Card on File - To Debit or Not to Debit, that is the ?

[moesyk4]

We too choose not to have a credit card, it's not true that you can't get a rental car without one, you just have to read ahead and make sure you bring extra documentation (usually your car registration or car insurance info). We only ever had one credit card, in hindsight I might've kept it and left it open for emergencies (now I'm a SAHM so my income wouldn't let me get one) but we haven't had one in over 3 years and I've never once thought "I wish I had a credit card right now!"

That being said, we're choosing to fund our sail and sign card with cash specifically for the holds. We are doing a car rental both before and after the cruise and we know they will place a $200 hold each on the card and there's a possiblity the first will not have fallen off by the time the second one goes on. Plus we have prepaid our hotels but both will probably place a small hold for incidentals. Soo...even though we have money in our account I'd really not like 5 holds on our account. We prepaid our gratuities and don't plan on spending much money at all on board so it's not a big deal.

[luddite]

Using the debit is tying up real money. They can put a hold on your real money just for the regular charges. They could tie up money in a dispute over charges--a broken TV,missing towels, missing ropes. Mistaken room charges..... the point being you can lose access to real money even is the dispute gets cleared in your favor, If money is already tight and you have automatic withdrawals that will bounce because of disputed funds which are tying your real money, well, it'll cost you real money.

 

A credit card can only hold up future money.

 

Using a debit card is a disaster waiting to happen.

[smplyblessed619]

Using the debit is tying up real money. They can put a hold on your real money just for the regular charges. They could tie up money in a dispute over charges--a broken TV,missing towels, missing ropes. Mistaken room charges..... the point being you can lose access to real money even is the dispute gets cleared in your favor, If money is already tight and you have automatic withdrawals that will bounce because of disputed funds which are tying your real money, well, it'll cost you real money.

 

A credit card can only hold up future money.

 

Using a debit card is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

 

Thanks for your input...I'll be booking the rental & hotel so I could see how those holds + that on the ship could become a big headache.

[smplyblessed619]

Update: I spoke with my carnival agent (she's really awesome, we're almost birthday twins lol) today and got clarification... This is what she sent me...It helped me.

Sail & Sign On Board Account

 

 

Sail & Sign is Carnival's cashless on board credit program, which allows the guest to charge on board purchases and gratuities directly to a personal account for convenience throughout the cruise. The Sail & Sign Card must be utilized for all money transactions on board as cash will not be an accepted form of payment.

 

 

 

Credit Cards - U.S Currency - Traveler's Checks

 

•Guests may activate their Sail & Sign account online on Online Check-In or at Embarkation.

•For credit card accounts, the guest’s credit card will be swiped at embarkation with an initial hold of $50. Throughout the cruise, incremental holds will be obtained as needed.

•For cash accounts, the guest must deposit money at the Guest Services Desk on the first day of the cruise. The following minimum cash deposits are recommended:

•2 - 4 day cruise: $100 per person

•5 - 8 day cruise: $200 per person

•9 day or longer: $350 per person

 

 

Personalized Sail & Sign cards will be provided to all guests (including minors) and are valid for use immediately upon boarding the ship.

 

•The Information Desk can provide the guest with a balance update at any time throughout the cruise.

•For cash deposits, as the guest approaches the deposit limit, the Guest Services Desk will notify the guest that additional money must be deposited.

•All charges will automatically be billed to the guest's credit card at the end of the voyage. The total amount will be applied to the credit card presented during registration.

•On the final morning of the cruise, a statement detailing all purchases made with the Sail & Sign card will be delivered to the guest's stateroom.

•For those guests who put down a cash deposit, if there is an overpayment at the end of the cruise, the guest will receive the over payment in the form of a check attached to their detailed statement on the final morning of the cruise.

•Any inquiries regarding a Sail & Sign Account made after the cruise need to be referred to Guest Care (70530) for researching.

 

 

The following Credit Cards are accepted as a form of deposit to open a Sail & Sign Account at the start of the cruise. There will be an initial hold placed on file as a deposit. During the cruise, additional holds will be added when the Sail & Sign Account exceeds the amount of deposit Carnival has on file. If a credit card is presented, this will reduce the amount available on the credit card for other purchases. If a debit/check-cashing card is presented, the hold will restrict the available cash in the checking account. Any remaining hold after the end of the cruise will automatically be released by the guest’s issuing bank within a time period determined by the bank.

