Questions about Cash Account

[adamtoonarmy]

Im on Anthem in September and have a couple of questions about a cash account (I dont want holds on my debit card)

 

1. When I visit guest services to take my debit card off and convert my seapass account to cash - can I load my seapass account with a debit card payment or do I have to use physical cash currency?

 

2. Similar question for the end of the cruise - if I have a positive balance on my account will guest services refund me by making a payment to my debit card or will they give me phsycial cash?

 

What I would like to do is have a cash account but use my debit card to deposit cash to the account and have a positive balance returned to my debit card at the end of the cruise.

 

For any helpful posters who may advise that I get a credit card - I dont want one, havent got one and wont be getting one.

 

 

 

[PWP-001]

3 hours ago, adamtoonarmy said:

Im on Anthem in September and have a couple of questions about a cash account (I dont want holds on my debit card)

 

1. When I visit guest services to take my debit card off and convert my seapass account to cash - can I load my seapass account with a debit card payment or do I have to use physical cash currency?

 

2. Similar question for the end of the cruise - if I have a positive balance on my account will guest services refund me by making a payment to my debit card or will they give me phsycial cash?

 

What I would like to do is have a cash account but use my debit card to deposit cash to the account and have a positive balance returned to my debit card at the end of the cruise.

 

For any helpful posters who may advise that I get a credit card - I dont want one, havent got one and wont be getting one.

 

 

 

So I read your post as I'm having coffee on Freedom, just a few feet away from Guest Services.  I went and asked for you.

 

Here's a few background points.  Normally every guest account has a debit or credit card attached to it, and initially, the afternoon of embarkation --before the gangway is pulled up-- the card for every account is authorized for $99.75.  Thereafter, and usually twice a day a guest accounting routine is run where an additional credit/debit card authorization is obtained for every account whose balance exceeds the total of authorizations already taken.  And the amount of these additional authorization are the exact amount needed to cover the outstanding balance-- to the penny.

 

For example, if an account has a balance of $109.76 and the only authorization is the initial $99.75, then there will be another authorization for $10.01.  

 

During the normal course of events during the cruise, credit/debit card transactions are only authorizations:  no actual charges are submitted for processing until after you've disembarked, when all accounts are finalized.  The the exact amount needed to bring your account to zero is submitted.

 

So, IF you book your cruise and check in as a cash account, then there won't be a card to authorize for $99.75.  You can ask GS to charge/place a hold/take an authorization for $50.00 and not keep your card on file.  You will be a cash account with $50 to spend.  If you only purchase $20 on the cruise, then they will submit a final charge for $20.  They will not give you a cash refund.  

 

 

 

[Ken at the beach]

On a 7 day cruise with a cash account you are allowed to charge up to $500 before being required to pay down your account.  You do not need to prepay anything.  you can pay down your account in any manner you wish.

[adamtoonarmy]

27 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

So I read your post as I'm having coffee on Freedom, just a few feet away from Guest Services.  I went and asked for you.

 

Here's a few background points.  Normally every guest account has a debit or credit card attached to it, and initially, the afternoon of embarkation --before the gangway is pulled up-- the card for every account is authorized for $99.75.  Thereafter, and usually twice a day a guest accounting routine is run where an additional credit/debit card authorization is obtained for every account whose balance exceeds the total of authorizations already taken.  And the amount of these additional authorization are the exact amount needed to cover the outstanding balance-- to the penny.

 

For example, if an account has a balance of $109.76 and the only authorization is the initial $99.75, then there will be another authorization for $10.01.  

 

During the normal course of events during the cruise, credit/debit card transactions are only authorizations:  no actual charges are submitted for processing until after you've disembarked, when all accounts are finalized.  The the exact amount needed to bring your account to zero is submitted.

 

So, IF you book your cruise and check in as a cash account, then there won't be a card to authorize for $99.75.  You can ask GS to charge/place a hold/take an authorization for $50.00 and not keep your card on file.  You will be a cash account with $50 to spend.  If you only purchase $20 on the cruise, then they will submit a final charge for $20.  They will not give you a cash refund.  

