When should I pay for the cruise?

[zoryana]

When is the cruise paid for? After the cruise? Before?

 

 

Zoryana ❤️

[Sea Hag]

You put down a down payment when you book it, and you have a final payment date that you must pay the balance by. This might be something like 75 days before sailing.

[Keith1010]

As mentioned at time of booking you make a deposit. How much varies by cruise line. In some cases fully refundable and in some cases it is not or there is some type of cancellation penalty.

 

The timing to pay the full fare varies by cruise line as well. Typically 75 to 90 days prior to the sailing.

 

Keith

[BlueRiband]

The closer the booking is to the sailing date the more money the cruise line will want up front. Some late promotional bookings require full and immediate payment.

 

What happens if you make a booking deposit but don't make the final payment? Your booking will be cancelled and your cabin goes back into inventory. If you booked some promotional fare with a non-refundable deposit then your deposit will be gone.

 

Since you sound like you are new to this, make sure that you read the boring Terms and Conditions before you book anything. Cruises also have a cancellation schedule that is very different from that of airlines. The closer you cancel to the sailing date the more money you will forfeit.

Edited January 31, 2018 by BlueRiband

[bigwally]

And then, of course, you have a shipboard account (for extras and gratuities) that will need settling on the last day of the cruise.

[navybankerteacher]

And then, of course, you have a shipboard account (for extras and gratuities) that will need settling on the last day of the cruise.

 

No - they are not settled on the last day. They are provide for IN ADVANCE, by providing a credit or debit card, or by depositing cash. And, before the deposited cash s used up, your charging ability is terminated.

 

What happens on the last day is that any unspent cash deposit is refunded or, in some cases, you can convert your pending credit card debt to a cash payment.

 

So, you pay the cruise fare, in full, before you set foot on the ship, and you assure that all on-board spending will be covered before you do any spending.

 

Cruise lines do not accept IOU's.

[NantahalaCruiser]

The closer the booking is to the sailing date the more money the cruise line will want up front. Some late promotional bookings require full and immediate payment.

 

What happens if you make a booking deposit but don't make the final payment? Your booking will be cancelled and your cabin goes back into inventory. If you booked some promotional fare with a non-refundable deposit then your deposit will be gone.

 

Depending on the cruise line, even if you have a non-refundable deposit you often have better options that to merely not make the final payment and lose the entire deposit. Often, you can cancel prior to the final payment date and receive a credit for a future cruise minus a minimal amount such as $100 per person.

 

Since you sound like you are new to this, make sure that you read the boring Terms and Conditions before you book anything. Cruises also have a cancellation schedule that is very different from that of airlines. The closer you cancel to the sailing date the more money you will forfeit.

Happy cruising

[CruiseGal999]

What are your cruise details? Date, cruise line/ship, etc. ??

[flamomo]

It's only really paid for when you pay off the full amount that you charged to your credit card!!

[CruiseGal999]

It's only really paid for when you pay off the full amount that you charged to your credit card!!

 

LOL .... :') So true. Sad but true.

[K&JfromPDX]

As others have stated, you make a deposit to hold the cruise. Then, it varies by cruise line, the cruise must be paid in full by a certain date before the sailing.

 

One advantage to paying in-full early is that you can start booking excursions, to ensure you get those you want. Some are certainly more popular than others and once sold out...are gone!