Do I still need to place creddit card on file and do they put a hold

[Travelbug1978]

I am buying OBC before we go since exchange rate is better. I will have about 500. 150 came with the cruise and another 350 I will put on. Do I still need to have a cc on file. Do they put a hold on it. Also is it best to cash out at casino if there us some left or do they put it back onto the cc.

[satxdiver]

You will still be required to present a cc before being allowed to board the ship. Yes they will put a "hold" on the card as soon as you board. They do that by processing a charge of several hundred dollars against the card but never provide the final copy to the cc bank (it will show as pending). As your onboard expenses get near that amount, they will increase the "hold". Any refundable OBC at the end will be mailed to you several weeks later. I don't know anything about going to the casino and withdrawing OBC.

 

The OBC is simply a deposit on your daily ship board expenses. At the end of the cruise they will deduct the expenses from the OBC and take the remaining expenses from your cc.

[Colo Cruiser]

Yes they need a CC to put on your account.

Yes they place a hold on it.

Depending on what OBC is left over if any will either be refunded to the CC you purchased it with or they will mail you a refund check.

We purchased OBC and the leftover was refunded back to the same card.

If it's non refundable it's gone.

[Travelbug1978]

You will still be required to present a cc before being allowed to board the ship. Yes they will put a "hold" on the card as soon as you board. They do that by processing a charge of several hundred dollars against the card but never provide the final copy to the cc bank (it will show as pending). As your onboard expenses get near that amount, they will increase the "hold". Any refundable OBC at the end will be mailed to you several weeks later. I don't know anything about going to the casino and withdrawing OBC.

 

The OBC is simply a deposit on your daily ship board expenses. At the end of the cruise they will deduct the expenses from the OBC and take the remaining expenses from your cc.

 

How long does it take to drop of the cc. We have already paid for excursions and probably won't buy many drinks as we are bringing our wine. Ordering bottles of rum and vodka and bringing our own pop. So it would just be odd things

[satxdiver]

It is mostly up to your cc issuer as to how soon they drop the pending charge. It can take as little as a few days and as much as several weeks. The main impact of pending charges are that they decrease the amount of credit available on your cc card. If you are running a balance near the credit card limit, this can be a serious problem.

[Travelbug1978]

Yes we have a small cc and don't want it to drain all our money..I wish we didn't need to leave one since we have significant obc

[easyboy]

How long does it take to drop of the cc. We have already paid for excursions and probably won't buy many drinks as we are bringing our wine. Ordering bottles of rum and vodka and bringing our own pop. So it would just be odd things

5 days on my Capital One Master Card.

[JF - retired RRT]

Also is it best to cash out at casino if there us some left or do they put it back onto the cc.

Best depends on how long you want to wait to get your $$. Also, if you're paying interest on the credit card.

You can go to the casino and play a little slot machine (mandatory to play at least a little, the casino isn't an ATM). You'll be taking the chance of losing some of your "nest egg". Might win some:hearteyes:...hey, it happens:rolleyes:.

They're supposed to put $$ back on your credit card, if that's the way you "bought" it, but #*!@ happens and they may send you a check, which takes up to 6 weeks.

[skynight]

Yes, you have to enter a credit card into the cruise personlizer to print your boarding pass. If you remove it after you print the pass you will be required to provide one when you check in. When you board you will have $350 of refundable OBC plus $150 nonrefundable OBC= $500. Your account will start with a $500 credit. Each day your on board expenses and your hotel charge are added to your account, and there is a running net balance. My understanding is that no holds are placed on your credit card until your account reaches a positive balance. At the end of the cruise you will receive a final invoice. Any positive balance will be charged to your credit card at that time. How long the holds remain on the card is related to your bank's policies and has nothing to do with Princess. If you have a credit balance at the end of the cruise you will receive a refund up to $350, your refundable OBC. Since you have refundable OBC there is no need to play and then cash out in the casino.

[Travelbug1978]

Yes, you have to enter a credit card into the cruise personlizer to print your boarding pass. If you remove it after you print the pass you will be required to provide one when you check in. When you board you will have $350 of refundable OBC plus $150 nonrefundable OBC= $500. Your account will start with a $500 credit. Each day your on board expenses and your hotel charge are added to your account, and there is a running net balance. My understanding is that no holds are placed on your credit card until your account reaches a positive balance. At the end of the cruise you will receive a final invoice. Any positive balance will be charged to your credit card at that time. How long the holds remain on the card is related to your bank's policies and has nothing to do with Princess. If you have a credit balance at the end of the cruise you will receive a refund up to $350, your refundable OBC. Since you have refundable OBC there is no need to play and then cash out in the casino.

 

What hotel charges.

[Colo Cruiser]

What hotel charges.

 

The ship is called a hotel for that purpose.

Your charges onboard "hotel charges".

[Travelbug1978]

I have already put ,you cc on so I could do boarding passes didn't know If I could take off once on ship..we honestly don't plan on spending much on the ship. Maybe a drink here or there.

[Colo Cruiser]

I have already put ,you cc on so I could do boarding passes didn't know If I could take off once on ship..we honestly don't plan on spending much on the ship. Maybe a drink here or there.

 

 

Does not matter how much you spend. They will require a cash deposit or a CC on file.

Why the worry about holds? They go away.

[Travelbug1978]

The ship is called a hotel for that purpose.

Your charges onboard "hotel charges".

 

OK cause you had said on board expenses and hotel charges so was trying to figure out the difference

[VibeGuy]

Princess does a zero-dollar validation at check-in. So long as your shipboard account stays in the black they won't hit the card again.

[Colo Cruiser]

OK cause you had said on board expenses and hotel charges so was trying to figure out the difference

 

 

I did? :o

[mistycruiser]

You don't mention that you've prepaid gratuities. If not, those will use up some of your OBC.

[Travelbug1978]

You don't mention that you've prepaid gratuities. If not, those will use up some of your OBC.

 

Yes the gratituties are already covered

[Been There, Planning That]

Like you we take advantage of the favourable exchange rate. When we've had a surplus at the end we've rec'd a cheque -- took about 6 weeks -- and never once had it returned to our cc. I wonder if this routine only applies to non Americans. But the cheque was in US funds.

[thinfool]

If it was me I would not add $350. to my onboard account as OBC.

 

I would register my CC which would allow me to checkin and board the ship.

 

During the cruise I would keep track of my expenses (this is easy via the Princess smartphone app) and stop by guest services to keep the running balance paid up. At the end of the cruise I would have a zero balance (if I didn't overspend) and would not have to wait several weeks on a check for any difference. And no charges would be added to my CC account.

[Travelbug1978]

If it was me I would not add $350. to my onboard account as OBC.

 

I would register my CC which would allow me to checkin and board the ship.

 

During the cruise I would keep track of my expenses (this is easy via the Princess smartphone app) and stop by guest services to keep the running balance paid up. At the end of the cruise I would have a zero balance (if I didn't overspend) and would not have to wait several weeks on a check for any difference. And no charges would be added to my CC account.

 

I have already registered my cc so I can get my boarding pass. The reason I am buying the obc is because it's a better rate then what my cc is at. When we booked last year we locked into a lower exchange rate.

[jwattle]

Will they accept a debit card?

[Pierlesscruisers]

Will they accept a debit card?

 

Yes, it processes just like a credit card.

 

Tom

[jwattle]

Thank you:)

[caribill]

Yes, it processes just like a credit card.

 

Including the hold placed on funds, so be sure the account has enough $$$ in it to cover any hold plus what you would normally spend using that card. You do not want your everyday use of the card to be rejected because of a hold that has not expired.