Afraid to take my credit cards on shore. Do you take a lot of cash???

[G'ma]

I am thinking of taking cash only when onshore. Has anyone done this before? Do people really use and take traveler's checks anymore? My credit card is a check card type deal and I would hate for it to get into the wrong hands.

 

I will take a copy of my passport and health insurance card and cash. What do you all do?

 

Thanks!:confused:

 

I'm a cash kind of gal. My onboard account is set up using cash and all purchases ashore are paid for in cash. I carefully budget my cruise expenses and find it easier to stay in that budget by taking cash along. When going ashore, I take what I think will be needed and leave the rest in the safe. If I used credit cards, don't think I'd do so ashore on some island where the number could be stolen and used....but, that's just me. I don't shop much anyway.

 

I also take my passport knowing that, should a problem arise and I miss the ship for any reason, a copy of my passport is worthless. The real thing will be needed to fly off the island..... After all, that's what a passport is for; identification. Copies have no relevance in a pinch. It's a good idea to make copies, keep one in the safe in case the original is lost... Makes it easier to get a new one if you have a copy..

[TheVegasMan]

Oh my goodness! Simple question Vegas Man. It's just a question... Thanks for the input, but I don't have $15,000 in my checking account anyway, so that wouldn't help much. I am leaving on Saturday so no time to get a CC. If there is real trouble, I can have someone wire $$, right?

And I was giving you a worst case scenario answer. Ship happens, both on the ship and on land. $250 won't even cover the cost of the ambulance and no cab driver is going to allow you into their cab with a bleeding foot and cut tendons. Having $$ wired to you takes time and a Mexican hospital is NOT going to provide you with any services until they know they are going to be paid. Which means cash up front. Read this if you don't believe me. So glad to see you're well prepared for your cruise. Your title says you don't want to take your CC on shore, and now you say you don't have time to get one. Are you even going on a cruise?

[icart]

Even if it's a "check card" if it has a visa or mastercard logo on it, it has the same fraud protection as a credit card. If your card or numbers are stolen, all of the money removed from your account fraudulently will be returned. If your cash is stolen, you're sol. Take the card and enough cash for the places that won't accept a cc.

[surfclam2003]

Easier to replace a lost/stolen credit card then cash.

[MamaParrotHead]

Take enough cash to cover airport/taxi related tips and charges, airport snacks, any meals pre-cruise, taxi to pier and porter tips. I use my credit card only for securing S&S card. After that I rely on cashing Traveller's Checks (as I need them, keeping the rest in my room safe) onboard for the remainder of my trip (at purser's desk or casino).

[Kurbanfan]

I was thinking about $250 total. Nachi, cab, a little shopping for 2 adults.

 

That should be plenty.....when you start getting low, time to head back to the ship........

We always use cash also. As far as bringing your passport that is your call. We don't bring ours. All you really need is your drivers license and S&S card....

Good luck!

[Thirsty Cruiser]

I bring my credit cards along with my common sense wherever I go.

So do I! Unfortunately, after a few drinks I always wind up losing it.:o (My common sense, that is)

 

Even if it's a "check card" if it has a visa or mastercard logo on it, it has the same fraud protection as a credit card. If your card or numbers are stolen, all of the money removed from your account fraudulently will be returned. If your cash is stolen, you're sol. Take the card and enough cash for the places that won't accept a cc.

Check with your provider. I have a visa debit card that does not have the same fraud protection as my visa CC. There is protection, but it is through the bank, not visa.

In general, I would rather use a credit card anyway, since a stolen credit card does not draw directly against my bank account. The last thing I want to do on vacation is be stuck with an empty checking account and have to deal with long distance calls to the fraud department. JMO.

[sappygirl]

Why are you afraid to take credit cards ashore? I'd rather have a wallet full of cards stolen than a wallet full of cash. You're not liable for fraudulent credit card charges. You'll never get back any cash that might get stolen or lost.

 

When we go ashore, we take passports (in a passport holder, hidden under my clothes), Sail and Sign cards, two credit cards (one for me, one for my wife, separate accounts) and less than $100 cash (the exact amount depends on the plans and whether we know the vendors will accept CC's). Everything else of value goes in the cabin safe.

That is not always the case with stolen cc out of the country. Most cc companies will not cover loss or stolen cards in another country. I would check with your cc company for their rules about that.

[cruiserbryce]

we do take a cc ashore for our bigger purchases but use cash whenever possible

[bakechef]

Even if it's a "check card" if it has a visa or mastercard logo on it, it has the same fraud protection as a credit card. If your card or numbers are stolen, all of the money removed from your account fraudulently will be returned. If your cash is stolen, you're sol. Take the card and enough cash for the places that won't accept a cc.

 

Not true.

 

If your number and PIN is stolen, you will not get any of Visa's protections because the transactions are not approved over their network.

