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How much $ does Carnival put on hold?


ANETLY

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Just wondering how much Carnival will freeze on my credit card? or is it only debit cards? Thanks for your help.

Applies to both CC and debit.

Guests may use a checking account debit card as long as it is a registered MasterCard or Visa card.

 

The following dollar amounts, per guest, are used as a deposit and placed as a hold on the credit card when the Sail & Sign Account is opened:

  • 2-4 day cruises: $100 deposit per person
  • 5-8 day cruises: $200 deposit per person
  • 9 + day cruises: $350 deposit per person

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It's addressed elsewhere on these boards, but do be aware that if you use a Visa/Mastercard Debit card for the cruise, the amount that they hold is no longer available on the bank account it represents.

 

Mind you, Carnival doesn't actually have the money; but the bank is going to make sure someone else doesn't get it either.

 

So, let's say they put a $400 hold on your Visa debit card, even though you think you'll only spend $200 on the cruise. As far as the bank is concerned, the $400 is gone from your account (until the tab is settled), and if you have checks or other bank drafts out there, you might find that you've bounced some checks.

 

It's not pleasant, but it's legit.

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I just wanted to add....

 

On my last cruise Carnival "held" $600 on my card.

But, during the week as I charged stuff, they sent those charges to my credit card company. So when I got off the ship, my credit card showed a "hold" of $600 PLUS the actual charges of $xxx. They removed the hold within a day or so.

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I just wanted to add....

 

On my last cruise Carnival "held" $600 on my card.

But, during the week as I charged stuff, they sent those charges to my credit card company. So when I got off the ship, my credit card showed a "hold" of $600 PLUS the actual charges of $xxx. They removed the hold within a day or so.

 

I think you misinterpret this. Like a hotel when you book in a hold is placed against your card "blocking" a sum of money. Once you check out the person takes your slip and reenters the charge which releases the hold and re-adjusts it to the actual charge. Cruise lines will normally block a sum at the beginning and after you reach that amount in charges they will block some more and so on. Chances are that is why you see a hold plus actual charges as more than one hold is applied to your card throughout the trip.

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How difficult is it to just give them cash on day of deposit for deposit amount ? And how difficult is it to give them more cash if you get to close to the limit?

 

I plan to pay for shore excursions ahead of time through Carnivals website.

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How difficult is it to just give them cash on day of deposit for deposit amount ? And how difficult is it to give them more cash if you get to close to the limit?

 

I plan to pay for shore excursions ahead of time through Carnivals website.

 

Yo can give them cash at desk. If your orginal deposit was a credit card, the left over money will be credited to the cards. If you orginally, put down cash. You will receive a check under your door.

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I think you misinterpret this. Like a hotel when you book in a hold is placed against your card "blocking" a sum of money. Once you check out the person takes your slip and reenters the charge which releases the hold and re-adjusts it to the actual charge. Cruise lines will normally block a sum at the beginning and after you reach that amount in charges they will block some more and so on. Chances are that is why you see a hold plus actual charges as more than one hold is applied to your card throughout the trip.

 

I can see holds on my accounts online - after our Victory cruise the amount of the total s&s charge posted the next day. The same amount was also there as a hold that took 5 more days to fall off - tying up double the amount we had spent for five days. I always use a credit card and just pay it off when I get home so the extra hold was not a problem. There are a lot of people out there using debits cards or that are close to their credit card limit where this will cause problems.

 

As a banker I have seen people overdraw when holds from hotels and rental car companies last longer than when the charge posts. I really don't recommend using a debit card when you travel unless you know you have the balance to cover what you spend, additional holds, and anything else you may have coming out like bill payments or checks you have written.

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If the CC "holds" are a problem to some, I would recommend using cash or travelers checks as the deposit or funds for the onboard account. I took cash, cc and travelers checks for use during my cruise. Since I had a clean credit card, I was going to use that, but hadn't actually decided what type of funds I was going to use until I actually got to the ship. I decided to use the travelers checks and cash, which I signed over at the Pursers Desk. I got some of the money back in cash the last night and still had my cc for use off the ship.

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We do just the opposite than the above post. We use one credit card for the sign and sail. This is strictly for our drinks and tips onboard the ship. Everything else is either paid for with cash or a totally different card. We tried putting cash one year and felt we had to keep going to add more cash to the account. My friend also had a problem with leaving cash. She felt she couldn't keep up with the charges as well than if she used her credit card. Hope this helps.:rolleyes:

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We always use cash. Its easier for us.

 

As for the actual release of the hold on the credit/debit cards. I am a night auditor at a hotel. I am the person that makes sure your card is charged the proper amount. What happens is simple, when you check out in the morning your card is " charged " the amount of the bill. Now it isnt really sent to the bank until the person in my position " batches out " the credit card totals. It usually takes 2-3 business days for that hold to release. For example. I pay carnival every 2 weeks on friday on my card ( debit ). The amount is taken out of my account almost instantly. Then it is put back, but watch it, it comes back out on tuesday morning. That is because of the " batch process ". Then it posts to your account and all is good.

 

I do suggest using cash, because if you are close to your limit, your card is shut off for use. Besides you wont have the suprise announcement the last day of.

 

Would Mr. SoandSo please come to the pursers desk located on Deck 3 midship or dial 7777 on your cabin phone.

 

Thats the hey buddy come pay your bill statement.

 

 

Tim

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I like using the travelers checks because I buy a thousand or so dollars of them. I add twice of what I think I need to my account. I'm not a drinker, the casino has no action compared to the action I see living 30 minutes from A.C., I'm not going to pay them twice the amount for a massage or spa treatment when I can get a better one from Toppers, etc. at home. I don't penny pinch but I know how much I spend and how much is left. To me it's like balancing my checkbook. As long as I stick to that principal, I'm OK.

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One thing I found interesting on our recent cruise was that you could keep track on your television, but there is a little trick that took me a bit to figure out. Even though my wife and I were in the same cabin, using the same CC we had two different folios I believe they called them. So to get a complete picture I would have to look first at one, then the other and add them up to get the total. Keep this in mind as I imagine that if you had kids or whatever that were allowed to S&S, you could have to total up 3 or 4 or more folios to get your total!

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Thanks for you input. Looks like the hold varies. Would it be better to use my cc rather than visa debit then for sail and sign card?

If you have the option to use either, I'd go with the CC. Obviously if you were considering using your debit card, the anticipated amount is in your checking account. Pay off your CC with the funds in your checking then there are no worries. Last cruise the way the billing cycle worked, I had 45 days till CC payment was due :D

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I notified my CC co. that I would be traveling out of the country and they said there would be a 3% fee for every transaction. Does this mean the deposit as well as each purchase on board. I understand the islands would obviously be considered out of country for the charge. Did anyone experience this?

 

If I then choose to pay cash for S&S, 2 adults, 2 children would be a $800 deposit?? Then does each transaction subtract from that? Don't drink/don't gamble, this seems like they are holding a lot of my spending money (ie for tours, beaches, etc)

 

If I use CC for hold on S&S, then when disembark I can pay account in cash?

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Yes you can pay the account off in cash, however the hold is not released right then and there. It may take up to 10 working days ( usually in 3 or 4 ). By using cash, you can put down exactly what you want. There is no " required " amount, just a suggested amount.

 

I will be putting down $300 for two of us on a 7 day eastern caribbean. We will probably get money back at the end. Our tips are pre paid, and shore excursions will be too. The only charge that is not pre paid is dinner in the Emerald Room ( 30pp plus tip=80 ) so that will leave us 220 for drinks and maybe some shopping on the ship. My guess, we will get back 50 to 75 bucks at the end.

 

 

Tim

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