CC Hold and Shipboard Credit....?

[SEAEDP]

I'm leaving on the 3rd for Alaska on the Westerdam. I'm told by HAL that there will be a $60 per day hold on my card when I board the ship. Also, I'm told that there is an automatic $11.50 per day gratuity charge.

 

I'm wondering if I should go ahead and buy a shipboard credit to add to the $420 above hold.

I guess I'm a little confused about the $60 per day hold. I don't think I will drink this much in a day....and I'm not really a shopper.

[BumperII]

I'm leaving on the 3rd for Alaska on the Westerdam. I'm told by HAL that there will be a $60 per day hold on my card when I board the ship. Also, I'm told that there is an automatic $11.50 per day gratuity charge.

 

I'm wondering if I should go ahead and buy a shipboard credit to add to the $420 above hold.

I guess I'm a little confused about the $60 per day hold. I don't think I will drink this much in a day....and I'm not really a shopper.

The hold is nothing to worry about,it simply makes sure that adequate credit is avialable to cover shipboard expenses. If you don't spend that much, you won't be charged. As far as a bar bill goes, this isn't a big drinking cruise. We don't often hear of passengers running up huge bar bills. Check your bill at the front desk on the first day, and find out if you already have OBC. We have never purchased OBC in advance, and have had no problem. Edited April 25, 2014 by BumperII

[Mytime2014]

I'm leaving on the 3rd for Alaska on the Westerdam. I'm told by HAL that there will be a $60 per day hold on my card when I board the ship. Also, I'm told that there is an automatic $11.50 per day gratuity charge.

 

I'm wondering if I should go ahead and buy a shipboard credit to add to the $420 above hold.

I guess I'm a little confused about the $60 per day hold. I don't think I will drink this much in a day....and I'm not really a shopper.

 

I am going to let them put the hold amount on a credit card that I do not use otherwise. I have OBC either 125 or 150 and am going to have the auto-tip come out of that. In addition - I will probably pre-purchase a $100 card for drinks so I do not have to worry about keeping a bunch of receipts.

 

If a miracle happens and I get paid for the work I'm doing this weekend before I sail [working for attorney means waiting for money!] I may put the cash up front. I won't drink that much and not planning on much ship shopping.

 

If you don't spend anything from that $420 it doesn't get charged but who knows how long before it is released.

 

Oh - and I'm jealous that you are leaving so soon. I've got my counter going on my desk top at work!!

[lazey1]

I'm leaving on the 3rd for Alaska on the Westerdam. I'm told by HAL that there will be a $60 per day hold on my card when I board the ship. Also, I'm told that there is an automatic $11.50 per day gratuity charge.

 

I'm wondering if I should go ahead and buy a shipboard credit to add to the $420 above hold.

I guess I'm a little confused about the $60 per day hold. I don't think I will drink this much in a day....and I'm not really a shopper.

 

I trust that you know this a $60 per person per day cc hold and that the hotel (gratuity) charge is $11.50 per person per day. I am not much of a shopper either but I wind up spending more than I realize on either small gifts or items such as hair spray, cough drops, candy bars etc. in the shops and a glass of wine each evening with dinner. That said the hotel (gratuity) charge total for 7 days is only $80.50. If you exceed the total hold of $420 you can charge the excess to your cc., but only you can say how much of a cushion you need to feel comfortable. The last thing you want on your cruise is to worry about money.

[SEAEDP]

I trust that you know this a $60 per person per day cc hold and that the hotel (gratuity) charge is $11.50 per person per day. I am not much of a shopper either but I wind up spending more than I realize on either small gifts or items such as hair spray, cough drops, candy bars etc. in the shops and a glass of wine each evening with dinner. That said the hotel (gratuity) charge total for 7 days is only $80.50. If you exceed the total hold of $420 you can charge the excess to your cc., but only you can say how much of a cushion you need to feel comfortable. The last thing you want on your cruise is to worry about money.

 

So...the expenditures I make during the cruise (wine, misc. tips, etc) will atomatically be deducted from the $420? If I exceed that amount at anytime during the week, will HAL ask me to add $$ to my acct?

[durangoscots]

So...the expenditures I make during the cruise (wine, misc. tips, etc) will atomatically be deducted from the $420? If I exceed that amount at anytime during the week, will HAL ask me to add $$ to my acct?

 

No, they just give you more credit.... I assume if it was a huge amount over they would check with your cc to see that you could handle it.... but what you actually spend is charged at the end of the cruise whether it be more or less that your original $420. By the way, I aways check my charges a day or so before the end of a short cruise, or every week on a longer one to make sure there are no errors. You do this at the desk and they will give you a copy of your charges to date. Saves hassle at the end.

 

Susan

[CoronaCRZR]

I assume you will need to put your credit card down to cover any expenses when onboard. If you already have $420 of OBC (On board Credit) then if/when you reach past this 420, the credit card may be charged at the end of the cruise, or you have the option to cash out your account the night before the cruise ends at the pursers desk.

