Final Payment for Your Royal Caribbean Cruise: What You Need to Know

So you’ve booked your dream cruise with Royal Caribbean and are ready to set sail. But before you head to the port, you’ll need to make that final payment.

When Is the Final Payment Due for a Royal Caribbean Cruise?

Typically, Royal Caribbean requires full payment for your cruise fare 60 to 90 days before your scheduled departure date.

They’ll notify you of the exact due date for your final payment about 3 months before you cruise. This payment will cover the remaining balance of your cruise fare that isn’t already paid through your deposit or installments.

To make your final payment, you have a few options:

Pay online through the Royal Caribbean website. This is the easiest method and your payment will be processed immediately. You can pay by credit/debit card, checking account, or wire transfer.

1. Pay over the phone by calling Royal Caribbean’s customer service center. They accept all major credit/debit cards and electronic check.
2. Mail in your payment. Make checks or money orders payable to Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. and mail to the address provided in your payment notification letter. Allow 7-10 business days for mailed payments to process.
3. Set up automatic payments to pay the balance. When you book, you can enroll in Royal Caribbean’s Autopay program to automatically charge your final payment to the credit/debit card used for your deposit.

If final payment isn’t received by the due date, Royal Caribbean reserves the right to cancel your reservation. But as long as you pay on time using one of the methods above, you’ll be smooth sailing to adventure.

How to Make Your Final Cruise Payment to Royal Caribbean

To pay your final cruise payment, you have a few options:

1. Pay the full amount when Royal Caribbean charges your card on file.

This is the easiest method and ensures your booking is paid in full and ready to sail.

2. Pay a deposit to hold your reservation and then pay the remaining balance closer to your sail date.

Royal Caribbean requires at least one day’s cruise fare as a deposit for reservations made outside of 90 days. The final payment must be made no later than 45 to 60 days before sailing to avoid cancellation.

3. You can pay your final balance early if you prefer.

As soon as Royal Caribbean opens up payments for your sailing usually 4 to 6 months in advance you can log into your Royal Caribbean account online and pay the full remaining balance. This also ensures your stateroom and any promotional offers are locked in.

4. If needed, you can change the credit card on file to charge the final payment.

Log into your Royal Caribbean account, go to ‘Payments and Promotions,’ select your booking, and click ‘Update Payment Method.’ Enter your new credit card details and Royal Caribbean will charge that card for the final balance on your scheduled due date.

No matter which option you choose, the most important thing is to pay the total amount due for your Royal Caribbean cruise fare before the final payment deadline to avoid cancellation of your reservation.

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What Happens if You Miss the Final Payment Deadline for a Royal Caribbean Cruise

If you miss Royal Caribbean’s final payment deadline for your cruise, your reservation could be canceled.

To avoid this, be sure to pay the remaining balance owed for your cruise fare, taxes, and any additional purchases like shore excursions or drink packages by the due date listed on your booking confirmation.

Missing the deadline means your reservation is no longer guaranteed and you risk losing your stateroom as well as any money already paid.

Royal Caribbean’s policy is to cancel unpaid bookings after the final payment date. Your stateroom would then go back into inventory for other guests to book.

However, there are a couple of options to try and remedy the situation:

• Call Royal Caribbean’s customer service line as soon as possible and ask if you can still make the payment to reinstate your booking. They may allow this on a case-by-case basis, especially if you have a good payment history with them and the sailing is still a ways off.

Be prepared to pay an additional reinstatement fee, typically a percentage of your total cruise fare.

• If it’s too late to reinstate your original booking, you can ask if there are any staterooms still available for that sailing and rebook at the current rate.

You would have to put down a new deposit and start the payment schedule over. Rates may be higher at this point, so you’ll end up paying more overall for your cruise.

• As a last resort, you can ask if there are any future sailings with staterooms available that you can rebook. Again, you’ll have to pay a new deposit and rates may differ. At least this ensures you still get to take your Royal Caribbean cruise vacation, even if it’s not your original choice of sailing date.

Conclusion

The moral of the story is not to miss the final payment for your Royal Caribbean cruise. Paying on time guarantees your stateroom, locks in your fare, and allows you to avoid extra fees and the stress of trying to reinstate or rebook your reservation.