Clueless First Time Cruiser with probably dumb questions

[dmdiver]

Self Service Laundry on Breeze uses S&S card, no quarters needed.  

 

As to the picture ID issue in port - they are constantly announcing that you need your photo ID as well as S&S card to get back on the ship.  Yet, every trip we see someone in port having a panic attack because they can't get through security at the dock.  You don't have to have your passport at the ones you are going to, but you do need to take your driver license along with your S&S card.  

[Sersee]

2 hours ago, kaylahszoo said:

I went to buy AARP gift cards last night & they are the physical cards now.  Last September they were e-cards.  Am out of luck this time.  10 business days minimum  for shipping.  Just got done saving $$ for it and final payment is May 14. Don't want to chance them not getting here on time.  Now I have to save up another $500 Lesson learned....

That's what I was afraid of. My final payment is the 13th so it's to late for me as well

[Crazy4Camping]

8 hours ago, Sersee said:

Thank you for the great info! I did know about the Aaro gc. Question: Do you receive them in email? How quickly? My final payment is coming up so was wondering 

I had them mail me the actual card.  I believe an e-card is available but only certain times.

[Crazy4Camping]

5 hours ago, coevan said:

 

 

I thought I read the laundry room used S&S cards, not coins

Oh I guess it depends on the ship.  We were on Fascination and it sure would've been easier if we could have used our S&S cards!

[Organized Chaos]

In regards to the AARP gift cards, in years past, they offered the e-cards (sent via email) more frequently, but it seems as though they've stopped offering them as often. Maybe with the summer cruising season upon us, they'll stock more e-cards. On average, the physical cards that are mailed to you take a week. No guarantees, but that seems to be the average time. If you order less than $500 worth of cards, they come via the Postal service. If you order $500 or more, they come UPS and require a signature.

 

22 minutes ago, Crazy4Camping said:

Oh I guess it depends on the ship.  We were on Fascination and it sure would've been easier if we could have used our S&S cards!

 

It does depend on the ship. I don't think all of them have been updated to use S&S cards in the laundry. We were on the Conquest in 2016 and it used quarters. But it's been in dry dock since then and I believe it uses S&S cards now. So they update them when they can.

 

Similar thing with the cabin safes. The older safes require a card with a magnetic strip to lock/unlock. But newer ones have a keypad.

[kaylahszoo]

8 hours ago, Sersee said:

That's what I was afraid of. My final payment is the 13th so it's to late for me as well

I just did a search of AARP gift cards & several people said that UPS delivers and they got them in a matter of a few days.  As I have another cruise in the wings, I went ahead and bought them.  Hoping they will arrive on time, but at least I know I will eventually use them.  Just hoping they get here for my May 14th payment date.  

[Crazy4Camping]

14 hours ago, Organized Chaos said:

In regards to the AARP gift cards, in years past, they offered the e-cards (sent via email) more frequently, but it seems as though they've stopped offering them as often. Maybe with the summer cruising season upon us, they'll stock more e-cards. On average, the physical cards that are mailed to you take a week. No guarantees, but that seems to be the average time. If you order less than $500 worth of cards, they come via the Postal service. If you order $500 or more, they come UPS and require a signature.

 

 

It does depend on the ship. I don't think all of them have been updated to use S&S cards in the laundry. We were on the Conquest in 2016 and it used quarters. But it's been in dry dock since then and I believe it uses S&S cards now. So they update them when they can.

 

Similar thing with the cabin safes. The older safes require a card with a magnetic strip to lock/unlock. But newer ones have a keypad.

Funny thing about that.....Fascination was in dry dock before we sailed but that was apparently one thing they didn't update.  As for the safe, ours required a card(I brought my AAA card for this)but our friends we sailed with that stayed in the cabin right next to ours had a keypad.  They also had a hairdryer, we didn't(I don't use one so it didn't matter), they got towel animals everyday but we didn't, and there was another difference but I forget what it was.  It was just strange that's all.

[pyropoodle]

19 hours ago, dmdiver said:

 

 

As to the picture ID issue in port - they are constantly announcing that you need your photo ID as well as S&S card to get back on the ship.  Yet, every trip we see someone in port having a panic attack because they can't get through security at the dock.  You don't have to have your passport at the ones you are going to, but you do need to take your driver license along with your S&S card.  

 

this is something you may or may not know, and I haven't checked Carnival FAQ yet, but I certainly will...we have 2 littles (aged 2 & 5) obviously with no photo id except their passports. will we need to take those off with us or at least copies?   now I'm curious.

[dmdiver]

Our youngest was 10 when we first cruised.  He didn't have to have photo id.  He sailed with his birth certificate and we didn't carry it off the ship.  I recommend checking Carnival's site as well as the state department's site.  I want to say they don't need photo id until they are 16, but it's been so long that I'm not comfortable with you relying on my memory.  My youngest is 26 now.  

[Organized Chaos]

2 hours ago, pyropoodle said:

 

this is something you may or may not know, and I haven't checked Carnival FAQ yet, but I certainly will...we have 2 littles (aged 2 & 5) obviously with no photo id except their passports. will we need to take those off with us or at least copies?   now I'm curious.

 

Dmdiver is right. They don't need a photo ID until they're 16. Basically, parents vouch for children under 16 when in port. Whether or not you take anyone's passports off the ship with you is entirely up to you. Some never leave the ship without it (as a "just in case"), some never take it off the ship.

 

3 hours ago, Crazy4Camping said:

Funny thing about that.....Fascination was in dry dock before we sailed but that was apparently one thing they didn't update.  As for the safe, ours required a card(I brought my AAA card for this)but our friends we sailed with that stayed in the cabin right next to ours had a keypad.  They also had a hairdryer, we didn't(I don't use one so it didn't matter), they got towel animals everyday but we didn't, and there was another difference but I forget what it was.  It was just strange that's all.

 

I think for some things, they just replace them with updated versions as needed. That's probably why your friends had a keypad safe. They've also been putting in lamps with built-in usb ports as needed. I think they're pretty much standard on the two Vista class ships, but anything older, some cabins have them, some don't. The towel animal thing was odd, especially if you had the same steward/team.

Edited May 2, 2019 by Organized Chaos

[pyropoodle]

18 minutes ago, Organized Chaos said:

 

Dmdiver is right. They don't need a photo ID until they're 16. Basically, parents vouch for children under 16 when in port. Whether or not you take anyone's passports off the ship with you is entirely up to you. Some never leave the ship without it (as a "just in case"), some never take it off the ship.

 

 

 

Thank your for this.  I did find it on the carnival website eventually.  I cruised with my son when he was two and could not remember if we had an id for him or not other than his S&S.  we never take our passports off. they stay in the safe.  we have ony taken our DL's for a pic id.  

[CoolOne56]

On 5/1/2019 at 6:32 PM, Crazy4Camping said:

Oh I guess it depends on the ship.  We were on Fascination and it sure would've been easier if we could have used our S&S cards!

On most ships, the machines are operated using your Sail & Sign card for payment. On the following ships, only coins are accepted to operate the machine; change can be obtained at the Guest Service Desk, if needed: Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Elation, Carnival Fantasy, Carnival Fascination, Carnival Imagination, Carnival Inspiration, Carnival Paradise and Carnival Sensation.