Or compare all seven: final payment and deposits · first holds. How it works: holds and charges · debit cards · cash accounts.
How much will the line hold on my card?
Royal Caribbean, Princess and Celebrity place a first hold of $100. Carnival's is $100 or $200 by cruise length, Norwegian's is up to $300, and MSC's US pages state no amount. Disney describes no hold: it charges your card in steps of $300 to $700. The first hold is not the most that will be held, because holds follow your spending.
Should I use a debit card?
Only if you can leave the money alone for a while. On a debit card, holds reduce the cash in your checking account until your bank releases them, which can take days or weeks. Norwegian accepts debit cards but does not recommend them, and Disney recommends a credit card.
When is final payment due?
Between 75 and 120 days before sailing on the lines that state a schedule. Norwegian, and Princess for bookings made since September 2, 2026, want 120 days on every cruise. Celebrity and Disney state no schedule in the sources reviewed; the date is on your booking confirmation.
Your cruise line, in full
Each section gives one line’s deposit, final payment and card holds, in the same order every time, and ends with the pages we read.
US bookings only. “Not stated” means the pages listed under that line do not say; it is not a claim that no rule exists. The last link in each section goes to the same line in the booking-changes guide.
Carnival Cruise Line: deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in September 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- 76 days before sailing on 2–5 day cruises; 91 days on cruises of 6 days or longer. On any Alaska, Europe, Panama Canal, Transatlantic or Transpacific cruise, final payment is 91 days before sailing whatever the length. The line states this for cruises booked on or after 12 Nov 2019.
- Deposit
- $100 per person for 2–3 day cruises; $150 for 4–5 day cruises; $250 for 6–9 day cruises; $400 for cruises of 10 days or longer. On any Alaska, Europe, Panama Canal, Transatlantic or Transpacific cruise, the deposit is $400 per person. A single-occupancy booking needs double the deposit. The deposit is non-refundable on Early Saver, Super Saver and casino-offer fares. On Pack & Go fares the total fare is non-refundable.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- First hold
- Carnival places a first hold of $100 on 2–6 day cruises and $200 on cruises of 7 days or longer, per stateroom, per card.
- Further holds
- Additional holds as money is spent; several amounts can be held at once. The pages reviewed do not state how large each additional hold is.
- Final settlement
- Settled with the bank on the day the cruise returns.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Holds stay one or more days after the cruise under the issuing bank's policy. Carnival says it cannot expedite a release. The pages reviewed give no upper limit.
- Debit cards
- A debit card must be a registered Mastercard or Visa. The hold restricts the cash available in the checking account.
- Cash
- Carnival recommends a minimum cash deposit per person of $100 on 2–4 day cruises, $200 on 5–8 day cruises and $350 on cruises of 9 days or longer. Cash or traveler’s checks, in US dollars only, are deposited at Guest Services on the first day of the cruise.
- Limits for other guests
- The account owner can set spending limits or remove charging privileges.
Sources read: Deposit and Final Payment Requirements (10 Sep 2026); Sail & Sign Onboard Account (10 Sep 2026).
Carnival: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: Carnival pricing explained Back to cruise lines
Royal Caribbean: deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in September 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- 75 days before sailing on 1–4 night cruises; 90 days on 5–14 night cruises; 120 days on cruises of 15 nights or longer. The same schedule applies to holiday sailings. Group bookings follow a different schedule.
- Deposit
- $100 per person for 1–5 night cruises; $250 for 6–9 night cruises; $450 for 10–14 night cruises; $500 for cruises of 15 nights or longer. Bermuda: $250 at any length. Suites pay 10% of the cruise fare or the standard deposit, whichever is higher.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- First hold
- Royal Caribbean places a first hold of $100. The US pages reviewed do not say whether that is per card, per person or per stateroom.
- Further holds
- Purchases above the initial amount generate additional holds; daily authorizations throughout the cruise.
- Final settlement
- The final charge posts to the card on file shortly after disembarkation.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Royal Caribbean says holds can take up to 30 days to come off. Your bank decides, not the line, so treat that as the line’s outer limit and not a guaranteed deadline.
- Debit cards
- A credit or debit card is required at online check-in. The US pages reviewed state no separate debit rule.
