Paying for cruise before final payment date

[sandancer]

We are considering making final payment for a cruise early. I thought that if you did that and the cost of the cruise dropped before the “actual date” of final payment we would still get the lower fare. My TA says not. Once the cruise is paid for you would not be offered the new fare. 

Anyone have any experience of this. 

[omeinv]

At least for us here in the US, your TA is wrong.  I've had several instances where I've made full payment prior to the final payment date, and then saw a price drop and got it. 

 

Making full payment prior to final payment date is in effect a very large, refundable, deposit. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

[mom says]

The rules and laws in this regard are different in the UK and the US. From what I've read, the UK is much more restrictive when it comes to repricing existing bookings.

[sandancer]

11 minutes ago, omeinv said:

At least for us here in the US, your TA is wrong.  I've had several instances where I've made full payment prior to the final payment date, and then saw a price drop and got it. 

 

Making full payment prior to final payment date is in effect a very large, refundable, deposit. 

 

Harris

Denver, CO

Thank you. As we have used a US TA we should in effect get the US terms and. Conditions. We will be making final payment 2 months before it is due. I’ll check it again. 

[gold1953]

It is not a contract until final payment date.. Yes you can get a refund of any or all of your money

[Lilikins]

Good to know! I was actually going to call our TA to ask this question. I wanted to pay early since citi is eliminating the travel coverage benefits for any trips booked after sept 22nd - figured I better pay early so I can still get coverage. 

[CulverCityCruisers]

We always pay early and if there are price drops or better cabin, perks etc, I contact our TA and changes are made.  It is the final payment of the cruise line that matters, NOT when you make final payment.  Maybe time for a new TA

[Tourist1292]

I would not do that. It is a lot easier to get price adjust and pay on the final payment due date than getting refund. We did 3 price adjustment with the last one on the day before final payment. Then we upgraded our cabin after the final payment with the amount we paid as credit towards to upgraded cabin + perks.

[CHEZMARYLOU]

We make periodic payments leaving about 10% - 15% to be paid on final payment date. If there is a price drop before then we can get it and not wait for a refund.  

[fleckle]

3 hours ago, Tourist1292 said:

I would not do that. It is a lot easier to get price adjust and pay on the final payment due date than getting refund.

 

We also pay the remaining balance in full on the final payment due date, which is the last date to cancel without penalty.

 

Until then, we prefer to keep our money in our own bank account instead of the cruise line's bank account.

 

(The exception would be unusual circumstances, if there were some advantage to be gained by paying earlier than necessary, such as the situation previously described by Lilikins).

 

 

[Tatka]

What is a reason of paying cruise earlier?

We always pay on due date. 

[miched]

What is the advantage?

 

i want to keep the cash in my hand as long as I can.  It is easier to give than get back.  Ex sign up to subscribe to a website.  Boom you are immediately on it.   Try unsubscribing. There is a disclaimer that it may take a few weeks.  Why? 

 

Trying to get money back they will always say it has to do with the billing or accounting cycle and may take months.   The check is in the mail.  Yeah.  It may take a long time and a long time on the phone.  

 

Happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[rsail203]

Like Lilikins, I plan to make a final payment for several cruises on Sept. 19th so I get cancellation insurance on my citicard. The interest I lose on the money is a lot less than the cost of the insurance for those cruises. I already have a yearly medical and evacuation insurance so I just need the cancellation coverage. If I had to cancel before final payment date, my TA told me that I will get my money back, even if there's some delay.

[sandancer]

11 hours ago, Tatka said:

What is a reason of paying cruise earlier?

We always pay on due date. 

2 reasons. Currency exchange rates and Brexit. 

[Tatka]

31 minutes ago, sandancer said:

2 reasons. Currency exchange rates and Brexit. 

 

Thank you. These reasons look more than valid.

Hopefully everything will work out for you.

[miched]

12 hours ago, rsail203 said:

Like Lilikins, I plan to make a final payment for several cruises on Sept. 19th so I get cancellation insurance on my citicard. The interest I lose on the money is a lot less than the cost of the insurance for those cruises. I already have a yearly medical and evacuation insurance so I just need the cancellation coverage. If I had to cancel before final payment date, my TA told me that I will get my money back, even if there's some delay.

 

We got a notice from our CC company that travel insurance will no longer be provided and I think most are following the same policy.   She did say that our cruise for next month is covered as the final payment was due and now paid for.  

