Just curious...

[davekathy]

When we first board the ship we are busy walking around with our ships map in hand getting to know the layout of the ship. One thing we’ve noticed on our Cruises is there is always a line at the Guest Relations Desk immediately when some Cruisers board the ship. Just curious too what they are doing?

[ryano]

When we first board the ship we are busy walking around with our ships map in hand getting to know the layout of the ship. One thing we’ve noticed on our Cruises is there is always a line at the Guest Relations Desk immediately when some Cruisers board the ship. Just curious too what they are doing?

 

I would think a majority of them have cash accounts and are putting money down maybe? A lot of people that set up cash accounts dont realize that you can charge to your on board account up to 500.00 on a 7 night cruise before having to give them some money.

[derf5585]

Asking for an upgrade

 

Reminds me of a joke

First time cruisers check out their balcony. They then run to the pursers desk and complain

We paid extra for a balcony and we see is a parking lot

[Restless24]

Can't speak for everyone, but we have done it to put money down on a cash account to get it over with. If there is a line we just wait until later.

[sredish]

I would think a majority of them have cash accounts and are putting money down maybe? A lot of people that set up cash accounts dont realize that you can charge to your on board account up to 500.00 on a 7 night cruise before having to give them some money.

 

 

Can you explain a little further? We're considering a cash account this time. Are you saying I don't have to give them ANY cash unil I reach $500? Does this require a card linked to your account, as well?

[bouhunter]

We've been on 7 cruises and so far have managed to avoid having to go to the desk for anything yet:D

[ryano]

. Are you saying I don't have to give them ANY cash unil I reach $500? Does this require a card linked to your account, as well?

 

Correct :) You can immediately start using your Seapass card without putting money down. Once you reach a certain limit they will ask you to come put some money down on your account. Im pretty sure that limit is 500.00 on a 7 night cruise........Seems like it is 300.00 on a shorter cruise.

 

No credit card required

[amickeyfriend]

Extra key is another reason.

[Tyler80]

When we first board the ship we are busy walking around with our ships map in hand getting to know the layout of the ship. One thing we’ve noticed on our Cruises is there is always a line at the Guest Relations Desk immediately when some Cruisers board the ship. Just curious too what they are doing?

 

Guest Relations does a number of things. You can go to Guest Relations to:

 

• Ask a question
  
• Seek an upgrade
  
• Report a problem with your stateroom
  
• Pay down your seapass balance
  
• Get transfers to the airport for after your cruise
  

[sredish]

Correct :) You can immediately start using your Seapass card without putting money down. Once you reach a certain limit they will ask you to come put some money down on your account. Im pretty sure that limit is 500.00 on a 7 night cruise........Seems like it is 300.00 on a shorter cruise.

 

No credit card required

 

Thank you!! We have always been debit card users and have yet to have an issue cruising with a debit card on the sea pass. I've been socking away cash for a little while now so that our on board account isn't such a shock to the ole' checking account. I suppose I can always just deposit the cash and use the card like always.

 

Does anyone know how much they block off on a debit card? I've heard everything from a reasonable $500 a day all the way up to an outrageous $1500 a day. And that came from two different TA's. :confused:

[voyager70]

Thank you!! We have always been debit card users and have yet to have an issue cruising with a debit card on the sea pass. I've been socking away cash for a little while now so that our on board account isn't such a shock to the ole' checking account. I suppose I can always just deposit the cash and use the card like always.

 

Does anyone know how much they block off on a debit card? I've heard everything from a reasonable $500 a day all the way up to an outrageous $1500 a day. And that came from two different TA's. :confused:

 

Don't know exact amount but I can't believe it would be more than $500 per day (per person) and that seems very high. I believe I've read on the boards it was around $50 per day per person.

[BillOh]

We've been on 7 cruises and so far have managed to avoid having to go to the desk for anything yet:D

 

I am with you on that. Allure was the first time I had to do go there and they have a pretty good process, when the line gets long they have a screener come out and go through the line and verify that the people need to be there. If they are just dropping off a form or if they can be helped another way he directs them, it really made the line move faster. That is always my biggest complaint at the DMV, you wait for an hour and they tell you they can't proceed without the 3453/62A form. Come back again when you have it.

[akcruz]

We usually end up at guest relations on the first day to get holes punched in the kids cards to put on a lanyard and get extra keys for our cabins so we can get into the kids cabin and them into ours.

 

Wander by and if there is a long line come back later.

