Use cash instead of credit card on board?

[mexico5]

Hi, we leave tomorrow for our first cruise and have two more questions.

 

I have read all the threads on this, but want to make sure I am correct. When we get on board the ship can we pretend we do not have a credit card and give them cash or traveller's cheques for our shipboard credit? We already printed off our boarding pass with that information, but we do not have to take it with us, but I suppose they already have our credit card number by us doing that? Just want to avoid all the nonsense of Canadian credit cards being charged the extra fee imposed on by Princess. There must be someone out there in the world with no credit card?

 

Secondly, this is probably silly, but when do we put on the luggage tags and how? We do have extra ones, so do we put them on our suitcase when we fly to Fort Lauderdale or do we wait until we leave for the ship? Do they go on like regular tags that go on the handles like the airport uses or do we drape them over the front or what?

 

Thanks!

 

One more sleep before our first cruise

[LLaw07]

Im from Calgary too and we leave tomorrow as well for our cruise, our TA advised us not to put our tags on our luggage until we arrived in San Juan because they may get ripped or torn off in transit! Hope this helps!

[nets33]

You can use cash or travellers checks to pay off your on-board account. You will need to do this the day prior to arriving back at your final port. Any accounts not settled will be automatically charged to the CC on the account. You might have a few charges on the CC based on what you charge that final night but you can pay off the majority the night before at the Purser's desk.

 

As for the tags... I usually wait to put them on the bags until after my flight. You never know if the airport baggage team may tear them off.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[mexico5]

Since we have extra luggage tags I think I will put them inside each suitcase, just in case our luggage is lost and they can contact Princess. We have a direct flight, so hopefully our luggage will arrive when we do.

 

We have lots of travellers cheques so we will go down and pay with them every other day or so. Too bad it has to be like that, but it really is the principle of the thing. Why waste even a small amount of money if you do not have to, by giving in to Princess demands about the extra fee. I know, we have already spent alot on the cruise, airfare, etc... but my husband has a thing about service fees, extra charges and it is his hard earned money after all!

 

Thanks for all your help!

[steve20832]

If you pay cash, you must put down a deposit (I think it is $50 per day/per person minimum.) The last day you get your left over cash back. You can always add to that amount once you are on the ship, just give them your room card/ID so it goes to the right person.

[DEERINH2O]

Mexico5,

 

When you board, go directly to the Pursers desk, there you can give them cash/travelers checks to open your shipboard account. (example: $500.00) or whatever you want and they will open the account for the amount and not charge anything to your card. My sister has never used her cc on any cruise, she has cruised over 10 times and its never been a problem. Kinda look at what you are going to spend and put that down on the shipboard account. You should not have any problems.

Definitly don't put your luggage tags on your bag until you are at the port/hotel before you leave, they can get confused and travel elsewhere(i used to work in baggage at AA).

You will have a great cruise......

 

Kathy

[mexico5]

Kathy,

 

Thanks for the info regarding the cash. Good to hear that others have never used a credit card for shipboard credit.

 

So you don't think it is too late for us to do that, even though we put our credit card number to print off our boarding pass? Perhaps I won't show them our boarding pass and we will "start from scratch".

[DEERINH2O]

Mexico5,

 

No its not too late, and take your docs with you because it does speed up getting on board. When you check in, just tell them right there you don't want to use the credit card you put on the paperwork, they will probley tell you to go see the pursers desk, which you were planning to do anyways. The credit card I put down for my upcoming Feb cruise is not the one I will actually use when I get to the port, but I had to put something in to print out my docs.... really as long as you are spending money, Princess doesn't care how you pay;)

 

You will be fine and it will all work out. Just visit the Purser and remeber to be patient, the first day people seem to be stressing out.....but they will take care of the issue. by the way what ship are you going on?

 

Have fun.

Kathy

[mexico5]

Kathy,

 

I will be on the Princess Star on Dec. 2. See my other thread entitled "Star oversold", I just made a decision 5 minutes ago to stick with my original cabin and not take the deal.

