Re: debit cards on p&o ships!!!

[aussiescouser]

in the past i have always used visa debit and posted a question recently asking if they accept mastercard debit. A few ppl said that they are pretty sure that they do, so i thought i would give them a call and a lady at p&o informed me that they no longer accept any form of debit card as they have experienced some problems with this form of payment. She said that the use of visa/mastercard debit ended about 3 months ago, the way she was talking really didnt feel me with much confidence in what she was saying so could anybody that has recently sailed with p&o please confirm that this is correct regards aussiescouser:D

[Megagirl]

Hi,

 

I just read the information on P&O website about how you pay your bill. They mention Visa or Mastercard. We use a Visa debit card from our local building society for everything. I think the only people who know it's not a credit card are me and the building society. Someone who's in banking can probably confirm this.

 

Jenny

[leggyliz]

One of our group weren't able to use their visa debit today to pay deposit for their cruise. so it's probably right. :(

[aussiescouser]

thanks guys!! regards aussiescouser:D

[arxcards]

I am with Megagirl with this one.

 

Visa debit and Visa credit cards are all accepted equally through the Visa system. I am a card merchant, and I cannot tell by the number whether it is credit or debit when charging against it.

 

The only difference is whether you pay with your bank's money or your own, but both are Visa cards - accepted at all places that have that Visa sticker in their shop.

 

Eftpos\key cards are a different story. Perhaps that is where the P&O person has based their info.

[angeleyes7779]

Hi

 

I rang about 2 or 3 weeks ago regarding this question. The guy at p and o told me he advises people not to use the debit cards because they can have a hold on the money for a few days after you get back and I will be out of pocket....I later rang the bank to see if they could explain this to me and they had no idea what he meant...the guy at p and o told me they do accept these types of cards but he would recomend people to use either cash or travellers cheque....i applied for a visa debit the same day i spoke to p and o to use on the cruise but I guess I will have to ring and check again just before we leave...

[karmac]

One of our group weren't able to use their visa debit today to pay deposit for their cruise. so it's probably right. :(

 

Was that direct with P&O or a T/A? I paid an instalment on our cruise last Tuesday using my visa debitcard. However, I did do it as credit rather than savings because the limit for eftpos transactions is $1000 per day. I was paying $1000 but wanted to take money out of ATM as well.

As Geoff said, the only difference between a debit card & a credit card is who's money you are using.

[arxcards]

Hi

 

I rang about 2 or 3 weeks ago regarding this question. The guy at p and o told me he advises people not to use the debit cards because they can have a hold on the money for a few days after you get back and I will be out of pocket....

 

If you are using your own money, any transaction error can use up your funds, so there is an added risk associated with it.

 

They will periodically create a pledge against your expenses during the cruise. No problems with the first pledge, but if the following ones are not handled properly they will add to the first one instead of replacing it. This error can put a hold on the funds that you would normally be able to use. The extra pledges will expire when the actual transaction is made, but that can be a day or two after your cruise has ended - leaving you short of "available balance" for that time.

 

The same problem can occur with a credit card too if you are spending close to your credit limit.

[gizzigoo]

If you are using your own money, any transaction error can use up your funds, so there is an added risk associated with it.

 

They will periodically create a pledge against your expenses during the cruise. No problems with the first pledge, but if the following ones are not handled properly they will add to the first one instead of replacing it. This error can put a hold on the funds that you would normally be able to use. The extra pledges will expire when the actual transaction is made, but that can be a day or two after your cruise has ended - leaving you short of "available balance" for that time.

 

The same problem can occur with a credit card too if you are spending close to your credit limit.

 

Hi Geoff,

 

This is quite a concern for young people. My daughter checked her credit card and it appeared that there was money missing. It was the pledge amount taken out which P&O don't tell people about. There were many young people in this situation on our last cruise who were really worried.

Chelsea checked with the bank and was told it can take up to 7 days for them to correct it.

