debit card/credit card?

[jujucrew]

hi all,

please could someone help me out here

ive been reading that you have a pass card

which if you or should i say when you purchase

it goes on your bill ok,

i get that most of you use a credit card for this,

as i dont have a credit card only debit card

1. can you use this instead?

2 can you not pay cash for your purchases

3if this is done by cards only as im in a group

our son is in another room can i ask if his bill can

be added to our account?

4 would it be easier to apply for a credit card??

5 ive read somewhere but cant find it now

there seemed to have been a problem with debit card is this correct?

6also is this correct they use a holding amount if so how much is this

or does it depend on each cruise?

we are going on the independence of the seas

how does the holding amount work?

sorry for so many questions here probably should have split this up

thank you for anyone who can help/answers these for me:cool:

[paul929207]

1. Yes, you can use a debit card to cover you onboard expenses. They will put a hold on for estimated expenses.

2. Yes, you can settle with cash. Cruise lines will want a deposit. On Princess, it is $300 per person for a one week cruise.

3. Yes.

4. That is up to you. I use a credit card.

[mmsas]

hi all,

please could someone help me out here

ive been reading that you have a pass card

which if you or should i say when you purchase

it goes on your bill ok,

i get that most of you use a credit card for this,

as i dont have a credit card only debit card

1. can you use this instead? YES

2 can you not pay cash for your purchases NO CASH

3if this is done by cards only as im in a group

our son is in another room can i ask if his bill can

be added to our account? Each room has an account

4 would it be easier to apply for a credit card?? YOUR Call

5 ive read somewhere but cant find it now

there seemed to have been a problem with debit card is this correct?Just make sure you call them and let them know you are traveling. We have used it the last 5 cruises no issues.

6also is this correct they use a holding amount if so how much is this

or does it depend on each cruise? Depends on Cruise

[klfrodo]

hi all,

please could someone help me out here

ive been reading that you have a pass card

which if you or should i say when you purchase

it goes on your bill ok,

i get that most of you use a credit card for this,

as i dont have a credit card only debit card

1. can you use this instead?

2 can you not pay cash for your purchases

3if this is done by cards only as im in a group

our son is in another room can i ask if his bill can

be added to our account?

4 would it be easier to apply for a credit card??

5 ive read somewhere but cant find it now

there seemed to have been a problem with debit card is this correct?One of the major problems is (and it's completely up to YOUR financial institution and your relationship with them) the holds. With a debit card the cruiseline will make an initial hold, let's say $200. When your bill reaches close to that, they will request another $200 hold. Thats $400 of available cash ON HOLD. Now at the end of your cruise, let's say your final bill comes to $396. They bill and remove $396 from your account. The $400 are still on hold and not available for your use UNTIL YOUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTION RELEASES THE HOLDS. That could be a week to ten days.

6also is this correct they use a holding amount if so how much is this

or does it depend on each cruise?

we are going on the independence of the seas

how does the holding amount work?

sorry for so many questions here probably should have split this up

thank you for anyone who can help/answers these for me:cool:

 

Having said what I did above in RED, not all people have the same problem but if 1 person does, then you need to be aware of it.

[uppitycats]

hi all,

please could someone help me out here

ive been reading that you have a pass card

which if you or should i say when you purchase

it goes on your bill ok,

i get that most of you use a credit card for this,

as i dont have a credit card only debit card

1. can you use this instead?

Yes, you can use your debit card. Hopefully you have a reasonably substantial balance in your checking account (or the account tied to your debit card), as you will find yourself spending a lot on board.

2 can you not pay cash for your purchases

 

No, nothing you purchase on board -- alcohol, soft drinks, stuff from the gift shops, spa services, etc. -- can be paid for in cash. All of it will be billed to your on-board account, in your case to your debit card.

3if this is done by cards only as im in a group

our son is in another room can i ask if his bill can

be added to our account? Yes. When you sign in to start your cruise, you (and he) will be asked how you intend to pay for it. If you want him to be able to bill stuff to your card, then you give them the card information for yourself and him, at the same time.

4 would it be easier to apply for a credit card?? Probably, but it takes awhile to get one, and there's no guarantee that you'd get it -- or get a sufficiently large credit limit -- in time to use it for your cruise.

