Shipboard Credit - Can you Buy???

[NJCONVCRS]

I just spoke to both my TA and CCL, and both of them told me that you can't buy shipboard credit. My cruise is paid for, but I was hoping to put some $$ on my S&S card to reduce the pain of 1 large credit card bill after the cruise. I was trying to some searches, and some say you can do this, others say you can't and other say you have to buy FunShip Dollars. Does anybody know whether or not I can buy some onboard credit, and if not, how exactly do these Funship Dollars work.

 

Thanks

[serene56]

1-800-906-7603

 

I Also got drink coupons, soda coupons and photo coupons. THe less I have to pay on my bill at the end the better

[NJCONVCRS]

serene56,

 

 

Thanks. That was too easy. The Carnival Rep also told me that if you want to do it online, you buy the funship dollars, but put your booking number in the address field, and they will apply it to your account instead of mailing them out. You can't purchase this within the last 2 weeks of departure. I'll be buying some more next month. Eases the pain of having to see the bill on the last night.

[serene56]

I have been buying funship dollars each month sine i booked my cruise. By thte time I sail I will have 700.00

 

 

(i like to have my hands on them so I know I got them)

[NJCONVCRS]

How do you use the actual paper Funship Dollars onboard? Everything is with the S&S card.

[AppleValleyCruisers]

I have been buying funship dollars each month sine i booked my cruise. By thte time I sail I will have 700.00

 

 

(i like to have my hands on them so I know I got them)

 

We put down over a grand (thanks to our wedding...) and received a check back at the end of the cruise for $445.00. It is a nice way not to have to potentially finance it through high interest credit card. I had them apply it as a onboard credit. Unlike Serene, I was afraid I'd forget them on the kitchen counter with all the packing and stuff....

[serene56]

How do you use the actual paper Funship Dollars onboard? Everything is with the S&S card.

 

you take the funship dollars to the pursers deck and fill them out- it is then placed on your account.

The back of the funship dollar says that its gotta be mailed in two week before your cruise. I never did that-- but carried them with me.

 

Unlike apple valley--- I forget nothing--lol

[cathyoo]

NJCONVCRS - When is your cruise?

Last year I purchased Funship dollars as gifts for my traveling companions (including my DH) and made sure I told my children all about them. So for Christmas I received a nice envelope with $250 Funship dollars. You might want to drop some hints if your cruise is after Christmas.

[tbag124]

serene56,

 

 

Thanks. That was too easy. The Carnival Rep also told me that if you want to do it online, you buy the funship dollars, but put your booking number in the address field, and they will apply it to your account instead of mailing them out. You can't purchase this within the last 2 weeks of departure. I'll be buying some more next month. Eases the pain of having to see the bill on the last night.

 

Has anyone ever actually done this before? Put the booking number in for the address? What about the rest of the lines that are "required"? I just don't want to place my order and have the credit go to some random place in NJ and not on my S&S account!! :) :) Thanks!!

[serene56]

Tbag-- I dont think I would feel comfortable buying credit online. Call the number above and talk directly to a person. Yes, you can have the credit applied to your account instead of buying funship Dollars.

[tbag124]

Tbag-- I dont think I would feel comfortable buying credit online. Call the number above and talk directly to a person. Yes, you can have the credit applied to your account instead of buying funship Dollars.

 

Ok, Thanks for the advice! :)

[sea wren]

we may have a chance to upgrade or get ship credits, does anyone know what options are available for credit? like, does it go on your sign & sail card, or do you get funship $$. if both which is better?

what can you purchase with ship board credits? maybe a better question would be what will they not buy? excursions? gift shop goodies? spa tmt?

thanx!

wren

[palmtre2]

How does one buy Funship dollars- with a credit card??? I'd like to try and avoid using one at all. Is there a way to send a check for the purchase?? It just seems that if I was using a card for the purchase of the dollars, I might as well save the money in a vacation account and pay off the credit card bill at the end with that??? Has anyone used a check for their purchase???

[AppleValleyCruisers]

How does one buy Funship dollars- with a credit card??? I'd like to try and avoid using one at all. Is there a way to send a check for the purchase?? It just seems that if I was using a card for the purchase of the dollars, I might as well save the money in a vacation account and pay off the credit card bill at the end with that??? Has anyone used a check for their purchase???

 

We used our debit card instead of a credit card. Same thing as writing a check.

