60$/day deposit...A doubt!

[ItalianGuest]

Dear HAL experts,

I'v booked a 12nights cruise and so I know that HAL will require me a deposit of 720$ pp that will be temporarily blocked through my credit card.

2 people means 1440$.

 

Since my credit card covers only 2000$, my doubt is abuot the cost of shore excursions: this amount will be deducted from the 1440$ or added to the blocked amount?

 

Should I ask for another credit card?

 

I know that at the and of my cruise I will ne charged only for the real expenses.

 

Thanks in advance!

 

Kind regards,

 

ItalianGuest

Edited June 3, 2015 by ItalianGuest

[sapper1]

If you buy shore excursions aboard ship they will be applied to your onboard account.

The hold on your credit card is used to satisfy your onboard account at the end of the cruise and any amount not used will be released back to your available credit on the card.

 

I would still ask for an increased credit limit, as six hundred dollars is not much emergency reserve to have while travelling if you encounter an emergency and have to fly home or pay hospital fees up front.

 

If you are curious about the cost of shore excursions you can sign into your HAL account and find your reservation where you can pre book shore excursions or just check prices.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Either get you credit limit raised or use another credit card for purchases ashore.

We had a young honeymoon couple on one of our cruises and they were stunned in one of the ports when they went to make a purchase and were denied. They didn't realize that HAL and their hotel at the end of their had put $60 per person per day holds on their credit card.

[ItalianGuest]

Hi

Thank you for your kind reply!

OK! Yes, probably it is better to ask to increase the credit amount.

Best regards,

ItalianGuest

[3rdGenCunarder]

Lots of places put holds on credit, although few tell you about it. This thread raised a question. What if you have OBC from a promotion or your TA? Does HAL still hold $60 for every day, or just for the amount beyond your OBC?

[Boytjie]

Just to explain: the $60 per day is just a hold and not an actual charge. It reduces the credit available on your credit card by the full amount ($1,440 in your case). At the end of the cruise your onboard account is paid by charging your credit card the amount you owe and the original hold is released.

 

If you are using a debit card rather than a credit card it works differently as the $1,440 is frozen. When they release hold at the end of the cruise, it usually takes linger for it to happen (it depends on the financial institution that issued the card.

[Boytjie]

My understanding is that they process the same hold for every one regardless of OBC (or even pre-paid excursions etc). It would be extra work to figure out what everyone's hold should be.

[3rdGenCunarder]

My understanding is that they process the same hold for every one regardless of OBC (or even pre-paid excursions etc). It would be extra work to figure out what everyone's hold should be.

 

That's what I figured would happen. I've never thought to check on the hold while I'm on a cruise. (The only thing I want to know about the hold on a ship is do they have enough champers in there!)

[RuthC]

My understanding is that they process the same hold for every one regardless of OBC (or even pre-paid excursions etc).

That's the way I understand it, too.

The only exception is in the case of longer cruises. Then, everyone has a reduced $30 per day hold.

[Boytjie]

That's the way I understand it, too.

The only exception is in the case of longer cruises. Then, everyone has a reduced $30 per day hold.

 

Yes, I did not mention the $30 for longer cruises since OP is taking a 12 night cruise.

[ItalianGuest]

Thank you all for your precious help.

Ciao

IG

Edited June 3, 2015 by ItalianGuest

[Mary Ellen]

You don't have to wait to buy your shore excursions until you are on board. If you wish, you can buy them online starting about 6 months or so before sailing. Some more popular ones will most likely be fully sold before boarding. If there are any you really want to take, you might want to think about getting them early. You can cancel on line up to three days before boarding without penalty. Once on board, you can also cancel if it is at least a day or more before that port.

[ItalianGuest]

You don't have to wait to buy your shore excursions until you are on board. If you wish, you can buy them online starting about 6 months or so before sailing. Some more popular ones will most likely be fully sold before boarding. If there are any you really want to take, you might want to think about getting them early. You can cancel on line up to three days before boarding without penalty. Once on board, you can also cancel if it is at least a day or more before that port.

 

 

Thank you, that a smart suggestion!

[Banditswife]

That's the way I understand it, too.

The only exception is in the case of longer cruises. Then, everyone has a reduced $30 per day hold.

 

What would constitute a "longer" cruise?

[Boytjie]

What would constitute a "longer" cruise?

 

 

HAL considers anything longer than 25 days a long cruise for the credit card hold amount: over 25 days and they hold $30 per person per day; all shorter than that is $60.

[trident one]

I am curious, how would Hal refund your unused monies if you actually paid them in cash.

 

Never have and never would.

[Mary Ellen]

One cruise I had a lot of OBC. I didn't spend all of it and received the excess from the Front Desk in cash. I would expect any unspent cash deposit would be refunded the same way.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I was recently on the Volendam and it had been 17 months since my last Hal cruise so for the fun of it I checked several times during the cruise to my credit card account to see if there were any holds and to my surprise not one time was there a hold from Hal but then I also had a lot of SBC ultimately did not use all of it and was able to get cash back the last morning.

Hal will refund the last morning your excess Ship Board credit if you purchased some and even some but not all from Hal.

 

 

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