Final payment question

[xavier]

Our final payment is not due for a couple of weeks, however, a lot of people on our roll call have posted that they have already made their final payment. I don't want to question/insult anyone but why would you pay before it is due? Is there an advantage to doing this that I don't know about? Just curious.

[e71465]

Our final payment isn't due until the 30th of this month but we are already paid in full. No real reason to pay off early other than to say it's done and I no longer have to worry about it.

[avcruz]

Our final payment is not due for a couple of weeks, however, a lot of people on our roll call have posted that they have already made their final payment. I don't want to question/insult anyone but why would you pay before it is due? Is there an advantage to doing this that I don't know about? Just curious.

 

I have observed that the final payment due date can be different in different countries. Plus, if the others booked through a TA as opposed to directly with Princess, it could be a "buffer" of time that the TA has allowed for the final payment to trickle through the system. Lastly, if they purchased a cruise package through a tour operator that includes pre- or post-cruise components, the tour operator may require payment sooner.

 

Of course there's also the fact that they may choose to pay early for their own financial reasons (credit card statement dates, etc.)

[Eagle_and_hawk]

I am not sure if it makes a difference, however I noticed the travel agent we use, normally gives a final payment date of about 7-10 days earlier then when the direct Princess bookings says it is due.

 

I believe their reasoning is if for some reason your credit card did not go through, you have a few extra days to resolve it before Princess is expecting final payment.

 

David & Ellen

[Mickeyc5]

Our final payment is not due for a couple of weeks, however, a lot of people on our roll call have posted that they have already made their final payment. I don't want to question/insult anyone but why would you pay before it is due? Is there an advantage to doing this that I don't know about? Just curious.

 

I don't like to pay early either so I pay the deposit and authorized final payment on the due date on the same card. It happens automatically then and I'm done.

[Pam in CA]

I am not sure if it makes a difference, however I noticed the travel agent we use, normally gives a final payment date of about 7-10 days earlier then when the direct Princess bookings says it is due.

 

I believe their reasoning is if for some reason your credit card did not go through, you have a few extra days to resolve it before Princess is expecting final payment.

Yes, this is the reason. Also, if they book a lot of cruises, they are processing a lot of payments, which takes time. It's in your best interest to pay a few days early because if there's a glitch of some sort (it's electronic, after all), any payment that doesn't go through on the Princess final payment date will be automatically canceled by Princess. There is no longer any grace period. Not a day, two days or a week.

 

I would never, ever depend on a last minute payment being made automatically. You're assuming nothing can go wrong. It will, trust me. Maybe not yet but it will.

[AKman2495]

I am booked on 3 cruises coming up. The first two are in November and the second is in late Jan. I paid off the first cruise early to free up space to pay off the second cruise. I paid off the second cruise early because the final payment days is just after I get back from the first 2 cruises and I didn't want that hanging over my head.

 

I also run my own business and tend to have cash coming in sporadically. When projects are paid, I get a big check that I can use to pay off a bunch of stuff, among other things. I imagine others do the same.

 

Finally, I also like the peace of mind that comes from not having to remember an upcoming final payment date or worrying that it will be paid on time or that the TV won;t screw it up.

 

I also agree with Pam -I would never rely on automatic payments for the final payment....I have had too many automatic payments and deposits go wrong (it doesn't take many to be too many) to trust something like that to a computer.

[blizzard44ca]

I paid mine early because I was planning on being on vacation when it was due and didn't want the hassle of trying to ensure it went through while away. Paid early and then confirmed before I left. (Plus it's not like it becomes non-refundable as soon as you pay - the dates for refunds stay the same)

[Treven]

I pay my cruises off a good month or two before the final date. Primarily just to get them out of the way. Then I can send myself money to be applied to my onboard account.

[partybarbie]

We paid ours off early to lock-in the airfare. If you use the flex-air option, both the cruise and the air need to be paid, otherwise the airfare can go up.

[1025cruise]

I might do it to time better with the credit card statement....

[MauiLvrs]

Yes, this is the reason. Also, if they book a lot of cruises, they are processing a lot of payments, which takes time. It's in your best interest to pay a few days early because if there's a glitch of some sort (it's electronic, after all), any payment that doesn't go through on the Princess final payment date will be automatically canceled by Princess. There is no longer any grace period.

