Creating NO Onboard Account. Possible?

[xriva]

I never said this was about the service charge. I don't care to make a scene either. Thanks for your perspective though.

 

 

You said in the first post you wanted to pay your gratuities yourself (which would be difficult to do if you only had $1 in your pocket.) If that isn’t about the service charge, what is it about?

 

 

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[thetaro]

People like you are making things unnecessarily complicated and you are creating hassles for yourself and the staffs for no good reason. If your concern is about credit card, then you can set up a cash account, prepay service charge and buy on board credit ahead of time.

 

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[KeithJenner]

I do not know if this is a serious thread, but I can tell you our experience. We prepay gratuities and do not give a credit card. When they check you in, they tell you that you can put cash on your account. We usually do not until a day or so in. Sometimes there is OBC already on it. If you decide not to use your card, you do not ever have to put cash on it.

 

 

You state that you prepay gratuities, which the OP isn’t doing, so there is a quite significant difference between your situations.

 

 

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[Casino Comp Chick]

This.......

 

 

[txagfan]

Sometimes I think people are trying to complicate their lives.

 

Put your CC down and enjoy vacation, who arrives at port itching for a confrontation? So weird.

 

Pay the DSC...it’s a fee and part of the cruise cost just like resort fees play land based hotels. If you want to get it waived at end that’s your prerogative though I find that to be unethical in some respects.

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

I know someone that thought they paid the daily service charge, when they booked their cruise. Didn't realize that it was the tips for the UBP. (their first cruise) Anyway, they didn't put a credit card down, and went to guest services to put money on their account. By the third day, their cards didn't work. They couldn't get a drink, or even access their room. So, they will make you put a specific amount of cash down on your room.

I'm kind of surprised they would block access to the room, but I guess they can do all kinds of things to make your life on board miserable if you refuse to play by their rules. I realize that by booking the cruise and boarding the ship, you agree to their rules, but a lot of the rules are not obvious to novice cruisers, and occasionally even to experienced cruisers.

 

I kind of wish the OP would go through with his plan and report back. Most threads where people don't want to give a credit card and don't want to leave cash, it's because they have money issues and you wonder if they should even be taking a cruise in the first place. But it sounds like the OP is fully capable of shelling out if things become too uncomfortable (and he seems to be the type who actually likes to put himself and others in uncomfortable situations), so why not let him take it as far as he can in the meantime? We might learn something new about how NCL deals with problem passengers…

[adam_s_allen]

One cruise I mistakenly gave them my debit card, both are blue and both say Mastercard on it.. Also immediately gave 500 US cash to guest services to put towards my account. My key card was disabled twice during the cruise.. Once while ordering a drink the bartender told me there was a problem with my account even with having the UBP. The second time I entered one of the blackjack tournaments and after getting to the final table again told me there was a problem with my account, apparently cash put towards your account can't be used at the casino they said???. Anyways point being don't expect a hassle free experience.

[adam_s_allen]

Enjoy your embarkation port.

 

Why clog up the checkin lines? $300 per person cash if you don’t want to leave a card.

 

Since you will be charged daily service charge, your non-zero balance will prevent you from disembarking. Pay and request refund after the cruise, but you need an account.

 

You can prepay the service charge before you board.

[KeithJenner]

It doesn't take very long for your account to be blocked when there is a problem.

 

Last year, on the Spirit, my credit card issuer flagged the NCL charge for fraud. I hadn't spent anything on the account at that point, and was at a bar to get a drink and the bartender said that my account was showing as blocked when he swiped my card for the drink (no charge as I had the UBP). We know each other from previous cruises, so he gave me the drink anyway, and a few seconds later I got a text alert from the credit card company. The block on the account must have been pretty well instant on the CC company blocking the charge.

 

Luckily, a quick phone call sorted things, as we were still in port.

[KeithJenner]

You can prepay the service charge before you board.

 

You can, but the OP doesn't want to pay them at all.

[adam_s_allen]

It doesn't take very long for your account to be blocked when there is a problem.

