Question About Using Cash Deposit Onboard

[laginog]

We are planning a future Panama Canal cruise with friends that have never cruised before and she's asking lots of questions---a few that I'm not sure of the answers to!! They don't have a debit card and would prefer to do a cash deposit onboard for their seapass cards. Do they ask for a certain amount of cash down...or is it whatever they want...and then they add to it later? Or if they do use a credit card, what amount would need to be available on it? I don't know if they don't have one....or if she just doesn't want to use it!! They just put 2 boys through College so....this is a huge "dream" trip for them!! Thanks for the help!!

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

You can add cash at any point through out the cruise!

 

For a week cruise I believe the Min deposit is 300... someone correct me if I'm wrong.

[barbarah33]

I agree that for a week long cruise they ask for $300 up front. I would advise your friends that the easiest way to deal with this would be to give them a credit card at check in. They are able to pay their bill in cash at any time during the cruise by going to the purser's desk. Then they don't have to worry about cash deposits or anything else.

 

I also like to pay in cash but still give them the credit card at the beginning then I go down on my last full day in the early afternoon - which is before the LONG lines are waiting at the purser's desk, and just pay the whole thing off in cash. If I purchase anything else that night I simply leave it on my credit card - it's usually only a couple of drinks. That way you avoid having to wait in the very long lines to give them more money or get any extra money you had given them back on the last morning.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

on RCCL last year..I got onboard, after lunch went straight to purser's desk...gave them my cash and relaxed...

 

On the last morning...I got up early and went and got the 'extra' that was left...

 

no big deal..no big line...you just got to know...if you try and go after 8:30 am... there's a line.

[donna5]

Credit card is the best thing to use. If an error occurs you can contest it, should you not catch it before you leave the ship. You don't have to carry as much cash. Put the cash aside that you think you will need on the ship and instead pay off the credit card when you get the bill.

[serene56]

on RCCL last year..I got onboard, after lunch went straight to purser's desk...gave them my cash and relaxed...

.

 

Dont they give you a checkon the last day-- i dont want to wait in a line for left over cash--- might have to rethink this.

[AerynSun_JohnCrighton]

RCCL didn't... just cash.

[MessyJessy]

They don't have a debit card and would prefer to do a cash deposit onboard for their seapass cards. Do they ask for a certain amount of cash down...or is it whatever they want...and then they add to it later?

 

We use cash on ALL of our trips. Princess reccommends a $300 deposit per person, but, you do not have to put that amount down. We didn't. It wansn't a problem. You can add to it at any time. For us, it was simple.

[cage keeper]

We also do cash. We do not use credit cards, only our bank card and do not want to take chances with anyone putting holds on our money. Although we have never incountered a problem, I have read many posts here where other people have. We put 500 on our account and then added another 200 when we were almost out. We ended up owing them 2 dollars from a tip on our last night.