Cruise Deposit Paid - Is it normal to not receive an invoice before final payment?

[kta]

This is the first time I've used a travel agent to book a cruise; we sail May 17. I paid the deposit January 29. Didn't hear back from the agent so I emailed on Feb 6 inquiring about the invoice/deposit confirmation and final payment due date. She emailed back same day to let me know she was still "working on getting a better rate" and final payment was due Feb 28. It is now Feb 28 and I still do not have an invoice/confirmation of the deposit, after several requests.

 

I called the agency today at 3:15pm only to get a recording that they closed at 3pm. I then called RCCL direct and was told I could pay through the agent on Monday and they would not cancel my reservation.

 

Isn't receiving the deposit invoice with balance and final payment due date normal? Even through a travel agent? When I've booked online direct, I've always received this. I'm concerned about paying the final payment when I haven't received confirmation of the deposit payment with terms/conditions, cancellation policy, etc. I have not received anything official at all, only email communication.

[CantanaLobo]

A single data point - on the times we've used a TA, he's sent us an updated invoice every time we've made a payment. He just forwards the customer copy from the cruise line. Not exactly difficult.

[sail7seas]

I never received an invoice for final payment. I always kept track of the date it is due and made arrangements payment was made. You could lose your reservation if you do not pay by the due date. You'd best follow through quickly with your TA and verify with cruise line to be sure it gets credited correctly.

 

[dioxide45]

It probably depends on the travel agent. When we book through the agents we have used so far (three different ones), we always got an invoice upfront showing our deposit payment and final payment due and when it was due. The last online agent we booked through also sent an email a week before final payment that the same credit card used for deposit payment would be charged $x. When that final payment date came they charged the credit card. Odd thing was that the deposit was charged by the cruise company, but final payment showed the payee as the travel agent. Not sure why nor does it really matter I suppose.

[NMLady]

It probably depends on the travel agent. When we book through the agents we have used so far (three different ones), we always got an invoice upfront showing our deposit payment and final payment due and when it was due. The last online agent we booked through also sent an email a week before final payment that the same credit card used for deposit payment would be charged $x. When that final payment date came they charged the credit card. Odd thing was that the deposit was charged by the cruise company, but final payment showed the payee as the travel agent. Not sure why nor does it really matter I suppose.

 

Actually, it does matter. The payee should always be the cruise line, not the TA so that you know for sure the cruise line received the funds. Hopefully you have an honest TA who is not pocketing the funds.

[CantanaLobo]

... Odd thing was that the deposit was charged by the cruise company, but final payment showed the payee as the travel agent. Not sure why nor does it really matter I suppose.

 

That means the TA charged the card and then paid the cruise line, possibly by agency check. Only a problem if the TA goes bankrupt/skips town/whatever between charging and paying. It's safer if the cruise line is always doing the charging. That way you know the cruise line actually has the money.

[LHT28]

My TA sends a new invoice for any changes to my account

If I book dining reservations I get an updated invoice

she also emails me a week before FP to remind me it is due

 

I would get a new TA if this one cannot work with you

[sail7seas]

Actually, it does matter. The payee should always be the cruise line, not the TA so that you know for sure the cruise line received the funds. Hopefully you have an honest TA who is not pocketing the funds.

 

Absolutely is Rule #1........

 

Never pay the TA; make the charge through direct to cruise line only. Never write a check to the TA; make it to the cruise line.

 

[dorisis]

Sounds fishy to me. That is not the way a good travel agent operates.

[LHT28]

did you check that you are paid in full with cruise line??

[aquilegia]

did you check that you are paid in full with cruise line??

 

the OP has not yet paid the balance. Read the second paragraph of his post.

[kta]

did you check that you are paid in full with cruise line??

 

According to RCCL the deposit has been paid. I just need to make final payment with the TA.

 

The TA gave me the RCCL reservation numbers (we got 2 balcony cabins) when she told me the final payment was due Feb 28. Just the reservation numbers via email, nothing else. I was able to pull up the reservations online at that point to review; what if she had booked the incorrect date back on Jan 22 in error? She would've had to book the correct date and rates could've gone up at that time. (She also quoted me travel insurance at this time...2nd time for me to ask her about it! I've since learned on my own that certain plan benefits are available if you pay w/in 2 weeks of the deposit date. This would have been nice to know when I paid the deposit.)

