Final payment disaster

[JERSEYGIRL1983]

Happy Saturday folks!

 

Disaster is what im trying to avoid so just needed some input.

 

Booked thru Celebrity. Transferred to TA one of the bigger ones most of you heard of.

 

TA final payment due September 18...10 days sooner than Celebrity

 

I called TA to ask if they would give us the extra 10 days. She called celebrity to verify their September 28th date then returned to the line to inform me that it would be fine to go ahead and pay by the 28th.

 

Im relieved because I have more breathing room and an extra paycheck to rely on just in case but the paranoid in me is worried that 18th will come and go, we wait till a lil after 18th (but before 28th) and they still cancel our booking. Have any of you had any experience with this? Can they cancel us BEFORE Celebrity's official due date?

 

Thank you for your kind input...emphasis on kind! :)

[BILLP1]

Can't you pay with a credit card?

[JERSEYGIRL1983]

Can't you pay with a credit card?

 

If i could I wouldn't be posting this question. :D

[happy 2 b cruising]

Happy Saturday folks!

 

Disaster is what im trying to avoid so just needed some input.

 

Booked thru Celebrity. Transferred to TA one of the bigger ones most of you heard of.

 

TA final payment due September 18...10 days sooner than Celebrity

 

I called TA to ask if they would give us the extra 10 days. She called celebrity to verify their September 28th date then returned to the line to inform me that it would be fine to go ahead and pay by the 28th.

 

Im relieved because I have more breathing room and an extra paycheck to rely on just in case but the paranoid in me is worried that 18th will come and go, we wait till a lil after 18th (but before 28th) and they still cancel our booking. Have any of you had any experience with this? Can they cancel us BEFORE Celebrity's official due date?

 

Thank you for your kind input...emphasis on kind! :)

 

Must have a paper trail from the TA stating the new final payment date is ok with them. Many TA's want final payment before Celebrity's date, it is not unusual. If any problem occur with the TA regarding final payment you will have confirmed written proof they said it was ok. Good Luck and enjoy your cruise.

[kitty9]

Can they cancel BEFORE the due date? No. But if Celebrity doesn't have cash in hand ON the due date, they can cancel your booking.

 

 

My TA always asks for final payment at least a week before Celebrity's date in case of mix ups and all that. We had a problem once where there was a snafu with the bank that issued the credit card I used and the payment got there late. But fortunately, my TA called Celebrity and told them what was happening and they held my cabin. If they weren't so nice, my cabin would have gone back into inventory and sold.

 

I would suggest, if paying by check, you get the check to the TA a few days before the date you've been given, in order for the TA to process the check. Things can get dicey if you cut things too close. Just a bit of advice.

Edited September 5, 2015 by kitty9

[mafig]

Actually I had something like this on a Princess cruise. Didn't have insurance and was waiting for results of a medical test that would come a few days after final payment. Our TA said not to worry, she would "stall" Princess because they usually would send her several emails before they actually did anything.

 

I don't think Celebrity will cancel you. I would be worried too (because that's how I am), but I don't think you will have much reason to worry.;)

Edited September 5, 2015 by mafig

[varoo]

Happy Saturday folks!

 

Disaster is what im trying to avoid so just needed some input.

 

Booked thru Celebrity. Transferred to TA one of the bigger ones most of you heard of.

 

TA final payment due September 18...10 days sooner than Celebrity

 

I called TA to ask if they would give us the extra 10 days. She called celebrity to verify their September 28th date then returned to the line to inform me that it would be fine to go ahead and pay by the 28th.

 

Im relieved because I have more breathing room and an extra paycheck to rely on just in case but the paranoid in me is worried that 18th will come and go, we wait till a lil after 18th (but before 28th) and they still cancel our booking. Have any of you had any experience with this? Can they cancel us BEFORE Celebrity's official due date?

 

Thank you for your kind input...emphasis on kind! :)

You should be fine as long as the TA has agreed to let you pay by the "real" final payment date.

 

It is in the TA's own best interest to keep your booking and extend the payment date if necessary, not to cancel it. If they cancel it, they will lose their commission.

 

 

Even if there should be a last minute problem, the TA can receive an extension of the final payment date from the cruise line.

