Credit Card payment - surcharge query

[DuffNCustard]

I called Cunard today to pay the balance owing on my holiday. I intended to pay by VISA credit card but was informed that there woudl be a £90 fee! I know that there have been changes implemented this month regarding what can be charged, cna Cunard charge this? If not then I'll go back to them and challenge it

[ericsbrother]

they can charge you for the cost of accepting payments by credit card, which is no more than 3%. If £90 represents the card processing costs then it is OK. If it doesnt I would pay £100 deposit on a credit card and the balance by other means. you still get full protection that way without having to pay Cunard to accept your money. Many companies make thi charge as they know they will have to answer to the CC companies if they fail to provide the service paid for wheras with any other payment method they can argue, delay and offer vouchers rather than pay up unless forced to.

[DuffNCustard]

ahhh - all clear and many thanks for posting. I did pay the deposit by credit card, what I didn't know was that doing so would give me full protection.

[ericsbrother]

so you paid £3000 as a deposit? they cant charge you CC fees on monies not taken from the card.

[DuffNCustard]

No the deposit was a lot less than that just over £1k, they charged me £16 and a few pence for using the visa card. The balance is just over £6.5k, to pay this by visa they would charge £90.

[Migster]

Our card fees at work (that we are charged by our acquirer) are c. 1.5% for credit cards, so £90 for £6.5k sounds about right.