Paying up on the final day question..

[KKB]

My mom paid for our cruise, and would like to offer her credit card to pay off our final bill on the ship, but we aren't sure if that will be possible.
We learned the hard way NOT to use ATM card for such a thing, so our current plan is to use cash. How does this work w/ cash?
Does anyone know if there is a way to use my mom's card? Or if someone could tell me how this works when paying in cash/traveler's checks, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks,
KK

[Host Caroline]

[quote name='KKB']My mom paid for our cruise, and would like to offer her credit card to pay off our final bill on the ship, but we aren't sure if that will be possible.
We learned the hard way NOT to use ATM card for such a thing, so our current plan is to use cash. How does this work w/ cash?
Does anyone know if there is a way to use my mom's card? Or if someone could tell me how this works when paying in cash/traveler's checks, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks,
KK[/QUOTE]
What cruise line?? I have never paid with cash but I know on some you have to put a deposit down with cash when you board since so few people settle up that way. I don't think you could use mom's card because they have to have it when you board? But I would check with your travel agent? Do you have a card you could use and then your really nice mom who is so great to pay for this could just pay you back right away????

[ore-ee-gun]

On HAL, We were requested to have a credit card swiped at the beginning, but people were given the option to change the form of settling their accounts from plastic to cash on the last evening.

[Happy ks]

We usually set up an account with a credit card, then settle with cash the last day of the cruise. Sometimes there are some minor charges we leave on the card, so we don't have to stand in line at the desk the last morning. It's just less of a hassle to set up your onboard account that way.

You can set up a cash account, they require a deposit up front, may be different for each line. If your mother wants to help pay for some of your onboard expenses, why not have her purchase credits? These can be purchased prior to your cruise through the gift department.

[Boo's Mom]

KKB..... Your Mom could send you a cabin credit. Whatever you do not use, you can withdrawl as cash....(we do this @ the Casino).

[mikz]

could your mom add your name to her account so they'll send a card with your name on it?

[serene56]

I would have your mom call the cruise lines guest services and buy you cabin credit. (the account has to be paid by the end of the week or they wont let you or any one else off) She can also prepay your tips for the week doing this too.

You can also put cash down on your account. (thats what we have done- whatever is left over at the end...we got a check which we could cash at the pursers desk.

[kitty9]

You could get into some trouble using a credit card that isn't in your name. As others have said, your mom could purchase shipboard credits for you to use or you can open a cash account upon check in. Most cruise lines require a cash deposit of $250 which you add to if you use up all that original money. It's really a pain to have to stand in line on the morning you disembark to get back any unused cash in your account.

Do you have your own credit card? That would solve everything.

[CaribbeanCruisesRock]

[b][color=darkorange]I won't pay in cash.......... use a check book or a credit card....... :) [/color][/b]

[bbqman]

kkb - You can pay in cash for most cruise lines. When you sign up at embarkation tell them you will be paying in cash. They will require a deposit of say $500 up front. You will settle up the last day of the cruise.
You will receive a ship credit card just like everbody else does.

[smudge's mom]

On our last cruise, when we checked in, we used our credit card to to gurantee our sons' and our father-in-law's sign/sail card. We got a bill with all the charges for the three cabins on it.

You can have your mother back your sign/sail card with her credit card and then reimburse your mother for your charges when you get back home.

[groovybaby76]

Someone said NOT to use an ATM/Debit card. Is there a horror story reason for that? That is what I was planning to do, as I don't really use credit cards anymore. Help?

[kitty9]

Yes, there can be a major problem with using a debit card. Most DC's have a daily limit for withdrawls and once they post the charges at the end of the cruise, and your total charges go above your daily limit, the bank will refuse the charge. If your bank only allows a dollar limit of $300 a day, and your total charges for your cruise is $500, there will be a problem.

caribbeancruisesrock, you have every right to post your thoughts and opinions on these boards, but please, before you give information, make sure what you're posting is true and doesn't give everyone incorrect information. Not all cruise lines allow you to use personal checks to pay for your onboard charges, and most only allow you to cash personal checks for a certain (usually a small) amount. So if your charges are above what they will accept, you cannot pay with your personal check.

