Do I have to give my credit card details.

[Evange]

We have onboard credit of $400 which I plan to use for drinks etc as not buying a drinks package. Can we board without giving a debit card and add it later if we run out of onboard credit, or is it compulsory. 

Also can the 14 yr old use the onboard credit via her card if the amounts of onboard credit are in the names of the two adults only. Is it a room use or personal thing. Ant to make sure she can buy a soft drink if she wants to.  Thanks

[windsor26]

11 minutes ago, Evange said:

We have onboard credit of $400 which I plan to use for drinks etc as not buying a drinks package. Can we board without giving a debit card and add it later if we run out of onboard credit, or is it compulsory. 

Also can the 14 yr old use the onboard credit via her card if the amounts of onboard credit are in the names of the two adults only. Is it a room use or personal thing. Ant to make sure she can buy a soft drink if she wants to.  Thanks

No you do not need to  and they charge for credit cards not debit cards   You just tell them you will be paying in cash.    Not sure about the 14 year old  someone else who had one may be able to assist

[arxcards]

Even with OBC, you may need to establish an account on the ship by adding extra cash to your account at guest services - but you do not need to register a credit/debit card. Your 14yo will be able to spend via your account, so make sure you set boundaries.

[OzKiwiJJ]

I'm fairly certain you have to have a credit card on your account before the cruise starts, at least on Princess you do. But after boarding you can remove the credit card and just put cash (in advance) on your onboard account. The cruise line will remind you to top it up when it runs low.

 

Personally I would not use a debit card - the cruise lines, like most hospitality places, put holds on the card to ensure you have funds to cover your spending. At the end of the cruise they debit the card but the holds can take several days to come off - it's a bank issue. This means you need to have twice the amount you expect to spend in your bank account or credit card limit.

[Jean C]

Hi, as regards Princess, the OBC is divided equally between the first two passengers on the booking, so it will go to the two adults. You will need to buy drinks on behalf of your daughter in order for the cost to come off the OBC. You can block her from incurring any costs on the debit/credit card you use, she'll just have to hunt you down if there's anything she wants to buy. If you're sailing Princess and the on board currency is AUD, if you go a little over your OBC amount, bear in mind that you can pay AUD cash onto your account, including coins. 

[Evange]

Thanks all. I should have mentioned it’s P and O Pacific Adventure.

 

Only a few days away now. I can’t believe how much you need to organise and double check to go on a cruise. Our first cruise we had onboard credit but I didn’t know what it was and didn’t spend it. Duh. You slowly learn. 

[possum52]

7 hours ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

I'm fairly certain you have to have a credit card on your account before the cruise starts, at least on Princess you do. But after boarding you can remove the credit card and just put cash (in advance) on your onboard account. The cruise line will remind you to top it up when it runs low.

 

Personally I would not use a debit card - the cruise lines, like most hospitality places, put holds on the card to ensure you have funds to cover your spending. At the end of the cruise they debit the card but the holds can take several days to come off - it's a bank issue. This means you need to have twice the amount you expect to spend in your bank account or credit card limit.

We use both credit and debit cards for cruises and hotels/motels and have had more holds on our credit cards than our debit cards.

[MicCanberra]

They will need a hold on a card or a certain amount of cash, you will also need to link every one in the room to the account.

[Evange]

9 hours ago, MicCanberra said:

They will need a hold on a card or a certain amount of cash, you will also need to link every one in the room to the account.

Does the onboard credit of $400 not count as cash? So you mean I must add a card in any case. Not sure how to link all the room to the account either.

[NSWP]

Having done many cruises mainly Princess, a credit card or debit card has to be registered.

[Muffinz]

We had to add in a credit card on the Princess site for our December 2024 cruise.... we were unable to complete the check in process online without registering a valid credit card

 

from memory with Celebrity cruises in 2018 they took our CC details at the Sydney OPT as we were in the queue to board the ship

[Evange]

Thanks all. Ok I better do it. Will add my virtual Wise card

[Jean C]

3 hours ago, Evange said:

Not sure how to link all the room to the account either.

Easily done by Guest Services once on board 🙂

[ceeceeDee]

1 hour ago, Jean C said:

Easily done by Guest Services once on board 🙂

Just a tip. Go to Guest Services the instant you get on board. If you're lucky you'll miss the queue.🙄

[Evange]

Have added the child to the permissions. Am still unsure whether if she buys a drink with her card if the amount will come off the onboard credit P and O gave us or because it doesn’t show in her name it will be charged to my card. 

