Credit Card Hold on Check in

[fenny7cats]

We are doing an 11 night cruise and NCL say you need to do a $450 pp hold on a credit card upon check in.  As we have prepaid our service charges, excursions, and have a drinks package, we don’t anticipate having a large bill at the end of our cruise (we don’t do spas, or photos etc) and we intend to pay cash.  Can we refuse to give them a credit card for this hold?  Has anyone done this?  Would appreciate any feedback. 

[BirdTravels]

The authorizations are almost automatic. If you avoid it at check-in, it may automatically get applied anyways. It is only an authorization, it does not debit your credit card.

 

You can check-in on a cash basis. NCL will typically ask for $450 USD in cash to place on account (about $400 GBP). You could put less on account, but your account will be frozen when the balance goes to zero. 

 

https://www.ncl.com/ca/en/cruise-faq/onboard-expenses

[EvanBedar]

Also it looks like it's a $300 credit card hold, not $450.  

The $450 number is when you opt to use a Travelers Check or Cash to cover your account.

 

[dbrown84]

no, you don't have to give a credit card when checking in.  You can go to guest services and put cash on your account.  I've put as little as $10 cash on my account.  I think it's silly, but you have to have something on your account to "charge" the free drinks.  Anything left over can be cashed out on the last night of the cruise.  You can also just purchase $25 OBC (or any other amount up to the $1000 maximum) before your cruise therefore avoiding having to go to guest services to place cash.