MotherofTrips Posted May 21, 2016 #1 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Can anyone explain to me the process of holds being placed on your bank account or credit card. I do not use credit cards but I do use a debit card. I opened a separate checking out with a debit card specifically to be used for my cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherofTrips Posted May 21, 2016 Author #2 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) Or would I be better off with a cash account? How does that work? Edited May 21, 2016 by MotherofTrips Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted May 21, 2016 #3 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Can anyone explain to me the process of holds being placed on your bank account or credit card. I do not use credit cards but I do use a debit card. I opened a separate checking out with a debit card specifically to be used for my cruise. As I understand it a hold will be placed against your card when you board and incrementally through your cruise as you spend money onboard. The difficulty with debit cards is the bank can take some time to release the hold and when the final charges are put through your account can be overdrawn. This happened the last time we used a debit card (which was the last time we used one)- they put a hold on the card equal to our onboard spending up through the last evening of the cruise and then the following morning put through the actual charges. Fortunately for me I was only overdrawn for a few hours and it only cost me $30 in overdraft fees. Since then I always use a credit card. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted May 21, 2016 #4 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) Or would I be better off with a cash account? How does that work? You put down cash and when it runs out your card is turned off until you deposit more. How much you put down depends upon how much you've prepaid before hand- our friend put down $152 on her account and her service charges and excursions were paid before the cruise and she received something like a $46 refund 6 weeks after the cruise. We had pre-purchased onboard credit to cover our spending and our final bill was only $126 and change. Edited May 21, 2016 by sparks1093 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MotherofTrips Posted May 21, 2016 Author #5 Share Posted May 21, 2016 You put down cash and when it runs out your card is turned off until you deposit more. How much you put down depends upon how much you've prepaid before hand- our friend put down $152 on her account and her service charges and excursions were paid before the cruise and she received something like a $46 refund 6 weeks after the cruise. We had pre-purchased onboard credit to cover our spending and our final bill was only $126 and change. During my research I read somewhere that NCL requires you to put down $100 per person per day. There are 6 of us traveling so that can not happen! [emoji33] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare KeithJenner Posted May 21, 2016 #6 Share Posted May 21, 2016 During my research I read somewhere that NCL requires you to put down $100 per person per day. Don't believe everything you read. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledelstein Posted May 21, 2016 #7 Share Posted May 21, 2016 We used a debit card. They held $200 but upon paying our final bill they released the extra before we even got home that afternoon. I'm sure longer holds can happen but it was not my experience with Carnival. Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted May 21, 2016 #8 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) During my research I read somewhere that NCL requires you to put down $100 per person per day. There are 6 of us traveling so that can not happen! [emoji33] That is a recommended amount if you haven't pre-paid anything like your service charges, etc. They didn't bat an eye when our friend told them what she wanted to put down. For DW, I and our two teens they put a hold of $300 on our credit card. Edited May 21, 2016 by sparks1093 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luddite Posted May 21, 2016 #9 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Can anyone explain to me the process of holds being placed on your bank account or credit card. I do not use credit cards but I do use a debit card. I opened a separate checking out with a debit card specifically to be used for my cruise. I cannot explain the why and wherefore of holds. Never, ever use a debit card for your onboard account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare KeithJenner Posted May 21, 2016 #10 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Nobody can say exactly how the holds will be applied and removed. I have done different cruises using exactly the same credit card and the holds have been applied differently. There really is no way of telling, and any reports that people make just applied to their cruise and are likely to be different for other people (or for that person in the future). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clackey Posted May 21, 2016 #11 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Never, ever use a debit card for your onboard account. Or inport. Too easy for someone to clean out your account. At least a credit card is insured. A debit card, very seldom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Diane123boys Posted May 21, 2016 #12 Share Posted May 21, 2016 We always use a debit card for our cruises - I dont, and dont ever want a charge card - It depends on the bank you use as to how long the hold is. it may be different because we are using a brokerage account card - but our hold comes off immediately once the charge goes through Bottom line, ask the bank how quickly your bank has. