Question on Paying for a cruise ???

[grandma3girls]

I am looking at a Princess cruise/land tour and thinking of booking thru a TA with Princess. If I book a yr in advance can I pay it off in payments, or how do you suggest?

[sparky-elpaso]

I would think so - the TA may have certain rules but as long as you're paid in full by the final payment date it shouldn't matter.

[fleckle]

I am looking at a Princess cruise/land tour and thinking of booking thru a TA with Princess. If I book a yr in advance can I pay it off in payments, or how do you suggest?

Put down only the minimum deposit necessary when you book it.

Pay the remaining balance at final payment.

 

There is no advantage to paying it off any sooner than necessary (unless someone offers you a discount to do so).

 

Make payments with a credit card, never a check, so that you have the protection of the credit card company in case anything goes wrong.

Besides, you get cash back or miles or other reward points or incentives for paying with a credit card.

 

If you book with a TA instead of booking directly, make sure to find out the policies of the TA in advance to avoid unexpected surprise charges later for processing price drops, changes or cancellation.

[sail7seas]

Don't pay it off early IMO

If you wish, make the monthly payments to yourself and even put it in a separate bank account if you wish.

 

Be absolutely sure your TA charges your credit card direct to the cruise line; not through the agency. All charges should be to Princess. Do not pay by check. You want the security of having a credit card company standing behind you in the 'small' chance of any trouble.

 

If you are just now booking, you may wish to have travel insurance.

Go to the cruise/travel insurance forum on Cruise Critic. Folks there will help you decide if you want it and if you need it. Keep in mind, if you want medical coverage for treatement outside U.S. (if your personal insurance does not pay internationally), you must write most policies within a set number of days after making first deposit in order for you to be insured for pre-existing conditions.

 

I'm not trying to make this complicated for you but am trying to give you a small road map to avoid 'traps.' :)

 

Look forward to your cruise.

Hopefully it will be wonderful.

[Cruise staff]

Don't pay it off early IMO

If you wish, make the monthly payments to yourself and even put it in a separate bank account if you wish.

 

Be absolutely sure your TA charges your credit card direct to the cruise line; not through the agency. All charges should be to Princess. Do not pay by check. You want the security of having a credit card company standing behind you in the 'small' chance of any trouble.

 

If you are just now booking, you may wish to have travel insurance.

Go to the cruise/travel insurance forum on Cruise Critic. Folks there will help you decide if you want it and if you need it. Keep in mind, if you want medical coverage for treatement outside U.S. (if your personal insurance does not pay internationally), you must write most policies within a set number of days after making first deposit in order for you to be insured for pre-existing conditions.

 

I'm not trying to make this complicated for you but am trying to give you a small road map to avoid 'traps.' :)

 

Look forward to your cruise.

Hopefully it will be wonderful.

 

 

Very well said and I have to agree with the poster.

[Treven]

I always tell my TA to make a deposit to the cruise line (lately it's been Princess), and then every month or so I send her an email asking her to take $xxx from my Visa card toward my cruise. Later that day or the next I'll check my Visa card account and there will be a charge to Princess in the amount requested to be paid.

[crafter188]

I agree with "sail7seas" that you should save into an account in your own name versus paying to the cruise line for two reasons.

1) We paid the deposit that was required by the cruise line and only bought travel insurance for that amount, so that if we had to cancel we wouldn't be out those funds. Now when our final installment is due we'll buy travel insurance for that amount. Thankfully we've never had to make a claim on a travel insurance policy, but "sh*t happens" and it's too much money to be out!!

2) If you haven't fully paid for your cruise, I believe you have a better chance of getting an adjustment if there's a sale and the price goes down.

 

Of course, this is my first cruise, so I don't really know what I'm talking about :o It just seems like good business to not pay a bill until it's due!

[1025cruise]

For my upcoming cruise, I asked my travel agent to charge my credit card monthly for a portion of the cruise (as well as for some OBC to prepay my excursions). My thought process was so I didn't have one or two humungous bills. As long as its before final cancelation, you will still get your money back. I had to find out the hard way as I was paying for a cruise I was expecting to take, but had to cancel due to my wife not being able to get the time off from work (she had changed jobs).

 

With regards to insurance, since I go through my TA for insurance and purchase cancel for any reason, I have to buy it within 14 days of the deposit, for the full amount. I was lucky in that the insurance company agreed to transfer my premium over to this next cruise since I was not actually out any money when I had to cancel.

[greatam]

I agree with "sail7seas" that you should save into an account in your own name versus paying to the cruise line for two reasons.

1) We paid the deposit that was required by the cruise line and only bought travel insurance for that amount, so that if we had to cancel we wouldn't be out those funds. Now when our final installment is due we'll buy travel insurance for that amount. Thankfully we've never had to make a claim on a travel insurance policy, but "sh*t happens" and it's too much money to be out!!

 

Of course, this is my first cruise, so I don't really know what I'm talking about :o It just seems like good business to not pay a bill until it's due!

 

Please check your insurance idea out THOROUGHLY with whatever company you bought the policy through. MOST will allow you to add a small amount ($1000 or so) to your ORIGINAL amount for unexpected pre paid amounts. BUT you may find yourself having to cancel your ORIGINAL policy to get a MUCH higher policy. And the new policy MOST LIKELY WILL NOT cover any pre existing conditions that either you or your family have. There are only a couple of policies that cover pre existing conditions when booked at final paymnet date.

 

Example: Your cruise deposit is $500 per person. So you buy insurance for $1000. BUT your actual cruise is $2000pp. You MAY NOT be able to insure the extra $1500pp without writing an entirely new policy. And that new policy may not cover any pre existing conditions.

 

Please check this out. You could find yourself up a creek without a paddle if something happens.

[cruiseaholic777]

I would also look at the online travel agents. Check into about 5 agents and compare the rates. When i find a good cruise i always check with other travel agents for a bettewr price. It might be free insurance or onboard credit but you will find a few extra perks. ;)

[fleckle]

I would also look at the online travel agents. Check into about 5 agents and compare the rates. When i find a good cruise i always check with other travel agents for a bettewr price. It might be free insurance or onboard credit but you will find a few extra perks. ;)

Good advice, and always get the total price, not just the base price, so you can be sure you really are comparing apples to apples.

 

But even if you decide to transfer your booking to a travel agent, it is still a good idea not to pay any more than the absolute minimum required in advance, and even more reason to pay everything by credit card, as I recommended previously.