Final Payment

[WEDINDISNEY]

Our final payment for our Nov cruise is Sept 5th, and I was wondering 2 things? 1) If you need an x-tra couple of days to make the final payment will they do that? and 2) Can your final payment be done by check or does it have to be with a debit/credit card?
If it matters we booked with a TA not directly through the cruise line. (Carnival)
Thanks!

[lougee1043]

you have to ask your ta these questions

[JanetMarie]

TA's the one to answer those. I would imagine final payment is just what it means - final payment. There are credit cards and all sorts of ways to pay the remainder, but definately check with TA and don't wait till the last minute!!!!!!

[serene56]

I have read too many stories here about final payment. It is what it is- final payment. An agency may give you a day or two. As long as they know. Cruise lines look at this final payment as to see how many cabins are available because many people cancel on that date so they dont get a penalty. Call your agent and let them aware of a situation where it may take a few days extra... just to be safe so you are not canceled.

[pepelapew]

Not sure about the final payment date but do know that we paid our final payment by personal check to TA. I must say that day was heaven, as we are now waiting just 42 days for our first Bermuda Cruise.

[imsulin]

Here's the scoop: Once there is actual money on the booking (i.e. deposit), the cruise lines are quite flexible in terms of extending the final payment date for a few days..week..two weeks. It depends on your TA as to whether or not they will accept a check for final payment. Cruise lines will NOT accept a personal check...only an agency check. We are a local agency, so the client can pay us by personal check, which is then deposited, and an AGENCY check is mailed to the cruise line. I don't think that on-line agencies will do this. It really depends on if you've booked through a local TA, or an on-line TA, WEDINDISNEY. If we receive final payment by CC, we call that CC# directly in to the cruise line. If the client is paying by check, I always knock off at least a week prior to the final payment date to allow time for the agency check to be issued and mailed to the cruise line, so that it's received in time. What kind of TA did you book through?

[kitty9]

Be careful about paying late. I have some friends who sent their payment in to the TA two days late and found their reservation cancelled by the cruise line. My TA always asks for my payment about 4 days before he has to call it in just to make sure the payment gets there on time.

If you pay by check and if there should be a problem with the cruise before you leave, it's a lot harder to get a refund. Paying by credit card insures that if something goes wrong and the cruise line cancels your cruise or if they should go bankrupt, the credit card company can fight for you for a refund.

[imsulin]

That's one reason I always knock off at least a week or two before final payment is actually due. Actually, it's often easier to get a refund by check (sent to the agency and refunded to the client) than by CC, as we are advised that it will take one-two billing cycles for the CC to be credited. It really just depends on the circumstances. As for a cruise lines "bankruptcy", trip insurance companies will often not cover cruise lines/airlines that are in financial difficulty, and therefore, we won't book them. We didn't book Regal, Commodore, or Premier for several months before they went belly-up, and advised clients not to book them on their own....which some did.

[WEDINDISNEY]

We booked through a local TA... I remember her saying that if we gave her a check or cash she would have to issue the funds from the TA after our money went in. I just didnt want to put the whole amount on my credit card. I might just have her take 1/2 from our debit card and the other 1/2 from our credit card. I will call her monday and find out. That is the easiest thing to do. Thanks for the help. :)

[Big Al B.]

You could also put the entire amount on your credit card and then make an early payment of the 1/2. Most of the cards today have a web site where you can do an electronic transfer. I know the MC and Visa cards I have allow 2-3 payments a month. Just another option :).

[WEDINDISNEY]

YAHOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!! We made our final payment and Im so excited...... We have just a little less than than 2 months to go..... Now all I have to do is pack..... AHHHHH That's going to take me awhile!!!!!!!!!!!!:eek: :)

[serene56]

Making that final payment puts you one step closer to your cruise--next step is getting those documents.