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On board payment

Settling your final bill.

You can settle your final bill in any of the following three ways:

By credit card

The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Diners, JCB, Discover and American Express . If you choose to pay by credit card, your account will be closed automatically at the end of the cruise, so there is no need to go to the Reception – Guest Service.

By debit or prepaid  card 

You should make sure that your debit/prepaid card is enabled for use abroad. The following debit cards are accepted: Maestro, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, MasterCard debit Any amount debited to your card and not spent during your cruise will be reimbursed in cash at the Reception - Guest Service on the final morning before disembarkation.

Any amount deposited in cash and not spent during the cruise will be reimbursed in cash at the Reception - Guest Service on the final morning before disembarkation. Please note that personal cheques are not accepted. For cruises in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Antilles, Dubai, the Emirates and Oman, as well as MSC Grand Voyages departing from Europe, the onboard currency is the Euro (€). For cruises in the Caribbean, South America and South Africa, as well as MSC Grand Voyages going to Europe and to Australia, the onboard currency is the US Dollar ($).The onboard currency for MSC Virtuosa summer season cruises through October 2023 will be the British Pound (£). Europe: EC Regulation 1889/2005 states that: “Any natural person entering or leaving the Community and carrying cash of a value of Euro 10,000 or more shall declare that sum to the competent authorities of the Member state through which he is entering or leaving the Community in accordance with this Regulation”.

Please consult your travel agent and/or the relevant authorities (embassies, consulates or other local authorities) to find out whether there are any other restrictions to carrying cash on your itinerary.

Prices on board

Cash withdrawals on the ship.

All on board purchases can be made with the personal cruise card, eliminating the need to carry cash. A cash in advance service is available before departing and can be booked in your personal area. Book your cruise credit now so you’re ready to go as soon as you board. This credit can be used on board for shopping, relaxation or any other activity for the whole duration of your cruise. In alternative, the service is available by registering a credit card on board account. This can only be done in the on board currency (euro or US dollars, depending on the itinerary), for a fee, set according to the itinerary.

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Cruise payment plans: All you need to know about paying for a cruise

You're going on a cruise! You've spent time researching and narrowing down your destination, ship and sailing dates, and now it's time to book. But what can you expect in terms of cruise payments? What's the best way to pay for a cruise? Will you have to cough up the full fare upfront, or can you put a cruise on layaway?

Here, I'll answer those questions by discussing cruise payment schedules, different methods of paying for a cruise and the pros and cons of paying in full versus putting down a deposit and paying the rest later.

Note: Payment methods and schedules vary by cruise line and booking outlet. Not all options are offered by all lines or via all booking methods. Check with your cruise line or booking outlet for availability before making a reservation.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

How to pay for a cruise

You can pay for your voyage in multiple ways. Most passengers put the charges on a credit card , which is often the quickest and most convenient method. Additionally, you can use gift cards (either cruise line-specific or those from major credit card issuers that aren't tied to a specific retailer), future cruise credits from your cruise line or even cash if you book in person through a travel agent .

Other options include payment by electronic check, PayPal or Apple Pay (depending on how you book) or points and miles on a third-party platform . You can also redeem free cruise certificates from cruise lines that award them for things like casino play , reaching a high loyalty status tier, winning high-stakes bingo or even cruises gone wrong .

You can choose to pay in full at the time of booking, which could earn you additional perks or savings, or make an initial cruise deposit with subsequent payments until anywhere from two to three months before your sailing date.

Specific financing and payment plan options vary by cruise line. For example, Carnival Cruise Line uses EasyPay to allow interest-free autopayments to be charged to you at regular intervals in order to pay off your cruise before you set sail. Princess Cruises' and Holland America's EZpay program offers a similar interest-free setup.

Carnival also offers Uplift as an option. Although some passengers are approved for no down payment and/or 0% interest, interest rates will apply for other cruisers, and under the program, your voyage doesn't have to be completely paid off before your embarkation date. Royal Caribbean allows passengers to finance their cruises using Affirm, with both interest-free and simple-interest options available. Some lines also allow payments through the popular payment app Klarna, which has different payment options, both with and without interest. (Check with your cruise line for details on its specific payment plans.)

Here are the pros and cons of paying over two different time periods.