 

Thanks for the help

[rgrls]

Put the tags on the handle of your luggage, just like you would at the airport. Don't put them on until you're on your way to the pier.

Have fun!

PS You better warn your hubby, you do feel a little nickel and dimed at times! Just remember, you DESERVE this! :rolleyes:

[Julia’s Journey’s]

Don't stress the small stuff, have fun, put your tags on once you collect your luggage after your flights and before you hand them over at the port, I would leave everythin on the CC until the day before your cruise ends and then go the pursor before the line gets long to sort it out, you don't want to be standing in line at the pursor every day of your cruise!!!!

[spindrift]

You know, I am amazed at all the recommendations of not putting your cruise luggage tags on until you are ready to go to the ship. To me, all these last 45 YEARS, is to be able to get my luggage to the ship if it is delayed.

 

We have ALWAYS put our luggage tags on our luggage before we ever leave the house in case our luggage is delayed. The handlers know where the destination is and the date of our departure. (Suggestion from someone who is QUITE familiar with airline luggage handling.)

 

The reason for the tags is for that purpose. If you feel you don't have enough tags and they would be lost before arriving at the ship, just ask the cruise line to give you additional tags. If they aren't on your luggage after the airline flight, then you have more to add. If your luggage is left behind, and the airline handlers see where it is going and needed by a specific sailing date, they are more apt to handle it on a special basis.

 

Luggage tags are for a reason-- duh

[Kelsoby]

We are sailing on the Sea in one week, and my sister just got off the Sun today. She said that even though they ticked the box that said "do not convert our account" and went down to the purser's desk and personally requested that they not convert the account, and were assured by a supervisor that their account would not be converted; guess what? You'll never guess! They converted their account anyway. And then said there was nothing they could do as the account was now closed.

 

As a result, we have now decided to take traveller's cheques with us. We will use our credit card on board as our ship board account, but we will go down the night before disembarkation and pay off the account with our traveller's cheques (or pay it down throughout the cruise). I have read that this problem happens mostly with Visa and MasterCard, and we are using Amex; but as a previous poster said, why take the chance of wasting any money when it is not necessary. There will be three of us on a 14 day cruise, I can imagine that the difference in the exchange rate would amount to at least a couple hundred dollars and, to me, that is significant enough to warrant using a different method of payment.

[steve20832]

You know, I am amazed at all the recommendations of not putting your cruise luggage tags on until you are ready to go to the ship. To me, all these last 45 YEARS, is to be able to get my luggage to the ship if it is delayed.

 

We have ALWAYS put our luggage tags on our luggage before we ever leave the house in case our luggage is delayed. The handlers know where the destination is and the date of our departure. (Suggestion from someone who is QUITE familiar with airline luggage handling.)

 

The reason for the tags is for that purpose. If you feel you don't have enough tags and they would be lost before arriving at the ship, just ask the cruise line to give you additional tags. If they aren't on your luggage after the airline flight, then you have more to add. If your luggage is left behind, and the airline handlers see where it is going and needed by a specific sailing date, they are more apt to handle it on a special basis.

 

Luggage tags are for a reason-- duh

 

I flew USAIR last year to my cruise and had the luggage tags in my pocket. I asked the airline agent if I should put them on the luggage now or wait. He said put them on now because if the luggage gets lost, they would deliver the luggage directly to the ship no matter where it is. No cruise tag and it sits in FLL until I return back from the cruise. I was sold, on went the cruise tags. Luggage showed up with me when I landed and all tags were on the bags. No evidence the bags were opened either.

I would have to assume that other airlines do this but you may want to call them to confirm.

[Steven_&_Daniel]

Does anyone know if you can call before sailing (like when making final payment) and have them charge your credit card to put some money into your on-board account?

 

It sounds a little strange, I know. But we saved up for the trip and got a CD which matures right before final payment is due. There will be enough money left over to cover most (if not all) of the on-board account plus some spending cash. I figured it would be nice to have it all paid off before sailing so we don't have to worry or mess with it afterwords.

