Travel notice for credit card

[fresnel468]

I've never given notice for cruise travel originating in the US and never had an issue.    Recently though, I've had the CC companies notify me that they have automatically applied the alert if they see a charge related to international air travel.   They haven't done that for a cruise related charge.  

 

 

[RWolver672]

It's definitely true that each bank is different.  Our credit union card wants to know date leaving and returning plus where we will stop.  Our AMEX doesn't want to know.  Our debit card from our local bank that we don't use but take just in case wants to know exactly what dates we will be in what ports.

 

We learned our lessen a few years back when we moved our son to another state.  At that time, we had a Bank Of America VISA and bought a lot of things for his new apartment.  We got a call from our son that was still at home saying BOA called and wanted to speak to us immediately.  I called and they said that we were supposed to let them know when we were using the card in a not normal for us place.  Lesson learned.  Now I call the account holders ahead of time. 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, RWolver672 said:

It's definitely true that each bank is different.  Our credit union card wants to know date leaving and returning plus where we will stop.  Our AMEX doesn't want to know.  Our debit card from our local bank that we don't use but take just in case wants to know exactly what dates we will be in what ports.

 

We learned our lessen a few years back when we moved our son to another state.  At that time, we had a Bank Of America VISA and bought a lot of things for his new apartment.  We got a call from our son that was still at home saying BOA called and wanted to speak to us immediately.  I called and they said that we were supposed to let them know when we were using the card in a not normal for us place.  Lesson learned.  Now I call the account holders ahead of time. 

And it can never hurt to make the call. If it was necessary and not made, there could be problems. If it wasn't necessary and you made the call, no big deal, it only cost you some minimal amount of time.

[hotsauce126]

For the most part their fraud systems are sophisticated enough that you don't have to do this anymore

[Sabalon]

Had no problems abroad.  

Had problems in Florida - was at the cruise port and had an email from Bank of America about a $280 payment.  Had no idea what it was and started asking more like a vendor, etc. and the rep said it was an BoA ATM in ???, Fl, right after a purchase a a publix in the same city.   That was a cash withdrawal I made - don't know why they called it a payment or purchase.  

And then, our Sail and Sign card came back that BoA did not authorize the additional hold they put on it so we switched it to another card.  In port the next day, had service and checked and plenty of funds there.    I guess they really didn't want me spending money in Florida!  

[ontheweb]

On a land trip once, we were told at a museum that our card was rejected. I called the 800 number to make sure the cc company still  knew where we were. Not only did they know, they said the charge at the museum had been authorized. When I explained that we had not been admitted, they said that the charge would be rescinded the following Monday. (This happened on a weekend.) 

[wheezedr]

On 6/29/2019 at 4:00 AM, ontheweb said:

And it can never hurt to make the call. If it was necessary and not made, there could be problems. If it wasn't necessary and you made the call, no big deal, it only cost you some minimal amount of time.

The rule I always follow. No downside to doing the notifications even if “not needed”.

[clo]

On 6/17/2019 at 9:48 AM, riffatsea said:

I don't notify them if I am just using the card on the ship!!

 

We did a cruise in March on a Norwegian line, Hurtigruten.  All our charges on and off the ship were in Norwegian kroner.

[clo]

On 6/29/2019 at 2:52 AM, RWolver672 said:

It's definitely true that each bank is different.  Our credit union card wants to know date leaving and returning plus where we will stop.  Our AMEX doesn't want to know.  Our debit card from our local bank that we don't use but take just in case wants to know exactly what dates we will be in what ports.

 

We learned our lessen a few years back when we moved our son to another state.  At that time, we had a Bank Of America VISA and bought a lot of things for his new apartment.  We got a call from our son that was still at home saying BOA called and wanted to speak to us immediately.  I called and they said that we were supposed to let them know when we were using the card in a not normal for us place.  Lesson learned.  Now I call the account holders ahead of time. 

So you still have a landline?  Might be better if you gave them your cell phone #.

[riffatsea]

@clo,

I would assume that you had to go somewhere other than your home country to get onto that Hurtigruten ship. I would have definitely informed my bank if that was the case.

BTW my card does not charge fees for changing currency.

