Onboard account questions

[KeiferDeifer]

First cruise coming up next month...I have already done my online check in and printed all my documents. I currently have my Visa bank card on file for our account. This will be a 5 day cruise. My question is what kind of holds does RC put on the card? If I decide to use a cash account how does that work at check in?

 

 

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[foxgoodrich]

Our experience with a credit card has been that there are a series of holds put on the account, and none of them are very big. Seems like the first one is about $200 and to the best of my memory, I saw it appear on my credit card account on day 2 or 3 of the cruise. Once charges have exceeded the first hold, another hold will be put on. By the end of the cruise the amounts held do exceed the actual bill for a few days. (We do not use our debit card for our onboard account, but it would be handled the same as a credit card.)

 

We've never used a cash account, so hopefully someone with some experience doing that will respond to your question. I think you can cruise for a day or two before actually giving cash to Guest Services. Based on what I've read here on CC, seems like once your account hits a couple hundred dollars (?), you need to go and pay it down with cash. I do know that you can specify what type of account you want when you check in at the pier, regardless of what you've put in for your set sail pass. So if you decide to use cash, you can make that change at check-in.

Judy

[steveru621]

First cruise coming up next month...I have already done my online check in and printed all my documents. I currently have my Visa bank card on file for our account. This will be a 5 day cruise. My question is what kind of holds does RC put on the card? If I decide to use a cash account how does that work at check in?

 

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RCI sends a pre-authorization each night for the exact amount you spent that day. If there is a hold and how long is entirely up to your bank. RCI does not control what happens. Check with your bank as to how long the hold is for 'Travel and Entertainment'.

 

If you use a cash account. RCI will come looking for the first $$'s when you have reached $500 in onboard spending.

[Ourusualbeach]

If you wish to do a cash account you can just let them know at checkin. You do not have to provide anything. As it is a 5 day cruise Royal will let you charge up to $300 or $500 before asking you to go to guest services to pay down your balance. (Not sure exactly where the cutoff point is between short ($300) and long ($500) cruises is.). The biggest point is they require no down payment.

[cynt]

I would not use a debit card. If you don't have a credit card use the cash account option. I've heard horror stories about people using their debit cards. Im sure for every horrible story there's just as many it worked like a charm stories. It seems the hold on the funds using the debit card is the issue.

 

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[dplusd]

I've never noticed a hold when paying by credit card. Just one charge at the end of the cruise. I have heard others report problems with holds when using a debit card, and I would recommend a cash account over a debit card.

[cb at sea]

If it's a DEBIT card, it's the BANK that issues the "holds"...not RCI! The holds can last a week or so after your charges have been settled....it can totally mess with your spending ability!

 

If you were going to use a debit card, don't. Take CASH out of your account, and use that!

[KeiferDeifer]

If we use the cash Route, do we give that at check in or do we have to wait until we get on the ship?

 

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

If we use the cash Route, do we give that at check in or do we have to wait until we get on the ship?

 

 

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You set it up ahead of time either when you do your on line check in or at the pier. No cash deposit is required.

[CruisinBarb63]

I always use a cash account. For a seven day sailing you can charge up to $500 before they advise you that you need to pay on the account. I will usually go down the morning of day 6 and settle up then put a charge card on the account in case we have any other charges before check out. This avoids having to wait in the long lines on the last night to settle up any last minute charges.

I do not recommend using a debit card. As someone else said, the bank will put a hold on the card and it could be several hundred dollars and could stay on for up to two weeks.

[KeiferDeifer]

Good to know! Are we able to pay off the account during the cruise or do we have to wait until the end?

 

 

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[steveru621]

Any hold placed on a debit card is for the exact amount that you spend. The same is also true for a credit card. So if you have a credit card at your credit limit, it will be denied.

 

Credit Unions generally place the longest holds some up to 2 months. Major banks might place a 3-4 day hold. Before use use a debit card check with your bank for the length of the hold. The bank I work for has no hold.

 

Debit cards are not evil, especially if that's all you have. Millions of people can not qualify or don't want a credit card. Life goes on with a debit card. Credit cards certainly are the best card to use, but even they might have issues.

[Ourusualbeach]

Good to know! Are we able to pay off the account during the cruise or do we have to wait until the end?

 

 

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You can make payments anytime throughout the cruise.