Paying all at once

If you have the funds to pay for the entire amount of your sailing right away, feel free. It means you won't have to remember to make additional payments. Plus, as an incentive, some cruise lines extend additional perks or discounts to entice travelers to lock in their plans at the time of booking.

For example, wave season deals often include incentives to pay in full. At the time of publication, Emerald Cruises was discounting cruise fares by thousands of dollars for anyone paying in full at the time of booking. Scenic was allowing passengers to choose from additional savings, free airfare or free pre- or post-cruise land tours for paying in full right away. Silversea was slashing fares for pay-upfront voyages by 10%-20%.

The drawback, however, is that you part with a lot of money upfront if you decide to pay immediately. For many cruisers who book a year or more ahead of time, that money could be more lucrative sitting in a bank account that earns interest instead of providing an interest-free loan to a cruise line.

Paying incrementally, with an initial minimum deposit

Alternatively, you can pay a deposit — a portion of the cruise fare for each person on your reservation — to lock in your cabin. Then, in the months leading up to your sailing, you'll make additional payments, according to your cruise line's payment schedule, until you no longer owe anything. If you don't pay off the remaining balance by the final payment date — usually two to three months before embarkation day — the cruise line will cancel your reservation, and you won't be allowed to sail.

Incremental payments are a better choice if you're unsure whether you can or want to sail but want to lock in an attractive fare or snag a cabin on a new ship or unusual itinerary while you decide. If you pay off your cruise early, you can get your money back (except for certain discounted fares and nonrefundable deposits) should you cancel before the final payment deadline. However, it can be a hassle to go through the refund process and wait for the cruise line to return your funds.

Another obvious draw of this method is that it costs less upfront. You can pay over time instead of draining your savings or putting the full amount on a credit card and then incurring fees if you can't pay off your card in full.

Generally, there is no interest or penalty for paying over time if you go the deposit route, so in most cases you won't be charged more if you opt for a payment plan. Plus, you can always pay the balance off early or in larger amounts than are required by your cruise line.

One drawback is that you'll have to remember to make additional payments on time to avoid cancellation of your reservation. Plus, you might not be able to take advantage of a cruise line's cheapest fares if you're not willing to pay in full at the time of booking.

Note that if you book a last-minute cruise after the final payment date (typically, two or three months prior to sailing), you must pay in full; there is no deposit option.

How much is a cruise deposit?

The amount of the deposit required varies by cruise line, but typically you can expect to shell out a couple hundred dollars per person to reserve a cabin with most major cruise lines. It's based on several factors, including the length of the sailing, the overall cost of the voyage, the type of accommodations booked and whether or not the line is running a promotion. Sometimes, as a booking incentive, lines will waive deposits completely or heavily discount them.

At the time of publication, as part of their wave season promotions , Carnival Cruise Line and Costa Cruises were touting deposits as low as $50 per person, while Princess Cruises was offering them for $100 per person. Disney Cruise Line also slashed its required deposits by half — a big deal for a line that rarely offers discounts. Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn Cruise Line and UnCruise Adventures also were offering deposit reductions.

The next section outlines the specific deposit amounts for the most popular cruise lines.

Cruise payment schedules

Below are the payment schedules and deposit amounts for each of the "big eight" cruise lines.

Note: Deposits are per person and refundable prior to the cruise line's final payment deadline, unless otherwise indicated. For cruises booked after the final payment deadline has passed, payment is required in full at the time of booking.

Carnival cruise payment schedule

For most sailings, Carnival requires a deposit of $100 per person for two- to three-day sailings, $150 for four- and five-day sailings and $250 for six- to nine-day sailings. Longer cruises and voyages to Alaska, Europe and the Panama Canal, as well as ocean crossings, require a deposit of $400 per person.

Deposits for Carnival bookings are generally nonrefundable unless cruisers specifically purchase fully refundable fares.

Final payment is required either 76 or 91 days from the sailing date, depending on the destination, cabin type and length of cruise booked.

See Carnival's website for more information.

Celebrity cruise payment schedule

For Sky Suite cabins and lower, Celebrity charges $100 per person for cruises up to five nights, $250 for six to eight nights and $450 for voyages of nine nights or longer. Those prices double, per person, for Celebrity Suites and above.

For Galapagos sailings, deposits for non-suites at the time of booking are $450 per person; suites are $900 per person.