 

Last year, on the Spirit, my credit card issuer flagged the NCL charge for fraud. I hadn't spent anything on the account at that point, and was at a bar to get a drink and the bartender said that my account was showing as blocked when he swiped my card for the drink (no charge as I had the UBP). We know each other from previous cruises, so he gave me the drink anyway, and a few seconds later I got a text alert from the credit card company. The block on the account must have been pretty well instant on the CC company blocking the charge.

 

Luckily, a quick phone call sorted things, as we were still in port.

 

Yeah I had been getting drinks all day, and then at one point at night my card was just blocked. Even though I had the UBP and had put 500 cash down on my account. The bartender still gave the drink and just told me to go to guest services. Guest services just said, no your account is fine and re-instated my account.. So will the ship leave without you if you don't put a card or cash down? probably not.. But it will probably be a problem at some point.

[hawkeyetlse]

The ship won't leave without you, because they have to let you on board so you can set up a cash account. And although they want you to do this as soon as possible, they won't kick you off the ship if you haven't done it by sailaway. Your card will not be activated for purchasing anything, but it will work for getting into your room (they may eventually block your room access, as reported by chars earlier).

 

So the danger is not that they won't let you board, it's that they won't let you off the ship. Not just at disembarkation, but at any ports of call during the cruise. I assume that you will be flagged when they swipe your card and security will tell you to go to guest services before you can go ashore.

[newmexicoNita]

Thanks - I don't mind tipping, truly. (but the "Service Charge" is indeed another matter) I guess it's my combative way of opposing all the nickel and dime intrusions.

It is not a matter of nickel and dime that you object to and further more all cruise lines have the same policy. You will be required to have a certain amount of money in your account, either cash or using a card. So either plan on not cruising or plan on giving either cash or using a card. How in the world can you call this nickel and diming?

 

As mentioned you will be able to board but you will not be able to leave the ship period and on debarkation morning, the ship will insist all accounts be paid. So, if you want to give this a try, make a scene, and hold up others be my guest. I do wonder what lines you have cruised if you are not aware of this policy.

Edited January 16, 2018 by newmexicoNita

[April42749]

Interesting thread.

On our last cruise I gave the same credit card I've used for years at embarkation. No problem.

 

First sea day, I went to buy a watch and the sale was declined. The salesman told me to visit guest services. I did, and was told there was a block on my card (I had other cards with me, DH had cards and we had cash so I wasn't worried about being put off the ship).

 

Guest services gave me a courtesy call to the bank, and the bank said I didn't inform them I would be out of the country (this was the NY-Bahama itinerary). ???? I used this card on every single cruise, never informed the bank and never had a problem. Well, anyway, they unblocked the card and no more problem. (I did have a letter from guest services when I went back to my cabin.)

 

I wondered what would have happened if I didn't have another card or cash and for some reason couldn't clear it with the bank.

 

I guess the worst case scenario is that I couldn't put any expense on my account....and since the DSC is "optional" they can't make me pay for something optional.

 

You can't board the ship if your fare/port charges aren't paid in full. And they should being charging "extras" if there's no "method of payment" attached to the account. So, I'd think there wouldn't be a problem.

 

What I don't understand is why my card wasn't blocked at embarkation. Suppose I bought that watch the first evening?

Then whose fault is it that they accepted a "bad card"?

[April42749]

It is not a matter of nickel and dime that you object to and further more all cruise lines have the same policy. You will be required to have a certain amount of money in your account, either cash or using a card. So either plan on not cruising or plan on giving either cash or using a card. How in the world can you call this nickel and diming?

 

As mentioned you will be able to board but you will not be able to leave the ship period and on debarkation morning, the ship will insist all accounts be paid. So, if you want to give this a try, make a scene, and hold up others be my guest. I do wonder what lines you have cruised if you are not aware of this policy.

 

Let's be logical here. How can they make you pay if you don't have the money? I assume they can make you take an "NCL Loan" and not allow you to book another cruise until the loan is paid off. But, they can't break your knees or dump you in the ocean.

[sanger727]

Let's be logical here. How can they make you pay if you don't have the money? I assume they can make you take an "NCL Loan" and not allow you to book another cruise until the loan is paid off. But, they can't break your knees or dump you in the ocean.

