Credit Card - Pin Required?

[jkburns]

Greetings. MSC newbie here sailing on the Seaside in November. I need to "register" my credit card within the first day, and MSC states a PIN number will be required. Does that apply to a credit card? (I know it will apply for a debit card).

 

Thanks for your assistance, and any other helpful hints.

 

Kevin

Edited September 18, 2019 by jkburns

[SirWolf]

I registered my USA (Visa) credit card without PIN. The majority of credit cards issued in the USA don’t even come with a PIN. In Europe you need to sign when using your USA credit card. I would never use my debit card outside the USA.

[HLR]

1 hour ago, jkburns said:

Greetings. MSC newbie here sailing on the Seaside in November. I need to "register" my credit card within the first day, and MSC states a PIN number will be required. Does that apply to a credit card? (I know it will apply for a debit card).

 

Thanks for your assistance, and any other helpful hints.

 

Kevin

 

If you want to play it safe...contact your credit card company and you can register a pin. Then either way you'll have no problem. It's one of those things that people complain about and now that we are aware we can be prepared.

 

HLR

[SirWolf]

14 minutes ago, HLR said:

 

If you want to play it safe...contact your credit card company and you can register a pin. 

To which USA credit card companies are you referring ?  I called VISA and Mastercard repeatedly before traveling to Europe and always got the answer that the credit cards are Chip-and-Signature and don’t have a PIN.  

[BermudaBound2014]

43 minutes ago, HLR said:

 

If you want to play it safe...contact your credit card company and you can register a pin. Then either way you'll have no problem. It's one of those things that people complain about and now that we are aware we can be prepared.

 

HLR

 

I recommend this too ^

 

I called both my visa and mastercard and were given a pin so I was safe in Europe (and Canada btw). It seems only the USA does not require pins. Visa and mastercard are both familiar with the pin process and should be able to give you yours. Now, the caveat was that it could not be done over the phone. I needed to call and request, and wait for snail mail to deliver (security??). Anyway, start the process now, it's just safer to have pins when traveling as we were refused a visa card once in Van Couver without one and ended up paying cash.

[ziggyuk]

To be chip and pin compatible the card needs the gold chip on the front face, if the card does not have this it's not chip and pin compatible.

 

[gimletgal]

You do not need a PIN # when registering your credit card at one of the kiosks on MSC - at least not for the U.S. sailings - i. e. Seaside and Divina. I have sailed on both - no pin required!

[SirWolf]

55 minutes ago, ziggyuk said:

To be chip and pin compatible the card needs the gold chip on the front face, if the card does not have this it's not chip and pin compatible.

All USA credit cards have the chip in the meantime but still no PIN. Most USA credit cards are “Chip-and-Signature” and only very few are “Chip-and-PIN”. USA debit cards are different, they have a PIN.

[capriccio]

4 hours ago, SirWolf said:

To which USA credit card companies are you referring ?  I called VISA and Mastercard repeatedly before traveling to Europe and always got the answer that the credit cards are Chip-and-Signature and don’t have a PIN.  

 

Check with the bank issuing your card(s).  We were able to add a PIN on-line (very simple process) to our USAA Visa card before going to Europe this summer (and then we didn't need it anywhere).

[SirWolf]

6 minutes ago, capriccio said:

 

Check with the bank issuing your card(s). 

American Express , Discover and Chase (Visa) don’t offer Chip-and-Pin credit cards. That is unfortunate but I have called and done some research. But even without PIN the credit cards can be used with signature while traveling abroad.

[Host Jazzbeau]

When this chip and PIN thing first came up I took it to heart and got a Barclay Arrival card because it was one of the few in the US that is true chip and PIN [USAA is the other one I know of] and has no Foreign Transaction Fee [FTF].  But it's still a US card so it's programmed for chip and sign first, then chip and PIN only if that doesn't work.  So in almost every situation where I've used it in Europe, the waiter's portable machine has printed out a chit for me to sign.

 

You can also call the bank on most other US cards to add a PIN – but that is only for cash advances [at a usurious interest rate from the minute to get the cash].

 

The no-annual-fee Barclay Arrival mastercard is chip and PIN but only gives back 1%.  The CapitalOne Quicksilver visa is chip and sign and gives 1.5% with no annual fee or FTF.  Those are the two best foreign cards I have found.  [If you are a Costco member, Citi Costco visa gives 3% back on 'travel' expenses with no FTF, but they have a strict definition of 'travel' expenses that doesn't include travel insurance or day trips – it is great for cruises, airfare, and hotels.]

[sidari]

The pin number is usually for UK and Europe users.

[HLR]

14 hours ago, SirWolf said:

American Express , Discover and Chase (Visa) don’t offer Chip-and-Pin credit cards. That is unfortunate but I have called and done some research. But even without PIN the credit cards can be used with signature while traveling abroad.

 

I have a Chase visa with chip and I got a pin by calling and they snail mailed me a pin. When traveling 2 years ago I found that the Metro Card machines in Madrid at the airport required a pin and I had to use Euros to get that metro ticket. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, HLR said:

 

I have a Chase visa with chip and I got a pin by calling and they snail mailed me a pin. When traveling 2 years ago I found that the Metro Card machines in Madrid at the airport required a pin and I had to use Euros to get that metro ticket. 

