Final Payment 4 Months Before Cruise?

[rienreiter]

Hello everyone:

 

I am booked on the Jewel of the Seas TA leaving April 15th. I have just received notice for final payment by 12/17. Has anyone ever received notification for final payment 4 months before the cruise? I've never heard of this before. Is this something new? Is it something new with RCI?

 

Regards,

[Merion_Mom]

Did you book through a TA? S/he is trying to get your money as soon as possible, with no intention of sending it to RCCL until 70 days before sailing, the REAL due date.

 

:(

[murphyis1]

I would check directly with RCI before making this payment. Perhaps it is correct, but I've never heard of a final payment being due this early.

[nichb0]

Final payment is never due that early to RCI. My TA is making me pay it 3 months early. On my cruise this past March, a different TA wanted it about 2 months early. I don't what official RCI policy is, but this is just your travel agent wanting your money. I wonder when they will actually give it to RCI?

[nichb0]

Final payment is never due that early to RCI. My TA is making me pay it 3 months early. On my cruise this past March, a different TA wanted it about 2 months early. I don't what official RCI policy is, but this is just your travel agent wanting your money. I wonder when they will actually give it to RCI?

[Merion_Mom]

It's 60 days for short cruises, 70 days for week or longer, and 90 days for holiday cruises.

[irb33785]

We're on the same cruise and I haven't heard anything from our travel agent about the final payment.

[Merion_Mom]

Hello everyone:

 

I am booked on the Jewel of the Seas TA leaving April 15th. I have just received notice for final payment by 12/17. Has anyone ever received notification for final payment 4 months before the cruise? I've never heard of this before. Is this something new? Is it something new with RCI?

 

Regards,

From Royal Caribbean's website:

 

When is the balance due?

 

Final payment of the balance must be received at Royal Caribbean's offices at least 60 days prior to the sailing date for 3, 4, or 5-night cruise vacations and 70 days prior to the sailing date for 7-night or longer cruise vacations. The payment schedule for groups is different from that of individuals. You will usually receive cruise and air documents no later than 28 days before the start of your cruise.

 

For all holiday sailings, (Christmas and New Year's), payment is due 90 days prior to sailing.

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/customersupport/faq/purchaseCruiseFaq.do;jsessionid=0000Fb6hc1vrc31k5E0Y0fdYDAU:10ktmf25f#15

[benolathe]

Guess I'm surprised that the final payment due date wasn't mentioned at the time you booked??

[piercetc4]

when you booked did they give you an email confirmation or any other type paper work with the payment info listed? the final payment date should be on there- if the date is listed there, is that date the same as the date you are now being asked to make final payment by? i used a ta once that requested final about 2 weeks before rci would have asked for it-

[bubbadog]

just call your ta and tell her the checks in the mail lol:))),when she calls back tell her you just sent it again:)):rolleyes:

[cb at sea]

I bet you booked thru a TA, didn't you? RCI has NEVER notified us of a payment date! They tell you when your payments are due when you book, and then it's up to you!

[rienreiter]

Many thanks to every one of you who has taken the time to respond.

 

To answer the question that most of you asked, I have booked through a travel agent. This is an agent that I have used for the past 2 years (I've taken quite a few cruises with this agent) and had never been asked for final payment 4 months in advance.

 

I made the booking on a Celebrity ship this past May just to take advantage of the on board credit. I have changed it a couple of times until this one that I have picked.

 

To finish the story, my agent has come forward and indicated that my final payment is not due until mid-February.

 

Thanks to all!

[chasetf]

I bet you booked thru a TA, didn't you? RCI has NEVER notified us of a payment date! They tell you when your payments are due when you book, and then it's up to you!

The OPs requirement does seem fishy. Wonder if the TA is trying to get the money on their books (make some interest). Wonder how the OP is paying. We always pay be CC and the cruise line directly bills our CC. TA just passes the CC number when payments are due (deposit / final)

[Jay Bee]

When I booked through RCCL, I was given the final payment date (which was 60 days prior to sailing). Several weeks prior to that date I received an email from them notifying me that my final payment was due in about a week. I called them to clarify, and the rep (who I must say had quite a disdainful tone and talked to me like I was a complete moron) confirmed that the date was what I was originally told. So sometimes RCCL must get their email notices mixed up.

 

Jan

[isujim]

The OPs requirement does seem fishy. Wonder if the TA is trying to get the money on their books (make some interest). Wonder how the OP is paying. We always pay be CC and the cruise line directly bills our CC. TA just passes the CC number when payments are due (deposit / final)

 

Without knowing details........it could have also been an honest mistake......something that slipped through the cracks........if the TA has as many cruises booked as what mine does (and mine is local)......it may just be an honest mistake.

[Barbee524]

My TA asks for final payment a week before it is due to RCI. She explained to me that this policy gives them time to contact any one who may have forgotten their due date and to process any checks before sending the final payment to RCI.

 

This policy saved me when I made my final payment 2 days late on one of my cruises. Though I think 4 months is excessive.

 

Reinreiter, we're taking the same cruise as you and our final payment date is listed by our TA as January 25, 2007.

 

See you onboard!

[Happy ks]

What I find unusual is that people think the TA receives the money from clients. I've used both, online and brick and mortar TA's for cruises and have always had the payment go to RCI, not the TA. The TA will process the credit card payment, but it is my understanding the TA gets paid from the cruiseline, not directly through the customer.

 

In other words, I've never paid the TA, then the TA pays the cruiseline, it's always the other way around.

[crookedhalo]

Well, the OP did say he'd made several changes. Perhaps he changed the date of the trip, but his TA didn't change her 'tickler' file for the final due date? Maybe this was the date for the original trip?:confused:

[shoreless]

What I find unusual is that people think the TA receives the money from clients. I've used both, online and brick and mortar TA's for cruises and have always had the payment go to RCI, not the TA. The TA will process the credit card payment, but it is my understanding the TA gets paid from the cruiseline, not directly through the customer.

 

In other words, I've never paid the TA, then the TA pays the cruiseline, it's always the other way around.

 

I read an article about this somewhere, can't remember where. It said that there are some travel agencies that will have you pay them, and then they will pay the cruise line. The article said to beware of this, and only use an agency that is set up so that your payment is made directly to the cruise line.

[isujim]

What I find unusual is that people think the TA receives the money from clients. I've used both, online and brick and mortar TA's for cruises and have always had the payment go to RCI, not the TA. The TA will process the credit card payment, but it is my understanding the TA gets paid from the cruiseline, not directly through the customer.

 

In other words, I've never paid the TA, then the TA pays the cruiseline, it's always the other way around.

 

Agree with you 100%.........I pay my TA every month. Since retiring it is easier to make monthly payments than one final payment when due. I go in and she calls RC while I am there........gives them my CC and payment and then we wait for a confirmation by fax from RC. I have never paid directly the TA............

[willysgrandma]

If you are paying with a check or money order, your TA may very well need payment at least 3 - 4 weeks before your final payment is due.

 

If final payment isn't made with a credit card, the cruise line requires a check drawn on the travel agencies checking account for final payment. That would mean your TA needs to get your check or money order, deposit into their business account, wait for it to clear and then mail an agency check to the cruise line to ensure it gets there before final payment date.

 

I can see a TA asking for final payment a month before if you aren't paying with a c.c., but not more than that.