 

If this is done, I assume they would refund any on-board credit not used?

 

Thanks!

[cactusrose]

Yes. . .you can have them charge your credit card and add money to your on-board account in advance of sailing and they will refund any left over at the end of the cruise. Just call Princess and they will take care of it for you. You can also send yourself a casino gift and then get cash for it when you board. There will be a voucher in your cabin for the casino cash and you can cash it in at the casino. No charge for this.

[Steven_&_Daniel]

Yes. . .you can have them charge your credit card and add money to your on-board account in advance of sailing and they will refund any left over at the end of the cruise. Just call Princess and they will take care of it for you. You can also send yourself a casino gift and then get cash for it when you board. There will be a voucher in your cabin for the casino cash and you can cash it in at the casino. No charge for this.

 

 

Thanks!

[ko57]

Can you use foreign currency to pay down your account? I'll be bringing some Brazilian reals with me to Rio, but if I don't spend them all I'd like to put them towards my bill.

[JolieMadam]

Certainly can appreciate the remarks of the former AA baggage handler regarding the cruise line luggage tags and how it is confusing for them.

 

On a flight to Cancun, we had to change airlines in Miami....I had used a luggage tag from a tour company that we booked through, but my husband did not. He had an ordinary I.D. tag. My bag did not arrive in Cancun for 4 days but he had his bag. Lesson to be learned here: an unusual luggage tag is or can be confusing for baggage handlers. I was told by the airline that my bag was sent to San Juan as it was thought to be cruise luggage! It's hard to know what to do, however, I always I.D. the inside of my suitcase with an itinerary to be on the safe side. Yet I wonder if it was lost or delayed if the powers to be would even open it to look inside.

[SpeakerOfMind]

Well, I guess I understand the whole "I don't want to give a credit card at check-in" concept... but you really don't need to be so careful. I've been on 17 Princess cruises, and have always checked in WITH my credit card, and gone to the pursers desk twice during a weeklong cruise (once three days in, then again on the day BEFORE disembarkation) and I have never had more than ten dollars end up on my credit card (for a drink or two that last night). The whole refusal to give a credit card at all is what leads to those loudspeaker announcements during disembarkation ("Would Mr. John Smith from Baja 308 please contact the passenger services desk by dialing 8000 immediately"... and yes, that's exactly what they say). I'd rather have a ten dollar charge on my credit card than have everyone on the ship hear my name announced as if I'm a gun-runner on the lamb.

 

Give a credit card at check in. And if you're REALLY against having a dime put on your CC... just overpay, and Princess will either credit your credit card the overpayment amount, or mail you a check.

[Steven_&_Daniel]

... It's hard to know what to do, however, I always I.D. the inside of my suitcase with an itinerary to be on the safe side. Yet I wonder if it was lost or delayed if the powers to be would even open it to look inside.

 

We were thinking about using these luggage tags on our next trip. Sounds like a good solution...

 

http://www.magellans.com/store/Luggage___Luggage_Tags___IdentifiersLA311?Args=

[deenanmoose]

Does Princess actually put any kind of daily "hold" on the credit card you are using? I am planning on using my checking account card, but I don't want a bunch of money tied up in hold when I get back from the trip.

Thanks for the help!!

[leavitt1]

I know that this is an old thread, but I really would like that last question answered. My husband and I only use a "credit card" connected with our checking account. How long will the Princess "hold" stay on our account after our cruise? I'd hate to have my checking account money held for an extended period of time.

 

Thanks,

Michelle

[nets33]

I know that this is an old thread, but I really would like that last question answered. My husband and I only use a "credit card" connected with our checking account. How long will the Princess "hold" stay on our account after our cruise? I'd hate to have my checking account money held for an extended period of time.

 

Thanks,

Michelle

I would suggest you call the cruise line directly to ask them this - that way you'll have the information directly from them. :)

[vince_g]

If you overpay your onboard account, you'll find a check slipped under your door the last night. You don't even have to wait for it.