 

Glenda

[aussiescouser]

i recieved this response to an email i sent to p&o yesterday:In regards to your query of payment onboard and the cruise card system, please refer to the below information:

 

Day of Embarkation

Cashless cruising with your Cruise Card

One of the easiest things about cruising with P&O Cruises is the convenience of being able to sign for all your expenses and have them charged to your account. Simply register your credit card (Visa, MasterCard or American Express) at embarkation or at the Purser’s desk on board. You may ask for a balance on your account at any time, just contact the Purser’s desk. If you do not wish to use a credit card for your on board account, you are required to leave a minimum deposit of AUD300 per person, payable in cash or traveller’s cheques to establish your personal on board account. (DEBIT CARDS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED ON BOARD):(

 

Please note authorisation holds on credit cards can remain on your card for up to one week after your return from the cruise.

 

Please call P&O Cruises if you have any queries.

 

As you embark, you will receive your personalised Cruise Card. It’s important to sign the strip on the back of your Cruise Card as soon as you receive it. Your Cruise Card has many important functions that are helpful when you’re cruising:

 

It has a record of your name, your allocated dining room and dining session printed on it for your convenience.

It also acts as your security pass to leave and reboard the ship at all ports of call.

The Cruise Card can be used anywhere on board that you would normally use cash. In fact, in the duty and tax-free shops, Beauty Salon, Medical Centre or to buy food, drinks and Shore Tours, your Cruise Card is the ONLY thing you can use. It can also be used to tip on appreciation of service.

By providing your credit card in advance for your Cruise Card, you are automatically registered for Express Check-Out, which means there is no need to visit the Purser’s desk to settle your account. An itemized statement will be delivered to your cabin prior to disembarkation.

Importantly, please note there are NO EFTPOS or ATM facilities available on board. We accept Australian dollars and traveller’s cheques. At disembarkation, your Cruise Card will be collected for security reasons.

 

Please note, charges for obtaining chips and tokens in the casino are limited to AUD1,500 per day, per person up to a total limit of AUD5,000 per cruise and are only available if you have pre-registered your credit card to your Cruise Card with the Purser’s desk for Express Check-Out. For enquiries, please refer to Casino section on page 29.

 

Please note: There is a 3% processing fee applied to all casino room charges and cash advances. These advances are billed directly to your on board account.

 

We hope to have answered your queries, however if you do require further information, please contact our reservations department on 13 24 69.

 

 

Kind Regards

 

Kylie

so yes it seems this is correct no visa/mastercard debit cards are accepted, so glad i checked before turning up with no money to put onto account.

thanks for your help guys regards aussiescouser

[Skyrules]

(DEBIT CARDS ARE NO LONGER ACCEPTED ON BOARD)

 

 

My parents were told, about 2 weeks ago, that their Visa Debit card will be accepted. I suspect the term debit card in this context means an ordinary ATM card.

 

 

At disembarkation, your Cruise Card will be collected for security reasons.

 

This statement alone makes me doubt the content of the rest of the email. They do not take the cruise card off you at the end of the cruise.

[Skyrules]

They will periodically create a pledge against your expenses during the cruise. No problems with the first pledge, but if the following ones are not handled properly they will add to the first one instead of replacing it. This error can put a hold on the funds that you would normally be able to use. The extra pledges will expire when the actual transaction is made, but that can be a day or two after your cruise has ended - leaving you short of "available balance" for that time.

 

The same problem can occur with a credit card too if you are spending close to your credit limit.

 

This is correct. I found that out the first time I used my Visa Debit card onboard Pacific Star in 2006..... I wasn't expecting anything to be charged to the card until the end of the cruise (as had happend on the previous cruise where I'd used my ordinary credit card), which was fine, as I got paid while we were on board. Problem was, they took the first pledge before my pay had gone in, and there was insufficent funds to cover it... I got a letter from the purser's desk threatening to cancel my cruise card (for purchases).

 

The extra pledges will expire when the actual transaction is made, but that can be a day or two after your cruise has ended - leaving you short of "available balance" for that time.

 

The same problem can occur with a credit card too if you are spending close to your credit limit.

 

They don't always clear all the pledges when the make the final charge, I also had a problem with this when I used the Visa Debit.... At the end of the cruise they charged the final amount to the card as a purchase, but they didn't cancel the other pledges, so I was virtually charged twice until the pledges eventually cancelled out of their own accord, which took about 10 days after the cruise (each pledge dropped off about 7 days after it had been made). The bank blamed P&O and P&O blamed the bank, but in the end I was left short of money because I had money in my bank account that I couldn't access because it was pledged to P&O, even though my total bill had been paid.

