The Final Payment

[TxT365]

So I'm wondering when you like to make the last payment for your cruise? I'm about to pay the bulk of our trip, all but about $200, then a week before the final PIF, I was planning on making the last payment. Is there any advantage to doing otherwise? If so, what and why?

Thanks!

Trish

 

[PrincessShmoo]

So I'm wondering when you like to make the last payment for your cruise? I'm about to pay the bulk of our trip, all but about $200, then a week before the final PIF, I was planning on making the last payment. Is there any advantage to doing otherwise? If so, what and why?

Thanks!

Trish

Well, if your excursion booking window opens before the final payment date, you can't book excursions unless you've paid in full.

That's all I can think of.

 

[TxT365]

Good point. I should point out that this is our first cruise so we won't be booking anything early.

 

[COASTIEandMATE]

We like to pay early just for the peace of mind! And we are golden cruisers so also to book Palo early!

 

[jrabbit]

we like to be paid in full at least a week before we can start online check in, Palo Ressies and make excursions.

We allow at least a week for any computer / credit card company hiccups (don't think that we have ever had any, but ....

 

[AquaDame]

Good point. I should point out that this is our first cruise so we won't be booking anything early.

If it were me, then I wouldn't pay it off too early though as jrabbit said I would make certain to do it at least a couple days ahead of time (more if it is due on the weekend) just in case there are any hiccups. I being able to see online that it is PIF before my window opens so I can be reasonably sure I can get cracking when it does!

 

[TxT365]

Thanks, everyone! You've pretty much confirmed my thoughts on the matter! I like the idea of a week before to avoid any possible hiccups! I'll be making the majority of the payment within the next two weeks so that it's covered. We are soooo looking forward to this trip!

 

[anricat]

If I have the money, I pay it.

We paid our August cruise off just after Christmas. I even loaded up the onboard account today just because I have the money and I know it's taken care of.

 

[Aby]

We paid our upcoming cruise in August off before Christmas to try to hedge against the declining Canadian dollar. I wa driving myself crazy watching the dollar drop, that I finally just paid it so I could stop worrying about it. I do like the piece of mind of having everything paid for in advance!

Aby

 

[over50visits]

jrabbit (as usual) hit it right on the head, IMHO. Paying up so you can book excursions as soon as possible is our method (we like our choice of when to dine at Palo), and doing so a week ahead takes care of any glitches. No other reason to pay other than the minimum any further ahead, just gives DCL the money when you don't need to.

 

[ahain]

We pay off the cruise as soon as we can just so that worry is gone and I won't accidentally miss PIF. After we pay the cruise off, I try to make additional payments to cover gratuities & excursions so that there will be very few charges that will hit the credit card after our cruise.

 

[turtle27]

I guess I like to dance on the wild side, I don't give them one cent of my money until a few days before, besides the deposit, of course. Why give DCL an interest free loan? I invest the money in low risk options and then pay at the due date and I earn interest on it, not DCL. It may not be much, but it gives me some on board spending.