 

 

 

Same as if you went to a restaurant; ordered food, and then refused to pay. Or jumping in a taxi and refusing to pay your fare. It’s theft. Can be criminally charged.

 

As far as the OPs questions; the service charge will be the issue. Until you request it to be removed (if you are set in doing that), it will be charged. So you can’t have ‘no’ account. You may or may not be able to get away with setting up a cash account with no deposit. But if you are, once they start charging the service charge you can expect to be hounded for cash.

 

If you don’t drink or plan to spend, that’s your choice. But do keep in mind that cash (outside of extra tips and the casino) and credit cards are not accepted at onboard. So something as simple a latte or cup of soda will require you to charge to your onboard account.

 

 

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[CruisinHarvey]

Must be your first cruise. Good way to start! All main stream lines charge a daily service fee. If creating an account is a real problem for you, it would be much easier to cancel your cruise. They won't let on without one. Maybe you could just go to a nice land based resort and not pay the resort fees.

[April42749]

If they don't produce a card or cash I would think that they would be denied boarding.

[KeithJenner]

If they don't produce a card or cash I would think that they would be denied boarding.

 

 

 

Cash accounts are set up at guest services, so they will certainly get aboard.

 

 

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[hawkeyetlse]

What I don't understand is why my card wasn't blocked at embarkation. Suppose I bought that watch the first evening?

Then whose fault is it that they accepted a "bad card"?

When they swipe the card at check-in, I don't know if they already ask for a certain amount to be authorized, or if that only happens when you start charging things on board. But even if they did run an authorization at embarkation, you weren't out of the country yet, so the card wasn't bad at that point… :)

 

In my experience the ship's charges always say they are from Miami, so I don't see why they would be flagged as foreign transactions by an American credit card company anyway. But I suppose it's easy enough for them to figure out that the charges are coming from a cruise ship.

[txagfan]

So you would be OK if the cruise was several hundred dollars higher (perhaps even more) so you get charged for everything on board whether you use it or not rather than have a reasonable fare and then only pay for what you actually use?

 

 

 

As far as the DSC goes I guess you would be OK if the fare was $13.99 a day higher per person and they got rid of the DSC? The use of a DSC is merely an accounting issue to segregate and isolate funds for crew welfare. It is 100% irrelevant if it is paid as part of a higher daily fare or separately in the form of the DSC. There is no difference at all between paying a cruise fare of $100 a day plus a $13 a day DSC -or- paying a cruise fare of $113 per day and no DSC. Your point does not hold water.

 

 

 

It’s not an accounting issue and more of a marketing and pricing strategy issue. If all of a sudden NCL added $13 per person per day to their fares they would appear less competitive on pricing compared to say Carnival or RCI who would continue to charge that amount separately and on board. Travel companies are notorious for this and it’s why you see it elsewhere in hotels, rental cars, airlines, etc as well.

 

 

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[nissach]

Funny how everyone (or most) assume he does not want to pay the service charge even though he said he will. He is just not wanting to leave his credit card information as payment. He will likely have to put down some cash on his account unless he has OBC.

[boatseller]

This isn't that complicated. Just request a cash account, no credit card required.

Then once on board request the Daily Service Charge be removed which should be accommodated.

Then tip the handful of crew you interact with.

Finally, cope with the fact that you have shortchanged all of the back-of-house staff that are paid from the pool.

 

Note, there is no way to pay cash for anything on board.

[KeithJenner]

Funny how everyone (or most) assume he does not want to pay the service charge even though he said he will. He is just not wanting to leave his credit card information as payment. He will likely have to put down some cash on his account unless he has OBC.

 

 

 

The OP has said that he want to pay gratuities himself. He doesn’t want to pay anything via his account. It’s not an assumption that they don’t want to pay the DSC, it’s basically what they have said.

 

I may have misunderstood, but haven’t assumed.

 

Where have they said they will pay the DSC?

 

 

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Edited January 16, 2018 by KeithJenner

[jackcat16]

Question to the OP. You have listed you’ve been on 8 previous cruises. How did you set up your account in the past?