Years ago when I first learned about cruise deposits, I was so so excited. I never thought I could put a vacation on layaway.
Recently I got an email from a listener asking about cruise deposits. I sent the questions over to Chris Owen, a Master Cruise Counselor and travel writer. You can follow Chris on Twitter at OrlandoChris.
Why do cruise lines offer a deposit system and is it easier for the consumer?
It's easier for the consumer and it gives the cruise lines a good idea of who will be on any given sailing. This is why Carnival started offering the Early Saver Fare with a NON-refundable deposit, to stabilize bookings. Many people were (and still do) book and cancel and rebook over and over to different sailings. The deposit up front allows the cruise lines to plan their marketing and pricing accordingly. Remember, the golden rule of cruise lines, what they live for, is to sail full ships.
Okay, so I never know how much I will have to put down and when. Is there a tier system for cruise line deposits?
It varies some from line to line but count on a lower deposit for shorter cruises and a larger deposit for longer cruises. That's pretty standard. Like a 3-day cruise is most often a $100 per person deposit going up to $150 for a 4 or five day then $250 for a 7 day is pretty standard. Princess is the wild card here with a percentage of the cruise fare as deposit, a fairly new program that nobody likes. Some lines will offer a reduced deposit during sale events to encourage booking also. Royal Caribbean will have a "Wow Sale" every once in a while that does that. Princess allows agencies to set up a number of sales throughout the year with a reduced deposit of $100 per person or less.
After you put down your deposit, could you pay say $100 a month in payments til you pay it off?
Absolutely, and many people do. Depending on how it is booked, through the cruise line or through an agency, making payments is probably the easiest part of booking a cruise.
When it the final payment usually due?
Usually and for a long time almost all cruise lines were like this, 60 to 70 days prior to sailing with a longer period of time for longer sailings and shorter period for shorter ones. Recently, Carnival changed their long-time policy requiring a longer period of time in advance of booking for final payment to be due and, in turn, for cancellation penalties to start at 76 days prior to departure on a typical 7-day cruise. They are the only ones to do that so far but look for others to follow. Each cruise line's Cruise Contract spells that out.
Thanks Chris for the answers!
(Chris sent me a chart too, as soon as I figure out how to put it on here it will post it.)
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