should i prepay service charges?

[newbiecruiser2022]

Sorry if this question has been asked and answered already but is there any financial benefit to prepaying the service charge?

 

Is it any cheaper or more expensive, prior to boarding versus at the end?

 

Someone on my group thinks it's cheaper to prepay but I don't really see why they would think so.

[ChiefMateJRK]

It's only cheaper if you prepay them and there is an annual price increase between that time and your sail date.  I never prepay them.

[raitch]

I prepay just to have one less thing to pay down the road. That’s it.

[newbiecruiser2022]

And follow up q- 

 

I have an onboard spending credit can I use that for service charges?

[surfclam2003]

Just now, newbiecruiser2022 said:

And follow up q- 

 

I have an onboard spending credit can I use that for service charges?

 

Yes you can.

[njhorseman]

7 minutes ago, newbiecruiser2022 said:

And follow up q- 

 

I have an onboard spending credit can I use that for service charges?

 

6 minutes ago, surfclam2003 said:

 

Yes you can.

If it's refundable on board credit, yes. If it's non refundable on board credit, no.

OBC from NCL is non refundable. Credit from a travel agency is in most cases refundable.

[Sailing12Away]

I prefer to prepay. They never go down... there's always a chance they'll go up. And as someone else already said, I prefer to have one less thing to be charged for.

[newbiecruiser2022]

12 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

 

If it's refundable on board credit, yes. If it's non refundable on board credit, no.

OBC from NCL is non refundable. Credit from a travel agency is in most cases refundable.

My credit is the platinum perk from American Express travel

 

I guess we'll find out!

[complawyer]

it's actually totally up to you. there is no right or wrong answer. there is no upside or down side to prepaying, or paying at the end of the cruise. prepaying just means your final bill will be smaller, but in exchange you paid upfront. 

'

either will do

[njhorseman]

33 minutes ago, complawyer said:

it's actually totally up to you. there is no right or wrong answer. there is no upside or down side to prepaying, or paying at the end of the cruise. prepaying just means your final bill will be smaller, but in exchange you paid upfront. 

'

either will do

There is an upside to prepaying as you can avoid having to pay a service charge increase announced after you book your cruise.

[shof515]

another nice benefit of prepay the service charge is it makes reviewing the final statement at the end of the cruise a bit easier

[destar]

I also prepay, just one less thing to worry about and a smaller tab at the end of the cruise.

[CTCruiser001]

2 hours ago, newbiecruiser2022 said:

My credit is the platinum perk from American Express travel

 

I guess we'll find out!

Just FYI...The AMEX perk is a non-refundable OBC...You won't be able to use it for your service charges.

Edited July 8, 2022 by CTCruiser001
typo

[MoCruiseFan]

2 hours ago, surfclam2003 said:

 

Yes you can.

Only if it is a refundable credit.

[julig22]

DSC price increase was effective April 1.  If you booked prior to that date AND you pay before you board, you pay the lower rate.  Otherwise, you pay the current rate whether you pay in advance or have it billed to your room.

[surfclam2003]

44 minutes ago, MoCruiseFan said:

Only if it is a refundable credit.

 

Thanks I didn't know that's. Always prepay gratuities when I do final payment.

[newbiecruiser2022]

20 minutes ago, julig22 said:

DSC price increase was effective April 1.  If you booked prior to that date AND you pay before you board, you pay the lower rate.  Otherwise, you pay the current rate whether you pay in advance or have it billed to your room.

 

So I booked in May for a July cruise, sounds like it doesn't matter then

[ChiefMateJRK]

Do you folks prepay your December rent to "get it out of the way" and have "one less thing to think about?"

[Cruising Lynne]

I don't pre-pay the service  charge anymore.  It is one less thing to worry  about getting  refunded if the cruise  is cancelled. 

 

[KeithJenner]

You do not need to prepay the service charge in case there is a price increase. Whenever NCL increase them you can still get the old price as long as you prepay before the cruise, so you can wait until it is announced before deciding.

 

Of course they may change the way they do it, but that has been consistent for years now.

[cruiseny4life]

For both of our cruises we pre-paid the gratuities, but each time we booked it was already after the final payment date. If we plan a cruise far enough in advance so as not to have to pay everything all at once, we would wait until final payment date, except in the case of a gratuity increase occurring.

 

Yes, we were those cheap arse cruisers who pre-paid the gratuity ahead of April 1st, rather than paying the higher rate after April 1st this year. 

 

@ChiefMateJRK - to answer your question. We always pre-paid our rent at least two months in advance when we rented. Now, we pay our mortgage a month in advance as it's double the rent we were paying. 

[alysonofagun]

I took credit rather than a cash refund from NCL for a cancelled cruise, and was able to use this to prepay service charges earlier this year (although could only use the original 100% and not the bonus 25% or however much it was for this). UK booking. 

 

Just an FYI in case anyone has bits of leftover refunds sitting in their account! 

[MSUjohn]

i always always always prepay my:

 

gratuities

premium meal package

water

shore excursions

onboard credit certificate 

 

 

that is just my personal preference.

Edited July 8, 2022 by MSUjohn

[Travelling2Some]

15 hours ago, KeithJenner said:

You do not need to prepay the service charge in case there is a price increase. Whenever NCL increase them you can still get the old price as long as you prepay before the cruise, so you can wait until it is announced before deciding.

 

Of course they may change the way they do it, but that has been consistent for years now.

I have found this to be true also.  We generally book cruises far in advance and if they raise the gratuity rate then they will give you the heads up and a choice to pay the rate you booked under before a certain date. 

[Greenpea2]

I always prepay. It locks in the price and one less thing to worry about.