Going to cash acct vs cc acct

[SthrnCruiser]

We are ready to board tomorrow. Dh has decided he'd rather do a cash acct vs a cc acct. I have already done my online check in set-up with my card. Can we switch that at check at the port?

[traveler279]

To my knowledge you don't have to change anything. Just make sure you get to Guest Services the last night and pay off your account using cash.

 

Bear in mind that if you then close your account there will be no charging anything to your sea pass after that.

 

 

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[cb at sea]

You can do whatever you want, at checkin....you could put prior to check in that you're paying by goat cheese...and change it to cash at the pier....

 

The "online" thing is to keep you busy...that's all! It means NOTHING!

[SthrnCruiser]

You can do whatever you want, at checkin....you could put prior to check in that you're paying by goat cheese...and change it to cash at the pier....

 

The "online" thing is to keep you busy...that's all! It means NOTHING!

 

I wish we weren't fresh out of goat cheese....

 

Thanks for the tips!

[Kamloops50]

If you switch to a cash account before you cruise. They will ask for a cash deposit . The amount is usually about $500 . They when you get close to the $500 . They'll ask for another $500 .

[TrojanUSC]

If you switch to a cash account before you cruise. They will ask for a cash deposit . The amount is usually about $500 . They when you get close to the $500 . They'll ask for another $500 .

 

On RC ships, this is incorrect. Everyone has a default credit line of $500. Once you hit that amount, you must stop by Guest Services to pay it down.

 

However, I'll never understand the appeal of cash accounts. They only pre-authorize what you charge on your SeaPass and nothing is formally charged until you leave the ship. It's far, far easier to use a credit/debit card than it is to stand in line for Guest Services.

[SthrnCruiser]

On RC ships, this is incorrect. Everyone has a default credit line of $500. Once you hit that amount, you must stop by Guest Services to pay it down.

 

However, I'll never understand the appeal of cash accounts. They only pre-authorize what you charge on your SeaPass and nothing is formally charged until you leave the ship. It's far, far easier to use a credit/debit card than it is to stand in line for Guest Services.

 

We will actually be using a debit card and my understanding (or my recent memory) is they charge it each day.

[flowers44]

With a Debit Card, they usually put a hold on your bank account that the card is attached to. It has been long advised never to use a Debit Card because of this reason. Even if you don't use the entire amount that the hold is, it takes a few days for the hold to come off the account after you get back home.

[TrojanUSC]

We will actually be using a debit card and my understanding (or my recent memory) is they charge it each day.

 

Generally speaking, they run authorizations twice a day once in the very early mornings (about 5am) and once in the evenings (about 6pm). They authorize the total you've charged since the last authorization, no more no less. Your total bill is then charged on the disembarkation day at about 5am.

 

Even with these authorizations on file, you can still pay the bill off in cash. Sometimes I've won enough money to cover my bill, so I just bring it to guest services and nothing ever hits my card.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

If you switch to a cash account before you cruise. They will ask for a cash deposit . The amount is usually about $500 . They when you get close to the $500 . They'll ask for another $500 .

 

They will NOT require a deposit. You'll get a notice when you get close to the FIRST $500 to pay it down. But unlike HAL, RCCL does NOT require a cash deposit.

[Godiva830]

We did cash account last month. I had $350 obc and put down $400 cash as soon as I boarded (guest services line was short lol) booked 3 excursions after that and that pretty much ate up all our money lol so we added another $600 the next morning. I monitored the account from the tv. We closed the account around 10pm the night before getting off the ship. Actually got $112 back!! Lol

 

 

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[Kamloops50]

We will actually be using a debit card and my understanding (or my recent memory) is they charge it each day.

 

Debits are a problem if used instead of a credit card. They will put a daily hold on your card. These holds might not clear your account for 10 days after the cruise.

[mollyeilis]

They will NOT require a deposit. You'll get a notice when you get close to the FIRST $500 to pay it down. But unlike HAL, RCCL does NOT require a cash deposit.

 

 

 

I'm going to second this.

 

We tried to put money down the first day and they discouraged it. They let you charge $500 beyond any obc you have before you have to give them cash.

 

 

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[mollyeilis]

We will actually be using a debit card and my understanding (or my recent memory) is they charge it each day.

 

 

 

I personally would just set it up as cash and go to pay it off occasionally with the debit. You might be able to avoid the holds that way.

 

Or just pull the cash from the account the debit pulls from and have a true cash account.

 

 

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[Clarea]

I'm going to second this.

