Cash For my S&S Card

[trish1c]

I have a question. everyone keeps saying "credit card" now are we talking about a real credit card for lines of credit or VISA debit card tied to your banks checking account? does carnival require a real credit card or can you use your banks VISA debit card that just comes directly out of your checking? That's what I plan on using for our cruise is just our VISA debit card.

 

You are permitted to use a debit card but even the cruise lines discourage it. They put big daily holds on your accounts & don't release them right away. The long time turn around to release them screws up any automatic payments you have for other stuff.

 

I'm making the numbers up but let's say you are going on a 7 day cruise. You have $2,000 in your account at home tied to the debit card. Including daily service charges, you only spend $100 per day or $700. However, the cruise line holds or freezes $200 per day "just in case." So you spent $700 but you don't have access to $1,400 leaving your available balance in the account at $600 but if you don't account for the freeze / hold you think you have a $1300 available balance. This continues for 2-3 weeks after you get home so your money is essentially tied up for a month. If your $1,000 mortgage is scheduled to come out you don't have enough $$ & all of a sudden you are behind on your mortgage. :eek:

 

Accordingly debit cards are not the way to go even if they have a visa or mastercard logo.

[navybankerteacher]

You are permitted to use a debit card but even the cruise lines discourage it. They put big daily holds on your accounts & don't release them right away. The long time turn around to release them screws up any automatic payments you have for other stuff.

 

I'm making the numbers up but let's say you are going on a 7 day cruise. You have $2,000 in your account at home tied to the debit card. Including daily service charges, you only spend $100 per day or $700. However, the cruise line holds or freezes $200 per day "just in case." So you spent $700 but you don't have access to $1,400 leaving your available balance in the account at $600 but if you don't account for the freeze / hold you think you have a $1300 available balance. This continues for 2-3 weeks after you get home so your money is essentially tied up for a month. If your $1,000 mortgage is scheduled to come out you don't have enough $$ & all of a sudden you are behind on your mortgage. :eek:

 

Accordingly debit cards are not the way to go even if they have a visa or mastercard logo.

 

Great explanation of the difference. Having a hold put on your credit card is just that: a hold, which only becomes an actual charge until the last day - when the amount you owe is put through as a charge. Using your debit card immobilizes funds you think you have available in your account - and for some reason it can take many days for your funds to become available.

[hdowney]

Great explanation of the difference. Having a hold put on your credit card is just that: a hold, which only becomes an actual charge until the last day - when the amount you owe is put through as a charge. Using your debit card immobilizes funds you think you have available in your account - and for some reason it can take many days for your funds to become available.

 

What about pre-pay style credit cards? Not actual credit cards and not the debit card tied to your bank account but a card you get and then pre-load with funds? I presume you can find out the daily/weekly hold limit that your cruise company place on your account and top the card up by this amount (plus some extra just in case) and use this? Would this run more like a credit card set up or a debit card set up? I don't have a credit card.

[JVilleGal]

You can not use the grocery store style Visa Gift Card. Most cruise lines won't accept them AND the fine print on the back says "valid in the U.S. Only". But other than Disney accepting their own Disney card, most other companies will not. Cash works but call to make sure you know how much you are required to have per person.

[hdowney]

You can not use the grocery store style Visa Gift Card. Most cruise lines won't accept them AND the fine print on the back says "valid in the U.S. Only". But other than Disney accepting their own Disney card, most other companies will not. Cash works but call to make sure you know how much you are required to have per person.

 

I don't know what a grocery store style Visa Gift Card is. I don't live in the US I'm in Ireland.

 

We have general pre-pay credit cards that say they can be used anywhere you see the Visa logo and online etc so I was wondering would these work since they are basically (in their words) the same as a credit card but easier to manage your finances.

 

I don't know if I can link to an example of one?

[serene56]

I have a question. everyone keeps saying "credit card" now are we talking about a real credit card for lines of credit or VISA debit card tied to your banks checking account? does carnival require a real credit card or can you use your banks VISA debit card that just comes directly out of your checking? That's what I plan on using for our cruise is just our VISA debit card.

