How much $$ to leave with Purser?

[mexico5]

Hi, after reading the thread about credit card conversions, etc.. I think we would like to leave money instead of using our credit card. Does anyone know how much minimum you have to leave? Or is it the amount you leave is the amount you are allowed to spend? I thought I read $300.00 cash somewhere, but was wondering. So we could leave $1,000 in cash or in US Travellers cheques right? If we did not use that amount, we just go and get it back at the end?

 

I just finished printing off our boarding pass and had to give a credit card number, but I am hoping this is not our automatic form of payment and that we can change it to cash once we get on?

 

Thanks for your help!

[LARGIN]

Leave the credit card stand and charge to it. At the end of the cruise tell the purser you want to pay cash instead of charging the final amount to the card.

[karen2cruz]

Hi Mexico5,

 

Largin is correct. However, we have found sometimes they put a hold on certain amounts throughout the cruise (and please dont use a debit card). So, we have put a credit card down but also given them what we think we will spend on account at the beginning with travelers checks- any shore excursions, soda cards, tips, budgeted photos, etc. We check our account daily, to make sure the amounts charged to the shipboard account are correct, only takes a minute (instead of waiting til the last day and then standing in a very long line).

 

This tends to make us spend more wisely and when we do go over (and we do-always something you just have to have)...the ending balance is not as big a shock. :)

 

Holland America has in thier passenger contract a suggested minimum if one chooses to pay in cash without a credit card, but could not find anything from Princess that was similar. Seem to remember it beiing $50-60 per person per day up front.

[beachpeach1]

What to do if you dont' use (or have) credit cards at all? I am planning to deposit $500 with purser upon arrival and check periodically to see how the account is doing. So what do we do for boarding pass if they ask for a credit card number?

[LARGIN]

Your TA or 1-800-PRINCESS will give you the best answer. I would make a quick call to them.

[mexico5]

Thanks for your help. We will bring either lots of cash or US travellers checks and pay off our shipboard account with that!

 

Beachpeach,

 

I asked my TA about not printing off the boarding pass and she said it was not necessary. She said most people do because it allows faster entry onto the ship. but not mandatory. We did print ours off this weekend though, probably because we were excited to!

 

Mexico5

[LALAFRANCE]

Just wondering why we shouldn't use a debit card? thanks:confused:

[karen2cruz]

Hi Lalafrance...

Based on the experiences of others over the years, using a debit card is taking a big chance. If they put a hold on your card for large amounts or large charges are accidently added to your account... it could take a long time to reverse those charges or release the holds. Then you could be without money in your checking account. Credit cards allow you the luxury of working out any bugs without touching your bank account.

 

In a perfect world a debit card is fine....just beware.

[slickproductions]

We paid $400 cash to the purser on the second day, just to keep the credit card charge down. Being our honeymoon cruise, we had all our cards in separate names.

 

If you do wait until the latter part of the cruise to settle your account, don't wait too long as the lines will tend to grow. You can check daily as to what your balance is and pay it each day with cash. At the end you may just have one day's worth of charges to deal with on a card.

[MV21]

You can check daily as to what your balance is and pay it each day with cash. At the end you may just have one day's worth of charges to deal with on a card.

 

I wish Princess allowed one to check the account via the TV in the room. If I can do that at a Howard Johnson why haven't Princess introduced this system - especially on the newer ships (or do they want us to overspend???!!!