 

Let us know if you're ever able to use that Chase visa PIN in a non-cash advance situation.  My understanding is that it isn't a real PIN for credit card charge purposes.

[SirWolf]

25 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Let us know if you're ever able to use that Chase visa PIN in a non-cash advance situation.  My understanding is that it isn't a real PIN for credit card charge purposes.

...exactly. That is what I’ve been told by Chase Bank (Visa credit card).

[lakelorain]

I have an American Airlines(Barclay Bank), Mastercard that allowed me to choose a pin when I applied for it early this year.

 

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 9/18/2019 at 2:29 PM, SirWolf said:

I registered my USA (Visa) credit card without PIN. The majority of credit cards issued in the USA don’t even come with a PIN. In Europe you need to sign when using your USA credit card. I would never use my debit card outside the USA.

 

A debit card can be a handy way to get local currency from an ATM.  But I also understand your caution and reluctance.  Our bank issued us a debit card specifically for travel purposes.  It was special in that it was not connected to our checking account.  We put $x dollars on it, and x was the limit to our risk.  And we could easily add money to it by doing an online transfer to it, but the card itself cannot trigger a transfer nor exceed the amount we allocate.  So there is still a little risk with respect to the $x dollars we put on it, but it doesn't act like an Open Sesame to my bank accounts the way a regular debit card does.

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 9/18/2019 at 8:45 PM, SirWolf said:

American Express , Discover and Chase (Visa) don’t offer Chip-and-Pin credit cards. That is unfortunate but I have called and done some research. But even without PIN the credit cards can be used with signature while traveling abroad.

 

Exactly.  This is basically a non-issue.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 minute ago, Toofarfromthesea said:

Exactly.  This is basically a non-issue.

 

Unless you rent a car and need to buy gas at night or pay a toll.

[HLR]

23 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Let us know if you're ever able to use that Chase visa PIN in a non-cash advance situation.  My understanding is that it isn't a real PIN for credit card charge purposes.

 

We'll find out! But then why would they send me a PIN number for my card in the mail and go through all of that if it is not going to work? Just to placate people? That would be Silly! But then....isn't that the world we live in!!!!

 

[Homosassa]

As a recent traveller to Europe, I can assure everyone that US credit cards are chip and PIN capable cards. While the PIN is not used at many locations in the USA, the cards can be used with a PIN.

 

Our Discover card has been that way for at least four years, and we both set up our Visa and Master cards with PINs.

 

If for some reason your card is so old that it does not have the new technology, call your card provider and ask that a replacement card be issued.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, HLR said:

We'll find out! But then why would they send me a PIN number for my card in the mail and go through all of that if it is not going to work? Just to placate people? That would be Silly! But then....isn't that the world we live in!!!!

 

You still don't understand.  The PIN is for cash advances – when you use this credit card at an ATM.  It's a very bad idea, because the bank charges you a high interest rate from the day you take the cash – as opposed to using a debit card at an ATM where they just take the cash from your own account.

[HLR]

26 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

You still don't understand.  The PIN is for cash advances – when you use this credit card at an ATM.  It's a very bad idea, because the bank charges you a high interest rate from the day you take the cash – as opposed to using a debit card at an ATM where they just take the cash from your own account.

 

You are sooooo right. I don't understand. 

 

I don't understand why the bank would send me a pin after I talked to a live person and explained exactly what I needed the card for...and NOT for cash advances.  That I needed the PIN for use in a Metrocard machine abroad and to register it for the cruise I was going on at a kiosk that on the cruise line's website says it will ask for a PIN. I could not have been clearer to the customer service person. I never do cash advances....ever. 

 

So you are right...I don't understand ---> Why the bank would waste my time giving me a "Fake" PIN.

 

 

Edited September 20, 2019 by HLR
removing sarcasm

[SirWolf]

CHASE Visa website clearly states that their “Chip-and-Pin” credit cards can NOT be used for purchases. CHASE calls it Cash-Advance-PIN and can only be used at ATM’s for cash advance.

 

...from CHASE website...

Where can I use my chip-enabled credit card globally?

Having a chip-enabled card allows you to use your card when traveling internationally because chip card readers are already standard in Canada, Mexico, South America, Europe and Asia. We also recommend that you carry an alternate method of payment, such as local currency, as a back up.

 

Can my cash advance PIN be used to make purchases?

No. Your cash advance PIN can only be used at the ATM.

 

Can I still use my chip-enabled credit card at an ATM?

Yes. You can continue to use your chip-enabled credit card at the ATM as you do today. ATMs are currently transitioning to the new chip reader capability. Chip-enabled ATMs will hold your card for the duration of the transaction — so always remember to take your card when finished.

[SirWolf]

I just got a giggle while reading the CHASE recommendation to “carry an alternate method of payment, such as local currency, as a backup”.

LOL !  Why travel with CHASE credit card in the first place ?  Just carry 5,000 Euro cash , a Rolex Submariner , a gold chain , DW’s diamond ring and I am all set for Europe. Maybe I can get a stylish man purse from CHASE with the imprint “CHASE... tradition beats technology”.