Using Mastercard Debit instead of a credit card

[serena_17]

Hi,

 

This question is on behalf of a friend of mine who is taking a Pacific Dawn cruise in December.

 

Her paperwork states that she has to have a credit card, cash or travellers cheques on board - not a debit card.

 

Now, I take this to mean that there won't be any EFTPOS facilities on board, but that she can use her debit card instead (they don't use credit cards) given that it's Mastercard.

 

Can anyone clarify this for me - that the Mastercard debit card will be fine in lieu of a credit card?

 

Thanks,

[sailawaysally]

There has been a lot of debate about debit cards versus credit cards on here but as I understand it from our last cruise they prefer you to take credit cards now because of the 'hold' they put on your card. Must have been problems with debit cards re this, like when you got home your card still had the hold on it for a couple of weeks. Their written info says no debit cards now, but I have heard others say they used theirs. When you board, you get a cruisecard which is what you need to buy anything on the ship. It has a $300 credit amount on it when you board so you can buy drinks etc straightaway. You have to pay that within 24 hours I think. You have to either fill out the credit card authority when you get your cruisecard or you take a cash amount to the pursers desk to credit your cruisecard. I have used both options and I find the credit card the easiest and haven't had any problems. I also take cash for the islands. Small notes, like 5's and 10's as the islanders can't change big notes usually. I also take $1 and $2 coins for donations etc. at the islands. There is a safe in your room for you to put valuables in if you take lots of cash.

[Riffraff]

Going by the experience of our recent cruise, if they are using the Mastercard Debit card as a credit card, then they will be fine.. PROVIDED - there is enough money on there to cover the holds put on throughout the cruise.

 

If there is sufficient money in the account at the start of the cruise to cover all the holds that will be put on, then they should be fine.

 

The only problem occurs when there isn't enough money on the account to cover the holds, they will stop the onboard account. And also, at the end of the cruise if the holds take a while to drop off, it will reduce your available balance until they clear.

[Cruzer Nut]

I too also have a debit credit card (visa thou) and what I did was to use it through out the cruise and they placed the holds on as you have mentioned etc.

 

However what I did was to go and Pay in CASH halfway through the cruise the balance on the cruise card plus estimated a little more to get me through till the end and that way when they ran out of cash on my account they placed the final 1 or 2 days charges on the card.

 

I didn't have to worry about lining up on the last day to pay the balance of the cruise at the pursers desk.

 

And the holds from the beginning of the cruise had been released back to my account by the time the cruise finished.

 

I only ended up having about $200 on "Hold" and a $275 Charge taken out of my account.

 

The final amount on Hold hung around for 10 days until it was returned to my account, so I guess it depends on the bank you use and the length of your friends cruise.

 

Hope this helps.

[Gaznjo]

what is the amount that they put on hold....

 

does it depend on the length of cruise etc

 

So if Garry and I use the same credit card do they put 2 holds...

 

thanks in advance

 

joanne

[sailawaysally]

what is the amount that they put on hold....

 

does it depend on the length of cruise etc

 

So if Garry and I use the same credit card do they put 2 holds...

 

thanks in advance

 

joanne

 

I don't think they put two holds but can't be sure. :confused: I don't know what hold they put on ours because we actually only use this credit card for cruises. That way it has enough on it (as long as we don't go crazy spending:eek: ) and we don't have to worry about it because we don't use it when we get home.

[Captain Canuck]

I personally never use a debit card....if you lose your pin you can have your account emptied and its on you...if your credit card is defrauded you are not liable for charges you did not make..it may take some time to sort it out but you are in a much better position fighting charges than trying to get $ back. pay off the card so its not a problem...but if that is a worry get a low limit card that you won't overspend..and get one with cruise or travel points

[arxcards]

what is the amount that they put on hold....

 

does it depend on the length of cruise etc

 

So if Garry and I use the same credit card do they put 2 holds...

 

thanks in advance

 

joanne

The pledge or hold will be based on spending, and may be updated through the cruise. I don't know the actual amount, but will be enough to cover pre-booked shore tours plus some general onboard spending.

 

If you are both using the same card, you will only have the one hold applied.

 

I prefer a credit card to a debit for different reasons:

 

A sizeable limit that will mean I have 10 times more available funds than I need.

 

Transaction fees. My debit card gives us 10 free transactions per month, which includes monthly bills, visa transactions, cash withdrawal. I can happily spend up on the credit card all month, and pay it to zero with my debit card in one transaction each month. Saves us around $15 per month - as long as we continue to have the discipline to zero it.

 

A lingering hold on our debit card from a large transaction could cause a mortgage payment or a direct debit to bounce. I feel much better using the credit card.

[arxcards]

I personally never use a debit card....if you lose your pin you can have your account emptied and its on you...

Lose your pin!! :eek:

 

Mine is destroyed - there is no way I would carry that info around with me.

My Visa debit is covered for the same fraud as my visa credit card is.

[Captain Canuck]

I had a Vegas casino put a large hold on my credit card one time...large enough that I bought a coffee and went over my limit.....got it refused making a small purchase...real annoying and embarrassing....I carry at least 2 cards now just in case.

[Gaznjo]

We have 2 cards that we could use... an amex with a large enough limit... and a Mastercard with only $1000 limit which I use for the internet......

 

the amex we can use for the boat... but maybe the mastercard for on shore purchases... well for the places that will take it...

 

Might have to increase the limit on the MC ... once upon a time $1000 was plenty now it can get gobbled up very quickly...

 

Joanne

Joanne

[Cruzer Nut]

what is the amount that they put on hold....

 

does it depend on the length of cruise etc

 

So if Garry and I use the same credit card do they put 2 holds...