There is all of that ...

 

and then it feel more real after is paid in full :D

[argenta01]

I once had my TA call me when final payment was due, to tell me the credit card I had on file had been cancelled. :eek: I called MC and they cancelled it when someone paid their Harvard tuition with it. MC thought the activity was suspicious. The only thing is, they never bothered to notify me that the card had been cancelled. :mad: Can you imagine if this had happened at the last minute? That is why I pay about 3 - 5 days early. Also depends on CC statement due date and end dates. :D

[beg3yrs]

I don't always pay early but if there's a credit card promo like triple airline miles for a limited time or I need hotel points to make a reservation, paying early is a way to do it. At today's ultra-low savings interest rates and if you don't carry a credit card balance, getting the miles or points can be beneficial.

[AZbeachboy]

I am not sure if it makes a difference, however I noticed the travel agent we use, normally gives a final payment date of about 7-10 days earlier then when the direct Princess bookings says it is due.

 

I believe their reasoning is if for some reason your credit card did not go through, you have a few extra days to resolve it before Princess is expecting final payment.

 

David & Ellen

 

TA's may also make interest off the money for that 10 days a well.

[AZbeachboy]

I always pay it off when it is convenient, usually early. I don't like to have those things over my head.

[Pam in CA]

TA's may also make interest off the money for that 10 days a well.

TAs I know and work with process the charge within 24 hours. They don't use the float to make interest. :) I wouldn't work with them if they did.

[lovey1103]

What happens if you pay it off early and the price goes down? Can you still collect on the price reduction?

[Cruisin' Chick]

I once had my TA call me when final payment was due, to tell me the credit card I had on file had been cancelled. :eek: I called MC and they cancelled it when someone paid their Harvard tuition with it. MC thought the activity was suspicious. The only thing is, they never bothered to notify me that the card had been cancelled. :mad: Can you imagine if this had happened at the last minute? That is why I pay about 3 - 5 days early. Also depends on CC statement due date and end dates. :D

 

Wow, I wonder if MC had called Harvard to inform them that someone was using the poster's card number (assuming that it wasn't just someone keying it in wrong at Harvard). If so, was that student kicked out?

[Pam in CA]

What happens if you pay it off early and the price goes down? Can you still collect on the price reduction?

If you qualify for a fare reduction, you will probably get either a refund or OBC. For the most part, you won't qualify since sales are usually for new bookings only. Paying a couple of weeks early isn't likely to make any difference.

[elliair]

Like some here, I pay it off early. We got an American Express card through COSTCO and in order to receive some money back from American Express we had to put charges on it by a certain date. So we went ahead and paid it off with the AE and now we're waiting to get the AE bill and pay them off when we get the bill. Juggling to get the best deals is hard to keep up with, but Princess has their money and we're satisfied.

[AZbeachboy]

TAs I know and work with process the charge within 24 hours. They don't use the float to make interest. :) I wouldn't work with them if they did.

 

I agree with you Pam. That is why I used the word May. I do most of my own booking directly now, but for my first few cruises I had experience with both types of TA's. One would call it right in. But another I would have to wait to even get a receipt.

[John99]

I've been using TA for many years -- not an online discounter. Normally I pay 10 days before final payment is due. As many people have stated do not wait until the last couple of days.

For the first time I paid my next cruise early. This is because my TA is giving me an additional $100's OBC (if paid early) along with other OBC's.

 

John

[caribill]

TA's may also make interest off the money for that 10 days a well.

 

If using a TA, you should always deal with a TA that gives your charge card number to Princess to take care of the payment. The TA never sees any money in its own account in order to get any benefit from it.

 

If the TA is putting the payment in its own account and then later paying Princess, run, don't walk, to another TA.

[caribill]

I once scheduled a final payment to be processed by my TA (with the charge going to Princess, of course) a week before the deadline.

 

As I was on a Princess cruise in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean at the time, I asked the Future Cruise Consultant if payment had been made.

 

She said since I was using a TA should could not tell me if the cruise had been paid for.

 

After a bit more back and forth with her, she said all she can say is "Enjoy your cruise."