Cash vs. credit card for shipboard account

[TMJplus1]

I've always used a credit card for settling my onboard account, but a friend asked if it's possible she could just use cash on her upcoming HAL cruise and avoid using her credit card. Will they accept a cash deposit? And if so, how much (for a 7-day cruise)? Or is a credit card mandatory? Thanks in advance!

[Chivalrygirl]

I've always used a credit card for settling my onboard account, but a friend asked if it's possible she could just use cash on her upcoming HAL cruise and avoid using her credit card. Will they accept a cash deposit? And if so, how much (for a 7-day cruise)? Or is a credit card mandatory? Thanks in advance!

 

We settled our 35 days on the Statendam in cash last year. However, we did give them credit card details with instructions that we would be settling in cash, and not to charge our credit card. If we had not done that they ask for a $60 per person per day in advance, which IMO is bloody ridiculous and way over the top. We had no intention of spending a daily amount of $120 a day for the two of us times 35!!!!

The reason why we settled in cash was the exchange rate, we bought currency in advance not knowing for sure how the rate would change while we were at sea. I could have cost us a lot more.

Good luck

Val

[TMJplus1]

Wow, $60/day is pretty steep. I guess it would be sorta fun *trying* to spend it, though! :D

 

Thanks for your reply.

[Stock Cop]

A credit card is required when you board to establish your onboard

account. I usually go to the onboard bank and settle my account in cash

before the cruise ends. You can get a summary of your account at purser's desk.

 

Keep track of your onboard purchases and the tip amounts and you will be able to avoid the last minute rush at the bank.

 

Rich :cool: :cool:

[Juanita462]

We always give them our credit card # but settle with cash to avoid the

exchange rate. We have a US account and every time our dollar goes up - like right now - we add more to the account and then just use it for expenses. That way we just have the one exchange rate at the bank.

Visa charges too much - we were charged too much from Alaska Air and had the charge reversed - the charge was $11.90 Cdn for $10 US but whn they returned the money they only gave us $11.13 for the same $10.

 

We go to the front office the day before the cruise ends and settle our account. don't count on them not to charge even if you tell them not to. On one cruise we watched as a woman was told that the amount had already been charged to her account - after she told them not to do that when she got on board. She was threatening to cancel her credit card from the ship - she was one angry lady.

We also had a charge go through after telling them we would be paying everything in cash. They just shrugged and said - too bad, it has already been done.