On board account / card payments

[newbie cruissy]

Hello, have been reading some posts elsewhere about P&O sending pending transactions each night to passengers bank accounts for the prior days on board spending. They then take the full payment at the end of the cruise, effective tying up double what you've spent until the bank removes the pending amounts (I know this is a banking issue NOT a P&O one) 

 

If I were to bring cash (yes, cash, in actual notes!!) on board and deposit that at the same time as giving a swipe of a card at embarkation , would they still send pending transactions to the card, or just deduct from the pre paid cash balance and on board credit? 

 

Also, could I make a debit card payment up front, or would it need to be actual cash in used £20's?!

Edited June 22, 2022 by newbie cruissy

[Mewat]

I register a credit card at embarkation but also take cash with me and just pay off some of the balance during the cruise.   I have heard of some people refusing to register a card at check-in because they want to pay in "real money", but you then have to go to reception and put some cash up front before you can start buying anything on board.  You would then have to keep your account in credit to enable you to keep spending.

 

Michele

[newbie cruissy]

8 minutes ago, Mewat said:

I register a credit card at embarkation but also take cash with me and just pay off some of the balance during the cruise.   I have heard of some people refusing to register a card at check-in because they want to pay in "real money", but you then have to go to reception and put some cash up front before you can start buying anything on board.  You would then have to keep your account in credit to enable you to keep spending.

 

Michele

I'm happy to go to reception and deposit say £400 in cash up front, I just could do with avoiding pending transactions hanging around on my bank card tying up what should be available funds once we are home. 

[david63]

You would not get any pre-authorisations until (a) you have used up any OBC that you have and (b) used up the cash that you have deposited.

 

One good thing that has resulted from Covid is the My Holiday app which allows you real time access to your onboard account so you would know exactly where your account stood at any given time.

Edited June 22, 2022 by david63

[newbie cruissy]

8 minutes ago, david63 said:

You would not get any pre-authorisations until (a) you have used up any OBC that you have and (b) used up the cash that you have deposited.

 

One good thing that has resulted from Covid is the My Holiday app which allows you real time access to your onboard account so you would know exactly where your account stood at any given time.

Great responses so far, thank you. Is it possible to make a deposit into the onboard account by card, or only by cash? 

[Vampiress88]

We used a credit card and it did have a pending transaction on each day like a pre authorisation. It showed as pending then few days after we were back it just showed the full amount taken. 
they couldn’t have taken double as it always showed the correct amount of credit available on my card. 

[newbie cruissy]

Just now, Vampiress88 said:

We used a credit card and it did have a pending transaction on each day like a pre authorisation. It showed as pending then few days after we were back it just showed the full amount taken. 
they couldn’t have taken double as it always showed the correct amount of credit available on my card. 

Thanks. The concern is that the pre authorised amounts don't always drop off on the same day the full amount is taken, thus tying up funds that should be available, and indeed become available once the pre authorisations go. In some cases this can take a week or 2, depending on the bank / card issuer. 

[majortom10]

Can honestly say after doing over 30 cruises with P&O and always using my credit card have never had any problems whatsoever with pre authorisations or them staying on my account after the final balance has been paid on last night of cruise.

[Palaceman]

1 hour ago, majortom10 said:

Can honestly say after doing over 30 cruises with P&O and always using my credit card have never had any problems whatsoever with pre authorisations or them staying on my account after the final balance has been paid on last night of cruise.

Whilst I've only done 9 cruises I have also never had any issues/problems whatsoever with any pre authorisations using a credit card. Before setting sail I always ensure any money I spend on board will not exceed my credit card limit. I keep a record of each purchase and if p & o's account is within £20 of my total, which has always been the case, it gets paid automatically, without me worrying about it. I will add that I have never felt the need to log in to my bank accounts when away from home.

[jeanlyon]

I have always used a credit card, so never had that problem.  I would always recommend that you use a credit card.  Pre-authorisations don't come into it.  Why on earth would you go to the bother of taking large chunks of cash?

[indiana123]

We use a debit card and have never had a problem.  Also the total amount has always been roughly what we thought.  

[david63]

1 hour ago, jeanlyon said:

Pre-authorisations don't come into it

Yes it does - even with a credit card.

[newbie cruissy]

3 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I have always used a credit card, so never had that problem.  I would always recommend that you use a credit card.  Pre-authorisations don't come into it.  Why on earth would you go to the bother of taking large chunks of cash?

In order to avoid having a period of time after the cruise, when the total bill has been paid, and the same amount is unavailable due to the pending restrictions. 

[Trevor Fountain]

4 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

I have always used a credit card, so never had that problem.  I would always recommend that you use a credit card.  Pre-authorisations don't come into it.  Why on earth would you go to the bother of taking large chunks of cash?