[clo]

6 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

BTW my card does not charge fees for changing currency.

I don't know what that means.  Are you saying, as an example, that you can ask your bank to get you Euros and there's no charge for that?

[riffatsea]

No, not for buying currency. IF I use my card to pay for something in a non USA currency the card does the currency exchange but does not charge a percent fee for doing that.

Many cards charge 3% if you use them in other countries.

I use my credit card to pay for large items when I travel abroad because that exchange rate is better than If I bought local currency and used it.

[clo]

16 minutes ago, riffatsea said:

No, not for buying currency. IF I use my card to pay for something in a non USA currency the card does the currency exchange but does not charge a percent fee for doing that.

Many cards charge 3% if you use them in other countries.

I use my credit card to pay for large items when I travel abroad because that exchange rate is better than If I bought local currency and used it.

Oh "foreign transaction fees."  Yeah, we've never paid those.

[navybankerteacher]

On 6/17/2019 at 1:00 PM, ishap said:

Most companies, if you have a chip card, only want notification if you are traveling out of the country.  Both of my major credit cards are this way so I only put on there if I leave the country.  Traveling anywhere within the US I have no issues.

Try coming from Connecticut and buying wine in Houston. We’ve had issues a couple of times.

[clo]

3 minutes ago, navybankerteacher said:

Try coming from Connecticut and buying wine in Houston. We’ve had issues a couple of times.

And you go from there to there occasionally?  Interesting.  I don't think we've ever done a notification for US travel.

[navybankerteacher]

6 minutes ago, clo said:

And you go from there to there occasionally?  Interesting.  I don't think we've ever done a notification for US travel.

A couple of times a year - usually one is Thanksgiving, and at Speck’s (huge liquor store - but then very little in Houston is not huge) we had credit card issues a couple of times.  

[clo]

1 minute ago, navybankerteacher said:

A couple of times a year - usually one is Thanksgiving, and at Speck’s (huge liquor store - but then very little in Houston is not huge) we had credit card issues a couple of times.  

Maybe the liquor purchase was way larger than usual.  We had that in Rio many years ago.  A big purchase.  But gratefully the vendor and we were there and it happened immediately so able to verify.

[Heidi13]

We haven't had to advise our bank about travel plans (Canada wide/US or International) for over 10 years.

 

Yes, before the introduction of PIN technology and subsequently tap/contactless, we had to provide an itinerary to our bank, but fortunately those days are long gone.We haven't advised our bank of travel plans for 10 years and have used Visa all across Canada/US and in many countries around the world, without an issue. We can even use tap/contactless purchases in other countries or across Canada, without issue.

 

Even with very large purchases in a number of other countries, they were approved without issue. Since we use a PIN for any purchase > $100/UKP35 , it might only be an issue with cards that don't have chip/pin technology. When crossing the line to the US, we get used to signing Visa receipts again, but I note that recent trips to WA, some vendors now have terminals that accept a PIN.

 

I suspect this issue is mainly with US cards, as I have had both Canadian & UK cards with no issue, 

 

[RWolver672]

9 hours ago, clo said:

So you still have a landline?  Might be better if you gave them your cell phone #.

 

Yes we do and I don't like giving my cell phone number unless absolutely necessary to avoid getting telemarketer calls.  It's bad enough that we get them on the land line.  And I'm not attached to my cell phone like a lot of people are.

[ontheweb]

11 hours ago, wheezedr said:

The rule I always follow. No downside to doing the notifications even if “not needed”.

Exactly. No downside, but possibility of problem averted.

[nascarcruiser]

We never contact the credit card companies anymore.   Last time I contacted the 2 we use was told it was not necessary 

[hallux]

For travel within the US, I'm not sure I've ever notified the CC company (though I'm probably younger than many of you).  For travel outside the US, absolutely.  In fact - I made the calls while in port at the last US port on my last cruise, before going to Canada.  The agents were happy to take the notification, no "you don't need to tell us, sir".

[Underwatr]

The banks' anti-fraud routines look at whether a given use pattern is typical for a particular customer. I try to maintain a typical use pattern that includes travel without notification. We just returned from a 3 week trip, didn't have any issues.