HAL hold on Credit Card
 

So I register for my HAL panama canal cruise today (never sailed on HAL) and on the website they tell me they are going to place a hold of about 1700 bucks for potential onboard expenses. I dont think that is cool, there is a cash option. From experience do you think I can get away with picking cash option, then just pay with credit card at end of cruise? To me this is just over the top. thanks in advance for your opinions.

This is over the top unless the hold is for final payment. When is the cruise? If it is coming up in the next 90 days or so then I can understand they charging or putting a hold on your card.

If it is truly for "potential" onboard expenses this is ridiculous and lowers your available credit. I would call HAL and get it clarified.

Take care,
Mike

Never heard of this.
DO ensure that any "hold" to reserve funds is released before you come to pay your final bill, someone didn't do this for us once & the card was rejected as insufficient funds (in the days of much smaller limits)

Thanks for your opinions so far.

I just booked this cruise yesterday, paid for it in full, then when I register this credit card hold for potential expenses for both of us of 60 bucks a days pops up, the website stated the hold is standard this occurs when you pick cash or credit card option.

Have you guys traveled with hal before. I am thinking of changing my edocs and say I will pay with cash, then at the end of the cruise just give them my credit card.

I am not happy about this, it is standard on their website during the edocs process, i just booked and paid for a 14 day cruise in full within three weeks of departure and these guys are slapping a hold on my card for potential expenses

Me and the Mrs. We are not drinkers, (we will bring our own wine) we dont take excursions through the cruise line, so our final bill is just tips anyway.

Depending on your limit it doesn't really matter I suppose, they don't actually TAKE the money just register an interest sort of thing. Bloody nerve though!! I wonder if other cruiselines do this but don't tell you??

Most cruiselines put a hold on your credit card.
If you pay cash , you'l be asked tp put a cash deposit down.
The amount is about the equivalent to paying your gratuities for the
cruise.
What do is purchase on board credit (OBC) to the amount that would expect to spend.

HAL
 

Change the registration to "cash" payment and when you check in, change it to a c.card, or put up the minimum cash deposit after boarding and add to it when needed onboard, then finalize bill on the last night with c.card. All HAL is doing is putting a "hold" on your c.card at the time of sailing, not before.

Experienced what? A hold on future gratuities (before you go?) Or a hold once they swipe your card when you board?

Well I have been very fortunate and this is our 9th cruise, first with HAL. I never had a hold placed before. I went to the website to change my preference to cash, thinking I could out smart them, (then at the end of the cruise say oh i have no cash but here is my credit card) but then the website said I would have to bring 1680 in cash for deposit at the time of embarkation.

We all have our own pet peeves, I am not happy about this. We dont spend that much money on board anyway but this time I will not even buy the pictures.

You want to put a hold my account HAL, ok I wont spend any money on your cruise ship. I bet if we all did this, that hold policy will change pretty quick.

Actually what I am going to try to do when we get onboard at check in, is tell them we dont want any charging priviledges on our room keys, that way in theory a hold would not be necessary.

It's not so much the "hold", which should be upon boarding, NOT now, but especially the AMOUNT. WHO says you'll spend $60 a day? Never heard of anything like that. Assuming tips are $10 a day, that ONLY comes to $280!! How can they put a hold now, in case you don't get to be on board for whatever reason? That's why they scan and activate a CC at boarding.
Did you sign up for any tours with them?
If you go to cash option, the cash must be handed over at boarding. NO ONE to my knowledge is on the honor system while on board. There must be money in some form in an account.

Credit card hold
 

Placing a hold on your credit card is something that all cruise lines do, but as others have said I think they will start at boarding, not 60 days in advance. You might want to get clarification on this from your Travel Agent.

It is also something that all hotels do and even some gas stations. It is simply to assure the cruise line that you have sufficient credit available to cover your expenses.

It would be possible, for example, for a passenger to check in with ample credit available and then make a major purchase ashore which maxed out his credit card and left insufficient limit for paying the cruise charges. The cruise line is simply protecting themselves against stuff like that. Just be sure you have a big enough credit limit to cover the hold. Not a big problem.

I appreciate all opinions, what might not be a big deal to some is a really big deal to me.

Some confusion though, I never said they were holding 60 days prior to departure, (i just bought the cruise two days ago) they will be holding 60 bucks a day for each person begining at embarkation. so at day one they will place a hold for 1680, 60 bucks a day for 14 days for two people.

I could see a hold for 500-700, not 1600. I will handle it my own way and I will just remember I already paid for an all inclusive, I will not spend one dime more on board because of this over the top policy.

In addition I have never adjusted the tip fee before, but due to this hold policy, if I am not satisfied I aint paying for service I did not receive.

I'm calling you out HAL if this is the way you want to play, bring it on. You probably lost about $500 in additional revenue from me, cause I aint playing your game.

Again I never had such hold placed on my card with any other cruiselines.

