Debit card vs. credit card

[cruisin05]

Just wondering if you can use a debit card instead of an actual credit card on board for the cruise.

 

[tevagirl]

We did.

 

[cruisin05]

Oh great that's probably a better option for me. Money control. and probably not having much on my credit card after getting the plane tickets and travel ins. thanks alot!!!

 

[allears]

We have used a debit card each time, and will in a couple of weeks. The only hitch with them can be a daily or periodic spending limit that your bank sets up. One year we ran into a problem where we hit the daily transaction limit and nothing further would go through on the debit card. I brought my ship board account to zero by writing a check, the re-activated my KTW card. By the time DCL needed to post another debit, the card was into a new time frame. The bank I work for sets a $2,000.00 limit on purchases over a 72 hour preriod. That shoud be fine for most uses. However, some banks are lower.

So ask you bank if they have a daily purhase limit on your debit card and if so what that is. If it is too restrictive, in many cases the bank can temorarily increase your spending limit to accomodate you while your away and return it to normal once you return.

It's a great option, no big interest payments later. Also they will take a debit card number should you want to apply money to your stateroom account ahead of time. We've been fortuneate enough to be able to do that this time, so that will get used up before the debit card gets hit.

 

[amymouse]

No problem with a debit card. DCL treats it just like a credit card. I've used mine for every cruise. I haven't run into a prob with a daily spending limit since DCL sends a charge through at every $250 mark (or was that $200, my memory is fading). It was well below the daily limit on my card.

As allears said, it's best to check with your bank before you go so there are no suprises.

 

[Laura24]

circumstance, and I've posted this back in March, but a major retailer that I had used my debit card at prior to my trip had their computer system hacked and credit card/debit card numbers were stolen. I found out when trying to use my debit to pay for a meal and it was declined. I immediately contacted my bank and was told a $50.00 a day limit was placed on all compromised cards due to the above reason. Thank goodness for a back up CC and going home the following day. This was the first time I hadn't taken along travelers checks. Just a thought to ponder.