What happens if you can't pay onboard account?

[mousefan73]

I have been thinking about this since we disembarked a few weeks ago. When we went to check-out by my mom a horrible loud " erh" sounds went off when they scanned her card. She was then told to go to Guest Services. We had no idea why.. Until the guy said her CC was declined for the remaining onboard charges. She went over her limit, lol. Oops! so I paid with my card and we left. What would have happened If I couldnt pay ? Most on the charges were mine anyways but we had planned to reconcile when we got back.

My poor mom was freaking out until I explained well you booked AND paid for the cruise last week ( last minute trip) AND had other travel costs all in the same month and so she reached her monthly limit really fast. Good thing she knows this now as for her next trip she needs to call and get her bank to increase her limit for that month. FYI: ( in Germany most bank credit cards have monthly limits and are paid off monthly too and therefore have low limits compared to the rolling debt cycle US cards have)

 

[dcassetta]

I assume they would want payment before you leave the ship. You could use a different card, ask a travel companion for the funds, call the card company to ask for a credit increase or a one-time authorization, call a friend or family member at home to wire the funds. If none of those work, I assume Disney would ask you to sign a promissory note before you leave the ship.

 

[TRTRguy]

A couple of years ago I remember reading a story about some guest who racked up some medical charges on a carnival ship. Carnival insisted payment prior to the whole family disembarking and recommended opening another credit card.

 

[Cheburashka]

The likeliest scenario is that they would bill you, and if you didn't pay up, follow up with debt collection. They have all of your contact information and know for sure who you are, given the documentation requirements needed to board.

In their shoes, I'd probably choose to ban a guest from future cruises, if that guest proved unable to pay his or her bills onboard as required.

 

[mousefan73]

I don’t see how wiring ASAP or opening a new credit card would be possible in the time before the ship left again. Especially for foreign guests. My mom is just paranoid now that her card wont work in the future that she’s thinking about carrying around thousands in cash lol. But this was just a rare incidence because normally we pay our trips off well in advanced but this was a last minute trip that was paid for and booked literally six days before we sailed so that amount was still active for that months billing.

I know back in the day when I still lived in the states it was normal for people to have multiple credit cards but in Europe you’ll find many people that don’t even own one.

Since I’ve moved to Germany I also only have one credit card but now when I think about traveling with Covid I need to maybe look into getting a second one just for traveling in case I have very large expenses like having to quarantine in a hotel etc.

 

[LYSE]

Interesting question, much like a hotel I assume they would send you an invoice and then follow up with debt collection.

 

[lanejudy]

I can't imagine traveling without a back-up form of payment, especially international travel. Credit cards get declined now and then, whether it's hit the limit or flagged for unusual charges/possible fraud, credit lines are down (this seems to happen in WDW frequently enough!), or whatnot. I don't manage my finances based on what is "normal" for others, I do what is best for me.

Alternatively, she can set the onboard account to "cash" and would then need to stop by Guest Services periodically to pay it down before she could charge more. That way she'd maybe keep track of the expenses and be aware if she was close or going over the limit. It can be paid down with gift cards or a credit card.

 

[PrincessShmoo]

I don’t see how wiring ASAP or opening a new credit card would be possible in the time before the ship left again.

It's possible to contact your credit card company before leaving the ship and getting a temporary increase in credit so that the card will process. Not a new credit card, but an increase in the limit on the current one.

 

[Intr3pid]

They can't physically stop or restrain you from disembarking unless it's unsafe to do so. At least in the US ports.

They will follow up with an invoice in writing and assign your account to debt collection if you still don't pay.

 

[tvguy]

I can't imagine traveling without a back-up form of payment, especially international travel. Credit cards get declined now and then, whether it's hit the limit or flagged for unusual charges/possible fraud, credit lines are down (this seems to happen in WDW frequently enough!), or whatnot. I don't manage my finances based on what is "normal" for others, I do what is best for me.

Alternatively, she can set the onboard account to "cash" and would then need to stop by Guest Services periodically to pay it down before she could charge more. That way she'd maybe keep track of the expenses and be aware if she was close or going over the limit. It can be paid down with gift cards or a credit card.

Over the last 19 years here I have been amazed at how many people travel with their credit cards maxed out, and no other method of payment. One hick-up at an airport if you are flying, and you may be buying full price air fare home. I always recommended folks have at least that much cash or credit available, if not an amount equal to what the total cost of the trip.

 

[mousefan73]

Over the last 19 years here I have been amazed at how many people travel with their credit cards maxed out, and no other method of payment. One hick-up at an airport if you are flying, and you may be buying full price air fare home. I always recommended folks have at least that much cash or credit available, if not an amount equal to what the total cost of the trip.

