'deposits' on HAL

[petrieshodi]

I am confused by the possibility of 'deposits' you must pay to HAL before you board the ship...

 

If I am giving the deposit of $60 dollars per day per person...does this include the kids? AND is this amount the SAME money that purchases on the ship are deducted from?

 

Any help or advice would be great...

 

Cheers

 

Petrieshodi:cool:

[dakrewser]

The $60 is what your purchases are deducted from. Everyone who has the ability to sign for purchases needs to do this.

[jhannah]

The amount applies to all in the cabin. If you use a credit card, then a hold will be placed on the card for the total amount. It will not be charged to your card ... just held. This is done so the cruise line (all of them do this) can be reasonably assured of getting paid for what you charge to your shipboard account. Only what you actually put on your shipboard account is charged to your credit card at the end of the cruise.

 

If you use cash, you'll need to deposit that amount up front ... but sometimes they'll let you do less but will "remind" you later that you need to give them more. They will refund what you don't use. If you get near to what's on deposit, they will notify you to come put more cash down.

 

Needless to say, going the credit card route is much simpler.

[sapper1]

When HAL puts that hold on your card, even though it is not a charge to your card, the $60 per person, per day hold is no longer available as credit on your card to be spent ashore. If you spend less onboard than the amount of the hold, then the overage will be released at the end of the cruise. The automatic tips will also come out of this hold.

This also applies to the children, as the tips are applied for the children as well.

[rzdj96]

Yes, it's a pre-authorized amount placed on the credit card that you present upon check-in. It's $60 per person per day (ie: 10 days/$1200). Not sure about children but your T/A or HAL can assist you with that. This covers (protects) HAL to ensure them your card is real and that they won't get stiffed for on-board expenses. You can use a cash deposit if you desire (amounts vary between cruise lines). Your card won't be actually charged until the end of the cruise. Your actual expenses will be charged at that time unless you go to the pursers desk and close your acct. in cash the morning of arrival. Remember, it's just a "pre-authorized" amount as an "insurance" for HAL.

[westboroatty]

So what if a person (like me) does not have a credit card? What if they have a visa debit card that is linked to a checking account? If I'm going on a 12 day cruise with my wife and daughter and give HAL my debit card? They are going to lock up $2160 of my money?

 

Rick

[Krazy Kruizers]

So what if a person (like me) does not have a credit card? What if they have a visa debit card that is linked to a checking account? If I'm going on a 12 day cruise with my wife and daughter and give HAL my debit card? They are going to lock up $2160 of my money?

 

Rick

 

Yes HAL will.

[bUU]

Indeed, that's very common practice all across the hospitality industry, either where the business model is payment-on-departure, or where the business model relies on significant incidental purchases during the stay. Walt Disney World, for example, locks up $1500 on check-in to any of their deluxe resorts.

[magictam]

So what if a person (like me) does not have a credit card? What if they have a visa debit card that is linked to a checking account? If I'm going on a 12 day cruise with my wife and daughter and give HAL my debit card? They are going to lock up $2160 of my money?

 

Rick

 

 

For our Alaska cruise with HAL I didn't want to give them my debit card for that reason. Didin't want a large hold put on it as it might hamper my using it while in port.

 

We put cash down a the beginning of the cruise. About half way through we checked our balance. We were still fine, but on the day of embarkment, we owed $22.00. We just had to pay that before we got off the ship.

 

This time around we will be using a credit card just for simplicity.

[Lurker1]

For our Alaska cruise with HAL I didn't want to give them my debit card for that reason. Didin't want a large hold put on it as it might hamper my using it while in port.

 

We put cash down a the beginning of the cruise. About half way through we checked our balance. We were still fine, but on the day of embarkment, we owed $22.00. We just had to pay that before we got off the ship.

 

This time around we will be using a credit card just for simplicity.

 

We always use a credit card, need those airline miles!

Of course the key is to pay-off the cc when you get the bill, and avoid interest charges.

[jtl513]

So what if a person (like me) does not have a credit card? What if they have a visa debit card that is linked to a checking account? If I'm going on a 12 day cruise with my wife and daughter and give HAL my debit card? They are going to lock up $2160 of my money?

 

Rick

Yes. Sounds to me like it's time you got a low-limit credit card!

[sassyredhat]

So what if a person (like me) does not have a credit card? What if they have a visa debit card that is linked to a checking account? If I'm going on a 12 day cruise with my wife and daughter and give HAL my debit card? They are going to lock up $2160 of my money?

