Cash Deposit

[SunshineCruiser24]

Hey so! It's my first time on NCL and I was reading the website about on board accounts.

 

I do not own a credit card, I got in to trouble with them awhile ago and now I avoid the temptation by just not having one. Soooo it's saying not to use debit, cool, because I wanted to set up my account with cash! They said the deposit for that is $300pp.

 

We do not spend $300 on board between the two of us, and we DEFINITELY do not spend $600. I don't want to tie up our vacation money, I'd rather spend the money in port rather than having it sit unused on the onboard account. Is this $300pp a hard fast rule or a suggestion?

 

To put things in perspective, we've bought the dining package, drink package and prepay gratuities plus have $50 OBC.

[sparks1093]

When we sailed on the Gem our friend set up her account with $152. Everything was prepaid and she had $25 OBC. Put down what you want and if the money runs out your cabin card will not allow further onboard purchases until more is added. (And by gratuities I presume you are referring to the service charges that are assessed daily:).)

[SunshineCruiser24]

Is that in addition to the prepaid tips?? Or did they just renamed prepaid tips to service charges?

[Rhea98]

I think sparks1093 may be referencing the daily service charge assessed @13.50 per day per cruiser (current rate). Carnival refers to them as prepaid gratuities. It sounds like you may have paid it (it's listed on your web account). Gratuities are usually the 18% assessed on drinks and specialty dinner. Spa services also have this 18% auto-added.

 

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Edited August 27, 2016 by Rhea98

[SunshineCruiser24]

Oooh okay! I guess it's differing lingo, on the other cruise line they call it prepaid gratuity! This is my first time on NCL and I'm super psyched to try it! :-) 98 days and counting!

[Rhea98]

Oooh okay! I guess it's differing lingo, on the other cruise line they call it prepaid gratuity! This is my first time on NCL and I'm super psyched to try it! :-) 98 days and counting!

Yes. Just edited my post to mention that. It's been over a year (April/May 2015) since my last cruise. Got two this fall: 64 days and 106 days!

 

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Edited August 27, 2016 by Rhea98

[SunshineCruiser24]

Thanks so much for your help!

[BirdTravels]

Thanks so much for your help!

 

So,,, the published deposit requirement is $300 per person for a 7 night cruise. Expect nothing less. If you can talk them into taking less at check in, great! If not, make sure you have the cash ready. You could cancel your pre-paid daily service charge and let that eat away at you balance each day.

[SunshineCruiser24]

I don't want to put down $600 on an onboard account, the prepaid service charge isn't even 1/3rd of that.

[gergles]

I don't want to put down $600 on an onboard account, the prepaid service charge isn't even 1/3rd of that.

 

Well, too bad. That's how much you have to deposit, or you have to get a credit card.

 

If you use a debit card, they will place a hold for the same amount when you check in and it may take quite some time after the cruise for the hold to be released and the extra amount to be available in your account again.

[delaware32]

We always place x-amount cash on account. We back it up with a credit card .The cash on account is used first. It' s not a huge amount, certainly no where near $600.00 . I can't remember the last time anything had to be charged to the card. We spend onboard but we're not ridiculous. Basically most things are prepaid .

[Freespir8]

They do not require 300. That is merely a recommendation and the amount they place on hold for a credit card. Do not under any circumstances use your debit card. Our sons put cash down of what they could afford (anywhere from 25-100) and when the money ran out, they were no longer able to charge on their card. It's super easy to add more at guest services. As long as your pre-paid services are taken care of, they don't require anything. In fact, we had to go to guest services once on board to put the cash on the card.

[cb at sea]

Put down a couple hundred...keep the rest in your safe, and make sure you have enough to cover your final bill! If funds get low, they will ask you to put down more.

[sparks1093]

Well, too bad. That's how much you have to deposit, or you have to get a credit card.

 

If you use a debit card, they will place a hold for the same amount when you check in and it may take quite some time after the cruise for the hold to be released and the extra amount to be available in your account again.

 

It's not too bad and it's not how much has to be deposited. It is a suggested amount whether it is worded that way or not.

[againin13]

January on the escape was our eighth cruise with Norwegian, there was four of us in the same cabin, 3 of us on one account and BIL on another . Drink package, dining package, gratuities , Insurance etc. prepaid. When we went to set up our account I asked how much and was towed however much you want to put down I put $200 for the three of us. Final evening of the cruise we were reimbursed cash -$1.11 additional for one of my husbands drinks, BIL put a grand total of $50 to open his account and received $50 cashback final evening. This is pretty much how it's worked every time I think it depends a lot on what's prepaid. But I would definitely make sure there was extra in the safe just in case.

 

 

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[zqvol]

Is that in addition to the prepaid tips?? Or did they just renamed prepaid tips to service charges?

 

If you prepay your daily service charge, a/k/a prepaid gratuities, you can put any amount that you want as your deposit. If it runs low they will suspend your charging privileges until you add some more to your account.

[MrsPhoenix91]

SunshineCruiser: I have always enjoyed your Carnival cruise reviews :) One very important thing to remember is this: NCL does not have the Sail & Sign Kiosks like Carnival has. You will have to go to Guest Services every time to add money. I don't understand why these types of Kiosks are not a staple on all ships no matter the brand, but Carnival definitely exceeds in this area.

[PNWMomma]

My nephew was stopped when trying to disembark yesterday due to a balance on his account. Unfortunately they do not stop charges once your deposit is exceeded.

 

He had some shipboard credit and they allowed him only to put down $50 cash on top of that. He lost his key card at one point, but we thought charges should have been stopped after they had replaced. Apparently his card was billed 16 drinks within a 4 hour period that night.

 

Good thing we were not trying to catch a flight home soon after disembarkation as he had to go back to guest services to get things cleared up.

 

Definitely review your charges periodically. His shipboard credit also did not all get applied before going into his cash deposit.

[KarlChilders]

One other option, I would think, is you could get a prepaid cash card. That option costs a couple of dollars but could work in this situation I would think

[nyfltraveler]

Just because one has the drink package doesn't mean they should not tip the bartenders.

 

 

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[sparks1093]

Just because one has the drink package doesn't mean they should not tip the bartenders.

 

 

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Gratuities are tacked on when you buy the package, even if it is included as a promotion.

Edited August 30, 2016 by sparks1093

[mbrain]

The drink package already comes with 20% tips for better than $2,000. worth of drinks. Tipping bartenders if you have a plan is extravagant.