All princess cruisers beware of credit card holds

[Jamiebearr]

Appreciate the info -- the only problem I seem to have is that i dont have any cc's etc so can I still just pay cash when i board??

I have booked through a british TA and from what I have read princess wont deal with me directly because of this so I have been unable to get an answer from them regarding this!

 

I just what to give them a a pile of dollars when I board to cover all costs/autotip/excursions etc.

 

Do you know if they will still let me book ship tours through our personal planner site and add them to my OBC- while paying in this way.

 

Thanks Elaine

 

Elaine- if you don't want to use a cc you can give them a cash deposit. When that runs out your card won't work anymore, so just make sure that you have given them as much cash as you intend to use on the trip:)

[maryhill1]

:)

Elaine- if you don't want to use a cc you can give them a cash deposit. When that runs out your card won't work anymore, so just make sure that you have given them as much cash as you intend to use on the trip:)

 

 

Thanks for that-- i just wanted someone to confirm that I could do this ---ie pay cash when boarding!

 

I make sure I pay in MUCH more than i intend to spend so that everything is covered. Although our OBC is currently sitting at $450 in credit (compliments of our TA) that will cover our Autotips.

We dont play the casino/ buy art etc but I still make sure I pay in 2 or 3 time what we are likely to spend - just in case--- you never know when an emergency situation will arise and you will see a diamond/emerald/sapphire etc that you just HAVE to buy!:eek:

 

Thanks Elaine

[Jeepers385]

I've never had this happen to me either.

[-Lew-]

 

Never a hold on any of our cruises.

How do you know that? Do you place a credit card on your account?

 

Why would Princess place a hold on some credit card accounts and not others?

 

In all of our travels I have expected our hotel, car rental agency, cruise line, etc. to place a hold on my credit card account for a reasonable amount. How else are they to be guaranteed payment?

 

Lew

[toberman]

Have never had a hold put on my CC... but have always been asked for one when I register to board. We always take US$ travelers cheques and pay down our account while on board to save on the CC transaction fees.

 

Will someone be allowed to board without giving a CC ?? I doubt you can pre-pay at registration in cash for expected expenses. But maybe you can ??

[mummyrose]

We have......what had us puzzled was the fact that after the folio was closed and settled we then had $800 added extra (1 day after we had left the cruise) on top of our folio and all the other holds etc.....We were worried as we had not spent such a sum... It took them 2 weeks to fix up and then it was done in dribs and drabs....with us chasing them the whole time....

This time I plan to pay x amount when I first board.....so my dc is used as a last resort....

[bhopal21]

How do you know that? Do you place a credit card on your account?

 

Why would Princess place a hold on some credit card accounts and not others?

 

I know because I monitor my credit card at least daily (via the internet) and have always used it for my shipboard account.

 

I would suspect it may depend on the individual credit card or the credit limit of such card.

 

Mike:)

[uppitycats]

Hi all.

 

I know what you are saying about it not being a charge but I was really interested in just paying cash when boarding to cover my OBC.

I dont use CC or DC- never have! - I always use cash for everything.

 

Can anyone advise?

 

Thanks Elaine

 

Yes, you can use cash. You head to the purser's desk, put down cash (at one point they wanted $300 per day...it may be more or less than that, now). And when you've spent that, you'll get a call or notice that you need to go to the purser's desk and deposit more. Or if you deposit, say, $1,000 and don't spend it all, then you go to the purser's desk on the last day, and get the remainder in cash back.

[maryhill1]

Yes, you can use cash. You head to the purser's desk, put down cash (at one point they wanted $300 per day...it may be more or less than that, now). And when you've spent that, you'll get a call or notice that you need to go to the purser's desk and deposit more. Or if you deposit, say, $1,000 and don't spend it all, then you go to the purser's desk on the last day, and get the remainder in cash back.

 

 

Thanks uppity! --(great name - by the way!)

 

Thats what I wanted to confirm.

As said -- I just pay cash always. so that pefect!!

No problem depositing a few thousand dollars to cover all eventualities- just never used CC's -dont like them - never have/never will!!

 

Thanks Elaine

[-Lew-]

 

I know because I monitor my credit card at least daily (via the internet) and have always used it for my shipboard account.