[liquorstore]

Great information. If you have some OBC, is it used before they start charging the card?

[Sun Lover]

Does anyone know if there's a way to get cash on the ship? I'm going to use a credit card for the seapass but I may want to get cash for when we're in ports.

[KeiferDeifer]

Does anyone have a link to the policy concerning cash accounts? I've been searching for hours and haven't found anything official...I've also been scouring the blogs but keep finding conflicting information.

 

 

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[Ourusualbeach]

Does anyone have a link to the policy concerning cash accounts? I've been searching for hours and haven't found anything official...I've also been scouring the blogs but keep finding conflicting information.

 

 

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The official policy does state that they require a deposit however it is old and outdated. I have done a cash account the past few cruises and they definitely do not require a deposit.

[Ourusualbeach]

Does anyone know if there's a way to get cash on the ship? I'm going to use a credit card for the seapass but I may want to get cash for when we're in ports.

 

You can get cash from the casino. If you secured your Seapass with a credit card you will be charged a 5% fee to withdraw cash. If you set up a cash account you can withdraw up to $500 per day and they will waive the 5% fee.

[Ourusualbeach]

Great information. If you have some OBC, is it used before they start charging the card?

 

Yes, all OBC is used first.

[Ashland]

RCI sends a pre-authorization each night for the exact amount you spent that day. If there is a hold and how long is entirely up to your bank. RCI does not control what happens. Check with your bank as to how long the hold is for 'Travel and Entertainment'.

 

If you use a cash account. RCI will come looking for the first $$'s when you have reached $500 in onboard spending.

 

Just thought I would add...RCI doesn't come looking for you during the cruise...Your SeaPass will just be declined and at that point you'll need to go to Guest Services and add more cash onto your account....

 

Saw this exact thing happen and the guy was panicking and insisting that he be let into the front of the line at Guest Services. He said he was in the middle of dinner and trying to buy wine.

[steveru621]

Just thought I would add...RCI doesn't come looking for you during the cruise...Your SeaPass will just be declined and at that point you'll need to go to Guest Services and add more cash onto your account....

 

Saw this exact thing happen and the guy was panicking and insisting that he be let into the front of the line at Guest Services. He said he was in the middle of dinner and trying to buy wine.

 

Excellent point!

[reedl]

If it's a DEBIT card, it's the BANK that issues the "holds"...not RCI! The holds can last a week or so after your charges have been settled....it can totally mess with your spending ability!

 

If you were going to use a debit card, don't. Take CASH out of your account, and use that!

The way a card works (both debit and credit) is that the merchant (RCCL) gets an authorization (hold) for a specific amount. I do not remember what that amount is when you first board, but there is an authorization done to validate that there is sufficient credit available on the payment method.

 

Then when RCCL finalizes the transaction (In Credit card processing a term called 'Batching'), it will supply the authorization code and the actual amount that needs to be charged. When that happens, the hold is disposed of, and the actual amount supplied is charged. If the Batching is never done, the hold eventually goes away, but that typically takes a week.

 

I have my phone notify me for every authorization that occurs on all my cards. This way I can see what is being authorized in real time.

 

The difference is when using a credit card, it merely lowers your available credit, versus a debit card which lowers your available balance in the checking account. Since the holds stay around for typically a week, or until the transaction is 'batched', you will not have access to the money while the hold is active.

 

I never use a debit card for any purchase. With a credit card, if there is an errant charge, I dispute it and do not have to pay it. OTOH with a debit card, the money is gone until I work to get it back. I do not have the money.

 

...I never knew my career a few years ago working on credit card processing systems would come in handy. :)

Edited October 19, 2016 by reedl

[Biker19]

If we use the cash Route, do we give that at check in or do we have to wait until we get on the ship?

 

Many seasoned cruisers set up a cash account at check in, but then settle the account with a credit or debit card on the last night.;)

[Biker19]

Does anyone know if there's a way to get cash on the ship? I'm going to use a credit card for the seapass but I may want to get cash for when we're in ports.

 

Get cash before you leave. The ship also has an ATM but with high fees. Cash at the casino is the most expensive way to get cash.

[Randycurit]

At any point you can apply cash to your ship account. On a recent cruise the casino gods blessed me, so I went to guest services and put $500 on my account. I had a surplus on my account at checkout!!! There is a first time for everything.

Edited October 19, 2016 by Randycurit