Credit card holds

[MrmrsSteelman]

We leave in 15 days for our first cruise!! We are not credit card people. We have one with a $500 limit, that I have attached to our acct with NCL. Will that be enough? I plan to cash out with cash at the end.

[GeezerCouple]

21 minutes ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

We leave in 15 days for our first cruise!! We are not credit card people. We have one with a $500 limit, that I have attached to our acct with NCL. Will that be enough? I plan to cash out with cash at the end.

 

It depends what you are spending.

 

If you come close to that $500 limit (including obligatory charges like gratuities if not paid in advance), the they will either cut off your ability to purchase anything OR you could deposit some cash, and thus free up that amount to charge to your keycard.

GC

[MrmrsSteelman]

We have $150 on board spending, and besides maybe margaritaville,  I don’t see us spending much. We have specialty dining pkg and beverage pkg. 

[BirdTravels]

Have you prepaid everything? Daily service charge? Shore ex? Beverage? Dining? Shows?

 

if so, then your on board charges will be zero and your card may be ok. Not sure how much the run as an initial authorization on your card. 

 

If you set up a cash account from the start, the cruise line asks for $300 per person at checkin. 

 

[MrmrsSteelman]

20 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

Have you prepaid everything? Daily service charge? Shore ex? Beverage? Dining? Shows?

 

if so, then your on board charges will be zero and your card may be ok. Not sure how much the run as an initial authorization on your card. 

 

If you set up a cash account from the start, the cruise line asks for $300 per person at checkin. 

 

What is shorex? We have only booked free shows and only plan on doing the 3 specialty dining that’s included except maybe margaritaville. We have $150 of obc, so we planned to put most that towards the service charge and then pay cash for the rest at the end. 

[Oakman58]

2 hours ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

We leave in 15 days for our first cruise!! We are not credit card people. We have one with a $500 limit, that I have attached to our acct with NCL. Will that be enough? I plan to cash out with cash at the end.

 

You do have a credit card with a good line of credit to take with you for an emergency don’t you?  Things can and do happen on cruises that might require a trip to the hospital, med clinic, dentist, etc., in a foreign port.  While it’s rare, poop happens.  What's that old saying, "Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst."

[esm54687]

1 hour ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

What is shorex? We have only booked free shows and only plan on doing the 3 specialty dining that’s included except maybe margaritaville. We have $150 of obc, so we planned to put most that towards the service charge and then pay cash for the rest at the end. 

Shorex = Shore Excursion 

[MrmrsSteelman]

We did not book any excursions through the ship.

[Langoustine]

If anything happens to you medically off the ship, you may need access to a great deal of money upfront before you will be treated. A credit card with a high limit is ideal for this.

[Skipper305]

4 hours ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

What is shorex? We have only booked free shows and only plan on doing the 3 specialty dining that’s included except maybe margaritaville. We have $150 of obc, so we planned to put most that towards the service charge and then pay cash for the rest at the end. 

If your OBC is the non-refundable type, which is the most common, it can’t be used for the daily service charge.

Edited December 23, 2018 by Skipper305

[don't-use-real-name]

It would be of great help to pay that DSC in advance since you can't use the OBC for that payment.

 

Did you take out an insurance policy ?

May reduce the charges against that credit card in case of an unexpected incident.

 

Sorry there is a bit more here than meets the eye in cruising -

not just as simple as buying a ticket and going for a ride -

there will be fees taxes port stuff that is included in the cruise fare

and then the DSC which is not - so have a little cushion against

those unexpected unexplained fees and charges.

As a side note make sure you leave a little on the side for tips

to those that have performed a service to you worthy of such.

The DSC covers the basics.

[casofilia]

Personally I would put down an excessive sum of cash at the beginning of the cruise.  Because you have done that they will refund, in cash, any excess the penultimate evening.  Your card has no use at all in that case.

[newmexicoNita]

5 hours ago, casofilia said:

Personally I would put down an excessive sum of cash at the beginning of the cruise.  Because you have done that they will refund, in cash, any excess the penultimate evening.  Your card has no use at all in that case.

I was thinking the same thing: $500 isn't a much large sum of money. As for how much the end of the cruise account will be, that is one thing: as for only $500 limit could be another. 

[roscoe123]

I would put down cash at the beginning.

[MrmrsSteelman]

Our travel agent said we could use the $150 for the serv charges.

[don't-use-real-name]

25 minutes ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

Our travel agent said we could use the $150 for the serv charges.

Was the TA the one providing the $150 OBC ?

NCL OBC is non-refundable and can not be used to pay or reduce the DSC.

The TA OBC however is a different creature - it also may be non-refundable -

but if your TA is stating that it can be used against the DSC so be it - it is his OBC ! 

[MrmrsSteelman]

I think I will call our TA and NCL and see what they say. I just checked with my husband and our cc is actually $700, we had just put the hotel for the night before on it, but that will get paid in the next couple days, so we’ll be back to $700.  

[GeezerCouple]

8 minutes ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

I think I will call our TA and NCL and see what they say. I just checked with my husband and our cc is actually $700, we had just put the hotel for the night before on it, but that will get paid in the next couple days, so we’ll be back to $700.  

