When's your final payment due?

[turnbacktime]

How far in advance have your travel agents asked you to pay for you RCCL cruise? If you have booked through an agent

Bearing in mind RCCL states 57 days prior to embarkation the final sum must be paid.

 

We booked this week and have been asked to pay the FULL SUM before the end of next week! Some 9 weeks before RCCL want the payment!:eek:

 

Money is not an issue I just think the travel agents are trying to be a bit crafty, especially as we have booked for 10 people!

[Clarea]

How far in advance have your travel agents asked you to pay for you RCCL cruise? If you have booked through an agent

Bearing in mind RCCL states 57 days prior to embarkation the final sum must be paid.

 

We booked this week and have been asked to pay the FULL SUM before the end of next week! Some 9 weeks before RCCL want the payment!:eek:

 

Money is not an issue I just think the travel agents are trying to be a bit crafty, especially as we have booked for 10 people!

Maybe it's different in the UK, but our US travel agent has the same final payment dates as Royal: 60 days for short cruises (less than 6 days), and 75 days for cruises of 6+ days.

[jo24]

How far in advance have your travel agents asked you to pay for you RCCL cruise? If you have booked through an agent

Bearing in mind RCCL states 57 days prior to embarkation the final sum must be paid.

 

We booked this week and have been asked to pay the FULL SUM before the end of next week! Some 9 weeks before RCCL want the payment!:eek:

 

Money is not an issue I just think the travel agents are trying to be a bit crafty, especially as we have booked for 10 people!

 

TA's want it well in advance due to the time taken to make sure funds are where they need be.. Although 9 weeks seems a little excessive to me. I used to work as a TA in 2 national chains and we used to ask for balances to be paid by 12 weeks out.

[turnbacktime]

12 weeks before embarkation? That makes more sense!

[jo24]

Maybe it's different in the UK, but our US travel agent has the same final payment dates as Royal: 60 days for short cruises (less than 6 days), and 75 days for cruises of 6+ days.

 

It probably varies between TA's in the UK but I have never heard of different due dates depending on the length of cruise either! I guess as I have never done shorter cruises, I didn't realise there were different dates or maybe RCI UK and RCI US have this difference as well!

 

EDIT: Just checked and RCI UK is as OP states, 'at least 57 days prior to the sailing date of all cruise holidays'

Edited January 12, 2014 by jo24

[jo24]

12 weeks before embarkation? That makes more sense!

 

Every TA can be different but I just see no reason for needing it 9 weeks before RCI deadline... If it is 12 weeks before you go away, that is standard.

[slk230red]

My TA likes to make my final payment about 5-6 days before the actual final payment due date. That's fine with me, she can still get a price adjustment or cancel if necessary before the final payment due date.

 

I've heard stories about her clients wanting to wait until the final due date at 4:30pm, and then there's some issue with the credit card. For me, it's peace of mind knowing it's been taken care of.

[zombiehunter]

How far in advance have your travel agents asked you to pay for you RCCL cruise? If you have booked through an agent

Bearing in mind RCCL states 57 days prior to embarkation the final sum must be paid.

 

We booked this week and have been asked to pay the FULL SUM before the end of next week! Some 9 weeks before RCCL want the payment!:eek:

 

Money is not an issue I just think the travel agents are trying to be a bit crafty, especially as we have booked for 10 people!

 

This is called "co-mingling" and in real estate it used to be a HUGE con until the government stepped in. Basically what they're doing is sitting on your $15k-$20k and letting it accrue interest or they're investing it, short term lending it, or any number of things that line their pockets but save you no money. It may not seem like a lot of money, but as Einstein is probably misattributed of saying "there's no more powerful force than that of compound interest."

 

I would out the TA and NEVER EVER use them again.

Edited January 12, 2014 by zombiehunter

[rubrrick]

This is called "co-mingling" and in real estate it used to be a HUGE con until the government stepped in. Basically what they're doing is sitting on your $15k-$20k and letting it accrue interest or they're investing it, short term lending it, or any number of things that line their pockets but save you no money. It may not seem like a lot of money, but as Einstein is probably misattributed of saying "there's no more powerful force than that of compound interest."

