Final Payment nightmare!

[figs]

I nearly had a heart attack today, folks. I've got a September sailing on the Pride for myself and a few friends, and had stupidly put off final payment until the very last minute, but didn't think anything of it.

 

But for some reason, I had "Final payment is due 70 days out" stuck in my head - logged on today to double-check the final total (and it's not easy to find the little "manage booking - make a payment" link!), and saw that it was due TUESDAY. As in, TWO DAYS AGO.

 

I just paid. The booking still was there, all set up and confirmed and such. I'm assuming I'm in the clear now??? I might call them at lunch and double-check.

 

So then I went looking for carnival's final payment policies, to try to figure out why I thought it was 70 days - and figured it out. When I was first researching the cruise, I'm guessing I saw this page at some point (see the bottom of the page): http://www.expedia.com/daily/cruise/cancellation/carnival.asp

 

And in fact, I still haven't found "final payment" page on Carnival's site, or within my reservation. I found the CANCELLATION dates, but I can't find the "final payment is due xxxx days out" page anywhere, and CC search didn't turn up anything useful either. Anyone got a link? I'm curious as to why I'm seemingly so bad at finding this!

 

Obviously, I don't care, and I'm not blaming Carnival or anything - my fault for not being more careful. But oh man, logging on to see my total - and seeing that it was due on the 75 day mark, not the 70 day'er - I think that was as close to fainting as I've ever been! :p

[PittsburghGirlee]

I would contact Carnival just in case to make sure all is ok.

Piece of mind and all.:D

Hope it all works out.

[firefly333]

I got a payment reminder for my Sept cruise a couple of days ago, so they do apparantly send them out ... but I guess if you didnt know they meant NOW it wouldnt help, it didnt say the cruise date or amount or anything, just said payment reminder.

[travelntreats]

....

[trock]

I don't think they would be too quick to cancel out these reservations.. It would be a rebooking nightmare for them not to give cruisers some more time...

 

Especially considering how many people cruise with them!!

[Kurbanfan]

This is why I love my TA........she always phones me to let me know my payment is due........

[newcatintown]

And in fact, I still haven't found "final payment" page on Carnival's site, or within my reservation. I found the CANCELLATION dates, but I can't find the "final payment is due xxxx days out" page anywhere, and CC search didn't turn up anything useful either. Anyone got a link? I'm curious as to why I'm seemingly so bad at finding this!

 

Under 'Frequently asked question', 'cancellation policy' gives the number of days out for the cruises. While it doesn't say final payment due this far out, this is how I would interpret it.

[salty dingo]

Someone should have called you about this, as soon as the deadline passed. Sorry you had to find out yourself.

[figs]

Called and confirmed - I'm all paid up and things are fine! *WHEW*

 

The lady on the phone also did not know when final payment was due for a 7 day cruise - hehe - but spent about 10min looking it up for me, and said that it was, indeed, 75 days. She said she'd pass it on to her superiors that Expedia has their date listed as 70, and she couldn't understand why they'd say that. :) I guess I'm not the only confused one today. :D

 

No payment reminder. And oddly enough, the "payment" screen said that my deposit was due by TODAY, but my final payment was due by two days ago. Odd.

[Milaandra]

I paid a day late. When I realized that my final payment date was due the day before my big paycheque (I booked directly with Carnival) I called Carnival and asked if that was a problem. Not only was it not a problem, I got the feeling that it isn't uncommon to pay a little late. They just pointed out that the cancellation date was written in stone, whether or not you had paid in full.

 

Deep breaths! Calm...calm... :)

[Ken076]

I always interpreted that the "Cancellation Date" (which is in the cruise contract and elsewhere) and the "Final Payment Deadline" were synonomous - but you're right, there seems to be no reference to the "Final Payment Deadline!!! ken

[navybaby1113]

My PVP always calls and reminds me when I have a payment due.

[HeidiHo]

That reminds me, I have to call my TA. My wallet was stolen along with my credits cards so I need to give my TA my new card number since she is going to automatically put remaining balances on my card (the card she has on file was stolen). It would stink if my cruise got canceled because my credit card is invalid when she goes to put the charges thru. I assume she would call me if there was a problem but I don't want to count on that. You just never know. :rolleyes:

[joepeka]

Expedia has their date listed as 70

That is strange. Different cruise lengths have different cancellation time frames (60 days for 3-5 day cruises, 75 days for 6-8 day, etc.) but there's no 70 day option listed so who knows where Expedia got that.

 

Like a couple of others have mentioned, our TA stays on top of that and always contacts us about a week before final payment to "collect."

[figs]

Deep breaths! Calm...calm... :)

 

Thanks! My little picture next to my name is also my desktop background. I'm just staring at it blankly right now. :)

[BlueJacketsFan1]

I would definately call Carnival to make sure there are no problems. If there would be it would be better to find out now. I always worry about forgetting things. So we always try to get everything done and paid for as soon as possible, just to play it safe.

[Frick_&_Frack]

I think they will usually give some leeway. My final payment date was the day before I went on another Carnival cruise this past June! :eek: I was on the phone with my PVP - since I wound up on crutches just then and neither of us remembered the September cruise!

 

When I got back, I got the "reminder", called my PVP (who, of all days wasn't there - but got a great guy instead to help me). He processed the payment and said - "No wonder you didn't pay - you were cruising! :D"

 

I now put reminders everywhere for the next final payment....I've never missed one before :o

[arpie05]

For my last cruise my PVP had sent me an email reminder - i thought it was an automatic generated one by Carnival because it's just a template. But for this one he didn't because he was out for 10 days for some family emergency. I realized it was probably due when I logged on to Carnival site and it said I sail in 59 days. So I emailed him. He promptly called within 10 mins. He apologized for not getting my payment sooner from me. He said that paying a day or two late was not an issue. I would not have been able to cancel since it was past the deadline. That would have been the only big deal.

[horsesrus]

I got a payment reminder for my Sept cruise a couple of days ago, so they do apparantly send them out ... but I guess if you didnt know they meant NOW it wouldnt help, it didnt say the cruise date or amount or anything, just said payment reminder.

 

We did too, I got a call yesterday from the person that did our booking for us over the phone with a reminder ours is due in a few days. I had it on my calendar but thought that was a nice effort on Carnival's part. :)

[NCTribeFan]

My PVP calls and sends an email reminder.

 

But I don't need the reminders, because the final payment date is printed right there on my booking confirmation, which is the first thing that goes in my folder when I book my cruise.

 

I put a reminder on my Outlook calendar for about 5 days before the final due date.

[PictureChris]

Is that from St Johns?

 

Thanks! My little picture next to my name is also my desktop background. I'm just staring at it blankly right now. :)

[figs]

I put a reminder on my Outlook calendar for about 5 days before the final due date.

 

 

Me, too. I just had the wrong information in my head about what date that was. :)

[Pegs222]

And this is one more reason we have a TA. Not that a PVP's would not do it, but the one we had never replied to my emails or phone calls so I doubt she would have sent me a reminder on anything much less final payment. We had to pay our entire cruise when we booked in June, as we booked late.

 

 

I am sure when you call Carnival they will tell you that your on your way to your cruise. Things like this happen a lot, for that I am sure.

 

Have a wonderful cruise.

[figs]

Is that from St Johns?

 

Yup, that's St. John, USVI. It's of Trunk Bay, I took it from the hill just above the Bay. Still the best beach I've seen, hands down. :)

[freetofly06]

Love my Blackberry....it reminds me of everything. I just have to remember to sync it with my outlook calendar!