As a drug dealer I always take large chunks of cash, not many places take it anymore. 😉

[grapau27]

10 hours ago, newbie cruissy said:

Thanks. The concern is that the pre authorised amounts don't always drop off on the same day the full amount is taken, thus tying up funds that should be available, and indeed become available once the pre authorisations go. In some cases this can take a week or 2, depending on the bank / card issuer. 

I only realised after I put the app on my credit card and could see daily transactions in my notifications.

I have plenty of credit and always got a credit card statement at the end of the month so didn't realise this was happening previously with P&O.

I spoke to the credit card company and they said it happens with some companies and clears after 30 days.

It didn't affect me but it might well for some people especially if they used a debit card.

P&O took the full balance from my credit card company as soon as we got off the ship but all the pending payments were in my notifications until 30days after we got off the ship.

My available balance showed I still owed P&O.

Our cruise on Royal Caribbean in May did not have this issue.

25 P&O cruises 59 cruises completed.

 

[jeanlyon]

Yes exactly.  It's debit cards that have the problem, not credit cards.  there is a small authorisation of £1, but after that, nothing goes on the card until the end of the cruise.

[newbie cruissy]

52 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

Yes exactly.  It's debit cards that have the problem, not credit cards.  there is a small authorisation of £1, but after that, nothing goes on the card until the end of the cruise.

This is not the case, at least, not what I've been hearing from people's experience. And from @grapau27 above who says this was also an issue on their credit card. 

[Trevor Fountain]

7 hours ago, newbie cruissy said:

This is not the case, at least, not what I've been hearing from people's experience. And from @grapau27 above who says this was also an issue on their credit card. 

Yes, but presumably you pay your bills with your debit card/bank account. So by using a credit card on board ship, although it may still be subject to pre-authorisation that could last 30 days before being removed, it won't affect your bank balance.

Of course you need enough credit available on you credit card. I would say anyone who doesn't, and is going to be burdened by the use of their debit card, really needs to think carefully about the affordability of going on a holiday, particularly a cruise.

[david63]

9 hours ago, jeanlyon said:

nothing goes on the card until the end of the cruise

Yes it does - every night that there is a balance that balance will be pre-authorised. P&O actually say this.

 

Next cruise you are on I suggest that you check your CC account part way through the cruise and you will see them.

 

This has been happening for quite a few years - it is nothing new.

[newbie cruissy]

1 hour ago, Trevor Fountain said:

Yes, but presumably you pay your bills with your debit card/bank account. So by using a credit card on board ship, although it may still be subject to pre-authorisation that could last 30 days before being removed, it won't affect your bank balance.

Of course you need enough credit available on you credit card. I would say anyone who doesn't, and is going to be burdened by the use of their debit card, really needs to think carefully about the affordability of going on a holiday, particularly a cruise.

Thanks Trev, totally missing the point, a bit rude, quite snobby and presumptuous, but thanks 👍 

Edited June 23, 2022 by newbie cruissy

[terrierjohn]

On 6/22/2022 at 10:28 AM, newbie cruissy said:

Hello, have been reading some posts elsewhere about P&O sending pending transactions each night to passengers bank accounts for the prior days on board spending. They then take the full payment at the end of the cruise, effective tying up double what you've spent until the bank removes the pending amounts (I know this is a banking issue NOT a P&O one) 

 

If I were to bring cash (yes, cash, in actual notes!!) on board and deposit that at the same time as giving a swipe of a card at embarkation , would they still send pending transactions to the card, or just deduct from the pre paid cash balance and on board credit? 

 

Also, could I make a debit card payment up front, or would it need to be actual cash in used £20's?!

If you use a credit card they only make one holding charge of £1 which never actually gets charged.

[david63]

44 minutes ago, terrierjohn said:

If you use a credit card they only make one holding charge of £1 which never actually gets charged.

Sorry but that is not the case. P&O make a pre-authorisation for any outstanding balance each night and they clearly state this.

 

If you have not used all your OBC then you will only see the £1

[terrierjohn]

5 hours ago, david63 said:

Sorry but that is not the case. P&O make a pre-authorisation for any outstanding balance each night and they clearly state this.

 

If you have not used all your OBC then you will only see the £1

Ah ok, I need to spend more then.

[jeanlyon]

9 hours ago, david63 said:

Yes it does - every night that there is a balance that balance will be pre-authorised. P&O actually say this.

 

Next cruise you are on I suggest that you check your CC account part way through the cruise and you will see them.

 

This has been happening for quite a few years - it is nothing new.

I have checked it in the past and there hasn't been.

[jaydee6969]

34 minutes ago, jeanlyon said:

I have checked it in the past and there hasn't been.

 

I checked recently onboard Iona earlier this month, and multiple figures were reserved for P&O on our CC with the lower amount dropping off when a new nightly amount was added.  However these did not linger for more than a couple of days after we returned.