Using Credit Card on MSC Divina next week??

[ready2cruzagain]

Was reading on MSC's site and noticed that it stated to make sure and take credit/debit card and pin.  I am planning on using my credit card but I have no pin.  I have never needed a pin for my credit card, does this just mean a pin for the debit card?   Never had to set up account at kiosk before and want to make sure I will have no problems.

 

 

Edited November 10, 2018 by ready2cruzagain

[goesaround]

Hi there. I know they make it sound so complex and it worried me also. But when I sailed on the Seaside, it was simple and fast to register my card. You don’t need a PIN number unless you are using a debit card. Also, make sure you notify your bank/credit card company that you will be traveling, if they require you to. If you aren’t sure about that, just give them a call. Follow the directions at th kiosk and you’ll be done in about 2 minutes with no problem!  

[Homosassa]

All the transactions on board ship go through a bank in France.  Make sure the card you plan to use has no foreign transaction fees.

 

My Discover card does not have the foreign transaction fees. Check with you card provider.

 

Also, hit a kiosk as soon as you board. There won't be any lines.

[tweakes]

Most credit cards in Europe have PINs so I think it's standard verbiage they use. We are a little behind the times with regards to that, but credit card theft is rampant in Europe (when we moved there I had about 5 numbers stolen in the first 6 months). 

 

We just got off divina two days ago, and no PIN was needed with our American credit card.

[ready2cruzagain]

Thanks everyone for your answers.  Glad to know I don't need a pin since using a credit card.  I had asked months ago about the credit card and being charged 3% international fee and told not to worry about it.  Glad to know that I will be charged.  Gonna use my cc that does not charge international fees now.

[riclop]

I have never used a pin.

[NCTribeFan]

I have heard/read nothing about being charged foreign transaction fees!  I don't recall seeing anything in any of the fine print about this.  The website does state that a "foreign" bank is used but that's it.

 

I have one card that does not charge these fees but that is not the card I typically use on my cruise and had not planned on using it for that purpose).

 

I don't expect to have much in the way of onboard charges but had planned to use my card to play in the casino, just to avoid having to carry a lot of cash while travelling.  Was told in another thread that there was no charge for doing that, either at the slots or tables (some cruiselines charge at the tables only; some charge for both), but if I end up with foreign transaction fees by doing that, I'll have to rethink my plans. 

[ready2cruzagain]

1 hour ago, NCTribeFan said:

I have heard/read nothing about being charged foreign transaction fees!  I don't recall seeing anything in any of the fine print about this.  The website does state that a "foreign" bank is used but that's it.

 

I have one card that does not charge these fees but that is not the card I typically use on my cruise and had not planned on using it for that purpose).

 

I don't expect to have much in the way of onboard charges but had planned to use my card to play in the casino, just to avoid having to carry a lot of cash while travelling.  Was told in another thread that there was no charge for doing that, either at the slots or tables (some cruiselines charge at the tables only; some charge for both), but if I end up with foreign transaction fees by doing that, I'll have to rethink my plans. 

 

I am confused myself, was told several months ago here on the boards that since it is a USA based cruise there is no international fee but now being told there is.  Wish others would confirm this.  I am going to use my CC that does not charge international fees just to be safe.

Edited November 12, 2018 by ready2cruzagain

[Homosassa]

2 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I have heard/read nothing about being charged foreign transaction fees!  I don't recall seeing anything in any of the fine print about this.  The website does state that a "foreign" bank is used but that's it.

 

I have one card that does not charge these fees but that is not the card I typically use on my cruise and had not planned on using it for that purpose).

 

 

And for those of us who are experienced travelers and know about foreign banks, that is all we would need to know.

 

So, take a foreign transaction fee free card with you or don't be surprised by the fee.

[Homosassa]

For you doubting Thomases, here is a whole thread about foreign transaction fees on MSC:

 

 

Edited November 12, 2018 by Homosassa

[ready2cruzagain]

11 hours ago, Homosassa said:

For you doubting Thomases, here is a whole thread about foreign transaction fees on MSC:

Thank you I appreciate this.  I asked months ago and was told the wrong answer.  Glad to know which card to use now.  So I need to also tell my credit card company France, right?

 

 

Edited November 13, 2018 by ready2cruzagain

[NCTribeFan]

I sent MSC an email yesterday asking for confirmation.  Not that I don't believe others, but why would some say they charge the fees and others say they don't?

 

Of course, I'm guessing that I shouldn't really rely on whatever answer I get (if any) from the cruise line!  If MSC is like the other lines I've sailed, their answers aren't to be relied on either!

 

I'm just "this close" to my max cash-back level on the card I had intended to use.  But they do charge a foreign transaction fee, so I guess I'll have to use the other card.

 

They really should make this clear on the website.

 

Oh well.  Just glad I saw this thread since I sail in under a month!

[Nidec]

When you get home, go straight online and check your credit card account.

 

Ive just returned and went food shopping, only to have my card declined for exceeding my credit limit.

When i rang my bank, MSC had made 4 additional charges against my card as well as the charges I expected - these 4 extra charges totalled over $2,000!

I rang MSC and was told to email details, which I did.

2 days later 3 of the charges had been cancelled, but not the 4th, so i emailed again.

The next day the 4th was cancelled.

At no point did anyone from MSC call or email me to either explain what had happened, what they were going to do about it, to apologise for my inconvenience when shopping, for causing my numerous phone calls to my bank and MSC, or the bank charges I incurred because of them.

 

Absolutely no concept of customer service at all

[Toofarfromthesea]

On 11/10/2018 at 2:06 PM, tweakes said:

Most credit cards in Europe have PINs so I think it's standard verbiage they use. We are a little behind the times with regards to that, but credit card theft is rampant in Europe (when we moved there I had about 5 numbers stolen in the first 6 months). 

