Sail and Sign Card

[aggieastrosfan]

Same for me - and you get DOUBLE points for anything you spend on board. I always use my Carnival MC for S&S. I'm getting $100 OBC plus I'll have some points left over to get something else. I was hoping for a spa credit, but I'm not going to have enough for that.

 

I just save up what I'm going to spend and when the bill comes, I pay it off. Easy-peasy!

 

If you can save up 15,000 points, you actually end up getting triple points for Carnival purchases. The redemption rates goes up to 1.5% when you hit 15k points - so instead of using it for a $150 OBC, use it as a rebate towards a transaction, and those same 15k points are now worth $225. :)

 

 

Meredith

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[Missywantstotravel]

We've always used a credit card for our Sign & Sail account. I've read too many horror stories about people using their debit cards and having a problem with their bank because of the holds that are placed on them. For our upcoming cruise, we've used our credit card for the online check-in process to establish our S&S account. But, we also have some cash saved up for the cruise. Between the cash we have for the cruise, and the OBC that we've gotten (as a result of Carnival's sale), our bill at the end of the cruise should be pretty close to zero. Just FYI, if you don't want to use a credit card, and are nervous about carrying a lot of cash with you, you could get travelers' checks to pay off your account.

 

So we can put money on the account using a travelers check? We don't necessarily have to have cash? I don't have a cc, only the debit card, and don't want a hold placed on it.

[jvitatoe26]

So we can put money on the account using a travelers check? We don't necessarily have to have cash? I don't have a cc, only the debit card, and don't want a hold placed on it.

 

Also on the topic of Travelers checks, it is easy to get these cashed at Guest Services, correct?? For example, would it be a simple process to get a travelers check cashed if we wanted to cash one in order to use cash at the next port??

 

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[Tbay-eh]

Also on the topic of Travelers checks, it is easy to get these cashed at Guest Services, correct?? For example, would it be a simple process to get a travelers check cashed if we wanted to cash one in order to use cash at the next port??

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

I actually cash mine at the casino - no lines, no waiting,

[westview1]

I put my debit card to fill out the Fun Pass and then pay in cash before the end of the cruise. You get a statement early on the last day. It will show a $0.00 balance. I have a credit card but prefer to use it only for emergencies.

 

If you have a credit of under $5.00 they will donate it to St. Judes Hospital for Children unless you ask for the refund. I think it's a new policy, but it was clearly stated in writing.

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Do you put cash against your card , or credit card or debit ? I heard with credit cards they will put holds against it

 

 

 

We put our AmX down on our Legend cruise had low S&S charges so went and paid it off in cash on our morning of debark. When we arrived home, later that day, there was no hold on my AmX and no charges put towards it. If they did in fact put a hold on a certain dollar amt on my CC, it came off pretty quickly. If I remember correctly, our S&S was around $375 which was 2 excrusions, Steakhouse, gift shop and bar bill. We did pre-pay our grats so that had been taken care of. I'm not sure when they actually charge the card but as of the final morning of a 7 day cruise, we were still able to pay it off in full.

 

 

 

:)

 

 

:)

[beachbum53]

So we can put money on the account using a travelers check? We don't necessarily have to have cash? I don't have a cc, only the debit card, and don't want a hold placed on it.

 

Yes. A traveler's check is the next best thing to using cash.

 

Also on the topic of Travelers checks, it is easy to get these cashed at Guest Services, correct?? For example, would it be a simple process to get a travelers check cashed if we wanted to cash one in order to use cash at the next port??

 

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

We've never had a problem cashing a traveler's check cashed at the Guest Services desk. However, if there's a long line, and you don't want to wait, do like Tbay-eh suggested and go the cashier's window in the casino. Or go when Guest Services isn't real busy.

[NS-Cruiser]

On our first cruise in 2008, we used a credit card, and had a BIG hold (a combination of several smaller holds) in the same amount as the total...(which was also charged as one amount, so we were effectively charged twice!)

 

The holds did not get released for THREE WEEKS after we had returned home:eek:.

 

This may be due to the fact that we are Canadian and deal with a Canadian bank, may take longer to get released... I had called the bank, and they told me that it was up to the vendor (Carnival) to drop the holds, and not up to the bank... they have no control of when the vendor will release the holds.

 

Ever since, we have simply withdrawn cash, put it down on the S&S card, then either cashed out on the last night and closed our on board account... or cashed their check the morning of debarcation, if there was a line at guest services on the last night.

 

OBC helps, and we are putting less cash down each time, and getting more back each trip as well... (I guess we are spending less each time)

[aggieastrosfan]

On our first cruise in 2008, we used a credit card, and had a BIG hold (a combination of several smaller holds) in the same amount as the total...(which was also charged as one amount, so we were effectively charged twice!)

 

The Carnival CC shows temporary authorizations online, not all cards do this. It is really interesting to see the madness involved in obtaining authorization. Some days there's one, other days there's three - some are for the cost of one drink, others are an entire days' worth or purchases. To sum it up, there is no method to their madnesses- but as you have seen, the holds add up to the final bill, or very close to it. So even someone using a CC with a $500 limit may have trouble using it for their S&S account, especially since the types of cards that come with those limits will charge you over the limit fees even if it's just temporary authorizations that put you there.

 

 

 

Meredith

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[askimdog]

We have done both. Doesn't make a difference to us really. 3 of us in the family, we have done 3 cruises and those cards are basically just room keys for us. 3 cruises and our S&S not counting gratutities have been between 15-30 per cruise.

[iheartmarshall]

Additional questions on this topic... is there a minimum amount you have to apply to your S&S card when you get on the ship? And are there penalties for using cash?

