Balance Payments

[julieanne99]

Our balance payment for Azamara Quest sailing in July is due on the 6th April - just before the end of the current suspension period.

 

I am sure that many of you are asking yourselves the same question now - should we pay this?  Yes we have the Cruise with Confidence promise and we have also seen the 125% offer for those affected by the current suspension - which will no doubt be extended.  But can we be confident that Azamara will survive this?  And will they be able to refund everyone's money if not?  Are RCC big enough to weather the crisis despite the 80% drop in share price?  Personally, I think that the cruise companies should extend balance deadlines by the length of the suspension and keep extending - but they need the cash, so they won't!

 

Our travel insurance - extremely expensive, comprehensive policy - expires in May -  i.e.after the deadline.  I have renewed to ensure continuous cover and have had assurance over the phone that the July trip will still be covered for corona-related cancellation.  But I cannot get this spelt out in writing, so I am sceptical.

 

I have asked our travel agent about an extension, but had no response.  We are in UK - I know there has been a different approach in some other countries.

 

It's a lot of money to risk.  If we cancel now we will probably lose what we have already paid out for flights and hotels - but should we take that hit for peace of mind?

 

Those of you in the same boat (sorry!), what are you planning to do?  I have seem some discussion under various banners, but I thought it would be useful to unpick this in one place.  

[klfrodo]

For me, being in the US, our consumer protection laws would allow us to "dispute" the charges against our credit card that we used to pay for the cruise in the case that the cruiseline went into bankruptcy or financial default.

The credit card company would credit our cards the full amount and then the credit card company would become the "creditor" during the bankruptcy proceedings.

 

So, to answer your question, I'd pay it off on time and in full.

Edited March 19, 2020 by klfrodo