilfrodo's snarky opinion of money management matters.

How do you typically pay for your cruise? Do you make payments over several months? Do you make monthly payments? Do you wait till right before final payment is due and then pay in one lump sum? Any benefit to doing it one way or the other?

 

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We get billed by our TA and pay accordingly

. It is not my job to satisfy kilfrodo's snarky opinion of money management matters.

:D Good one

And then you sunk to my level :eek:

I always make my final payment directly with RCI over the phone about a week to a few days before final is due.

Deposit paid as required with initial booking. Balance on final payment due date. All thorough our TA of 20+ years, who manages this for us - with our authorization - with our card on file. That is how we pay for our cruises. Never have - nor ever would - do it any other way.

Why give your money to the cruise line sooner than needed? If you need to allocate monthly amounts as a method of saving or budgeting towards the cost, put the money in your account where it can benefit you and then pay it to the cruise line when due instead of paying it to them ahead of time for their benefit.

I usually book a year out. I pay whenever I feel like it. Usually 6 mos out.

Do you pay the dealer early for a car you are planning on purchasing 6 months later? Do you pay the restaurant days in advance for dinner reservations that you have made for later in the week? Do you pay your taxes 6 months early? Do you pay your utility bills months in advance?

Just wondering if you pay all those other things whenever you feel like it or only when they are due?

Usually as late as we can.

But with interest rates like they are it really doesn’t matter much.

Whenever in the month before Final Payment Date that the Sapphire card "closes". i.e. so that it goes on NEXT month's payment to the credit card.

We pay when the final payment date on our confirmation indicates we need to pay off the cruise.

Usually by the final payment date.

Unless there's a discount for early payment

I guess it depends on the cruise. I week in the caribbean? I would probably just pay off at final payment. 15 nights in SE Asia that would more than likely be 3 weeks with a few days pre and post cruise in those cities. I make a few average sized payments between deposit and final payment.

We make payment normally a week or two before final payment is due. However we did a music charter earlier this year and will do same next year and that is a non cancelable cruise and they don’t payments every 3 months automatically from your credit card so no thinking.

There's a 2.5% discount if I pay for my Crystal cruise 6 months in advance, and I take advantage of that offer.

How do you typically pay for your cruise? Do you make payments over several months? Do you make monthly payments? Do you wait till right before final payment is due and then pay in one lump sum? Any benefit to doing it one way or the other?

 

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Invest and let your money grow till the final payment date. Unless you gets a substantial discount (for early payment) which is more than the expected return on investment over that period.

After the deposit I put regular amounts into a savings and pay the day before final payment. My sister makes payments monthly because thats how she likes to do it.

We only pay for anything when payment is due. Never before unless there is a discount for early payment.

Most of our cruises are booked inside the final payment window hence we pay the full amount at time of booking.

We pay when the final payment date on our confirmation indicates we need to pay off the cruise.

That is what we do too.

We don't pay for things until we have to. We wait for final payment to make that payment, not before. That way, if we have to cancel prior to that final payment, we only have to wait for the deposit to be refunded, not a larger amount. Businesses are known to be quick about taking your money, but very slow to give it back if it is being refunded. Cruise lines are no different. I have heard of some refunds taking six weeks or longer to be made.

Same here. We pay our final payment when due and always pay the deposit and balance with a credit card for the cash back. On pricey trips, such as the Galapagos, etc., we got nice chunks of cash to put toward other trips.