Deposits for Celebrity bookings are generally nonrefundable at any time unless cruisers specifically purchase fully refundable fares.

For cruises of four nights or fewer, final payment must be made at least 75 days prior to sailing. For voyages of five or more nights, final payment is due at least 90 days in advance.

Galapagos sailings must be settled further in advance, with final payment due anywhere from 120 to 180 days in advance, depending on the ship.

More information can be found on Vacations To Go 's website.

Disney cruise payment schedule

Disney Cruise Line 's fine print states that deposits are determined at the time of booking, so they vary.

For non-suite and non-concierge voyages of five nights or fewer, the line requires final payment 90 days or more prior to embarkation day; for sailings of six nights or longer, payment must be made 120 days or more in advance. For suites and concierge-level accommodations, final payment is due 91 days or more prior to sailing.

You can read more in the line's terms and conditions .

Holland America cruise payment schedule

Holland America 's deposit amounts vary widely, requiring passengers to pay anywhere from $350 to $2,900 per person, depending on the sailing.

For Alaska, Bermuda, Caribbean, Canada/New England, Europe, Mexican Riviera, Panama Canal and long Hawaii voyages, final payment must be made no fewer than 75 days prior to sailing. For all other cruises — including holiday voyages, voyages longer than 30 days and segments of voyages longer than 30 days — full payment must be received at least 90 days before embarkation.

Find more specifics on Vacations To Go's website .

MSC cruise payment schedule

Deposits for MSC Cruises are $99 per adult for voyages of four nights or fewer, $199 for five to 14 nights, $300 for 15 nights or longer and an amount equal to 15% of the overall price for world cruises. Additional deposits are not required for children sailing as the third and fourth passengers in a cabin.

For cruises of four nights or fewer, bookings must be paid in full at least 75 days before the sailing date. Those of five to 14 nights must be paid off 90 days or more ahead of time, and bills for any voyages 15 days or longer must be settled at least 110 days prior to departure. For world cruises, it's 120 days.

You can read more on MSC's website .

Norwegian cruise payment schedule

Deposits for Norwegian Cruise Line bookings vary greatly, ranging from $100 to $5,000 per person, based on cabin or suite type booked and the length of the sailing.

Norwegian's deposits are fully refundable, but all voyages, regardless of length or cabin type, must be paid in full at least 120 days in advance. That's earlier than what other cruise lines require for basic cabin types and standard-length sailings.

To learn more, see the chart on NCL's website .

Princess cruise payment schedule

When you book a Princess cruise, you'll owe a deposit of $100 per person ($200 for suites) for sailings of five days or fewer, $200 ($500 for suites) for voyages of six to nine days or $400 ($800 for suites) for cruises of 10 days or longer. For world cruises, you'll have to pony up 30% of the overall cost of the sailing.

For voyages of five days or fewer, you'll have to pay in full at least 75 days before your vacation. Cruises of six to 24 days require full payment 90 days or more ahead of time, and for world cruises, your bill is due 120 days or more before you set sail.

Check out the breakdown on Princess' website .

Royal Caribbean cruise payment schedule

Deposit amounts vary by sailing and the number of people in each cabin for Royal Caribbean bookings. Generally, passengers can expect to front $200 per stateroom (rather than per person) for sailings of five nights or fewer, $500 per cabin for six- to nine-night voyages and $900 per room for cruises of 10 nights or longer.

Deposits for Royal Caribbean bookings are generally nonrefundable at any time unless cruisers specifically purchase fully refundable fares.

For sailings of four nights or fewer, the final payment is due 75 days or more prior to the embarkation date. For five-night voyages and longer, the cruise line must receive all money no fewer than 120 days from sailing. The deadline for world cruises is at least 180 days prior to departure.

Read more on Royal Caribbean's website in the line's FAQ section .

Bottom line

Travelers have many options when it comes to paying for a cruise. You can pay in full at the time of booking or choose cruise payment plans that allow you to make a deposit for each person in your party and then pay off the balance over time.

Additionally, payment methods may include credit cards, third-party payment systems, gift cards, cruise certificates and cash.

Ultimately, the best way to make cruise payments is whichever one works best for you and your specific circumstances. What matters most is that you pay the cruise line in full by its designated final payment date, so your reservation is confirmed and you can set sail on departure day.

