Final Payment Question on Group Booking

[vistapat]

Our reservation for our March 18 cruise on Navigator is through a travel agent, and is part of a group booking.  When I asked the agency about Royal's change to final payment at 30 days out instead of 90 days, they said that because it was a group booking, final had to stay at 90 days.  Does anyone know whether this is accurate, or just their wanting the money 60 days before Royal does?

 

Thanks,  Pat

[diadora]

My TA also wanted the money early. Think something is up with that. I paid it of course

 

[klfrodo]

Doesn't matter what Royals process is.

What matters is what the TA's process is. Your contract is with the TA. Until you board the ship, you are the TA's customer and the TA is Royals customer

[vistapat]

44 minutes ago, klfrodo said:

Doesn't matter what Royals process is.

What matters is what the TA's process is. Your contract is with the TA. Until you board the ship, you are the TA's customer and the TA is Royals customer

Understood.  But I was hoping that one of our travel agents who deal with group bookings here might know whether this is official or just agency policy.  That will direct how my further conversations with the agency will go.

 

 

Pat

[davekathy]

1 hour ago, vistapat said:

Our reservation for our March 18 cruise on Navigator is through a travel agent, and is part of a group booking.  When I asked the agency about Royal's change to final payment at 30 days out instead of 90 days, they said that because it was a group booking, final had to stay at 90 days.  Does anyone know whether this is accurate, or just their wanting the money 60 days before Royal does?

 

Thanks,  Pat

As long as the payment goes directly to RC I would have no issues with the 90 days prior to the sail date for the final payment. I would never book with a TA that holds the final payment until RCs posted final payment date. 

[Ourusualbeach]

1 hour ago, vistapat said:

Our reservation for our March 18 cruise on Navigator is through a travel agent, and is part of a group booking.  When I asked the agency about Royal's change to final payment at 30 days out instead of 90 days, they said that because it was a group booking, final had to stay at 90 days.  Does anyone know whether this is accurate, or just their wanting the money 60 days before Royal does?

 

Thanks,  Pat

Final payment was also changed to 30 days for all group bookings by Royal.  Just printed and sent out over 100 new invoices for clients in groups in Feb nd March

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

I would never book with a TA that holds the final payment until RCs posted final payment date.

You don't have to worry as that is not allowed for North American bookings except when the client is paying cash to the travel agent

[vistapat]

5 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Final payment was also changed to 30 days for all group bookings by Royal.  Just printed and sent out over 100 new invoices for clients in groups in Feb nd March

Ken - thank  you very much for this information.  I was actually hoping you would see this post and answer.  I will talk to the agency tomorrow and see if they are aware of this 😁and what their answers are.  I'm not really interested in having them hold my payment for 60 days, nor am I interested in Royal holding it.  Thank you again for clarifying it.

 

Pat

[davekathy]

7 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Final payment was also changed to 30 days for all group bookings by Royal.  Just printed and sent out over 100 new invoices for clients in groups in Feb nd March

I didn't realize the change applied to 2022 cruises also. Thanks. 

[Ourusualbeach]

Just now, vistapat said:

Ken - thank  you very much for this information.  I was actually hoping you would see this post and answer.  I will talk to the agency tomorrow and see if they are aware of this 😁and what their answers are.  I'm not really interested in having them hold my payment for 60 days, nor am I interested in Royal holding it.  Thank you again for clarifying it.

 

Pat

It did take Royal until last week to get the new invoice date reflected on all the group bookings so maybe that is what the confusion was,  Even without the invoice being updated though the payment date still had changed and no cruises were cancelled for going past the 90 days

[Ourusualbeach]

1 minute ago, davekathy said:

I didn't realize the change applied to 2022 cruises also. Thanks. 

Jan was announced a month and a half ago while Feb and march were announced at the end of October

[soremekun]

If I book with a travel agent, can I still call the automated line to receive an invoice from Royal?

Edited November 28, 2021 by soremekun

[Ourusualbeach]

8 minutes ago, soremekun said:

If I book with a travel agent, can I still call the automated line to receive an invoice from Royal?

No