extra charges for your on board account if you use credit card

[windsor26]

Having many (35) cruises in my history I am surprised to find that the details of my forthcoming Carnival cruise tells me that if I use a credit card to pay my on board account NOT my [payment for the actual cruise) there will be a 1.5% additional charge for this

 

I find this so difficult to understand as it has never happened before on any of my cruiseds with many doifferent companies.

 

From cruisers who have sused CC for payment of their account is this actually charged to them or is it just a possibility?

[k2excursion]

I have heard that this is the case for Carnival in Australia. For Carnival ships in the United States, that is not the case. I'm not sure why they have to do it in Australia.

[SadieN]

It's getting common for places to impose a surcharge for using a CC.

DDs universities both charge a surcharge. One's in California and the other in Europe.

Somebody's got to pay for those points.

[Purvis1231]

Cash is king.

[tandemcruzr]

21 cruises with Carnival. All USA. Never experienced a service charge using our credit card.

[Frank12]

21 cruises with Carnival. All USA. Never experienced a service charge using our credit card.

 

Me neither. Knock on wood!

[luv2trvlnow]

It's getting common for places to impose a surcharge for using a CC.

DDs universities both charge a surcharge. One's in California and the other in Europe.

Somebody's got to pay for those points.

It seems to be common for government institutions. I believe that is because they are usually a not for profit. Most businesses in the US don't add a surcharge. It is essentially built into the prices of goods and services in the commercial area in the US. I have seen businesses offer discounts for using cash. That way they don't have to pay the fees the credit card issuers charge. You do realize that a business pays a percentage of every credit card charge to the credit card company. If they don't want to pay it they charge you a surcharge.

[mzlinda]

Would like the OP to tell us if this a US cruise or not. ???

[In2why]

Surcharges do not surprise me. They companies pay 1.5 to 3% on purchases and when profit margins are already small 3% can eat away at profit. That is the reason many places no longer accept American Express or Discover Card. Their fees are much higher than MC and Visa.

[Valor2005]

Just off the Breeze a few weeks ago. No surcharge.

[ICF]

no surcharge on the Liberty from last week either...

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Carnival also does not charge 3% for downloaded slot cash, which NCL does.

[figdu]

Carnival also does not charge 3% for downloaded slot cash, which NCL does.

 

But they do for table play.

[falkcor]

Would like the OP to tell us if this a US cruise or not. ???

 

op's profile says 'Location: NSW Australia', he's sailing on legend and cruise history is full of australia-centric cruises. all indicators point to NO. :)

[crewsweeper]

This surcharge is a Reserve Bank of Australia requirement, imposed back in 2003. There's been recent moves to reduce excessive surcharges, but I don't see 1.5% being views as excess by the RBA.

 

http://www.rba.gov.au/payments-system/surcharging/index.html

[bptex]

I never received a final bill on my last cruise (Magic last week) so I don't know if they charged me or not.

[Elaine5715]

No surcharge on the Breeze. They are also not delivering paper statements to your stateroom starting yesterday. They were tracking how many were requesting printed copies.

[Rochesterboatingdotcom]

Actually they must have started no paper statements on Feb 14, as we didn't get one on the cruise that ended then. I tracked all my charges on the FunHub app, so really didn't need one. My CC bill matched up with what was on FunHub.

[Swampbaby]

Actually they must have started no paper statements on Feb 14, as we didn't get one on the cruise that ended then.

 

Our Sunshine cruise ended FEB 15 and we received a paper statement. I will ALWAYS want a printed copy. :)

[Warm Breezes]

It's getting common for places to impose a surcharge for using a CC.

DDs universities both charge a surcharge. One's in California and the other in Europe.

Somebody's got to pay for those points.

 

Same in Michigan, but my cash back reward is more than the surcharge so I do it for convenience.

[windsor26]

Would like the OP to tell us if this a US cruise or not. ???

 

From Sydney to Hawaii:)

 

As said loads of cruises with P&O UK and Australia and HAL and Princess but no cc charges on their on board account Why would Carnival from the same group of companies charge

Edited February 24, 2015 by windsor26

[SadieN]

From Sydney to Hawaii:)

 

As said loads of cruises with P&O UK and Australia and HAL and Princess but no cc charges on their on board account Why would Carnival from the same group of companies charge

 

 

They're independent companies, owned by the same corporation.

[windsor26]

They're independent companies, owned by the same corporation.

 

Yes bneing a shareholder I am aware of that but still confused as to why one company would stir up bad feeling by this charge:D

[SadieN]

Yes bneing a shareholder I am aware of that but still confused as to why one company would stir up bad feeling by this charge:D

 

 

Countries of Origin? Where cruise is purchased? It's not common in the US but common in Europe.

Edited February 24, 2015 by SadieN

[Surfwench]

Thanks for the heads up. No surcharges on any of my US based cruises, but I'm sailing out of B.C. in a few months and will check if surcharges are in place. If that is so will use cash for S&S... what a bother.