 

There are definitely some other issues I've had with this TA, but at this point I cannot transfer the reservation to RCCL because rates have gone up, I already tried asking RCCL. So I am stuck. :mad:

 

Before I escalate this to the owner or supervisor I wanted to know if it's unreasonable of me to expect some sort of official documentation/confirmation/invoice regarding the booking. She never went over the cancellation policy, deposit policy or anything. 2 balcony cabins here...close to $6,700.00. Going with 3 different households so I feel like I should show them something a little more official as well. At the very least, an invoice/receipt showing the deposit was paid. :confused:

[LHT28]

A

Before I escalate this to the owner or supervisor I wanted to know if it's unreasonable of me to expect some sort of official documentation/confirmation/invoice regarding the booking. She never went over the cancellation policy, deposit policy or anything. 2 balcony cabins here...close to $6,700.00. Going with 3 different households so I feel like I should show them something a little more official as well. At the very least, an invoice/receipt showing the deposit was paid. :confused:

 

It is not unreasonable

You SHOULD have some documentation showing your deposit & the FP (when it happens)

Why wait talk to the owner/manager now

 

JMO

[kta]

It is not unreasonable

You SHOULD have some documentation showing your deposit & the FP (when it happens)

Why wait talk to the owner/manager now

 

JMO

 

Unfortunately, they aren't open today so I will most definitely call first thing tomorrow morning.

 

Thank you for your input, exactly what I was thinking.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

This is why I like booking directly with Celebrity. I can reach a CVP 7 days a week with them and the one I use gets back to me as soon as she returns to the office if I call and she is off.

I can also speak with the captains club if necessary.

I get a revised booking invoice with every change to the cruise or payment made.

Edited March 1, 2015 by CHEZMARYLOU

[Hlitner]

We have booked an awful lot of cruises through multiple cruise/travel agencies. The one thing they all have in common is that there is no common :). Some send immediate e-mail receipts, others send e-mail receipts and invoices, others automatically process our final payment and send a receipt, etc. You should have a RCI Reservation Number and with this you can simply go to the RCI web sits and check that particular reservation to make sure all is well. Since you called the cruise line and they said you could pay via your agent on Monday, it sounds like all is OK. Some agencies will actually give their clients a final payment date that is several days (or even a couple of weeks) prior to the actual final payment date required by the cruise line. They do this to make sure everything is done on time.

 

So, you should certainly call your agent/agency tomorrow and make sure your final payment is processed. If you cannot reach your agent call RCI directly, ask to speak to a supervisor (the regular folks who answer the phones will usually not do anything when there is an agency booking) and explain your dilemma.

 

I should add that whenever we book through cruise/travel agencies (and we have done this on about 100 cruises) our payments are via credit card and are processed by the Cruise Line, not the TA. The charge for your deposit should have shown on your monthly charge statement as a charge from RCI....not the agency. We refuse to deal with agencies that insist on doing a charge to the agency with the promise that they will take care of the cruise line.

 

Hank

[dioxide45]

That means the TA charged the card and then paid the cruise line, possibly by agency check. Only a problem if the TA goes bankrupt/skips town/whatever between charging and paying. It's safer if the cruise line is always doing the charging. That way you know the cruise line actually has the money.

 

Absolutely is Rule #1........

 

Never pay the TA; make the charge through direct to cruise line only. Never write a check to the TA; make it to the cruise line.

 

 

I am using a reputable online agency. Not one that I use regularity for cruise travel, but use them every year for other travel. I unfortunately can't name them on Cruise Critic.

 

I noticed that the payee on the deposit payment was "CARNIVAL CRUISE TKT/RES". The final payment that was only for about $35 and had the payee of the travel agent. That final payment was two weeks ago and I can still see the cruise details on Carnival.com. So I suspect it hasn't been cancelled.

 

I wonder if it may be because they purchased the cabins from Carnival to sell on their own? The reason I suspect this is because the price of our cabin was easily $250 cheaper per person than it was advertised on every other cruise website including Carnival. Of course, if they had done that I would think both payees would show the travel agent.

[CantanaLobo]

...I wonder if it may be because they purchased the cabins from Carnival to sell on their own? ...

 

Yes, likely a group booking.

 

There's nothing inherently wrong with you paying the TA, and the TA then paying the cruise line. It's just riskier. How much the risk is and whether that risk is worth the savings only you can decide for yourself.

[sail7seas]

I am using a reputable online agency. Not one that I use regularity for cruise travel, but use them every year for other travel. I unfortunately can't name them on Cruise Critic.

 

I noticed that the payee on the deposit payment was "CARNIVAL CRUISE TKT/RES". The final payment that was only for about $35 and had the payee of the travel agent. That final payment was two weeks ago and I can still see the cruise details on Carnival.com. So I suspect it hasn't been cancelled.

 

I wonder if it may be because they purchased the cabins from Carnival to sell on their own? The reason I suspect this is because the price of our cabin was easily $250 cheaper per person than it was advertised on every other cruise website including Carnival. Of course, if they had done that I would think both payees would show the travel agent.

 

 

 

Hope all has been smoothly handled. Please let us know after you speak with your Agency. Likely all is fine but process is to never authorize TA to put payments through their Agency. They should all go directly to cruise line. I've been here long enough to have read too many stories of people who had unfortunate experiences with their TA and their payments.