Onboard Account

[sirdavid]

Just a question re onboard account. Holland America makes you deposit $60 a day per passenger in cash or on your credit card. Does Cunard do anything like that? Or do you just register your credit card and they take what they need to cover your daily expenses.

[Kindlychap]

You just register your credit card.

 

Spend like mad.

 

Have heart attack at final bill. All quite simple really!

[pb82]

Have heart attack at final bill. All quite simple really!

Not a good idea. I've read that Cunard charges a lot for on board medical attention. And a medical evacuation helicopter must be a lot more. Most certainly you don't want a burial-at-sea in Brooklyn.

Spend like mad.

This is most excellent advice.

 

Bon voyage,

Paul

[travel-to-go]

Not a good idea. I've read that Cunard charges a lot for on board medical attention. And a medical evacuation helicopter must be a lot more. Most certainly you don't want a burial-at-sea in Brooklyn.

 

This is most excellent advice.

 

Bon voyage,

Paul

 

Well, at least he'd have plenty of company. Oh, no. That's the East River, not the Buttermilk Channel.

I can get you a deal on a pair of concrete booties, cheap!

 

BTW, They no longer give you receipts at the bars and dinner for drinks. I have had a couple of occasions where I have gotten charged accidentally for someone else's drinks! They WILL give you a receipt if you ask. But you have to ask. Or keep very good track and check on your TV daily to be sure that the accounting jives with what you think your charges should be. Very sneaky, I think!

 

Karie,

who likes to keep receipts and match them up at the end of the trip final accounting.

[victor meld]

I think a heart attack at the final bill is in order. Remember you would be in home port and come under the national health authority so no charge. Though not to be recommended.

[pnhmrk]

I think a heart attack at the final bill is in order. Remember you would be in home port and come under the national health authority so no charge. Though not to be recommended.

 

If you're from the UK Cunard insists that you have insurance - Why do it cheaply on the NHS when you can have private cover in an exotic port? (Just think about the free holiday your loved ones would get!:D )

[KarenR_UK]

BTW, They no longer give you receipts at the bars and dinner for drinks. I have had a couple of occasions where I have gotten charged accidentally for someone else's drinks! They WILL give you a receipt if you ask. But you have to ask. Or keep very good track and check on your TV daily to be sure that the accounting jives with what you think your charges should be. Very sneaky, I think!

 

One problem with not having receipts I had, was that the bill is not in time order nor are the items timestamped - I just KNEW I hadn't drunk in the Yacht club (QE2) on a certain day - but according to the bill there were 2 drinks... I eventually worked out it must have been from the day before, but after midnight!

And everyone was querying the $3 from the Caronia Restaurant who 'hadn't been near the place' - that was the bottled water in the room! Luckily I worked it out before making a fool of myself at the pursers desk.:)

 

likes to keep receipts and match them up at the end of the trip final accounting.

I like to keep receipts just to see how late I managed to stay up on any given night - My brother and I managed 4am one time:D

 

 

And actually, its 2 heart attacks - one when the interim bill arrives, the second when the final bill arrives (how could I possibly have spent that in xx days!)

 

Karen

[cusyl]

They charged us one time in the Pub for having two beers and we don't drink. Evidentally they put the people who were sitting with us on our tab.

We were able to have that taken off.:cool:

I think I would ask for receipts so I could compare them to the final bill.

I can't remember, do they have interactive TV so you can check your bill every day?

[Coolgran]

I noticed a reference to keeping a daily tally on your T.V. Is this a new thing? I don't remember it from previous cruises.

[Kittycat]

You just register your credit card.

 

Spend like mad.

 

Have heart attack at final bill. All quite simple really!

 

 

Can you register a Debit Card or does it have to be a Credit Card?

[Kindlychap]

Can you register a Debit Card or does it have to be a Credit Card?

 

I can't tell you I'm afraid - I always use Amex (chargecard)

 

As for this TV accounting - that's presumably the Scary Mary. QE2 has no such gadgetry.

 

$3 for water! You're kidding?

[Norfolk Brit]

Can you register a Debit Card or does it have to be a Credit Card?

 

I asked the same question a while ago; the general view was that it has to be a credit card as the ship has no phone link to verify payments on a debit card. If you don't already have one, the Nationwide is a good bet (I have one just for overseas trips); they don't make an additional charge for use for foreign currencies.

 

Regards, Mary

[pnhmrk]

I asked the same question a while ago; the general view was that it has to be a credit card as the ship has no phone link to verify payments on a debit card. If you don't already have one, the Nationwide is a good bet (I have one just for overseas trips); they don't make an additional charge for use for foreign currencies.

 

Regards, Mary

 

As you register your card ashore the ship having a phone link shouldn't matter - I would have thought that, as long as the card had the Visa symbol (ie not Switch) it wouldn't matter. You're right though - Nationwide don't make that surcharge for foreign currency transactions; it's worth having one of their cards if only to use on holiday!

[Bramcruiser]

Actually Holland America Line only asks for a daily authorization of $60 per day when they take your credit card info - they don't actually charge your card $60 per day up front. No charges appear on your credit card statement until you settle your bill. The authorization is just to ensure your card is in good standing and that should you take off without settling they have the ability to charge something on your card. This was how it worked last year when I was on the Oosterdam.

 

Now I would think a cash deposit would be required for people not paying by card but would rather settle their account in cash as there as still some who do.

 

I believe this is likely standard practice on all cruise lines although I can't say for sure.

[bobby1119]

I am booked for the full world cruise (QE2) and wonder if anyone knows how the billing works? I am familiar with all aspects of the QE2 billing process. I am wondering whether charges are periodically billed out to Amex on a monthly basis or held until the end of the cruise... how many heart attacks will that bill be for me and my AMEX card??????

[Norfolk Brit]

As you register your card ashore the ship having a phone link shouldn't matter - I would have thought that, as long as the card had the Visa symbol (ie not Switch) it wouldn't matter.

 

I thought the same, but as everyone who answered my question seemed to think that a debit card was not usable on board I didn't want to take a chance. Nationwide must be deeply underwhelmed by the number of people who use their services just for holidays. Enjoy your posts, by the way.

Regards, Mary

[J & J]

I am booked for the full world cruise (QE2) and wonder if anyone knows how the billing works? I am familiar with all aspects of the QE2 billing process. I am wondering whether charges are periodically billed out to Amex on a monthly basis or held until the end of the cruise... how many heart attacks will that bill be for me and my AMEX card??????

 

On the World Cruise, you'll receive a bill monthly. You can ask that the charges on your bill be sent through monthly, or if you prefer, you can wait until the end of the cruise to have the bill sent through. Our on-board credits took care of us until early March!! We asked for our charges to be put through the end of March and then at the end of the cruise.

 

We checked the bill each month and had only a couple of discrepancies - nothing really big. The Purser's Office was most helpful in resolving these issues. At the end of the World Cruise, you'll receive a full accounting of your charges. We kept ours as a fun souvenier!!