Tips: ship account with remote credit card / getting cash on the ship

[kalesco]

I thought this information might be interesting for other cruisers as well :)

 

back story:

On the afternoon before embarking the Epic for the transatlantic my purse/wallet was stolen in Barcelona. I still had my passport, the cruise docs and my smartphone as well as usd200 cash; credit cards, bank card and driver's licence were gone.

 

Credit card for the ship, when you don't have one on you:

As I wanted to avoid using the only cash I had left for the ship account, I tried to get my mother's credit card on my file. - This actually works even if the physical card is not with you!

Go to guest services/onboard credit booth and ask - they might not know it, ask for the supervisor. They have a form for this which is sent to the person holding the card via email. They need to fill in the rest and sign the form, scan it and send it back to the ship. Was a bit of a hassle to get everything sorted before sail away but it worked! Ship account works exactly the same as if it was your (physical) card!

At check in when they ask for a credit card, say you'll add cash on board.

 

Get cash on board with the ship account:

If you have a credit card on your account, there's no need to use the ATM on the ship (which adds more fees I believe). You can go to the cash out register of the casino and ask for money there. The amount is added to your ship account, fee is 3% - USD400 cash adds USD12 as a fee. I thought this was very reasonable.

 

I hope this information helps someone!

This was experienced on the Epic in Oct 2014 - ymmv!

[sparks1093]

I thought this information might be interesting for other cruisers as well :)

 

back story:

On the afternoon before embarking the Epic for the transatlantic my purse/wallet was stolen in Barcelona. I still had my passport, the cruise docs and my smartphone as well as usd200 cash; credit cards, bank card and driver's licence were gone.

 

Credit card for the ship, when you don't have one on you:

As I wanted to avoid using the only cash I had left for the ship account, I tried to get my mother's credit card on my file. - This actually works even if the physical card is not with you!

Go to guest services/onboard credit booth and ask - they might not know it, ask for the supervisor. They have a form for this which is sent to the person holding the card via email. They need to fill in the rest and sign the form, scan it and send it back to the ship. Was a bit of a hassle to get everything sorted before sail away but it worked! Ship account works exactly the same as if it was your (physical) card!

At check in when they ask for a credit card, say you'll add cash on board.

 

Get cash on board with the ship account:

If you have a credit card on your account, there's no need to use the ATM on the ship (which adds more fees I believe). You can go to the cash out register of the casino and ask for money there. The amount is added to your ship account, fee is 3% - USD400 cash adds USD12 as a fee. I thought this was very reasonable.

 

I hope this information helps someone!

This was experienced on the Epic in Oct 2014 - ymmv!

 

What a cruddy way to start a vacation:(. Thanks for the info!

[FreestyleNovice]

Saving this one but also hoping not to need it one day! :)

[maywell]

I thought this information might be interesting for other cruisers as well :)

 

back story:

On the afternoon before embarking the Epic for the transatlantic my purse/wallet was stolen in Barcelona. I still had my passport, the cruise docs and my smartphone as well as usd200 cash; credit cards, bank card and driver's licence were gone.

 

Credit card for the ship, when you don't have one on you:

As I wanted to avoid using the only cash I had left for the ship account, I tried to get my mother's credit card on my file. - This actually works even if the physical card is not with you!

Go to guest services/onboard credit booth and ask - they might not know it, ask for the supervisor. They have a form for this which is sent to the person holding the card via email. They need to fill in the rest and sign the form, scan it and send it back to the ship. Was a bit of a hassle to get everything sorted before sail away but it worked! Ship account works exactly the same as if it was your (physical) card!

At check in when they ask for a credit card, say you'll add cash on board.

 

Get cash on board with the ship account:

If you have a credit card on your account, there's no need to use the ATM on the ship (which adds more fees I believe). You can go to the cash out register of the casino and ask for money there. The amount is added to your ship account, fee is 3% - USD400 cash adds USD12 as a fee. I thought this was very reasonable.

 

I hope this information helps someone!

This was experienced on the Epic in Oct 2014 - ymmv!

 

Sorry that happen to you.... Thanks for the helpful tips!!

[garycarla]

thanks for sharing.

 

Here is something else we do.

 

Each of us carries two DIFFERENT credit cards. If one of us no longer has cards, the other has two. There is also another card in our luggage. Again, a different account.

 

Credit cards are the cheapest insurance to cover issues around. FREE!

[Ilovesailing]

Barcelona is well known for it's purse and other thefts. And Tourists are prime targets.

[Docalbe]

I cruise alot.... Thank you so much for the info..:o:o;);)

[luvtheships]

thanks for sharing.

 

Here is something else we do.

 

Each of us carries two DIFFERENT credit cards. If one of us no longer has cards, the other has two. There is also another card in our luggage. Again, a different account.

 

Credit cards are the cheapest insurance to cover issues around. FREE!

 

Hey I thought I was the only one doing that!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[sparks1093]

Hey I thought I was the only one doing that!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

You and garycarla haven't cornered the market on common sense as I do the same thing;). (And of course there are people that don't have this option because of their financial posture.)

[jkgourmet]

thanks for sharing.

 

Here is something else we do.

 

Each of us carries two DIFFERENT credit cards. If one of us no longer has cards, the other has two. There is also another card in our luggage. Again, a different account.

 

Credit cards are the cheapest insurance to cover issues around. FREE!

 

Exactly what we do, except no credit card in the luggage. Certainly don't do that if you check luggage!

 

We also make photocopies of our passports and bring those, separate from the originals. And scanned copies of our passports as well as other documents, credit card numbers, etc are in files in Dropbox. I can access them anywhere in the world from my smartphone or tablet.