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Credit Card Question

custompcsys

By custompcsys,
in Princess Cruises

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custompcsys

custompcsys

Posted
Posted

Its been a while since I've done a cruise that originated in a non US port, and I don't remember whether the authorization on your credit card that is run at cruise check-in is transmitted as Princess in Santa Clarita or whether in comes up as the location of the port where we are embarking, in this case Barcelona (I am doing the Emerald TA cruise next month). My new credit card company is a bit fussy about out of area charges for security reasons and I want to notify them beforehand so i don't have any issues, but I'm not sure how the authorization shows up.

 

Thanks! :)

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nukesubsailor

nukesubsailor

Posted
Posted
Its been a while since I've done a cruise that originated in a non US port, and I don't remember whether the authorization on your credit card that is run at cruise check-in is transmitted as Princess in Santa Clarita or whether in comes up as the location of the port where we are embarking, in this case Barcelona (I am doing the Emerald TA cruise next month). My new credit card company is a bit fussy about out of area charges for security reasons and I want to notify them beforehand so i don't have any issues, but I'm not sure how the authorization shows up.

 

Thanks! :)

 

I took a British Isles cruise this summer that started and ended in England. My credit card statement shows the charge as being to the Royal Princess, merchant location Los Angeles.

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custompcsys

custompcsys

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However, you should notify the credit card company in advance of any foreign country you may traveling in and use the card.

 

Exactly, agreed :) Just don't want to tell them I am going to be in Spain then have an authorization show up from California during that time period without letting them know...hence the question :)

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Dayenu

Dayenu

Posted
Posted

The charge will show up as a cruise line charge in the US. Even if the ship is in Europe, and you buy something in the gift shop, it will be a US charge in US dollars. They may put dual currency on the receipt - it's only for information.

 

Will you buy anything on shore or pay for tours using your credit card? If yes, call you credit card company and give them the dates of travel, so you card won't be declined.

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SoCalTraveler

SoCalTraveler

Posted
Posted
Its been a while since I've done a cruise that originated in a non US port, and I don't remember whether the authorization on your credit card that is run at cruise check-in is transmitted as Princess in Santa Clarita or whether in comes up as the location of the port where we are embarking, in this case Barcelona (I am doing the Emerald TA cruise next month). My new credit card company is a bit fussy about out of area charges for security reasons and I want to notify them beforehand so i don't have any issues, but I'm not sure how the authorization shows up.

 

Thanks! :)

 

Having been through this multiple times, we use one credit card for the cruise line (such as Citicard to get AAdvantage miles) and one for overseas charges (many Chase cards have no foreign transaction charges). The first line of a credit card company's defense is automated, and no matter what you tell them about where you will be charges that are distant from each other will provoke a response. You can call and clear things up, but may have charges declined in the meantime or the card cancelled. Princess charges show up as Santa Clarita no matter where the ship is because the ship transmits credit card data back to Santa Clarita with regularity. The ship does not contact your credit card company. Moreover Princess re-checks the card once every two days or less so even if you charge nothing on the ship with your credit card, Princess checking your card will trigger an alert. On our 2010 Mediterranean we got a letter hand delivered from the purser every second day. Thereafter, we went to the 2 credit card system.

 

And we had a card cloned while in Paris once. Amazingly, the thief ordered a couch for future delivery to his home and pre-paid for orthodonture, both in our town. That's all. Citicard spotted both and called us at our hotel. The thief got nothing but a prison sentence. We've been cloned multiple times in the States, and, on at least three occasions, people went to prison. Where they belong.

 

We also use a 3rd credit card for recurring charges to avoid the horror of notifying 16 merchants of a new card number if cloned. Cloning is far less likely on a card which never leaves the house. Citicard waives the fee on the second card number for us.

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Wichenford Wolf

Wichenford Wolf

Posted
Posted
I never call my CC company when I leave the country.

The one and only time I did they denied charges in Italy.

 

Now I just leave and have traveled the world for many years with no issues and even if there were its fully protected.

 

The one time I didn't call the credit card company my card was declined - when Princess tried to settle my on-board bill! :eek:

 

So now I call.

 

Each to his own. :)

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-Lew-

-Lew-

Posted
Posted (edited)

Princess has always billed our credit card on disembarkation day. If this hold true you'll be billed for onboard charges on October 17th when we arrive in Fort Lauderdale. If you've setup the travel notification with your financial institution showing you in the US on that date there should be no issue.

 

For last year's Regal TA we disembarked on November 3rd and my credit card statement shows a charge on that date by REGAL PRINCESS LOS ANGELES CA.

 

Lew

Edited by -Lew-
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beg3yrs

beg3yrs

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Princess will also place authorizations on your card during the cruise. These aren't charges per se but are in place to be sure you have enough credit left to pay the final bill. You'll get a call from Passenger Services if any of the authorizations are declined. In that way you will have time to straighten things out.

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SoCalTraveler

SoCalTraveler

Posted
Posted
Princess will also place authorizations on your card during the cruise. These aren't charges per se but are in place to be sure you have enough credit left to pay the final bill. You'll get a call from Passenger Services if any of the authorizations are declined. In that way you will have time to straighten things out.

 

Credit card authorizations, which in our experience are run about every second day by Princess and RCCL, provide the same automated alert to the credit card company as an actual charge, because it shows an authorization sought from Princess in California and compares that to recent charge activity. If you've got a couple of charges from that day in, say, Barcelona, that will set off an alarm. Whether the credit card company checks the travel database and gives an all clear, or rejects the authorization and blocks the card, is entirely up to the credit card company. This stuff happens within seconds. We were declined once on an American Express card in Paris. Upon return to our hotel we had a call from kid #1 to call Amex. We called Amex who reported that our card had been scanned, but that the clerk had not entered the Amex CCV which is on the front of an Amex card.

 

On our 2010 cruise we received notices of credit card declination every second day, and had to journey to the purser's desk, to join others with the same notice. Princess and RCCL cannot do anything to resolve these issues. Moreover, if the credit card company feels nervous and calls you, most likely at home in the States, and does not hear back from you quite as fast as they would like (that's because you are sound asleep on the ship cruising to the next port) your card may be cancelled.

 

If you do not notify your card issuer that you are traveling, those charges in Barcelona will set off an alert all by themselves. Unless you have given your cell phone number to your card issuer as your primary phone number, the call will be to your home. If you have given your cell phone number, be prepared to pay up to $2.49 per minute to hear "your call is important to us" on an endless loop.

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itchyfeet88

itchyfeet88

Posted
Posted

Please advise how to get my port tax refund back ?

Before we disembarked, the front desk (Royal Princess) told me that the credit balance show on the statement (which was the refund of port taxes) will be refunded to my registered visa debit card. We disembarked on 6th September,to date have no sign of refund .

Could someone help?

B&J

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beg3yrs

beg3yrs

Posted
Posted
Please advise how to get my port tax refund back ?

Before we disembarked, the front desk (Royal Princess) told me that the credit balance show on the statement (which was the refund of port taxes) will be refunded to my registered visa debit card. We disembarked on 6th September,to date have no sign of refund .

Could someone help?

B&J

 

It's only been a few days. Give it a week or so and then call if your refund hasn't shown up.

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itchyfeet88

itchyfeet88

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The front desk told us that Princess can not give us cash back , they can only refund back to the register Visa card. The final statement show that the balance will charge to the card. As we live in Australia, a long distance call can not be justified. We had tried to find an email address on Princess site , but no go.:mad:

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