Can someone please help

[mommomporkchop]

Hello Everyone,

 

Since there are so many knowledgeable folks on cc I thought someone might be able to help me out.

 

Here goes: I was on the Allure this past October. I purchased two "next cruise" certificates. A couple weeks later I decided I would like to do a B2B next October and preferred the same cabin both weeks so I called the Crown & Anchor number.

 

No problem. Booked both weeks, made a point to tell the representative that I am the reservation "owner" so I could make payments, see payments and gift certificate redemptions online.

 

I went in to make a payment last week and lo and behold, neither reservation is showing the "payment" tab in the Countdown to Cruise window. When I click on the reservation number, there isn't anywhere to make a payment.

 

I've already called twice and have been told that I didn't book the cruise correctly, that I should have clicked the box to say I could make payments. WHAT?? I explained both times that I didn't book online, but spoke to a representative.

 

Just got off the phone with another representative and was told it's "too late" to correct the problem. Really????

 

Help!! I know this isn't earth shattering, but I really don't want to have to call in every time I want to make a payment.

 

Thanks for any input anyone can give. I appreciate your time!

[dz9yvr]

I'm not an expert on Next cruise certificates, but when you book on board you don't need to make any additional payments until the final payment. If this is the case with the next cruise certificates, you only need to make one more call.

[RoyalDiamond]

I have many future bookings right now, and 2 of them are from open bookings made on board. Both of those have the same situation as you....it doesn't show the "payment" tab in the "my cruises" section. So, I figure that this is just a normal condition when you book using a future cruise booking number......Not a big deal for me. I guess I'll just call in to make my payment for those 2 bookings....I also have them e-mail me an invoice so that I can keep a record of my payments and balance due.

[BecciBoo]

I was given this advice by an RCCL agent, never make a payment online. This after making one online that went south. I put in a $500 payment on our $2000 cruise and it immediately showed it was Paid In Full....yikes. So I called and they refunded my card and made the correct payment for me, but as I said she advised if you want to make partial payments, call! So now I always call to make any kind of payment. I know some of you make the partials online but I will never again. I don't mind talking to them and I get a name to blame!;)

[OKC Cruisers]

It has been explained to me by two different Reps at the phone banks that if you make your initial reservation via telephone, then you can only make payments via telephone. If you make your rez online, then you can make payments online. Hmmm. We like to make our rez's in advance and then make smaller payments overtime just as you apparently do. We call this our cruise vacation layaway plan! Happy cruising!

 

Pete

[phoenix1181]

As my mother would have said................. You're SOL. Making a reservation by phone eliminates the ability to make payments online. I'm not sure why but it does. Unfortunately, no one tells you that when you call. The phone reps must get credit of some sort for each reservation they enter so they do whatever they can to encourage people to book with them instead of online.

 

I prefer being able to make payments online when it's convenient for me & also learned this lesson the hard way. The next time I was ready to book, I did it online & then called to get the cabin squared away. (I wasn't happy with the cabin selection showing on the website)

[honeybee85]

In my (albeit limited) experience it has to do with how you add it to your MyCruises account. When you first add it online you have to select a little box that says you are the owner. If not, you can't go back

 

But with the horror stories I've heard lately I would NOT make payments on their website. I have been hearing of people having payments fail and then seeing massive holds on their cards or trying to make small payments and having it process the whole amount. Eek.

[mommomporkchop]

Thanks for all the help. I really shouldn't be bothered by this, just maybe a tiny bit perturbed:D Anyway, I'll call in my payments and have the invoices e-mailed to me. After all, once I'm on the ship who cares how I paid right!!! ha ha

 

Your help is much appreciated!!!

[Darkwolfe]

Here's another method that I use. Stash your planned payments in a savings account and forget about them until a few weeks before final. Pay the whole thing off in one shot.

 

Upside is that you get it done in one call and you've earned some interest along the way.

 

Downside is being disciplined enough not to raid that savings account for something else along the way, thus the "fuggetaboutit" routine. :)

[Beth C]

I don't think there's any rhyme or reason to whether or not you can make payments... my rationale behind this is:

 

Booked 2 staterooms via phone for 2 B2B cruises - 4 'separate' cruises in total, one of which had a next cruise certificate which was in USD not CAD like the other 3. Of the 4, 1 I paid off no problem online, 2 of which wouldn't let me process since it said I was in the wrong country (these were booked in Canadian funds and we're all Canadians) and the last didn't even show the payment button. :confused::confused::confused: