Delay final payment and risk forfeiting my deposit?

[drsel]

 

I paid in full for my 19th October 2020 Costa diadema 4 night Cruise.

I have to pay the balance for my 23rd October 2020 7 night back to back Costa diadema Cruise.

the last date for payment is 28 August.

I would love to sail on both the Cruises.

 

I just phoned costa UK and the call centre employee said unofficially I can delay and pay even 30 days before sailing, that is on 23rd September.

(Because in case Costa cancels the cruise before 23rd September, my balance payment will not be blocked).

 

I told her to send me an email to confirm what she said on the phone (about paying the balance due 30 days prior to sailing) but she said she cannot do it officially.

it is only her personal advice.

 

Officially Costa payment has to be made by the date mentioned on the booking invoice, because they need the money ( she even said this clearly).

 

but if the Cruise is not cancelled and i delay final payment till 23rd September, they may cancel my booking and forfeit my deposit, if I have not paid the balance due by the last day mentioned on the booking invoice, that is 28 August 2020.

 

what do you think I should do?

 

Costa UK confirmed that there is no mention of any restriction for any nationality for the Middle East Cruises in October 2020 on Costa diadema

 

 

 

 

[gerryuk]

If i was you i would wait until the day before final payment then call them. Don't see this sailing in the UAE this year, but you never know.

Personally i would not pay for the final payment until i was guaranteed that the ship sails, if they cannot guarantee that it will sail then you are under no obligation to pay up. If they cancel then you can rebook via a voucher or demand a refund, whatever you do, do not cancel, if you cancel then you are not entitled to a cash refund, only voucher. If you don't mind a voucher then you can cancel up to 24 hours before the ship is set to sail. Good Luck.

 

FAQ ON THE NEW CANCELLATION POLICY FOR NEW BOOKINGS

What benefits does the new cancellation policy provide?

The new cancellation policy gives you the possibility of cancelling your reservation up to 48 hours before departure by receiving a future cruise credit in the amount paid to Costa for the cruise.

How long will the new cancellation policy apply?

The new cancellation policy will be valid for all bookings made by August 31,2020.

On which cruises does the new cancellation policy apply?

The new cancellation policy applies to all cruises departing by June 30,2020.

On which rates does the new cancellation policy apply?

The new cancellation policy is valid on all fare types.

How long do I have to redeem my cruise credit for a future cruise?

The future cruise credit can be used within the following 12 months from the issue date for any cruise departing by November 30, 2021. For more information contact your Travel Agent or our call center at 0800 3890622.

Do you already have a booking?

HAVE YOU ALREADY BOOKED A CRUISE WITH DEPARTURE UNTIL END OF OCTOBER 2020?

No problem! You can change the departure date up to 48 hours before and choose at the same time a new cruise departure within next 12 months.

QUESTIONS?

Contact your travel agent or our call center at 0800 3890622.

[drsel]

Thanks once again Jerry you are you are really very helpful.
I have no intentions of cancelling and we are actually looking forward to sailng after a long gap of 8 months.

Even if Costa cancels they will give me 100% future Cruise credit.
Plus onboard credit of 150 pounds for the 4 night and 200 pounds for 7 night Cruise, correct?

[gerryuk]

2 hours ago, drsel said:

Thanks once again Jerry you are you are really very helpful.
I have no intentions of cancelling and we are actually looking forward to sailng after a long gap of 8 months.

Even if Costa cancels they will give me 100% future Cruise credit.
Plus onboard credit of 150 pounds for the 4 night and 200 pounds for 7 night Cruise, correct?

I am not sure your cruise is going to go. I was booked on the Diadema for September through to October from Savona to Dubai. When my cruise finished, your cruise on the Diadema would have started on the same day. 

My cruise has been officially cancelled and i received a email from Costa to confirm this. Unless Costa are sailing the ship with no customers on board to Dubai, which i doubt, i don't see this happening. 

I received 200 OBC for this cancelled cruise due to the number of days, but they seem to be making it up as they go along. I think it also depends which country you book from. As for the voucher you will get a voucher for the amount you have paid so if you have only paid the deposit that is what you will receive. 

[Lunenburg]

On the UK website Costa states

 It will initially be a gradual restart from our Italian ports, reserved exclusively for our Italian guests.

It seems you can still book the cruise you have been cancelled from - perhaps you were removed because of your nationality?  

I am also booked on the Diadema from Abu Dhabi November 27th. I paid in full months ago including the service charges as well as flights from Sao Paulo so we will have to see what happens.  

My cruise does not fall into the "Have you booked a cruise with a departure before the end of October" so I don't know if I can cancel it  at present anyway.

[gerryuk]

32 minutes ago, Lunenburg said:

On the UK website Costa states

 It will initially be a gradual restart from our Italian ports, reserved exclusively for our Italian guests.

It seems you can still book the cruise you have been cancelled from - perhaps you were removed because of your nationality?  

I am also booked on the Diadema from Abu Dhabi November 27th. I paid in full months ago including the service charges as well as flights from Sao Paulo so we will have to see what happens.  

My cruise does not fall into the "Have you booked a cruise with a departure before the end of October" so I don't know if I can cancel it  at present anyway.

Apparently the Diadema will resume with 7 day cruises around the med then in December it will reposition to the Caribbean?

 

Costa Diadema Phase 1 and 2

Costa Diadema will resume cruises with 7 day Western Mediterranean itineraries from 29 Aug – 26 Sep, sailing to Italian ports, and to Valletta, Malta. During this phase, only Italian Guests will embark from the ports in Genoa, Palermo, Catania, Napoli, and Civitavecchia. Occupancy 50%

Costa Diadema Phase 3

All European guests will be allowed to board Costa Diadema. Starting November 1, the ship will set sail on a 7-day Western Med cruises from Genoa to  Napoli, Palma de Mallorca, and Marseille.

Occupancy 50%

Costa Diadema Phase 4-5

In December the ship will reposition to the Caribbean, offering 7 days itineraries from the home port Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe, with stops in Tortola, Philipsburg, St John's Rosseau and Martinique. The ship will sail only with European guests with 70% Occupancy.

  

[drsel]

No mention about October in the Middle East

[Lunenburg]

44 minutes ago, drsel said:

No mention about October in the Middle East

And yet you can still book this and others!

 

[drsel]

This Cruise was much cheaper when I booked it, and I also got a 30% discount for shifting my deposit from a cancelled costa fortuna 2021 Cruise

[drsel]

The ship will be sailing from Italy to Dubai and Abu Dhabi with only Italians.
But I guess that in Dubai & Abu Dhabi they will allow all nationalities to board.

[Roger88]

6 hours ago, Lunenburg said:

And yet you can still book this and others!

 

I hears that its quite safe out there and they no longer have any strict limitations. All I heard of was that you need a certificate from the clinics that you are not Covid infected. Then you can go anywhere you like in the UAE. I plan my next visit there this winter to stay there for maybe a month or so. I will comment on the situation 

[drsel]

Thanks everyone.
I will make the final payment on the last day