Debit card and tips question

[aweller88]

Hi everyone myself and soon to be husband will be sailing on Harmony next June 12th for our honeymoon. We don't have a credit card and I know we can use a debit card, but is there anything we need to know about that? Will the pre-authorise a certain amount to ensure the funds are there? Also I see from other posts here that we should too the porters and for room service but what currency would that be in? Were from Ireland and cruising in the Med so euros is what I would imagine but will I have to get dollars for those particular tips? Thanks in advance. Aoife x

[Cruisingthesuitelife]

Hi and congratulations on your upcoming wedding! I hope you have a wonderful day.

 

I can't help with the debit card. However, porters will be from Spain so euros. Anyone who works on the ship would most likely appreciate US dollars. I suspect though they would be grateful for any tip but as they get paid in dollars, this seems the most practical and what I give on any cruise regardless of where the ship is.

Edited October 31, 2015 by Cruisingthesuitelife

[sdear]

With a debit card, they will put a daily hold on the amount you spent each day.

 

At the end of the cruise, they will take of the total. The daily holds will sit there until they fall off. Only the total amount will actually come out of your account.

 

What I do is secure my seapass with a debit card, then when I board, I put the amount of cash down that I anticipate I will spend at guest services. The daily amount will come off the cash first, and if I go over, then only a small amount comes off my debit card. This prevents the daily hold amounts from sitting there for days tieing up my money unnecessarily. If I don't spend the entire amount of cash I put down, they credit my debit card.

 

Works very well for me if you don't have or want to use a credit card. If you board early, there usually aren't lines at guest services to put the money down if you go when you first board.

[Enforcer]

Hi,

 

Tipping the cruise staff in Euros is good for them as they have local currency to spend. You don't have to worry about exchange rates or charges at the Bureau De Change.

 

Pete

[cb at sea]

Instead of the debit card...take the amount of cash you plan to spend with you...no "holds" on cash! If you must use the debit, you'll still have use of it. They put big holds on debit cards which can't take some time to "drop off"....limiting what you might be able to spend. Tips will be added to your account....and if you have the need to tip additionally, you can sign for added tips, or use cash....your choice.

 

Between debit and cash...cash is the way to go.

Edited October 31, 2015 by cb at sea

[aweller88]

If I were to put cash down would that be in dollars...sorry first cruise! We were thinking of using one of our debits for the ship and the other for ports. We'llbe prepaying tips before going on the cruise

[Kamloops50]

Debit haven't been recommended on these boards for a will. The problem with debit cards is that the daily doesn't get dropped by your bank for 4 to 10 days. That means when you get home your daily hold and final bill can be on at the same time.

[Clarea]

If I were to put cash down would that be in dollars...sorry first cruise! We were thinking of using one of our debits for the ship and the other for ports. We'llbe prepaying tips before going on the cruise

You can set up a "cash" type account. No cash up front needed. Royal will let you charge up to $500 before they ask you to pay it down. Use your debit card to pay off the account at the end of the cruise. This way no holds are put on your funds.

Edited October 31, 2015 by clarea

[steveru621]

If I were to put cash down would that be in dollars...sorry first cruise! We were thinking of using one of our debits for the ship and the other for ports. We'llbe prepaying tips before going on the cruise

 

Every charge to your SeaPass account will be in dollars. If you decide to give additional gratuities beyond your prepaid the crew won't mind Euros or Dollars.

 

You can set up a cash account, but you don't need to give RCI any cash upfront. They will want some offsetting payment when your charges reach $500.

 

Using a debit card is not the end of the world. It depends on your bank. RCI will do a pre-authorization every day for the exact amount you spend on the ship. It's your bank that places the hold not RCI. So it it's up to your bank on how long it lasts.

 

If you prepay your excursions, gratuities, and eat in the MDR, most of your charges will be for booze. You can even prepay your booze with a premium package.

 

Get some Euros for use in the ports. Enjoy your cruise.

[steveru621]

Debit haven't been recommended on these boards for a will. The problem with debit cards is that the daily doesn't get dropped by your bank for 4 to 10 days. That means when you get home your daily hold and final bill can be on at the same time.

 

It's only true for some banks. You are just making up the number of days.

 

I also wouldn't recommend carrying around $1,000 in cash.

[aweller88]

Thank you all sooo much! I greatly appreciate all your wise words x

[bigque]

I am currently in the midst of posting a review and this information was going to be added but I I will post it here also. I work for a large national bank and I have used a debit card on every cruise I have been on with no problems at all. What they have done on my cruises is to run through the bill each night and debit your transactions for the day. At the end of the cruise the only bill I have had is the purchases made on the last day of the cruise. Every bank is not the same and all banks do not place holds that take days to be removed. Holds are usually placed by the business where the transaction is made and it removed when they send through the final authorization for payment (Hold comes off payment is made). Hotels usually do this and you will usually see it when you add a tip to restaurant bill after they have already swiped your card.

 

With that said, I have a separate electronic transaction only checking account that I put money in and use just for cruises and to tie to my seapass card just in case any problems arise it does not affect my regular checking account. Also don't forget to notify your bank of your travel plans so they don't block your cards for unusual activity.