 

We just got off divina two days ago, and no PIN was needed with our American credit card.

It's funny, we are 'behind' Europe in the use of PINs yet they seem to have a bigger stolen number problem.  I'm not so sure we should want to catch up.

[naxer]

Foreign transactions fees are charged by banks and credit card companies, and depends on a person's choice of credit card and bank.  The cruise line has nothing to do with it, and would not know who would be charged a fee and who wouldn't.  There are plentiful choices for credit cards with no foreign transaction fees--it's good to travel with one.  Even better get one with a chip and pin, in case you want bus or train tickets from an automated kiosk. 

[NCTribeFan]

Yes, we realize that it isn't the cruiseline charging the fees.  All they need to do is add something in the fine print, where they mention that charges are processed through a French bank, that "you may incur additional fees for the use of your credit card."  You know, just to give people slightly more info and warning. 

 

And, yes, chip cards and PINs aren't that unusual in the US now.  However, not all of us want to open new credit cards every time we receive an offer for one!

 

But I did actually open a new one last week, not just for the no-foreign-transaction-fees, but because it was right for me.  No annual fee, triple points for travel, triple points for streaming services, and some other perks I wanted.  I'll take it on the cruise in a couple of weeks.

[ready2cruzagain]

2 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

Yes, we realize that it isn't the cruiseline charging the fees.  All they need to do is add something in the fine print, where they mention that charges are processed through a French bank, that "you may incur additional fees for the use of your credit card."  You know, just to give people slightly more info and warning. 

 

And, yes, chip cards and PINs aren't that unusual in the US now.  However, not all of us want to open new credit cards every time we receive an offer for one!

 

But I did actually open a new one last week, not just for the no-foreign-transaction-fees, but because it was right for me.  No annual fee, triple points for travel, triple points for streaming services, and some other perks I wanted.  I'll take it on the cruise in a couple of weeks.

We did receive a note in our cabin about the transaction fees.

[hakko808]

I got stuck with the fee last year.  There is fine print on the MSC site.  It is  just hard to find like most fine print.  There has been some confusion on this board about this fee since some folks were charged and some folks were not.  Reason is some folks CC company policy was different than other folks policy.

This year I use Discover.

[Nidec]

On 11/20/2018 at 7:52 PM, Nidec said:

When you get home, go straight online and check your credit card account.

 

Ive just returned and went food shopping, only to have my card declined for exceeding my credit limit.

When i rang my bank, MSC had made 4 additional charges against my card as well as the charges I expected - these 4 extra charges totalled over $2,000!

I rang MSC and was told to email details, which I did.

2 days later 3 of the charges had been cancelled, but not the 4th, so i emailed again.

The next day the 4th was cancelled.

At no point did anyone from MSC call or email me to either explain what had happened, what they were going to do about it, to apologise for my inconvenience when shopping, for causing my numerous phone calls to my bank and MSC, or the bank charges I incurred because of them.

 

Absolutely no concept of customer service at all

Finally, months later, received an email from MSC customer services about this. They claim the practice they call "taking shadow payments" is commonplace (oddly ive never had this in 60 years!) and that "it is the customers responsibility to ensure there are sufficient funds in his bank account to avoid being overdrawn"  The blooming cheek of it, I had sufficient funds, it was MSC claiming twice what I spent that pushed my account over its limit.

 

First and last time I will be using MSC, absolutely idea how to keep customers. 

Edited January 26, 2019 by Nidec

[ready2cruzagain]

6 minutes ago, Nidec said:

Finally, months later, received an email from MSC customer services about this. They claim the practice they call "taking shadow payments" is commonplace (oddly ive never had this in 60 years!) and that "it is the customers responsibility to ensure there are sufficient funds in his bank account to avoid being overdrawn"  The blooming cheek of it, I had sufficient funds, it was MSC claiming twice what I spent that pushed my account over its limit.

 

First and last time I will be using MSC, absolutely idea how to keep customers. 

 

All cruise lines that I have ever been on do this with a debit card. That is why one should not use a debit card on a cruise. I believe hotels do it also.  It is your bank that holds the money so long, not the cruise line from what I understand.

Edited January 26, 2019 by ready2cruzagain

[Hlitner]

Somebody mentioned "shadow charges" which are quite common in the travel/cruise world.  They are essentially "credit holds" or also called "pends" and can be a real problem for folks with a low credit limit on their card.  Some cruise lines (such as HAL) will put a hold on as much as $60 per person/day).  On most credit card accounts this will show as a "pending charge" and might stay on your account for several days after you have returned home from your cruise.  Eventually the "pends" expire and will not appear as an actual charge.  Folks with low credit limits can sometimes find that the pends use up all their available credit limit and prevent additional charges.

 

So here is what folks (with lower credit limits) can do.  Call your credit card company (the number is usually on the back of the card) a few days before your cruise and request that your credit limit be temporarily increased for your trip.  Usually, when you explain the situation, the credit card companies will quickly grant your request (unless you have a lousy credit rating).

 

Hank

[Nidec]

22 hours ago, ready2cruzagain said:

All cruise lines that I have ever been on do this with a debit card.

Perhaps its common with US based ships, which I believe Divina is, even though MSC are Italian.

Ive never had this on any previous cruise, but ive only previously used UK based companies.

It  wasnt a debit card, it was a credit card with a £4k limit (Now increased to (£10k)

We have also taken on a new credit card which we will only use for holiday spending, leaving our usual credit cards at home

Edited January 27, 2019 by Nidec
Addition