 

We tried to put money down the first day and they discouraged it. They let you charge $500 beyond any obc you have before you have to give them cash.

 

 

I find it very surprising that they didn't want to take any money. Was this at check-in or at Guest Services onboard?

[shearwood]

we went to guest services on our 4 night cruise to set up a cash account , they didnt want any cash said we had $300 limit before we needed to pay any cash

[nolesrule]

When you use a card (debit or credit), authorizations are done daily, and it takes a few days before they fall off. The final pay-off charge for the full amount is separate from the daily holds, so the holds in the latter part of the cruise may still be on the card when the final charge goes through, meaning the amount of money on hold at the end of the cruise will be greater than the amount actually spent.

 

Something to keep in mind if you are using a pre-paid debit card or a debit card attached to a bank account.

[wolfcathorse]

I've gone to using just a cash account. No more unexplained charges showing up on my credit card 2 weeks after we've left the ship!

[heatherb1958]

I have heard nightmare stories of people using debit cards due to daily holds, stories of people going overdrawn at the bank because of the delay in the holds being released an example.

We always have a cash account, have never had to deposit any monies first. You will get a letter in your cabin after a couple of days telling you how much you have spent or if in credit due to OBC and as wolfcarthorse says no anomalies once you have left the ship .

It helps to keep on top of your cash account if gratuities are pre paid.

We always settle our account 24 hours before the cruise ends when GS is quiet and add a little extra for the last bought drink. If there is any left over we leave the balance as a tip with maybe some cash.

It all works out.

Edited May 29, 2016 by heatherb1958

[island lady]

I've gone to using just a cash account. No more unexplained charges showing up on my credit card 2 weeks after we've left the ship!

 

That is probably a good idea at that. Once AGAIN there was one of those irritating

small charges added to my account well after we disembarked...and once AGAIN it

was the mini bar (which we never, ever use). The amount is never much, and I am

guessing many do not bother with it, but it is the principal of the matter that those

charges keep popping up so I call to have them reversed. I am sure CS gets a lot

of those.

 

Once you leave your cabin on disembarkation day, that mini bar is wide open to

anyone, and I mean anyone, that wants to help themselves to something in there. :(

[vuz98]

I've gone to using just a cash account. No more unexplained charges showing up on my credit card 2 weeks after we've left the ship!

 

I understand, we are probably going to do that next cruise. Dealing with charges now, a week later, that are unexplained, not a large amount of $$'s but not something that we should have to deal with either. They will most likely be removed but just would rather not have the hassle of dealing with it.

[island lady]

I understand, we are probably going to do that next cruise. Dealing with charges now, a week later, that are unexplained, not a large amount of $$'s but not something that we should have to deal with either. They will most likely be removed but just would rather not have the hassle of dealing with it.

 

There was another thread that talked about this as well. Seems very, very common

that many of us are getting tacked with these small charges (usually mini bar) after

we get back. Wonder how many are not detected, or people don't hassle with? You

would think RCI would investigate why this is happening when many of us do call

to question the charge and have them reversed.

[renech]

Just read this thread because my DD and her SO were going to use their debit cards on our upcoming cruise. I have told them (after reading all this) to not use their debit cards and instead do a cash account.

 

In looking at the FAQ on RC site it does say that they will require a deposit to do a cash account. I've seen a few people here say they were not required to do this, but I'm wondering if anyone knows about the Oasis specifically?

 

Here is the FAQ:

Please note:

We require guests to place a deposit if they are paying for their SeaPass account with cash. There is a $500 daily limit on cash accounts for 7+ night sailings and $300 for 2/3/4/5 night sailings. Once the daily cash limit is reached, we will call the guest and inform the guest that the limit has been reached.

[Clarea]

Just read this thread because my DD and her SO were going to use their debit cards on our upcoming cruise. I have told them (after reading all this) to not use their debit cards and instead do a cash account.

 

In looking at the FAQ on RC site it does say that they will require a deposit to do a cash account. I've seen a few people here say they were not required to do this, but I'm wondering if anyone knows about the Oasis specifically?

 

Here is the FAQ:

Please note:

We require guests to place a deposit if they are paying for their SeaPass account with cash. There is a $500 daily limit on cash accounts for 7+ night sailings and $300 for 2/3/4/5 night sailings. Once the daily cash limit is reached, we will call the guest and inform the guest that the limit has been reached.

Yet another inaccurate part of the website. No up front cash required.

[renech]

Yet another inaccurate part of the website. No up front cash required.

 

 

Not surprised, but good to have it confirmed. Thank you. :)