Dollars or Sterling???

[L & S]

We are shortly going on a 5 day cruise. We will be using cash to settle our onboard account. Would it be better to pay with Dollars or Sterling at the end of our voyage? We don't have a credit card, but we do have a debit card, so we could always use that, but we would prefer to pay in cash.

[Travel mad]

We are shortly going on a 5 day cruise. We will be using cash to settle our onboard account. Would it be better to pay with Dollars or Sterling at the end of our voyage? We don't have a credit card, but we do have a debit card, so we could always use that, but we would prefer to pay in cash.

the ship's currency is US$. I suggest you look for a good rate and exchange £ for $ before you board. other than your purchases you will also be asked to pay gratuities of $11 each per day.

[ToadOfToadHall]

If you don't register a card ( credit or debit ) you'll need to deposit an amount of cash at the start of your cruise.

 

If you want to use cash then I'm fairly sure it will have to be in dollars. Since you'll have to get those in UK, you wont get a better rate from notes than if you just use your debit card. And since your debit card is linked to your current account then you might as well use that, as opposed to withdrawing the readies and then exchanging them for dollars.

 

Finally, you'll have to decide in advance how much you are likely to spend so you'll know how many dollars to get. And anything left over will then have to be changed back to pounds ( at an even worse exchange rate ) unless you have need of them again of course.

 

I'd use your debit card - it's so much easier all round.

[L & S]

Hi, Thanks for the replies, I think we will register our debit card. As you say, we can roughly work out how much we think that we will spend and pay with dollars. We are also going to the USA next May so we would spend any that we have left over, but it seems easier all round to pay by card.! :D

[Underwatr]

Don't let the ship convert your onboard charges from $ to Pounds before charging your card. Your bank will invariably give you a better rate for the conversion than the ship will.

[pepperrn]

I've always registered a card (sometimes credit, sometimes debit) in the terminal at the start of each voyage, as I suspect most of us do.

However, on my second voyage last year, Cunard charged my card exactly double the sum that appeared on my "last night" statement.

When contacted they eventually agreed they were at fault, but I had to explain the story several times. Once I had convinced them, they immediately agreed to refund the money.

Cunard then took twelve days to correct the problem and pay me the refund. They did not offer to pay interest on the sum they had "borrowed" from me.

To some on a tight budget, or finishing a segment of a world cruise, this could cause problems, if only for a relatively short time.

Whilst I wasn't affected financially, this has left a bad taste in my mouth, I don't like to have to ask for my own money back. For my next voyage I am tempted to pay cash at the pursers desk on embarkation.

[Underwatr]

Once I had convinced them, they immediately agreed to refund the money.

Cunard then took twelve days to correct the problem and pay me the refund. They did not offer to pay interest on the sum they had "borrowed" from me.

To some on a tight budget, or finishing a segment of a world cruise, this could cause problems, if only for a relatively short time.

I'm not sure where you reside, ("at sea," I know... :)) but in the US you could have called your bank and contested the charge to receive an immediate credit pending the bank's investigation.

[BlueRiband]

From Cunard's FAQ:

 

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/fleet/pay

 

...If you opt to pay by cash you must keep your account in credit at all times. If you register a credit/debit card and then wish to pay your account in cash then you must do this the night before disembarkation as your card will have been charged by the morning.

 

Your on board account will be charged in US$. Should you wish for this to be converted into UK Sterling, please notify the Purser's Desk on board. A 3% conversion charge will be applied to your account if you wish your on board account to be displayed in sterling. If you decide to be charged in US$ your credit card issuer may charge a fee.

https://ask.cunard.com/help/cunard/fleet/cash_account

 

If I am paying my on board account in cash, how much money do I need to put up front?

You will need to have US$300 per person in your on-board account when you board the ship. If you have on-board credit already on your account when you embark, you will only need to top the amount up to US$300. For example, if you have US$50 in on-board credit you will only need to pay US$250 cash. Your account must always be in credit.

 

The maximum amount of cash that can be placed on your account at any one time is $9000 with the largest denomination note being $100.

 

Any unused money will be refunded back to you at the end of the voyage. On board credit is non refundable.

[balf]

"On board credit is non refundable"

 

Worth noting that this applies to both complementary and self bought!!

 

David.

[Austcruiser84]

Interesting thread. I've been wondering whether to pay in cash or to register a card.

 

Coming from Australia I don't wish to register my normal debit card (refuse to ever have a credit card) but I'll have a travel debit card issued by the bank (has the chip in it). Is this permissible on board?

 

If using cash, how much do people generally spend on board for say a week? Am going on a 19 nighter so curious to find out what people spend (not meaning to be rude by asking). Are onshore excursions part of your onboard spending or can these be paid before sailing?