Jump to content

credit card chip?


webetraveling
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi Everyone,

 

Hopefully someone can help. Going on our first cruise this fall(Germany). Have been researching on credit card use, having the chip card vs. having mag. strip.

 

I keep getting conflicting answers on if you need the chip card or not.

 

Seems like some places take either, some don't.

 

Maybe someone who has been there recently can give a better answer?

 

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone,

 

Hopefully someone can help. Going on our first cruise this fall(Germany). Have been researching on credit card use, having the chip card vs. having mag. strip.

 

I keep getting conflicting answers on if you need the chip card or not.

 

Seems like some places take either, some don't.

 

Maybe someone who has been there recently can give a better answer?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

If you stick to the main tourist areas your regular swipe card should work just fine. Some of the unmanned kiosks at train stations, or smaller local shops will only accept cards that have chip & pin technology. An embedded chip card alone will not work. A true chip & pin card is next to impossible to get in the US. Some banks will tell you they have a chip and pin card, when in fact it has a chip and they will assign you a 4-digit pin code to use at ATMs for withdrawal. This is not the same, they are chip and signature cards.

This article may be helpful.

http://creditcardforum.com/blog/chip-and-pin-credit-cards-usa/

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have been looking into this for a while and the best deal right now seems to be with Pentagon Federal Credit Union. They offer a Chip and Pin VISA with no annual fee, no penalty fees and most importantly, no foreign transaction fees.

 

Membership can be an issue. I am not in the military nor a veteran or defense contractor. If you join one of several veteran support groups that they list, with a donation as low as $10, you can join the credit union with a $5 deposit into a savings account. Now, this is kind of an one-time fee but think of all the money you will save on foreign transaction fees.

 

Hope that helps.

 

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My Diners Club MasterCard came with a chip and a PIN, and that was several years ago. Unfortunately, when I went on my Baltic cruise one year ago, I didn't know my PIN and presented my card assuming I could use the swipe-and-signature method I use in the States. It was declined every time by the merchants. At my hotel in Copenhagen, the staff grudgingly allowed me to sign to pay my bill. So - when I traveled again to Europe this spring, I was prepared and knew my PIN. No problem anywhere. That's just one woman's experience . . .

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have the Barclaycard Arrival+ MasterCard, and they just started offering chip+pin cards earlier this month. I LOVE this card. If you spend $3000 on it in the first 3 months, you receive $400 in travel reward credit (which you can apply as a refund to any travel-related purchase on your card). They also offer a bunch of other travel-related benefits. New card members receive a 0% interest rate for 12 months and the annual fee ($89) is waived for the first year.

 

I've loved this card since I got it in February, but when they announced chip+pin I was over the moon. We got our new card this week.

 

I've never had a problem using swipe cards in restaurants or stores in Europe, but I know they're just increasing their use of this technology, and it's much more secure than just a swipe card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know not many cruise lines come to Australia but everyone who is intending to visit us in the near future you should be aware that after 31st July 2014 chip and pin will be the only option available to you when using your credit card.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All kind of machines accepting credit cards in Europe do only work with the chip and Pin. This may be ticket machines or even gas pumps. The only machine accepting the magnetic stripe is an ATM.

 

steamboats

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you qualify for membership (veterans or family members), USAA offers a chip and pin MasterCard. We used this in Europe (April 2014) without any problems. Many merchants were quite surprised (and relieved) when they saw our card. They may have been able to debit using the older technology, but my impression was that it was more work for them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you qualify for membership (veterans or family members), USAA offers a chip and pin MasterCard. We used this in Europe (April 2014) without any problems. Many merchants were quite surprised (and relieved) when they saw our card. They may have been able to debit using the older technology, but my impression was that it was more work for them.

 

We just got our USAA chip&spin card. It is a "by request" card. I certainly can understand why they were one of the fist to offer the card as many of their members travel or live overseas.

 

The other side is that I am a member of a credit union which serves NC.....and I just got a chip&spin card from them. More and more companies are converting to the newer technology......which I think is great!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just got our USAA chip&spin card. It is a "by request" card. I certainly can understand why they were one of the fist to offer the card as many of their members travel or live overseas.

 

The other side is that I am a member of a credit union which serves NC.....and I just got a chip&spin card from them. More and more companies are converting to the newer technology......which I think is great!

 

Just got the USAA magazine yesterday. They are moving towards issuing chip cards when they issue/reissue. The article was not clear whether they would be PIN or sign.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks to everyone who replied to this question,was great to get answers quick from those who have "been there, done that".

 

Now we will just have decide which route to go in ref. to which card to take along.

 

This will be our first river cruise so very much looking forward to it.

 

Thanks again

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We just got our USAA chip&spin card. It is a "by request" card. I certainly can understand why they were one of the fist to offer the card as many of their members travel or live overseas.

 

The other side is that I am a member of a credit union which serves NC.....and I just got a chip&spin card from them. More and more companies are converting to the newer technology......which I think is great!

 

What is a 'chip&spin' card. I don't think we have them over here.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi Everyone,

 

Hopefully someone can help. Going on our first cruise this fall(Germany). Have been researching on credit card use, having the chip card vs. having mag. strip.

