Sail & Sign Card question

[eminence_front]

This is from the Carnival website:

 

"If you are using a credit card or debit/check cashing card please be advised that there will be a hold placed on your account as a deposit for your onboard purchases. During your cruise additional holds will be added if your Sail & Sign® account exceeds the amount of deposit Carnival has on file. If you presented a credit card, this will reduce the amount available on your credit card for other purchases. If you presented a debit/check cashing card, the hold will restrict the available cash in your checking account. All charges will be billed to the credit card or debit/check cashing card at the end of the cruise."

 

What does it mean by a "hold"? What does it mean by a "hold placed on your account as a deposit for your onboard purchases"? Is that in the event someone steals the debit card or it is lost? Does that mean our debit account is "frozen" until we pay up at the end of the cruise?

 

I tried to ask my in-laws that question, but they were puzzled because the last time they went on a Carnival cruise (in 1994), there wasn't a cashless system then.

 

(In our case, we're probably going to use a check card.)

[Big Al B.]

The line puts a "hold" on your card which would show up as a temporary charge on your account. For example suppose you had a $1000 credit limit on your card. The line puts a "hold" on $300 (arbitrary figure here). Even though you haven't actually charged anything to your sign and sail, your available credit is now $700. If you went to a port and tried to charge $800 for a diamond, it would be rejected. If during the cruise your account goes over the $300 they put another hold for an additional amount and so forth. At the conclusion of the cruise your account is charged for the actual amount and the holds are dropped. They never count towards a balance for interest purposes. I believe the same idea applies to debit cards.

[KruznKel]

So I gather that if we go over the 1st hold of $300 per person.. they will just add another hold.. we don't have to go to the pursers desk to do this I hope.. Wil they just keep increasing the hold until the end of the cruise?

[Big Al B.]

Yes, you are not even aware that they are doing it unless you would bump up against your credit limit in which case I would think they would inform you.

[KruznKel]

Great thx glad to hear that!! That is what I assumed if you reach your limit you would be notified but not until then!!!

[kitty9]

This "hold" is one reason why debit cards aren't the best idea for using on the cruise ship. Most debit cards have very low daily limits, for your protection, and if the hold amount exceeds your limit, there can be real problems.

[Big Al B.]

I've also read warnings that some banks keep the hold on for several weeks (possibly even after final bill is submitted to them). I would use my credit card instead of debit.