Debit cards okay?

[wework2play]

I have read on here in the past that debit cards are a hassle to use on the ship. I would like to use mine for our cruise in a month. It has the VISA logo. Will I have any trouble using it?

[lilmsonry]

I hope not, that is what I am using. I have paid my cruise with it and never heard of problems with it. Will no for sure in couple of weeks. I did hear the ones withOUT the visa type logo are trouble. Sorry, couldn't help you farther! :)

[cc4201]

They will not accept a debit card -- however, you can put up cash to put toward your ship account. So if you don't want to carry cash -- get travelers checks. Rental car agencies don't accept debit cards either. They do have an ATM machine on board to get more cash also.

[DerekDun8]

I have used my debit card on my past two cruises... You can use it just like a credit card aslong as RCCL accepts Visa (they do of course) Maybe the previous poster is thinking of a regular mac card??? THEY DO accept debit cards.

[Treven]

From what another posted, the one debit card that isn't accepted is the AMEX Travel Card. Though you can use the travel card to get cash at ATM machines. So if it's got the VISA or MasterCard logo yor'll be fine.

[Amymacc]

:) We just got off the Enchantment and as long as your debit card has a visa or such logo on it it can be used. We have used ours for all five cruises. Relax!!

 

Amy

[bbuchanan]

I hope not, that is what I am using. I have paid my cruise with it and never heard of problems with it. Will no for sure in couple of weeks. I did hear the ones withOUT the visa type logo are trouble. Sorry, couldn't help you farther! :)

 

MC and Visa debit cards are accepted for establishing a ship board account. However, the cruise line will freeze a dollar amount on the card; or any credit card for that matter. The amount can vary by cruise line and length of trip.

 

The cruise line has no way of knowing how much each passenger will spend and this practice insures they are paid. So, if there is not an adequate cash reserve in your checking account and/or there are outstanding checks; there is a potential of your checks being returned NSF. It's happened!

[Jan_In_Maine]

I work at a financial institution and many times people call because their debit cards shop working. Most/some debit cards have a limit per day of what may be charged to the cards (even if one has much more money in their account) I'd talk to someone at the bank.

[lv2bcruzin]

I have only used a debit card for all the cruises I have been on. To pay for the cruise, to setup the SeaPass account and to purchase things on shore. You can also go to the casino to get money from your card without using the ATM machine. I'm not sure what else you will need to do, but I have not ever had any problems. Unless you plan on taking out money from an ATM which is more than the amount of money per day allowed by your bank you shouldn't have any problems either. I already have the cash I will need before I leave.

[wrp96]

From what another posted, the one debit card that isn't accepted is the AMEX Travel Card. Though you can use the travel card to get cash at ATM machines. So if it's got the VISA or MasterCard logo yor'll be fine.

 

The Travel Card or other gift card type cards (Visa gift card for example) aren't considered debit cards. The cruise line's don't take them because they can't put a hold against them for funds.

 

Now, debit cards (Cards issued by a bank that are connected to a bank account and have a Visa or Mastercard logo on them) are accepted. They will put a daily hold on them to ensure that funds will be there when they settle your seapass account. Make sure that your daily limit is large enough to cover all that you plan on spending the entire cruise.

[megessey]

Ok here's a new question along the same lines:

 

I've heard that someone could, as a gift, apply credit to your account before you go on your cruise.

 

So do you think I could use one of those Visa gift cards to apply ship credit for my own cruise?

[andy1962]

I've been on 5 cruises and used my debit card (with visa logo) and never had a hold placed on my card.

 

 

 

 

 

The Travel Card or other gift card type cards (Visa gift card for example) aren't considered debit cards. The cruise line's don't take them because they can't put a hold against them for funds.

 

Now, debit cards (Cards issued by a bank that are connected to a bank account and have a Visa or Mastercard logo on them) are accepted. They will put a daily hold on them to ensure that funds will be there when they settle your seapass account. Make sure that your daily limit is large enough to cover all that you plan on spending the entire cruise.

[PeterR717]

I work for a bank and I have to say that if you can avoid using your Debit/CheckCard please do. If you have a credit card you're better off using that.

 

What happens is that any company (cruises included) will put a hold on the funds needed to cover a certain amount. This varies depending on the company but could be much more than your total purchases.

 

(Restaurants do this all the time and cause all sorts of problems. They'll put a hold for the amount plus 20% for a tip incase you want to include the tip on the card)

 

Then they put an arbitrary expiration date on that hold (sometimes up to 5 days!) Until that hold comes off you can't use that money from your account and like someone else said it can cause checks to bounce.