 

 

 

Thanks for asking much appreciated. So if I place cash on the account and dont spend it they will keep my unspent money. Good to know

Edited May 28, 2023 by adamtoonarmy

[PWP-001]

2 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

On a 7 day cruise with a cash account you are allowed to charge up to $500 before being required to pay down your account.  You do not need to prepay anything.  you can pay down your account in any manner you wish.

 

On Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines you are NOT able to charge even $1 without some type of security for your account:  either a credit/debit card or a cash credit on your account that you work down.  

 

If there is no card on file and you do not leave cash in advance, you cannot charge anything.  

[PWP-001]

1 minute ago, adamtoonarmy said:

Thanks for asking much appreciated. So if I place cash on the account and dont spend it they will keep my unspent money. Good to know

NOPE:  You're misreading what I wrote.

 

If you leave $50 cash, and spend only $20, they will refund $30

 

If you charge your debit card $50 in advance, then only spend $20, they will NOT give you $30 cash.  Instead they will charge your debit card $20 and NOT give your $30 cash over the front desk.

[adamtoonarmy]

22 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

NOPE:  You're misreading what I wrote.

 

If you leave $50 cash, and spend only $20, they will refund $30

 

If you charge your debit card $50 in advance, then only spend $20, they will NOT give you $30 cash.  Instead they will charge your debit card $20 and NOT give your $30 cash over the front desk.

Understood thanks again

[Ken at the beach]

1 hour ago, PWP-001 said:

 

On Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines you are NOT able to charge even $1 without some type of security for your account:  either a credit/debit card or a cash credit on your account that you work down.  

 

If there is no card on file and you do not leave cash in advance, you cannot charge anything.  

I am sorry but you are mistaken.  I have personally done this many times

 

While you’re encouraged to place a deposit on your account, there is no minimum deposit required when setting up a cash account. There is a USD$500 daily spend limit for sailings seven nights or longer and a USD$300 daily spend limit for sailings 6 nights or less on cash accounts.  All cash accounts are reviewed on a daily basis.  The ship will inform you once your daily cash limit is reached.  Once informed, you must make a cash deposit to your account or provide a credit card to secure it, or your SeaPass card will be deactivated for purchases.

Edited May 28, 2023 by Ourusualbeach

[PWP-001]

25 minutes ago, Ourusualbeach said:

I am sorry but you are mistaken.  I have personally done this many times

 

While you’re encouraged to place a deposit on your account, there is no minimum deposit required when setting up a cash account. There is a USD$500 daily spend limit for sailings seven nights or longer and a USD$300 daily spend limit for sailings 6 nights or less on cash accounts.  All cash accounts are reviewed on a daily basis.  The ship will inform you once your daily cash limit is reached.  Once informed, you must make a cash deposit to your account or provide a credit card to secure it, or your SeaPass card will be deactivated for purchases.

I apologize:  you are absolutely correct.

 

Sorry for my erroneous post.  I just could imagine they would extend credit on the trust that everyone will pay before leaving.

 

I was forgetting that there’s no getting off the ship is there’s a balance due.  There was a glint in her eye when she told me, “you just have to pay before you leave.”

 

 

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, adamtoonarmy said:

Thanks for asking much appreciated. So if I place cash on the account and dont spend it they will keep my unspent money. Good to know

You don’t even need to place cash on the account. Royal will extend you a $500 line of credit. 

[not-enough-cruising]

2 hours ago, PWP-001 said:

 

On Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines you are NOT able to charge even $1 without some type of security for your account:  either a credit/debit card or a cash credit on your account that you work down.  

 

If there is no card on file and you do not leave cash in advance, you cannot charge anything.  

Incorrect, you are given a $500 line of credit 

[PWP-001]

Just now, not-enough-cruising said:

Incorrect, you are given a $500 line of credit 

Agreed:  read post #9 with my apology 

[not-enough-cruising]

5 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

Agreed:  read post #9 with my apology 

Sorry, I should read to the end before replying mid stream!  Still working on the first cup

of Joe this morning. 

