Sail & Sign - credit card mishaps...don't freak

[mistyinca]

There was a thread a month or so ago from a guy who went ballistic when his S&S didn't work for a drink purchase...

 

Anyhoo, I just got off the Splendor, and it was on the first night, after making several purchases... When I went to the gift shop to buy some postcards, my S&S had been deactivated. Having read that previous thread, I knew it was just something that happens, so while it was a minor inconvenience, I was not worried in the least. I had already called my CC company before traveling to let them know we'd be out of the country and there would be several purchases. Plus, I had another CC with me just in case I had any problems. I went to the purser, they just had to re-scan my same credit card. They said sometimes they just have to do that. So my S&S worked fine after that to buy my postcards. Then we went into the Sports bar, and dh went up to buy a couple of drinks. HIS S&S card wouldn't go through. So I went back down to the Purser; she confirmed that it was active. So she made a new card for him, and that worked fine.

 

Later, we found out that my son couldn't get his room key to work, and he had to go get a new one.

 

Moral of the story: S&S and credit card mishaps will happen occasionally. Don't freak out about it. It doesn't mean your credit stinks; it is just that the system has a kink or two in it.

:)

[*Mach*]

There was a thread a month or so ago from a guy who went ballistic when his S&S didn't work for a drink purchase...

 

Anyhoo, I just got off the Splendor, and it was on the first night, after making several purchases... When I went to the gift shop to buy some postcards, my S&S had been deactivated. Having read that previous thread, I knew it was just something that happens, so while it was a minor inconvenience, I was not worried in the least. I had already called my CC company before traveling to let them know we'd be out of the country and there would be several purchases. Plus, I had another CC with me just in case I had any problems. I went to the purser, they just had to re-scan my same credit card. They said sometimes they just have to do that. So my S&S worked fine after that to buy my postcards. Then we went into the Sports bar, and dh went up to buy a couple of drinks. HIS S&S card wouldn't go through. So I went back down to the Purser; she confirmed that it was active. So she made a new card for him, and that worked fine.

 

Later, we found out that my son couldn't get his room key to work, and he had to go get a new one.

 

Moral of the story: S&S and credit card mishaps will happen occasionally. Don't freak out about it. It doesn't mean your credit stinks; it is just that the system has a kink or two in it.

:)

 

 

Thank you for providing and accurate non-hysterical account of the problems you had on board...

Excellent lesson for the rest of us!!

:)

[Traveler353]

Great attitude. Good lesson for folks here.

[cathyz]

Thanks for the info, this has never happened to us, but did happen to one of our friends on our Spirit cruise week before last. But I think his was related to his CC, so he went to the purser's desk and they let him make a call right there and sorted it out in 5 minutes, no big deal.

[tnt091605]

WHAT!!!!!:mad: Your S&S card did not work!!!! You know what I would have done???????

 

The same thing you did! Some people can take little mishaps and let them ruin there vacation. Just be glad you are not that type of person. Thanks for posting!!!!:)

[KroozLov'r]

Similar situation here. Last cruise my and DD S&S cards quit working for purchases (still opened the cabin doors). We stopped by the purser's desk several times, each time being told that everything should be ok. They never did work. Didn't ruin our cruise, just used DW or DS card.

[okgirl]

Sister's S&S card kept getting deactivated and we finally after 3 new ones figured out that she had a small notepad in her purse that had a magnetic closure on it......As soon as she removed that, no more problems......

[Vanessa L]

There was a thread a month or so ago from a guy who went ballistic when his S&S didn't work for a drink purchase...

 

Anyhoo, I just got off the Splendor, and it was on the first night, after making several purchases... When I went to the gift shop to buy some postcards, my S&S had been deactivated. Having read that previous thread, I knew it was just something that happens, so while it was a minor inconvenience, I was not worried in the least. I had already called my CC company before traveling to let them know we'd be out of the country and there would be several purchases. Plus, I had another CC with me just in case I had any problems. I went to the purser, they just had to re-scan my same credit card. They said sometimes they just have to do that. So my S&S worked fine after that to buy my postcards. Then we went into the Sports bar, and dh went up to buy a couple of drinks. HIS S&S card wouldn't go through. So I went back down to the Purser; she confirmed that it was active. So she made a new card for him, and that worked fine.

