Booking question from a novice ...

[Tigerlily75]

I have never actually booked a cruise .. my one and only cruise so far happened because I was lucky enough to win it!

 

So looking at my next cruise, I'm wondering if I can afford one sooner rather than later. If I book is there a deposit amount, and then a "balance due by" date, and if so do you make payments in between? Or just pay the deposit and then the rest by the due date?

 

There's a Royal Carribean in June I'm looking at, I'd have the deposit now and I'd have the rest by what I think will be the due date (it says 57 days before sailing in general t&c's) but if I had to make large payments in between then I probably couldn't do it.

 

How does it normally work?

[GUT2407]

I have never actually booked a cruise .. my one and only cruise so far happened because I was lucky enough to win it!

 

So looking at my next cruise, I'm wondering if I can afford one sooner rather than later. If I book is there a deposit amount, and then a "balance due by" date, and if so do you make payments in between? Or just pay the deposit and then the rest by the due date?

 

There's a Royal Carribean in June I'm looking at, I'd have the deposit now and I'd have the rest by what I think will be the due date (it says 57 days before sailing in general t&c's) but if I had to make large payments in between then I probably couldn't do it.

 

How does it normally work?

 

I'm not sure on the 57 days, normally seems to be more like 90.

 

Do a mock booking and at the end it will tell you when final is due.

[The_Big_M]

Only two payments, no others between (unless you want to).

 

Of course, if you book after final payment then you have to pay everything at once.

[Tigerlily75]

Thank you!

 

I tried a dummy booking but it wasn't very clear, you just selected either the deposit or to pay in full.

[cassamanda]

Thank you!

 

I tried a dummy booking but it wasn't very clear, you just selected either the deposit or to pay in full.

 

For royal you can book direct with them online, pay the deposit and then pay any amount you like as often as you like until final payment when the balance is due.

 

No cancellation fees up to 75 days out.

Hugh

[jennyg2610]

How about, you phone a travel agent. They should know the answer. Or phone the cruise line. It usually is a deposit then final payment.

[cassamanda]

Royal currently has a sale that takes 50% deposits but you have to call them to make the reduced deposit payment.

Select your cruise and cabin then put that cabin on "hold" then call royal to make the deposit. Online only takes full deposits.

 

You DEFINITELY CAN make intermediate payments on line. On the Countdown to Cruise for your reservation page Just click the green "make a payment" button.

Unclick the Total Balance button by clicking on the Other Amount button and type in the amount you want to pay. Very simple to do. I just made another part payment on one of my upcoming cruises just now.

 

Any further questions on this just ask.

Hugh

[Tigerlily75]

Thanks so much, this is all rather good news, they make it very easy to book and pay off cruises!

[mtn_couple]

No cancellation fees up to 75 days out.

Hugh

 

Wish Celebrity allowed this. I tried to cancel a X cruise yesterday and rebook a different one with a different line and they said I'd loose my whole deposit in cancellation fees $1640 and there's still over a YEAR until I sail!!!

[GUT2407]

Wish Celebrity allowed this. I tried to cancel a X cruise yesterday and rebook a different one with a different line and they said I'd loose my whole deposit in cancellation fees $1640 and there's still over a YEAR until I sail!!!

 

 

Did you book with celebrity direct or through an agent, I'm pretty sure Celebrity in Aus anyway is 90-120 days.

 

Or is it an agent that is applying that penalty.

 

Check your contract.

[mtn_couple]

Did you book with celebrity direct or through an agent, I'm pretty sure Celebrity in Aus anyway is 90-120 days.

 

Or is it an agent that is applying that penalty.

 

Check your contract.

 

I called my agent they put me on hold while they called X. They said X wouldnt budge on waiving the fee. I'll check my contract, thanks.

[mr walker]

Cancellation T&A's from Celebrity website (Aus):

 

 

 

Standard Cruises & Cruisetours (Cruise Portion Only)

 

Days Prior to Cruise Departure

 

Cancellation Charges

151 or more days

deposit is refundable

150-71 day

loss of deposit

70-46 days

25% of fare*

45-31 days

50% of fare*

30-15 days

75% of fare*

14 days or less

100% of fare

 

Maybe the TA is the one applying the cancellation 'policy' - theirs!!!!

[mtn_couple]

Cancellation T&A's from Celebrity website (Aus):

 

 

 

Standard Cruises & Cruisetours (Cruise Portion Only)

 

Days Prior to Cruise Departure

 

Cancellation Charges

151 or more days

deposit is refundable

150-71 day

loss of deposit

70-46 days

25% of fare*

45-31 days

50% of fare*

30-15 days

75% of fare*

14 days or less

100% of fare

 

Maybe the TA is the one applying the cancellation 'policy' - theirs!!!!

 

hhhhmmmmm!!!! I wonder if it's the same for repositioning cruises? Are they standard? I'll give it a week or so and call TA again - there's 563 days till we leave, so if these are the correct T&C's we've got plenty of time!

[cassamanda]

hhhhmmmmm!!!! I wonder if it's the same for repositioning cruises? Are they standard? I'll give it a week or so and call TA again - there's 563 days till we leave, so if these are the correct T&C's we've got plenty of time!

 

No difference, the T&Cs are standard (Clause 30) only for Xmas/NY there is a slight change in the time frame.

You are entitled to a full refund if you booked direct. If your TA insists on charging you, then change TA.