- Cash
- A cash-backed account is set up with the terminal agent at check-in and settled on board before disembarking. The US pages reviewed state no cash-deposit amount.
Sources read: Final payment schedule (10 Sep 2026); Deposit requirements (10 Sep 2026); SeaPass onboard spending account (10 Sep 2026); SeaPass copy request (10 Sep 2026).
Royal Caribbean: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: Royal Caribbean pricing explained Back to cruise lines
Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL): deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in September and October 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- 120 days before sailing on every cruise. The line states this for sailings departing 15 Aug 2022 and later. One deadline for every cruise length, holiday sailings included.
- Deposit
- $100 per person for 1–6 day cruises; $250 for cruises of 7 days or longer. The Haven, suites and Garden Villa pay 10% of the voyage fare instead of the flat deposit. An additional deposit may be required for holiday sailings.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- First hold
- Norwegian says its initial pre-authorization is up to $300. That is a ceiling, not a set amount. The US pages reviewed do not say whether that is per card, per person or per stateroom.
- Further holds
- Multiple holds based on onboard purchases.
- Final settlement
- The onboard account is charged once, at the end of the cruise.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Norwegian says holds on a debit card can stay up to 30 days after the cruise ends, because some banks hold the funds that long. The sources reviewed give no limit for other cards. Your bank decides, not the line, so treat that as the line’s outer limit and not a guaranteed deadline.
- Debit cards
- Debit cards are accepted, but Norwegian does not recommend them and takes no responsibility for overdraft charges caused by holds.
- Cash
- Norwegian asks for a deposit per person of $150 on cruises of under 7 days, $300 on a 7-day cruise and $450 on cruises of 8 days or longer. Once the deposit is used up the account closes to further charges; more can be deposited at any time, and any excess is refunded on disembarkation day.
Sources read: US terms and conditions (11 Oct 2026); Onboard expenses FAQ (10 Sep 2026).
Norwegian: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: Norwegian Free at Sea Back to cruise lines
Princess Cruises: deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in September 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- 120 days before sailing on every cruise, for cruises booked on or after 2 September 2026. Booked before then: 90 days for 1–13 day cruises; 120 days for cruises of 14 days or longer.
- Deposit
- No standard deposit amount is stated in the sources reviewed. Your booking confirmation shows it. Cruises of 45 days or more: 10% at booking and a further 20% at 320 days before sailing.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- First hold
- Princess places a first hold of $100 on the credit card on file.
- Further holds
- Daily charges are authorized throughout the day with the card provider.
- Final settlement
- Onboard spend is charged in one transaction at the end of the cruise, then the issuing bank releases the holds.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Princess says holds can take up to 30 days to come off. Your bank decides, not the line, so treat that as the line’s outer limit and not a guaranteed deadline. Authorizations can last up to 30 days, so on a voyage longer than that the card is settled at or before the 30-day mark and authorized again.
- Debit cards
- Princess pre-authorizes credit and debit cards alike, and warns that some banks hold pre-authorized funds for up to 30 days.
- Cash
- Guests paying by cash or traveler's checks leave a cash deposit with Guest Services at the start of the cruise. The US pages reviewed state no cash-deposit amount.
Sources read: Passage contract (28 Sep 2026); Cashless cruising FAQ (10 Sep 2026).
Princess: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: Princess Plus Back to cruise lines
MSC Cruises: deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in October 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- 75 days before sailing on cruises of 4 nights or less; 90 days on 5–14 night cruises; 110 days on cruises of 15 nights or longer. World Cruise: 120 days. Calendar days before departure. A booking made inside the window pays in full at booking.
- Deposit
- $99 per person for cruises of 4 nights or less; $199 for 5–14 night cruises; $300 for cruises of 15 nights or longer. The deposit for MSC Yacht Club is non-refundable. World Cruise: a 15% deposit.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- First hold
- The US pages reviewed state no first-hold amount for MSC. That is not the same as no hold: MSC says it places pre-authorizations on your card.
- Further holds
- Pre-authorizations on a registered credit or debit card.
- Final settlement
- The final bill is settled at disembarkation.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Usually released after the final bill is settled at disembarkation; MSC says it does not control how long a hold lasts, that your bank releases it, and that holds should expire within 30 days of disembarkation, a timeframe that varies by bank.