 

Later, we found out that my son couldn't get his room key to work, and he had to go get a new one.

 

Moral of the story: S&S and credit card mishaps will happen occasionally. Don't freak out about it. It doesn't mean your credit stinks; it is just that the system has a kink or two in it.

:)

 

 

Ahhhhhhh.......the relaxing, well spoken post of someone who came here BEFORE they cruised and knew that stuff can happen. Thanks, Misty. It's nice to see someone gets it. You go girl.

[LemurCat]

In February, we were on the Imagination out of Tampa. My sister used one of her CCs for the room charges. We didn't call ahead to inform the bank (which is monumentally stupid on both of our parts as we both work or have worked in banking for years, hell, she used to the clearing systems for a major card company) and when I went to use the SnS for excursion tickets it didn't work. The Pursers' ran the card again, still nothing. So we called the bank. Turns out they were (and might still be) requiring voice authorization for any cruise charges. Apparently there are quite a few banks doing this as there was a rather long line and all the phones at the desk were in use. (Then again, credit markets have eased up a bit so it might not be such a big deal.) Anyway, no need for hysterics, just a little patience.

[BrendaB1]

I had to change cards 5 times on Freedom. :o With that being the now famous Monkey Overboard cruise, it's not funny when your card doesn't work & they are trying to account for all passengers. :eek:

 

It does happen, computer errors or bad cards, etc. Wasn't a problem for me. Just a minor inconvenience.

[Kurbanfan]

I had to change cards 5 times on Freedom. :o With that being the now famous Monkey Overboard cruise, it's not funny when your card doesn't work & they are trying to account for all passengers. :eek:

 

It does happen, computer errors or bad cards, etc. Wasn't a problem for me. Just a minor inconvenience.

 

5 times is just ridiculous IMO.....

[Gayle V]

If you find yourself having repeated problems with your card, you need to look for something like that magnet that was erasing their card memory. Another thing that can do the same thing is putting the card directly next to another with a magnetic strip, with the strips touching each other. Those strips talk to each other. Well sort of. They do mess up the memory, and your card won't work. .

[LemurCat]

If you find yourself having repeated problems with your card, you need to look for something like that magnet that was erasing their card memory. Another thing that can do the same thing is putting the card directly next to another with a magnetic strip, with the strips touching each other. Those strips talk to each other. Well sort of. They do mess up the memory, and your card won't work. .

 

Yup. Other cruiselines who don't use the door key as a casino card recommend you do not keep them on the same lanyard or bungee as they demagnitize each other. If you're going through five cards, make sure you aren't sticking it with other cards.

 

Yes, I know logic would dictate that all of the credit, debit, etc. cards in our wallet would demagnitize but there is a different tolerance to these for things like a credit card then for a sign and same.

 

And an eel skin wallet won't effect it at all. I saw that one on Myth Busters.

[todman]

You, kind sir and or madam, are just a little too level headed to be cruising on Carnival. How dare they treat you so shoddily. My word.

 

:cool:

[LemurCat]

Someone wanna help todman? I think he dropped his monocle in his shock and shattered it all over the floor.

[Lady_Jag]

Thanks for the reminder! I just called my CC company to alert them that I will be cruising next month.

 

Also, I'd like to add that sometimes a cell phone or PDA will demagnetize your key and/or S&S cards. Happened to me at Disney last year - I put my room key in a pocket in my purse that was right next to my cell phone, and it deactivated the card.

[finoky]

Sometimes I will grab a drink and go sit down near the pursers desk. It won't be long before someone shows up all in an uproar over something. I have seen arms flailing, feet stomping, and heard some pretty filthy language from the lovely passengers. The OP handled things the best way possible.

