credit card

[lilschnauzer]

I have been told that you need a credit card on board so they can put any charges that you may occur on them. Can you not give them a certain amount of cash for that?

[gregg1704]

What if you don't have a credit card? Can you use a debit card?

[*Wink*]

Yes, you sure can put cash down. The amount they want upfront seems to vary. If your onboard charges start to get close to the amount you've given, they'll notify you to add more cash. They'll also put a hold on your sign 'n' sail card until you do. You probably know this, but all purchases are put on your onboard account.

Just an FYI: You cannot withdraw against your deposit while on your cruise. So put down what you think you'll need and no more. :)

 

Edit to Add: If you do have a credit card doesn't have a tiny credit limit, you can just give them that at the beginning of the cruise and then pay your balance off in cash. They won't charge your credit card if you don't want them to.

[*Wink*]

What if you don't have a credit card? Can you use a debit card?

Yes, but there are "normally" big holds put on your bank account money, but if that's OK, then you'd be fine.

[iwanngonow]

I have been told that you need a credit card on board so they can put any charges that you may occur on them. Can you not give them a certain amount of cash for that?

Yes, you can use cash. If they notice that you're getting close to going over the amount you gave them, they will contact you to give them more cash. I recommend frequently checking your account with the purser. You don't want any surprises.

[ohioNCLcruiser]

Put a card on your account so you never have problems with it being turned off because you ran out of cash. Then take the cash and pay off your account as the cruise goes.

[garycarla]

This is another of those regularly debated issues.

 

You have to give them SOMETHING so they know they will get their money as you charge expenses onboard. Everything gets charged to your onboard account.

 

Credit cards are by far the easiest and best way to handle this. Cash works well as mentioned above. Debit cards are a whole nother story. They will put a hold on the account. You will need to have enough in your checking account to cover all the expenses. The same checking account that you probably pay lots of other bills. (hint - I think debit cards are dangerous)

 

Some prefer cash even though they have a credit card. Okay, that may make sense. But, put down the credit card, then on the next to last day, pay it off with cash. Do NOT plan on dealing with this on the last day unless you like long lines.

[lilschnauzer]

Thanks everyone for the replies

[macdadsjaw]

Why people that live within their means and dont "need" a credit card dont get one that gives you rewards puzzles me. We payed for our flight and a pre cruise hotel room with points. We charge everything and pay it off every month. No annual fees and no interest paid......

[CruisnGram]

Why people that live within their means and dont "need" a credit card dont get one that gives you rewards puzzles me. We payed for our flight and a pre cruise hotel room with points. We charge everything and pay it off every month. No annual fees and no interest paid......

 

Well, facts are that some people may not be able to get a credit card. Either through their own error's or someone else's. Take for an example a single mom who pays her bills and is working hard, but perhaps doens't have a lot of credit, or maybe has some bad credit that occurred for some reason during the marriage.

 

Also, perhaps some people just can't trust themselves with credit cards. I know it's hard for us to understand, but I have a relative who was in tremedous debt as a young adult, due to large credit card balances. When she finally paid them off, she swore she'd never have a credit card again as she freely admits she has a difficult time managing them. And, she's kept her word...no credit cards 30 years later.

 

CG

[macdadsjaw]

I hear ya, I was one of the thousands of college students tempted by the free tshirts for a credit card. ALso, can understand people in situations that they may not be able to get a good points, no fee cc.

 

That said, I hope someday stores stop taking checks.....

[gregg1704]

I only don't wanna use my credit card because my parents still pay some of the expenses on it and it is mailed to them. That means if I use it I will have to send them a check for whatever added expenses I put on it. So if I understand this, I can give them the credit card but on the last day I can pay off the balance with my debit card?

[*Wink*]

I only don't wanna use my credit card because my parents still pay some of the expenses on it and it is mailed to them. That means if I use it I will have to send them a check for whatever added expenses I put on it. So if I understand this, I can give them the credit card but on the last day I can pay off the balance with my debit card?

You are correct, Sir. :)

 

Don't wait till the last day, tho. Do it by the evening before the last day.

[terrymtex01]

I only don't wanna use my credit card because my parents still pay some of the expenses on it and it is mailed to them. That means if I use it I will have to send them a check for whatever added expenses I put on it. So if I understand this, I can give them the credit card but on the last day I can pay off the balance with my debit card?

 

I do know you can switch credit cards that are on deposit anytime during the cruise, so I don't know why they couldn't change it out to your debit card that last day for the amount you have charged. We learned they can switch out the credit card during the cruise when the casino manager told us if we wanted more than the $2000.00 a day limit they impose getting cash from your onboard account you could just change out the credit card and you have another $2000.00 limit for that day. Doug and I looked at her like she was crazy.. LOL.. but we learned you could do it.

[buckeyefrank]

Why people that live within their means and dont "need" a credit card dont get one that gives you rewards puzzles me. We payed for our flight and a pre cruise hotel room with points. We charge everything and pay it off every month. No annual fees and no interest paid......

 

There are a lot of reasons people don't use credit cards. We don't use them and haven't for years. We don't need them. Your argument makes sense on the surface, but you're not taking everything into account. On average, purchases with a credit card are 18% higher than purchases with cash. McDonald's own study showed their average sale went up over 100% when they took credit cards.

 

Everybody's different, but the 'average' american spends 18% extra to get a refund of 1%. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

I don't want to come across mean or disrespectful, but I'm a financial planner and that argument comes up all the time. It just kind of gets on my nerves.

[fin]

"On average, purchases with a credit card are 18% higher than purchases with cash."

 

This is indeed a surprising statement. I use my credit card for a zero interest loan, paying it down to zero each month. No fees, no interest charges, zero extra charges of ANY kind.

