When is final payment due?

[princesspumpkin]

After looking at the Universal hotels website, I am under the impression that my CC will be charged 5 days in advance. But, after reading thru some threads, I think that the balance won't be due until check-out (and a few say that they were charged at check-in). What's the real deal? I'm traveling with a group of 13 so they all need to know when to cough up the $$$$$
Thanks

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

if you pay with cash or travelers check it is required up front. You can use a credit card to cover incedentals that you charge during your stay. If you are simply paying by credit card i do not know.


Kimberly

 

[lindalinda]

Your credit card MAY have been charged for one day when you booked (it may not have). The balance will be due when you check out. Read it over carefully, sometimes some extras end up on there (valet parking when you didnt use it etc).

 

[princesspumpkin]

Thanks a lot for the info. I booked thru US website, so I gave a CC, but have't been charged the one night's deposit. I know that's usually the case when booking online. I just thought that the balance would be charged 5 days before when checked in. But now that I'm thinking about it, I believe it said that you needed to cancel 5 days before check-in to avoid a penalty. I'm still going to tell my family that they need to pay 5 days beforehand (they can cry "broke" right around the time that $$$ is due. This way, I'll have their $$$ before we actually leave)

 

[hookem59]

On a related note, if I have tickets included as part of a hotel package (Play 4 Free), when will I get those? Will they be in a ready-to-use form, or will they require a stop at a ticket booth or Guest Relations?

 

[goofy!]

The other thing to be aware of is that if you choose to enable your room card as a credit card (allows you to charge things back to your room), your credit card may be charged a certain amount upon check-in .

For instance, last time we stayed there (over a year ago, so policies could have changed) Royal Pacific had certain "plans" you can choose. Forgot the names of them, but one plan limits your charges to $100.00 a day, another $250.00 a day, and so on.

So, if you are staying three days and choose the $100.00 a day plan, RPR may charge your credit card upon check in the total of $300.00. Our last stay there, we did not use the bulk of our room charging privileges, so our final bill was lowered by the amount we did not use at checkout.

Now, just like the one-night deposit thing, we have had some receptionists actually charge our card, some not.

Our most recent stay was at Portofino. It did not have specific plans and they just enabled our room keys as charge cards and did not charge our credit cards any kind of pre-set balance. I have no idea if that is the norm there or if it was one of those hit or miss policies that missed us.

 

[cometsmom]

After looking at the Universal hotels website, I am under the impression that my CC will be charged 5 days in advance. But, after reading thru some threads, I think that the balance won't be due until check-out (and a few say that they were charged at check-in). What's the real deal? I'm traveling with a group of 13 so they all need to know when to cough up the $$$$$
Thanks

This is confusing to me also. While online I was looking at the Universal site trying to figure out the best option of travelling to Orlando with six people, (four teens!). We decided its probably best to stay onsite and then we have the FOTL option. But, when I chatted online w/ a rep, she said the entire thing is paid in advance. Is this true? Or, do they just take a deposit? Or, just like a regular credit card, it is used to hold your reservation.

Thanks.

 

[jalex0831]

When you book online you have to pay all of it in advance. Your credit card is charged the full amount. If you book over the phone and buy a vacation package, you pay a deposit and rest is due a couple of months before you go. If you book directly through lowes your card is charged a deposit and you pay the rest at check out. I believe some people's credit card is charged a deposit and some are not when using the directly thru Lowes option. Hope this clears it up some for you.

 

[lindalinda]

I booked online every time I've gone and never paid anything in advance.

 

[goofy!]

I have the kids eat/stay/play free package booked for Thanksgiving at PBH. (Would do the AP - but want that suite upgrade!). I booked online. They have not taken the first night's deposit nor have I paid anything else in advance.

I have stayed at both RPR and PBH numerous times and yet have had to pay anything till check-out. Well, except for the few times I booked over the phone and did pay the 1 night's deposit. But that is the extent of what I have had to pay before hand.

BTW - FWIW, I always book online via www.loewshotels.com

 

[tricky1]

When I booked online no deposit was taken, when I called the hotel directly
a one night deposit was charge to my cc(only booked twice by calling)
3 times by going online.

 

[Kimberlyfamilyfv]

have you talked to universal vacations or did you book directly with the hotel. If you book with universal vacations it does need to be paid in advance much like any travel agent you would use. However, the rules for payment are quiet different when you book directly with the hotel.


Kimberly

 

[Sleepy]

However, the rules for payment are quiet different when you book directly with the hotel.

That is correct. I made my reservations directly with Loews over the phone. My CC was charged the standard one night deposit. We planned to have the entire balance paid in full well before we arrive and upon calling the hotel directly to have the remaining balance charged to the CC, we were informed we would have to fill out a CC Authorization form and send it back to them (this can be done by fax or e-mail). They can't just charge your card over the phone for more than the one nights deposit. Oh, and with that form, they need front and back copies of your drivers license and CC. (in case anyone was curious).

 

[jalex0831]

Sorry for not being clear. When I book online I use universal vacations. They require the amount to be paid in full. When I book thru loews, I always call them and they charge my credit card the first nights deposit.

 

[Foladar]

I booked online every time I've gone and never paid anything in advance.

Me too, I book with Loews online and I don't get charged until we get there.