[MaryPoppinz]

[quote name='groovybaby76']Someone said NOT to use an ATM/Debit card. Is there a horror story reason for that? That is what I was planning to do, as I don't really use credit cards anymore. Help?[/QUOTE]

The other reason not to use a debit card:

When you 'guarantee' something with a credit card, they set aside a certain amount of your available credit that they assume you'll use up as you run up your tab. When you settle up at the end of the cruise/hotel stay/car rental/whatever, they remove that "set aside" and charge your card for the actual amount you used.

When this is done with a debit card, there's no credit to set aside. So, they memo-post a debit to your checking account of a particular amount. In the same way that you usually have *no idea* how much credit they've set aside on your credit card, you generally won't know how much they've memo-posted to debit your checking account. IOW, there's a debit to your checking account of a random/unknown amount.

That's not a problem if you keep a relatively high balance and/or you're not expecting that the mortgage and all your auto-paid bills to be debited out while you're traveling (read: your balance isn't going to be running low/lower than usual.) But, if you *don't* generally carry a balance high enough to cover whatever will be coming through your checking account PLUS the amount of the random/unknown memo-posted debit (it could be $1000 or much more, depending on the situation) then you are risking checks being returned NSF or risking showing up at the ATM in St. Martin and having nothing to withdraw. That's because the memo-posts effectively removes access to that dollar amount, whatever it may be, even if you haven't actually run that much up on your tab. Like the credit card, though, the memo-posted debit is removed, and the actual amount of your tab is debited at the end of the trip.

[serene56]

You can use a debit card ONLY if you let the bank know that during the time frame of the cruise you want the limit to be lifted. GIve them at least a month to do this.

[MrsPete]

Here's another possibility: Since your generous mom is offering a credit card, would she be willing to get you a pre-paid VISA? They sell them at the bank in any amount you request. They're intended to be used as gifts or for young people who are just learning how to use credit cards.

I bank with NationsBank, and I know they offer these cards. Changing the subject slightly: I think I'm going to get them for my daughters when they're 13 (minimum age to have such a card). Parents can transfer money from their checking accounts onto these cards via the internet, and they can monitor how the money is spent. It'd be a handy way to give kids X amount of money for back-to-school clothes, college textbooks, etc.

I agree with you about debit cards. I don't really want to give anyone "blanket access" to my checking account, and that's what a debit card does. If you have overdraft protection, a debit card could cut into your savings account too. Perhaps I'm paranoid on this topic.

As for cash, that is perfectly acceptable for a cruise, but it's a bit cumbersome and is definitely a second choice. You can pay X amount toward your room purchases, but you'll have to be careful not to exceed that amount. If you do, the computer system will deny your charge. Since you're not likely to spend exactly the amount you deposited, you'll have to go stand in line on the last day to finalize your account. People with credit cards can walk right off the ship, knowing that their final accounts are managed electronically.

[KKB]

I'm not sure how we will handle this, but I appreciate the ideas! Maybe the prepaid ship credit, maybe a prepaid credit card...We only have a debit card.
I do have a paypal card that I may be able to transfer $ to. But while in Vegas, I gave it to the Mirage the first night we were there. When I went to check out, I knew that there was just enough $ to cover the room. Then I was denied!!! I had NO other option....they re-ran it and approved it, though unsure why when I discovered why it was denied. Mirage had already charged the card each day for approx. room charge. But those charges hadn't been reversed yet. It took several weeks to get all the charges reversed!!! Kind of like when you use your ATM/debit card to buy drive-up gas--they put a $50 hold on your account before you pump!
Hey, got ourselves in trouble w/ cc years back, and are just better off w/o them. But it sure is a hassle sometimes not to have one!
Thanks again!
KK

[groovybaby76]

Not sure how I'm going to handle it either. Think I will put a bunch on pre paid ship credit and then have cash...cause I don't have cc either.

[serene56]

Since I dont use credit cards I try to prepay as much of my cruise as possible before I go. (carnival) I prepay my tipping with my final payment. (get vouchers with documents) I buy coupons for my drinks. 4 for 19.95 I get photo coupons to buy my embarkation photo and a formal picture. I try to getg all my excusrions using private vendors and pay for them before we go. I then place 250.00 on my sign and sail when we get onboard. (or buy the credits before we leave)

[kitty9]

I do not think cruise lines accept Pay Pal. I might be wrong, but I really don't think they will.

[Boo's Mom]

You can buy the credit with a check...mailed in a few weeks before you sail.