HAL Newbie/1st cruise coming up 3/17! Credit card "incidentals" question

[halloweengirl]

Hi everyone!

 

I'm new to the CC Board and HAL and cruising in general! My in-laws are taking myself and the hubby on a 7-day Eastern Carribbean itinerary on 3/17/07. We're very excited!

 

There is one nagging question that I have though, and I feel like it's so stupid that I'm embarrassed to ask my in-laws (HAL veterans)......OK, deep breath for dumb question, here I go....

 

When HAL says that it charges $60 USD per person, per day on the credit card" presented for incidentals, does that mean that they simply "refresh" a credit card hold for $60 pp/pd (total of $120 per day for hubby and I), or does it mean that we'd have to have $840 in available credit?

 

Again, I apologize for the dumb question, but it's important for me to know the answer!

 

Thanks in advance! Look forward to being here a lot :)

 

-Jen

[ekerr19]

Jen - You need the available credit. You can also opt to pay the deposit in cash or traveller's cheques.

 

When we took our adult son, we added his authorization to ours as he (at the time) had only one credit card and the limit was not that high. He paid his own bill, but did not have to worry about the pre-authorized amount.

 

We are also from the Denver metro area... welcome to the HAL boards!

[eldercruser]

This is a frequent question, Jen. You are not the first to ask. HAL does put a "hold" on your card for the entire amount. Thus if you were near your credit limit you might have trouble using your card at a shop ashore during the cruise. This assures HAL they have first dibs on your credit while on the cruise.

 

Hope this helps.

[eldercruser]

Bump

[halloweengirl]

That ticks me off, but what are you going to do, eh? I guess I'd just better lay off the VISA for the next 6 weeks :)

 

I do understand why HAL does that, but it's still an inconvenience, especially to those of us who aren't "high-rollers".

 

I'm very excited nontheless! In-laws are generously taking myself, the hubby, hubby's younger siblings (18 yo bro, 20 yo sis), and his little bro's girlfriend (16, with full parental permission of course) on this wonderful trip as a "family vacation". I love my in-laws, so I think we're going to have a great time with them!

 

Thanks again! I'll be asking a lot of questions in the very near future, hee hee!

 

-Jen

[halloweengirl]

Oh, and ekerr19, great to meet a fellow Denverite! Hubby and in-laws are from Kansas City, but I dragged hubby out here :)

 

Have you thawed out yet? They are calling for 64 degrees on Tuesday, so I'm starting to think the world is coming to an end with this 5 degrees/65 degrees crap. Ack!

[halloweengirl]

Oh, and ekerr19, great to meet a fellow Denverite! Hubby and in-laws are from Kansas City, but I dragged hubby out here :)

 

Have you thawed out yet? They are calling for 64 degrees on Tuesday, so I'm starting to think the world is coming to an end with this 5 degrees/65 degrees crap. Ack!

[halloweengirl]

Oh, and ekerr19, great to meet a fellow Denverite! Hubby and in-laws are from Kansas City, but I dragged hubby out here :)

 

Have you thawed out yet? They are calling for 64 degrees on Tuesday, so I'm starting to think the world is coming to an end with this 5 degrees/65 degrees crap. Ack!

[halloweengirl]

Oh, and ekerr19, great to meet a fellow Denverite! Hubby and in-laws are from Kansas City, but I dragged hubby out here :)

 

Have you thawed out yet? They are calling for 64 degrees on Tuesday, so I'm starting to think the world is coming to an end with this 5 degrees/65 degrees crap. Ack!

[halloweengirl]

Oops! Sorry about the duplicates!