 

But the ONLY time in my personal experience I have seen different prices for credit card vs cash is on gas pumps, and that only very recently.

 

In charging airline tickets, cruise shipboard expenses, groceries, insurance premium payments, satellite dish charges, even out of state property tax payments, there has been zero difference between using a card vs writing a check. For the "average to be 18% higher", some charges would, of necessity have to be at least 36% higher. Frankly I find this hard to believe.

[*Wink*]

There are a lot of reasons people don't use credit cards. We don't use them and haven't for years. We don't need them. Your argument makes sense on the surface, but you're not taking everything into account. On average, purchases with a credit card are 18% higher than purchases with cash. McDonald's own study showed their average sale went up over 100% when they took credit cards.

 

Everybody's different, but the 'average' american spends 18% extra to get a refund of 1%. Doesn't make sense to me.

 

I don't want to come across mean or disrespectful, but I'm a financial planner and that argument comes up all the time. It just kind of gets on my nerves.

I'm confused. If what you're saying is that a purchase of say, a $1.00 hamburger, would actually cost $1.18 if I use a credit card? Or are you saying it gets charged 18% interest if it's not paid off completely by the due date?

[AFT_LOVER]

Every NCL cruise we get a $200 charge when we get home, that falls off in 48 hours after we get home. Within 24 hours we have our charges for the cruise. They are never dated for the cruise but after. So why are they called a HOLD.

 

Yes, but there are "normally" big holds put on your bank account money, but if that's OK, then you'd be fine.

[*Wink*]

Every NCL cruise we get a $200 charge when we get home, that falls off in 48 hours after we get home. Within 24 hours we have our charges for the cruise. They are never dated for the cruise but after. So why are they called a HOLD.

The $200 is a hold. If it's at the end of the cruise, I don't know, banks vary. In your case, it's a hold for 48 hours after the cruise.

[AFT_LOVER]

As talked about on the Clark Howard show on CNN, the banks get BILLIONS from us and now are playing mean games. Rewards are cut or dropped as we have seen with Compass Rewards going to Worldpoints. Cashbacks now are $3000 in purchases to get 1% cashback, before that you get X .0025 to each purchase for cashback. A man who paid his balance every month until he was hit by a drunk driver & in a coma for 2 weeks. So he was past his due date & got 35% interest rate on his card & it includes new purchases til paid off.

 

Delta Skymiles was playing with folks far before they declared bankruptcy & had AMEX giving them $47 million to stay flying. 70K miles gave a couple RT air to Maui or Oahu, which we used for our timeshare purcase for 15 years. Then in 2005 we are headed to Maui & are told that we used Skymiles so we are cancelled by Delta unless we pay to fly. I phoned AMEX NYC from the aiirport which got us FC seats. The CEO was ticked at the way Delta was treating AMEX customers, so he made us BLUE instead. So now we can fly anyone........

 

So AMEX Blue & HiltonHHonors Visa Signature are great cards, we may do Citi's Amex Platinum for $125 to get free companion fare that you book with AMEX. So no games with flights. They are great with warranty coverage & I give them AAA rating for no lies, great service. B of A is far from great. Even their Signature VISA is Worldpoints rewards, so forget that!

 

I am planning a trip out to Beachwood on Cleveland's east side, to the old MBNA that Al Lerner built with his furniture store. That was a company that never needed to hire anyone unless someone died, since no one ever left. Then Al dies & his son sells MBNA to B of A & 1000 folks are unemployed. Our NCL card changed also but rewards were great but no warranty coverage. Now this......... I want to talk with my old Supervisor friend who knew about this new card & what we were losing. If I see no certs by 2/28 I will be visiting him to get my $500 cert or 2!

 

 

quote=AWinkler;18119644]I'm confused. If what you're saying is that a purchase of say, a $1.00 hamburger, would actually cost $1.18 if I use a credit card? Or are you saying it gets charged 18% interest if it's not paid off completely by the due date?

[buckeyefrank]

I'm confused. If what you're saying is that a purchase of say, a $1.00 hamburger, would actually cost $1.18 if I use a credit card? Or are you saying it gets charged 18% interest if it's not paid off completely by the due date?

 

Sorry I wasn't as clear as i wanted to be. What the study shows is that when the 'average american' goes to the grocery store, they will pick up a few extra items they wouldn't have if they had paid in cash. Basically, your typically a more discerning shopper when using cash because it's in limited supply as opposed to a credit card.

 

Does this make more sense?

[*Wink*]

Sorry I wasn't as clear as i wanted to be. What the study shows is that when the 'average american' goes to the grocery store, they will pick up a few extra items they wouldn't have if they had paid in cash. Basically, your typically a more discerning shopper when using cash because it's in limited supply as opposed to a credit card.

 

Does this make more sense?

Yes.. makes perfect sense, and I'm sure that's correct. At least it is for me! LOL

[drm93]

Ok,I just have to "chime in" on this topic again! I have posted a couple threads on this same topic and still never got an answer! I too want to use a debit card and have heard the stories of "holds",and also heard stories of no holds at all! I guess it just depends on your bank. I still plan to use my debit card to check in and will send some obc to myself before I get there,so there's a little "cushion" already in my account!

[garycarla]

Instead of sending an advance OBC, why not just take some cash or put extra money in your account that the debit card is tied to?

 

I say this as sometimes advance payments/OBC get lost. Why deal with it?

[drm93]

garycarla......because I am getting a tax refund this week and I know "me" and I'll spend it between now and April! So this way,I put it on my obc account,it's there,it's done,then I won't have to take as much cash with me......it's just me....what can I say ;) I don't plan on it getting lost....I will definetely keep track of it before I go and make sure it's there!