 

This is commonly done when passengers transfer bookings to a TA close to the final payment date and need to wait until the transfer goes through before making the final payment.

 

 

But in any case it really is much better to pay for any cruise, or other major purchase, with a major credit card. That way you have the protection of the credit card company in case there should be a problem or dispute.

Since you apparently don't have one yourself, maybe you can get a family member who has one to add you to their card, or even make the payment for you.

 

 

 

Edited September 5, 2015 by varoo

[Chazteach1]

Is this the Dec 27th cruise on SIhlouette?

[wallie5446]

 

I called TA to ask if they would give us the extra 10 days. She called celebrity to verify their September 28th date then returned to the line to inform me that it would be fine to go ahead and pay by the 28th.

 

Im relieved because I have more breathing room and an extra paycheck to rely on just in case but the paranoid in me is worried that 18th will come and go, we wait till a lil after 18th (but before 28th) and they still cancel our booking. Have any of you had any experience with this? Can they cancel us BEFORE Celebrity's official due date?

 

Thank you for your kind input...emphasis on kind! :)

Hogwash! The early date is the agent not Celebrity. The one we use required final a full month ahead of Celebrity. Celebrity will not cancel unless the agent does not send it to them by the 28th. The agent is where I would worry about the 'disaster'. Especially if your price is lower than what is being offered currently. They could kick you out of their group and sell it to someone else for a higher cost.

Edited September 6, 2015 by wallie5446

[cb at sea]

No..Celebrity will not cancel you until THEIR due date....I would try to get the $$ to the TA BEFORE Celebrities due date, tho....you want to make sure the TA has time to get the payment processed!

[BILLP1]

Going on a cruise and have no credit card. Should be interesting when you check in on boarding day or if you had an emergency in a port outside the country.

[jonsmum]

The OP didn't say they didn't HAVE a credit card, just that they couldn't pay the invoice on one.

[yorkyred]

Hogwash! The early date is the agent not Celebrity. The one we use required final a full month ahead of Celebrity. Celebrity will not cancel unless the agent does not send it to them by the 28th. The agent is where I would worry about the 'disaster'. Especially if your price is lower than what is being offered currently. They could kick you out of their group and sell it to someone else for a higher cost.

 

Think that's about right, our agent does the same thing a full month before and it's obviously not going straight to Celebrity.

[wallie5446]

Think that's about right, our agent does the same thing a full month before and it's obviously not going straight to Celebrity.

 

This got me to thinking, and I had to go look, since we just got in our Celebrity Visa Statement. Have no idea why the agent we used would want the payment so far ahead of time, but the charge shows direct to Celebrity on 8/7, 30 days before most everyone on our Roll Call has posted they made final.

 

So the TA is not trying to get a few weeks use of the $$.

 

I guess they want the buffer to get any cabins sold that others would not pay for so they can keep the discount which got us in their great group rate. Book 12, pay for 11, pass half the savings to us, keep the rest.

[JERSEYGIRL1983]

Thank you all .... Minus a couple, for your feedback. I should have all monies in by 25th which is 3 days before celebritys final payment date. I just needed that extra "breathing" room. i will be paying with a visa/debit card. And yes, i do have other credit cards that we choose not to use for personal reasons ...amazing some of the personalities on this board :eek:

 

Im going to try and get something in writing from TA, however as one poster recommended.

 

Thanks again!

[dorisis]

I was in the sAME SITUATION AND mY TRIP WAS CANCELLED AND I WOULD HAVE LOST THE DEPOSIT BUT I WAS ABLE TO USE IT ON ANOTHER CRUISE ON THE SAME LINE.

 

I NO LONGER USE THAT tRAVEL AGENT

[Hlitner]

This is one of those cases where you cannot have your cake and eat it too :(. Most agencies like to process final payments a few days (or even weeks) in advance as a hedge against any processing error causing issues (such as a cancellation). If you ask an agency to wait until the last minute (day) to process the payment, the chance of something going wrong does increase. This is simply the risk you take by waiting until the last minute...which is not much different then somebody who returns to a ship (in a port) at the last minute. We know some folks who love to live on the "edge" and do everything at the last moment (one of them once missed their airline flight) and seem to relish the Adrenalin rush. It is your choice.

 

Hank