 

Sea Wren, everything onboard is purchased through your Sail & Sign account, until about 10 PM on the night before disembarkation, if I remember correctly.

[serene56]

If using a debit card--please call the bank and make sure there is not a daily limit on the card. Example-- my card has a daily limit of 200 daily. Cruiselines put the charges in all at once- which will exceed my limit will go into holding for a few days.. also on debit cards your money might not be available for a few days after the cruise...

Cruiselines will not accept a personal check over 250.00. You can cash one personal check for 250.00 as long as its backed by an american express card.

[AppleValleyCruisers]

If using a debit card--please call the bank and make sure there is not a daily limit on the card. Example-- my card has a daily limit of 200 daily. Cruiselines put the charges in all at once- which will exceed my limit will go into holding for a few days.. also on debit cards your money might not be available for a few days after the cruise...

Cruiselines will not accept a personal check over 250.00. You can cash one personal check for 250.00 as long as its backed by an american express card.

 

Serene, I was speaking about purchasing funship $'s for the cruise over the phone prior to the cruise; But, we've both heard many, many horror stories about using a debit card to put down for the sail and sign. I think I can say we both recommend against that, eh?

[JSCruiser]

We use a credit card for our S&S account and pay it off when the bill arrives. The money earns a few extra pennies of interest in the savings account until the credit card bill comes in the mail. We do take some cash with us for tips, etc...We used to take cash for the S&S account but found putting the S&S on the credit card to be very simple.

[MamaParrotHead]

everything onboard is purchased through your Sail & Sign account, until about 10 PM on the night before disembarkation, if I remember correctly.

 

it was midnight, the night before debarking, on the Valor.

[serene56]

Serene, I was speaking about purchasing funship $'s for the cruise over the phone prior to the cruise; But, we've both heard many, many horror stories about using a debit card to put down for the sail and sign. I think I can say we both recommend against that, eh?

 

Doh!!! jet lag. Sorry--lol

[AppleValleyCruisers]

Doh!!! jet lag. Sorry--lol

 

No problemo, my friend:D

[Square]

NJCONVCRS - When is your cruise?

Last year I purchased Funship dollars as gifts for my traveling companions (including my DH) and made sure I told my children all about them. So for Christmas I received a nice envelope with $250 Funship dollars. You might want to drop some hints if your cruise is after Christmas.

OMG....BRILLIANT!

 

It will be so much easier then returning all those sweaters and socks for in-store credit that I would rather use on vacation instead.

 

Thanks for the tip,

 

Square

[surfsup]

Do I understand correctly that if I don't use all of my shipboard credit I receive a check back for the difference at the end of my cruise?

[jetskier]

Do I understand correctly that if I don't use all of my shipboard credit I receive a check back for the difference at the end of my cruise?

 

That is correct, you will be cut a check on the last night. I dont understand all the folks wanting to pay in advance. This is letting Carnival use your money and collecting interest off it. Why not save it up and then put down a cash deposit when you board. This way you will have an emergency fund available in case something happens before the cruise. A seven day cruise requires at least a $350 deposit.

Dave

[serene56]

That is correct, you will be cut a check on the last night. I dont understand all the folks wanting to pay in advance. This is letting Carnival use your money and collecting interest off it. Why not save it up and then put down a cash deposit when you board. This way you will have an emergency fund available in case something happens before the cruise. A seven day cruise requires at least a $350 deposit.Dave

 

I do this because I have poor money management skills. If the money is here I will spend it. Giving carnival 50 bucks every two weeks is not gonna kill me.

as for the required deposit. Last cruise I deposited $400.00 worth of funship dollars for the bothof us and nothing was said. Last night we got a check for 139 bucks which we immediately cashed at the pursers desk.

[mom23guys]

I too was wondering why give Carnival all that money before the cruise. I plan on putting everything on my miles charge card. I have a separate savings account that I put my vacation money in, I charge everything on vacation upto what I have in that account, and then I have the money to pay off the charge and I earn miles or Starpoints with this for my next trip. I'm getting 4 nights free at Westins and Sheratons before and after my cruise. I guess you have to have good money management skills. I just keep tract of my charges and pretend it is a debit card for my savings account. I actually do this throughout the year with my regular purchases and checking account. You'd be surprised how all those gas and grocery charges add up to significant miles. When the charge bill comes in I've already deducted the charges in my check register so All I have to do is send in the check. I'm not sure if this makes sense to others but it sure works well for us.