[ceeceeDee]

1 minute ago, Evange said:

Have added the child to the permissions. Am still unsure whether if she buys a drink with her card if the amount will come off the onboard credit P and O gave us or because it doesn’t show in her name it will be charged to my card. 

A question for Guest Services, perhaps? Unless one of our very knowledgeable CC contributors can shed any light. We haven't actually travelled with children in tow. Our adult son accompanied us a few years back, but his booking was entirely his own responsibility. Just as well. He REALLY enjoyed the cocktails. 😂

[arxcards]

If everyone in the cabin is linked to the same account, all the charges and OBC reconciles to the account holder. I believe whatever you child spends will end up against the main account holder, and be offset with the OBC.

 

But, even with a wadd of OBC, I have found they like to take a nibble with a hold to ensure the account will have funds should they need to charge it during/at the end of the cruise. The hold isn't an actual charge, but will reduce your available balance/credit until it expires. 

[rkmw]

With Carnival when you do your online check in 14 days or 16 days for platinum and above you don’t need to supply debit/credit cards if you nominate a cash account and that would be the same if you have a heap of OBC

 

another thing if people don’t know with Carnival if you have a heap of OBC you can pre pay your internet , drink package, excursions etc before cruise day 

[Mycruiseobsession]

On 9/23/2024 at 11:40 AM, Evange said:

We have onboard credit of $400 which I plan to use for drinks etc as not buying a drinks package. Can we board without giving a debit card and add it later if we run out of onboard credit, or is it compulsory. 

Also can the 14 yr old use the onboard credit via her card if the amounts of onboard credit are in the names of the two adults only. Is it a room use or personal thing. Ant to make sure she can buy a soft drink if she wants to.  Thanks

 

We travel with kids, now teens.

 

Never given my credit card on P&O. Used pay as I go at reception.

 

As for kids I always get their accounts separated and ask them to allocate an amount  for obc and or cash top ups.

 

I never ever allow them to have their account linked to mine!! Never! 

 

Reception (Guest Services) are usually  pretty understanding.

 

Also If you go on a ship that has an arcade attached to the casino make sure you put a block on them giving the kids credit - we learnt this the hardway and little miss had rung up an arcade debt!

 

Happy sailing.

 

Edited yesterday at 03:32 AM by Mycruiseobsession

[Evange]

Oh I never thought of arcade games. Wonder if I can get back in and edit change the card to cash. 

[Mycruiseobsession]

@Evange you can change it anytime. And as per above the guest services (Reception) can split  the accounts and cards anyway you like once you board.

 

You also then need to specify at the Casino not to give your kids any "cash in advance" They did this twice to ours and I was so annoyed. It was $50 that I then had to shell out even though they only had kids cash only accounts and not linked to ours!

 

But now we sort that all out as soon as we board and problem solved.

 

And yes there's  so many opportunities for the kids to clock up their cards if you give them free reign. Lollies, chocolates, arcade, ice cream... it goes on.

 

**I am sure there are plenty of kids that can be "trusted" but I do not have those kids 🤣 The temptation is just all too easy when they can't  see its  "real" money.

Edited 19 hours ago by Mycruiseobsession

[Evange]

Thanks all. Never thought of any such pitfalls. Last time we took her she was little on the famed Ruby Princess  but now a teen so we thought to give her some autonomy. 
 

I still have to pack! All my plans of being packed a week ahead, whoosh gone. Waste of time watching you tube videos on how to pack. Did exactly what I always do and fill the cases with the jump on to close method. If I had time would repack. 

[ceeceeDee]

10 hours ago, Evange said:

Thanks all. Never thought of any such pitfalls. Last time we took her she was little on the famed Ruby Princess  but now a teen so we thought to give her some autonomy. 
 

I still have to pack! All my plans of being packed a week ahead, whoosh gone. Waste of time watching you tube videos on how to pack. Did exactly what I always do and fill the cases with the jump on to close method. If I had time would repack. 

About the only thing I took away from the 'how to pack' brigade (years ago) was to roll clothes rather than fold. I even do this in the 'real' world. Marvellous how much more I can fit into the chest of drawers without crushing anything. 🙂

[Muffinz]

2 hours ago, ceeceeDee said:

About the only thing I took away from the 'how to pack' brigade (years ago) was to roll clothes rather than fold. I even do this in the 'real' world. Marvellous how much more I can fit into the chest of drawers without crushing anything. 🙂

My wife swears by 'packing cubes' and used them every time - keeps her clothes organised

 

I'm more of an 'open the suitcase and chuck everything in and hope it all fits' kind of guy 😁

[arxcards]

Packing cubes are great for disorganised packers. They also add weight.