Although I don't check my credit card accounts daily, I have had occasion to login while on vacation. I have never noticed a statement that a hold had been placed on an account. Do the credit card companies indicate when a hold has been placed on an account?

 

Still, without placing a hold on a credit card account, how can a cruise line be guaranteed they will be paid? Anyone could embark on a cruise with a credit card limit of say, $10,000, and then, with no hold on the account, buy a $9,999 watch in St. Thomas. Then when the cruise line tries to charge the onboard balance to the credit card it will not go through.

 

It just doesn't make sense that the cruise line would not place a hold on all accounts. Is there a banker out there who would care to comment...or someone in the travel industry?

 

Lew

[jimpod]

Hi. Can anyone advise??

 

This is our 1st Princess cruise and i am curious to know about this "hold" on cards.:eek:

On our NCL cruise in Jan. I didnt use any cards. We were boarding our ship I paid $1500 dollars into our OB account to cover expenses etc and just collected the balance the morning we left. Can I do this on Princess??

 

I have booked through a British TA and just make payments to them in cash.

 

Also can I book ship excursions through our personal planner option on the Princess site and have the cost deducted from our OB account. We currently have a TA OBC of $450 which would probably cover the ship excursion i would like to book when the become available!

 

Thanks Elaine

We have been on 4 cruises with Princess and have never had money put on hold on our credit card.

PS - if you are from Maryhill we are a few miles along the road in Bearsden. Have a great holiday - only 25 weeks to our next cruise and we cannot wait!!

[AFT_LOVER]

Visa, MC, Discover all call it a pending charge. All new charges are pending so stores & companies know you have the the money for it. It is gone in 3-4 days unless it is a charge at the end of the cruise.

 

ALSO 3% added to credit card charges in foreign areas. A $500 purchase will have a $15 charge added to it. So $300 for $10,000 CHARGE.

 

 

Although I don't check my credit card accounts daily, I have had occasion to login while on vacation. I have never noticed a statement that a hold had been placed on an account. Do the credit card companies indicate when a hold has been placed on an account?

 

Still, without placing a hold on a credit card account, how can a cruise line be guaranteed they will be paid? Anyone could embark on a cruise with a credit card limit of say, $10,000, and then, with no hold on the account, buy a $9,999 watch in St. Thomas. Then when the cruise line tries to charge the onboard balance to the credit card it will not go through.

 

It just doesn't make sense that the cruise line would not place a hold on all accounts. Is there a banker out there who would care to comment...or someone in the travel industry?

 

Lew

[rpach10115]

Just got off the crown on saturday. I used my debit visa card. There were no "Holds" put on my card, just the daily charges I made. I checked my bank account every day on my laptop, and my account never skipped a beat. I double checked using the "held funds" feature on my online banking, and there were never any holds other than the actual daily charges. The final charge took 2 days to go through, but there were no "Holds" put on my card.

[dchip]

We got off the Grand on Friday. There may have been a hold while we were on the ship but we have full use of all our credit today.

 

HAL holds are $60/day and that info is in the Passenger Contract. I am sure Princess does the same thing. It only makes sense to cover themselves for the shipboard account at the end of the cruise.

 

Cheers, Denise

[billet]

My available credit is reduced by the current amount of the onboard bill on a daily basis, so I suppose you could classify it as a 'hold'

[bhopal21]

Visa, MC, Discover all call it a pending charge. All new charges are pending so stores & companies know you have the the money for it. It is gone in 3-4 days unless it is a charge at the end of the cruise.

 

ALSO 3% added to credit card charges in foreign areas. A $500 purchase will have a $15 charge added to it. So $300 for $10,000 CHARGE.

 

Maybe on your card; but not on mine.

 

Mike:)

[caribill]

ALSO 3% added to credit card charges in foreign areas. A $500 purchase will have a $15 charge added to it. So $300 for $10,000 CHARGE.

 

Not if you use CapitalOne cards.

[LARGIN]

 

ALSO 3% added to credit card charges in foreign areas. A $500 purchase will have a $15 charge added to it. So $300 for $10,000 CHARGE.