[sredish]

Just got off the phone with RCI and the agent told me they don't charge ANYTHING to any card, credit or debit, until the day prior to debarkation. I was shocked. Well...guess that answered my question about holds on debits and proved me wrong!

 

TWO MORE DAYS!!!!!:cool:

[voyager70]

Just got off the phone with RCI and the agent told me they don't charge ANYTHING to any card, credit or debit, until the day prior to debarkation. I was shocked. Well...guess that answered my question about holds on debits and proved me wrong!

 

TWO MORE DAYS!!!!!:cool:

 

Have a great cruise!

[MonaCK]

Just got off the phone with RCI and the agent told me they don't charge ANYTHING to any card, credit or debit, until the day prior to debarkation. I was shocked. Well...guess that answered my question about holds on debits and proved me wrong!

 

TWO MORE DAYS!!!!!:cool:

 

I have sailed using a debit card a number of times, and can attest that this is true. They do not put any holds on the card, and only charge what is actually spent.

 

Have a great trip. :)

[LESLIEKURZ]

I am sometimes in that line to get a hold of my head waiter to make sure there is something safe for me to eat for dinner in the MDR (have a food allergy).

[Jimnbigd]

This has not happened to me on RCI, but for some reason the Carnival Conquest last May required me to go to guest relations and sign a form because I use a CPAP machine.

[cmhmarine]

I have sailed using a debit card a number of times, and can attest that this is true. They do not put any holds on the card, and only charge what is actually spent.

 

Have a great trip. :)

 

Last time I used a card (cant remember debit/credit) on a rccl cruise in 2009, every night they pre authorized the amount of my account.

 

So on night one they authorized 150. Which then did not fall off my account for 4 days or untill a charge is processed.

 

On night 2 they authorized 300. Which was on there for 3 days

 

Night 3....you see where this is going??? 450 authorization.

 

Now I had 900 in authorizations for half of that in actual charges.

 

On the 4 th night is when my card company put an end to it as possible fraud charges.

Guess how that went with guest relations??

[fischymom]

When we cruised last time I took I believe like $400 to the desk and had it put on my account then we did not have to go to the desk again until the end of the cruise. I believe we went over that 400 by less than $100 so I used left over casino money to pay off that balance so I never had any cc or debit card linked to the account.

[dzcruisers]

Just got off the phone with RCI and the agent told me they don't charge ANYTHING to any card, credit or debit, until the day prior to debarkation. I was shocked. Well...guess that answered my question about holds on debits and proved me wrong!

 

TWO MORE DAYS!!!!!:cool:

 

Totally wrong. On our recent RCCl cruises they get it authorized each night and put a hold on it AND THEN RUN IT THROUGH AT THE END. bUT THE AMOUNT THEY PUT THROUGH IS DIFFERENT THAN THE AMT. they put holds on for so it can tie things up. We gave them a visa rewards card and they couldn't get it authorized like a credit card so we got a notice the second day our charge didn't go through. Now they post they don't take the rewards cards.

[derf5585]

Most of these money problems can be solved it we could pay for a cruise a month AFTER the cruise. And not a couple of months beforehand. Who gets the interest for the couple of months that the cruise lines hold our money.

[justkiya]

I head to Guest Relations as soon as I get on board to book things that tend to fill up quickly - ship tours, chef dinners, specialty events and the like.

[cruiseguy1016]

Can you explain a little further? We're considering a cash account this time. Are you saying I don't have to give them ANY cash unil I reach $500? Does this require a card linked to your account, as well?

 

Correct :) You can immediately start using your Seapass card without putting money down. Once you reach a certain limit they will ask you to come put some money down on your account. Im pretty sure that limit is 500.00 on a 7 night cruise........Seems like it is 300.00 on a shorter cruise.

 

No credit card required

 

I'm not sure this is the correct answer. I think the correct answer is; you don't have to give them any money for the first 24hrs. Because of the rush of people trying to set up accounts, they give you 24 hrs. to set up your account. If you have not set up your cash account within 24 hrs. you will be denied charging privilages until you do so. This is the way it worked for us last year on Serenade. DD tried to purchase a drink on day two and was denied. We went to Guest Relations to inquire and we were told it was because her account had not been set up. She was supposed to have been covered by my account but for some reason, she wasn't. We just added her to my account and she was fine after that.

[we like it hot]

We always use our Royal Caribbean Visa card because it gives us double points on any Royal Caribbean charges. We also avoid guest relations on ths first day due to the long line.