Credit Card Holds...

Not sure if this goes here, but here goes. We have sailed Holland before, and never had this issue. We booked a cruise, and the next day our TA informed us that HAL is going to put a $425 per person hold on our Credit Card for incidentals, basically. :mad: This infuriates me, as we do not use credit cards, because we were the unfortunate victims of identity theft, and so we use a Visa Debit, then just put money in the account. Here is the kicker... we booked this last minute, and won't even have $800 bucks to put a hold against... So what do we do? They told us that if we cancel, they will charge us, so will they kick us off the ship if we do not have the $425 pp :eek:? Thank you all.

No, they won't kick you off the ship. Also, you can use cash as your deposit and you don't have to put down the amount you were quoted per person. However, you can only spend against what you have put down.

Hope this helps!

Erin

So when I board, they are going to try to authorize that amount, unless I tell them not to? How much cash will I need to give them? We do not mind paying for what we spend, but if we have $800 for everything, and they put a hold on it, then we wont be able to use any money in ports and soforth. So I think what we will do is give them the wifes card with $200 bucks on it, then transfer the rest of the money into my account, so they can't "accidently" hold all that money and potentially ruin our trip. Do you think this will work? Thank you very much!

So when I board, they are going to try to authorize that amount, unless I tell them not to? How much cash will I need to give them? We do not mind paying for what we spend, but if we have $800 for everything, and they put a hold on it, then we wont be able to use any money in ports and soforth. So I think what we will do is give them the wifes card with $200 bucks on it, then transfer the rest of the money into my account, so they can't "accidently" hold all that money and potentially ruin our trip. Do you think this will work? Thank you very much!

I see you were on the Oosterdam in 2008. If so, then you had a hold on your credit card and did not know it. This is standard practice and the way HAL protects itself from people who spend all their available credit in ports and then cannot settle their account at the end of the cruise. $200 would not cut it as the automatic tip comes out of that amount as well. It is $11 or $12 per day per person---not sure which as I do not pay too much attention. I just pay it. If you do not have a hold, or sufficient cash on deposit, you cannot buy drinks in the bars or at dinner and cannot use the casino or shop in the stores.

This is nothing new and nothing to become irate about. It is just good business practice. Hotels and car rental agencies do the same thing.

If you only have $800 for everything what will you do if you have an emergency? Insurance pays after the fact. You have to come up with the money for flights home upfront and then submit your bills. If you need to see the ship's doctor, it will be added to your account. It is really something worth considering.

HAL has always done the hold, but now tries to tell people ahead. There would also have been a hold on your last HAL cruise. My suggestion would be to start using credit cards again. However, it is probably too close to the cruse for that. That leaves you the choice of putting down cash and keeping port spending to a minimum.

Understandable, but any hotel I have stayed at Charges 50-100 bucks total hold, not 425 per person. The first time we went, we paid everything up front. Then gave them our CC number to hold. Since that time, we were subject to identity theft, and therfore do not use Credit Cards.

This trip was booked last minute, so 2k for tickets, then they want us to plop down another $850 for a hold? That is just plain retarded. They should have it so we can pay cash, or use a credit card for purchases, that will save them from people not paying!

As far as emergencies, we have our "emergency fund" for just that, not to give to HAL for some hold...

Understandable, but any hotel I have stayed at Charges 50-100 bucks total hold, not 425 per person.

If you'd stayed at that hotel for several days or more, the hold would most certainly have been greater than $50. Have you rented a car recently? Last time I did, the security deposit on my credit card was $1000.

The first time we went, we paid everything up front. Then gave them our CC number to hold. Since that time, we were subject to identity theft, and therfore do not use Credit Cards.

I don't understand how identity theft relates to not using credit cards, and how not using credit cards protects you from identity theft, but I suppose that's for some other thread.

This trip was booked last minute, so 2k for tickets, then they want us to plop down another $850 for a hold? That is just plain retarded. They should have it so we can pay cash, or use a credit card for purchases, that will save them from people not paying!

As far as emergencies, we have our "emergency fund" for just that, not to give to HAL for some hold...

HAL and other cruise lines are very smart with the "cashless society" onboard. It has to save them a shipload of money on security, audits, supervision, etc.... any crew member can be left alone to swipe your onboard card. If there was cash involved, there'd have to be a lot of oversight and duplication of staffing, video suveillance, etc.

As a previous poster has noted, there is a way for you to pay cash as your "hold". Once your cash deposit has been used up, you will be required to provide an additional cash deposit. This is a direct result of the choice you made when you gave up credit cards.

Understandable, but any hotel I have stayed at Charges 50-100 bucks total hold, not 425 per person. The first time we went, we paid everything up front. Then gave them our CC number to hold. Since that time, we were subject to identity theft, and therfore do not use Credit Cards.

This trip was booked last minute, so 2k for tickets, then they want us to plop down another $850 for a hold? That is just plain retarded. They should have it so we can pay cash, or use a credit card for purchases, that will save them from people not paying!