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NMLady Posted May 21, 2016 #13 Share Posted May 21, 2016 During my research I read somewhere that NCL requires you to put down $100 per person per day. There are 6 of us traveling so that can not happen! [emoji33] Don't know where you saw the 'per day' but usually cruise lines will accept a $300 cash deposit and freeze your account when that is reached until you put more cash on the account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted May 21, 2016 #14 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Cash and debit are the same thing...the money comes out of your account...however, with CASH, they don't put "holds" on it! It's not the cruise line, but your bank that places holds! Most cruise lines allow you to put a small amount "down", and when it gets close to zero, they will call and ask for more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nola26 Posted May 21, 2016 #15 Share Posted May 21, 2016 If you read about the $100/day per person then you must also seen all of DO NOT use a debit card warnings NCL puts on its site too. Here are ways to reduce your onboard spend and need for a debit card. 1. Pre pay your service charges - you can do that with your debit card 2. Estimate your likely expenses and purchase onboard credit for your account, again that can be done with the debit card 3. Place a smaller cash deposit once onboard - the fact that your using a debit card suggests that you'll have cash in the account pre cruise 4. Repeat #3 if needed 5. Number #3 can also be travelers cheques (I've brought them for my casino budget) 5. Call NCL and confirm if a debit card (the kind you can buy at the store, (i.e. Visa Vanailla, AMEX gift card) is acceptable. That kind of card only has the limit on the card, no reach into your bank account. Sometimes those cards have limitations on acceptance, so make sure it fits your travel plans. Debit cards linked to a bank account are difficult with travel expenses because there is risk of multiple holds tying up your cash. You will see signs warning against there use at hotels. Finally, I pay for my cruise with a credit card because I receive travel insurance benefits that my debit card does not provide. Good luck and enjoy your cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted May 21, 2016 #16 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Holds can last up to 30 days. Cruise lines won't take branded gift cards since they have a set amount. Many debit cards are not insured against fraud; some are. Check that yours is. If not I absolutely would not use it. get a credit card if at all possible. Maybe even consider the NCL card; while the rewards are not very good overall, you can get $100 OBC for your cruise after making just one purchase (if you have enough time to get the card and go through a billing cycle. It is a mastercard issued by bank of america. Debit card = Your money at risk Credit card = Banks money at risk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fshagan Posted May 21, 2016 #17 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) Consumer credit cards are definitely safer for the consumer, with federal laws protecting consumer rights (for Americans at least - not sure about other countries). Debit cards have no legal protection, although some banks have protections in place. You may have to fight them for the protections. Nearly all the major banks have been caught arranging overdrafts so that the maximum overdraft penalty is applied. Before processing a batch they determine if you will be over, then process the transactions so that the largest transaction is at the end, then assess the penalty based on the amount of the last transaction. They were caught and fined for illegal activity. These are the people who "protect" you when something happens with your debit card. Good luck with that. I would not put it past them to keep the "hold" on your funds for a variable amount of time hoping you will overdraft in the interim. Similarly, do not use a business credit card for large, non-business transactions. They do not trigger the same consumer protections if your card is lost or stolen, and you do not have the same dispute protections. I know Dave Ramsey and a few other financial gurus preach never to have a credit card, but I think that is a bit like saying that anyone who had an overeating problem in the past should not have any food in the house. Edited May 21, 2016 by fshagan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare LMaxwell Posted May 21, 2016 #18 Share Posted May 21, 2016 I know Dave Ramsey and a few other financial gurus preach never to have a credit card, but I think that is a bit like saying that anyone who had an overeating problem in the past should not have any food in the house. Yep. Nothing wrong with credit cards if you understand the terms and conditions, how interest works, and don't spend more than you can afford. You get great benefits/cash back/rewards/travel reimbursement, etc. Just have be responsible. Ramsey's catch all assumes people have no ability to be responsible. Good credit makes life much cheaper. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sparks1093 Posted May 21, 2016 #19 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Consumer credit cards are definitely safer for the consumer, with federal laws protecting consumer rights (for Americans at least - not sure about other countries). Debit cards have no legal protection, although some banks have protections in place. You may have to fight them for the protections. Nearly all the major banks have been caught arranging overdrafts so that the maximum overdraft penalty is applied. Before processing a batch they determine if you will be over, then process the transactions so that the largest transaction is at the end, then assess the penalty based on the amount of the last transaction. They were caught and fined for illegal activity. These are the people who "protect" you when something happens with your debit card. Good luck with that. I would not put it past them to keep the "hold" on your funds for a variable amount of time hoping you will overdraft in the interim. Similarly, do not use a business credit card for large, non-business transactions. They do not trigger the same consumer protections if your card is lost or stolen, and you do not have the same dispute protections. I know Dave Ramsey and a few other financial gurus preach never to have a credit card, but I think that is a bit like saying that anyone who had an overeating problem in the past should not have any food in the house. Debit cards do have legal protections, but not quite as encompassing as credit cards. The biggest thing with a debit card though is if someone cleans out your account you have to wait to get your money back, whereas with your credit card it's house money that's been used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcipjr Posted May 21, 2016 #20 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) During my research I read somewhere that NCL requires you to put down $100 per person per day. There are 6 of us traveling so that can not happen! No, there's no such requirement. NCL recommends this amount, but in