 

I ask the second question because on a previous vacation, I wanted to pay off the remaining hotel balance with cash and the hotel made me pay an extra $100 as a cash deposit that I got back at the end of my stay. It irked me losing an extra $100 of my spending money, but I had no choice since I was paying that way. Just curious if you use cash for your S&S card if it works similar.

 

EDIT: Just read on Carnival's website that if using cash, a deposit of $100 - $350 will be made. So, does that mean that if I want to put $200 cash on my S&S card that I have to put an additional $100 - $350 on it as a deposit? Sorry if the answer is obvious; I'm a newbie and I haven't quite mastered it yet!

[FlaGrl4Evr]

Additional questions on this topic... is there a minimum amount you have to apply to your S&S card when you get on the ship? And are there penalties for using cash?

 

I ask the second question because on a previous vacation, I wanted to pay off the remaining hotel balance with cash and the hotel made me pay an extra $100 as a cash deposit that I got back at the end of my stay. It irked me losing an extra $100 of my spending money, but I had no choice since I was paying that way. Just curious if you use cash for your S&S card if it works similar.

 

EDIT: Just read on Carnival's website that if using cash, a deposit of $100 - $350 will be made. So, does that mean that if I want to put $200 cash on my S&S card that I have to put an additional $100 - $350 on it as a deposit? Sorry if the answer is obvious; I'm a newbie and I haven't quite mastered it yet!

 

 

 

You would just put X amt of $ down on your acct and I'm pretty sure that they notify you when you are getting low. On some ships, you can access your account via the cabin TV. This makes it nice to verify that all of the charges to your acct are accurate and no double billings.

 

 

:)

[Max Circus]

The ships with the TV access to your account make it easy to verify your purchases because I have had a couple of cruises where there were charges we didn't make. Alot easier to take a quick check each day and make sure nothing strange shows up. Otherwise, you can always get a printout at guest services.

 

When we were on Carnival Ecstasy, I saw where they had a kiosk in the lobby where you could print it yourself. Anyone know if that is fleetwide option now?

[mumtopugs]

We use cash. It's very easy to budget. We usually visit the kiosk when we get on and get a refund or settle up the night before. That's how my non-cruise life works, too- debt free!

[westview1]

The ships with the TV access to your account make it easy to verify your purchases because I have had a couple of cruises where there were charges we didn't make. Alot easier to take a quick check each day and make sure nothing strange shows up. Otherwise, you can always get a printout at guest services.

 

When we were on Carnival Ecstasy, I saw where they had a kiosk in the lobby where you could print it yourself. Anyone know if that is fleetwide option now?

 

I don't know if the kiosks are fleet wide, but, on the Splendor last week, one of the kiosks was spitting out sail and sign statements. Another passenger was standing there catching the paper and throwing them out. I did go to Guest Services to let them what was happening. I'm not sure how much longer it continued to malfunction like that.

 

I did use the kiosk to change money into smaller bills and found it convenient.

[DISNEY1975]

hello! I actually dont use credit cards, only debit or cash. As such, I have been wondering what everyone warns about regarding debit card holds. if you wouldnt mind sharing your experience, Id love to hear it to prepare myself for anything that can happen.

 

People say that the cruise ship will put a hold, above what your purchases are, on your debit card and that hold could stay on for weeks. (Example, they hold $500 and in the end your purchases are $250. The cruiseline will not "unhold" the other $250 for several week...according to some people)

 

My experience has never been what is stated above. Ive never sailed on Carnival, but have on NCL, RCI and Disney. I used debit my first cruise because I was young and my CC only had a $1000 limit! I did not have an issue with the holds.

 

Second cruise, many years later, I had a few CCs, but because I did not have an issue the first time and wanted everything paid immediately, I used debit again. Again, no problems.

 

3rd and 4th cruise..no problems. Upon return, only what was charged was taken from my account. Did they have a bigger hold while I was sailing? Maybe. Not sure if I have a great bank that takes off hold immediately, or the myth of the giant hold is untrue. At any rate, I do suggest having much more than you plan on spending in the account and bring a CC for backup if you can.

 

My latest cruise was NCL June 2012. If something has changed since then, I wouldnt know.

[trulytracy]

Lots of good information in this thread. Thanks! One more question:

 

My family group will have three cabins. I want all of the charges to go to one credit card--mine. From my TV, would I be able to see all the charges from all the cards or will each cabin be a separate account going to the same card, but unrelated otherwise?

[dburdan]

Lots of good information in this thread. Thanks! One more question:

 

My family group will have three cabins. I want all of the charges to go to one credit card--mine. From my TV, would I be able to see all the charges from all the cards or will each cabin be a separate account going to the same card, but unrelated otherwise?

 

Everything is by Folio number. Each cruiser has a Folio number and that is what you can see the charges by regardless of the backing card. I believe that is how it was in June on Legend.

[big_duck]

Lots of good information in this thread. Thanks! One more question:

 

My family group will have three cabins. I want all of the charges to go to one credit card--mine. From my TV, would I be able to see all the charges from all the cards or will each cabin be a separate account going to the same card, but unrelated otherwise?

 

The primary chargee will have all charges show up on their folio, but it won't be broken down by who charged what. To get that info you would need to check the individual folio numbers.

[Cyber Kat]

If you can save up 15,000 points, you actually end up getting triple points for Carnival purchases. The redemption rates goes up to 1.5% when you hit 15k points - so instead of using it for a $150 OBC, use it as a rebate towards a transaction, and those same 15k points are now worth $225. :)

 

Good to know - thanks! I don't think I'm going to make it before my next cruise, but I am looking to buy a new laptop ... so it's a possibility!