 

Edit - I should add that my parents used their Visa debit card on the same cruise, and no pledges were charged against their account - just the final transaction at the end... So P&O (or the banks?) aren't even consistant.

[bobsydney]

When P&O says it doesn't accept debit cards, it is referring to normal savings account ATM cards. It accepts credit cards and a Visa debit card is the same as any other Visa card except that by agreement between you and and your bank, it draws on your money not theirs.

 

A Visa debit card is a pseudo credit card and operates like both a debit card and a credit card. When you use a Visa debit card for an eftpos transaction, you can either press the SAV button and enter your PIN (as you do for any debit card) or you can press the CR button, in which case the system thinks it is a credit card transaction (which, except for where the money is coming from, it is).

 

 

For info, here is what that one provider has on their website from about Visa Debit Cards :

Frequently Asked Questions - Visa Debit Card

How do you use the TIO Visa debit card?

When making a purchase at a Visa location, just present it to the merchant as you would a credit card. For ATM and EFTPOS transactions, simply follow the instructions on the terminal.

When I am using my Visa Debit Card to make a purchase, should I use savings (SAV) or credit (CR) option?

By choosing 'Savings' and entering your PIN (personal identification number), your transaction is treated as a regular ATM/EFTPOS transaction and gives you the opportunity to withdraw extra cash if the merchant offers this service.

However, when you are making a retail purchase and choose 'Credit' option the funds still come out of your savings account and from the 04 June 2008, you have the option of using your signature OR entering your PIN (personal identification number) for added security. You do not need both, you use either your signature or your PIN.

You will not be able to obtain any 'cash out' with the 'Credit' option, even if you use your PIN. If you require additional cash with your transaction, you must still use the 'Savings' option.

If still not clear, talk to your bank about how their Visa debit card works, rather than P&O. If the bank says you can use use it like a credit card anywhere that Visa is accepted and you tell P&O it is credit card, then P&O's system will treat is a credit card.

 

Cheers

Bob

[staceymrow]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what do you mean by the term PLEDGE?

[aussiescouser]

I understand what you guys are saying about the difference between a visa debit card and a every day debit card and i have used my visa debit card on previous cruises, it is just when i rang to ask if i could use my mastercard debit card the answer was absolutely not as visa and mastercard debit are no longer accecpted, the girl acknowledged that previously u could use them but told me it is no longer an option, only credit cards now used!!!!:confused: think ill try and call again to get a clearer picture, im more confused now then when i originally asked if mastercard debit was accepted. cheers regards aussiescouser:D

[gizzigoo]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what do you mean by the term PLEDGE?

 

I don't really understand this myself, I only found out becuse Chelsea checked her bank baleance. Basically (from my understanding only) they take the money covering the amount you spend each day on hold as security, it is only a pledge. Then at the end they take the money for the total amount and put back the pledges. This can take a week to 10 days for it to be put back into your account.

 

They do this because there would be some who may put their cc info in that may not ba able cover it. So if during the course of the cruise there is not enough on your card to make the pledge they will cancel your card.

 

Glenda

[aussiescouser]

just to add to what i was saying earlier, just phoned p&o once again and spoke to supervisor who made it perfectly clear and actually read statement out to me that visa/mastercard debit cards are no longer accepted on p&o cruise ships. So this is not a misunderstanding it is fact!!!thanks for your assistance guys but i have heard it from the horses mouth now so i will just have to deposit cash onto cruise card i think.. regards aussiescouser:D :confused:

[dogboy53]

in the past i have always used visa debit and posted a question recently asking if they accept mastercard debit. A few ppl said that they are pretty sure that they do, so i thought i would give them a call and a lady at p&o informed me that they no longer accept any form of debit card as they have experienced some problems with this form of payment. She said that the use of visa/mastercard debit ended about 3 months ago, the way she was talking really didnt feel me with much confidence in what she was saying so could anybody that has recently sailed with p&o please confirm that this is correct regards aussiescouser:D

 

Hi Aussiescouser,

 

This is the reply I got from group bookings...

