Debit card

[weylady]

Hi I have seen in another forum that if you used a debit card for your on board account and the same card in port the authorizations pando do would block spending in port, this could be a problem for me then as i have only got one debit card and no credit cards. As long as you do not over spend i can't see how they can stop you using your card on the ship for your on board account and in port also, if that make sense.

[dsrdsrdsr]

I've never heard this specifically, though I know that when you register your card P&O will place a request with your card company that an amount of cash in your account will be reserved for their future payment. If you don't have enough cash in thebank, this might be enough to stop other spending going through. Other holiday companies, eg. hotels, do the same so that their end-of-stay bill is safe and the customer can't cancel it last thing.

 

I'd ring the customer services number on the back of your debot card to find out what they say about it.

[PurpleMoonlight]

You can never trust banks 100% as their security procedures are computer driven and a human being only intervenes when you complain that your legitimate transaction as been refused.

 

The best you can do is to forewarn them what countries you may be using the card in and hope.

[weylady]

thanks for your replies I have already told the bank of our holiday and had to list all the countries online and spoke to someone in person, I will have to ring them if i get any problems I suppose.

[Pink-belle]

P and O do not put a "stop" on your card, but they do place a daily reservation to cover onboard spends. Exactly the same way hotels do if you give them your card when you check in.

 

So they don't take a payment daily but they reserve funds against your account daily. Then at the end of the cruise they process one payment. However, the payment they take is not related and does not clear the previous holds that were placed on your funds.

 

The details about this are all on the P & O site .

 

So if you are travelling with just a debit card you need to ensure you have cleared funds available, to cover both your actual spending and the reserved funds.

 

Oh, and let your card issuer know you are travelling as that can sometimes cause it to be blocked/referred when abroad.

[Carter7568]

In the past what I have done is register a credit card for on board spend and then pay on the last day with my debit card..... You don't have to pay with the card you register.

[weylady]

ok thanks for your suggestions I have euros as well so spending on shore will be for any alcohol or baccy most probably in Gibraltar will be the cheapest price :D

[the english lady]

You can take lots of cash with you-register your debit card, but over the next couple of days hand over money...they take that off your bill. I have done it before when I happened to have a couple of 100 in cash. This would reduce your overall spend going onto your debit card from the ship.

Should add if you have any on board credit being given to you, let that be spent first, before you hand over cash.

[Host Sharon]

Beware that P&O cannot accept Maestro cards, only bank debit cards. My friend had this problem and had to deposit cash to cover OBS.

[weylady]

thanks host sharon mine is a visa debit

[jeanlyon]

and don't forget you need sterling for Gibraltar, not Euros.

[Sealoveragain]

We have only ever used a debit card and have never had a problem.