How do you pay for your cruise?

[dragynally]

I'm not trying to get too personal or detailed. However I was wondering how people pay for their cruises. For example DH and I save until we can make a certain size payment then make 4-5 of them until the cruise is payed off. How about you? Do you just do the down payment then pay in full? Payment plan? Do you pay ASAP or wait until closer to the PIF date? No right or wrong answer. Just curious. Thanks!

 

[GoofyLovingFamily]

We pay deposit then make final close to PIF date. We buy discounted gift cards to save money.

 

[MunFam]

We actually have a rule about paying for vacations in full, so our 2015 WBPC was paid in full the day we booked it. We put it on a credit card that had zero interest and we paid it out of a travel account over 12 months...BUT we had the cash to pay it off the day we booked it. This particular card gave bonus points for carrying a balance and since it was zero interest, we worked it.

We also live below our means and one whole salary in our household goes in to an "opportunity fund" which is separate from our 401k and other investments as well as our savings account. The opportunity fund pays for last minute deal trips, school activities, anything awesome...

 

[cedricandsophie]

We are blessed that we can charge to a card that gets miles and then immediately pay off, to avoid interest.

 

[WeLoveDisneyAlways]

We've typically always just charged in full and made the credit card payments this year I realized that's a bad way of doing it and we used our income tax refund to pay half and I am going to make 200$ payments every payday for 5 paydays. I feel better this way knowing I'm actually paying for a vacation and not a credit card bill. That's the nice thing about Disney, we made biweekly payments for our last WDW vacation we didn't even notice the money gone.

 

[msmama]

I don't book unless I have the money. But I also spread the payments out a bit (use my cc to get miles) to maximize points but also keep as much as I can earning interest.

I realize spending 5k is spending 5k but somehow it hurts me less spreading it over 5 months rather than paying it all in one month (cc gets paid off every month no matter what). That could just be me though.

 

[klbrow11]

Pay the initial deposit and pay off close to when it is due. Usually buy gift cards at Kroger so we get 1.00 off gas a few times. We save so much a month and put it away until ready to buy gift cards.

 

[FigmentSpark]

We put our deposit down, then paid it off just before PIF date. But all that time, I was converting money to USD and putting it into a savings account. I know, interest is peanuts these days, but what little I got took some sting out of the exchange rate. I then put it on cards to get cash back. Every bit helps.

 

[jdb in AZ]

We pay through the nose.

 

[Dug720]

Prior to going on a cruise, I put money on a Disney gift card (reloading ONE for the deposit and ONE for my onboard account - I don't have time to run all over the place trying to get the cheapest but biggest gift cards I can and then deal with a zillion of them) for the deposit (usually plus some in case I decide to go bigger than anticipated). Then I'll pay a little each month.

This year is a little different in that I'm paying off my August WDW vacation first. Then I'll move onto the cruise but pay the bulk of it off when we get a retro-pay lump sum (from the Bloomberg years when we were working without a contract) in October. But that payment is guaranteed, so there are no worries there.

I have zero issues paying off early. That little amount would not earn THAT much interest, and I don't have to worry about accidentally spending it (another reason I like using the Disney gift cards) or something coming up causing me to miss the PIF date.

 

[Trip planner]

Similar to WDW, we make sure we have the cash to cover the trip but I only put the deposit down when I book and use a CC (to earn points) to pay off rest near PIF date. I don't like to hand my money over any earlier than I have to

 

[havaneselover]

Book on opening day and pay deposit with DVA. DVA is funded with gift cards purchased mainly at Kroger during 4x fuel promotions and paid for using my Amex Blue Preferred (15% discount on average). To smooth out my cash flows and free gas I calculate how much In gift cards I need to deposit monthly between the deposit and PIF date and buy that amount every month at kroger.

 

[mevelandry]

It depends on the cruise lines (Other cruise lines are more affordable)...

It's just DH and I so we always book for two adults. Please note that we have only cruised for 3 and 4 nights so far.

I usually make a good down payment (Around 400-500$)

For other cruise lines, that payment will usually pay in full my part of a cruise on another cruise lines or even the whole cruise.

In the case of a DCL cruise, it will pay 50% of (only) MY part of the Disney cruise. And then I make small payments (100$/month) until we're paid in full.

 

[MUN]

I'm not trying to get to personal or detailed. However I was wondering how people pay for their cruises. For example DH and I save until we can make a certain size payment then make 4-5 of them until the cruise is payed off. How about you? Do you just do the down payment then pay in full? Payment plan? Do you pay ASAP or wait until closer to the PIF date? No right or wrong answer. Just curious. Thanks!

I use a credit card.

 

[lorimay]

We have only used our Disney Visa exclusively since it came out, we are charter members, but now that they took the $50 onboard credit away, I no longer feel like I MUST use it, the new perks at this point don't really appeal to me as much. But I do like the 2% back rewards to use for my onboard account.
I make the deposit on the cruise, then pay it off at the 120 day mark to book my excursions and Palo reservations.

 

[LSUfan4444]

I'm not trying to get to personal or detailed. However I was wondering how people pay for their cruises. For example DH and I save until we can make a certain size payment then make 4-5 of them until the cruise is payed off. How about you? Do you just do the down payment then pay in full? Payment plan? Do you pay ASAP or wait until closer to the PIF date? No right or wrong answer. Just curious. Thanks!

I pay the full cost on our disney premier visa then use the no interest grace period to pay off the card.

 

[MeliMel702]

I paid the deposit and saved money to buy the Disney Gift Cards at Sam's club (3 $50 cards for 142.98). I've made a few payments here and there. Transferred the gift cards to one designated card. I get a bit of a discount by purchasing the gift cards. I get to use the Club card enough to be able to renew for free and receive small amount of cash back.

 

[dragynally]

We pay through the nose.

You and me both.

 

[mab2012]

Periodic payments using a Visa card that does not charge foreign exchange fees. Between the cash-back points on the card and the forex savings, it is by far the most cost-effective currency exchange method at my disposal. But I hate exchanging large amounts at once, because currency exchange is so volatile. So I spread it out.

In theory I divide the amount owing by the number of months until PIF, and regularly charge that amount on a fixed date. In practice I watch the exchange rates and may make a payment larger/smaller/sooner/later if I think the rate is at a localized high (or low). No doubt I mostly get it wrong and would be better to just stick to the "fixed amount on a fixed date" plan, but I never seem to manage that.

 

[cruiser21]

I use a credit card.

This is what I was going to say. It's not like you can pay cash through the computer or phone.