What happens if you don't pay in full by the deadline?

[waytoodeep03]

Cruise is still 90 days away but deadline is in two days. Why is the deadline so far away from the cruise date? I mean if you paid your deposit they should at least require full payment 30 days before the cruise. 

 

So what happens if the cruise isn't paid in full on the deadline? Do they cancel? Do they work with you to extend by a month or so?

[1kaper]

Something happened with our credit card and our final payment didn't go through as scheduled.  We received an email titled "Cancellation Risk: Final payment over due".  

 

"Hi there!

Thanks for choosing Carnival for your cruise! We're really looking forward to welcoming you on board.

There's just one thing — we've yet to receive the final payment on this reservation and we're sorry to say, it's now past due. If payment is already on its way, then simply delete this email.

Payment needs to be made within TWO business day(s) or unfortunately, the booking will be automatically cancelled. And, because the sailing date is around the corner, customary penalties will be assessed.

So, don't miss the ship! To lock in some fun, complete your payment today.

  • To make a payment, please visit https://www.carnival.com

 

›		First, select "Manage my Cruise"
›		Login or click "Access Your Booking Now," and enter any required information.
›		Then, on the Cruise Manager page, click your booking number to view your reservation.
›		Finally, click "Make a Payment" button.

 

For bookings made in non-USD currency, please call 1-800-CARNIVAL
to complete your payment."

 

I doubt they will extend it. 

Edited June 3, 2022 by 1kaper

[Guest BasicSailor]

Call Carnival today! Your best option would be a phone call away. 

[waytoodeep03]

3 minutes ago, BasicSailor said:

Call Carnival today! Your best option would be a phone call away. 

That sounds like a tv commercial jingle

[waytoodeep03]

6 minutes ago, 1kaper said:

Something happened with our credit card and our final payment didn't go through as scheduled.  We received an email titled "Cancellation Risk: Final payment over due".  

 

"Hi there!

Thanks for choosing Carnival for your cruise! We're really looking forward to welcoming you on board.

There's just one thing — we've yet to receive the final payment on this reservation and we're sorry to say, it's now past due. If payment is already on its way, then simply delete this email.

Payment needs to be made within TWO business day(s) or unfortunately, the booking will be automatically cancelled. And, because the sailing date is around the corner, customary penalties will be assessed.

So, don't miss the ship! To lock in some fun, complete your payment today.

  • To make a payment, please visit https://www.carnival.com

 

›		First, select "Manage my Cruise"
›		Login or click "Access Your Booking Now," and enter any required information.
›		Then, on the Cruise Manager page, click your booking number to view your reservation.
›		Finally, click "Make a Payment" button.

 

For bookings made in non-USD currency, please call 1-800-CARNIVAL
to complete your payment."

 

I doubt they will extend it. 

 

 

That is very unfortunate. No idea why they require payment in full so far out from the sailing date.

[Gari]

 i had my final payment with an auto payment option. Unfortunately s

For some odd reason the payment didn't go through and the email went to my junk Folder.  I missed the two day "grace period". My reservation was cancelled resulting in lose of my deposit, onboard credit etc.  I had a B2B cruise planned and since there was still room on the ship I was able to make a brand new reservation which had a much higher rate and no on-board credits. 

All in all a very expensive Learned on my part. 

[Guest BasicSailor]

3 minutes ago, waytoodeep03 said:

That sounds like a tv commercial jingle

None the less it's the truth. Call today and keep that jingle (money) in your pocket.😉

[1kaper]

3 minutes ago, waytoodeep03 said:

 

 

That is very unfortunate. No idea why they require payment in full so far out from the sailing date.

 

Well.  Final payment is usually the cut off for refunds.  They make more money when people cancel after it. 
Plus I imagine after final payment they start offering upgrades and sales to fill the unsold rooms. 

[BlerkOne]

They have to get final payment sooner rather than later, because so many people cancel at final payment (or don't make it), and Carnival has to have time to resell the cabin. The same reason Carnival requires prepayment for shore excursions and these days specialty restaurants.

 

You can CALL Carnival and ask for an extension, but they aren't going to give you 60 days - maybe 2 weeks.

 

Carnival could cancel immediately and keep any penalty. If you have a desirable assigned cabin, they could switch you to a guarantee and resell your former cabin. Really they can do anything they want - if you don't pay on time you have violated the contract.

[csm5986142]

40 minutes ago, Gari said:

i had my final payment with an auto payment option. Unfortunately s

For some odd reason the payment didn't go through and the email went to my junk Folder.  I missed the two day "grace period". My reservation was cancelled resulting in lose of my deposit, onboard credit etc.  I had a B2B cruise planned and since there was still room on the ship I was able to make a brand new reservation which had a much higher rate and no on-board credits. 

All in all a very expensive Learned on my part. 

 

Wow, thank you for posting your experience (that is awful!).  I always use auto payment for my final payment, but I will be watching it closely from now on to make sure it processes as it should. 

Carnival emails frequently go to my spam folder also.