 

The bank I work for has a limit of $2000 per day so that shouldn't be an issue for most people but that hold is what usually causes issues.

 

Of course they do the same thing for credit cards but because you don't see it you never notice.

 

When I go on my cruise I plan to take 2 credit cards, one to use for the SeaPass and the other to use for emergencies. My check card will be safe at home :)

[Lightsluvr]

Jan correctly answered the OP's query. Debit cards with the Visa/MC affiliation are accepted with no question by RCI. However, your bank may place a daily limit on your Visa Debit card. (My bank limits card usage to $1,000 per day, regardless of the balance in my checking account.)

Unless you'll be spending more than your daily limit, your debit card will work with no problems.

 

By the way, if you need cash, take your Sea Pass to the Cashier in the Casino. They will give you cash and place it on your ship-board account. That way you avoid the very pricey ATM on-board. And NEVER use an ATM machine off the ship; if you do, you may have some real surprises when you arrive home!!!

 

LL

[megessey]

Ok here's a new question along the same lines:

 

I've heard that someone could, as a gift, apply credit to your account before you go on your cruise.

 

So do you think I could use one of those Visa gift cards to apply ship credit for my own cruise?

 

Should I create a new thread for this question?

[wework2play]

Here's what I've figured out: My daily limit is $800 per day on my debit card. I will call the bank before I leave and have that increased (to whatever I want) for the week I am gone. My card will be charged the last day of the cruise and all at once so I will make SURE that the limit is high for that day. Thanks cruise critic!

[later]

Your card will be charged with a hold on a daily basis that may be well over the charges you make for that day. That is the problem. You may get home and the holds are still in place and your checks are bouncing.

[lv2bcruzin]

Your card will be charged with a hold on a daily basis that may be well over the charges you make for that day. That is the problem. You may get home and the holds are still in place and your checks are bouncing.

 

This has never happened to my debit card as I check my account each day online.

[airbysea]

what happens if you use your debit card and someone gets ahold of it and charges it up (fraud), are you covered like a regular credit card???? If you are great, but if not, I would imagine it would be nightmare trying to recover the funds.

 

Why not just use a true Credit Card with protection and when you get home pay it off???

 

do debit cards offer any protection like credit cards do??

[cchevela]

One other type of card you can use is a AAA Cash Card. You pre-load with a set amount and use it like a credit card. Kind of like AMEX Travelers checks. You need to be a AAA member to use this service. However, it is a good, secure way to use a card for making purchases.

[FunCruiser56]

We have used our Debit/Visa card for our past 4 cruises, never had any problem. I do call my bank before I leave home and tell them I will be out of the country for what ever time frame, have them note that on my account and ask them what the current daily limit is. I can raise it if I felt the need but it is $3500 a day so not a problem!

While on the cruise we check our bank acct. daily on the computer and only 2 days on our last cruise (11days) was there a hold on any funds and it was for the actual amount spent that day and no more. We have never seen a hold on any other money in our account.

We also get $$ from the Casino when we want some cash, the ATM charges are very high and the casino is free.

 

Check your seapass account daily and if there are any errors take care of it right away, that last day the lines are soooooo long..

 

Have a great cruise.

 

Funcruiser

[later]

I have had holds beyond my onboard account still in place for several days after I return home.

[rgnok]

Then they put an arbitrary expiration date on that hold (sometimes up to 5 days!)

 

That's not true -- Visa rules require the hold be released within 72 hours. It is not arbitrary, it is clearly spelled out in Visa's merchant rules. For non Visa branded cards, the issuing bank determines the length of the hold, but it is never determined by the merchant. The merchant sets the amount of the hold, but not the length.

 

Rental car agencies don't accept debit cards either.

 

This is also not true. Several companies allow the complete transaction to be made with a debit card, including Alamo. In fact, if you use Priceline for rental cars, they even ask the question of whether you will present a credit card or a debit card at the time you pickup your car -- because the options are, certainly, more limited if you are using a debit card. But you can absolutely do it, and using well known, national companies.

[PeterR717]

It may be spelled out in the merhant rules but I've seen holds for a lot longer. Trust me, I deal with it on a semi-regular basis. I suspect the ones I've seen have had the customer sign something with fine print authorizing them to hold funds longer than the 72 hours.

 

That aside though if it is at all possible to use a credit card or some other way to pay besides a debit card that takes funds directly from your checking account you should. Even if you open a second checking account and get a debit card for it so your regular account doesn't bounce your car payment or utility bills while you're gone.

[phoebes]

I have traveled three cruises in the last few years on RCCL, used my debit with Mastercard logo and have never had a hold put on funds either. I shopped in all ports without any trouble.