Yeah I always make sure my CC is empty when I do big trips. normally its not an issue ( my mom doesnt travel without me, who has a larger limit). Like I said here in Europe, credit cards are different thing. Credit limit by default are usually one or 2 months salary and paid off automatically at the end of the billing cycle. People here who need fast debt overdraw their checking with high interest instead
My mom is older, paid for the trip, had her CC on the DCL file (usually its mine) and didnt even think about / realize how much she spent in one billing cycle.


but this thread is now making think about getting a second card for me as I might need a larger access to funds due to Covid triggered unforseen circumstances. Most cash cards have daily limits too.

 

[Cruising Engineer]

General Question: Whatever happened to the AmEx Traveler's Check? Does it even exist?

 

[PrincessShmoo]

General Question: Whatever happened to the AmEx Traveler's Check? Does it even exist?

Yes, it still exists. Not many places take them, however. "Places" as in stores/shops/restaurants. You can often cash them in in banks, but not always.

 

[tvguy]

Yeah I always make sure my CC is empty when I do big trips. normally its not an issue ( my mom doesnt travel without me, who has a larger limit). Like I said here in Europe, credit cards are different thing. Credit limit by default are usually one or 2 months salary and paid off automatically at the end of the billing cycle. People here who need fast debt overdraw their checking with high interest instead
My mom is older, paid for the trip, had her CC on the DCL file (usually its mine) and didnt even think about / realize how much she spent in one billing cycle.


but this thread is now making think about getting a second card for me as I might need a larger access to funds due to Covid triggered unforseen circumstances. Most cash cards have daily limits too.

Case in point. Just talked to my neighbors. Their son in law is from Ireland and he and his wife and two kids went there for Christmas. He tested positive at the airport for covid and they are now quarantined at his father's house for two weeks. Then they will have to repurchase their air fare home, at a much higher rate that they paid 6 months ago when they bought their tickets. At least they don't have to pay for a quarantine hotel.
I know what you mean about a second credit card. I only have one. The credit limit is high enough I think to cover any possible expense, especially since I pay it off as soon as I make a charge. But having a back up card might be smart in case it gets compromised while I am gone.

 

[dcassetta]

General Question: Whatever happened to the AmEx Traveler's Check? Does it even exist?

We no longer purchase traveler's checks, but always travel with our AMEX card. Their local offices have been very helpful on several occasions.

 

[Allison]

I never travel without a backup credit card.

 

[DisneYE]

Yes, it still exists. Not many places take them, however. "Places" as in stores/shops/restaurants. You can often cash them in in banks, but not always.

I'm down to a few Amex traveler's checks I've had from a stack for years.
Called last week to get some more mailed before our DCL cruise in March (have them as emergency for trips in case I lose my wallet with cc's) - Was told they just discontinued them as for Dec 1 2021.
You can still use the ones you have and as you say many merchants and banks still take them - But no more *new* Amex traveler's checks. - Pretty soon cash will be obsolete too. I give it 20 years.

 

[KMack]

I was in Europe for several months for work and was just days away from coming home when I got a call from the security department of my credit card who advised that my credit card had $8000 of fraudulent charges back in North America! I naively thought that my high credit limit meant that I didn’t need a second card. Suddenly, I was in Europe without a credit card because mine had to be cancelled and there was no way to send one to me as it was a Canadian bank and the card had to be sent to my home address for security reasons! Fortunately, the credit card company gave me a phone number to call for any purchases until I got home. The credit card company would do an immediate authorization for all of my charges so I was not going hungry, sleeping on the street or walking to the airport!

Needless to say, I now have THREE credit cards just to be safe.

(I lived in Germany for 6 years… their credit cards are more like charge cards in that they don’t normally carry a balance from month to month.)

 

[twopackages]

My last Disney cruise I was trying to put in my credit card at the parking terminal at Port Canaveral and it wouldn't take it. I tried a few times. No luck. I pulled out my back up card with a low limit and it took it. I immediately called the credit card company and my card was part of a data breach the night before and they cancelled the card.

I was freaking out as everything was tied to that card. My husbands card is linked to mine and they were going to cancel his too because of the link (not part of the breach) and I talked them in to waiting until the cruise was over to cancel it and that worked out thankfully.

This conversation took place as I was walking to board the ship!

 

[JWelch62]

I know what you mean about a second credit card. I only have one. The credit limit is high enough I think to cover any possible expense, especially since I pay it off as soon as I make a charge. But having a back up card might be smart in case it gets compromised while I am gone.

Our primary card was compromised during one of our cruises. I got a text from the CC issuer while on board. Luckily we had a second card that we could use to pay our charges.

Two lessons learned.
1) Don't use the primary card for one time on-line purchases (local HS CC provider was hacked).
2) Always travel with a back up card.