[BirdTravels]

6 hours ago, adamtoonarmy said:

Im on Anthem in September and have a couple of questions about a cash account (I dont want holds on my debit card)

 

1. When I visit guest services to take my debit card off and convert my seapass account to cash - can I load my seapass account with a debit card payment or do I have to use physical cash currency?

 

2. Similar question for the end of the cruise - if I have a positive balance on my account will guest services refund me by making a payment to my debit card or will they give me phsycial cash?

 

What I would like to do is have a cash account but use my debit card to deposit cash to the account and have a positive balance returned to my debit card at the end of the cruise.

 

So, the minute you run your debit card, a hold will be placed on funds. Your bank, not the cruise line, determines when that hold is released.

 

If you let your card ride for the duration of the cruise and settle in cash on the last night, the authorizations (holds) will total over 2x the actual charges incurred. Again, your bank will hold that amount plus the final charge authorizations according to your bank's policies. 

 

You could run a cash account throughout your cruise and settle to a debit / credit card on the last night and get all of your cash back,,, but that does not make a lot of sense. 

 

You need to have something on your account for incidental charges. Even that tax on a drink while in port needs to have an unlocked account to charge against. 

 

If you have a positive cash balance on your account, you go and have the remainder refunded and your account closed/locked on the last night of the cruise. 

 

For your specific circumstances, do not run a card at all to avoid protracted holds on your money. Pre-pay your daily service charges and any expenses you expect (shore excursions, internet, dining, drinks) in advance. Deposit $300-$500 cash (which you bring with you) per person as soon as you embark. Have additional cash available as needed (worst case, use the ship's ATM to withdraw cash and deposit on your room account). 

[adamtoonarmy]

6 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

 

So, the minute you run your debit card, a hold will be placed on funds. Your bank, not the cruise line, determines when that hold is released.

 

If you let your card ride for the duration of the cruise and settle in cash on the last night, the authorizations (holds) will total over 2x the actual charges incurred. Again, your bank will hold that amount plus the final charge authorizations according to your bank's policies. 

 

You could run a cash account throughout your cruise and settle to a debit / credit card on the last night and get all of your cash back,,, but that does not make a lot of sense. 

 

You need to have something on your account for incidental charges. Even that tax on a drink while in port needs to have an unlocked account to charge against. 

 

If you have a positive cash balance on your account, you go and have the remainder refunded and your account closed/locked on the last night of the cruise. 

 

For your specific circumstances, do not run a card at all to avoid protracted holds on your money. Pre-pay your daily service charges and any expenses you expect (shore excursions, internet, dining, drinks) in advance. Deposit $300-$500 cash (which you bring with you) per person as soon as you embark. Have additional cash available as needed (worst case, use the ship's ATM to withdraw cash and deposit on your room account). 

Thanks but I dont think I can check in online without putting some sort of card details in? I might just need to accept that the first hold is inevitable until I get on and remove it at guest services.

[Ken at the beach]

32 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

You need to have something on your account for incidental charges. Even that tax on a drink while in port needs to have an unlocked account to charge against.

No you don't.  With a cash account on a 7 day sailing you can charge up to $500 before being asked to pay down your account.  No credit card or debit card is ever required.

[Another_Critic]

I really wish people would read all the unread posts in a thread BEFORE replying.  

[PWP-001]

1 hour ago, BirdTravels said:

 

So, the minute you run your debit card, a hold will be placed on funds. Your bank, not the cruise line, determines when that hold is released.

 

If you let your card ride for the duration of the cruise and settle in cash on the last night, the authorizations (holds) will total over 2x the actual charges incurred. Again, your bank will hold that amount plus the final charge authorizations according to your bank's policies. 

 

You could run a cash account throughout your cruise and settle to a debit / credit card on the last night and get all of your cash back,,, but that does not make a lot of sense. 

 

You need to have something on your account for incidental charges. Even that tax on a drink while in port needs to have an unlocked account to charge against. 