As far as emergencies, we have our "emergency fund" for just that, not to give to HAL for some hold...

You can use a credit card. Just give them your number and they will put a hold on it. There is nothing retarded about it. The company has to protect itself. They are running a business, not a charity.

They set the rules and if you want to cruise, you abide by them. Shipboard llife is cashless, which is convenient for both the guest and the company.

The $800 is not a charge---only a hold against what you might spend. If by some miracle you manage your cruise without spending a cent, they will only charge the tips to your card and the hold will be released.

This policy was instituted because of the large number of passengers who spent so much of their credit in ports that they had nothing left to cover their shipboard accounts. The company has no idea of who will and who won't have enough credit left, so they have the "hold" which takes care of the problem nicely.

You really only see the odd person on these boards who has a problem with the system.

...Since that time, we were subject to identity theft, and therfore do not use Credit Cards.

This trip was booked last minute, so 2k for tickets, then they want us to plop down another $850 for a hold? That is just plain retarded. They should have it so we can pay cash, or use a credit card for purchases, that will save them from people not paying!

As far as emergencies, we have our "emergency fund" for just that, not to give to HAL for some hold...

First off, Identity theft isn't a smart reason to stop using credit cards - but it's a great reason to keep track of your charges and frequently monitor your accounts & credit record closely.

Secondly, HAL isn't the only cruiseline to do this - and as other have stated, cruiselines aren't the only businesses to do this. Hotels & Car Rental Agencies - even restaurants who require credit cards to make reservations - do this all the time. A business that doesn't ensure that their customers have sufficient funds before extending credit is what's "retarded".

Finally, HAL isn't actually charging the $800 - they're merely making sure that you have $800 available should you spend that amount of money - which for 2 persons on a 7-day cruise really isn't all that much money. If you'd prefer to put down cash or traveler's checks or use a debit card, you can certainly do so...

...but you should be aware that using a Debit Card exposes you to the even greater risk of having your cash completely wiped out than using a Credit Card.

It sounds to me like you simply may not have $800 available for onboard spending - in which case, you need to decide if you can really afford to take a cruise at all.

Actually, $425 per person is not all that unreasonable. Plenty of passengers have run up on board accounts of $1000 per person.

A hotel is going to hold at least one night's room charge.

While I understand some people's aversion to credit cards, I would be nervous leaving the country without one, preferably with plenty of available credit. Though rare, emergencies DO happen. Foreign hospitals aren't likely to accept your health insurance card. It can cost a lot to fly home in an emergency.

I personally think it is very wise to avoid using credit cards, but I think it is unwise, in this day and age, to not have one at all.

As others have pointed out, you can secure your onboard account with cash, if you like. This will avoid the problem of holds on your account, altogether.

Paul

You do not have to put down a deposit of the $60/p/d (I don't know where the other $5 you cite is coming from). You can put down a cash deposit on embarkation day for as little as the Hotel Service Charge of $11/p/d, I believe. But then you will not be able to charge anything to your ship-board account.

But as sapper1 said, what will you do in the case of an emergency? Personally I would not sail without a credit card or cash enough for at least plane tickets home. Is it too late for you to get a low-limit credit card?

You all are right, we remembered the last cruise, and they did put a hold on our card, but this trip is different. We had someone run up about 30k against our cards, so we canceled them. This in turn has our credit in an upside down manner until we resolve it all.. this takes quite some time we found out.. We saved up enough money to pay for the cruise outright, then sock away a few hundred for trinkets. The problem is that HAL is going to hold the money until we get off the ship, which means it will be unavailable to spend. We have spoken with them, and we are going to what they call a "cash" account. I just did not realize about all the hold, because, up to this point, we had always used Credit Cards, and never really paid attention to holds. Our fault... Thank you guys for your insight into this!! It is invaluable! Happy Holidays!

I carry a preloaded credit card. You transfer funds from your bank to the card on the net anytime, anywhere. Works for me!:)

You all are right, we remembered the last cruise, and they did put a hold on our card, but this trip is different. We had someone run up about 30k against our cards, so we canceled them. This in turn has our credit in an upside down manner until we resolve it all.. this takes quite some time we found out.. We saved up enough money to pay for the cruise outright, then sock away a few hundred for trinkets. The problem is that HAL is going to hold the money until we get off the ship, which means it will be unavailable to spend. We have spoken with them, and we are going to what they call a "cash" account. I just did not realize about all the hold, because, up to this point, we had always used Credit Cards, and never really paid attention to holds. Our fault... Thank you guys for your insight into this!! It is invaluable! Happy Holidays!

I am glad that you were able to have your issues resolved to your satisfaction. Have a wonderful cruise.

