Paying cash at purser's desk

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Hi all,

I am going on the Sapphire in August and have only been on one cruise before. On that cruise I did the fairly typical thing in leaving all my onboard expenses on a credit card.

This time (it's a bit of a long story) it would be easier at my end to pay off the whole thing in cash at the end but I was wondering how much of a hassle this is.

On the last night of the cruise is their going to be a crazy wait at the purser's desk? On a ship with almost 2,800 passengers I'm wondering if paying cash will be a waste of time I regret as soon as I see the line-up...

thanks,
TJ

You have several options. You can do as you say and put down the credit card number and than go wait in line on the last night or early in the morning and pay everything off in cash.

You can go to the pursers desk anytime within the cruise and put down cash on your account and use your sign and sail against that. If you want to just have cash on your account you must go the first day and they will tell you when you are running out of funds. You can keep the account open with a credit card but they will not charge anything to it. If you have paid to much you will get a check back from the pursers desk at the end of the cruise if you have not put down enough you will have to either wait in line again and pay more or just let them put what remains against your credit card.

You can put down your credit card for the sign and sail account and each day or as often as you wish go and pay in cash what you charged on your account the previous day or how ever long you have waited before paying.

The only way to totally avoid the line is to let it go on your charge card but if you have put down the cash in advance or paid early the day before leaving you will only have one days worth of charges on your charge card.

May you have clear skies and calm seas!

[Ronath]

We use our credit card for onboard expenses and on the last day during the afternoon pay it off with cash. By doing it in the afternoon there's usually not much of a line. We then let the remaining charges stay on the credit card.

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[gopher's girl]

I paid off my account in the early afternoon the day before disembarkation. There was a very short line and then whatever I charged that night went on my credit card ( a whole $29 for drinks! )... that was easy.

Next time I might let it go to the card, but I didn't want to travel home with so much cash.

[dcourt]

I have never used a credit card. The first place I go when I board the ship is to the Purser's desk and deposit cash. During the trip once or twice I will go and check my account balance. If I need more money on account I will deposit more. On the last day in the afternoon, before dinner, I will go to the Purser's desk again and cash my account out. I have never had to wait more than a minute to do this. I would hate to come home after such a wonderful vacation to a major bill on my credit card. When I come home it's still a good memory for me.


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[mii]

We always pay cash at the end of the trip. The evening before we disembark my DH goes to the pursers and pays off the account. It has worked great for seven cruises.


Marilyn

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

Thanks for all the help, folks!

I was worried that everyone left things on their card and then mocked the fools who wasted their final hours on the boat standing in line in the atrium.

It's good to know there are a couple of options.

thanks again,
TJ

[seattlekckckc]

As far as lines go, on my last cruise I waited the night before the make sure they had me as a platnimum and were crediting my internet usage. I made sure to go during the first seating (I was second), and there was hardly any line at all. All of the purser stations were manned in anticipation of being busy - that was good. What was not good was when I woke up the next mroning and low and behold my internet usage HAd been charged to my cc. So I had to wait in line AGAIN, this time the morning of disembarkation (crazy, I know!). Amazingly enough, I was second in line. Not bad at all!!! I was very impressed with that.

On a side note, the credit still has not come through for my cc, and it has been 10 days home now. They seem to get the charges on there real quick, right??

Casey

[lkmamom]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by TJ O'Pootertoot:
Thanks for all the help, folks!

I was worried that everyone left things on their card and then mocked the fools who wasted their final hours on the boat standing in line in the atrium.

It's good to know there are a couple of options.

thanks again,
TJ<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Hi TJ

Just wondered when you are going on the Sapphire in August as we are going as well ( in August that is) Maybe we are on the same cruise. http://messages.cruisecritic.com/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif
Linda

[TJ O'Pootertoot]

I'm on the 8/8....it still seems a loooong way away (it'll probably seem closer when I complete payment at the end of this month!)

TJ

[Druke I]

We usually pay down our account about half-way through the cruise, and again a night or two before disembarkation - that way the bill charged to credit card is rather low.

Michael