Urgent

[flamomo]

Have you considered taking a few hundred dollars in Travelers Checks with you, as a backup, should you happen to exceed your CC limit? Then, if you didn't need to use them to settle your onboard account, when you get home you can can cash them and redeposit the money in your bank account.

 

I always take cash, 2 CCs, and some Traveler's Checks, whether I'm traveling domestically or internationally.

[CruisenLexie]

If you use your debit card as a credit card you will have time to transfer the money when you get on land if you can use a computer somewhere.

 

Can you call and transfer money automatically? Not with a person but using the phone. I use to be able to do that, I haven't used that service in years.

 

Other than that setting up a future transfer looks like an excellent idea as well if you have that service.

 

Can you have someone at home do the transfer for you at the appropriate time?

[TonyFred]

You can also prepurchase onboard credit by calling Princess. I did this just to play it safe.

That way when you board, you will have that credit on your account and you will only have to settle on any charges that go beyond the credit you purchased in advance.

They sell onboard credits in 100 dollar increments.

[anniversarycruiser40]

TonyFred Question

 

I like the idea of purchasing OBC before you start your cruise. We already have $300 OBC, if we add say another $500 before the start of the cruise and only spend $500 do you get the money back in cash? Or if you used a debit or cc to add it, do they apply it to them?

 

thanks for info

[fun cruiserz]

I work for a major credit card company and just let me say please please call your credit card company before you leave on vacation to let us know so we can put a note and travel watch on your account, if not there is a big chance we will decline you when the cruise line tries to do a pre-auth on your credit card when boarding, and believe me it is not a pretty sight when i get a phone call from an angry traveler that their credit card has just been declined.

 

My first question is always, well did you call us and tell us you were travelling and of course their answer is always no.

 

Most cruise lines do a $300 - $500 pre-auth when boarding, so just make sure you have that much available on your credit card. What i always do is pay my shipboard account in cash on the last night once we get a final copy of our bill. It will save you alot in conversion rates if you are using a credit card that is not in US$. Princess charges their own conversion rate, and does not use the bank's conversion rate.

[bjboothman]

My first question is always, well did you call us and tell us you were travelling and of course their answer is always no.

 

 

Didn't know I needed the bank's permission to travel.

 

Guess I've been lucky --- in 30some years of traveling, I've never informed the bank of my whereabouts and never had my credit card declined either.

 

Between my husband and I, we always have some combination of 3 different credit cards, just in case.

[Mrs.Right]

Dishes. Lots and lots of dishes! (sorry, I know it's a serious question, but that keeps going through my mind...)

 

If it got me on another cruise or two :confused: ;) :confused: ;)

 

Not sure that would be punishment enough!

 

Barbara

 

Sorry to disrupt this serious discussion. You may now retrun to original programming............

[Toto2Kansas]

Didn't know I needed the bank's permission to travel.

 

Guess I've been lucky --- in 30some years of traveling, I've never informed the bank of my whereabouts and never had my credit card declined either.

 

Between my husband and I, we always have some combination of 3 different credit cards, just in case.

 

Count me in as a lucky one also I guess. I have never contacted my credit card company and have used our Visa all over the world. From Rome to Sydney to Singapore and the British Isles and many places inbetween, never been declined and never a problem. And yes, we also carry more than one credit card with us, just in case there is a problem (but so far there hasn't been). ;)

[GrammieK]

We never had a problem either, until we were in Russia. Imagine my embarrassment when we were denied a purchase in the Hermitage - a beautiful replica of a Fabrege egg necklace. When we returned to the ship, we found out that many were denied approval on the trip. When we got home, we called the credit card co and found out that they refuse to do business with some eastern European countries due to rampant identity theft. Now we always call to make sure we can use our card in certain countries.

Kathie

[snowman]

Or!! They may not let you disembark, now that would be a dream....

[Mrs.Right]

NOW we're talkin'!!!!!

 

Where did I put that card I cancelled but didn't cut up? JK

 

Barbara

[wander]

For a number of years we traveled 2-4 months a year. After several experiences in third world countries with having our Visa card reject us I learned to take two cards in case. I also learned to call our Credit Card companies to give them our itinerary. (NO one does not need permission to travel, but one MIGHT does need "permission" to use their charge card there so just call to be safe and assure it will work.)

 

All of this has solved any problems until we were in the jungles of Borneo. At an eco-lodge in Sabah (northern Borneo) our card was rejected. We used another. When home I called and asked what had happened since I had called. They said - you did not tell us you were going to Malaysia and many stolen cards end up in SE Asia. MY BAD! Borneo is not a country but rather an island with three countries represented on it. Sabeh is a part of Malaysia. Another lesson.

 

I personally am glad the credit cards are careful. What if the card had been stolen or lost? While I might not be personally responsible after $50, we as card holders all pay in some way to cover charges on stolen cards - be it through fees or increased merchandise prices because merchants have to pay more to work with the CC company.

[pablo222]

One thing to be aware of is that you may not be able to use the ship's Internet at 6am on disembarkation day.

 

When I was on the Crown in April, I used my wireless minutes

on disembarcation morning.

 

I believe what they said was that you couldn't purchase any minutes

after midnight, but you could continue to use up any you had.

[CruisenLexie]

It can depend on the card you use. My mother did not call before leaving on the trip and she made a purchase on an island. That went through just fine. The next day she had a message from the pursers desk saying her credit card was not good. Lucky she had travlers checks so it was not a problem but when she got home she checked and after the first charge they put a hold on the account. We always call before we leave now.

[AAAAmerican]

I do think you are not wording your card properly.

 

Credit is extended... ( if you need more credit limits just ask your Credit Card firm if you qualify, then get more ...);)

 

Debit is given from capital on hand which you have and is available..

 

 

You probably have and use a debit card.

 

So before you leave if thats the card you want to use..just provide more CASH into your own account so any not calculated amounts are covered..:cool:

 

Carry some Acceptable Travelers Checks ( Cheques) too with you..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So in the WORST scenarion: CC limit exceeded and no cash left

what can one do? What does the Purser's office do?

I get my pay June 10th directly deposited into my bankaccount, BUT JUNE 10th is disembarking day and I'd have to then get up around 6amish and transfer the direct desposit into my CC which is instant....