 

If you have a positive cash balance on your account, you go and have the remainder refunded and your account closed/locked on the last night of the cruise. 

 

For your specific circumstances, do not run a card at all to avoid protracted holds on your money. Pre-pay your daily service charges and any expenses you expect (shore excursions, internet, dining, drinks) in advance. Deposit $300-$500 cash (which you bring with you) per person as soon as you embark. Have additional cash available as needed (worst case, use the ship's ATM to withdraw cash and deposit on your room account). 

 

WOW!   OP, there's so much to correct and clarify in BossyBird's post, that I'll repost it and comment in this color.

 

 

So, the minute you run your debit card, a hold will be placed on funds. Your bank, not the cruise line, determines when that hold is released.

 

In what appears to be a hasty reply, posted before reading what's already been documented, embarkation afternoon, Royal will automatically authorize the card for each account in the amount of $99.75:  you won't need to "run" anything.

 

If you let your card ride for the duration of the cruise and settle in cash on the last night, the authorizations (holds) will total over 2x the actual charges incurred. Again, your bank will hold that amount plus the final charge authorizations according to your bank's policies. 

 

NOPE, NO, and WRONG!

In the example I posted earlier, if your final bill is $109.76, there will be two authorizations taken:  the initial $99.75 and an additional authorization for exactly $10.01 so that the total authorizations equal $109.76 exactly equal to your bill, not "2X"   

 

You could run a cash account throughout your cruise and settle to a debit / credit card on the last night and get all of your cash back,,, but that does not make a lot of sense. 

 

You need to have something on your account for incidental charges. Even that tax on a drink while in port needs to have an unlocked account to charge against. 

 

NOT TRUE!  A credit line of $300 for short cruises and $500 for cruises 7 days or longer.  Exceeding the limit with suspend charging privileges until the the balance is brought down.  

 

If you have a positive cash balance on your account, you go and have the remainder refunded and your account closed/locked on the last night of the cruise. 

 

If you have a negative/credit balance on your account, and you have left a cash deposit, you can receive a refund of your credit balance in cash on the ship.

 

For your specific circumstances, do not run a card at all to avoid protracted holds on your money.

I don't think it's possible to check-in on the app without providing a valid credit or debit card.  I haven't tried to check-in using the website, if that's even possible.  

 

IF you manage to board first, you could head immediately to the Guest Service Desk before the usual embarkation lines, and ask them to remove the card info, making yours a cash account subject to the credit limit stated.  It's your decision to weigh the importance of avoiding the initial $99.75 authorization taken vs. waiting in a potentially long line the first day.

 

 

Pre-pay your daily service charges and any expenses you expect (shore excursions, internet, dining, drinks) in advance. Deposit $300-$500 cash (which you bring with you) per person as soon as you embark. Have additional cash available as needed (worst case, use the ship's ATM to withdraw cash and deposit on your room account). 

 

OP, it's entirely your decision to make payment on board or in advance, as well as how much cash you decide to bring; you hadn't asked for advice on those issues or implied that you wanted someone to TELL you what to do.

 

I won't be surprised if my clarifications ruffle TheBird's feathers, but I just couldn't let all that misinformation stand. 

 

[PWP-001]

54 minutes ago, Another_Critic said:

I really wish people would read all the unread posts in a thread BEFORE replying.  

 

Agreed!  Perhaps it would avoid some of the "flighty" posts we see.  But as they say....

"Birds of a feather!"

[taglovestocruise]

32 minutes ago, PWP-001 said:

 

Agreed!  Perhaps it would avoid some of the "flighty" posts we see.  But as they say....

"Birds of a feather!"

Looks like you lucked out, great day in Nassau with all the rain starting tomorrow. 

[not-enough-cruising]

4 hours ago, adamtoonarmy said:

Thanks but I dont think I can check in online without putting some sort of card details in? I might just need to accept that the first hold is inevitable until I get on and remove it at guest services.

When you check in at the dock they will confirm your charge card. At that moment you tell them “no, I don’t want to use that card” you will never have a hold.