Final Payment Due Date

[nadalina]

Can anyone tell me what is the standard due date for the final payment prior to sailing, if there is such a thing as 'standard'?

 

Many thanks,

Peggy

[Barbee524]

It may vary by cruise line but on Royal Caribbean for a 7 day cruise the final payment is due 70 days out. It is less days for for shorter cruises and more days for longer or holiday cruises.

[bobnatt]

Can anyone tell me what is the standard due date for the final payment prior to sailing, if there is such a thing as 'standard'?

 

Many thanks,

Peggy

 

For Cunard it is 90 days. I believe that this is pretty standard for the industry.

[uppitycats]

My due date was July 8 for an October 8 cruise on NCL (10 day cruise).

[nadalina]

Can anyone tell me what is the standard due date for the final payment prior to sailing, if there is such a thing as 'standard'?

 

Many thanks,

Peggy

 

Sorry. Guess I should have provided more details. It is with Celebrity in February '09 for 7 nights.

 

I know we are not supposed to name TAs, and I won't, but I booked online and the agency wants final payment 135 days in advance of the sail date. It's not that I can't pay it that early but I think that's entirely too early to expect final payment. I am an experienced cruiser and always do my research in advance so I already know exactly which ship, cabin and sail date I want before I'm ready to book. This is the fourth cruise I have booked in 18 months with these people and I just think this policy is unreasonable. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

[wrp96]

That sounds like too far out for me but I would ask on the Celebrity board.

 

I know that with RCCL (Celebrity's sister line) final payment is usually due 70 days out but there are exceptions. Holiday cruises for example have a due date of 90 days out.

[bobnatt]

Take a look at the brochure and in the fine print at the back it probably explains the final payment timing.

[kitty9]

I don't know what it is with these internet agencies, but for some reason, they want their payments earlier than the cruise line requires. My guess is that they take their client's money and deposit it in their bank account and earn interest on YOUR money. I've taken at least 20 Celebrity cruises and they require final payment 70 days in advance of your cruise, for a 7 day cruise, and my TA never asks for payment earlier than that. Your agency is asking for payment at nearly double the time that Celebrity requires. This whole thing doesn't sound Kosher to me and if it were me, I'd be looking for a new agent/agency.

[nadalina]

You're right, kitty9, I, too, think that's exactly what they are doing. Since I posted my original question, just out of curiosity, I decided to check out some other online cruise agencies and their final payment policies. I tried three others for the same cruise and same category cabin and all prices were identical to the one I used, except that the agency I used offered pre-paid gratuities for balcony cabins and above, which I qualified for. One of the three other agencies I checked wanted final payment 60 days in advance and the other two were 90 days. Maybe the agency I used thinks the pre-paid gratuities entitles them to require payment that far in advance so they can use my money for 2+ months before they have to pay the cruise line. Not sure I like that or if it is worth it to me, but it is what it is. I called them about it and reminded them that I had booked and will have taken four cruises within 18 months with them and asked them to reconsider their policy but they wouldn't budge.

[Blue46]

I believe for Celebrity it is 70 days out. I know our next cruise is 9 April 2010 and final payment is due 29 Jan 2010.

[DanJ]

I've used a few TA's for our HAL, Carnival and Princess cruises, and none of them handle my money. They have my credit card info on file, and they use that to make the payments at the appropriate time, but it's always the cruise line that charges the card, not the TA. I wouldn't deal with a TA whom I had to give them the money to pass on to the cruise line, airline, hotel etc. The final payment date they give me is usually a week or so ahead of the cruise line's schedule, just to make sure it's taken care of.

[Plant]

I've used a few TA's for our HAL, Carnival and Princess cruises, and none of them handle my money. They have my credit card info on file, and they use that to make the payments at the appropriate time, but it's always the cruise line that charges the card, not the TA. I wouldn't deal with a TA whom I had to give them the money to pass on to the cruise line, airline, hotel etc. The final payment date they give me is usually a week or so ahead of the cruise line's schedule, just to make sure it's taken care of.

 

I definitely agree with Dan! If you're using a TA the payments should be made directly to the cruise line. A friend of mine just went through a big mess with an online TA who held her money and didn't pay the cruise line. This was for her honeymoon :eek: . She finally got it straightened out, but it took lots of time and stress, numerous calls to the cruise line and threatening to report the TA to the Attorney General of her state.

[FUN33]

Sorry. Guess I should have provided more details. It is with Celebrity in February '09 for 7 nights.

 

I know we are not supposed to name TAs, and I won't, but I booked online and the agency wants final payment 135 days in advance of the sail date. It's not that I can't pay it that early but I think that's entirely too early to expect final payment. I am an experienced cruiser and always do my research in advance so I already know exactly which ship, cabin and sail date I want before I'm ready to book. This is the fourth cruise I have booked in 18 months with these people and I just think this policy is unreasonable. Your thoughts and comments are appreciated.

Certainly seems unreasonable to me. Find another TA.

