When Do Uou Pay Off Your Cruise

Just curious when others pay off their cruise. Do you wait until "the last hour" and pay on final payment date? Or do you pay a week or two before the final payment date? Or do you pay it off months in advance?

We just paid ours off, which is about 1.5 weeks before final payment date. Our cruise has only gone up so the chance of the price dropping before is zero to none. And I didn't want the date to slip and then we'd lose our booking.

How about others?

Just curious when others pay off their cruise. Do you wait until "the last hour" and pay on final payment date? Or do you pay a week or two before the final payment date? Or do you pay it off months in advance?

 

We just paid ours off, which is about 1.5 weeks before final payment date. Our cruise has only gone up so the chance of the price dropping before is zero to none. And I didn't want the date to slip and then we'd lose our booking.

 

How about others?

As far as getting potential adjustments go it's the final payment date that is controlling, not when you actually pay off the cruise. We generally make payments between the time we book and the final payment date, making sure of course that any remaining balance is paid before that.

We never pay ANYTHING early unless it is to our advantage. It is harder to get a refund on something if you have already paid.

We will only pay early if there is financial incentive to do so, an additional product/service, or if it advantageous for us from a currency perspective.

As far as getting potential adjustments go it's the final payment date that is controlling, not when you actually pay off the cruise. We generally make payments between the time we book and the final payment date, making sure of course that any remaining balance is paid before that.

Good to know. I thought it was when it's paid off. (either way, our price won't drop but I do keep an eye on it)

We pay a week or two before the final is due.

we pay a couple of days prior to final payment date

Answer depends.

On some cruise lines we can book reservations for certain items when we make final payment so we make it earlier and where that isn't an issue we will pay one or two weeks before the date.

Keith

We usually pay ours off within two weeks of the final payment date.

Usually last minute but I have been thinking about paying £200 off or so per month.

Our cruise is in August

I paid mine when I booked but I had a special deal thru a casino. Free cruise but I had to pay for the upgrades and tips..

Our final payment date is when I pay off our cruises.

The cruises we currently have booked are long and expensive. Mentally it hurts me less :D if I just gradually pay it all off rather than socking out a huge amount all at once.

Some would say keep it in the bank and not give them your money before you have too but if it is in the bank - it isn't making any interest anyway.

There have been times when we have had to cancel prior to penalty and we have always gotten prompt reimbursement from Celebrity - so I would not be concerned about that.

Usually pay off within a couple of days of "final payment". I also give myself a reminder about final payment on my phone so I don't forget!

I like to prepay the drink package and gratuities before I get on the cruise (so my actual on board spending does not look as frightening!) and I do that after final payment and a few weeks before the cruise. It's my silly way of budgeting myself :)

I made a few payments over the course of 6 months or so after booking. $1000 deposit in March, then bought flights in June. Another $1000 in July and September with the remainder right before the credit card date a week or so before final payment was due Nov 1. No idea what the above post means about harder to get your money back if you have paid. We have had to cancel a cruise before and the money already paid was refunded back to us within a day or 2 of canceling (this was of course prior to final payment date).

I normally make final payment about 3-4 days prior to due date. I'd rather not wait until last minute.

Usually pay off within a couple of days of "final payment". I also give myself a reminder about final payment on my phone so I don't forget!

 

I like to prepay the drink package and gratuities before I get on the cruise (so my actual on board spending does not look as frightening!) and I do that after final payment and a few weeks before the cruise. It's my silly way of budgeting myself :)

Not silly. Makes total sense. :)

I have to report, for the first time ever, my upcoming cruise was paid for BEFORE we ever booked. :eek: We are going on Carnival and I was purchasing Verizon Carnival gift cards and by the time I decided to book, it was paid in full. :D

But "normally" I pay it off around the date it's due, usually because I completely forget about it until my TA emails me saying it's due soon. :p

Thanks for the replies. Sounds like most of you pay it off close to the final payment date.

mitsugirly, I like how it's "paid for" before you book. That must be a lot of gift cards :D

Good to know that it usually isn't an issue getting a refund if need to cancel before the final payment. Maybe the poster had a bad experience with a specific line.

PS - Although it cost us money, it felt good paying off our cruise. It made our upcoming trip official!

My travel agency wants final payment two weeks before final payment date.

Being a senior citizen/(low):o fixed income, I make payments. I generally get it paid off a couple/few months before the deadline. While making my payments I also send myself money to use onboard, generally $100 every month or so.

I agree with the other poster who said that there's no use keeping the money in the bank where it doesn't earn much in the way of interest.

I agree with the other poster who said that there's no use keeping the money in the bank where it doesn't earn much in the way of interest.[/color][/size][/font]

Keeping it in the bank until final payment would have cost me a few hundred dollars the way our dollar dropped from deposit to final. At least paying it down over the course of the summer helped mitigate that a bit.

I usually book a cruise approx. one year ahead of time and pay in full at that time. The only problem that I can see is if I die before the cruise. If I make sure that the cruise and pre-paid stuff is taken care of, I get the air miles on my card to be used for the next cruise. If the fare drops, the cruise line will notify me. No problem. Works very well for us. Gotta play the cruise game. :D

Depending on the calendar, 2-3 days before the due date.

I don't like to overload my credit card as I always pay off the balance, so it's cruise deposit one month, next month flights, maybe a break, then final payment.

Whatever charges we put on the card: tips, drinks, souvenirs, tours, hotel - paid off on the first statement. I would not travel if I didn't have enough money to cover a trip.

Depending on the calendar, 2-3 days before the due date.

 

I don't like to overload my credit card as I always pay off the balance, so it's cruise deposit one month, next month flights, maybe a break, then final payment.

 

Whatever charges we put on the card: tips, drinks, souvenirs, tours, hotel - paid off on the first statement. I would not travel if I didn't have enough money to cover a trip.

My credit card does not post until it is charged by the cruise line, hotel or transportation. They do not charge ahead of time.

My credit card does not post until it is charged by the cruise line, hotel or transportation. They do not charge ahead of time.

I think that person meant the first statement after the cruise rather than carrying a balance for trip costs for a few months. My cruise next week happens to have my credit card cycle date in the middle of it. So my next statement that will come within days of arriving home will have hotel, rental car, and pre-cruise meals and shopping on it. Then a month later will have the onboard account on it.