 

Hi Don,

 

The information I have says that we don't accept ANY debit cards (Mastercard or Visa etc). This must have changed since the below person went onboard, I'm told there is an error with the pre authorisation hold process with these types of cards and we are unable to request the release with the bank.

Unfortunately they will need to arrange an alternate form of payment.

 

Kind Regards,

 

 

This does not agree with what happened on our cruise, we used our Visa debit card with no problems. I tend to agree with others, as long as the card doesn't say "debit" card it shouldn't be a problem.

 

Don

[Drelix]

ok i am angry now cause iwent and organised a visa debit card for the cruise so i dont have to carry around x amount of dollers around and now this comes out...

but the thing is on p n o site still says u can this is so strange i am lost

 

and will be very angry as i spent a day in organising this card for it

:mad: :mad: any 1 been on a cruise in the last few days can conferm becuase

there will be thousends turning up with them and there is no atm at opt or wont have enough money for pplz

[aussiescouser]

Thanks for that Don, Unfortunately my card says "Debit". So i'll just have to do it the hard way.....thanks again

regards-

Aussiescouser:D

[arxcards]

Sorry if this is a stupid question, but what do you mean by the term PLEDGE?

 

A credit card pledge is very similar in meaning to any other pledge. It is a method of knowing you are able to pay your bill without having to pay up front before receiving your service.

 

A pledge is used commonly by the tourist industry to make sure there is sufficient amount on the card before the customer spends up and can't pay after using the service. Is why you hand your card over when you check in to a hotel.

 

I am also required to use the same method with mail and phone orders, where I do not get to swipe the card at the time of sale (prevents mail order fraud).

 

I contact the card centre at my bank, and provide card holder, number & expiry details, and they issue me with an authorisation number (pledge). I record this number on the mail order form for the transaction. The money is withheld from the available balance of the cardholder at the time the authorisation is issued. When the transaction is processed by the bank, the money is switched from the customers card to my account, and the linked pledge expires.

 

Double pledges, and ones that take weeks to "expire" are errors in the system between P&O and the card centre of their bank.

[Itachi]

Just quickly (I haven't had a chance to read all the posts before) but with the visa debit cards (those issued by banks, credit unions, building societies etc) they work exactly like a credit card but instead of withdrawing funds from a credit account it is just deducted out of savings. I think the issue may be with the pre paid debit cards? I dont have a "pre paid" VD card but anyone can just purchase them from a counter, with a bank, credit union, building society one they have your details and if you over draw (and you don't have an overdraft the transaction may not go through) but then if it does go through the bank/credit uinion/building society would then chase you up. I am trying to say that if it is a card issued in your personal name you will be liable as if it is a pre paid one there may not be any way to make sure P&O get the payment?

[Skyrules]

The plot thickens.....

 

After being told by one P&O call centre operator that they couldn't use their Visa Debit, and by another that they don't like passengers to use the card, Mum & Dad discussed this issue with their bank, and according to Westpac, P&O cannot refuse to accept the Visa/Mastercard debit card. For the purpose the card would be used for, the card is a credit card, and if they accept visa/mastercard credit cards they have to accept the debit card.

[CruiseW827]

My parents have had this issue only today. They rang P and O and they have allowed them to ue the card on their up coming cruise. Apparently the reason why they dont like people to us eit is because it can tie up peoples funds for up to 10 days aferwards so people cant access their money. Mum and dad just told thm they only use this card when they go on holidays and will just put what they need on it to cover their expenditure plus some extra just in case. He grabbed their booking number and made a note that they are allowed to use their card on board the boat. There are ways around it so just give them a call.

[Skyrules]

Just quickly (I haven't had a chance to read all the posts before) but with the visa debit cards (those issued by banks, credit unions, building societies etc) they work exactly like a credit card but instead of withdrawing funds from a credit account it is just deducted out of savings. I think the issue may be with the pre paid debit cards? I dont have a "pre paid" VD card but anyone can just purchase them from a counter, with a bank, credit union, building society one they have your details and if you over draw (and you don't have an overdraft the transaction may not go through) but then if it does go through the bank/credit uinion/building society would then chase you up. I am trying to say that if it is a card issued in your personal name you will be liable as if it is a pre paid one there may not be any way to make sure P&O get the payment?

 

This could be the answer to the whole saga!!