[kerryincork]

Hi aweller88, from my name you can guess I'm from Ireland too. I've cruised often all over Europe. Once you have paid daily service charge there is absolutely no need to tip extra. Bar bills or spa will automatically add on the tip for you. Don't be fooled when you are handed a bill with a blank space for a tip, if you read the receipt you will see the tip has already been added. Just rewrite the total again on total line & give back to waiter. Of course if you feel the staff deserve an extra tip just give it to them in euros. They will get time in port and I often see them coming back to the ship with bags of snacks, so euros will be handy. As a guide we leave between 10-20 (dollars /euros) for stewards as they do work hard.

As for porters they are employed by the Spanish port so are under EU work laws so will be paid a decent wage so no need to tip them at all (this would be different in the US). If you want I would go by €1.00 per bag. You bring on hand luggage with you, which include all your valuables, medicine, swim suit and something to ware that night, as you never can tell what time your luggage will be delivered.

As for debit cards, I would ask your bank what there procedures are for holds etc. Also let them know you are travelling out of the country. I forgot one time and the bank put a block on my card so I couldn't use it. This a complete pain trying to get this sorted out when on holiday. don't forget you can use your card in any ATM in Europe, so what I do when you are in port draw out a couple €200 at time and pay as you go. Though with exchange rate it might be better to change some money say $500 before you leave. The only thing you will probably buy are drinks =$10 each and photos which are anywhere between $12 - $24 per photos, you can make a rough calculation of how much per day you will spend.

I hope this info is useful.

[onyourtoes]

Debit haven't been recommended on these boards for a will. The problem with debit cards is that the daily doesn't get dropped by your bank for 4 to 10 days. That means when you get home your daily hold and final bill can be on at the same time.

 

I have used debit cards in the past and have NEVER had a 4 to 10 day "drop." If I sail Sunday to Sunday, whatever is spent that day shows up on my online bank account. The next day it's gone, (held) but I still mark the amount in my checkbook as "spent." When I get my final bill I double check it against my receipts and bring it home with me. If I get off the ship on Sunday, I've noticed that on Tuesday (2 days after I have been home) that the amount comes off my account. I don't know which bank holds on to the amount for 4 to 10 days, but my bank always drops in in 2 days. What I have started doing, since I know my spending habits onboard, is buying onboard credit before I leave home. I'll put x amount of dollars on my sea pass card and when asked how I will pay for purchases I say "cash". I've been lucky enough not to ever go above and beyond what I put on the sea pass, but I do have some money (close to or equal of what was put on the card) in case I do go over. It has always worked for me. I've only done Caribbean/Bermuda/Bahamas. Never done an overseas cruise so I don't know if that is the reason for the long hold on a debit card. Good luck with whatever you choose and also Happy Sailing and Congrats on the OP's upcoming nuptials.

[handwcruisers]

We haven't cruised in a few years. Does anyone still take travelers checks instead of taking so much cash, we plan on taking a bit of cash but usually take travelers checks.

[Clarea]

We haven't cruised in a few years. Does anyone still take travelers checks instead of taking so much cash, we plan on taking a bit of cash but usually take travelers checks.

The cruise line takes traveler's checks for payment of your onboard account, and wll also cash them for you.

Edited November 1, 2015 by clarea

[smmcvey]

Make your bank aware of your port stops as well, last year my husband tried to buy me a necklace and the we had to call the bank from Jamaica because they wouldn't authorize the debit from another country. The bank said that had we made them aware prior to our trip they would've made note of it in their system.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[mollyeilis]

You can set up a "cash" type account. No cash up front needed. Royal will let you charge up to $500 before they ask you to pay it down. Use your debit card to pay off the account at the end of the cruise. This way no holds are put on your funds.

 

YES. :)

 

Make your bank aware of your port stops as well, last year my husband tried to buy me a necklace and the we had to call the bank from Jamaica because they wouldn't authorize the debit from another country. The bank said that had we made them aware prior to our trip they would've made note of it in their system.

 

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

 

Makes sense. But sometimes banks make no sense.

 

DH travels for work. He's gone from Quebec to Sydney, from St Petersburg to Novosibirsk (in March! what a joyous trip that was for him LOL), spent time in 3 South American countries, just all over the world. He has NEVER had a problem with any of the cards he uses, even with me using the same cards in my name (same number though) at home. And he has NEVER notified the bank/credit union.

 

Then we went on Freedom in 2014. And both cards were denied at the could-not-be-more-touristy Cariloha in San Juan. Yep, in a US territory is where our CU and bank decided to draw a line. Crazy.

[kerryincork]

If you travel all over the world on a regular basis than foreign transactions are normal. you only have problems if you never travel and suddenly your card shows activity in Sydney this is an unusual transaction which your bank will flag & may put a hold on your card, until they or you have been contacted. This is part of their fraud protection.

[wendychloecruiser]

This might be novel but how about apply for a credit card? Issue solved.

[aweller88]

Not as easy as just applying for a credit card - not in Ireland, as a twenty-something with a disability

[dcgrumpy]

You can set up a "cash" type account. No cash up front needed. Royal will let you charge up to $500 before they ask you to pay it down. Use your debit card to pay off the account at the end of the cruise. This way no holds are put on your funds.

 

That's exactly what we did. Worked out fine.