[redsox1584]

You can try calling Carnival and asking for an extension but there’s no guarantee they’ll say yes.
 

I did have them give me a 30 day extension on a cruise last year just because with Covid and everything I wasn’t sure I was going to go

[cruizergal70]

1 hour ago, waytoodeep03 said:

 

 

That is very unfortunate. No idea why they require payment in full so far out from the sailing date.

Are you concerned the cruise will be cancelled or do you not money? The 90 day is pretty common and has been that way for a long time. This was clearly communicated to you when you booked the cruise.

[ColeThornton]

2 hours ago, waytoodeep03 said:

 

 

That is very unfortunate. No idea why they require payment in full so far out from the sailing date.

 

 

Because they have bills to pay like everyone else and they are about a gazillion bucks in debt.  😉

[vwrestler171]

Why are you asking now that you've booked a cruise?  It is clearly spelled out on their website about final payment dates in the cruise contract.  

[mondello]

5 hours ago, ColeThornton said:

 

 

Because they have bills to pay like everyone else and they are about a gazillion bucks in debt.  😉

waytoodeep03? We know what number 2 is, 03 must be debt, hence waytoodeep03?

[RD64]

Is this your first cruise ever? Every cruise line does this? Did you not read the terms of payment when you initially booked?

[mz-s]

They might give you an extra day or two days to pay it off, but I really doubt they'll give you an extra month.

[Eli_6]

I called and got a (I think) 30 day extension on two rooms and the final payment was $$$$ and I was relatively confident the cruise was going to be canceled due to Covid. It was canceled about a week later. I think they used to wait to cancel until right after final payment deadline. 

[mexicobob]

13 hours ago, waytoodeep03 said:

Cruise is still 90 days away but deadline is in two days. Why is the deadline so far away from the cruise date? I mean if you paid your deposit they should at least require full payment 30 days before the cruise. 

 

So what happens if the cruise isn't paid in full on the deadline? Do they cancel? Do they work with you to extend by a month or so?

Yes...they will cancel your cruise, as per the legal document you agreed to, and did not read, when you made your deposit. 

[ontheweb]

8 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I called and got a (I think) 30 day extension on two rooms and the final payment was $$$$ and I was relatively confident the cruise was going to be canceled due to Covid. It was canceled about a week later. I think they used to wait to cancel until right after final payment deadline. 

How long ago was that? I bet it was in the days that a lot of passengers were cancelling, and they were hoping that with an extension people would be less likely to cancel. (And they hoped the cruises would actually sail, but alas many did not.)

[JillK]

20 hours ago, waytoodeep03 said:

 

 

That is very unfortunate. No idea why they require payment in full so far out from the sailing date.

 

As others have said, the 90 day final payment period is fairly standard across all cruise lines and has been that way for the duration of the time that I've been cruising (early 1990's). 

 

I really hate that NCL has moved theirs to 120 for cruises over six days and hope that other cruise lines don't follow suit in the future. I know they were being more flexible during COVID but think that's dropped off now - full payment (with standard penalties applying) four months ahead is egregious in my opinion.

[Purvis1231]

22 hours ago, waytoodeep03 said:

Cruise is still 90 days away but deadline is in two days. Why is the deadline so far away from the cruise date? I mean if you paid your deposit they should at least require full payment 30 days before the cruise. 

 

So what happens if the cruise isn't paid in full on the deadline? Do they cancel? Do they work with you to extend by a month or so?

The due date is 90 days out so they can sell your cabin to someone else. I have heard of them granting a few more days. Good luck! 

[ontheweb]

Many TAs will add a few days or even a week extra before the cruise line's due date when they give you a due date, so that you have a cushion if you forget or if there is possibly a problem with your credit card being accepted.

[Homosassa]

Fare churning by passengers has been a big problem for many cruise lines.

 

For those unfamiliar with the concept, there was an industry wide problem where passengers would book and deposit multiple cruises for a certain time period and then play the price drop/new promotion/ final fare due at final payment game,

 

After a choice was made, all the other reservations were cancelled, leaving the cruise line trying to sell the cabin at a discounted rate after final payment.

 

As  a result, many cruise lines have implemented new fare restrictions where deposits are higher, may be non refundable, and   final payments dates are pushed back to more than what used to be the standard thirty-sixty day date (thirty day was a very long time ago).

 

Some cruise lines have also finally cracked down on the "no show" ploy used by single cruisers to avoid single supplements or by some to obtain what the passenger perceives to be a larger cabin due to the number of passengers that the cabin can accommodate.

 

I can only see the trend of nonrefundable deposits and earlier final payment dates continuing and expanding across the industry.

[mz-s]

11 hours ago, Eli_6 said:

I called and got a (I think) 30 day extension on two rooms and the final payment was $$$$ and I was relatively confident the cruise was going to be canceled due to Covid. It was canceled about a week later. I think they used to wait to cancel until right after final payment deadline. 

 

They sure did, one of my cruises was cancelled like two days after I paid it off. I was nonplussed.