Onboard Spending Acct Question

[Mschif78]

Hi,

 

I havent sailed NCL in YEARS...Im sailing with them again at the end of the month. On Carnival, if you want to pay cash for your spending account they take a certain amount per person per day. They also have kiosks around the ship where u can put more money on without going to the desk. I noticed on NCL website it stated if paying with cash that u need to put down 700 pp. That would be 1400 for us. We dont NEARLY spend that much on board as we do no drink at all.

 

Is this correct??? Will they want 1400?? On my last cruise we spent 900 all week.

 

Also I was thinking about paying with Debit/Credit card...does anyone know what the hold will be IF I decide to do it this way???

 

THANKS!!

[luddite]

Just use the credit card and pay the bill when it arrives a month later.

Never, ever use a debit for this.

[NMLady]

Hi,

 

I havent sailed NCL in YEARS...Im sailing with them again at the end of the month. On Carnival, if you want to pay cash for your spending account they take a certain amount per person per day. They also have kiosks around the ship where u can put more money on without going to the desk. I noticed on NCL website it stated if paying with cash that u need to put down 700 pp. That would be 1400 for us. We dont NEARLY spend that much on board as we do no drink at all.

 

Is this correct??? Will they want 1400?? On my last cruise we spent 900 all week.

 

Also I was thinking about paying with Debit/Credit card...does anyone know what the hold will be IF I decide to do it this way???

 

THANKS!!

 

The actual cash amount required to be deposited is actually much less than that. Just ask at the Front Desk at check in. It is more like $300 and you add to it as you spend.

[garycarla]

You can also just leave a credit card, and then put some cash down or pay it down when you want.

 

Assuming you have a credit card, of course.

[rbrugler]

I put $200 cash on the accounts for my wife and I. The later I add more if needed. This has never been an issue in 12 NCL cruises.

[TravelDiva88]

You can also just leave a credit card, and then put some cash down or pay it down when you want.

 

Assuming you have a credit card, of course.

 

This.

 

or just pre-pay your credit card (send in an extra payment equal to your estimated on-board expenses) and then it'll still be a zero balance when you return.

 

I would NOT recommend using a debit card- they'll put a $300 hold on the account which can take a full cycle to fall off.

 

Credit card authorization is $300 per stateroom as well, I believe.

[kcwingwalker]

This.

 

or just pre-pay your credit card (send in an extra payment equal to your estimated on-board expenses) and then it'll still be a zero balance when you return.

 

I would NOT recommend using a debit card- they'll put a $300 hold on the account which can take a full cycle to fall off.

 

Credit card authorization is $300 per stateroom as well, I believe.

 

On our last cruise, I prepaid our gratuities and paid an amount that I thought would cover our shipboard expenses before we cruised with my American Express card. My American Express was paid in full before we left. Nice surprise for me when I received our statement on the last morning and with a check a little more than $800.00 attached. Obviously I over estimated, but perhaps was a bit more frugal because I did not wish to have a large bill at the end of a cruise.

 

I did find it odd that it was not applied to my American Express.

[hladygirl]

I have always used my debit card and never had a hold put on it. Check with your bank. Mine states they do not put these holds on.

[garycarla]

I have always used my debit card and never had a hold put on it. Check with your bank. Mine states they do not put these holds on.

 

If you read much here, you will find quite the opposite. And some horror stories to go with it. I am going to take a wild guess here.... you have a fair amount in your account. Or, possibly, they have always take the Credit Card side and not a debit?

 

Again, lots of stories about people with money tied up in their account until it clears.

[luddite]

I have always used my debit card and never had a hold put on it. Check with your bank. Mine states they do not put these holds on.

 

You've had holds, be assured.

Luck counts. Counting on luck will lead to less than wonderful results.

[SteveH2508]

Check with your bank. Mine states they do not put these holds on.

 

And you believe everything a bank tells you - where have you been these past few years? :rolleyes:

[GORDONCHICK]

Just use the credit card and pay the bill when it arrives a month later.

Never, ever use a debit for this.

 

What he said.

[dcollette]

I have another question in regards to this--I have put cash on my account before with no cc attached to the account, and we pre pay our gratuities--I know they have different "suggested" amounts if you haven't pre paid them. However, I would like my teens to have their own money on their accounts--is this possible to do without having a cc on their accounts? That I have never done before. My kids usually just have a limit and stay within it, and if that is what I need to do, it's ok, I just thought it would give them more of a sense of responsibility if they had their allotted money on their card and had to manage it themselves. Any suggestions?

 

Thank you,

Debbie

[Knock.out.cruiser]

On my cruise last November, we prepaid our grats. I had heard about the "$700 pp for the week", but since there was only two of us and we weren't heavy drinkers, we only put $400 in our account. Plus $300 OBC. Even with eating at the specialty restaurants every night except two, souvenirs, and an occasional drink, we still received a refund check a week or so after we got back.

 

Sent from my SCH-L710 using Forums mobile app

[trish1c]

When you are establishing your on-board account at check in there's a BIG sign telling you that NCL recommends not using a debit card because sometimes the hold stays on for up to 30 days or some such nonsense. :eek:

[garycarla]

When you are establishing your on-board account at check in there's a BIG sign telling you that NCL recommends not using a debit card because sometimes the hold stays on for up to 30 days or some such nonsense. :eek:

 

Similar signs at hotels everywhere as well.