 

thanks in advance

 

joanne

 

Going from memory they place Holds (or Pledges) on your card every 3 or 4 days for the amount you have spent in the time period. EG if you spend $450 on days 1-4 there is a hold for that amount then if you spend only $200 on days 5-7 they will place a hold on it for the $200 only, just make sure that you read the fine print because they charge the FINAL BILL in one go at the end of your cruise and the holds are still there!

 

My friend spent about $1000.00 on his last cruise and he got a shock when not only did he see the holds on his card but a charge for the full amount in one go, it could be a nasty surprise as Geoff has said about missing a payment on the Mortgage or Car because in essence they have "charged you double" until all the holds come off.

 

 

That's why I suggested paying by cash halfway through (and a little more) and in the end you only have a small hold and small charge on your card.

 

Hope that makes sense :o

[Gaznjo]

thanks for that... :-)

[arxcards]

Going from memory they place Holds (or Pledges) on your card every 3 or 4 days for the amount you have spent in the time period. EG if you spend $450 on days 1-4 there is a hold for that amount then if you spend only $200 on days 5-7 they will place a hold on it for the $200 only, just make sure that you read the fine print because they charge the FINAL BILL in one go at the end of your cruise and the holds are still there!

That might be why P&O is having so many problems.

 

If the hold and final charge are for a similar amount, they will expire automatically when the final charge is put through. By doing more than one smaller one, it seems the hold and charge is not properly linked and the hold is being left to expire as an unprocessed transaction.

[serena_17]

Hi,

 

Thanks for getting back to me and for all of your advice.

[JLC@SD]

Her paperwork states that she has to have a credit card, cash or travellers cheques on board - not a debit card.

......gee.......I would think what the paperwork states is important.......not the personal experience of other cruisers......;)

[arxcards]

The problem is that visa debit cards are supposed to be accepted everywhere visa credit cards are accepted, and likewise for the Mastercard ones. I can pull out my visa debit and visa credit cards, and the vendor will not be able to tell which is which.

 

From Visa's Australian site:

One card lets you spend your own cash, everywhere Visa is accepted.

Visa Debit is just like using your own cash – it’s the simple and convenient way to pay, and is accepted wherever you see the Visa sign. It helps you keep control of what you spend because you pay for your purchases directly from your own bank account.

 

It’s how millions of Australians spend their cash every day; in fact, there are 4.3 million Visa Debit cards in this country. And you can use your card in stores, petrol stations, online, over the phone and at ATMs – here and overseas.

http://www.visa-asia.com/ap/au/cardholders/cardsservices/visa_debit.shtml

 

So because P&O is stuffing up the holds on the card, passengers are not able to use their card as it is intended. Not all Australians like the idea of credit card, and would rather have the Visa or Mastercard system accessing their own funds.

 

The Visa Hotel guidelines make interesting reading to know how the system is supposed to work.

http://www.visa-asia.com/ap/center/merchants/gettingstarted/includes/uploads/Hotels_Merchant_Procedures.pdf

[Kruzein]

Hello

 

Fwiw i have used my Visa Debit Card on 3 Cruises in the past 5 years and never had a problem. The most recent was March this year and i bought Duty Free @ Vila using the same card and again no hiccups.

 

P&O never deducted the amount out of my account until i had been home for 4 days. So i suppose it is just each to their own. :D

 

Kruzein

[karmac]

Lose your pin!! :eek:

 

Mine is destroyed - there is no way I would carry that info around with me.

My Visa debit is covered for the same fraud as my visa credit card is.

 

I was wondering the same thing, Geoff. Don't you just memorise it???:confused: If you're going to write it down & leave it somewhere then you're asking for trouble:eek:

[arxcards]

I was wondering the same thing, Geoff. Don't you just memorise it???:confused: If you're going to write it down & leave it somewhere then you're asking for trouble:eek:

And it doesn't matter if credit or debit - they would both be emptied just as quick (except the day before payday when my debit card will zero out on a tank of petrol).

 

If they can prove that you have "gifted" them your pin, there is no compensation with either card.

[planning obsessed]

I plan to use my credit card and everyone- my husband, son, daughter and I will be linked to the one card. I had hoped to be able to specify limits on each cruise card, as though it was an amount of cash. Can I do this, or will it be like a blank cheque with the various family members spending in an unbridled fashion? I really don't want a communal pool with equal access. Cash doesn't suit me because I've read that all adult fares must have $300 on their account which would include my 13 year old son. I don't plan on allotting my children anywhere near that amount.

 

I really just want to nominate varying amounts for each of us and once we reach these limits we stop spending. Are they likely to "play ball" or or am I likely to find after a couple of days that my husband has spent my share as well as his own of the drinks money?

 

Debbie

[planning obsessed]

Sorry, something else I'm not clear on -the auto tipping. Is the amount taken out separate from the cruise card? Keeping things in round numbers, if my budget was $1000 for the cruise card and the tipping amount was $200, do I end up with $800 or $1000 on the cruise card? I was expecting that I would be able to have the budget dispersed with the tipping taken care of separately, therefore cruisecards plus tipping equals $1200.

Could someone please confirm.

[arxcards]

Hi Debbie,

Yes, you can put a spending cap on your kids cards and the big kid too(well at least on Sun Princess - think it should be the same)

 

The tips are added to your onboard account (cruise card) every day, so will nibble into your overall budget.

[planning obsessed]

Thanks Geoff, you should apply to work for P&O/Princess. On your resume all you'd need to write is Cruise Critic.

Back to your expertise, in my circumstances with the "big kid" problem, perhaps I should ask that the entire tip money be taken off my account. Same amount but officially not listed as coming from the "kids".

 

Debbie.