5 ive read somewhere but cant find it now

there seemed to have been a problem with debit card is this correct? The problem is that many folks don't have a large amount of money in the account that the debit card is tied to. Yes, they do put a "hold" on the debit card, somewhere in the range of $300 - $500, to ensure that they'll have enough money from your account to pay your bill at the end of the cruise. It takes awhile for this hold to be lifted when you get home -- usually a week, but it can be up to 4 weeks, depending on when you're cruising (during a holiday time?) and the way your home bank deals with "holds" on debit cards.

6also is this correct they use a holding amount if so how much is this

or does it depend on each cruise? The hold is around $300 - $500 per person using the account. So if there are 2 -3 of you (husband, wife, son?) this can add up to a substantial amount. What happens is that your card is blocked from spending anything above that amount. If you stay within your limits, both on the ship and on your excursions, then you'll be fine. If you go over your limit, you'll get somewhere, try to buy something, and your card will be declined (in other words, they'll refuse to let you buy whatever you're attempting to buy).

If you have a large amount of cash in your account that's tied to the debit card, this won't be an issue. If you don't, it can be.

we are going on the independence of the seas

how does the holding amount work?

sorry for so many questions here probably should have split this up

thank you for anyone who can help/answers these for me:cool:

 

An alternative is to bring a substantial amount of cash with you, and when you board, deposit that cash into your account at the customer service desk (or purser's desk). As you use your on-board pass card, charging things to your account, they'll keep track, and when your cash runs low, they'll telephone you, or leave you a message, telling you to deposit more money. If you don't, they'll block your pass card on board, and you won't be able to buy anything more on the ship until you deposit more cash.

[paul929207]

I interpreted the second question (can you not pay cash for your purchases) differently than the others. I took it to mean, Can you settle your onboard account with cash? While others took it to mean can yuo pay cash for each purchase at the time of purchase.

 

You cannot pay cash for the individual purchases. However, you can settle your account with cash.

[cherylandtk]

The only real difference between using credit and debit cards is that the holds are placed against your available credit limit (credit card) vs. being placed against your available bank balance (debit card). If you plan on using a debit card, be aware that the holds and the final bill might both be placed on your card for a period of a few days; so you would need to have a sufficient balance to cover.

 

I happen to have a credit card that shows me the pending charges (holds) placed on it. We just got off the Emerald Princess, and there are seven different holds placed from July 14-July 18, which total a little more than $400. (There may have been earlier holds that have already dropped off, the cruise started on July 11) The smallest individual amount is $15, the largest $137. I ALSO see the final bill actual charge (not pending, not a hold, it is a completed transaction) placed on July 18, for just under $700. This totals a little more than $1100, even though we actually spent less than $700.

 

It is not a problem for me, as I know the $400 worth of holds will eventually drop off, and I have enough credit left on the card to easily cover that amount until they do. But if you have a debit card, that amount of your money is not available to you while that happens. It depends on the banks and Princess as to how long this takes, often a week or so seems to be reported. In theory, all those little holds should disappear when the final charge is made, but if the total is not exactly the same, or the charge is put through in a slightly different name, they can appear to the bank to be different items. The holds all appear under the name "Emerald Princess", but the final bill is listed as "Emerald Princess Santa ClaritaCA" on my account.

 

If you are worried that your debit card balance is not high enough to cover both the holds and the final bill, you can always use cash for your account. You can also go to the purser's desk and ask them to run a transaction (from your debit card) just as if you were using an ATM and put that amount into your onboard account. Either method is considered a cash account.

[jujucrew]

ok thank you to all who has helped and answers my questions

i think i understand but could i just run this by you all please

ok so im using my debit card if we say they put a hold on of $400

and at the end of my holiday my bill comes to 300.00 do they then

1 take 300.00 out therefore these means 700.00 is out until they return my holding?

2your saying that if they put a hold of $400 and i spend 500 it will stop mt card being used say on a short excursion?

if so can i then go and pay some cash inot my on board account so i can use my card?

sorry if i seem to be confusing people,

im looking at this thinking wished i had a credit card now but never have never wanted one but this looks like the easier option?

the one that is worrying me is if they stop my card what do i do then??

[kitty9]

Another problem with a debit card is the fact that many banks put a very low daily limit on the amount you can debit---even if you have $10,000 in that account, the bank puts a limit on daily transactions unless you can negotiate a different limit. For example, some debits might only allow $200 at a time, and if your "hold" from the ship is higher, the bank could decline it, and you'd be in trouble unless you have actual cash to settle the account.