 

I would out the TA and NEVER EVER use them again.

 

Most TA's I know of take credit cards, let the client know that the card will be used just before the due date, in case of any problems, and the card is run with the cruise line, never the Travel Agency. At least that has been my experience.

 

Rick

[zombiehunter]

Most TA's I know of take credit cards, let the client know that the card will be used just before the due date, in case of any problems, and the card is run with the cruise line, never the Travel Agency. At least that has been my experience.

 

Rick

 

Which makes perfect sense. The OP sounds like he's being asked to pay the balance though, not provide a future use CC. If the OP comes along and clears it up saying that's the case, then sweet; no harm, no foul. On the other hand if it's not what it is...then the TA is shady.

[jmf123]

Most TA's I know of take credit cards, let the client know that the card will be used just before the due date, in case of any problems, and the card is run with the cruise line, never the Travel Agency. At least that has been my experience.

 

Rick

 

That is absolutely the only way your payment should be processed. The cruiseline name should show on your cc statement, not the travel agency name. Regarding the request by the OP's TA to make payment NINE weeks prior, there is no reason for that- other than possible fraud.

 

Think about the fact that sixty days is the amount of time you have to dispute a charge on a credit card statement (quite a coincidence). RCI isn't going to cancel your booking unless you aren't paid in full by their final due date. I don't know who the OP booked with, but it sounds fishy to me.

Edited January 12, 2014 by jmf123
spacing

[jo24]

Which makes perfect sense. The OP sounds like he's being asked to pay the balance though, not provide a future use CC. If the OP comes along and clears it up saying that's the case, then sweet; no harm, no foul. On the other hand if it's not what it is...then the TA is shady.

 

You are correct, the OP is being asked to pay the balance now. In my experience, when paying through a TA (I live in UK like OP), the payment is taken there and then and not just the card details being held to be passed on when payment is due to RCI (for example). Like I said before, I used to be a TA and at that stage (7 years ago) we were not allowed to hold any card details. Obviously it may be different now in the UK and may always have been different in the US.

[peteukmcr]

The rules are completely different in the UK and if you book direct with RCI (as I do) then it's 57 days from sailing when final payment is due.

 

Book with a TA and it's dependant on their terms and conditions. I only had to pay for our upcoming sailing 56 days out with RCI but our fly drive booked direct with the airline, not a TA, had to be paid 12 weeks out which is typical of many holiday companies here. However, having to pay in full 16 or 17 weeks out is unusual. However, I have seen some online TAs where the final payment is 14 weeks out, and that stopped me booking with them.

 

However, if their T&Cs specify this then there's nothing 'fishy' about it, and you can't 'out' them, you either accept the T&Cs or take your custom elsewhere.

Edited January 13, 2014 by peteukmcr

[turnbacktime]

It is the balance that was being asked for.

 

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[Brit-Cruiser]

It is the balance that was being asked for.

 

Sent from my LT30p using Tapatalk

 

I would call them and ask why they are expecting you to pay the balance now, when RCI don't require it for several weeks. They would have to come up with a blooming good reason for me to pay this far out.

[ang73]

Our TA asks for final payment one day ahead of RCCL's due date. She said this just gives them an extra day in case there are any issues. Also she facilitates the payment, but payment goes directly to RCCL.

 

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[JetsFanCruiser]

I just made final payment with a TA...15 weeks before embarkation. The charge showed up as RCCL. I've done it many times before with no issue with the same TA.

[cruisinfanatic]

How far in advance have your travel agents asked you to pay for you RCCL cruise? If you have booked through an agent

Bearing in mind RCCL states 57 days prior to embarkation the final sum must be paid.

 

We booked this week and have been asked to pay the FULL SUM before the end of next week! Some 9 weeks before RCCL want the payment!:eek:

 

Money is not an issue I just think the travel agents are trying to be a bit crafty, especially as we have booked for 10 people!

I can certainly understand why TA's want your cruise paid for before the cruseline's. date.

When I was a TA I didn't have that policy. Because of that I can't count the number of clients that called me up at home at 8 PM the day payment was due. It got old fast