If we don't set up an onboard charge account...

[Shelbyjane56]

thats not the norm. Most people pay tips once they are onboard.

 

Even if you decided to prepay tips (unusual) they will still not allow you to do anything until you set up the account. You wouldnt even be allowed to purchase a $1.95 coke. Everything will be charged to your account, you cant pay cash as you go.

 

 

I disagree there are quite a few people who prepay tips before the cruise, nothing wrong with that, but you do have to set up an account! Have a fun cruise!

[Bo Didly]

Some people wouldn't know a TROLL if it bit you in your ":eek:" :rolleyes:

[comeon530]

Can you imagine if everyone didn't put money down the first 24 hours:rolleyes:

I'm sure people get away with it but I highly think this is protocol......criminy they even give you the recommended amount for deposit:rolleyes:

 

First, not everyone pays cash. 2nd, most people wait in lengthy lines after embarkation to put cash on their account. 3rd, the people at check in are the ones that told me they give you up to 24 hours. If everyone waited, they would likely change this practice. Finally, why do so many cruise critic members act like they have a bug up their a**?

[dmms1114]

I am going on my 2nd cruise with 17 other family members who are all 1st time cruisers. I do have a cc to set up my families account but most of my family want to use their bank card. I've heard bad stories about this unless you have lots of money in your account. Something about taking double becaause of pending charges. I just called Carnival and asked about the "recommended" $200 pp. I asked ok how much do I HAVE to give. They said $200. So I said "ok if I say here's $200 for the whole room your telling me they won't take it?" He said " oh no that's fine." So it's settled I'm telling everyone to be prepared to put down $200 for the whole room and add cash as needed. BTW we paid grautity when we paid for the cruise also.

[firefly333]

I am going on my 2nd cruise with 17 other family members who are all 1st time cruisers. I do have a cc to set up my families account but most of my family want to use their bank card. I've heard bad stories about this unless you have lots of money in your account. Something about taking double becaause of pending charges. I just called Carnival and asked about the "recommended" $200 pp. I asked ok how much do I HAVE to give. They said $200. So I said "ok if I say here's $200 for the whole room your telling me they won't take it?" He said " oh no that's fine." So it's settled I'm telling everyone to be prepared to put down $200 for the whole room and add cash as needed. BTW we paid grautity when we paid for the cruise also.

 

Seems like awful advice to me.. they dont take double. SOME people with debit cards (not all) had holds.

 

Are these people running their debit cards so close to their charging limitations they cant put a card down. Believe me its much simplier to put down a card, than to run over your limit and have your name annouced over the loud speaker to come down and add money. Oh .. if its not paid they cant get off the ship until they square it

 

Im glad Im not part of your group if this is the kind of advice you are giving ..for everyone to set up a cash account... they must be all very poor people? or they cant do a budget for their spending money or what?? The majority of us never had problems with putting up a debit card or a credit card, and Iv done both.

[PHILHOWER005]

op...first prepaying tips is alot easier for ur party...and u do have 24 hrs to put cash on ur sail and sign card...when u get on board n want a drink or a soda u wont have a problem then later in the night when the line isnt so long then go put money on ur card...i have pt 50 dollars on initially then more later...the guidelines are suggestions...if ur drinkers u will def need to put more...as for the 17 pp in ur party it depends whos cards are linked together. if they are all above 21 yrs old i suggest they each set up there own acct

[firefly333]

I am going on my 2nd cruise with 17 other family members who are all 1st time cruisers. I do have a cc to set up my families account but most of my family want to use their bank card. I've heard bad stories about this unless you have lots of money in your account. Something about taking double becaause of pending charges. I just called Carnival and asked about the "recommended" $200 pp. I asked ok how much do I HAVE to give. They said $200. So I said "ok if I say here's $200 for the whole room your telling me they won't take it?" He said " oh no that's fine." So it's settled I'm telling everyone to be prepared to put down $200 for the whole room and add cash as needed. BTW we paid grautity when we paid for the cruise also.

 

Just for the record, the $200 is suggested, not mandatory. You can put down whatever you want, but Id put down enough to cover tips plus whatever else you plan on spending.. or you will be running back and forth covering your purchases. .. but $200 is not required pp. Maybe these are just very young people is why you mention putting down your cc for everyone? If I put up my card for my sister who is a slow learner, I say I will take responsibility but cut off her charging priviledges .. there are other ways to handle this.