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

According to what I read on John Heald's blog, these new cards were supposed to be less prone to having the magnetic strip altered (deactivated)... Yet 2 of the 3 cards, in the OP's case - obviously had problems.

 

I have rarely had any problems with my card - unlike Cheryl who has a couple of small purses which have fairly strong magnets in them (you know, for altering the roulette ball and such... :D)

 

Tom

[figs]

Sometimes I will grab a drink and go sit down near the pursers desk. It won't be long before someone shows up all in an uproar over something. I have seen arms flailing, feet stomping, and heard some pretty filthy language from the lovely passengers. The OP handled things the best way possible.

 

The OP also knew the tricks and was familiar with CC! :) Which is great, but I have family members that still don't use the 'net for anything other than email. I'm not sure we can hold the entire cruising public to that standard. Hehe.

[spikester]

My card gets demagnatized at least 1x per cruise.

 

On our last cruise, my sister gave them her cc at check in. And then we got the dreaded "you need to see the purser about your account" slip. When we went to the purser they tried to run the cc again, but it wouldn't approve.

I gave them my card, and the next day we were in Key west, so called the cc company. They said, oh you never authorized this card.

Which was very interesting because the evening prior to the cruise we had used that cc at our hotel, and my sister had called the company to advise that we were going on a cruise, and to accept the charge.

 

Needless to say, that card is now chopped up never to be used again.

And NO it wasn't seamiles. :D

[madibeme]

Another thing that demagnitizes them is having them too close to your cell phone.

[NCTribeFan]

Well, it is really annoying to have to keep going back, even when you've checked for all the possible things that could be causing your card to deactivate. No one wants to spend their precious, short time on a cruise standing in line at the pursers desk.

 

But there's absolutely no excuse for ranting and raving about it, even if it happens in the dining room when you want to purchase a drink or bottle of wine. So your card is turned down. Who gives a flip if the people three tables over think you have bad credit? They don't know you and you'll never see them again! If you don't cause a scene, the people three tables over won't know you are having problems! ;)

 

On Miracle, I'd used my card for a day or two and then I got a notice in my mailbox that I had to go to the purser's desk about my card. No idea why, but they had to re-enter my credit card info (just another reason why I always carry my purse, even on the ship). I might've gotten annoyed if I'd gone down there, stood in line, THEN found out they needed my original card. No explanation, just one of those things that happens.

 

And no hystrionics about it from me. Took all of about 5 minutes.

[Kurbanfan]

Well, it is really annoying to have to keep going back, even when you've checked for all the possible things that could be causing your card to deactivate. No one wants to spend their precious, short time on a cruise standing in line at the pursers desk.

 

But there's absolutely no excuse for ranting and raving about it, even if it happens in the dining room when you want to purchase a drink or bottle of wine. So your card is turned down. Who gives a flip if the people three tables over think you have bad credit? They don't know you and you'll never see them again! If you don't cause a scene, the people three tables over won't know you are having problems! ;)

 

On Miracle, I'd used my card for a day or two and then I got a notice in my mailbox that I had to go to the purser's desk about my card. No idea why, but they had to re-enter my credit card info (just another reason why I always carry my purse, even on the ship). I might've gotten annoyed if I'd gone down there, stood in line, THEN found out they needed my original card. No explanation, just one of those things that happens.

 

And no hystrionics about it from me. Took all of about 5 minutes.

 

That is how they should notify you.........have you ever bought some new friends a drink and the waiter comes back and says your card is denied:eek:

Let's just say I was not very happy;)

[LemurCat]

That is how they should notify you.........have you ever bought some new friends a drink and the waiter comes back and says your card is denied:eek:

Let's just say I was not very happy;)

 

Was it like the Amex commercial where you couldn't buy your girl the big shiney diamond ring?

[Tom-n-Cheryl]

That is how they should notify you.........have you ever bought some new friends a drink and the waiter comes back and says your card is denied:eek:

Let's just say I was not very happy;)

 

As have we... even though I was confident that our credit card was actually good, it's not the most comfortable situation to be placed in!!

 

Tom