Problems using Debit card on board to settle bill, do they take extra?

[Dreamgirl1957]

hello,

just worried as we were going to register our debit card to settle our OBC but have heard they take $100 per day as well as the amount of your bill and can be 30 days to get it back!!!! Looked on internet and several posts from people saying the same and has caused lots of upset and problems after the cruise with an empty bank account and waiting weeks to be re-imbersed.

 

Just quickly read something about this also on another forum.

Said they pre-claim money or something like that.

 

If we register a credit card do they still do the same??? We used our CC last year but we were not on RCI and had no problems at all but was a Thomson Ship.

 

What would happen if they took so much up front they took all your balance before taking what you had actually spent??

Really worried.

Sure this isnt a problem for people with thousands available on their credit cards but we have a limit.

[ryano]

hello,

just worried as we were going to register our debit card to settle our OBC but have heard they take $100 per day as well as the amount of your bill and can be 30 days to get it back!!!! Looked on internet and several posts from people saying the same and has caused lots of upset and problems after the cruise with an empty bank account and waiting weeks to be re-imbersed.

 

 

These are know as pre authorization holds and it largely depends on how your bank handles such transactions.........i have used my debit card on 3 of 4 cruises and have never experienced any holds whatsoever. Just a debit for the total charges of my onboard account which was withdrawn from my account the day the cruise was over.

[Clarea]

hello,

just worried as we were going to register our debit card to settle our OBC but have heard they take $100 per day as well as the amount of your bill and can be 30 days to get it back!!!! Looked on internet and several posts from people saying the same and has caused lots of upset and problems after the cruise with an empty bank account and waiting weeks to be re-imbersed.

 

Just quickly read something about this also on another forum.

Said they pre-claim money or something like that.

 

If we register a credit card do they still do the same??? We used our CC last year but we were not on RCI and had no problems at all but was a Thomson Ship.

 

What would happen if they took so much up front they took all your balance before taking what you had actually spent??

Really worried.

Sure this isnt a problem for people with thousands available on their credit cards but we have a limit.

From what I've read here, there can be "holds" put on funds when using a debit card, and the amount of time the "holds" persist vary due to the policies of the particular financial institution that controls the account linked to the debit card. We have always used a credit card, and I've not seen any kind of "hold" or "pending" amount when using a credit card.

 

An alternative to securing the on board account with a debit card is to choose to use cash to settle the on board account. Then use the debit card on the last night of the cruise to settle the cash account. This way there are no holds put on the funds associated debit card. If your on board account balance exceeds a set amount, something like $500, Guest Services will contact you and ask that the amount be paid down, which can also be done with the debit card.

 

The downside of using a cash account is that nothing can be charged on the on board account after it is paid off on the last night of the cruise.

[sandy66]

Returned 2 weeks ago from the Allure and used my debit card to settle 2 separate cabin accounts and had no problem. No holds were put on anything. I checked my accounts daily on board and found nothing unusual. The funds were withdrawn from my account 2 days after returning.

[SConnolly]

hello,

just worried as we were going to register our debit card to settle our OBC but have heard they take $100 per day as well as the amount of your bill and can be 30 days to get it back!!!! Looked on internet and several posts from people saying the same and has caused lots of upset and problems after the cruise with an empty bank account and waiting weeks to be re-imbersed.

 

Just quickly read something about this also on another forum.

Said they pre-claim money or something like that.

 

If we register a credit card do they still do the same??? We used our CC last year but we were not on RCI and had no problems at all but was a Thomson Ship.

 

What would happen if they took so much up front they took all your balance before taking what you had actually spent??

Really worried.

Sure this isnt a problem for people with thousands available on their credit cards but we have a limit.

 

I think you are in the UK.

 

My sister lives in the UK also and always user her Debit card to set up her on board account account and settle her bill. Never has had an issue. Was just with her on LOS in May and we checked in together. Again no issue.

[sherilyn70]

I used a credit card to secure purchases and then paid the bill the last night using cash and my debit card.

