credit card for overseas cruises

[aussielozzie18]

Thinking about doing an overseas cruise for my next cruise. Have read on several threads here in the past that the 28 degree mastercard is recommended for overseas transactions due to lack of fees. Do frequent cruisers still recommend this card? If so, I take it you apply online rather than through a bank?

[OzKiwiJJ]

Thinking about doing an overseas cruise for my next cruise. Have read on several threads here in the past that the 28 degree mastercard is recommended for overseas transactions due to lack of fees. Do frequent cruisers still recommend this card? If so, I take it you apply online rather than through a bank?

 

Yes, apply online. We've just got one. Haven't really had a chance to use it yet apart from changing to it as our default card on Amazon.

[cassamanda]

Yes, apply on line.

We use it for our onboard account and any foreign currency purchases.

Has high interest so you need to keep the balance low by paying off the debt within the 55 days.

 

Use a normal low interest credit card or a debit to pay your cruise fare.

[cheznandy]

Thinking about doing an overseas cruise for my next cruise. Have read on several threads here in the past that the 28 degree mastercard is recommended for overseas transactions due to lack of fees. Do frequent cruisers still recommend this card? If so, I take it you apply online rather than through a bank?

 

We use our 28Degrees for all overseas transactions. We have a $5000 credit and use it only for travel. Have it linked to our Internet banking so can make payments etc when travelling. We use it for hotel checkins and cruises.

 

For cash we have Citibank Plus Visa debit cards, so use your own money, no fees or conversions fees. Drew money out at ATMS in Singapore, Kuala Lumpar, Koh Samui, Pattaya etc, no fees, just remember to hit credit not savings or you will be charged fees as friends of ours found out!!

For us these are the two must have for overseas travel:) Cash and credit.

 

Chez

[DianeandMark]

I think you should google 28 degree MasterCard reviews before going ahead with this! Some were very scathing.

[Gaznjo]

we have never had a problem with 28 deg card .... we have it set up so it automatically direct debits the balance each month ... we only use it overseas and on line

[cheznandy]

I think you should google 28 degree MasterCard reviews before going ahead with this! Some were very scathing.

 

You used to be able to withdraw cash without fees, and lots were loading it with cash and withdrawing. Now there are fees for withdrawing cash, but it is still the best for credit transactions.......reason we use Citibank for cash.

 

Chez

[OzKiwiJJ]

Like all credit cards, you have to manage your use of it wisely.

[MicCanberra]

You used to be able to withdraw cash without fees, and lots were loading it with cash and withdrawing. Now there are fees for withdrawing cash, but it is still the best for credit transactions.......reason we use Citibank for cash.

 

Chez

 

We do the same, 28 degrees for all overseas travel purchases and the sea board account. Citibank for cash withdrawals when overseas.:D

[goodycruising]

After reading about it here we have a Citibank Plus debit card and are finding it great for everyday use also. We can deposit and withdraw at Australia Post with no fees.

 

When we pay RCI direct online there are no overseas company transaction fees like we have been stung with from NAB, even though we are paying a .com.au website in AUD.

 

It is a Visa debit card so we need to deposit our money up front, but it keeps it separate from our normal banking.

 

Good info about pressing credit thanks! Didn't know that little loophole. We sure got stung using our CBA card to draw cash out from a savings account on the ship a while back.

 

We still have the Aust Post "load and go" travel multicurrency card for our on board spending. We can lock in the US$ well before the cruise, which has been very reassuring lately.

 

We haven't gone for the 28 degrees mainly because we have so many other options already, and the Citibank Plus had a very good currency rate as well. Not quite as good as the 28 degrees if I remember the previous posts here, but it was 1c versus the banks/Post etc being about 3-4c on the US/AUD conversion built in commission loading.

 

Love the info that I have learnt here! :)

[cheznandy]

 

Good info about pressing credit thanks! Didn't know that little loophole. We sure got stung using our CBA card to draw cash out from a savings account on the ship a while back.

 

Love the info that I have learnt here! :)

 

I know!! I had read it when I was reviewing the Citbank card.

I had told our friends about the card, and while we were in Singapore we were both drawing money at ATM's.......he said he had been hit with fees, I hadn't. Then we worked out he had been hitting "savings" :he wasn't charged fees from then on. The only time fees are added is if the ATM you are using charges them.

We never buy currency before we leave now, just use our card at the airport/port etc

You can go to the Citibank website and get all the Citibank friendly ATM's all over the world.

We have one each, separate accounts, share the money between each in case we lose one.

I agree these forums are great for gaining info:)

 

Chez

[musicorn]

I think you should google 28 degree MasterCard reviews before going ahead with this! Some were very scathing.

 

I have had one of these cards since 2010 and have not had any issues until this year. My overseas cruise payment bounced. I now have 2 cards this one and a Bankwest Mastercard. I am hoping that if one does not work the other one will.

[MicCanberra]

I have had one of these cards since 2010 and have not had any issues until this year. My overseas cruise payment bounced. I now have 2 cards this one and a Bankwest Mastercard. I am hoping that if one does not work the other one will.

