Hold on your debit card?

[crazycruzer68]

What's the hold for a 7 day 2 people hold on your debit, if anyone knows.

[klfrodo]

It can vary when using a debit card.

 

Hold #1 could be $250

Then they hit your account for Gratuities, you buy a couple of drinks, etc. Now your account is down to $50. You've spent $200.

 

Another hold for $250

You buy photo's, an excursion or 2, a few more drinks.

Your account balance is down to $50 again. Your actual spending is now $400

 

Another hold for $250

A few more drinks, some gifts, another photo. $100 spent

 

last night, they close your account.

Total onboard expenses are $500.00

They debit your account.... $500

 

However, you still have $750 on "Hold"

 

Total amount no longer available to you,,,, $500 spent and $750 on hold,,, Total $1250

 

When will those "Holds" be removed and that $750 made available to you?

Depends on the policies and procedures of you financial institution.

Edited September 24, 2015 by klfrodo

[mykeb14]

It depends on what you spend. If I remember correctly it goes up in $250 amounts for each hold. If you are going to be using a debit card its better to just bring cash and add it to the account as you go. I don't use credit cards and I do a rough guess on what we will buy on board and get gift cards from Kroger for the fuel points and add them to my S&S account. The hold will last about 3-5 business days.

[Jenhem31]

Last week on our Breeze 8 day it was $200. We had also applied $500 in gift cards at check in and they still put a hold on the card. We didn't mind, as we knew we'd go over that limit anyway.

[jen&samcantwait]

This is why I prefer cash over a debit card. On a previous cruise, it took about 2 weeks for the hold to be removed.

[lizziez00]

Yes..I agree with about two weeks for the hold to come off. I figure you would need to have twice as much available than what you will spend if you use a card..debit or credit.. due to the holds.. at least that has been my experience. Now we just use cash or gift cards

Edited September 24, 2015 by lizziez00

[Missmolly0_2]

We always use cash. Don't want my money tied up

[cb at sea]

Definitely opt for cash instead of debit.....debit is just electronic cash--with fees!!!

[Jeepenfun]

SO i guess i dont understand this whole dont use debit card and only use cash or credit card. Carnival requires a credit card or debit card when you get your sail and sign card. when you first get the S&S card if all you have is a debit card then thats what I guess i have to use just to get it? now that I have it and its attached to my debit card how are you supposed to stop them from taking another hold on the card? I dont understand how if your S&S balance is getting low whats to keep them from taking another $250 hold out before you can add more cash to it? Say i do add more cash to it but carnivals computers still automatically take another $250 hold? I also just dont understand how you end up with $750 or $1000 in holds on your account by the end of your cruise? you start with $250. you spend $200 leaving $50 on the S&S card. carnival takes another $250 hold, now you have $300 balance on your S&S card. next day you spend $100 leaving $200 balance. Is carnival going to take another $200-$250 hold out the next day with still a $200 balance on the S&S card? I doubt it. Everything i've read, $50 seams to be the trigger point that carnival takes another hold. This tells me that at any given time there at the most $250 sitting as pending on my debit card? Also everything I have read its all speculation. I have yet to see someone post a real life situation that someone actually had $750 to $1000 in pending charges on their debit card after they got off the ship.

[Purvis1231]

We have used debit cards several times and never had a problem with hold. Before we left the ship we checked our bank account and the proper amounts were deducted with no holds. It is important to make sure you have the money to cruise before you leave. To be honest I suspect that some people who have problems with debit cards simply do not have enough money to cruise. (Speaking as a person who knows what it is like to live on the financial bubble.)

[RuthlessBoss]

I got away from using my card. When you sign in your information on the computer, put method of payment as cash. When you go for your S&S card, give them enough cash to cover tips so that is a done deal, just remember to not use that money. From there give them say $100 each for spending. You can track your spending at GS or find a kiosk and get a printout. You can add money to the kiosk. If you choose, you can then attach your debit card. If you do this, you won't have any hold on the debit card at the end, or at least a much smaller amount.

[Rainbowfalls]

I got away from using my card. When you sign in your information on the computer, put method of payment as cash. When you go for your S&S card, give them enough cash to cover tips so that is a done deal, just remember to not use that money. From there give them say $100 each for spending. You can track your spending at GS or find a kiosk and get a printout. You can add money to the kiosk. If you choose, you can then attach your debit card. If you do this, you won't have any hold on the debit card at the end, or at least a much smaller amount.

 

This is what we have done and will still do, it's so much easier then worrying about how much is held on our debit card. We leave it as cash throughout and then cashing out the night before. It's less of a hassle then the debit card worry especially since we drive down and back from ohio and stay at 7-10 hotels so then having to remember that we have holds from the hotels on our cards as well.