- Debit cards
- Maestro, Visa Debit, Visa Electron and Mastercard debit are named. MSC says any amount “debited to your card” and not spent is reimbursed in cash on the final morning. The US pages reviewed do not say whether a debit card is held or charged up front.
- Cash
- A cash deposit is left at Reception after embarkation; the unspent amount is refunded in cash on the final morning. The US pages reviewed state no cash-deposit amount.
Sources read: US standard booking terms and conditions (25 Oct 2026); On board payment (FAQ) (25 Oct 2026).
MSC: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: MSC pricing explained Back to cruise lines
Celebrity Cruises: deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in September and October 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- No schedule is stated in the sources reviewed. The date is set when you book and shown on your booking confirmation.
- Deposit
- No standard deposit amount is stated in the sources reviewed. Your booking confirmation shows it.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- First hold
- Celebrity places a first hold of $100. The US pages reviewed do not say whether that is per card, per person or per stateroom.
- Further holds
- Purchases above the initial amount generate additional holds. The card tied to the booking may be authorized for large amounts while you are on board.
- Final settlement
- The credit card tied to the booking is charged at the end of the cruise.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Celebrity says holds can take up to 30 days to come off. Your bank decides, not the line, so treat that as the line’s outer limit and not a guaranteed deadline.
- Debit cards
- The SeaPass page mentions holds on a credit or debit card. The US pages reviewed state no rule on whether debit cards are accepted.
- Cash
- The US pages reviewed state no cash-deposit rule or amount. The on-board FAQ describes the SeaPass as associated with the credit or debit card on file in the Onboard Account, and mentions changing to cash only in passing. Ask Celebrity before you plan to rely on cash alone.
Sources read: Managing and planning your cruise FAQs (10 Sep 2026); Onboard purchases FAQ (10 Sep 2026); SeaPass account FAQ (10 Sep 2026); On board a cruise FAQs (11 Oct 2026).
Celebrity: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: Celebrity All Included Back to cruise lines
Disney Cruise Line: deposit, final payment and card holds
US bookings. Based on pages read in September and October 2026; sources are listed below.
Before sailing: deposit and final payment
- Final payment
- No schedule is stated in the sources reviewed. The date is set when you book and shown on your booking confirmation.
- Deposit
- No standard deposit amount is stated in the sources reviewed. Your booking confirmation shows it.
Onboard payments: holds and settlement
- Charges during the cruise
- Disney describes no hold. It charges the credit card on file each time the account reaches $300 on 2–5 night cruises, $500 on 6–9 night cruises and $700 on cruises of 10 nights or longer. These are payments, not holds.
- Final settlement
- All charges must be settled before leaving the ship. A card on file is charged automatically and no visit to Guest Services is needed.
Available funds: release, debit cards and cash
- Release of holds
- Disney describes interim charges, not holds, so no release applies to them. Its US FAQ says a card issuer may place temporary holds on a debit card account, which is why it recommends a credit card.
- Debit cards
- Disney lists debit cards among the ways to settle the account and recommends a credit card instead, to avoid temporary holds the card issuer may place on a debit account.
- Cash
- Cash is accepted. All charges must be settled in US dollars before leaving the ship, and cash payments are rounded up to the nearest dollar. Select major currencies (euro, British pound and Singapore dollar) can be exchanged to US dollars on board, and Disney recommends exchanging before the voyage. No cash deposit is stated.
Sources read: Terms and conditions for residents of the United States (10 Sep 2026); Currency and credit cards FAQ (US edition) (11 Oct 2026).
Disney: price after payment, guest changes and unused credit → Also read: Is Disney worth it? Back to cruise lines
The order the money leaves in
- Deposit, at booking. Usually $99 to $500 a person, depending on the line and the length of the cruise. If you're buying travel insurance, buy it soon after the first deposit, because some policy benefits have short purchase windows.
- Final payment, 75 to 120 days out. The rest of the fare, with taxes and port fees included. Miss it and the line can cancel the booking.
- Pre-cruise purchases, until shortly before sailing. Drinks packages, Wi-Fi, dining and prepaid gratuities are charged when you buy them. On Royal Caribbean you can generally cancel and rebook at a lower price before a cutoff shortly before sailing. Prepaying gratuities has its own trade-off.