 

If it is used like a Visa with a signature than you will get SIMILAR protections to a credit card. It really depends on your bank, most will replace the money immediately but some will wait until after an investigation and drafts will overdraw in the meantime.

 

Before I had credit cards, I opened a second checking account with a Visa debit card just for traveling and online shopping so if there was a problem that only the money that I put in there would be at risk, not my bill money, that worked for me.

[Wennfred]

I am thinking of taking cash only when onshore. Has anyone done this before? Do people really use and take traveler's checks anymore? My credit card is a check card type deal and I would hate for it to get into the wrong hands.

 

I will take a copy of my passport and health insurance card and cash. What do you all do?

 

Thanks!:confused:

 

We take both because you can always shut down a credit card if you lose it.

 

Ensure you have your Credit Card numbers in your Cell phone incase you do need to call them.

 

Here is a Phone Thread I started way back with important phone numbers you should have in your Cell phone.

 

 

Phone Numbers you should know:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=19005829#post19005829

 

 

 

 

 

Fred

[srlafleur]

Hmm,

We always take CC's & minimal cash - for tips, incidentals, cabs. (not big on shopping)

I always have my passport.

I've never had a problem.

[vacruizer]

Even if it's a "check card" if it has a visa or mastercard logo on it, it has the same fraud protection as a credit card. If your card or numbers are stolen, all of the money removed from your account fraudulently will be returned. If your cash is stolen, you're sol. Take the card and enough cash for the places that won't accept a cc.

 

Not always true. You need to check with your bank. Debit card transactions with a PIN # are also not protected. The bank may also only give you "provisonal credit" or no credit at all back while they investigate the loss - during which time you are out the cash you may need to pay bills and live your daily life. With a credit card you simply don't pay the bill until it's resolved.

 

I work for a large bank - I always recommend that you NEVER use a card tied to your checking or savings accounts while traveling - especially in the Caribbean. It is one of the places that has the highest rates of fraud and identity theft and you often have no way to proscute because it's an overseas crime. Meanwhile your bank account is cleaned out and the burden of proof is on you to show that you didn't make the transactions while there.

[bakechef]

We take both because you can always shut down a credit card if you lose it.

 

Ensure you have your Credit Card numbers in your Cell phone incase you do need to call them.

 

Here is a Phone Thread I started way back with important phone numbers you should have in your Cell phone.

 

 

Phone Numbers you should know:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=19005829#post19005829

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fred

I always carry a sheet of paper with the international numbers for each card that I carry. The phone sounds easier though!

[vacruizer]

I always carry a sheet of paper with the international numbers for each card that I carry. The phone sounds easier though!

 

We do the same thing - I put an index card in each of our wallets with #s to the airline, Carnival, international #s for the credit card companies, travel insurance, etc. That way if one of us loses or has our wallet stolen the other one has all the contact info. We don't usually take our phones on shore - they stay locked in the safe all week.

[johnlo81]

I asked advice from Carnival when we first booked the cruise... I was told never to bring passports onshore due to the high risk of them being stolen... I just bring the "If lost call this number" card that I got when I got my passport mailed to me

I plan on bringing minimal cash maybe $100 and two credit cards when we go to the ports... I'll keep the rest in the safe as far as cash goes... credit cards are a lot safer and plus mine are officially both paid down to $0 YAY!

[kicia]

We always take our passports with us because that is the reason to have passports. There should be no more danger of losing it than your driver's license, credit card, cash, etc.

We put everything on credit cards and only take a small amount of cash depending on where we are and what we are doing, eg. taxis and vendors take cash.

Just use common sense and keep your valuables safe no matter if you're on vacation or at home.

[LRene]

Vacruiser - what about prepaid credit cards (VISA) that are sold by banks - not the kind from WalMart? I had a co-worker that got one the day before he flew to Peru for a couple of weeks then left me with the instructions on how to reload it for him if he ran out of money on it. Would that work for the OP?

We take at least one credit card (preferably VISA - leave the AmEx in the safe 'cause no one wants them in the Caribbean), [B]ALWAYS take the passports[/B] with us and about $100-150 in cash depending on how many are traveling with us. Travelers checks are pretty much worthless.

I've come close to missing a ship when a family member didn't show up as expected and I've seen plenty of people left behind on the pier in many countries. I had my dh hand me the cc and passport and I was good to fly to the next port if needed. Didn't need to, thank goodness.

[nybumpkin]

We just had the experience of having to cancel a credit card due to fraudulent activity on the card. No, the card wasn't stolen - when the bank called us to ask about the card activity, we still had all cards accounted for. Obviously the account information was taken from some place where we used the card. Was it one of our Caribbean stops from our February cruise on Glory? Could have been - we used that card in all three ports where we stopped. The bank's still looking into it. They did a great job monitoring the account, though - one fraudulent charge went through, but the next one was denied because it didn't match our spending pattern and they called us immediately to ask about the charge. And the card offered 100% fraud protection, so we're not out anything. I think I'd probably still bring a card ashore - but I might use cash for more purchases and not rely as much on the card.