 

Always ask if there are fees for changes after the initial reservation, does the agency charge a cancellation fee if you cancel before the final payment date? Do they honor cruise line coupons for the full face value? Do they charge a membership fee or a booking fee?

[Happy ks]

I don't know what it is with these internet agencies, but for some reason, they want their payments earlier than the cruise line requires. My guess is that they take their client's money and deposit it in their bank account and earn interest on YOUR money. I've taken at least 20 Celebrity cruises and they require final payment 70 days in advance of your cruise, for a 7 day cruise, and my TA never asks for payment earlier than that. Your agency is asking for payment at nearly double the time that Celebrity requires. This whole thing doesn't sound Kosher to me and if it were me, I'd be looking for a new agent/agency.

 

This seems rather odd to me, because every cruise I've ever taken, the payment is made to the cruise line, not the TA.

 

TA's are paid their commission from the cruise line, after the guest has sailed. So it makes no sense they need final payment at a much earlier date.

 

The only time we've ever had to make final payment early was for a holiday cruise. It might be a special consideration, like a charter or something. 135 days does seem awfully early for a final payment.

[pris993]

This is a good question. Recently we booked with a new TA. We got two different quotes for the same cruise, different cabins. I noticed the final playment date were different, about 1 week apart. This seems quite strange to me. I am thinking the TA maybe be booking through a clearinghouse and that may explain the difference.

 

Before we make the final payment, I will inquire - why the difference. Strange. We have been cruising for 30 years, never have seen different dates for the same cruise.

[agabbymama]

For my Grand Princess 12 day Med cruise, my first invoice when I booked the cruise had July 24th as final payment date. Then when the fuel surcharge was added, the invoice still reflected July 24th as final payment date, then when the fuel surcharge was removed, the invoice showed July 27th as final payment date. I emailed my TA asking why the date had changed. She said it should have always been July 27th. I was concerned with the change in date, so I called Princess, the rep there said final payment was due August 3rd which is 75 days from sailing date. So looks like my TA gave themselves a cushion of 1 week to make sure the payment got to Princess on-time and the charge hit my credit card from Princess, not the TA.

 

135 days does seem excessive to me. I would check with your cruiseline, and if the dates aren't close, question the TA as to why? Depending on their answer, don't think I'd use that TA again.

[Krazy Kruizers]

On the confirmation sheet that we get from our TA -- the final payment due date is always listed there.

[AZaTaz]

Make sure that you inform the TA, in writing, that your credit card is to only be charged by the cruise line. If they balk at this then you need to move your reservation.

[mr green]

I have found 60-75 days is usual.

 

john

[wrp96]

For my Grand Princess 12 day Med cruise, my first invoice when I booked the cruise had July 24th as final payment date. Then when the fuel surcharge was added, the invoice still reflected July 24th as final payment date, then when the fuel surcharge was removed, the invoice showed July 27th as final payment date. I emailed my TA asking why the date had changed. She said it should have always been July 27th. I was concerned with the change in date, so I called Princess, the rep there said final payment was due August 3rd which is 75 days from sailing date. So looks like my TA gave themselves a cushion of 1 week to make sure the payment got to Princess on-time and the charge hit my credit card from Princess, not the TA.

 

A week in advance is reasonable, double the amount of time is not.

[bar_20]

Since Celebrity does not allow T/A's to sell their cruises below thier published price, I am wondering what your T/A offered you as an incentive to go with them? Things like onboard credit, prepaid tips, specialty restaurant dinner? What exactly enticed you to go with them, because 70 days out is when Celebrity requires final payment not 135! Call up your T/A and ask them why they are 135 days and everybody else is 70 days. Do you have a 7 digit reservation number for your cruise from Celebrity? If so call Celebrity and verify its legit or you can go on their website and verify it. Most online T/A's are honest but there are a few that are out to scam you, even use your money as a Ponzi scheme.:confused:

[krystalkruzer]

There is no standard.It varies by cruise line and length.

[nadalina]

Since Celebrity does not allow T/A's to sell their cruises below thier published price, I am wondering what your T/A offered you as an incentive to go with them? Things like onboard credit, prepaid tips, specialty restaurant dinner? What exactly enticed you to go with them, because 70 days out is when Celebrity requires final payment not 135! Call up your T/A and ask them why they are 135 days and everybody else is 70 days. Do you have a 7 digit reservation number for your cruise from Celebrity? If so call Celebrity and verify its legit or you can go on their website and verify it. Most online T/A's are honest but there are a few that are out to scam you, even use your money as a Ponzi scheme.:confused:

 

I first learned about this company in Frommers Budget Travel magazine 3-4 years ago and have used them probably 8 times during that time. They often offer pre-paid gratuities for balcony cabins and up, for which I usually qualify. Originally their final due date was 90 days, then it was 120 days, and now, for my upcoming cruise on the Solstice, they have gone to 135 days. I do have the 7-digit confirmation number and can pull it up on Celebrity's website, and I have never had a problem with them in the past on any of my other cruises. But I don't like the new 135 day payment policy and will probably be looking for a new TA. Thanks to all of you for your comments.