MSC Credit Card Hold At Check In

[Lilthugbby]

I'm going on an 8 night MSC cruise out of Athens next month and have $500 OBC. Will I still be required to put a credit card on file or can I just use my OBC? If I have to put a card on file what's the hold amount? Is the amount different if you put a cash deposit down?

 

Thanks!

Edited August 26, 2022 by Lilthugbby

[HipHipOnAShip]

Yes, you have to put down a credit card.  I can't say what the preauthorization amount was (or if there was one) because I never looked 😉

[iwtobek]

You don't really have to put a CC on file, I think OP question was, would the OBC be granted even without a CC. 

 

I would say “yes”, given you can also opt in to use cash. Maybe drop to guest services and ask, or better, try to buy something from a bar when there's no real emergency for you to so, and see what happens. 

[Paphillyguy]

We did put a credit card down and the hold was $250

[Two Wheels Only]

You can do cash and OBC. 

 

Credit card isn't "required". On my first MSC cruise, I had OBC and put down cash after reading the horror stories about MSC bookkeeping. The OBC was burned through as well as some of the cash and the remaining amount was returned to me in cash. This was in the Yacht Club so the concierge handled everything but if not in the Yacht Club, a trip to Guest Services would have been needed.

 

On later cruises, I used a credit card which had a zero balance so that I could keep track of all holds from MSC. Some weird amounts would show as "pending" but in the end, everything was correct to the penny by the last day. 

 

For my cruise this past March, I booked an excursion before the cruise with a credit card. The excursion was later cancelled due to weather. It took 5 months for a refund which was a check sent to me. 

 

So far, MSC has been correct as far as money exchanging hands between us. There are horror stories from others as far as deposits not being returned, cancelled cruises, cancelled excursions, FCC, etc. but I'm one of the lucky few who isn't owed anything from MSC. 

Edited August 26, 2022 by Two Wheels Only