- Boarding day to the last morning. On most lines, a hold goes on your card when the onboard account opens, and more holds follow as you spend. Disney charges the card in steps instead.
- The final bill, then the release. The line charges what you actually spent, usually in one transaction on the last day or just after. The holds disappear when your bank releases them, which can take days or weeks.
Compare final payment and deposits
Final payment falls due 75 to 120 days before sailing on the lines that state a schedule, and the deposits they state run from $99 to $500 a person.
Standard schedules for individual US bookings; group bookings differ on some lines. Each line name links to its full section, with the exceptions.
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Cruise line | Final payment due | Deposit, per person |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival | 76 days (2–5 days); 91 days (6 days or longer). 91 days on any Alaska, Europe, Panama Canal, Transatlantic or Transpacific cruise. | $100 (2–3 days); $150 (4–5 days); $250 (6–9 days); $400 (10 days or longer). $400 on any Alaska, Europe, Panama Canal, Transatlantic or Transpacific cruise. |
| Royal Caribbean | 75 days (1–4 nights); 90 days (5–14 nights); 120 days (15 nights or longer). | $100 (1–5 nights); $250 (6–9 nights); $450 (10–14 nights); $500 (15 nights or longer). Bermuda: $250. Suites pay 10% of the cruise fare or the standard deposit, whichever is higher. |
| Norwegian | 120 days on every cruise. | $100 (1–6 days); $250 (7 days or longer). The Haven, suites and Garden Villa pay 10% of the voyage fare instead of the flat deposit. |
| Princess | 120 days on every cruise for bookings made since 2 September 2026. Earlier bookings: 90 days (1–13 days); 120 days (14 days or longer). | Not stated; shown when you book. |
| MSC | 75 days (4 nights or less); 90 days (5–14 nights); 110 days (15 nights or longer). World Cruise: 120 days. | $99 (4 nights or less); $199 (5–14 nights); $300 (15 nights or longer). |
| Celebrity | No schedule stated; the date is on your booking confirmation. | Not stated; shown when you book. |
| Disney | No schedule stated; the date is on your booking confirmation. | Not stated; shown when you book. |
Each cruise line name links to its full section, with the exceptions and the sources.
Use the length printed on your booking. Carnival, Princess and Norwegian write cruise length in days; Royal Caribbean and MSC in nights. Do not convert one into the other: read your booking's length against your line's own row.
A short Norwegian or Princess cruise is paid for early. On a three- or four-night cruise, Carnival and Royal Caribbean want the balance about 11 weeks before sailing. Norwegian wants it 120 days out, about 17 weeks, and so does Princess on any cruise booked since September 2, 2026. Book inside the window and the whole fare is due at once; MSC states this outright.
Paying in full does not always end the charges. Every line says it can still pass on higher government taxes and fees, and some can add a fuel supplement. Norwegian, MSC and Disney say the price is otherwise fixed. The detail, line by line, is under price after payment.
Compare first holds and further charges
Royal Caribbean, Princess and Celebrity place a first hold of $100 and add more as you spend; the others differ, and Disney charges your card in steps instead.
A hold (also called a pre-authorization or pending charge) is money your bank sets aside; it is not a charge. Each line name links to its full section.
On a phone, swipe the table sideways to see every column.
| Cruise line | First hold or charge | Further holds or charges |
|---|---|---|
| Carnival | $100 (2–6 days); $200 (7 days or longer), per stateroom, per card. | Additional holds as money is spent; several amounts can be held at once. |
| Royal Caribbean | $100. Per-card/person basis not specified. | Purchases above the initial amount generate additional holds; daily authorizations throughout the cruise. |
| Norwegian | Up to $300 (a ceiling). Per-card/person basis not specified. | Multiple holds based on onboard purchases. |
| Princess | $100. Per credit card on file. | Daily charges are authorized throughout the day with the card provider. |
| MSC | No amount stated; pre-authorizations are used. | Pre-authorizations on a registered credit or debit card. |
| Celebrity | $100. Per-card/person basis not specified. | Purchases above the initial amount generate additional holds. |
| Disney | No hold. Charged at $300 (2–5 nights); $500 (6–9 nights); $700 (10 nights or longer). | Charged again each time the account reaches that amount. |
Each cruise line name links to its full section, with the exceptions and the sources.