 

As for your questions the basic answer is YES, if they put a hold on your account of $300, and your end of cruise bill is $575, the hold on your account will be $875. And there's your problem. It could take the cruise line as long as 4 weeks to give back your original $300 hold and you will not have access to that money until it's cleared by the cruise line.

 

As for using the debit in other places like in ports, again it depends on what your limit is. But if the cruise line is putting a hold on your card, chances are that the bank could decline any other debit purchases.

 

Personally, I would get a credit card or use traveler's checks or cash for your on board purchases. When you first arrive at the cruise terminal, you would back your ship purchases with cash and then save the debit card for other things off the ship. Depending on the cruise line, you would have to give them anywhere from $250 to $300 per person, USD, to put on account for your purchases on the ship. Once you get close to spending that amount, you'll get a call asking you for more cash to put on your account.

[jujucrew]

once again thank you for helping me out here,yes its a bit confusing

as some have said you can use cash and others say not.

really its not that im a big spender?????????

just if i see something nice or get a round of drinks if i wanted to just use

cash i thought you could?

in theory im asking is it best to take card and also cash which i can top up my

on board card?

if i notify my bank of this would they allow the hold to be higher?

just i would be so embarassed if i went on an excursion and my card declined due to hold?

once again thank you for your help and patience here it is appreciated

[trish1c]

The only time the personel on board can accept cash is for tips. If you want to buy a round of drinks or something you fell in love with at the gift shop you must use your onboard account.

There may also be a problem with your daily limit from your bank on your debit card. Mine is about $700, no matter how much money is in the account.

You can open your on board account with cash. That may help. I'd initially open the account with cash if you are worried about holds, daily maximums & other such things. Then if you need more you can use the card (I think). A good rule of thumb is $100 per day. There are also minimums the cruise line will require if you are using cash to open the account. bear in mind that if you open the account with cash & put down $500, once you get close to that you will had to add more to buy anything else.

Depending on when you are sailing, if you have the time to open a cc account, it might be a good idea simply for the flexibility for this & future travels.

[jujucrew]

yes thank you it does seem that way

im looking into this as yes we have time

its not till next year

so im glad i asked this question and glad i joined this forum!!

once again thank you all:)

[satxdiver]

Anything you buy on the ship will be charged to your stateroom account. They do not accept cash for transactions at say the bar or gift shop. You can go to the bursar at any time (24 hours/day) and give them cash to pay your account in any reasonable amount you choose. The amount owed on your stateroom account on the last day will be charged to whatever you gave them originally to cover expenses which in your case would be your debit card. They would withdraw the amount owed (for example $355) from your bank account at that time.

 

The easiest form of payment is the credit card since it does not affect your bank balance (until the bill come due!).

[uppitycats]

once again thank you for helping me out here,yes its a bit confusing

as some have said you can use cash and others say not.

really its not that im a big spender?????????

 

You can NOT whip out your wallet and pay for ANYTHING on board, with cash. If you buy a round of drinks for someone...or find something in the gift shop you want..or find something in the shop you need...or decide to use spa services...you can ONLY pay for those things by presenting your ship card, and the amount that you are spending will appear on your bill --

and be charged to your debit card.

***The only way you can use CASH on board is to bring cash with you, take it to the cashier/purser's desk when you come on board, and DEPOSIT it to your account. *** They'll take however much cash you want to deposit. If you don't use it all up, they'll refund it at the end of the cruise.

just if i see something nice or get a round of drinks if i wanted to just use

cash i thought you could?

 

No you can't. See above answer.

in theory im asking is it best to take card and also cash which i can top up my

on board card?

 

Yes, you can "top up" your on board card with cash (either at the beginning of the cruise, or during the cruise, keeping extra cash in your cabin safe).

if i notify my bank of this would they allow the hold to be higher? Some banks will, some won't. You have to ask YOUR bank what your maximum is, and if you don't think that would be enough, then you have to ask.

just i would be so embarassed if i went on an excursion and my card declined due to hold? Yes.

once again thank you for your help and patience here it is appreciated

 

 

I hope this is clear.

[collegecruiser346]

I used a debit card once, and it turned into a nightmare. I didnt know about the holds that they put on, and thus ran out of $$$ in my checking account. The easiest is a credit card, but cash isnt bad either. Just make sure you keep tabs on what you have on your account or you will have to go back and add more. Another thing you can do is use a combination debit card and cash. Set up the account with a debit card, then go to the desk a few times during the cruise, and pay it with cash. That way there won't be any final charge at the end, and you'll be able to avoid some of the holds.