[PHILHOWER005]

on one of my early cruises when i used to rush to put cash on my card the lady at the pursers desk said computers were down so i would have to come back to put money on my acct...BUT SHE TOLD ME DONT WORRY U HAVE 24 HRS TO DO THAT...so from then on i never rushed to go to the pursers desk and have never been denied a DOD on the lido deck.

[PHILHOWER005]

debit cards have always been a pain in the butt to me on the cruise ship...a have gone this route 3 or 4 times and have waited a week after we have returned home from the cruise for the bank to take the hold off of about 300 to 500 hundred dollars...cash was always the easy way to go

[vfb2girls]

We have always used a credit card to set up our account but this year we decided we wanted to go with cash. but now that I am hearing that the lines are long to set up the cash account I am not to sure on this. Can you purchase funship dollars and set it up ahead of time as OBC?

[FireMonkey]

I'm another one that always pre-pays my tips ahead of time. I also take cash to give extra to those that go above and beyond normal duties!

 

I've only run into problems once using a debit card on the ship because of the hold and that was more of a bank error (deactivated the card all together) than CCL's error.

[Chirpbird]

"...most of my family want to use their bank card. I've heard bad stories about this unless you have lots of money in your account. Something about taking double becaause of pending charges."

 

Hi there! Holds (and doubles? really?) depend on your bank. I've used my debit card as my credit card on a S&S account with zero problems. I did read on a separate thread that some folks get a prepaid card from their bank specifically for S&S. That sounded like a good idea.

[QVickiB]

Can't you also put cash right in the kiosk upon check-in? (I "believe" I saw people doing that, but not positive)

[Unknotted]

It's true. You have 24 hours. They probably wouldn't allow large amounts of purchases, but you can get a few drinks or make small purchases.

 

Firefly, I don't think it's so unusual to prepay the gratuities. We have done this. I like to prepay as much as possible. I'm not going to lower the amount, so why not prepay them?

 

Me too. It might not be the majority of people, but I know lots and lots of people do prepay gratuities. When I get on the ship I don't want to have to worry about going over budget, and this is one of the ways I do it.

[tak81288]

We have always used a credit card to set up our account but this year we decided we wanted to go with cash. but now that I am hearing that the lines are long to set up the cash account I am not to sure on this. Can you purchase funship dollars and set it up ahead of time as OBC?

 

Yes, you can purchased obc ahead of time. Depending on when you get onboard the lines may or may not be bad...On my last sailing I went to guest services right away and there was no line...Same with the excursion desk, but we were the 2nd zone to be called so that may have had something to do with it.

 

As already mentioned, you have 24hrs to put $$ on your account though, but you can only make limited purchased during that time. When we used cash, we were told we could make 3 small purchases without cash that first day. I can't remember off the top of my head the dollar amount you can purchase that first day, but if you just needed a soda or something without cash on your account on that first day, you would be fine..

 

If you see a line, you can always come back. We had no issues with lines and things, but I'm sure it varies from sailing to sailing and the time of day you are trying to visit guest services.

[vfb2girls]

Yes, you can purchased obc ahead of time. Depending on when you get onboard the lines may or may not be bad...On my last sailing I went to guest services right away and there was no line...Same with the excursion desk, but we were the 2nd zone to be called so that may have had something to do with it.

 

As already mentioned, you have 24hrs to put $$ on your account though, but you can only make limited purchased during that time. When we used cash, we were told we could make 3 small purchases without cash that first day. I can't remember off the top of my head the dollar amount you can purchase that first day, but if you just needed a soda or something without cash on your account on that first day, you would be fine..

 

If you see a line, you can always come back. We had no issues with lines and things, but I'm sure it varies from sailing to sailing and the time of day you are trying to visit guest services.

Thanks for the reply, we are sailing during spring break so I can only imagine that it will be crazy busy! I like the idea of having OBC waiting for us before we even get on the ship.

[dan40]

I always use a credit cards, in fact I'm all but cashless in every transaction, anywhere. But if you do want to set up a cash account, the simple solution is to set up a credit or debit card account at check in. No lines, no waiting and the deed is done. THEN on the last afternoon or evening of the cruise, go to the purser's desk and pay off the account with cash. DO NOT wait until the last morning, endless lines.

[cfand3boyz]

We already have $100 OBC. Does this mean a sign and sail account would be already set up for us?