Advantages/Disadvantages to paying cruise fare early

I also make payments and if I can make the final payment before the final payment date then it's one less thing to worry about.

It's a good system

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I pay the day before or maybe two days before final payment just to be safe. I like to keep my money as long as I can even if it earns next to nothing.

Our TA's 'deadline' is about two weeks early, and she sends reminders about two weeks before that. If I overlook their deadline, she'll call me.

 

It's a good system

 

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I don't use a TA so I have to remember it myself.:o

I pay the day before or maybe two days before final payment just to be safe. I like to keep my money as long as I can even if it earns next to nothing.

Exactly. Plus why go through the aggravation of trying to get your money back if you cancel.

I mark final payment date on my wall calendar and in my I phone calendar. If that date falls after the last monthly credit card statement payoff...I pay it then. Visa can carry it for a few weeks. ;)

I try not to pay off too early, since I will try to score self upgrades or take advantage of price drops (which have not happened much lately :o:(). I would rather have my pay off balance adjusted down, then to look for a refund.

I don't use a TA so I have to remember it myself.:o

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I always pay close to final payment. Don't see a reason to pay off early.

With one exception I usually pay for my cruise when I book it. I do watch for price drops and have received refunds without any problems. It's just one less thing to worry about.

Same as me. Royal will still give you price drops before final payment even if you pay in full.

To the OP, booking excursions and other sales, as Bob said, you do that on the cruise planner totally separate from your cruise fare. Keep an eye out for sales, especially Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

Personally, the tiny bit of interest is meaningless for me and I just pay for the cruise in full when I book it. The risk of forgetting to pay it or any other complication is not worth a few bucks in interest. I like to just pay for things in full, in general.

Not all investments increase in value. [emoji33]

 

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That's true. But the right ones can certainly earn way more than 0.25%!

Sometimes it's the little things that make you appreciate them.

 

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I've read too many horror stories to use one. Might be different if we had a brick and mortar one nearby but since we don't, I don't.

I've read too many horror stories to use one. Might be different if we had a brick and mortar one nearby but since we don't, I don't.

I'd have less faith in brick and mortar.

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I like paying early. Working on our March cruise now

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They will already have my money if I book a drink package, Voom, or specialty restaurant under a good fake sale. I see no benefit in giving them the balance unless they offer an incentive.

It's the 21st century. Embrace the internet.

 

I'd have less faith in brick and mortar.

 

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I can use the internet to book directly with the cruise line.

I can use the internet to book directly with the cruise line.

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I've heard horror stories about that. [emoji6]

 

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But at least if something goes wrong you don't have to go through a 3rd party in order to get it fixed. To each his or her own.

But at least if something goes wrong you don't have to go through a 3rd party in order to get it fixed. To each his or her own.

+1^. Prefer being in the drivers seat. ;)

It's the 21st century. Embrace the internet.

 

I'd have less faith in brick and mortar.

 

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Agree with this idea. I pay early because the loss of electricity and/or WiFi is totally unpredictable in the Philippines boondocks.

If I were not using my local TA, I would search the cruise out as usual, then call that cruise line and speak with an agent to book, same with any payment I made.

But at least if something goes wrong you don't have to go through a 3rd party in order to get it fixed. To each his or her own.

You are correct. And in fact, embracing the internet seems to imply booking yourself online much more so than the antiquated 3rd party travel agent. We did the travel agent once, never again. For a little OBC or whatever... no way. You lose control of your booking, you can't do anything, can't call Royal yourself, etc. I don't get the benefit at all.

Guess I'm not a control freak [emoji6]

Benefits are way more than OBC and free tips.

Big online agencies are staffed 24/7

They have access to something called STAR Desk. Not sure what that is, but it sounds cool.

To each his own, works for us.

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Guess I'm not a control freak [emoji6]

 

Benefits are way more than OBC and free tips.

 

Big online agencies are staffed 24/7

 

They have access to something called STAR Desk. Not sure what that is, but it sounds cool.

 

To each his own, works for us.

 

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It's not totally about control for me. I like to find my own cruises online like most people. If I'm doing that, why not spend the extra 3 minutes doing the booking instead of reaching out to an agent? It's just fast, easy, etc. I guess for me I would describe it as a Travel Agent is solving a problem that doesn't exist. I don't understand the need for one. I can book in seconds online, I can call to manage it if needed, etc. I don't need an agent for that.

It's not totally about control for me. I like to find my own cruises online like most people. If I'm doing that, why not spend the extra 3 minutes doing the booking instead of reaching out to an agent? It's just fast, easy, etc. I guess for me I would describe it as a Travel Agent is solving a problem that doesn't exist. I don't understand the need for one. I can book in seconds online, I can call to manage it if needed, etc. I don't need an agent for that.

I booked a cruise the middle of January through an online travel agent. The cruise offering was exactly the same as what I would have got if I booked directly. For the five minutes it took, I got a refundable obc of $300 and dinner for two in a specialty restaurant ($100 value) of our choice. I have had no reason to contact them to manage anything.

I would say $80 a minute for my time is a good deal.

You are correct. And in fact, embracing the internet seems to imply booking yourself online much more so than the antiquated 3rd party travel agent. We did the travel agent once, never again. For a little OBC or whatever... no way. You lose control of your booking, you can't do anything, can't call Royal yourself, etc. I don't get the benefit at all.

I guess some people like giving money away we always look for the best deal. The cruise we booked this week we are getting a $4400 discount from the cruise line booking price. On a cruise last year we each received 90,000 bonus air miles each if you bought the from the airline they are .025 each mile that works out to $4500. In all our years of cruising since 1971 we have never had any agency problems and have saved a fortune over booking directly with the cruise lines just in the last two years it’s just short of $10,000.

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Guess I'm not a control freak [emoji6]

 

Benefits are way more than OBC and free tips.

 

Big online agencies are staffed 24/7

 

They have access to something called STAR Desk. Not sure what that is, but it sounds cool.

 

To each his own, works for us.

 

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For what I spend on cruises I've never seen a huge amount of perks so it's not worth the effort. If wanting to be in charge of my booking makes me a control freak so be it. I've been called far worse.:')