Paying for holidays – too much, too soon

I would feel un-easy paying in full 3 months before I leave. I would understand 2 weeks tho, 14 day’s sounds reasonable to me.

While I get why we’d all rather hold on to our money as long as possible, travel companies need to make sure they’re going to get paid and can guarantee numbers well in advance. It’s the same with any bookable item – be it a concert ticket, football match etc where it is generally expected you pay up front.

Paying month’s up front can also save you money as the prices can be cheaper months in advance of departure.

An all inclusive visit to Santorini for the 25th of May . Kinver Travel reminded me that payment in full £3148 was required on the 28th 0f February. When paying by credit card a further charge of £62.97 was imposed. On enquiry of the length of time ahead of travel, the comment was that as interest rates fell ever earlier payment is imposed ! I think that WHICH should use maximum publicity to expose this unwarrented practice.

I booked a cruise with Swan Hellenic departing 20th June, 2013. I had to pay the balance by 28th February, 2013, some 16 weeks prior to departure. obviously this exceeds the 14 weeks max which was stated in your latest Which travel. I was, however, sent a reminder.

I paid a deposit for £250.00 with Ola Holidays which was a holiday due in August, 2012 but due to being deaf and aquired a new assistance dog to help me with my disability. Because of training and bonding involved of which means I cannot go anywhere without my assistance dog for at least 8 months and also financial changes to way benefits are paid like the delay in tax credit changes that I have had to ask that I can amend the booking to May 2014 as for one that I don’t lose my deposit and secondly it will give me time to be able to pay for the holiday nearer the time. But Ola Holidays are putting me under immense pressure and demanding that I pay the remaining 50 per cent balance immediately. I have explained all the circumstances as above but to no avail and still demanding 50 per cent balance now and they have threatened me debt collectors if I cancel the holiday. Surely they can’t do this???? Can someone please advise. I am very distressed about all of this and have enough stress to cope with being disabled in my life and the current changes going on, plus making me feel extremely ill.

What is really annoying is that I have paid on time for the last two years, and each time just days before the holiday they have changed the venue and dates. This year they have just changed my flight times. In future I will book last minute and pay in full. Those three months they are profiting from interest on my money. They should be made to repay lost interest. When my mother died just days before my holiday they just said ‘unlucky’, then they had the cheek to ring me full of apologies the day before telling me it was no longer available. As luck would have it that worked in my favour.

I booked with thomas Cook 4th January, paid 550 deposit for two of us, on the 8th of February got a email saying chase up for the balance, I was very annoyed, when booking hoilday, the hoilday company informed me, the balance due would be 12weeks before departure date, why should I pay 18weeks before I depart, someone needs to make laws were all hoilday compaines have the same dead line ie 12 weeks before departure for customers to pay balance outstanding they are a law to them selves and very greedy,

I recently booked a holiday using Coop Travel, the tour operator invoice showed payment in full 4 weeks before travel. The brochure shows payment in full 4 weeks before travel. However the Coop crossed out the date on the invoice and want payment in full 14 weeks before travel. I have asked at the Coop why they need payment 10 weeks before the tour operator does and the response was that their accounts department need to process it. I am paying by card, surely the Coop system doesn’t take 10 weeks to process a payment. The cynic in me tends to think the Coop are making money by holding onto customers payments for extended periods to gain interest from having our money in their account.

I have booked a holidays just about 3 weeks ago and paid deposit for mid December this year from Planet Cruises UK just had an email from this this week looking for final payment that is some 16 weeks before I travel surely that cannot be right. Is there anywhere you can sort this out as I am reluctant to pay this far in advance. I don’t even have my invoice as yet from Planet cruises yet their demanding payment now. If I cannot get this sorted will never book with them again.

Just booked for a Holiday to Croatia In September (16th) booked on the 21st June, paid £300 deposit, they want the balance of £2942 on the 24th June, or three days later.
I really can’t see why they need to get the whole balance so far in advance, let’s face it, if you do not pay the balance (Say a much fairer 6 weeks before) they would still have your deposit as a forfeit, and still be able to sell on the Holiday.
Perhaps it is time the Monopolies commission looked at this practise, as it seems all the large holiday companies have jumped on this particular bandwagon, as well as charging you for using your credit card (1.5%) which I think is also wrong.

I booked a cruise (with an agent) to the Caribbean leaving on the 15th November 2016 and have been told the balance will have to be paid 4 months in advance we then explained that the cruise company we are going with only expected the balance 91 days before sailing. Although I think this is till to early pay the balance I think to ask for it 4 months in advance is a bit of a joke. We have booked previous cruises with the same terms and conditions 1 month before sailing and paid the balance then how can they accept that

Thomas Cook are now asking for full balance payments 18 .19. Weeks
Before departure. Too Much too soon.