 

Do you have "enough" credit "just in case" something goes wrong, and you *need* medical care (or some other emergency)?

That's what several of us have been asking about.

 

Even if you have travel/medical insurance, most policies reimburse you later; you need to front the money at the time of service.

 

Or some weird reason to need to get home sooner, with last minute flights being much more expensive, and from "who knows where"...

GC

[Peachypooh]

When I was in the Bahamas a couple of years ago I got to talking to the taxi driver.

He said that there were two types of hospitals on the island. One public and one private.

He also said that to access the private hospital they ask for cash up front. I believe he said

$500 before they will see you. This kind of stuck in my mind as in all probability other countries

might be the same way. So take from that what you will. A credit card with a high limit is

helpful but I guess in some instances cash would be essential. And to answer your question I would

pre-load your account on the first day with cash to be on the safe side.

[GeezerCouple]

1 minute ago, Peachypooh said:

When I was in the Bahamas a couple of years ago I got to talking to the taxi driver.

He said that there were two types of hospitals on the island. One public and one private.

He also said that to access the private hospital they ask for cash up front. I believe he said

$500 before they will see you. This kind of stuck in my mind as in all probability other countries

might be the same way. So take from that what you will. A credit card with a high limit is

helpful but I guess in some instances cash would be essential. And to answer your question I would

pre-load your account on the first day with cash to be on the safe side.

 

That varies from locale to locale, but captures the situation.

 

However, in such an event (medical emergency), there is a huge difference between having a wad of cash (lots!) or a high-limit credit card, vs. moderate cash and a low-limit credit card.

 

$500 might get one "seen", but depending upon exact medical emergency (set a broken arm, vs. surgery needed, etc.), might not be "enough" for care needed.  And overseas hospitals may not have the same "emergency care must be provided regardless of ability to pay" that we are usually accustomed to here in the USA.

 

I landed in a charity hospital overseas a few years ago; I was too sick to ask where I was being taken; DH didn't think to ask (NOW he understands!).  It "worked" (I'm still typing ), but NEVER AGAIN *if* there is any choice (and that time, there were very nice private hospitals... *now* we know!).

GC

[MrmrsSteelman]

10 minutes ago, GeezerCouple said:

 

Do you have "enough" credit "just in case" something goes wrong, and you *need* medical care (or some other emergency)?

That's what several of us have been asking about.

 

Even if you have travel/medical insurance, most policies reimburse you later; you need to front the money at the time of service.

 

Or some weird reason to need to get home sooner, with last minute flights being much more expensive, and from "who knows where"...

GC

We do not, and unfortunately we leave in 14 days so kind of late now. We do have a savings acct, so I suppose that would be our back up. This is our first cruise, I guess we didn’t really think about a high limit cc card, because we don’t use them in our normal life. We do plan on taking a larger sum of cash. I guess in all my research for this trip, I read bring cash..but nothing said anything about a large cc. 

[GeezerCouple]

10 minutes ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

We do not, and unfortunately we leave in 14 days so kind of late now. We do have a savings acct, so I suppose that would be our back up. This is our first cruise, I guess we didn’t really think about a high limit cc card, because we don’t use them in our normal life. We do plan on taking a larger sum of cash. I guess in all my research for this trip, I read bring cash..but nothing said anything about a large cc. 

 

Can you get your credit limit raised?  If it's your local bank, they may even be able to raise it more, given your bank balance (or at least for this trip).

 

Getting access to money in a "bank account" in an emergency... "time may be of the essence".  Can you pre-pay a hefty balance to up the limit?

 

Do you have travel insurance?

Have you read the Travel Insurance sub-forum here on CC?

Chances are very good you will not have an emergency.  But prudent planning includes "what if", especially those that might involve life or limb.

 

Chances are things will be absolutely fine!

But don't keep rolling the dice.

 

Happy Holidays!

 

GC

[Oakman58]

15 minutes ago, MrmrsSteelman said:

We do not, and unfortunately we leave in 14 days so kind of late now. We do have a savings acct, so I suppose that would be our back up. This is our first cruise, I guess we didn’t really think about a high limit cc card, because we don’t use them in our normal life. We do plan on taking a larger sum of cash. I guess in all my research for this trip, I read bring cash..but nothing said anything about a large cc. 

 

You might check with your bank or credit union to see if they can issue a credit card to you quickly.  I know my credit union can issue a card at the facility the next day after applying.  If it really is too late to get a credit card than don’t worry about it, go on your cruise and enjoy it.  The chances of actually needing that credit card are pretty slim.  However, if you enjoy your cruise and plan to take another cruise in the future than I would apply for that credit card when you return.  As I said before, “hope for the best, but plan for the worst.”

[cb at sea]

There is no reason you can't simply do a  "cash account"...totally allowed, and you won't have to worry about "holds" on your credit card.  With a low-limit, it can affect any shoreside spending you may want to use your card for...or for an "emergency" for which you may need that card!

 

Just leave the credit card info blank...and when you board the ship, put a couple hundred onto your account.  If you run low, they will notify you and you can add more.  There is a safe in the cabin to store cash and valuables.

[ray98]

Do a cash account and leave the CC for am emergency although it won't get you far with that low of a limit.