Have more cruise questions? TPG has answers:

• More banned items: What not to pack for a cruise
• Man overboard: Why do people fall off cruise ships?
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• What is a gentleman host on a cruise?
• What is the Jones Act and how does it affect cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What's a cruise cabin guarantee and will it save you money?
• What's the difference between a cruise concierge and a butler?

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MSC Cruises

Travel the world with us.

With 23 ships in over 100 countries, MSC Cruises is the world’s third largest and fastest-growing major cruise brand, sailing to over 250 destinations around the world, offering an enriching and immersive cruise experience inspired by their European heritage. 

Discover Europe’s leading cruise line with the most ships and ports of call or cruise the Caribbean & The Bahamas with stops at Ocean Cay, MSC’s private island marine reserve. Choose to venture further with Emirates, South Africa, South America, and Far East cruises. 

Choose from modern vessels including MSC World America, the third LNG ship in the fleet, making her U.S. debut in 2025. 

Experience American comfort combined with elegant European design that only MSC Cruises offers.

Share a few details about your dream trip and we’ll contact you to plan the rest.

From mountain gorillas of Rwanda to the ancient ruins of Tunisia, journey by private jet for an unsurpassed way to experience the region at its finest.

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Cruise Privileges Program Cruise Privileges Program (“CPP”) benefits are valid only for new CPP bookings made with participating cruise lines through American Express Travel. CPP benefits are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion ® Card Members (Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible). CPP bookings must be made using the eligible Card. CPP benefits are non-transferable. Participating cruise lines and program benefits are subject to change. The benefits of an onboard credit and amenity are valid for new CPP bookings of at least five nights and require double occupancy; the eligible Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked; the total cost of the CPP booking must be paid using an American Express ® Card in the eligible Card Member's name. Onboard credits and amenities cannot be combined with other offers unless indicated; blackout dates, category and fare restrictions may apply. Onboard credits and amenities may not be available to residents outside of the 50 United States. Onboard credits and amenities apply per stateroom, with a three-stateroom limit per eligible Card Member, per cruise. For new CPP bookings with Celebrity Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit (in USD) of: $100 for inside and outside staterooms, $200 for balcony, verandah, and mini-suite staterooms, and/or $300 for suites. For new CPP bookings with Cunard, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit (in USD) of: $300 for all Queen Mary ocean-view staterooms category EF or higher, and/or Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth ocean-view staterooms category FA or higher. For new CPP bookings with Ama Waterways, Oceania, Regent, Azamara, Seabourn, Silversea, Uniworld, and Windstar, eligible Card Members receive an onboard credit of US$300 for all stateroom categories. For new CPP bookings, Centurion Members receive an additional US$200 onboard credit on Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn, and Silversea. Onboard credits will be applied at checkout upon completion of the cruise; credit amounts in local currency may vary due to foreign exchange rates; credits are subject to cruise line terms and policies; credits cannot be used for casino charges, gratuities or other similar charges. Any unused portion of a credit is non-refundable and is not redeemable for cash. Other restrictions may apply. Onboard amenities vary by participating cruise line and are not available on Silver Explorer, Silver Galapagos and Silver Discoverer. Onboard credits and amenities are not available on Celebrity Cruises Galapagos sailings.

Extra Membership Rewards ® points: CPP-eligible Card Members that are Membership Rewards program-enrolled will receive one (1) extra Membership Reward ® point per eligible dollar spent on new CPP bookings made with participating cruise lines through American Express Travel; separate airfare and other charges associated with such bookings are not eligible. CPP bookings must be made using the eligible Card (described above). The extra points will be credited to the Card Member’s Membership Rewards account 8-12 weeks after completion of the CPP cruise. For more information visit membershiprewards.com/terms .

Platinum Destinations ® Vacations Platinum Destinations ® Vacations (“PDV”) benefits are valid only for new bookings made with participating suppliers through American Express Travel. Participating suppliers and PDV benefits are subject to change. Benefits cannot be combined with other offers unless indicated. Benefits are valid only for eligible U.S. Consumer and Business Platinum and Centurion ® Card Members (Delta SkyMiles ® Platinum Card Members are not eligible). PDV bookings must be made using the eligible Card and eligible Card Member must be traveling on the itinerary booked. PDV-eligible Card Members that are Membership Rewards program-enrolled will receive one (1) extra Membership Reward ® point per eligible dollar spent on PDV bookings; separate airfare and other charges associated with PDV bookings are not eligible. Extra points will be credited to the Card Member’s Membership Rewards account within 8-12 weeks after completion of the PDV travel. For more information visit membershiprewards.com/terms.

