CC or Cash?

[Bases5]

I was playing around with the cruise planner for our up coming cruise. I noticed while filling things out, there was a place to put a CC number. What I did not see was a cash option.

I'm sure I should be able to have a cash account. Do I just skip this part.

Do you put cash down at check in or after boarding?

[NeurosurgeryNP]

You can have a cash account, but I do believe they want some type of CC or debit card on file for overages. You just go to the passenger services desk when you board with your cash to put on your account.

[Pam in CA]

In order to print out your boarding pass, you'll need to enter a card #. You can check in without a boarding pass but it'll take a lot longer and you'll need to present a credit or debit card. Same as you would when checking into a hotel. You can go to the Passenger Services Desk after boarding and put cash down on your account. As long as there's a credit, no hold or charge will be made.

[sassyredhat]

We book with a CC but DS uses cash.

We book his with our CC and upon boarding, go down and have it transferred to his name and cash account.

 

 

Pat

[Times Prince]

Also note that it is Princess' policy that passengers may not exit the ship at the end of the cruise unless there is a zero balance. Should you still have a credit, it must be returned to you.

 

We once had a cruise where our credit card was put on hold by the bank (we forgot to tell them in advance we would be charging out of country). Princess provided us with a promissory note where we had to pay the outstanding balance within two weeks of the end of the cruise. I mention this as they are prepared with alternatives to credit cards should the need arise.

[satxdiver]

Like hotels, car rental agencies, etc, Princess wants a cc to secure your account. You can go to guest relations and put down cash at any time to defray how much they will put on your cc including enough to cover the entire amount. Easy to do but in this world everyone wants the cc as a guarantee they will get their money.

 

They will also accept a debit card instead of a cc. DON"T DO IT!!! There are stories after stories here about the use of a debit card. They will lock a certain amount of funds in your bank account and the lock may not be released by your bank for week(s).

 

I am afraid that plastic money (i.e. cc) has taken over the folding type (cash) that we once used. The world marches on.

[Bases5]

In order to print out your boarding pass, you'll need to enter a card #. You can check in without a boarding pass but it'll take a lot longer and you'll need to present a credit or debit card. Same as you would when checking into a hotel. You can go to the Passenger Services Desk after boarding and put cash down on your account. As long as there's a credit, no hold or charge will be made.

 

Thanks everyone

 

Well I don't have a CC. Only a debt.

Do you think if i purchase enough OBC before our cruise they won't put any holds on my debt card?

If so how much OBC do you think i would need $500.

 

PS- With Carnival and Rcci you can just check the box for cash account and still get your boarding pass without any plastic.

[Thrak]

Thanks everyone

 

Well I don't have a CC. Only a debt.

Do you think if i purchase enough OBC before our cruise they won't put any holds on my debt card?

If so how much OBC do you think i would need $500.

 

PS- With Carnival and Rcci you can just check the box for cash account and still get your boarding pass without any plastic.

 

Perhaps you can either purchase a pre-paid card or else go to the bank and take out a pre-paid "credit" card. You will definitely need a card to book the cruise and, as stated by someone above, using a debit card can really mess up your account. Of course if you have unlimited funds in the bank that won't be an issue.

[land lover]

You can print out your boarding pass without putting a credit card in on line. But you must wait until a day or 2 before sailing.

 

I never know which card I am going to use..so wait until I check in to give my card. I did this just last month.

 

I can't imagine there are still those issues with the debt cards, has anyone recently experienced a problem?

Edited February 15, 2014 by land lover

[land lover]

Thanks everyone

 

Well I don't have a CC. Only a debt.

Do you think if i purchase enough OBC before our cruise they won't put any holds on my debt card?

If so how much OBC do you think i would need $500.

 

PS- With Carnival and Rcci you can just check the box for cash account and still get your boarding pass without any plastic.

 

I would call princess and ask them this question.

 

But, be prepared for the reps to say you must put a card number in to print your boarding pass. But as I stated above this is not true.

[Pam in CA]

Well I don't have a CC. Only a debt.

 

Do you think if i purchase enough OBC before our cruise they won't put any holds on my debt card?

 

If so how much OBC do you think i would need $500.

Every cruise line is different. HAL puts a pre-cruise hold of $60/pp/day which can really add up.

 

You should be fine putting your debit card in to print your boarding pass. No hold will be put on the card as long as you have credit on your folio. Put together a realistic budget and include the auto-tip, drinks, soda card/sticker, coffee card, tours, miscellaneous expenses, spa, etc. that you think you would spend and send yourself OBC for the estimated amount. Be realistic and generous with your estimate. It's not unusual to see something on sale that you just have to have. :) Bring cash and check your folio frequently to make sure you're on track. There are terminals near the Passenger Services Desk where you can swipe your card and get a print out.

