Credit Card Sign or Pin?

[maxmia]

Could someone please tell me if on an Alaska cruise, we will need to pin or sign our credit cards? Also if it is a pin will they accept a 6 pin number?.

Our bank is a bit unsure and we keep getting different answers. The last time we were in the USA it was sign only. Thank you for any information. :confused:Barbara

[dutchgirl6]

I have only had to sign when using a credit card. We use a pin for debit cards.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Credit Card -- only need to sign.

[Johanna7]

Could someone please tell me if on an Alaska cruise, we will need to pin or sign our credit cards? Also if it is a pin will they accept a 6 pin number?.

Our bank is a bit unsure and we keep getting different answers. The last time we were in the USA it was sign only. Thank you for any information. :confused:Barbara

 

In Canada our expiring cards are being replaced with those with a pin number to be used in those places that actually have those. The pin is a 4 digit one here. In the US they do not use those and there we just sign them, as we do here in Canada with the many places who have not converted to take those with the chip enabled cards. It is a royal pain and if you forget your pin # you are stuck.

 

If you order on line or on the phone, they ask for the 3 digit number which is usually beside the signature line on the back.

 

In Europe they have accepted those chip enabled cards. I wish we had the same as the US and this also includes their miles, pounds, inches, etc. rather than our metric system which makes things difficult for us. Our cars do have both miles and kilometers on the odometer but still. Why not have it all the same. We used to have the imperial system but in the 1970s we unfortunately changed to the metric system.

[Colakid]

Actually in Canada we have both a 4# pin and a 5# pin system. They are shooting to have them all in place by late fall of 2010. Currently even if it is a pin/chip card we can still manually override the system but soon this will be locked out when the program has been completed. Do not know how the internet pay system will work or telephone places.

[cruiseing marly]

They did even want to look at the credit card just the passport. No imprint of the card i guess if they had a problem with the credit card company they would what to use the card.

[Johanna7]

Actually in Canada we have both a 4# pin and a 5# pin system. They are shooting to have them all in place by late fall of 2010. Currently even if it is a pin/chip card we can still manually override the system but soon this will be locked out when the program has been completed. Do not know how the internet pay system will work or telephone places.

 

Our Visa Card and a Master Card card that are chip enabled are both 4 digit numbers.

[Sue from Canada]

Actually in Canada we have both a 4# pin and a 5# pin system. They are shooting to have them all in place by late fall of 2010. Currently even if it is a pin/chip card we can still manually override the system but soon this will be locked out when the program has been completed. Do not know how the internet pay system will work or telephone places.

 

My 86 year old mother just got her new "chip" card. She got confused at a local store so they overrode the transaction so she could sign for her purchase. Guess I'll have to give her lessons.....

[maxmia]

Thanks all for quick reply, We do have chips in our cards, and we can sign or pin in Australia, so I just wanted to make any adjustments before we fly over. Got caught in the UK last year with pins and chips, so now we know. Thanks again.

[Davidson Duo]

The USA is also starting to change to the CHIP cards. They are much more secure than the swipe (signature) card and help deter credit card fraud which costs consumers huge dollars every year.

 

You will find CHIP readers all over the world - we even encountered one in a tiny little shop in Cartagena, Columbia. They are going to be the way of the future.

 

I am surprised that the previous poster's mother was able to have them override the system to allow her to sign instead of PIN her purchase. The very clear directive to merchants from the credit card companies is that if your business has a CHIP reader, and the card presented is a CHIP card, you are not supposed to override it. Period. It is a safety feature and if it is overridden, it defeats the purpose.

 

I would suggest that if you are travelling nowadays, you look at converting your card to a CHIP card. I know in Europe especially there are many merchants who ONLY accept CHIP cards, and more venders are switching their machines every day. For now most CHIP reading machines in both Canada and the US will accept both a swipe and a CHIP card (depending on which you have), but it will not be that way for too much longer.

 

As both a consumer and a former retail store manager, I embrace the new technology that helps to protect me from being a victim of fraud. Most people do not understand how prevalent and expensive a problem CC fraud is, and prefer the easiest method to make a purchase. But believe me when I say if you have ever been a victim, you would be one of the first to embrace the safer technology of the CHIP cards.

 

And machines are being converted every day, so just because a fellow cruiser did not encounter a CHIP reader in a port yesterday, does not mean there won't be one there by the time you get there on your next visit.

 

There is going to be a transition period when both cards will be acceptable at most merchants in the US and Canada so you shouldn't have to panic that your current card will not be accepted. But I would certainly convert to the CHIP card as soon as it is available to you as that way you will have time to become familiar with it before you leave on holiday and avoid some of the difficulties you can encounter when it suddenly is needed.

 

And if you already have a CHIP card but haven't used it other than as a swipe card, remember to check with your local bank branch to familiarize yourself with your PIN. If you have forgotten it, they can help you with that. Change it to one that you can remember, then go on your vacation and know you should be well prepared.

 

The only problem you should have after that, is remembering that once you get home, you have to pay off all those purchases you put on it! Gee, maybe somehow the upgrade fairy will pay my bank account a visit and somehow give me a balance where I only pay the lowest price for the higher value of my balance? OK, so a girl can always dream! :)