 

Good planning.:D

[cruise love]

I use a citibank credit card to pay for my on

overseas travel for the travel insurance. 28 degrees for purchases and citibank Atm card for cash

Cruise love

[The_Big_M]

I have had one of these cards since 2010 and have not had any issues until this year. My overseas cruise payment bounced. I now have 2 cards this one and a Bankwest Mastercard. I am hoping that if one does not work the other one will.

 

Agreed. I had a fair number of issues with 28 Degrees bouncing a few years back. From what I could work out they seemed to do some form of processing or validation outside AU business hours. Which wasn't good when travelling!

 

But it's been better lately for me.

[MicCanberra]

I haven't had any issues apart from some service agents wanting to see a signature as well even though you have used a PIN. No great inconvenience and at least the security is being assured before the transaction goes through.

Edited July 18, 2015 by MicCanberra

[Bpos]

I obtained a 28 Degree Mastercard a couple of weeks ago for an upcoming trip but before I energised it I had a question to ask.

 

I tried by phone to get in touch with them and had no success whatsoever.

 

Consequently cut the up card and obtained another one from ANZ.

 

I now believe all is ok if going well but if you have a problem with the card and want to talk to a person - forget it. Was shocked to see similar complaints when I googled the card.

 

Also their fee structure has changed recently and the edge they had over most other cards is now gone. ie you will be charged 3% for cash withdrawals even it you have preloaded the card with cash before leaving home

[OzKiwiJJ]

I obtained a 28 Degree Mastercard a couple of weeks ago for an upcoming trip but before I energised it I had a question to ask.

 

Also their fee structure has changed recently and the edge they had over most other cards is now gone. ie you will be charged 3% for cash withdrawals even it you have preloaded the card with cash before leaving home

 

How odd. We've just got one and had no problems getting through to them to ask questions.

 

We knew about the 3% for cash before we got the card but don't intend to use it for cash withdrawals, just for travel and internet shopping ie Amazon. I expect the savings we will get on having no overseas transaction fees will more than pay for the inconvenience of managing another credit card.

[aronde]

I haven't had any issues apart from some service agents wanting to see a signature as well even though you have used a PIN. No great inconvenience and at least the security is being assured before the transaction goes through.

 

 

This happened to us a lot on our Alaskan cruise at the ports. Would enter in the correct PIN then be asked to sign the slip but most times the operator never even checked the signature! Maybe they do it in case the customer disputes the transaction and they can refer back to a signed docket?

 

I agree with all the others who recommended 28 degrees for credit purchases and the citibank card for cash withdrawals. Worked perfectly for us and when we returned 28 degrees must have seen how much money we spent and offered us an increased limit! [emoji2]

[MicCanberra]

I obtained a 28 Degree Mastercard a couple of weeks ago for an upcoming trip but before I energised it I had a question to ask.

 

I tried by phone to get in touch with them and had no success whatsoever.

 

Consequently cut the up card and obtained another one from ANZ.

 

I now believe all is ok if going well but if you have a problem with the card and want to talk to a person - forget it. Was shocked to see similar complaints when I googled the card.

 

Also their fee structure has changed recently and the edge they had over most other cards is now gone. ie you will be charged 3% for cash withdrawals even it you have preloaded the card with cash before leaving home

Yes, that change came in on 1 January which is why I got the Citibank card.

[MicCanberra]

This happened to us a lot on our Alaskan cruise at the ports. Would enter in the correct PIN then be asked to sign the slip but most times the operator never even checked the signature! Maybe they do it in case the customer disputes the transaction and they can refer back to a signed docket?

 

I agree with all the others who recommended 28 degrees for credit purchases and the citibank card for cash withdrawals. Worked perfectly for us and when we returned 28 degrees must have seen how much money we spent and offered us an increased limit! [emoji2]

 

I think it is the US system where most of their cards didn't have PINs, South America employs both as well. The system is set up for either and will take the PIN first but the person often wants the signature as well (possibly out of habit). Good news, is they are transitioning across to PINs for all their cards now.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

I think most banks have some sort of fee or charges now, and if not they will get you on the exchange rate. While it may be favourable they will still make money on the deal.

In NZ we have several options. TSB and KiwiBank offer no fee accounts that come with a free CC and cash card provided you maintain a certain balance in your account and ANZ offer a Freedom account ,no fees provided your Super is paid into the account and you use their debit card at their ATM's.

 

 

[cruisine21]

We do the same, 28 degrees for all overseas travel purchases and the sea board account. Citibank for cash withdrawals when overseas.:D

 

Agree. We use both. We are currently in the U.S. And have had to sign when using both cards. All the 7-11's in the U.S. Have Citbank ATMs which are fee free.

[MicCanberra]

Agree. We use both. We are currently in the U.S. And have had to sign when using both cards. All the 7-11's in the U.S. Have Citbank ATMs which are fee free.

 

Yes, that was one of the reasons why I thought they would be so good for us.:D

[lyndarra]

We use Virgin Velocity Global Wallet. Have used it in UK & US without problem. It's debit card which we can choose from up to 10 currencies (but you can only use 5 per card). There is a small ATM fee for cash withdrawals, which we never make anyway. No loading fees. We take cash with us for tips and small incidentals but use the Wallet for purchases just as we would at home using tap & go or PIN and, in some cases, sign. We also use it for on board purchases and tours. Check it out. There is a report on these cards in Choice magazine dec 2014/jan 2015.