[NRWPA]

You can print out your boarding pass without putting a credit card in on line. But you must wait until a day or 2 before sailing.

 

I never know which card I am going to use..so wait until I check in to give my card. I did this just last month.

 

I can't imagine there are still those issues with the debt cards, has anyone recently experienced a problem?

 

Last cruise (Jan 2014), I put one credit card in online, then when I checked in at the pier I asked if I could switch it to a different one - it was done quickly, no problem. I had used the original one to buy "gifts" & casino credit for myself and still no problem switching cards.

[caribill]

We once had a cruise where our credit card was put on hold by the bank (we forgot to tell them in advance we would be charging out of country).

 

I assume that the out of country charges were at ports.

 

Any billing from Princess would be from the USA (California) and thus not out-of-country. (Although Texas sometimes promotes itself as "a whole other country.")

[skf]

Well I don't have a CC. Only a debit.

It might be a good idea to buy a temporary credit card with what you feel like putting on it.

When you arrive at the ship you will have it, but do not have to use it.

 

We once had a cruise where our credit card was put on hold by the bank (we forgot to tell them in advance we would be charging out of country)

Always tell your bank if you are going someplace unusual. We either go to the Credit Union or use online banking to give them the dates and locations, even if we are only driving to Québec.

Steve

Edited February 15, 2014 by skf

[Bases5]

Thanks again everyone.

I'm going to call princess this morning to see if they will except pre paid visa cards.

I can't get a secured CC

Other cruise lines I have been on don't except pre paid visa cards.

[pompeii]

Just for example, here is how RCCI does it: My son is cruising with some of his fraternity buddies over spring break. We called RCCI last night and they told us they would put a hold on his debit card for twice the amount of whatever he charges. So if he buys a $20 t-shirt, they will hold $40 and so on. But if he loses track and charges too much (gee, I wonder how THAT could happen on a spring break cruise with his frat brothers??) and he doesn't have sufficient funds for the "double" hold, it would be considered an overdraft. To avoid this, he can put a limit on his on board account, say $100 (they will hold twice that amount) and he doesn't have to worry about going over because they will not let him charge past the $100. So as long as he has $200 in his account he is okay. Luckily he has a debit card with his bank at home that he doesn't really use any more as well as one with a bank on campus, so he will use the old one for the cruise and still have the funds in the other one free and clear.

 

His other option is giving them cash, which is even safer except that he would have to travel carrying cash. We asked if we could give them our cc number to avoid all of this, but since he would have to show the actual card at check in, that wouldn't work.

[rpcv77]

I used my debit card on an NZ/AUS cruise recently. I called my bank in advance of the cruise so they knew I'd be using it out of the country and Princess did not put a hold on it.

[caribill]

His other option is giving them cash, which is even safer except that he would have to travel carrying cash. We asked if we could give them our cc number to avoid all of this, but since he would have to show the actual card at check in, that wouldn't work.

 

 

a) The other option is to make a "gift" of OBC to his account in advance of the cruise. No need to carry cash and any unused OBC will be refunded. Call Princess to set up this "gift."

 

b) For the last couple of years we have not had to show the credit card when checking in. We are just asked if we want to use the same credit card as put in with the personalizer and we say "yes."

[cherylandtk]

I was playing around with the cruise planner for our up coming cruise. I noticed while filling things out, there was a place to put a CC number. What I did not see was a cash option.

I'm sure I should be able to have a cash account. Do I just skip this part.

Do you put cash down at check in or after boarding?

The easiest way for you to handle this is to use your debit card number online when you are ready to print out your boarding pass, print the pass, then remove the debit card number from your Personalizer. When you check in, tell them you will be using a cash account. Go to the purser's desk and hand over the cash.

 

You can also use your debit card to load your onboard account with cash at the Purser's office (withdraw a set amount using your pin, not 'like' a credit transaction or hold) or you could send yourself onboard credit in advance.

[Bases5]

The easiest way for you to handle this is to use your debit card number online when you are ready to print out your boarding pass, print the pass, then remove the debit card number from your Personalizer. When you check in, tell them you will be using a cash account. Go to the purser's desk and hand over the cash.

 

You can also use your debit card to load your onboard account with cash at the Purser's office (withdraw a set amount using your pin, not 'like' a credit transaction or hold) or you could send yourself onboard credit in advance.

 

best answer yet. Thank you and everyone for there insight.