Alaska Cruise - credit card

Traveling on Crown Princess out of Seattle for a RT 7 day. Sijnce I'm not leaving the US, do I still need to notify my credit card company that I'll be on a cruise?

Ed Mabry

Yes, they will get all excited when your card is used in tiny ports of Sitka, Skagway, Victoria.... They need to know Princess will be placing holds and the ports you will stop at!

Yes, they will get all excited when your card is used in tiny ports of Sitka, Skagway, Victoria.... They need to know Princess will be placing holds and the ports you will stop at!

princess holds will all come out of Santa Clarita. But if the places you are using the card on shore are out of your regular area, the credit card people would like to know. I had a card company refuse something in Ketchikan on my first stop there, because it was far from my usual haunts. EM

Traveling on Crown Princess out of Seattle for a RT 7 day. Sijnce I'm not leaving the US, do I still need to notify my credit card company that I'll be on a cruise?

 

Ed Mabry

We have cruised all over the world and have never notified our bank and have never had a problem. I guess our bank realizes we travel, even internationally.

Credit card companies monitor when you do something out of the ordinary. Doesn't matter if you're still in the US or not.

When we moved from Texas to Idaho our card was turned off 5 hours into the drive because we had stopped at several gas stations. They found this "suspicious".

If you don't normally buy trinkets in Skagway, it's best to call ahead. ;)

Our discover card shut us off at a gas station 100 miles away one time. Needless to say I always make the call now. It only takes 5 minutes or so.

Can't hurt.

DON

We book our cruises, hotels, and air fare with American Express.

We were told by them that we do not have to notify them when we will be out of the country as they have an automated system that keeps track of when we will be away because of what we have booked.

One less worry.

Also, you will be leaving the US. Victoria is in Canada

Yes please notify not only your credit card company but also your bank if you have a debit card . I work at a credit union and previously a bank and cards are stored for many reasons Even if you only leave the state. Be sure they have a good contact number in case they want to reach you . It is better to be over prepared. Check out my travel blog http://www.atouristlife.com 😊

We have cruised all over the world and have never notified our bank and have never had a problem. I guess our bank realizes we travel, even internationally.

Your situation is no longer the norm.

Yes...you should always alert your credit card company when you will be someplace that you don't usually frequent. Only takes a few minutes and can save you a HUGE headache later! They are so intent on fraud nowadays, that they will cancel your card in a heartbeat....and when you're out of town, that's BAD!!!

Definitely tell them. We had a problem buying furniture once downtown because it was a large amount, let alone using our card in another city or country.

We just got new credit cards for an upcoming European trip. They (the company) informed us that we need to let them know when we will be traveling to avoid the card being stopped due to "unusual" charges.

Definitely tell them. We had a problem buying furniture once downtown because it was a large amount, let alone using our card in another city or country.

I have one credit card that blocks me if I buy in a store they don't recognize. Once in a while I will try to use it at a restaurant supply store. You must own a restaurant to shop there. Every single time they have refused the charge. They tell me it is because it is not a "type" of store I normally shop at. I know! Because they always stop me LOL. They send me an email, call my home, my husband's cell and my cell. The card doesn't work again until I call to verify it was my use. Strangely, it is my Barclay's Princess Cruises card.

Traveling on Crown Princess out of Seattle for a RT 7 day. Sijnce I'm not leaving the US, do I still need to notify my credit card company that I'll be on a cruise?

 

Ed Mabry

It depends. As some have said, American Express say you needn't call. I have their app on my phone, they notify me every time a charge is made, I often get the message before the waiter has the charge slip back at the table. So I rather than the bank have become the security watchdog for that card.

Some card companies require a call. Chase does. Bank of America has an online form. Citi also has a form on their website. I did a transatlantic from England with stops in Madeira (Portugal), Canary Islands (Spain), Ste. Marteen (Dutch), etc. and did the pre-trip notification routine. The webforms only had room for three countries to be visited. I called BoA and Citi, they both said they really didn't care that much which specific countries I would be in as long as they knew I was traveling and what general region(s) I would be in. My local bank says the same - just tell us you'll be traveling and give us a contact number we can use to reach you if there is a question.

I've never notified any CC company about upcoming travel, and never had a problem, but then, for nearly as long as we've had credit cards the bulk of our annual spending has been for travel - business and pleasure, so purchases "away" aren't considered out of the ordinary for us.

I suppose it does help if the cruise and/or airfare has been booked on the card.

Let them know. I was in holiday in Miami one time and 2 days in to vacation they put a hold on my card due to unusual usage. It's a pain trying to sort it out when away.

I've never notified any CC company about upcoming travel, and never had a problem, but then, for nearly as long as we've had credit cards the bulk of our annual spending has been for travel - business and pleasure, so purchases "away" aren't considered out of the ordinary for us.

I suppose it does help if the cruise and/or airfare has been booked on the card.

Your experience reflects ours.

I travel all over the country (see screen name) and I just called the CC company and let them know what I do and that there would be charges all over the country. (IL one day, PA the next, NC after that etc) They just put a note in my file so it doesn't get declined. The only time I call now is if it is a large purchase (truck repair for example).