How holds, charges and release work
A hold is not a charge, and the first hold is not the most that will be held; your bank decides when holds come off.
A hold is not a charge. A hold is a request your bank approves, setting money aside for the ship. The ship has not received that money. A charge is the payment itself, the point where the money leaves your account for good. Disney differs in structure: it describes no holds and charges your card in steps during the cruise.
Held money is not available to you. On a credit card, a hold reduces your available credit. On a debit card, it reduces the cash in your checking account. In both cases it comes back when your bank releases it.
The first hold is not the most that will be held. The first hold is the line's opening request. On the lines that describe what follows, more holds are placed as you spend, so the total held can grow beyond the first hold. A cruise where you spend $1,000 on board can tie up something like $1,000 of your card, whatever the first hold says.
Release timing is your bank's. The line asks; your bank decides when. Where a line gives a figure, such as “up to 30 days”, it is the line's description of how banks behave, not a deadline anyone guarantees. No line says how long your bank will take.
What gets held, or charged in steps on Disney, follows your own onboard spending. Put in your line, nights and guests, and the calculator estimates what the drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and the rest will come to. It estimates spending. It does not predict exact bank authorizations or release dates.
Estimate my onboard spending →Debit cards
Most lines take a debit card, but a hold makes cash unavailable without taking it. Money charged is spent; money held is only out of reach until your bank releases it.
During the cruise, holds reduce the cash you can use in your checking account. On the last day the line charges your actual final bill. The holds do not vanish at that moment: your bank releases them on its own schedule, so for a while some cash can be both unavailable and, once charged, spent. Carnival describes it for debit cards: the bank processes the final total and retains the holds until it releases them.
On a credit card, that overlap uses up credit limit for a while. On a debit card it is cash you cannot reach, which matters if bills fall due the week you get home.
Hypothetical example · one debit card
Assumptions (ours, for illustration):
- You spend $1,000 on board, and the line charges that $1,000 at the end of the cruise.
- Your bank is still holding $1,000 in pending authorizations from your purchases.
Outcome: $1,000 has been charged, which is spent. The other $1,000 has not been charged, but it is unavailable until your bank releases it. Your available funds are down by $2,000 for a while. Actual authorization patterns vary by line, by purchase and by bank, so treat this as a way to see the two amounts, not a prediction.
Cash accounts
A cash account keeps your card out of it: you leave a deposit and spend against it, so no hold goes on a card.
Whether a line sets a deposit, and how much, differs by line; each line section says what it states. If you only want a limit on someone else's spending, you do not need cash at all: on Carnival the account owner can set limits for anyone on the account, the easy answer for teenagers. Why cruisers overspend onboard covers the rest of that problem.
Common questions
What happens if I switch cards during the cruise?
The holds on the first card don't move to the new one. Royal Caribbean says you may still see holds on the original card, and Carnival says a hold on a replaced card stays during the cruise and for one or more days after, depending on your bank.
When do you pay port fees on a cruise?
With the fare. Port fees and taxes are added to your booking total at checkout, so you pay them by the final-payment date. They can still change afterwards: see price after payment.
Can the cruise line release a hold faster?
No. Carnival says it "is not able to expedite the release of bank holds," MSC says it "does not have control over the duration of these holds," and Royal Caribbean and Celebrity both say the timing is your bank's. If a hold is still there after the final bill has posted, your bank is the one to call.
How we checked, and what no line says
Every cruise-line figure here comes from the line's own US website or booking terms, read in September and October 2026.
The amounts in the debit example are ours. Disney’s card rules come from its currency and credit-card FAQ. Earlier reads were served its European edition; read again from a US connection on October 11, 2026, the US edition gave the same $300, $500 and $700 limits. Terms change, so check your own booking confirmation before you rely on a date or an amount.
What no line says: how long your bank will take to release a hold. The “up to 30 days” figures are the lines' description of how banks behave, not a commitment from any bank. Anything else a line does not state is marked in its own section. You can compare the lines' onboard costs side by side on our cost reference table.
Booking changes and unused credit
After you have paid, three other questions come up: whether the price can still change, how to swap or correct a guest, and what happens to unused credit.
- Price after payment: what final payment locks in, and what can still change.
- Swaps and spelling corrections: changing a name on a booking, line by line.
- Unused credit: onboard credit and future cruise credit, line by line.