Membership Rewards Program Terms and Conditions for the Membership Rewards ® program apply. Visit membershiprewards.com/terms for more information. Participating partners and available rewards are subject to change without notice.

The value of Membership Rewards points varies according to how you choose to use them. To learn more, go to www.membershiprewards.com/pointsinfo .

American Express Travel Related Services Company, Inc. is acting solely as a sales agent for travel suppliers and is not responsible for the actions or inactions of such suppliers. Certain suppliers pay us commission and other incentives for reaching sales targets or other goals and may provide incentives to our Travel Consultants. For more information visit www.americanexpress.com/travelterms .

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• MSC Cruises

Pre Paid Visa Card for onboard account

By n8botting , February 7, 2018 in MSC Cruises

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Has anyone used a pre paid visa card to setup their on board account?

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Share on other sites.

Many cruise lines dom't accept them. They have no way of confirming if it's a valid card.

TwizzlersAddict

This is their website

We have recently implemented a new Onboard Payment System on our fleet.

After embarking and collecting your Cruise Card, you will need to activate it for onboard purchases by self-registering your credit/debit/prepaid card at one of the Cruise Card Activation Points (kiosks).

You can do this independently, at any time from embarkation until 11:00pm the following day (2 full days), at any of the Cruise Card Activation Points (kiosks) located around the ship. These new devices let you register your card simply, rapidly and securely. Please note that you will be asked to enter the PIN number.

Alternatively, you can leave cash deposit at the Reception – Guest Service.

You can settle your final bill in any of the following three ways:

By credit card

You must make sure that your credit card is enabled for use abroad. The bank that we use to process final payments is located overseas. The following credit cards are accepted: Visa, MasterCard, Diners, JCB, Discover and American Express.

If you choose to pay by credit card, your account will be closed automatically at the end of the cruise, so there is*no need to go to the Reception – Guest Service desk.*

By debit or prepaid card

You must make sure that your debit/prepaid card is enabled for use abroad. The bank that we use to process final payments is located overseas.

The following debit cards are accepted: Maestro, Visa Debit, Visa Electron, MasterCard debit

Any amount debited to your card and not spent during your cruise will be reimbursed in cash at the Receptio - Guest Service.You will need to settle your final bill at the Reception - Guest Service Desk before you disembark.*This can be done the night prior to disembarkation, or the morning of disembarkation.

Any amount deposited in cash and not spent during the cruise will be reimbursed in cash at the Reception - Guest Service.You will need to settle your final bill at the Reception - Guest Service Desk before you disembark.This can be done the night prior to disembarkation, or the morning of disembarkation.

TwizzlersAddict: I'm interested in this sentence in particular, and thank you by the way for posting this information!

"After embarking and collecting your Cruise Card, you will need to activate it for onboard purchases by self-registering your credit/debit/prepaid card at one of the Cruise Card Activation Points (kiosks).*"

A number of people have said that there was a line (queue) to embark because everyone was trying to link his credit card at the kiosks right away. Based on the above, it sounds like you don't have to activate the card just to embark, right? Elsewhere it says you have until 11 pm the second day, so why were all the passengers trying to do it right at embarkation? Was MSC staff telling them they had to? If it were me, I'd just go to my cabin and link the card later.

Prepaid cards are only good in the U.S. I believe the MSC charges go through their home office in Italy.

MisterBill99

Don't do it. If they see it as a debit card, they will pull the money immediately as they did on my card.

Oddly enough, my Seaside charge posted from Paris, France!

But I agree they most likely will not work.

Also, don't use a card with a foreign transaction fee or you'll get hit with it on your charge. FTF can be as high as 3% and most credit cards have them.

A number of people have said that there was a line (queue) to embark because everyone was trying to link his credit card at the kiosks right away. Based on the above, it sounds like you don't have to activate the card just to embark, right?

That doesn't sound right, because the machines were not near the entrance. And no, you do not need to do it as soon as you get on the ship.

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