 

 

you can use a debit card -as long as its tied to a bank and has your name on it.

BUT using a debit card can be just as bad as Carnival will put a hold on that debit card and those funds could take a few days to be released.

 

Debit cards sometimes come with a daily account withdrawal. (mine is 200)

so on a cruise you could hit that limit rather easily- with tips) so you let your bank know to lift any required amount.

 

and have ready cash available for when you get home in case your account is maxed out

 

you can not use a store bought visa card on cruise ships

[serene56]

I don't know what a grocery store style Visa Gift Card is. I don't live in the US I'm in Ireland.

 

We have general pre-pay credit cards that say they can be used anywhere you see the Visa logo and online etc so I was wondering would these work since they are basically (in their words) the same as a credit card but easier to manage your finances.

 

I don't know if I can link to an example of one?

 

cruiselines want a card that is tied to a bank. the prepaid card will not be accepted on a ship for your onboard account

[JVilleGal]

I don't know what a grocery store style Visa Gift Card is. I don't live in the US I'm in Ireland.

 

We have general pre-pay credit cards that say they can be used anywhere you see the Visa logo and online etc so I was wondering would these work since they are basically (in their words) the same as a credit card but easier to manage your finances.

 

I don't know if I can link to an example of one?

 

No we are speaking about the same thing... Pre paid Visa, in U.S. we buy them at grocery stores but the cruise lines will not accept them, sorry.

[viccullen17]

NCL lets you use pre-paid credit cards. You just have to have the initial $300 hold they charge and any additional amount you think you might spend. I used one for my sister on the Jewel this past week and didn't have any problems.

[kerryincork]

I use my credit card at check in then pay my bill in cash at end of cruise so I only have a small or 0 amount go on to my card. Also you don't have to have your card to everyone on your booking. When I travel with family we each put our own card to our own accounts. Last October I was in a cabin with my sister and aunt and we each had our accounts linked to our own credit cards. So if you are concerned about travelling companion just tell them they need cash or credit card for their own account & don't link your card to them. They are adults and should expect to pay their own way unless this is a gift to your travelling companion.

[JVilleGal]

 

Be careful ... The Visa Gift card clearly says

"THIS CARD CAN ONLY BE USED IN THE UNITED STATES". Check with the cruise line.

 

Card purchased at Fred Meyer/Kroeger

Edited August 17, 2015 by JVilleGal

[dklddondon]

what about a prepaid debit card you losd funds on that use that for sign and sail

[JVilleGal]

Issued thru your Bank and tied to your name and address....does it also have your name on it?

[247readr]

I'm cruising Caribbean Princess in November and I will be getting a re-loadable visa debit card from my bank to use. It will be drawn from a US bank with my name on, and it states that it is usable anywhere Visa is accepted worldwide. I will load the appropriate amount on it required by the cruise company.

 

I do not want to use the debit card connected to my checking (thank you to those of you who responded with the "hold" information ~ that would have been an unpleasant surprise!).

 

I called them this morning to ask specifics and they said that i should leave the debit card info that i put into my online check-in until i get my boarding pass printed then i can remove it and give them the visa debit, cash or travelers check when i board and check in.

 

This is a birthday gift from my sisters who will be traveling with me & (lucky me), I won't actually need much money at all! I have great personal health insurance, purchased travel & trip insurance and should be covered in case of emergencies.

 

I'm trying to live a cash life and aside from this bump, it's going well.

 

Thank you for all the helpful information you have all supplied and please let me know if there's anything else i should know.

[TBone2K]

Where does it say that they don't take prepaid credit cards? As far as RC goes, the only thing I can find about payment is here on the RC FAQ and it seems to imply as long as it has a Visa or MC logo it is okay.

Edited September 1, 2015 by TBone2K

[JVilleGal]

Where does it say that they don't take prepaid credit cards? As far as RC goes, the only thing I can find about payment is here on the RC FAQ and it seems to imply as long as it has a Visa or MC logo it is okay.