 

Don't know all the ins and outs of what it really did cover.  

 

Like you wrote the interest doesn’t really amount to much compared to the cost protection by paying early to get the insurance before it is eliminated.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

[WAVTAM]

Actually we do just the opposite. We book all cruise AFTER  final payment is due . The rate reduction to finish selling the remaining cabins is in the 50% range. We always request a balcony cabin, just some times don't get best location, but for over a 1000 -1500 savings on long cruises , who cares.

[Tatka]

41 minutes ago, WAVTAM said:

Actually we do just the opposite. We book all cruise AFTER  final payment is due . The rate reduction to finish selling the remaining cabins is in the 50% range. We always request a balcony cabin, just some times don't get best location, but for over a 1000 -1500 savings on long cruises , who cares.

 

We did book cruises after Final payment, but it works only for cruises which aren’t in high demand. We cruise 5 times a year with 8 companies (that’s maximum I can stretch my vacations days mixing it with holidays Christmas, New Year, Easter, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day and Thanksgiving). Many cruises especially for winter holidays are sold out or near it by the time of Final payment date and prices are only going up. 

[Lilikins]

2 hours ago, miched said:

 

We got a notice from our CC company that travel insurance will no longer be provided and I think most are following the same policy.   She did say that our cruise for next month is covered as the final payment was due and now paid for.  

 

Don't know all the ins and outs of what it really did cover.  

 

Like you wrote the interest doesn’t really amount to much compared to the cost protection by paying early to get the insurance before it is eliminated.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

The Citicard from Costco covered $3000 per person and allowed cancellation due to the death/serious illness of travelers, their family members, and pets (this is a very nice perk that most don’t have). Excellent coverage in comparison to most cards. Very sad to see that it’s going away but I’m going to book everything I can now so I’m covered. I didn’t plan on paying until February so the unexpected payment this soon is doable but very annoying. I’m just glad I found out about it randomly on a travel blog because I never got a letter in the mail warning us able the benefit being cancelled.

[rsail203]

We never got a notice either, but I saw a small article in my local paper. I called citi last week to check out the info and I had to speak to six different people, before I found someone to confirm that the coverage is ending Sept. 22nd. The other five had no clue and kept on passing me on to other departments.

[chamima]

4 hours ago, miched said:

 

We got a notice from our CC company that travel insurance will no longer be provided and I think most are following the same policy.   She did say that our cruise for next month is covered as the final payment was due and now paid for.  

 

Don't know all the ins and outs of what it really did cover.  

 

Like you wrote the interest doesn’t really amount to much compared to the cost protection by paying early to get the insurance before it is eliminated.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅

 

Which credit card was this?

We have the Chase Sapphire card and one of the benefits I love is the cancellation insurance.

I haven't heard anything from them about this coverage ending.

We have 2 big cruises coming up with final payments in Oct., Nov. but I'll pay now if I have to.

[Lilikins]

54 minutes ago, chamima said:

 

Which credit card was this?

We have the Chase Sapphire card and one of the benefits I love is the cancellation insurance.

I haven't heard anything from them about this coverage ending.

We have 2 big cruises coming up with final payments in Oct., Nov. but I'll pay now if I have to.

Chase sapphire is fine. It’s Citicard that is affected. Still haven’t been able to get a straight answer if I need to have the balance paid off my the 22nd for it to count or if it just needs to be on the card by then but I figured it’s better to be safe and pay it off so they don’t have a reason to deny me.

[Mialias]

I believe Amex also covers travel cancellation

[chamima]

23 minutes ago, Mialias said:

I believe Amex also covers travel cancellation

 

The regular Platinum Business Amex card does NOT.

I had also heard that so I called Amex. You can BUY travel insurance from them but just charging your trip on the card only gives you limited emergency evacuation coverage, not cancellation .

[miched]

3 hours ago, chamima said:

 

Which credit card was this?

We have the Chase Sapphire card and one of the benefits I love is the cancellation insurance.

I haven't heard anything from them about this coverage ending.

We have 2 big cruises coming up with final payments in Oct., Nov. but I'll pay now if I have to.

 

The same as Lilikens. 

 

My my wife says  received the notice in the mail.   I guess you have to read all the fine print in the new terms and conditions that they occasionally send out.

 

happy cruising 🌊🚢🇺🇸🌅