Booking With Debit Card?

[GTO-Girl]

I have "almost" talked my sweet sister in law in joining us on our upcoming cruise. She does not have any credit cards and wanted to know if she could book with a debit card and if she could also use it to set up her onboard account.

 

I need to hear from those of you that have done this and if it was a problem.

 

Have never done it myself, so I wasn't sure how to advise her.

 

Thanks!!!!

[Johndoe813]

I use my debit card but it has a visa logo like most and can be run as a debt or a credit. I have never had an issue as long as the money is in the account it will go through.

[Clarea]

She can use the debit card to secure the onboard account. However, I suggest instead to opt for a cash account, and then pay it off on the last night with the debit card. This avoids any potential holds being put on the funds.

[GTO-Girl]

I use my debit card but it has a visa logo like most and can be run as a debt or a credit. I have never had an issue as long as the money is in the account it will go through.

 

That's what I was thinking too......Thanks so much for your quick response.

 

The cruise is less than 3 weeks and the ship is about to fill up. I am trying to get her to "pull the trigger" before it's too late......:D

 

She has never cruised Royal before and I want to show her what she's been missing.....LOL

[Steeler Nation At Sea]

She may be better off with a cash account onboard. If she uses the debit card, an amount will be held from her checking and unavailable to pay other items such as outstanding checks when they are presented. The amount if the hold placed may be higher than what she actually intends to spend, leaving nothing available in her checking account, resulting in insufficient funds fees, returned checks and embarassment.

 

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[Johndoe813]

one thing she can also do and i have done and kinda of liked it is call Royal and put a certain amount of money toward her account onboard say like $300 then you can use it like a spending account and see the balance on the tv in the room to keep track and then set up a cash account that she will probably not use due to having credit already in room.

[ryano]

. If she uses the debit card, an amount will be held from her checking and unavailable to pay other items such as outstanding checks when they are presented. The amount if the hold placed may be higher than what she actually intends to spend, leaving nothing available in her checking account, resulting in insufficient funds fees, returned checks and embarassment.

 

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I have learned from my own experiences that this is not always the case and seems to be more dependant on how your financial institution handles preauthorizations.

 

I DO however agree that the cash account is the best way and to pay it off at the end of the cruise with the debit card like clarea suggested. I have also learned from my own experience that on a 7 night cruise, you can charge up to 500.00 before they ask you to come pay the account down. :)

Edited August 11, 2014 by ryano

[ryano]

one thing she can also do and i have done and kinda of liked it is call Royal and put a certain amount of money toward her account onboard say like $300 then you can use it like a spending account and see the balance on the tv in the room to keep track and then set up a cash account that she will probably not use due to having credit already in room.

 

Thats what I did on my last cruise. I prepurchased OBC through gifts and gear and if there is any left on the last night, I cash out at Guest Services.

 

The credit showed up on my account the second day of the cruise.

 

I liked how that worked and will do it again for future cruises

[GTO-Girl]

Sorry to be so clueless.....but if she opts for a cash account onboard, does that mean she will need to go to Guest Services and place X amount of dollars to begin her account?

 

Also.....on the online checkin......doesn't it allow to select cash account rather than credit card?

 

Sorry I have never paid any attention since I don't do it this way.

[ryano]

Sorry to be so clueless.....but if she opts for a cash account onboard, does that mean she will need to go to Guest Services and place X amount of dollars to begin her account?

 

.

 

No, her Seapass card will be available for use immediately after check in. She can charge up to 500.00 onboard before they will ask her to come pay down the account :)

 

Yes, she can select cash account on the online check in :)

Edited August 11, 2014 by ryano

[BARNET]

Bit of a repeat answer go for a cash account don't let your sister in law to put her debt card down as payment method, RCI will put a holder on the card. It happened to use when we first started to cruise, cause a few problems when we wanted to buy things ashore. Also RCI will now take payments when the account reach a set spend level, better to get a note in your cabin then the problem of not being able to use your card ashore.

[GTO-Girl]

Thanks everybody......!!!!

 

Since she will be able to use her Seapass card right away I think I will advise her to do the cash account for her onboard purchases and we will make the trip down to Guest Services when it's not so busy.

 

Ya'll are the best!!!!

[ang73]

We used our debit card to make our final payment. The only thing my TA said was that sometimes with debit cards there is a daily limit you can put on it. She said I should check with my bank just in case I needed to break it down into payments over a few days. I checked with my bank and was fine paying it all in one day. But it might not hurt her to check with her bank first.

 

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