 

 

It's the visa gift cards (grocery store type) that are the issue. You Canadian but if you turn one over and read the "fine print" it says at least in the U.S. "For use in the U.S. Only" neither HAL or Rccl would accept them online or at check in. That was my experience when I tried. A pre-paid one from a bank with your name (and an address liked) on it may be something totally different.

Just my experience your may be different!

[Dune_mama]

Getting closer to our first cruise!! The biggest question I am thinking about right now is the sail and sign card. I understand that it is your way of charging things on the ship etc. What I am confused about is putting money towards the card and receiving it back (if you put cash on it).

I have no credit cards and don't see myself getting one before this cruise. I want to use cash. I saw that carnival has a required deposit of $100 for 3-5 day cruises and ours is a 5 day cruise. I am going to put more than that on it, but will I have to wait in those dreadful lines that I have read so much about on the last day/night to get those unused funds that were placed on my card? Or will they put a check with my statement? Also, trying to make the check-in process as easy as possible, and I read on carnival's website that I can set up the card account, but my guess is that I can't do that because I am using cash? Thank you in advance. Any information at all about cruising is very appreciated and welcomed :)

 

My husband and I always use cash for our sign and sail account. We have never had to wait in line that long. We have cruised several times and knew what to expect as far as what we would charge (drink packages, bingo, etc), and how much we would allow my daughter to charge. In the past they gave us a check with our statement on the last night if we didn't spend all our deposit. We checked our balance various times during the cruise (either at the kiosks or in our room on the TV) to make sure it was accurate in order to avoid the long lines at the end of the cruise. Have a wonderful cruise.

[prince1099]

Getting closer to our first cruise!! The biggest question I am thinking about right now is the sail and sign card. I understand that it is your way of charging things on the ship etc. What I am confused about is putting money towards the card and receiving it back (if you put cash on it).

I have no credit cards and don't see myself getting one before this cruise. I want to use cash. I saw that carnival has a required deposit of $100 for 3-5 day cruises and ours is a 5 day cruise. I am going to put more than that on it, but will I have to wait in those dreadful lines that I have read so much about on the last day/night to get those unused funds that were placed on my card? Or will they put a check with my statement? Also, trying to make the check-in process as easy as possible, and I read on carnival's website that I can set up the card account, but my guess is that I can't do that because I am using cash? Thank you in advance. Any information at all about cruising is very appreciated and welcomed :)

Try to go to Walmart or Walgreens and "buy" yourself one of those Debit Cards, Credit Cards at teh Cashier Station for $3.00

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You can "Load" the Card with $500 or Some even $1000 and use that as your Credit Card on Board.... The good think is, you cannot go over the "limit" on your card, because you only put $500 on it,.... One of those temporary Cards is the way to go...

[JVilleGal]

Try to go to Walmart or Walgreens and "buy" yourself one of those Debit Cards, Credit Cards at teh Cashier Station for $3.00

 

-

 

You can "Load" the Card with $500 or Some even $1000 and use that as your Credit Card on Board.... The good think is, you cannot go over the "limit" on your card, because you only put $500 on it,.... One of those temporary Cards is the way to go...

 

 

Be aware that most cruiselines do NOT accept grocery store Visa gift cards... You better check with the cruise line.

[prince1099]

It's not a gift card, it's a proper DEBIT card , and they accept it.

I have proof, coz' I'm using it all the time, but thanks buddy :-)

[JVilleGal]

It's not a gift card, it's a proper DEBIT card , and they accept it.

I have proof, coz' I'm using it all the time, but thanks buddy :-)

 

 

Yes yes just if you are going outside the U.S. Turn the card over and make sure it does not say " valid in the U.S. Only". HAL & Princess would not accept my sisters reloadable cards because they did not have a name & address associated with them. They Did have the VISA logo in the corner.

 

Just be careful.... And check with your cruise line.

 

Curious using your card where?? At home? In Europe? I would really like a card I could use!

Edited September 16, 2015 by JVilleGal