DEBIT CARD WHILE SAILING

[closecruiser]

My 18 year old neighbor is going on a cruise with another girls family.   She does not have a credit card and asked me how a debit card would work.   I have no idea because we always use a credit card.    Or what is the cash option.   It’s a 4 night cruise.     I told her I would try to get answers for her.  
Thanks.  

[Ashland]

Have her do a cash acct...avoid using a Debit Card...The hold they put on these may not work out as the best option for her.

[BennyBrun]

Definitely use a cash account option.  Do not use debit card that ties into your checking account.   When you make a charge above the $100.00 pre authorization they initially put on, the put a hold for everything you charge, then at the end of the cruise they charge the entire amount.  The previous holds will eventually drop off … keyword is eventually!!!  So cash account is best even if you have to use the ATM on the ship.

[closecruiser]

10 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Have her do a cash acct...avoid using a Debit Card...The hold they put on these may not work out as the best option for her.

 

10 minutes ago, Ashland said:

Have her do a cash acct...avoid using a Debit Card...The hold they put on these may not work out as the best option for her.

Does she have to put a certain amount of cash up front?

 

[Biker19]

15 minutes ago, closecruiser said:

 Or what is the cash option.

Use the cash option (you can charge up to $300 before you need to pay it down) to start and settle the account on the last night with her debit card.

[BennyBrun]

This is from Royal Caribbean 

 

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/aus/en/faq/questions/how-much-money-should-i-put-as-a-deposit?country=AUS

[Mr. Green]

DO NOT USE A DEBIT CARD. I don't know if its an option, but what about a VISA Cash Card or VISA Gift Card? Don't know if that would work.

[closecruiser]

37 minutes ago, Mr. Green said:

DO NOT USE A DEBIT CARD. I don't know if its an option, but what about a VISA Cash Card or VISA Gift Card? Don't know if that would work.

I told her debit was not a good idea.   Not sure if you can use visa cash card or not.   

[Tee & Chilli]

Never use a debit card while cruising or for a rental car.

[rudeney]

Those "git cards" won't work, either.  When they put the hold on them, it still ties up the money on the card.  Some of those also take a long time to re-enable funds availability after the merchant has released the hold.  This "float" is how they make more money on the gift cards than the initial $4-$5 issuance fee.

 

If this young person could get an actual credit card, that would be better.  Maybe a parent could co-sign?  A traditional AMEX card might be best so it does not have a revolving balance and may also have a higher credit limit.

[BirdTravels]

3 hours ago, closecruiser said:

My 18 year old neighbor is going on a cruise with another girls family.   She does not have a credit card and asked me how a debit card would work.   I have no idea because we always use a credit card.    Or what is the cash option.   It’s a 4 night cruise.     I told her I would try to get answers for her.  
Thanks.  

Like a credit card, the cruise line will be continually running authorizations which will tie up her money until her bank releases it. A cash account would be the way to go. 

 

Prepay as much as possible. 

 

She could even put down some refundable OBC to minimize any cash transactions on the ship. 

[ladysail2]

I rarely set up a credit card account. As soon as I board, I go to Guest Services and give them about $200 in a Cash Account. They give me a receipt. I prepay most of everything….gratuities, gifts, soda, and anything else I can prepay.  I keep all my receipts for any ship purchases, drinks, etc. and double check my cash account from time to time…just in case. 
If I do spend beyond the $200, I can still settle my bill with my credit card, or with more cash.  
 

I’ve never had that problem of being charged after I leave the ship either, as some people have had.

[bigque]

I have used a debit card on every cruise I have ever been on since 2008 and never had a problem! 

Edited May 12, 2022 by bigque

[crazyank]

1 hour ago, bigque said:

I have used a debit card on every cruise I have ever been on since 2008 and never had a problem! 

then you have been very very lucky

[FamilyCruiserUK]

We arefrom the uk. We always use a debt card and never had any issues. Including cruises from america. 

 

In fact only issue we had is the hotel trying to put it through as a credit card and not a debt card so they said card was declined. Told them its a credit card and went through first time. 

 

We dont own a credit cards.