[jujucrew]

many thanks to you all for your help and explanations

this has helped me alot.

 

i have one more question sorry to keep going on here but its slightly different

is it possible for me to give my other debit card details to them for my son

who is in a different room so he can use this?

thank you again for your time and patience on this

[kitty9]

once again thank you for helping me out here,yes its a bit confusing

as some have said you can use cash and others say not.

really its not that im a big spender?????????

just if i see something nice or get a round of drinks if i wanted to just use

cash i thought you could?

in theory im asking is it best to take card and also cash which i can top up my

on board card?

if i notify my bank of this would they allow the hold to be higher?

just i would be so embarassed if i went on an excursion and my card declined due to hold?

once again thank you for your help and patience here it is appreciated

 

When people have said you can use cash, they mean you use cash to back your on board purchases instead of using your debit card. Like I said, when you first check in for the cruise, instead of giving them a credit card or debit card for your sign and sail card, you can give them cash to put on "account" or you can use traveler's checks. Putting cash on account is basically having a "checking" account on the ship, and whenever you purchase something on board, that amount is deducted from from the cash you gave them at the start of the cruise. The only place where real cash is used is in the casino. You cannot purchase anything on the ship, not drinks or items in the shops, using cash.

[satxdiver]

many thanks to you all for your help and explanations

this has helped me alot.

 

i have one more question sorry to keep going on here but its slightly different

is it possible for me to give my other debit card details to them for my son

who is in a different room so he can use this?

thank you again for your time and patience on this

 

Yes you can use your debit card or credit card (or cash) to secure another stateroom account. You will have to do this when checking in before boarding. The same rules apply of course if a debit card is used such as hold on the account etc. If he is underage most cruise lines will allow you to put a daily maximum he can spend/charge to the stateroom. Inquire when checking in.

[klfrodo]

ok thank you to all who has helped and answers my questions

i think i understand but could i just run this by you all please

ok so im using my debit card if we say they put a hold on of $400

and at the end of my holiday my bill comes to 300.00 do they then

1 take 300.00 out therefore these means 700.00 is out until they return my holding?You bank account balance will be reduced by $700 UNTIL YOUR BANK removes the hold. The cruiseline has nothing to do with removing the hold,,,YOUR BANK DOES

2your saying that if they put a hold of $400 and i spend 500 it will stop mt card being used say on a short excursion?If they only got a $400 hold, you're NOT spending $500.. If they take a $400 hold, they will request another hold when you get to the $300 mark.

if so can i then go and pay some cash inot my on board account so i can use my card?Yes, you can pay some or all of your account in cash anytime you want.

sorry if i seem to be confusing people,

im looking at this thinking wished i had a credit card now but never have never wanted one but this looks like the easier option?

the one that is worrying me is if they stop my card what do i do then??Your SOL

 

The best way to handle this might be to just bring cash. Open your account with $250. They will stop your charging privleges until you provide more cash. Don't even give them your debit card.

[jujucrew]

ok this sounds ok as to opening with money/cash.

so if i open it with say £300.00 sterling will they hold some of this

until my holiday is over?

do they pay you back in cash at the end if you do not use all of this?

the hold is this their security?

[uppitycats]

ok this sounds ok as to opening with money/cash.

so if i open it with say £300.00 sterling will they hold some of this

until my holiday is over?

do they pay you back in cash at the end if you do not use all of this?

the hold is this their security?

 

If you open your account with cash, they will keep it until the end of your cruise, deduct any expenses you have, and return the cash back to you at the end of your cruise. Sometimes you can settle your account the night before you get off the ship, or the next morning (which is a bit of a rush, if you have to make plane connections somewhere..)

[trish1c]

They hold the cash in escrow & charge against it as you spend. What's left over is yours but you have to stand on a huge line to get it back. With a cc you simply authorize the charge, no line. If you don't like having a balance, you simply pay the bill when you get home. No fuss, no muss.

You can put each person on a different card if you like.

Putting a daily maximum on a child's card is a good idea. You don't want your kid treating every other kid on board.

[jujucrew]

many thanks to you all here

for all your help

i finally got it!!sorry it took so long thats one question out the way;)