[sammee]

My first cruise we budgeted $1000 for onboard tips, expenses on a 5 day. When we got home, there were a good $800 in hold that did not drop off in a week. Had to have a 3 way between Royal, the bank and I to get it dropped.

 

2nd cruise I had a good $2000 in the bank but still had that 800 or so holding.

 

2 or 3 days is reasonable, but when you're talking a week or more, it's crazy.

 

We now use cash. You budget and save all year to have enough money for a great cruise, this is not needed to be hanging over your head when you get home.

[7upp]

SO i guess i dont understand this whole dont use debit card and only use cash or credit card. Carnival requires a credit card or debit card when you get your sail and sign card. when you first get the S&S card if all you have is a debit card then thats what I guess i have to use just to get it? now that I have it and its attached to my debit card how are you supposed to stop them from taking another hold on the card? I dont understand how if your S&S balance is getting low whats to keep them from taking another $250 hold out before you can add more cash to it? Say i do add more cash to it but carnivals computers still automatically take another $250 hold? I also just dont understand how you end up with $750 or $1000 in holds on your account by the end of your cruise? you start with $250. you spend $200 leaving $50 on the S&S card. carnival takes another $250 hold, now you have $300 balance on your S&S card. next day you spend $100 leaving $200 balance. Is carnival going to take another $200-$250 hold out the next day with still a $200 balance on the S&S card? I doubt it. Everything i've read, $50 seams to be the trigger point that carnival takes another hold. This tells me that at any given time there at the most $250 sitting as pending on my debit card? Also everything I have read its all speculation. I have yet to see someone post a real life situation that someone actually had $750 to $1000 in pending charges on their debit card after they got off the ship.

 

 

Carnival does not require a credit/debit card. You can set up a cash account.

[klfrodo]

My first cruise we budgeted $1000 for onboard tips, expenses on a 5 day. When we got home, there were a good $800 in hold that did not drop off in a week. Had to have a 3 way between Royal, the bank and I to get it dropped.

 

2nd cruise I had a good $2000 in the bank but still had that 800 or so holding.

 

2 or 3 days is reasonable, but when you're talking a week or more, it's crazy.

 

We now use cash. You budget and save all year to have enough money for a great cruise, this is not needed to be hanging over your head when you get home.

 

The Merchant (cruiseline) doesn't determine when the hold is removed,,, your financial institution does.

[sammee]

The Merchant (cruiseline) doesn't determine when the hold is removed,,, your financial institution does.

 

Doesn't matter who was responsible for that determination. As the fingers were pointing at each other. I do agree it was the bank looking back at it, but at the time I had no idea. The 3 way solved it immediately. Royal had to fax something to them and it was cleared immediately.

[aflyingbuttress]

So, I already set up my S&S with my debit card but now I'm regretting it. I have $1000 in gift cards we are planning to apply to our account when we get there. Will we still have a hold? Can I unlink my card?

[sammee]

So, I already set up my S&S with my debit card but now I'm regretting it. I have $1000 in gift cards we are planning to apply to our account when we get there. Will we still have a hold? Can I unlink my card?

 

Sign into your carnival account and you can do it there in the checkin section. If you can't, give them a call they will do it for you.

[7upp]

So, I already set up my S&S with my debit card but now I'm regretting it. I have $1000 in gift cards we are planning to apply to our account when we get there. Will we still have a hold? Can I unlink my card?

 

 

You can unlink it by logging crack in and select cash.

[Mr2Scents]

So, I already set up my S&S with my debit card but now I'm regretting it. I have $1000 in gift cards we are planning to apply to our account when we get there. Will we still have a hold? Can I unlink my card?

 

Yes you can. Go to your cruise details and just click on the onboard account and delete the card. You can then go through the process choosing the cash option. You're all set.

[Gypsywych]

We have used debit cards several times and never had a problem with hold. Before we left the ship we checked our bank account and the proper amounts were deducted with no holds. It is important to make sure you have the money to cruise before you leave. To be honest I suspect that some people who have problems with debit cards simply do not have enough money to cruise. (Speaking as a person who knows what it is like to live on the financial bubble.)

 

It has nothing to do with how much or how little money you have in your bank account at the time of the cruise. It has to do with the policies in place at your particular financial institution as to how much and how long holds are held in place after a large transaction.

I have one bank that will keep a hold in place for a week after the actual transaction clears. I have another that drops it within 24 hours. To imply that people can't budget because BoA is dickish about debit card holds is a little rude, don't you think? Some people prefer to use cash, others to use a debit card and still others to use a credit card. Personal preference and none of them a reflection on their monetary responsibility.