 

 

 

Acceptable Credit Cards / Gift Cards

 

•Visa Card / Visa Gift Card

•MasterCard / MasterCard Gift Card

•An ATM/Debit Cashing Card may be used as long as it is a registered MasterCard or Visa Card

•The Discover Card / Discover Gift Card

•American Express Card

•Diner’s Club / Diner's Club Gift Card

•JCB Card

Note: Gift Cards may also be referred to as "secured" or "pre-loaded" credit cards or “Travel Funds Card”.

 

Note: The following are not acceptable:

 

•Gift Cards / Travel Funds Cards issued by: American Express; Optima

•Keychain (mini) credit cards

•The American Express “Persona Select”

•ATM/Debit Cashing Card other than those registered by MasterCard or Visa Card.

 

 

General Information

•The cardholding guest must be an authorized signer by the card-issuing bank.

· Each onboard expense account must have a designated account owner who must be sailing; we will not accept credit cards belonging to non-sailing individuals.

 

· The account owner may choose to authorize additional guests from his/her booking and guests in up to two other traveling staterooms. A guest may only be activated on one account.

 

· Every guest must be a member of an account in order to obtain a complete FunPass status.

 

· Account owners must be at least 18 years of age at the time of sailing and will be automatically assigned charging privileges to the account.

 

· Minors must have an account, but the account owner has the option not to allow charging privileges to their account.

 

· Cruise Service Gratuities will be charged to the account unless they are prepaid.

 

· The amount charged to the account for service gratuities will be deemed undisputed unless a request to modify is received prior to disembarking the ship. In addition, a 15% beverage gratuity will be added to all beverage purchases.

 

· If the credit/debit card method of payment is selected, charges incurred by those authorized will be billed to the credit/debit account entered.

 

· Actual credit/debit cards must be present at the time of embarkation.

 

· During embarkation, If any payment is given to replace the credit/debit card previously submitted online during the Online Check-In process, (such as cash or a different credit/debit card), the hold will remain on the initial credit/debit card account. This hold will remain on the card 3 to 7 business days after the voyage returns (depending on the issuing bank).

· A statement of charges will be provided at the end of the cruise.

 

· The cardholder is responsible for amended charges discovered after the authorized guest (s) disembark vessel.

 

· Carnival will not be held responsible for any bank imposed overage or insufficient funds charges on debit/check cashing cards or credit cards

[luddite]

Thanks for your input...I'll be booking the rental & hotel so I could see how those holds + that on the ship could become a big headache.

There are hotels and rentacar outfits that also recommend that you not use a debit card for their services.

[me & my peeps]

...what about a prepaid visa card or something like that. i wonder if the cruise lines except those? that way you could put funds in there and not have to worry about it tying up your regular checking account ???

 

I too dislike CC's so I use a prepaid debit, with a VISA logo. Its pretty reasonable with the fee's. $2.95/mo if you have less then $1,000 balance. No transaction fees at each sale. $2.95 for each "reload" from .01 to $500/day, up to $5,000 max balance. NO social security attached to it, so your pretty much off the Gov't radar as well. You can also order one with your name on it for a small fee. A friend of mine who lost his business, house & savings, turned me on to it. It helped him rebuild his life, without the state/Govt/anyone - see funds processed through his checking account and asking "why" he could afford a new washer - but not his mortgage.

 

Im not here to sell or promote the card I use, which is why I didnt mention the brand. But today, I booked my first cruise using that card. The operator at Carnival took the number and gave me my booking code. So, they do work.... ill be cruising with it and probably leaving a cash deposit for the S&S, or have a separate prepaid card for it.

 

I really hope this cruising thing is all it's hyped up to be........I just dropped a TON of money and ill be really disappointed if i cant keep the wife/kids entertained!

:eek:

[smplyblessed619]

I too dislike CC's so I use a prepaid debit, with a VISA logo. Its pretty reasonable with the fee's. $2.95/mo if you have less then $1,000 balance. No transaction fees at each sale. $2.95 for each "reload" from .01 to $500/day, up to $5,000 max balance. NO social security attached to it, so your pretty much off the Gov't radar as well. You can also order one with your name on it for a small fee. A friend of mine who lost his business, house & savings, turned me on to it. It helped him rebuild his life, without the state/Govt/anyone - see funds processed through his checking account and asking "why" he could afford a new washer - but not his mortgage.