 

Sent from my Droid Charge using Tapatalk

[bigque]

I use a debit card that I have tied to a checking account I use just for vacations separate from my regular checking account. I have never had holds placed on my account. With the debit card they run your bill each night and the money is debited at that time. The last day of the cruise the only charges I had remaining was what I spent on the day before the end of the cruise (About $45.00) and that came out about 2 days after the cruise.

[novicetraveller]

hello,

just worried as we were going to register our debit card to settle our OBC but have heard they take $100 per day as well as the amount of your bill and can be 30 days to get it back!!!! Looked on internet and several posts from people saying the same and has caused lots of upset and problems after the cruise with an empty bank account and waiting weeks to be re-imbersed.

 

Just quickly read something about this also on another forum.

Said they pre-claim money or something like that.

 

If we register a credit card do they still do the same??? We used our CC last year but we were not on RCI and had no problems at all but was a Thomson Ship.

 

What would happen if they took so much up front they took all your balance before taking what you had actually spent??

Really worried.

Sure this isnt a problem for people with thousands available on their credit cards but we have a limit.

 

You may want to look into the likes of Caxton and FairFX who offer pre-paid currency cards and load them up with what you think you are likely to spend. you can top up the card whilst on the cruise with as much as you need. You may (and I emphasise may) find a currency card will give you a better rate than your bank Debit / Credit Card.

 

Apology for not answering your question directly.

[Dreamgirl1957]

Thanks everyone, i will register my credit card but go half way through and pay up to date with my debit card and again at the end so hopefully will be plain sailing! Pardon the pun !! :):):)

[Esmerelda]

We just finished our 4th cruise last November and used our debit card. We originally put some money down on our room (say $300 or so) then I tell them to settle the rest on my debit card. I've NEVER had any holds put on my card. I think the last time we did this, we had about $200+ put onto my card. It was the exact amount that was owed.

 

We are tied to a credit union so I don't know if that's the difference but this has never happened to us. The charge on my seapass card was exactly what was on my debit card.

[phoenix1181]

Thanks everyone, i will register my credit card but go half way through and pay up to date with my debit card and again at the end so hopefully will be plain sailing! Pardon the pun !! :):):)

 

I don't believe this will work. You can pay with cash part way through the cruise but, if you present a debit card half way through, I'm pretty sure they'll look at it as if you're just changing the card you want charged. They don't process an actual charge until the cruise is over.

[Cruzfrek]

I opened a separate checking account because a few years ago the hold was placed on my bank account and messed up all my bills etc. it was a big headache. This second account is something I transfer money into to cover vacation costs. I also use this for internet purchases to keep my main account safe. This also applies to making purchases outside the US...safety first!!

[London Traveller]

I have only ever used my debit card and have never had any hold problems.

 

I must say I did worry last year as there seem to be a lot of posts about this. I need not have worried though as only the money I had spent had been taken out.

[Kilnwood]

I opened a separate checking account because a few years ago the hold was placed on my bank account and messed up all my bills etc. it was a big headache. This second account is something I transfer money into to cover vacation costs. I also use this for internet purchases to keep my main account safe. This also applies to making purchases outside the US...safety first!!

 

BBM

 

Cruzfrek, thank you for an excellent post! I had been thinking of doing this, but after reading your post, I will as soon as the bank opens in the morning.

 

HAPPY CRUISING!

[mlsully]

We just got off FOS in June and this happened to us. When I checked my account when I got home, I had been charged the correct amount of my total bill but there were pending charges too. I called RCCL who confirmed they do hold charges during the trip to ensure you have enough in your account. The rep stated that the pending charges should go away in two to three days however the pending charges left my account with low funds available so RCCL called my bank and had the pending charges removed that day.

[Stich17]

This has been recently discussed in another thread see

 

http://cruiseforums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1655303&page=4

 

Yes the cruise company are likely to put pre authorisations on your card. These will drop off automatically usually in 7 days.