TA now requiring final payment 150 days prior to sailing

[seaventures]

My husband and I along with 2 friends were ready to book a 27 night back to back Transatlantic/Mediterranean Celebrity cruise until we were told final payment was required 150 days prior to sailing. That's nearly half a year! Is this just a Celebrity  requirement or are other cruise lines requiring the same?

[Fouremco]

The website continues to indicate a 90-day final payment date. Who told you 150 days?

[mom says]

I'd find another TA. One who won't rip you off.

[NCHPcruiser]

Find another TA!

[hcat]

Whew!

Thought it was going to be  an April Fool's Day post....

Change TAs immediately and let them know why you are getting someone else.

 

Bad enough that  X was  asking for final payments and waiting  til that date passed before cancelling  cruises they  pretty much knew might not go...,  i think that has stopped..hopefully!

 

[Host Anne]

I just booked a January cruise with Celebrity and the confirmation from my TA says final payment is 90 days out so perhaps it's your agency that's asking for payment 150 out.  I don't think it's Celebrity.  You can always check these things out on the cruise line website, too.

 

By the way, Cruise Critic guidelines prohibits naming travel agencies on our forums.

[LadyBerard]

12 hours ago, seaventures said:

My husband and I along with 2 friends were ready to book a 27 night back to back Transatlantic/Mediterranean Celebrity cruise until we were told final payment was required 150 days prior to sailing. That's nearly half a year! Is this just a Celebrity  requirement or are other cruise lines requiring the same?

Have the agency just put a courtesy hold on the cabin and ask that they send you the guest copy from the cruiseline.  That will tell you when the final payment is actually due.

 

[seaventures]

It is the TA that is requiring final payment 150 days prior to sailing on their packages. Additionally, they increased their agency deposit from. $198 to $498.

[hcat]

Perhaps the Mods can change title of this thread to  "Some TAs (who cannot be named)  are requiring final payment 150 days ahead)

 

As it stands now,  thread title is  apparently not accurate and  may cause alarm/ upset

 

Unless  OPs ta has a great price or other  amazing features of the package, book elsewhere.

Edited April 2, 2021 by hcat

[TMLAalum]

I suspect that the TA requiring payment 150 days out is in financial distress and that your payment in full will be to them not Celebrity.

 

I speak from experience being burned by a TA found via that "compete" website. We were promised extra bennies by paying IN FULL at the time of booking 10 months out and I took the deal since our airline afilliated cc was offering a huge mileage bonus with a big spend. TA went bankrupt and we were so very fortunate to retain our booking and having our cc reimburse us for the excess $ above the required deposit.

 

Run!!!

[terrydtx]

Our CC payment NEVER goes to the TA who books our travel, the CC payment is always paid directly to the cruise line or other travel provider. 

[cheeseheads4ever]

I just booked a cruise and 90 day final payment date.

[ECCruise]

2 hours ago, seaventures said:

It is the TA that is requiring final payment 150 days prior to sailing on their packages. Additionally, they increased their agency deposit from. $198 to $498.

The fact that you say it is a "package" and the deposit is $498 may be a factor here.  Celebrity's deposits vary from $100 pp to $900 pp depending on cabin category and cruise length.

[seaventures]

ECCruise,

I learned the 150 day out final payment is the TA policy on packages, not Celebrity's. The TA package is considered a cruise with air and/or hotel. We were going to book a veranda cabin.

If the Admin would kindly change the subject line of my post to "TA now requires final payment on cruise packages150 days prior to sailing"  I would be most appreciative. I have tried to change the subject line but to no avail.

[TMLAalum]

3 hours ago, seaventures said:

ECCruise,

I learned the 150 day out final payment is the TA policy on packages, not Celebrity's. The TA package is considered a cruise with air and/or hotel. We were going to book a veranda cabin.

If the Admin would kindly change the subject line of my post to "TA now requires final payment on cruise packages150 days prior to sailing"  I would be most appreciative. I have tried to change the subject line but to no avail.

With a package I would want to be sure that the  both the deposit and the full cruise fare were separate line item in the invoice and noted to be paid directly to Celebrity. What does your c.c. statement tell you, e.g. $248 to TA/ $250 to Celebrity?

[baggal]

On 4/2/2021 at 9:43 AM, seaventures said:

ECCruise,

I learned the 150 day out final payment is the TA policy on packages, not Celebrity's. The TA package is considered a cruise with air and/or hotel. We were going to book a veranda cabin.

If the Admin would kindly change the subject line of my post to "TA now requires final payment on cruise packages150 days prior to sailing"  I would be most appreciative. I have tried to change the subject line but to no avail.

It sounds like the TA has packaged a "cruise tour."  I'd read the fine print very carefully before I booked.  It may be that any refunds in case of cancellation, etc. will be in the form a credit from the TA and not from the cruise line.  Good luck getting that.