 

Im not here to sell or promote the card I use, which is why I didnt mention the brand. But today, I booked my first cruise using that card. The operator at Carnival took the number and gave me my booking code. So, they do work.... ill be cruising with it and probably leaving a cash deposit for the S&S, or have a separate prepaid card for it.

 

I really hope this cruising thing is all it's hyped up to be........I just dropped a TON of money and ill be really disappointed if i cant keep the wife/kids entertained!

:eek:

 

I hope you enjoy your trip!!! :) I'll be checking into the prepaid card as an option as well...I was just told it has to have my name on it, no biggie. My mother already has one, so we're good to go I suppose :D. I'm already looking into 2013 for my 2nd cruise and I don't set sail for 305 days! hahaha Thanks for your input.

[Raven Days]

Me personaly? I establish a cash account for all on board purchases and for my gratuities. I use my debit card on shore. I call USAA to let them know to not have a panic attack when they see my card being used somewhere besides Texas. I used my debit card one time for my S&S and I will NEVER do it again.

[Almost Packed]

I'm glad to know the pre paid "credit cards" will be accepted. that may help a lot of people.

[girlscruise2011]

I call Carnival a few weeks before my cruise and have money applied to my S&S card. This way as soon as I get on the Lido I can get my first DOD and no messing with a machine or stopping at the desk to put on money. If you need cash, there is a way to get it from your card in the casino.

 

Its easy and works great. Just call and put down how much you think you'll need and bring your debit or prepaid card for "just in case" but hopefully you won't need it.

[girlscruise2011]

I call Carnival a few weeks before my cruise and have money applied to my S&S card. This way as soon as I get on the Lido I can get my first DOD and no messing with a machine or stopping at the desk to put on money. If you need cash, there is a way to get it from your card in the casino.

 

Its easy and works great. Just call and put down how much you think you'll need and bring your debit or prepaid card for "just in case" but hopefully you won't need it.

[smplyblessed619]

I call Carnival a few weeks before my cruise and have money applied to my S&S card. This way as soon as I get on the Lido I can get my first DOD and no messing with a machine or stopping at the desk to put on money. If you need cash, there is a way to get it from your card in the casino.

 

Its easy and works great. Just call and put down how much you think you'll need and bring your debit or prepaid card for "just in case" but hopefully you won't need it.

 

 

That's a great tip...didn't know that was an option. Thanks!!

[TriciaEMTB]

Use your debit card to purchase funship dollars and have them applied to you account ahead of time as OBC. Bring your debit card just in case. No need to carry large amounts of cash and no need to run into the double charge problem.

[steff613]

Hi folks after reading all your posts I feel i need to speak up, alot of you made comments such as "the credit union held $200 when i pumped gas, the credit didnt release the hold ect" I work for a credit union it is not your financial institution that places the hold on your cards it is the merchant. In the case of gas pumps, when you use your debit card at the pump if you do not enter your pin the PUMP authorizes up to 200$ the amount is individual to the merchant and how their pumps are set. If the cruiseline authorizes your card every day it will indeed hold funds but it is the visa system not your CU that releases it. Typically the hold should fall off in 3 days so i can see how this would be a problem if this is indeed what they do, but that is the cruiseline not the credit union. You should ALWAYS let your cu know you are traveling because alot of debit cards are blocked for out of country purchaes because the majority of fraud originates out of country.

[girlscruise2011]

That's a great tip...didn't know that was an option. Thanks!!

 

Something I learned last year on the boards and just passing it along ;)

 

Your very welcome!

[smplyblessed619]

I just re-read this thread and appreciate everyone's feedback. I have secured a credit card, and I also have a pre-paid VISA card (that I have checked with Carnival is okay to use). I don't plan on using my debit unless it's for expenses TO / FROM the cruise. Thanks again --- hope this question helps others as well.

 

PS-60 days! WOOT WOOT!

[All4fun&fun4all]

I had an issue with my debit card having the daily holds that my bank didnt release for a couple of weeks which made a few things go bouncy bouncy before they were released. Since then, we always carry cash and put a set amount on our S&S account once we are onboard.

 

We checked our balance at the kiosks that they have around the ship which makes us fully conscious of our spending. (We budget cruise :o) I saw, on our last cruise, that you can add money to your S&S at those kiosks as well but I dont fully trust it yet. I may try it on our next sailing to avoid standing in line at Guest Services.

