Do you have to give a credit card on NCL?

[vowsatsea]

When I went on my last cruise with PCL, they asked me to give them a credit card when I boarded the ship. It was my first credit card and only had a $500 credit limit. I knew I'd spend more than that, so I told them I didn't want to give it, and that I was going to pay the onboard account at the end in cash. They told me I had to give it to them, but they wouldn't charge anything to it at the end, and I could pay them in cash.

 

In the end, I spent roughly $600 while on the cruise, and they charged it to my credit card. Of course it got rejected because there wasn't enough credit on there, and I ended up with a hold on my credit card for three months because of it.

 

I have a higher credit limit on my card now, of course, but I still don't want to give them the credit card if I don't have to. So, my question is...do I have to? And if I absolutely have to, then how can I stop them from charging my card and letting me pay cash??

 

Thanks!

[mrleo33]

The problem is not paying cash, the problem is that you don't want to pay until the end of the cruise and the cruiseline doesn't want to extend unsecured credit. So the solution is very simple. Bring cash or traveler's checks, make a ballpark estimate how much you think you'll spend on this cruise and give it to them to apply to your onboard account. If you should want to spend more, simply apply more cash or traveller's checks to your onboard account. If on the other hand do not spend all the money you put on your account they will generally refund it to you by cutting you a check on the last night of the cruise. I have done that a few times myself and it works fine. There is no need to even use a credit card for onboard expenses if you don't care to.

I am surprised that all they did was put a hold on your card until the unpaid balance was cared for. I think you got off pretty lucky. I thought they used more drastic collection methods than that. I figured they wouldn't let you off the ship until you paid or made you wash dishes or something to earn your keep. How odd.

Did you attempt to settle your account before leaving the ship since you knew you only had a $500 limit and you must have gotten your bill the last night and knew you owed the extra $100?

[vowsatsea]

Well, when they called me the morning of disembarkment, I went running downstairs and had them pull back the charge. So, my whole credit card stayed on hold, and I paid them the whole $600 in cash.

 

 

Your idea sounds like it could work. I mean, PCL was demanding that I give them a credit card at check in before I even got on the ship. And I told them a good 4-5 times during the cruise to make sure that wouldn't happen.

[BeachBumMama]

I figured they wouldn't let you off the ship until you paid or made you wash dishes or something to earn your keep

 

If that were the case, I just may have to give them a maxed out credit card next time to stay on the ship!:D

 

But as you stated, you can use cash to pay for your account and you can even do this before your cruise. My daughter did this a few years ago, added money to her onboard account before she even sailed, a few hundred dollars here and there in preparing for the trip and she was set to go. And yes, I guess they take your credit card for more a security purpose and you can settle your account the evening before the cruise ends in cash if you wish also.

[mrleo33]

Sabrett, its normal and customary on most cruiselines for folks to just hand over the plastic. However even on Princess they will take cash or traveller's checks, but it must be paid in advance. The agent you spoke to should have explained this to you. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare. I would have gone to my credit card company, filed a dispute, showed them the reciept showing the bill paid in full and had the charges reversed immediately (this often results in a penalty to the company that filed the erroneous charges) and usually expedites resolution of these issues.

[vowsatsea]

Sabrett, its normal and customary on most cruiselines for folks to just hand over the plastic. However even on Princess they will take cash or traveller's checks, but it must be paid in advance. The agent you spoke to should have explained this to you. Sounds like a bit of a nightmare. I would have gone to my credit card company, filed a dispute, showed them the reciept showing the bill paid in full and had the charges reversed immediately (this often results in a penalty to the company that filed the erroneous charges) and usually expedites resolution of these issues.

 

 

Yeah, it was definitely a nightmare. Especially since they never told me there was a hold on my CC and I found out on my own when I went to make a purchase back home.

 

I will definitely take care of everything in advance this time. I was a first time cruiser, and didn't do my research. :p

[NCL_Cruiser]

When I went on my last cruise with PCL, they asked me to give them a credit card when I boarded the ship. It was my first credit card and only had a $500 credit limit. I knew I'd spend more than that, so I told them I didn't want to give it, and that I was going to pay the onboard account at the end in cash. They told me I had to give it to them, but they wouldn't charge anything to it at the end, and I could pay them in cash.

 

In the end, I spent roughly $600 while on the cruise, and they charged it to my credit card. Of course it got rejected because there wasn't enough credit on there, and I ended up with a hold on my credit card for three months because of it.

 

I have a higher credit limit on my card now, of course, but I still don't want to give them the credit card if I don't have to. So, my question is...do I have to? And if I absolutely have to, then how can I stop them from charging my card and letting me pay cash??

 

Thanks!

 

You can set up an onboard cash account by giving a deposit equal to $100/cabin/day. For a 7 day sailing, that would be $700 total for both of you....if you exceed that, spending privledges will stop, and you'll be asked for more cash (or a credit card).

[cruisequeen10]

My last cruise with them, I only put $25 down and then on the 3rd day they contacted me to add more to my account. They put the tips on your account every day, so when the 1st $25 was used, they requested more. I have always paid my account in cash, as I don't trust them with my credit card. Have heard too many horror stories.