prepaid credit cards

[bobsuzla]

Has any one used those cards that are issued by AmEX or Visa that are essentially traveler's cheques without the actual check but a card instead? I have been purchasing Travchecks for a year in preparation as I do not have a major credit card, but I have been thinking about trading the checks in for those "cards" any suggestions?

 

[my3kids]

I wouldn't. You can't go to the desk and get cash off the card, but you can go and cash a TC for money to use in port.

 

[scrapperjill]

Depending on how much you have in Checks....you could do a little of both. We took along a few Travlers Checks for smaller things that we may need..but then took our visa-checkcard for things like the deposit on board...and to quickly pay our on-board charges. I hate standing around signing those checks...when you have Large amounts your using (they ask for $500 to be put down on your shipboard account when you check in at the terminal)...When we went off the ship we asked to have a few of our TC cashed for on-shore spending money.

 

[tvguy]

I wouldn't. You can't go to the desk and get cash off the card, but you can go and cash a TC for money to use in port.

If it's a Visa Buxx card, you MAY be able to get cash off of it at the guest services desk, but I'm not positive. Check with Disney.

I had never heard of these cards until last year when my son went to Spain and France on a school trip. I asked at the parent meeting how many travelers checks to send with him. Many of the parents there had gone the year before, and told me "nobody uses travelers checks any more, they use the cash cards".

So I got my son a Visa Buxx card, and about $100 in cash, and that's what he used. It was good at any ATM, and gave you the cash in the local currency (the Euro in this case).

So assuming Guest Services will give you cash (and they should because you have to "load" the cash onto the card in advance, it's not a credit card)........these cards pay be the way to go.

I, however, will still carry travelers checks on trips. We met my cousin from Canada and her family at Disneyland in 2001 right after CA opened. They brought no cash at all, no travelers checks, just an ATM card. It got a little hairy for them because their ATM card had the wrong symbol on it, didn't match any of the ATM's in Southern California. They could still get cash, but the fee was $5 per withdrawal, and there was a daily limit of $100. That's not a lot of cash to spend in Disneyland when traveling with a family of 6 !!!!

 

[my3kids]

With at least the American Express one, you can not use it onboard:

Usage Limitations
TravelFunds Cards are prepaid cards. They are not intended for use in certain industries. You are NOT permitted to use the TravelFunds Cards:
To reserve a rental car, or when picking up a rental car. However, at the end of a car rental, you can use your Card to pay for the rental.
To reserve a hotel/motel room, or when checking into a hotel/motel or other lodging establishment. However, at the end of your stay, you can use your Card to pay for your stay.
To pay for gasoline/petrol “at the pump” through automated terminals. However, you can use your Card to pay for gasoline by presenting the card in the station or to a service station attendant.
To pay for “person-to-person” internet payment products such as “Paypal”, “YahooDirect” and “C2it”.
To pay for telecom charges (including cellular, airplane telephones, payphones, home phone service, etc.).
To pay for recurring charges, such as health club memberships or subscriptions.
To make installment payments in the future for goods/services received in the present.
To pay for bail bondsmen.
To pay for detective agencies.
To pay for home repair services such as plumber, electrician, painter/decorator, etc.
To pay for internet electronic services including electronic mail, internet service provider, internet telecom, etc.
To pay for personal services such as escort agencies, introduction services, massage parlors.
To pay for wholesale goods.
To pay for on-board cruise charges.
To pay for gambling.

So maybe the VISA one is the one to look at if you feel like you need a card instead of the checks.

 

[bobsuzla]

thanks for all of the input, I have about 1200.00 in Travelers checks, and I will probably have about 2500.00 total by November. I can get them in larger denominations though, so maybe I will just buy larger ones for my Ship board account and some smaller ones for the ports, as well as my Debit cards. Thanks again!