 

Almost correct.. Most do except for Capital One (0%), USAA (1%), Discover (2%) and American Express (2.7%)..

[cantwaitfornextcruise]

Appreciate the info -- the only problem I seem to have is that i dont have any cc's etc so can I still just pay cash when i board??

I have booked through a british TA and from what I have read princess wont deal with me directly because of this so I have been unable to get an answer from them regarding this!

 

I just what to give them a a pile of dollars when I board to cover all costs/autotip/excursions etc.

 

Do you know if they will still let me book ship tours through our personal planner site and add them to my OBC- while paying in this way.

 

Thanks Elaine

If you call Princess on 0845 355 5800, you can purchase OBC I think they call it gift purchase or something anyway you can only put £500 per person on (I think) and they were giving $1.60 to the £ in Feb, we always do this then add $ or £ when onboard so our final account is only a a few $, oh and don't forget to tick the conversion box

I haven't read all the previous posts as live is to short, so if someone else has already said this sorry

Hope this helps

[AFT_LOVER]

But we use MC World, Signature Visa & Amex Blue. $15 on $500 jewelry purchase by Amex.

 

A friend who husband is a foot doctor got called into the Accountant's Office for a bad credit card (AMEX Platinum). They embarrassed him when he told them they were refused usage. So they used his phone to call AMEX & the person asked to talk to the accountant.

Guess he was blasted for refused credit to them. It turned out that they use a company in Miami to check all credit cards for the peope on the ship. Somehow a millionairre has bad credit? So AMEX told him to get a new company.

 

So their suite got top shelf everything for the 2 week cruise. And a free 2 weeks cruise to use. SO they stayed on the ship for another 2 weeks. Then when they get home they hear about a FLA company nailed for ID theft & it was the company Princess used. We told her it happened to use 7 years ago. They took very good care of us after AMEX got the call.

 

So even cruise lines make mistakes but they did good on this one.

Maybe on your card; but not on mine.

 

Mike:)

[j!m]

what is a "hold"???

 

never heard of it but live in canada

 

is this a merican thing??

 

how would i know if it happened to me???

 

why would i care???

 

just curious

[teripp]

So, my plan was to use a card with a 500 limit and put down about 500 cash. Would they still put 1200 on the card? That would be over my limit. I guess I should dust off the other cards with a much higher limit (not that I really want to)

[Shogun]

Hi

 

Princess will talk to you even if the booking is through a TA,

 

you need to ask clear questions about Princess policy etc and not

 

about your booking,

 

eg ask what happens if.....

 

do not ask I have on my boooking

 

 

ask to credit card holks must be a US thing, never heard of it on a UK booking

yours Shogun

[bhopal21]

But we use MC World, Signature Visa & Amex Blue. $15 on $500 jewelry purchase by Amex.

 

A friend who husband is a foot doctor got called into the Accountant's Office for a bad credit card (AMEX Platinum). They embarrassed him when he told them they were refused usage. So they used his phone to call AMEX & the person asked to talk to the accountant.

Guess he was blasted for refused credit to them. It turned out that they use a company in Miami to check all credit cards for the peope on the ship. Somehow a millionairre has bad credit? So AMEX told him to get a new company.

 

So their suite got top shelf everything for the 2 week cruise. And a free 2 weeks cruise to use. SO they stayed on the ship for another 2 weeks. Then when they get home they hear about a FLA company nailed for ID theft & it was the company Princess used. We told her it happened to use 7 years ago. They took very good care of us after AMEX got the call.

 

So even cruise lines make mistakes but they did good on this one.

 

Is a translation possible?

[Parteeinga]

As someone else mentioned, the hold is place on the card so you don't go in to port and max out your card. If you were to do that, then you may not have a method to pay your ship bill. I have heard the cruise lines putting on holds that range from $60 to $100 per person times the number of days. The hold is them released once the cruise line processes the final bill.

 

I have been on numerous cruises and have never had a problem with the holds. I completely understand why they place the hold on the card. People on vacation don't always realize how much they are spending. Would not be fair to the ship if someone could not pay at the end of the cruise.

 

What if someone could not pay their bill? What do they do then? Keep them on board until they can pay? LOL