Funding On Board Account

[Northshorecruisers]

I know we need to give a credit card when we check onto the ship and there's a hold put on it for the anticipated amount - but can I just fund our on board account from home before we leave? What happens if there is a credit remaining at the end of the cruise (not likely but just in case)?

 

I don't mind giving the credit card, I'd just prefer to deal with cash and not have anything go on the card.

[richwmn]

I know we need to give a credit card when we check onto the ship and there's a hold put on it for the anticipated amount - but can I just fund our on board account from home before we leave? What happens if there is a credit remaining at the end of the cruise (not likely but just in case)?

 

I don't mind giving the credit card, I'd just prefer to deal with cash and not have anything go on the card.

 

Up to about 2 weeks before your cruise you can (or you can have friends) buy "gifts" of on board cash. These will be used to fund your on board account. Upon boarding, you can fund additional cash directly to the office. If the amount you have funded when you board is greater than the required hold amount, you do not have to provide a credit card. If you have money left at the end of the cruise, it will be refunded the last morning of the cruise, starting about 5 am, in cash. Not from my experience but from others posting, if you have any balance (even $1) you will not be able to leave until the credit is cleared.

 

Depending on the ship, you may be able to fund slightly less than the "hold" amount and still not be required to present a credit or debit card.

 

 

Rich

[Hawaiidan]

Doing it by credit card so that 1. it is insured If there is a problem or refund and

2. if you send a check or cash/wire, you will get no points

 

3. If you use a credit card you can float the debt 24 days foward and pay it off interest free instead of pre-paying it months in advance of the due date and loosing interest, leverae etc.

 

Cash is you enemy... Credit cards, not Debit or Check cards will have security.

[kazu]

I know we need to give a credit card when we check onto the ship and there's a hold put on it for the anticipated amount - but can I just fund our on board account from home before we leave? What happens if there is a credit remaining at the end of the cruise (not likely but just in case)?

 

I don't mind giving the credit card, I'd just prefer to deal with cash and not have anything go on the card.

 

 

The hold is just a hold - there is no charge to your credit card until the end. You can certainly order some obc's (on board credits) to credit to your account if you want to eliminate some of the charges. if there's obc left over they will gladly refund it to you.

 

Easier to do the obc route and let them use the credit card for any difference. You can easily check your balance and have full control:)

[msmayor]

We 'bought' shipboard credit over the past few months through the website, as well as a beverage card. It was very easy and nice to know that a large chunk of on-board spending is already 'paid' for.

[Typhoon1]

I would never use cash. However, if you prefer to do it that way, stop at the front desk and put down a specified amount.

 

Periodically, ask that an itemized statement be sent to your cabin.

[LordSpain]

Being in our 60's we have grown children, grandkids, brothers and sisters etc. For every holiday - Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's day and the like we were constantly being asked, "What do you want?". Several years ago we said we wanted shipboard credit. Now we simply provide all of our relatives with the booking number and that's what we receive for all of our gifts. It's easy for the family, and we love it. We now start every cruise with a generous amount of OBC.

 

Bruce

[KirkNC]

Being in our 60's we have grown children, grandkids, brothers and sisters etc. For every holiday - Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's day and the like we were constantly being asked, "What do you want?". Several years ago we said we wanted shipboard credit. Now we simply provide all of our relatives with the booking number and that's what we receive for all of our gifts. It's easy for the family, and we love it. We now start every cruise with a generous amount of OBC.

 

Bruce

 

I like that idea! No more having to come up with something that you probably don't want or need.

[airlink diva]

While I have credit cards, I only use them for car rental mainly.

For my HAL sailings, I purchased the shipboard credits.

I have a good idea on how much to purchase. I have enough for my service charges, my trips to the Crow's Nest and a little for just in case.

Depending on how much you place on account, this can also help with adding to sailing days.

I normally end up getting under $20 back at the end of a sailing.

Now when you check in, some of the people will tell you that a credit card is required. I tell them that OBC is already on my account. They will then tell you if it's not, you need to head for the front desk. I just tell them ok and head on board. The OBC is already in place and ready for use.

Others can also purchase OBC for you. They just need to know the sailing dates, not your booking number. My parents have purchase OBC, coffee cards and goodies for my cabin with just the ship, my name and my sailing date.

[hal lover]

Credit card is really the best way to go. However, you can take cash along with you and pay it down every other day if you want to. Just remember to secure the cash in your safe! I've seen others do that at the front desk every time that I have cruised.

[DFD1]

Interesting thread. Some good ideas about the gifts.

 

I can understand the OP's idea of using cash instead of a credit card.

[northernphoenix]

In prep for our cruises, we have a cruise tin that receives any wins from Lotto, etc. We then purchase US$ with these winnings, and then purchase travelers cheques and place a large credit upon our shipboard account. This is part of our cruise tradition, and DH feels soo much better, when ordering our wine packages, etc.!

[falcon10156]

Being in our 60's we have grown children, grandkids, brothers and sisters etc. For every holiday - Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's day and the like we were constantly being asked, "What do you want?". Several years ago we said we wanted shipboard credit. Now we simply provide all of our relatives with the booking number and that's what we receive for all of our gifts. It's easy for the family, and we love it. We now start every cruise with a generous amount of OBC.

 

Bruce

 

 

Great Idea!! Ill remember that one.

 

Debbie

[RedSox5]

We too prefer to use cash- we like to walk off the ship owing nothing.

 

We give them our credit card number and then stop and the front desk every day or every other day, ask for our print-out, check it over, and then pay it off in cash.

 

We've done this on various cruise lines and it's worked very well for us. Just did it on HAL last week :)