Credit card, cash, debit card, travelers checks??

[Livin on the Edge]

If she has the cash for her expenses, prepay the credit card and use it to secure the onboard account

[Tracker76]

We prepaid everything & did a cash account. We did not have to put anything down up front. We went down after dinner on the final night & had our accounts settled in about 20 mins for about $150 which was mostly pictures.

 

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[navybankerteacher]

How about she doesn't like to use credit and has enough to pay cash! People can have a lot of money and not use credit cards!!

 

You do not have to use a credit card , but having one with a sufficient limit is only a matter of common sense. Having available credit reduces the necessity to accept the risk and inconvenience of carrying large amounts of cash.

[sanger727]

Credit card for her on board account and cash for spending. Carrying it in a moneybelt while traveling and then keep in safe and just take what's needed each day in moneybelt

 

 

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[rigs32]

Tipping people with cash is a hassle for everyone. What might seem more personal for your friend will cause problems for the staff. Please encourage her not to.

 

 

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[John Bull]

As previous replies, travellers' cheques belong in the age of the dinosaurs. Most outlets, including some cruise lines, no longer accept them.

 

And - because they're pooled - paying crew gratuities in cash is an unnecessary complication, they're added to your on-board account.

 

Registering a card when you board is simpler than cash - with cash you have to join a line at the end of the cruise to settle anything extra that you owe, or more usually get back the unspent credit in your on-board account, whereas with a card you don't have to "check out".

But in the circumstances cash is the way for your friend to go - note Philob's comment about "holds", which can really screw up a debit card linked to a low bank balance or a credit card with a low credit limit.

 

Your friend, and plenty of folk on this thread, are quite insistent that she shouldn't register a debit card with the ship.

Yes, there's that problem of a "hold", which isn't usually released until a week or more after your cruise has finished & after your on-board account has been settled by the card. So you actually need a balance of around double what you spend on the ship to cover that post-cruise period.

But are they thinking of some other debit card problem as well ? :confused:

In the UK a lot of vendors, and even one cruise line, charge the card issuer's fees (around 4%) for using a credit card, so we're very used to using our debit cards for payments to trusted vendors & have never had a problem. And a cruise line is a trusted vendor. Is there some other problem with using debit cards on a cruise ship?

 

Use cash in the ports, taking ashore only what you need & a little in reserve, and leaving the rest in your cabin safe.

 

Folk have mentioned having a reserve in case of mishap - an accident or illness ashore, missing the sailing, or even an unexpected cab journey.

99% of cruisers don't need that reserve.

But if your friend is among the one per-cent that do??? :eek:

We'd be very uncomfortable without an emergency reserve, and that's where a card is so very very useful.

Before the days of plastic, we used to carry an extra few hundred pounds / dollars tucked away out of sight - and even that might not have been enough. Plastic avoids that.

(having insurance doesn't help with cashflow - other than for exceptionally large amounts, you pay first and re-claim later)

 

The simplest answer, if possible, is for your friend to get her credit card limit increased - at least temporarily.

 

Finally, CB at Sea recommends taking large bills, because they're easier to carry.

We always take plenty of low-denomination, to avoid getting change in local currency (that happens in shops which serve mainly locals & are better value than tourist shops) and to improve our bargaining power with street vendors, markets & such. We've never needed an extra suitcase to carry small bills, mebbe CB at Sea spends a great deal more than the rest of us. ;)

 

JB :)

Edited December 30, 2016 by John Bull

[navybankerteacher]

or maybe this is a card specifically for fun money. and she keeps the limit low to keep her expenses down.

 

or maybe $400/ month is all she can reasonably pay in full each month to save on interest. so she keeps the limit low on purpose.

 

or maybe the friend is paying for the cabin

 

or maybe it's none of your beeswax at all.

 

Sometimes harsh advice is the kindest.

 

The people who bought houses shortly before 2008 which they could not afford to carry -- because of overly easy lending rules --- and then lost what little equity they did put in would have been better off not having over-extended. The recent college graduate who buys more car than than necessary, and then has years paying off debt on a car worth less on that debt - would be better off buying a less glam used car until he builds some reserves.

 

If someone asks a question on a chatroom like this - and that question raises related issues -- it becomes the "beeswax" of others on the board.

[BlueRiband]

Thank you for all your responses. I will definitely print these out for her. I know that she wants to hand tips to people for more of a 'personal' touch, her beverage package is booked so as for onboard expenses I doubt she will have much.

 

Many first timers feel that way, but if she removes gratuities those crew members will be obligated to turn in any cash received into the gratuity pool. So she will be defeating her intended purpose.

 

Although she may be very disciplined in her discretionary spending, the cruise line will put a hold on that $400 limit card based on average daily spending - things like spa services and purchases. What line is she sailing? She might look up their policy on maintaining a cash account.

 

Lastly, never buy Traveler's checks (assuming you can find a place that still sells them). These are rapidly becoming obsolete and some lines won't take them for anything - Cunard for one. Chase, the largest bank in the US, stopped selling them last year. Having a Traveler's check on no way to cash it is the same as having no money.

Edited December 30, 2016 by BlueRiband

[LA_CA_GAL]

I always take a lot of cash, with a lot of small bills.

 

Works for me.

[LewLewBelle]

Depends on cruise line you are sailing. Carnival was very easy with my debit card no big holds. Royal does things differently and places holds. We sailed both cruise lines within a few months apart. Carnival lets you use your room key in slot machines and deducts it from your debit,credit or cash on your account. Royal does not let you do that. I took travelers checks because I wasn't wanting to carry so much cash with us. Do not use American express travelers prepaid card it doesn't work on Royal and have no clue about it on Carnival from posts I have read.

 

So if you are sailing Royal. Have Cash for casino and vendors

If you are sailing Carnival only cash needed is for vendors :) and tips of course.

 

I switched from my debit card to my credit card and had no issue with Carnival :)

[Kristi Barber]

It really depends on the cruise line. Check their site for details or call them. We sail NCL and they require a $300 per person cash account for cruises 3-9 days in length or a CC with that hold amount. Basically, when you charge up that $300 you on-board cash account is frozen until you go put another $300 in it. :) If you will pre-pay the mandatory service charges then you have very little charges you aren't in control of since you mentioned her beverages were already included also.