I have never to my knowledge has such a hold placed on a card prior to boarding.

Getting a little touchy, huh?:rolleyes:
1st off, you said you booked it 2 days ago for a cruise in 3 weeks. Agree.
You NEVER said it was at embarkation, you insinuated the hold was starting immediately and that's part of what ticked you off!
A hold is standard procedure on all lines, perhaps you weren't aware of it.
It still is baffling how they came up with their numbers. It's strange no one has brought it to anyone's attention about dissatisfaction about a "huge" hold before.
And Hal cruisers have not chimed in to agree nor disagree with the policy of an extra large "hold".:confused:
Holding tips in NO WAY will hurt the cruiseline, just the workers. You will be going on this cruise and be one of "those" who sees the negative, rather than the positive. And I wonder how many people on board you will ask about this "hold" policy and what they think of it.:cry:

I cruised HAL on a 7 day cruise last year and their system made me aware during the on-line check in process, that they MAY place a hold equivalent to $50 pp pd on my cc.

This was not an issue for me but if I was checking in a family of 5 on a 10 day cruise - that could mean a 'hold' of $3000 (using the $60 figure) - hey that is a lot - surely they must have an upper limit?

I believe all cruiselines do this as MercedMike says when you check into a hotel they do the same thing - maybe HAL are more upfront?

I agree with Ruth - don't vent your frustration on the staff - it is not their fault.

Annie

ps Everyone should remember that figure when booking their RTW cruise :)

No I never insinuated anything, it was pure miscommunication that is why I cleared it up, however you did assume.

Secondly from my culture and my backround, of word, honor, handshake, well that could be why it bothers me so much.

In the past we of course always paid for pre-paid tips, even though we had some issues along the way. Now if there is an issue this time, well I will not pay for a service that I did not receive. Along ways away from taking anything out on a staff member. I am just stating a fact that I am not going to pay for anything unless I received the service.

touchy, yeah this policy really is ticking me off, if you understood my backround and culture you might have a better understanding.

Not here to argue just to state my opinion and to find out opinions of others

My opinion of the situation might be different from yours, thats cool

& your background & culture is?....

This likely is a situation you don't have full control over, that's the problem as I see it.

I come from a culture where your word is your bond, period. I just paid for a 14 day cruise a few weeks before departure in full, I am good for it, 1680 is way over the top. You know, no use to rehash, it is what it is

Again other opinions may very, that is cool

What difference does that make?

JMHO - I deduce that cruiselines have been 'burned' with a few unsettled on board accounts - and they have introduced the policy as a result. Nothing personal.

I do think however that there should be a max hold that can be placed on a cc.

Imagine a couple on a RTW cruise - 90 days - the hold would be $10800 - ouch!

Annie

Everyone pays for their cruise a few weeks before departure, if you book one late you have to. Don't see why anyone would need to reserve/hold an amount of money on a CC before you even get on the ship.

chill out dude, the problem the real problem, regardless of how you see it. Is that I dont want a 1680 hold on my account. Dont see how that cannot be clear, but hey you can think whatever you want.

There is a minimum cash deposit that must be provided AFTER you board......I have done it in the past. I put up $500 - $750 cash when boarding and when the funds get depleted or are running low.....a note is placed in stateroom to replenish the funds... YES, it can be done !

This might help to explain a little

"If you do not want to use a credit or debit card, the ship will collect a cash deposit from you at time of boarding in the same amount as credit card payers (USD $60/person/day multiplied by the number of days of the cruise). ***Note - With the cash option, you MUST bring enough cash to cover the $60/person/day account deposit. Failure to do so may forfeit your right to board. Any excess deposit will be refunded to you at the end of the cruise. Traveler's checks may be cashed at the front office to make your deposit. Personal checks are not accepted on board." (comes right from HAL site on edocs registration page)

One way or another HAL wants a deposit of 1680 upfront on the day of the cruise, not a portion of, not 500-700 which is reasonable, they want this deposit before you board the ship.

If you don't register a card they want cash up front...who wouldn't? If you do register a card they want to know that you have sufficient funds available & if you have, they want to know they will be able to draw what they estimate you may spend, I think this is common practice in the hotel industry. I was confused too, I thought they put the charge on when you booked.

Hmm well when I go to dinner at a restaurant, I am never ask for a hold on my credit card before I eat, Hmm at a hotel after I already paid for the room and I am asked if I would like to place the credit card for incidentals, it is not demanded. Hmm when I go to a baseball game and already bought tickets I dont get a hold placed on my account in case I buy hotdogs, Hmm etc, etc, etc, So as to "who wouldnt", well many business's that respect their customers would not do this. In fact for me and my experience it has NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE ON MY 8 OTHER CRUISES with other cruiselines.

Beg to differ with you on the hotel comparison.... "Most hotels/motels" DO REQUIRE a c.card imprint for incidentals.....

A hold on my card