 

If a credit card is used from the get go, HAL will not ask you to add more to your 420.

 

Ted

 

So...the expenditures I make during the cruise (wine, misc. tips, etc) will atomatically be deducted from the $420? If I exceed that amount at anytime during the week, will HAL ask me to add $$ to my acct?

[cbr663]

I think that you are confusing a "hold" with a "charge". At the beginning of the cruise, HAL will create an onboard charge account for you. It is tied to your cabin card. HAL operates as a "cashless" environment on its ships so anything that you buy while on board is basically charged to your on board account.

 

At the beginning of your cruise, HAL will put a hold of $60 a day against the available credit on your credit card. Nothing is actually charged at this point, the funds are merely frozen for HAL's use. Yours is a 7 day cruise so the hold will be $420.

 

Once you board the ship, your daily onboard account will start accumulating charges. A drink at a bar, a bottle of wine, purchases at the shops, spa treatments, and the hotel service charge...anything that involves your purchasing anything is charged to your onboard account.

 

At the end of the cruise, you will receive an itemized statement of your account. Check it for accuracy. If you like, you have the option of settling your account by using the credit card that you registered at the beginning of the cruise. If this is your option, HAL will simply go ahead automatically and charge your account.

 

You do have the option of using cash at the beginning of your account, however, this not only requires that you tie up actual cash for the duration of the cruise, but it also means that you may have to seek a refund at the end of the cruise. It just seems much more complicated to me than simply registering a credit card.

 

HAL will keep an eye on your onboard account and should you start spending much more than the $60 a day hold, you will be asked to visit the Front Desk and make arrangements. This may include actually making a payment toward your onboard account or increasing the daily hold.

 

The onboard account works really well and it's nice of HAL to grant you interest free credit for the duration of your cruise.

[PatsyAnne]

They previous poster wrote a good explanation of what happens. Think of it this way. You have a credit card that has a $5000 limit (shows up on your bills). The hold that HAL puts on your card reserves some of that limit. So if you're going to be on the cruise 7 days, $420 pp of that limit is reserved for HAL until you have settled your onboard account with them. ($840 for two of you would leave a $4160 limit for anything else you charge on that card). This just insures that you will have the ability to pay them for what you spend onboard when you leave the ship. The only concern is if you keep what you owe on your credit card close to the limit, but that's what HAL is worried about anyway... when they submit the final bill to your credit card they want it to clear.

 

I've seen other businesses do the same thing. If you look online at your card, you may see a hold from a gas station for $70, but what is actually billed might be $53 or whatever you put in your tank. The hold then goes away.

 

 

Trish

[0bnxshs]

I think that you are confusing a "hold" with a "charge". At the beginning of the cruise, HAL will create an onboard charge account for you. It is tied to your cabin card. HAL operates as a "cashless" environment on its ships so anything that you buy while on board is basically charged to your on board account.

 

At the beginning of your cruise, HAL will put a hold of $60 a day against the available credit on your credit card. Nothing is actually charged at this point, the funds are merely frozen for HAL's use. Yours is a 7 day cruise so the hold will be $420.

 

Once you board the ship, your daily onboard account will start accumulating charges. A drink at a bar, a bottle of wine, purchases at the shops, spa treatments, and the hotel service charge...anything that involves your purchasing anything is charged to your onboard account.

 

At the end of the cruise, you will receive an itemized statement of your account. Check it for accuracy. If you like, you have the option of settling your account by using the credit card that you registered at the beginning of the cruise. If this is your option, HAL will simply go ahead automatically and charge your account.

 

You do have the option of using cash at the beginning of your account, however, this not only requires that you tie up actual cash for the duration of the cruise, but it also means that you may have to seek a refund at the end of the cruise. It just seems much more complicated to me than simply registering a credit card.

 

HAL will keep an eye on your onboard account and should you start spending much more than the $60 a day hold, you will be asked to visit the Front Desk and make arrangements. This may include actually making a payment toward your onboard account or increasing the daily hold.

 

The onboard account works really well and it's nice of HAL to grant you interest free credit for the duration of your cruise.

 

As PatsyAnne says above, very nice job of explaining the process. :)

 

The only thing I would add is that you make the choice of cash or credit card for your on board account when you complete the online check in process. If you've registered a credit card during this process you are all set, unless you wish to change the credit card being used or decide to go with cash. You can change this during the check in process at the terminal.

 

As has been pointed out, using cash can be an inconvenience. Also, any amount of on board credit will offset the amount of the hold HAL will place on your credit card. If, as you say, you have a $150 OBC, the $420 hold is reduced by this amount, becoming a $270 hold. This has been my experience with OBC and credit card holds. This is why you should know exactly what your OBCs are and how much they amount to. Check your bill on the first or second day of the cruise to ensure you have been credited with the proper amount.

 

Have a terrific cruise!

Edited April 26, 2014 by 0bnxshs