Rick

 

Unfortunately, true. DS also uses a debit card--no credit card. I think all the cruiselines do this. At least his cruise on RCCL did this.

 

Pat

[O2B@C]

See this recent thread on the same topic:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=700777

 

These credit holds are a fact of life for anyone who travels. On a credit card, they don't cost you any interest - they just block off part of your credit line. Even on a debit card, I don't think they'd prevent your funds from earning interest (if they're in an interest-bearing account); they just prevent you from spending the $ on anything else.

 

I concur with those who advocate getting and using a credit card, but always paying it off in full at the end of the month. Helps keep your credit score high, provides you with some backup in emergencies, earns frequent flyer miles (depending on card), and costs nothing (except a token yearly fee, in some cases).

[westboroatty]

For our Alaska cruise with HAL I didn't want to give them my debit card for that reason. Didin't want a large hold put on it as it might hamper my using it while in port.

 

We put cash down a the beginning of the cruise. About half way through we checked our balance. We were still fine, but on the day of embarkment, we owed $22.00. We just had to pay that before we got off the ship.

 

This time around we will be using a credit card just for simplicity.

 

Magictam:

 

How much cash did you put down? The full $60/day/person?

 

Rick

[magictam]

Magictam:

 

How much cash did you put down? The full $60/day/person?

 

Rick

 

 

Yes we did. It was only DH & myself so we actually put down $1,000. I think you can work with the staff at the dock to put down less if you want.

 

As it was our first cruise we spent a lot more then we plan to on the next one. My DH bought a number of HAL t-shirts, we did a couples spa pass, spa treatment, cooking classes, bingo, drink card and other drinks and miscellanouse stuff. Our deposit covered the auto tips too.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

[westboroatty]

Yes we did. It was only DH & myself so we actually put down $1,000. I think you can work with the staff at the dock to put down less if you want.

 

As it was our first cruise we spent a lot more then we plan to on the next one. My DH bought a number of HAL t-shirts, we did a couples spa pass, spa treatment, cooking classes, bingo, drink card and other drinks and miscellanouse stuff. Our deposit covered the auto tips too.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Thanks for your information and advice. This will be my first real cruise. I don't drink alcohol, don't gamble, and have a quasi-religious fervor against debt. So no credit card for me.

 

I don't plan to buy much while on the cruise ship itself: the auto-tip, a coffee mug or two, a soft drink or two, and perhaps a $100 a head deposit on a future cruise. My parents want to do the New England/Canada cruise and if we enjoy this experience, we may go along with them. I'm extimating the three of us will spend about $1,000 on the ship for 12 days in the Baltic. Is this a realistic estimate?

 

I honestly don't feel all that comfortable about traveling to Europe with $3,500 in cash (with $2160 to be held by HAL) no matter how low the US dollar shrinks against the euro. I'm just not comfortable traveling with large amounts of cash.

 

Likewise I'm not comfortable with HAL tying up $1000 of my money that I have no intention to spend as a condition of taking their cruise.

 

Anybody tendered travelers checks to HAL as a deposit? I don't want to be a pain pierside, but has anybody tried to negotaite down the deposit at the dock?

 

Should I consider getting a credit card just to give to HAL and then pay my shipboard bill with the debit card or cash at the end of the cruise? Maybe I should get a traditional pay it off at the end of the month American Express or Diners Club card simply to avoid tying up my money with HAL?

 

What's a guy to do here? I'd appreciate any experience/advice anybody should have here. Should I be talking to HAL or the travel agent?

[bUU]

I ... have a quasi-religious fervor against debt. So no credit card for me.

I have half a dozen bank credit cards, a couple of Master Cards, a couple of VISAs, and American Express, and a Discover card, and have never been in debt.

[O2B@C]

... I ... have a quasi-religious fervor against debt. So no credit card for me.... Should I consider getting a credit card just to give to HAL and then pay my shipboard bill with the debit card or cash at the end of the cruise? Maybe I should get a traditional pay it off at the end of the month American Express or Diners Club card simply to avoid tying up my money with HAL?

 

I'm not a fan of debt either - especially credit card debt. But for all the reasons I stated earlier, I think it's a good idea to have a credit card. That doesn't obligate you to use it - just takes a modicum of self-control, which it sounds like you have in admirable measure. Getting an American Express card sounds like a good idea for you, and it would certainly solve the HAL deposit problem.

 

... I honestly don't feel all that comfortable about traveling to Europe with $3,500 in cash (with $2160 to be held by HAL) no matter how low the US dollar shrinks against the euro. I'm just not comfortable traveling with large amounts of cash.