[vacruizer]

[quote name='LRene']Vacruiser - what about prepaid credit cards (VISA) that are sold by banks - not the kind from WalMart? I had a co-worker that got one the day before he flew to Peru for a couple of weeks then left me with the instructions on how to reload it for him if he ran out of money on it. Would that work for the OP?

We take at least one credit card (preferably VISA - leave the AmEx in the safe 'cause no one wants them in the Caribbean), [B]ALWAYS take the passports[/B] with us and about $100-150 in cash depending on how many are traveling with us. Travelers checks are pretty much worthless.

I've come close to missing a ship when a family member didn't show up as expected and I've seen plenty of people left behind on the pier in many countries. I had my dh hand me the cc and passport and I was good to fly to the next port if needed. Didn't need to, thank goodness.[/quote]

What you often run into with those is that they don't have your name imprinted on them and many merchants won't take them. Carnival won't even let you use them to set up your s&s account. I am not sure on what happens with those if they are lost or stolen or have fraud on them. Since they function like a gift card would it may be the same as losing cash. I will need to check on that (I am not in a department that sells these.) Those started being sold after I stopped working in branches so I'm not as familiar with those as I am how debit card transacations and fraud are handled. But I would definitely check into it before you rely on it in port and be prepared that it may not be accepted many places.

I received one as a gift a while back (purchased from a major bank) and the thing was a pain to use. Had several merchants (local) tell me they only took them with a name printed on it and once it got down to a few dollars on it it would reject and not just take the amount left on it. Basically the purchase had to be less than the card amount and it wouldn't allow a charge for the exact amount left. It also had a bunch of fine print about how many fees would be deducted to check the balance on the thing, each month of non-use, etc. IMHO they aren't worth it. Plus the bank usually charges an issuance fee as well.

[FlaKrznNubie]

[quote name='kms118']I am thinking of taking cash only when onshore. Has anyone done this before? Do people really use and take traveler's checks anymore? My credit card is a check card type deal and I would hate for it to get into the wrong hands.

I will take a copy of my passport and health insurance card and cash. What do you all do?

Thanks!:confused:[/quote]

I believe you would be more liable with all cash, no credit card. That said, I would not use a debit card, get and use a real credit card. Your liability, if lost or stolen, is $50 MAX, that's all (and less if you report it before it's used).

Travelers checks in foreign ports are probably a waste.

If you have a passport, either take it ashore or forget the copy. A xerox copy is worthless as ID or for anything. I have no idea whoever started the advice of "don't take your passport ashore, take a copy. Honestly, if a traveler intends to leave their passport in their cabin safe the entire week, why bring it. A govt photo ID and Birth certificate works if you don't intend to carry the passport.

The purpose of a copy of your passport is if you ever need to report your passport stolen.. It says exactly that on the US govt passport website (make 2 copies, leave one copy at home with relatives/friends, take the other copy with you in case you need to report a lost/stolen passport)

As far as medical insurance, buy trip insurance unless your medical includes being medivaced back to the US, it can cost $30 to $40 grand.

[Kurbanfan]

[quote name='FlaKrznNubie']


If you have a passport, either take it ashore or forget the copy. A xerox copy is worthless as ID or for anything. I have no idea whoever started the advice of "don't take your passport ashore, take a copy. Honestly, if a traveler intends to leave their passport in their cabin safe the entire week, why bring it. A govt photo ID and Birth certificate works if you don't intend to carry the passport.

[/quote]

I bring my passport for cruises because it is more convenient then a birth certificate. My passport stays in my cabin safe all week:D
Your are correct a birth certificate works just fine........and back in the day when I used that, it also stayed in the safe:D

[gtalum]

[quote name='sappygirl']That is not always the case with stolen cc out of the country. Most cc companies will not cover loss or stolen cards in another country. I would check with your cc company for their rules about that.[/QUOTE]

I don't know that I believe that "most" issuers don't cover fraudulent charges made overseas. I know for a fact that none of the issuers of my credit cards have such a restriction.

[Nunu]

[quote name='Kurbanfan']and back in the day when I used that, it also stayed in the safe:D[/QUOTE]

Did you used to walk to school uphill both ways in 3 feet of snow too? ;)

[bakechef]

[quote name='sappygirl']That is not always the case with stolen cc out of the country. Most cc companies will not cover loss or stolen cards in another country. I would check with your cc company for their rules about that.[/QUOTE]

I have never heard of such restrictions and I have researched credit cards extensively.

I would drop a card in a hot minute if they had a ridiculous policy like this seeing as a lot of this fraud happens outside of the US.