 

Ok, y'all dont go trying to rob me as we travel up the gangplank. Sometimes I say too much. :p

 

Edited to say: I see that you have secured a credit card for your sailing. Good news! Happy sailing!

[Mandygal]

I was in the same situation last year and I just took money out of the ATM and applied it to my account so they wouldn't put holds on my card. When I needed to add more money I just added more cash. It worked well for me.

[cocontom]

too funny.

 

however, there are some great benefits to use your credit card. now i'm not saying to go charge charge charge. but like i said, i purchase large ticket items on mine, and pay it off immediately. usually my card offers me double the manufactures warranty on items bought or at least an extra year or two-example-the xbox 360 i bought my son. thankfully the cc company kicked in because a month after the microsoft warranty expired, it froze up (a few years ago)

 

and also, many cards offer insurance for rental cars etc. so if you plan on doing a fair amount of traveling, they are good to have, or at least one that you charge a last minute flight out of somewhere on for an emergency.

 

My brother and his wife have zero cards and refuse to get one. they barely have a computer-by their choice. they pay cash for everything. there home overlooking the lake is paid for (not even in their 40's yet) their cars, harley etc. they will not have a credit card. but when we took them on their first cruise, they were responsible for their own s&s card. no credit card problem. so a good friend/neighbor helped them out. they gave them an amount of cash up front and the neighbor called the cc company and had them added as additional card holders. They were able to charge on the card but that was really about it. So that way they had access to a credit card, that wouldn't put a huge hold on their funds and it was no problem.

 

and even still, no credit card for them. it works for them. to each their own right?

 

hopefully someone will answer for us about the pre paid visa cards.

 

either way, you'll have a wonderful time i'm sure. :)

 

Not only that, but you should get something for using your card- cash back, airline miles, points- whatever. We get a few hundred bucks back a year from our CC.

 

Using the debit is tying up real money. They can put a hold on your real money just for the regular charges. They could tie up money in a dispute over charges--a broken TV,missing towels, missing ropes. Mistaken room charges..... the point being you can lose access to real money even is the dispute gets cleared in your favor, If money is already tight and you have automatic withdrawals that will bounce because of disputed funds which are tying your real money, well, it'll cost you real money.

 

A credit card can only hold up future money.

 

Using a debit card is a disaster waiting to happen.

 

Exactly. I would actually add "fraud" to your list of possibilities as well, and it's why I never, ever use my debit card. Not to mention- I honestly trust that Amex and Citi have better fraud protection than my dinky little local bank, and I trust that they're going to look out for their money before the bank will look out for my money in their account.

[cruisingreena]

i always give what I estimate I will spend in cash on the cruise instead of my credit card. I dont like the holds they place, so I avoid it. my tips, a few extras..I give it all in cash and add more if I need to.

[me & my peeps]

I just came back from my first cruise. It was on Carnival Miracle. I debated for months on what method of payment to use. I figured that everyone accepted cash, and I wouldnt have to worry about delayed charges, holds or being locked out of my card for whatever reason.

 

I got on board and deposited $300 cash on our account. A few days later when I felt more comfortable with our spending pattern, I deposited another $1,200. We ended up getting a check back on the final day.

 

We set up a separate debit card account with our bank, which we used only on our cruise. We added funds as needed. If you've ever had your account compromised and waited months for it to get all settled....the extra precautions wont seem like such a hassle.

[bplazo]

I never use a debit card because if lost or stolen it could clear out your checking account.

[RuthlessBoss]

I never use a debit card because if lost or stolen it could clear out your checking account.

O.K. Are you suspicious? What are the odds?

[sail2sea]

Credit card and if you don't like credit cards, cash.

[dave_k63]

Just my two cents worth.....Why not use cash and debit as a backup as someone suggested. Are you prepared if Carnival makes a mistake on your billing and it causes you to over draw? It happens. Just a suggestion.

THat's what I always do. I also pre-pay gratuities so those are not on the S&S. For the four of us I put down $2,000 cash. Use the CC as a backup and have never had to use it. We got a check back on the last day, and cashed it at guest services. I'm a bit leary about using CC or debit cards in some Caribbean ports, so we also took cash for those. The "holds" on the debit cards are released at the bank's leisure, not the cruise ship.