doak Posted January 25, 2005 #1 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I want to book private excursions. Does anyone know if I can use my Visa debit card for pre-payment. And next question, do they debit my account now? Or is it for a small deposit only, and I would have to bring whatever "charge" card or "debit" card I want, bring it w/me to pay for the balance? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grenouille Posted January 25, 2005 #2 Share Posted January 25, 2005 It really depends on the tour op you're dealing with. Some are set up to accept Visa/MC, others take only cash or traveller's cheques. I'm not aware of too many that are setup for debit cards. Some will take your credit/charge card number to hold your reservation, but will not actually charge anything to your card. You pay the full amount during the excursion. Any reputable tour op will clearly state their payment terms, and methods, so your best bet is to contact them or check out their website if they have one! Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjunea Posted January 25, 2005 #3 Share Posted January 25, 2005 We are booked with grand cayaman excursions to go with Capt. Bryan. We booked online and they charged only 20% to the credit card we provided. Everything seems very smooth so far. (My husband is an accountant and checks over the credit card statements with a fine tooth comb!) We have to pay the remainder when we get there in either cash or travelers checks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zydecocruiser Posted January 25, 2005 #4 Share Posted January 25, 2005 A second vote for, "It depends." Most operators seem to prefer cash or equivalent, since they won't have to pay credit card fees. Some may allow you to use credit cards (not sure about debit - would email each one to verify)., and some of those may add the credit card fees to the price you pay. If you book through an agent, they tend to collect a deposit. I think this must be because it is how they get their commission. Some operators may also charge a deposit. A number of operators just ask for a credit card number to charge in case you are a no show. I don't know of any that don't refund 100% if you ship cancels the port or if the ship arrives too late to take the tour. If you are required to put a deposit down, there could be a little extra work on your part to get your deposit back (proof the ship missed the port or was late). But a ship skipping a port or being that late doesn't occur that often. If you find one that doesn't refund 100%, I would stay away from them. So, it depends. Just make sure you know what the deposit and cancellation policies are, in addition to the debit card question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseMark Posted January 25, 2005 #5 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Just go with Nativeway Watersports. They're fantastic, fun and professional, PLUS you don't have to send them a deposit or give them a credit card number prior to your trip. You just pay them at the end. We used them in August and they were the highlight of our cruise. Highly recommended. http://www.nativewaywatersports.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauren0309 Posted January 25, 2005 #6 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I DID have to give Nativeway my credit card number to hold my reservation for February. If the ship doesnt make it to port, you will not be charged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseMark Posted January 25, 2005 #7 Share Posted January 25, 2005 I DID have to give Nativeway my credit card number to hold my reservation for February. If the ship doesnt make it to port, you will not be charged. Hmmm, interesting. I've booked with them twice now and never had to give them one, nor did they ever ask for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zydecocruiser Posted January 25, 2005 #8 Share Posted January 25, 2005 Whether Nativeway wants a credit card or not varies. Soto's and others also do not require deposits. On the issue of credit card vs debit card you will still have to ask your operator of choice. All would prefer cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doak Posted January 26, 2005 Author #9 Share Posted January 26, 2005 Thanks to all who replied. Gonna print out the info from all the websites and try, try, try to make a decision. I can't decide what to do. Going to Ocho Rios and GC. Now for another question, I know it's common to tip the tour operator. How does one know how much. Is it 10%, 15%, 20% of the total amount, what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zestytx Posted January 27, 2005 #10 Share Posted January 27, 2005 Yep they are asking for credit card #s now to reserve your space, but not charging anything up front as I understand it. Zesty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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