 

I keep getting conflicting answers on if you need the chip card or not.

 

Seems like some places take either, some don't.

 

Maybe someone who has been there recently can give a better answer?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

I'm in Germany right now, travelling on the River Princess along the Main (today) and I've run into more than a couple places where I've needed the chip and pin (which I have). My brother has a card without a pin and he's had to have his wife swipe her card (which has a pin) a couple of places, including in touristy stores like Kathie Wolfarts. I don't know what would have happened if he's protested, but since his wife's card has the pin they haven't had an issue.

 

Just my .02 and what I'm experiencing now. I am NOT an expert. Just using my USAA chip and pin and happy I have it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking this is going to be an issue more and more. My experience was that the shop girl was forbidden by her boss to accept any card that did NOT have a pin... In other words American tourists mostly.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting, I´m German and I´m living in Germany and never had to use my Pin with my credit card (except for any machines but there I´m using my debit card). Although the shops do use the chip for getting the data I always can sign.

 

steamboats

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Interesting, I´m German and I´m living in Germany and never had to use my Pin with my credit card (except for any machines but there I´m using my debit card). Although the shops do use the chip for getting the data I always can sign.

 

steamboats

 

Expect that to slowly change even in Germany ...

 

The retailer's already limited fraud protection will be virtually eliminated if they do not insist on the use of the pin.

 

Tourists are perhaps more likely to encounter this problem than regular customers, but eventually it will come to everyone ...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you qualify for membership (veterans or family members), USAA offers a chip and pin MasterCard. We used this in Europe (April 2014) without any problems. Many merchants were quite surprised (and relieved) when they saw our card. They may have been able to debit using the older technology, but my impression was that it was more work for them.

 

Thanks for this! I am a long time AMEX fan and they have added a chip but not a chip and pin.

 

I will be contacting USAA today.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All kind of machines accepting credit cards in Europe do only work with the chip and Pin. This may be ticket machines or even gas pumps. The only machine accepting the magnetic stripe is an ATM.

 

steamboats

 

Interesting, I´m German and I´m living in Germany and never had to use my Pin with my credit card (except for any machines but there I´m using my debit card). Although the shops do use the chip for getting the data I always can sign.

 

steamboats

 

Now I'm confused.

Are you saying any card with a chip? Your first post says chip & pin only but then you mention never using your pin.

There are cards being issued in the US that have a chip but require a signature.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All debit cards and all credit cards in Germany do have an EMV chip. This chip contains your data. The hand held devices used in shops and restaurants do read out the data on the chip. Then they print out a receipt which you sign. All automated machines (like ticket machines, 24/7 gas pumps with credit card reader) do read out the data on the chip. But instead of a signature you have to use the Pin.

 

So when I pay for my groceries with my credit card I still sign (but the hand held device reads my chip). When I do buy a train ticket I do need my Pin (but actually I do not use my credit card there but my debit card).

 

With debit cards (here issued by your accounting bank or a third party) it depends on the store/restaurant. Sometimes you sign, sometimes they ask for your Pin. I also do have a debit card which works with chip & Pin only (it doesn´t work in every shop). Sometimes the shops where you usually sign randomly ask for the Pin (not the person at the register but the computer of course).

 

So it´s the same chip but the machine sort of "decides" whether you need a Pin or can sign.

 

Recently in Italy one of our credit cards did only work with the Pin. The other did work with signature (at the same place as we usually do not memorize the Pin of our credit cards so we tried the other one when the first one asked for the Pin).

 

steamboats

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you qualify for membership (veterans or family members), USAA offers a chip and pin MasterCard. We used this in Europe (April 2014) without any problems. Many merchants were quite surprised (and relieved) when they saw our card. They may have been able to debit using the older technology, but my impression was that it was more work for them.

 

I had no idea I could qualify for this. I'm the wife of a Vietnam veteran and the mother of an Afghanistan veteran. I will apply for USAA card today and hopefully have it when I leave for Prague next Thursday. That being said, I have never had a problem using my Capital One card anywhere nor using my other Visa or Master Card. Only cards I have seen being refused in Europe are Amex and Diner's Club (apparently they charge higher merchant fees). I have heard of people trying to use unchipped cards at places like gas stations and parking kiosks having a problem, but so far not at hotels, restaurants, ATM's or tourist ships or sights.

 

Question about USAA card: do they charge foreign transaction fees? 'Cause that's only reason I have Capital One.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had no idea I could qualify for this. I'm the wife of a Vietnam veteran and the mother of an Afghanistan veteran. I will apply for USAA card today and hopefully have it when I leave for Prague next Thursday. That being said, I have never had a problem using my Capital One card anywhere nor using my other Visa or Master Card. Only cards I have seen being refused in Europe are Amex and Diner's Club (apparently they charge higher merchant fees). I have heard of people trying to use unchipped cards at places like gas stations and parking kiosks having a problem, but so far not at hotels, restaurants, ATM's or tourist ships or sights.

 

Question about USAA card: do they charge foreign transaction fees? 'Cause that's only reason I have Capital One.

 

I believe USAA charges a foreign transaction fee. They do give a good exchange rate (the bank rate) with no commission.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...