Blocked

hi again...we will be cruising the Mediterranean for 10 nights on the Spirit. We will be using a credit card to open the onboard account. I heard that NCL blocks a certain amount of money. Do you know how much they block and for which purpose please? I m asking so that we will know how much money to put in the card.

It really can vary. I've had cruises where a hold of a couple of hundred dollars is put through and others where the holds are increased as you spend. I've walked away from the bar with one drink and then received notification of a hold to cover that purchase.

If you assume that the total hold will be up to about $200 more than you have spent to date then you should be fine. However I'm not sure how they deal with the DSC as we prepay ours.

thanks...so they dont block the money upon embarkation? and when will the block cease? If they hold, let s say, 200 dollars, when you buy something onboard, will this be deducted from the 200 dollar which were blocked? Sorry for all the questions, but this is still rather confusing.

thanks...so they dont block the money upon embarkation? and when will the block cease? If they hold, let s say, 200 dollars, when you buy something onboard, will this be deducted from the 200 dollar which were blocked? Sorry for all the questions, but this is still rather confusing.

Upon embarkation they will usually authorize $200 on your credit or debit card. This hold will stay in place until the end of the cruise and your account is settled. At the end of the cruise if your account amounts to $184 then your card will be charged that amount and the $200 authorization goes away.

Upon embarkation they will usually authorize $200 on your credit or debit card. This hold will stay in place until the end of the cruise and your account is settled. At the end of the cruise if your account amounts to $184 then your card will be charged that amount and the $200 authorization goes away.

In our experience for two people on the same account, NCL authorizes a $300 hold even if DSC has been prepaid.

Then if that amount is used they hold another $300. Each time the hold is $300. It might be lower for a solo on an account.

What kind of credit card requires money to be put in it? This sounds like a prepaid card, which is really a debit card.

hi again...we will be cruising the Mediterranean for 10 nights on the Spirit. We will be using a credit card to open the onboard account. I heard that NCL blocks a certain amount of money. Do you know how much they block and for which purpose please? I m asking so that we will know how much money to put in the card.

Throughout the cruise, the ship runs authorizations to cover your onboard charges (including daily service charges). At the end of the cruise, the outstanding charges are billed to the card. This typically means that 2 times your onboard charges will be sent in to your card company (e.g., held). Your card company, not NCL, determines how long the holds remain on your account.

thanks...so they dont block the money upon embarkation? and when will the block cease? If they hold, let s say, 200 dollars, when you buy something onboard, will this be deducted from the 200 dollar which were blocked? Sorry for all the questions, but this is still rather confusing.

Yes, they put a hold on at embarkation. That will be a few hundred dollars ($200 or $300 seems to be the normal).

If you don't spend any more than that they it will just turn into an actual charge on disembarkation day.

If you spend more than that during the cruise then they will increase the value of that hold. How they do that can vary dramatically, so don't take other peoples reports literally. As I say, I have had it done as just another couple of hundred dollars, and I have had it go up every time I purchase something.

However it does it is irrelevant though. If the amount of available credit you have is a couple of hundred dollars more than you are going to spend then you will be OK. Otherwise you may have trouble.

thanks again...now it s clearer.

What kind of credit card requires money to be put in it? This sounds like a prepaid card, which is really a debit card.

The card will be a VISA, which is a credit card. We have a very low limit on it. Not everyone is Ritchie Rich you know.

Good for you! Way too many people with way too much credit card debt! I am trying to pay for beverage package and gratuities before I go so that I don't come home to a huge bill! Then taking another 3 months to pay the thing off...Especially with 18% interest! Have a great time !

It's not exactly a "hold"..but a pre-authorization.....now a DEBIT card WILL have "holds" placed on your funds....but not a credit card.

Every time we have cruised...hold was $300 and stayed on card for about 5 days and then disappears.

The card will be a VISA, which is a credit card. We have a very low limit on it. Not everyone is Ritchie Rich you know.

But you said and I quote "how much money to put in the card". So the other poster said it sounds like a pre-paid card. Doesn't matter if it says visa. If it is a pre-paid card then it is treated as a debit card NOT a credit card. There is a big difference.

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Would the OP perhaps be better off setting up a cash account? https://www.ncl.com/faq%2523onboard-expenses

You can get credit cards that you pre-load with cash. They work the same as normal credit cards but you cannot spend more than you pre-load.

You can get credit cards that you pre-load with cash. They work the same as normal credit cards but you cannot spend more than you pre-load.

This is incorrect. Pre-paid cards normally work just like a debit card NOT a credit card. There a differences in how the holds work.

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You can my off any charges in cash daily if you want. That way only the initial hold will go through as you won't be accumulating any charges.

Good for you! Way too many people with way too much credit card debt! I am trying to pay for beverage package and gratuities before I go so that I don't come home to a huge bill! Then taking another 3 months to pay the thing off...Especially with 18% interest! Have a great time !

18% interest credit card? OUCH!

18% interest credit card? OUCH!

You would be surprised. The national average it 15%.

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I was going to say, in the UK 18% is normal