 

I couldn't agree more. That's why God made travelers checks. Get them in Euros if you want to lock in your exchange rate.

 

Anybody tendered travelers checks to HAL as a deposit?

 

I'm sure they'd take travelers checks as a deposit, but that really will tie up your cash. Better to give them a credit card, and let them tie up your credit limit instead. Then use those travelers checks to pay only what you actually owe at the end.

 

.... I don't want to be a pain pierside, but has anybody tried to negotaite down the deposit at the dock? ... Should I be talking to HAL or the travel agent?

 

For negotiating about the actual amount of your deposit, I'd try going through your TA. And I'd do it in advance, not try to do so at the dock. That way you (or the TA) can work your way up the chain of command if necessary, plus you'll know the bottom line before you leave.

 

Good luck! I do sympathize, but this is a fact of life. HAL takes on tens of thousands of passengers a year. They can't be asked just to trust them to pay their bills at the end. I'm sure you can understand that they have to have some kind of security to ensure they'll get paid.

 

Enjoy your cruise - please don't let this get in the way!

[magictam]

westboroatty

 

We have credit cards, 2 teenage daughters (1 in college, the senior in HS). I know what you mean about debt. So we try to mininize it. We will be using a credit cards this time around (2 weeks to go) but we have the cash in savings to pay it off when we get back.

 

I think it's the best way to go. This way if we go over our "deposit" amount we won't have to stand in the long line on embarkment day to pay it.

 

Try to figure out what you want to spend. Mixed drinks on the average is 5+ (without the sourvinor glass), sodas are 2.75 (I think), mugs where 10-20, bingo was 20 and spa services vary depending on the service. It adds up fast, especially when you don't take out of your pocket right then, just sign for it.

 

Regardless, enjoy your cruise. You will have a wonderful time. We did.

[westboroatty]

Thank you all for your sage advice. I think I'll look into a traditional green AMEX. And should I get one or similar low limit credit card, I'll put the actual piece of plastic with my passport. The next time I use my passport will be for the cruise, so I won't have it with me to be tempted to use it.

 

You see my past performance indicates that I do not have a whole lot of self control here. I had one credit card with a $7,000 limit. I ran it up to $7k and made the minimum payments for years and years. Then I realized that I was making the bank rich. I worked like a dog and sent them, my car payment, and several student loans packing. I vowed to purchase things (including the Disney Cruise in the sig line) with cash and never borrow money ever again.

 

I'm also self employed which means I get paid last. I'm scared to death of not having enough money to make my overhead and pay my bills at home. I don't mean to turn this thread into a thread about debt, and sorry if I crinkled any toes.

 

I'm not sure what I'm going to do here. I may get the Amex. I may just give them the cash/travelers checks. Suffice it to say that this issue is not a deal breaker. I still will go on the cruise. My parents are paying for the cabin. It is their 50th wedding anniversary and they are celebrating by taking the entire family (five cabins in all) on this cruise.

 

Thanks again.

 

Rick

[jtl513]

and have a quasi-religious fervor against debt. So no credit card for me.

DW and I do too. We have one Visa card that we use constantly, running about $18K per year through the card, but haven't paid a dime in interest in about 10 years because we pay it off in full every month. By doing this we have had countless free hotel rooms over the years from the Rewards points. So, we have the convenience of never worrying about carrying much cash, and have the card "pay us back". The only trick is never charging more than you can count on paying back at the next billing.

I don't want to be a pain pierside, but has anybody tried to negotaite down the deposit at the dock?

I'm not positive, but I don't think you have to negotiate at check-in. I believe you simply tell them that you will be depositing cash, and then go to the front desk after boarding to actually do it.

[jtl513]

bump thread out of hiding

[magictam]

I'm not positive, but I don't think you have to negotiate at check-in. I believe you simply tell them that you will be depositing cash, and then go to the front desk after boarding to actually do it.

 

When we did the cash deposit, we did it at the pier. It may vary be ship/pier.

[sldmh07]

If you prepay your $10 per day tips do they still charge you the full $60 a day pp? This is our first HAL cruise for us we will have to have $4500 put on hold on our debt card if so. We are 2 adults and 3 small children. That is a lot of money to put on hold for a mlitary familiy. We don't do charge cards so it will have to be cash or debt card only.

Thanks for any input

Lori

[bUU]

Yes, FWIR, they do the pre-charge even if you pre-pay the gratuities. You may be able to have that amount included in the pre-charge amount (so you only need to put down $50 a day pp). It is worth asking, but be prepared for either answer.