Is a pre-loaded Visa or Mastercard acceptable for a cruise?

[rjack22]

My son and his family will be taking a cruise on Carnival's Horizon in March.   They are taking their two teenage foreign exchange students with them.  My son wishes for their on-board charges to go to their own accounts rather than on his credit card.  Right now they only have pre-paid Visa or Mastercards.   So my question on my son's behalf is this:  (1) can he put the boys charges on their own cards separate from his and (2) can the boys use pre-paid credit cards?

[sgttami]

YES

[ray98]

I wouldn't unless they have a substantial amount of money loaded on them.  When Carnival verifies the card a funds hold will be placed on the account for at least a few hundred dollars.  With a regular CC all it is doing is tying up some of the available credit assigned to the account, with a prepaid it will tie up real funds so they cannot be used.

[Schoifmom]

Yes, they can have separate accounts.  I would recommend, though, that they set them up with cash rather than the prepaid cards (BTW, Carnival does not accept prepaid cards issued by Amex or Optiva).  

 

https://help.carnival.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/1138/~/sail-%26-sign-onboard-account

[firefly333]

3 hours ago, rjack22 said:

My son and his family will be taking a cruise on Carnival's Horizon in March.   They are taking their two teenage foreign exchange students with them.  My son wishes for their on-board charges to go to their own accounts rather than on his credit card.  Right now they only have pre-paid Visa or Mastercards.   So my question on my son's behalf is this:  (1) can he put the boys charges on their own cards separate from his and (2) can the boys use pre-paid credit cards?

They can only use embossed with their name Visa cards. Not gift cards. Depends on what you mean.

 

Somewhere in faq it says no gift cards. Not the kind you buy at a grocery store. 

[Crusin Hogs]

Use cash  That is what we do

[mz-s]

I wouldn't recommend it for the same reason debit cards are not recommended.

[halterk]

Use cash first, then add the prepaid card as a backup.

You can also purchase carnival gift cards online and at most supermarket type stores that sell gift cards. 

The first or second day on board you can go to guests services and add the cash or carnival gift cards to your onboard account.

 

 

What I see happening on my credit card is everyday there is a hold placed for what my S&S account is.  So by the end of the cruise the holds are 2 or 3 times what my actual bill is at the end.  You would need a prepaid card with the 2 or 3x on it to cover all the holds.  This is why debit cards are not recommend, as there is alot of holds being placed that eventually get released, but not until several days after the cruise.  It would be very easy for all the holds to eat up the balance on the prepaid card, then at the end of the cruise there isn't enough available balance on the card not used during the holds to finalize the charge.  Now the person is stuck with a bill they cannot pay until all the holds drop off 3-7 days later.

[pe4all]

15 hours ago, firefly333 said:

They can only use embossed with their name Visa cards. Not gift cards. Depends on what you mean.

 

Somewhere in faq it says no gift cards. Not the kind you buy at a grocery store. 

This.  We used to use visa or Mastercard gift cards to add to our accounts.  On our last cruise they were not accepted at Guest Services.  

[firefly333]

5 hours ago, pe4all said:

This.  We used to use visa or Mastercard gift cards to add to our accounts.  On our last cruise they were not accepted at Guest Services.  

I've seen them not accepted pre covid..was standing behind someone at guest services having it explained how your name needs to be embossed. .. I was just thre listening, wasn't me.

[Ferry_Watcher]

On 10/2/2022 at 10:09 AM, rjack22 said:

My son and his family will be taking a cruise on Carnival's Horizon in March.   They are taking their two teenage foreign exchange students with them. 

Not sure where the cruise is going, but please make sure that your son's foreign exchange students have the needed visa(s).

Some US visas for foreign students are a single entry visa (which was used upon entering the US).  Having worked check-in for cruises going to Alaska, we have had to deny boarding to a number of foreign nationals whose American hosts didn't realize that a Canadian visa was also required.  As I said, I am not sure where this cruise is headed, but I would make sure your son checks out what is needed for his exchange students.  If they are denied boarding due to not having the needed visa, the cruise line is under no obligation to provide a refund. 

[rjack22]

This is the OP.   Their cruise is going to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Ocho Rios.