Is it going to cost me anything to book stuff?

[Mousemommy1]

My excursion and booking date is on Wednesday. I had asked previously about prepaying gratuities and stuff and saw a response that noted that everything is just put on your on board account?

So, does that mean you settle everything when you get off the ship? You don't pay for anything ahead of time, or will I need to pay for the excursions and stuff on Wednesday?

Just trying to plan ahead. And, if it's called pre-paid gratuities, why is it paid after the fact?

Sorry if this sounds dumb!

 

[Maggie'sMom]

My excursion and booking date is on Wednesday. I had asked previously about prepaying gratuities and stuff and saw a response that noted that everything is just put on your on board account?

So, does that mean you settle everything when you get off the ship? You don't pay for anything ahead of time, or will I need to pay for the excursions and stuff on Wednesday?

Just trying to plan ahead. And, if it's called pre-paid gratuities, why is it paid after the fact?

Sorry if this sounds dumb!

If you book excursions through DCL, those will be billed to your onboard account. IIRC, they are billed to your account the night before the excursion. So you will not be paying for those excursions when you book them on Wednesday. Pre-paid gratuities are really just set up as a credit to your onboard account in the amount of the standard gratuity. I guess they are referred to as "pre-paid" since you are purchasing the OBC to cover the gratuities prior to your cruise.

 

[lanejudy]

Nothing needs to be pre-paid when you do online check-in and book excursions/activities. Those will all be charged to your onboard account. The onboard account is settled on the last day/evening to the credit card you provide at online check-in; if you have a lot of charges, it's possible to reach a threshhold that posts to your credit card earlier in the cruise. You are welcome to stop by Guest Services at any time to pay with cash or have gift cards applied to your account. But again, nothing gets paid when you do online check-in and booking at 75 days out.

Prepaid gratuities is really just a credit put to your account in advance. You can "prepay" any other expected charges in the same manner. If you use a Disney Visa card, it will qualify for 0% interest in advance but not when used onboard. Nothing is paid "after the fact" but must be settled before you leave the ship.

Enjoy your cruise!

 

[Mousemommy1]

Ok, that works. When I do online check in on Wednesday, I will provide a CC #, but I don't intend on using that card, I will be paying with Disney gift cards....so I'm thinking I need to pay charges before they charge my card on the ship?

 

[Maggie'sMom]

Ok, that works. When I do online check in on Wednesday, I will provide a CC #, but I don't intend on using that card, I will be paying with Disney gift cards....so I'm thinking I need to pay charges before they charge my card on the ship?

Yes. You need to make sure you settle the account with the gift cards no later than the last evening on the ship. You can, if you want, pre-purchase onboard credit with the gift cards by calling DCL ahead of your cruise. You can also provide the gift cards to guest services early in your cruise which will create a credit in your onboard account to be used.

 

[Bree]

Ok, that works. When I do online check in on Wednesday, I will provide a CC #, but I don't intend on using that card, I will be paying with Disney gift cards....so I'm thinking I need to pay charges before they charge my card on the ship?

You don't even need to enter a credit card. Just select Cash Account.

 

[guacgirl]

Just keep in mind that I read you must cancel excursions three days before the sailing date otherwise you will be responsible for paying for it even if you don't go.

 

[Mousemommy1]

All good info!!! You can tell what a novice I am to cruising!!!

 

[krisinparis]

Ok, that works. When I do online check in on Wednesday, I will provide a CC #, but I don't intend on using that card, I will be paying with Disney gift cards....so I'm thinking I need to pay charges before they charge my card on the ship?

Also, if you provide a CC but don't plan on paying until the end..... they will charge your card once you accrue $500 in charges, so if you have some expensive excursions booked, you might want to go ahead and take the GCs early.

 

[Mousemommy1]

Also, if you provide a CC but don't plan on paying until the end..... they will charge your card once you accrue $500 in charges, so if you have some expensive excursions booked, you might want to go ahead and take the GCs early.

I would prefer to pay everything ahead of time honestly. But, I will try to do "cash account" as one of the PP's mentioned.

 

[TrySomethingNew]

I have pre-loaded my onboard account ahead of the cruise. You should be able to do this with gift cards. It was nice to already have a certain dollar amount loaded onto our onboard account without waiting at guest services during the cruise. I called DCL to do this, but you may be able to do this online (I'm not sure). Irregardless, it is my understanding that whatever form of payment you use, will be where any refunds go, so don't throw away your gift cards.

 

[bumbershoot]

With Disney you don't pay as you book things. So everything is charged once you're onboard.

Some actually do PRE pay tips by calling and putting money onto their account.


Should you enjoy cruising and branch out to other lines, you find that different lines do things differently. On Royal you pay as you book. Painful when booking but less of an "ack" feeling when looking at the bill at the end of the cruise.

 

[shelbell77]

As someone else stated - they'll charge your Credit Card as your account balance grows. If you absolutely definitely do not want your card charged I would put yourself as CASH and then hit up guest services with your gift cards. They can reverse the credit card charge if it happens before you go and put down your gift cards but it is more time spent at guest services to get it done so I don't like to do it that way.

I often use gift cards to pay my onboard charges as well. I still use my credit card when I do online check in, then every couple of days as I'm spending money I pop by guest services with a gift card or two to cover what I've spent so far. If I run out of gift cards, or just don't want to wait in line the last night, I left DCL charge the balance to my credit card because the lines at guest services get MIGHTY long the last night/last morning.