Florida, credit card woes

by **Andy J** on Fri Aug 28, 2009 07:05 am

I am thinking of taking my daughter to Disney World for a week in November, we,ve seen some decent prices from major operators staying on resort, the major tour operators offer an option of coach transfers instead of hire car which suits me as I don't really want a car, as it happens I don't have credit cards neither do I want any so it seems a hire car is out of the question anyway.

Now to the point.

I was frequenting another forum (non holiday related)and was categoricaly told by someone who travels to the States often that if you don't have a credit card in the States you will be treated like a something they've just stepped in, I frankley find this ridiculous, is it true? if it is they why do Americans put such status on a comercial product that is designed to make money out of people and why aren't cash or debit card payments appriciated in the same way.

As a side note, why can I hire a car from a reputable hire company in the UK with just a debit card yet it's not good enough in the USA.

by **HW tenpin** on Fri Aug 28, 2009 09:34 am

Hi Andy,

I have traveled all over the US, and used cash everywhere.

Although I did use a credit card for cars, however you can hire a car if you put down a cash depoisit (was $1000).

Parks, Attractions Hotels resturants still take the almighty dollar.

Many places also accept US Dollar travelers checks. Please be aware that not many places like $100 bills.

If you want a car try Alamo, booking in the UK brfore you go, take out the Gold Insureance and quick pick-up & drop off.

Staying on resort will mean free transport to Parks, and beleive me after a day there you will not want to wander far at night.

by **Andy J** on Fri Aug 28, 2009 11:17 am

Why such huge deposits, you are already paying for the hire, you are then paying an extrtionate amount to insure it so I would assume accidental damage would be covered, anyone that does malicious damage will surley be guilty of a criminal offence anyway, cars are checked while you are there so I'm a little confused, call me cynical but could it be that they will look for reasons to not refund your $1000, the last time I hired a car, about 6 months ago all I needed to pay was £100 deposit.

by **GinaEHanson** on Sat Aug 29, 2009 15:28 pm

One advantage to using credit cards is you can dispute a charge--for example, for defective purchases, service problems, etc.

by **Andy J** on Sat Aug 29, 2009 19:09 pm

[quote="GinaEHanson"]One advantage to using credit cards is you can dispute a charge--for example, for defective purchases, service problems, etc.[/quote]

For me there is no advantage to having a credit card, I hate the things and don't see why they should be given such status as proof of ID etc. I will never be persueded that they are a good thing, they are a comercial product designed to make money for finacial institutions, I do not see why I should need a credit card to travel, I have a debit card, if that or cash ain't good enough in the States then it's quite simple, I will no go, I'll take my money to the Red Sea instead.

I have spoken to Thompson and Thomas Cook and they both categoricaly state that you do not need a vredit card in any of their accomadation, apart from private villas, a debit card prefurably a Visa Debit or Visa Electron will do just fine.

by **tsuser** on Mon Aug 31, 2009 12:45 pm

Andy J,

I'm no great lover of credit cards, but they can and do offer protection if services are paid for and not delivered. If you pay in cash you have no such protection. Use a credit card wisely i.e. don't use it to withdraw cash and pay of the entire balance each month and the cost to the user is nil.
Most car hire companies require either a credit card imprint or a very large cash deposit (if they will accept a cash deposit at all) before they will release a car. If you can afford that cash deposit then fine, but I don't want to come home with a mass of foreign cash and then lose out even more when converting it back to Sterling.

by **Andy J** on Tue Sep 01, 2009 06:38 am

I allready said I wasn't interested in having a hire car, we don't go on holiday to go shopping so cover on purchases is not an issue and I have a debit card so no need to convert lots of spare money back to stirling.

The whole reason for my post was that I had been told by a few people that basicaly there is no point going to the states if you don't have a credit card, I have since found out that this is utter BS both Thompson and Thomas Cook have assured me that the only time you do require a credit card swipe is for the hire car (which we don't want anyway) the only accomadation they sell that requires a credit card swipe are villas and this is clearly stated in the holiday details both in brochure and on website. They did say that some places do require a swipe of some sort of chargable plastic however most of the major debit cards will suffice but they prefer a card with Visa on it, even Visa Electron is not a problem.

by **HW Bex** on Tue Sep 01, 2009 08:37 am

Over my recent visits to the states, I have swiped a card at the front desk for room charges only. I pay at the end in cash/travellers cheques. Always have.

The swiping of the card is a pretty standard thing, I mean, there are those few who run up a bill and then run out on the bill at the end. It's standard practice to take a swipe if you don't pay up front, it's the same over here for room charges.

My last visit to Disney was the same. I had pre-paid for my accommodation in the UK and they just asked for a card for room charges. When I settled my bill for those charges, they asked me how I wanted to pay and I paid in cash.

It was the same in New York, swipe a card for room charges then I paid cash at the end.

If you don't want to charge the room, dont.

You won't be treated any different from any of those who are using cards.

Green is Green and they still take it - everywhere!

Book your holiday and have a great time ;-)

by **Andy J** on Wed Sep 02, 2009 08:20 am

Cheers, it appears that a credit card is a must if you book everything independantly, but not so much of a necessary if you go through a major tour opperator, to be honest if we were going as a couple I would look at saving money by booking flights and accomadation seperatly but as a family we would rather pay the extra and know we have the backing of a major opperator should anything go wrong.

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