You all are right, we remembered the last cruise, and they did put a hold on our card, but this trip is different. We had someone run up about 30k against our cards, so we canceled them. This in turn has our credit in an upside down manner until we resolve it all.. this takes quite some time we found out.. We saved up enough money to pay for the cruise outright, then sock away a few hundred for trinkets. The problem is that HAL is going to hold the money until we get off the ship, which means it will be unavailable to spend. We have spoken with them, and we are going to what they call a "cash" account. I just did not realize about all the hold, because, up to this point, we had always used Credit Cards, and never really paid attention to holds. Our fault... Thank you guys for your insight into this!! It is invaluable! Happy Holidays!

Sorry that you became a victim of identity theft.

But glad that you have worked everything out with HAL concerning the "Hold".

Enjoy your cruise and have a Happy New Year.

On our last cruise I put down cash. As it was rather a large sum, I went immediately to the office to open the onboard account. I spent much less than I put down, so I got back the difference on the last morning.

I carry a preloaded credit card. You transfer funds from your bank to the card on the net anytime' date=' anywhere. Works for me!:)[/quote']

 

 

That sounds like something I might consider. Do banks issuse those cards, and are they accepted anywhere in the world a regular credit card is accepted?

 

I am asking because I had a horrible problem with a regular credit card I had while traveling in Europe. I had the card for several years, had no balance, and was never late with a payment. Also, I called to notify the issuer that I would be out of the country and on which dates. While in Europe they cancelled my card. This was in 2009, probably a result of the credit crunch. Fortunately, I had other cards; otherwise, I don't know what I would have done. This incident made me not depend on credit overmuch when travelling, although I appreciate the convenience.

This is standard procedure with all hotels and resorts. The hold is in place until check out.

This protects the company from people charging invoices to the room and then not paying on departure.

You can imagine the problems if these companies didn't use this protection.

Many people would leave the hotel and the charges can't be collected if the card is maxed out.

I would rather use the current procedure than end up paying higher rates to cover people leaving the hotel "High and dry" and not covering charges

What happens if you don't have a high enough limit on your credit card

to cover the hold by HAL? We have a US account and US credit card and by the time we

pay for the cruise there won't be much left in that account.

For our cruise the hold would be 4200 pp and we have only 5k limit on

the card. We always take US travel cheques with us to pay onboard

costs.

We don't want to use our regular credit card because of the exchange rates when the charge is in US dollars. Our dollar is par right now but the bank charges 2 1/2 cents per dollar exchange rate and the credit card company charges another 2 cents - it really adds up.

I really don't want to raise the limit on the US credit card as we only use it for cruising.

Get a US funds credit card. We live in Canada and a US funds credit card saves us a fortune on service charges.

Yesterday I bought US dollars at par and paid 1% service charge.

With US card you buy US dollars when the exchange rate is good and place money in a CDN bank US account until its time to pay the bill.

We have VISA cards in our home currency and one in USD. Our credit cards have high limits. Not because we exercise them to those limits but rather as insurance in case our travel is interupted or we need to complete a transaction without delay (or to get points). We never, ever use our debit cards. Our shredder at home gets a good workout. We shred as one protection against identity theft.

Reminds me why I love my AMEX card. Kind of a pain to pay the annual fee but I never leave home without it. :)

That sounds like something I might consider. Do banks issuse those cards, and are they accepted anywhere in the world a regular credit card is accepted?

 

I am asking because I had a horrible problem with a regular credit card I had while traveling in Europe. I had the card for several years, had no balance, and was never late with a payment. Also, I called to notify the issuer that I would be out of the country and on which dates. While in Europe they cancelled my card. This was in 2009, probably a result of the credit crunch. Fortunately, I had other cards; otherwise, I don't know what I would have done. This incident made me not depend on credit overmuch when travelling, although I appreciate the convenience.

The card I have is a Bnk of Montreal Mastercard. You can preload up to

$ 10,000, there is only a one time charge of $ 9.95/3 years. It works at ATMs and anywhere you can shop with a Mastercard. There is no credit check and there is monthly charge interest-wise as it is your money you are using not theirs. With banks paying 1% on savings you're not suffering much storing your money on the card. You can transfer from any of your bank checking accounts by making it a bill payment to the card. I know there are similar deals in the U.S. you'll have to search the web for the best deal.:)

I don't use credit cards either. I just save for what I want and pay for it with my maestro debit card. For US based travel I have USD prepaid Mastercard card I can load. This can be used just like a normal card just like the last poster wrote about. I got it in Target.

The card I have is a Bnk of Montreal Mastercard. You can preload up to

$ 10' date='000, there is only a one time charge of $ 9.95/3 years. It works at ATMs and anywhere you can shop with a Mastercard. There is no credit check and there is monthly charge interest-wise as it is your money you are using not theirs. With banks paying 1% on savings you're not suffering much storing your money on the card. You can transfer from any of your bank checking accounts by making it a bill payment to the card. I know there are similar deals in the U.S. you'll have to search the web for the best deal.:)[/quote']

 

Thank you so much!