reality, you only have to put down enough cash to cover your daily service charges for everyone on your reservation. If you've pre-paid your service charges (which might be a good idea if you're using cash for your onboard account), you don't have to put down any cash at all. Just deposit what you think you'll need. If you run out, you won't be able to charge anything else to your account until you go to Guest Services and deposit more cash. As others have mentioned, I would strongly recommend not using a debit card, not just because of the aforementioned holds that NCL will put on it, but because debit cards don't provide any "insulation" between charges made to the card and your bank account. If someone steals your debit card and uses it for purchases, that money is gone from your account. Sure, you aren't liable for fraudulent charges, so you'll get that money back eventually—but it could take time to go through that process with your bank, and during that time, the missing funds may not be restored to you immediately. If you're using a credit card, in contrast, you just call the credit card issuer, and tell them about the fraudulent charges, and you don't have to pay those charges. Credit cards are great—just make sure you pay in full every month. Edited May 21, 2016 by dcipjr Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvtheships Posted May 21, 2016 #21 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Or would I be better off with a cash account? How does that work? Open up a credit card If you are going to travel you need the security of a credit line for emergencies How would you pay a medical bill or book a flight back should you have an emergency? Travel insurance reimburses only after you submit a bill to them Using credit cards when traveling has zero to do with the " I don't use credit cards" mentality and 150% to do with safety and security and common sense If you qualify for a credit card please get one even if you don't use it If you already have a credit card but refuse to use it just call the bank and make sure it's still active. Then advise the bank of your travel plans. Then tuck it away and use it at embark if nothing else If you can't get or dont qualify for a credit card I have no advice But if you do qualify it is just good common sense to always travel with a credit card Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asctony Posted May 21, 2016 #22 Share Posted May 21, 2016 Open up a credit cardIf you are going to travel you need the security of a credit line for emergencies How would you pay a medical bill or book a flight back should you have an emergency? Travel insurance reimburses only after you submit a bill to them Using credit cards when traveling has zero to do with the " I don't use credit cards" mentality and 150% to do with safety and security and common sense If you qualify for a credit card please get one even if you don't use it If you already have a credit card but refuse to use it just call the bank and make sure it's still active. Then advise the bank of your travel plans. Then tuck it away and use it at embark if nothing else If you can't get or dont qualify for a credit card I have no advice But if you do qualify it is just good common sense to always travel with a credit card Excellent advise. Other things to think about is: Does your credit card charge you a Foreign Transaction Fee? That is normally ~3%. There are cards out there that do not! Some cards even give more % on travel purchases than others, too. Always take 2 separate cards under you and your spouses name just in case you loose your card. If you both have the same card and number, your card is of no use if you loose one as you cancel that number. Always make copies of your credit cards, passports,etc., and keep that in your cabin safe in case you loose your card. Then you can call the Credit Card company and provide them with your card number, etc. Carry a copy of your passport when you get off the ship. Most ports will allow you to use copy unless specifically noted otherwise. I'm sure there are other things people can add. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvtheships Posted May 21, 2016 #23 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) Excellent advise. Other things to think about is: Does your credit card charge you a Foreign Transaction Fee? That is normally ~3%. There are cards out there that do not! Some cards even give more % on travel purchases than others, too. Always take 2 separate cards under you and your spouses name just in case you loose your card. If you both have the same card and number, your card is of no use if you loose one as you cancel that number. Always make copies of your credit cards, passports,etc., and keep that in your cabin safe in case you loose your card. Then you can call the Credit Card company and provide them with your card number, etc. Carry a copy of your passport when you get off the ship. Most ports will allow you to use copy unless specifically noted otherwise. I'm sure there are other things people can add. I do all those things as well and when appropriate and safe to do I email things to myself that can be retrieved Also take a pic of your luggage if checking it when flying. Makes it that much easier to describe if lost. It also makes sense to put yourself in that pic too I even do the travel checking account for ATM dipping only Plus a "bug out " waterproof ziplock with any and all important stuff including house keys that I might need should I be injured in port or be so totally delayed that I miss the ship. You can call the ship and they will get that bug out bag for you and leave it with the Port agent. Also bring you dailies with you in port Edited May 21, 2016 by luvtheships Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asctony Posted May 21, 2016 #24 Share Posted May 21, 2016 These suggestions would be very valuable and should maybe be posted as a STICKY!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdsted Posted May 21, 2016 #25 Share Posted May 21, 2016 (edited) We only use a Visa debit card for NCL. In our experience, actual charges are racked up daily as "pending" until the last day. By the time we disembark, the pending charges disappear and are replaced with a final charge equal to what we owe. Never had any issues in 15 or so cruises. It would seem that bizarre holds on DR cards originate from certain banks, not NCL. Sent from my iPad using Forums mobile app Edited May 21, 2016 by wdsted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now