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wolft927

By wolft927,
in Carnival Cruise Lines

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Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Posted
Posted
3 minutes ago, jdemps said:

This staff training inconsistency is exactly why I also get cruise cash before we go.  I go to guest services to add any other gift cards over the $500 max when there isn't a line so it doesn't mess with my vacay vibe on day one!  It is still $500 max, per cabin right?

 

Yep, $500 max per cabin, per category.

 

  • Cruise Cash purchases are limited to $500 per category, per stateroom. Each stateroom can purchase Cruise Cash Bar $500, Cruise Cash Photo $500 and Cruise Cash $500 for a stateroom total of $1500.
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dallasdan

dallasdan

Posted
Posted

Do not use a Debit card.  They will put multiple holds throughout the cruise on the your card.  These will take 5 to 7 days to drop off from your bank.  Also, if you think midway through the cruise I will just pay my balance with my debit card, it doesn't work that way.  They will place a hold and then charge your card at the end of the cruise.  

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dallasdan

dallasdan

Posted
Posted

That is what I do.  I bring enough cash with me to fund our trip.  I don't use any credit cards, so when we walk off the ship vacation is totally paid.  Most of time I don't purchase any cruise cash, I just visit a kiosk after sail away and add cash.   

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Joe817

Joe817

Posted
Posted
11 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

Just read it, so i am thinking i will just set it up with cruise cash before I sail, so when i get to the terminal i already have $200 on the account. Will simply add cash as i go. 

Good idea!  👍

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Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Posted
Posted
55 minutes ago, wolft927 said:

Just read it, so i am thinking i will just set it up with cruise cash before I sail, so when i get to the terminal i already have $200 on the account. Will simply add cash as i go. 

 

I won't say what happened to me was the norm, but since that other user said they tried to force her to do it in the terminal too, then it's fair to say that some workers at some terminals think that's how we have to do it. Even if I was just unlucky, it only needed to happen once to get me to do things differently now.

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Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Posted
Posted (edited)

Here's the hold policy from Carnival's FAQ's:

 

  • The guest's credit card or debit card will be swiped at embarkation with an initial hold placed on file as a deposit; if the card is activated online, the initial hold will be placed on file on the day of embarkation:
  • 2 - 6 day cruise: $100 USD for each stateroom charged using the same credit card or debit card 
  • 7 days or longer: $200 USD for each stateroom charged using the same credit card or debit card

 

  • Throughout the cruise, additional holds will be obtained as needed when the Sail & Sign account exceeds the amount of deposit Carnival has on file.

 

VentureMan, I don't know for sure, but I wouldn't think gratuities would count towards the initial $100 or $200 hold because that would be a big portion of the hold, if not all of it for multiple people. Someone would have to look at their bank statement to see how that's handled. Interesting question. We always pre-pay ours just so we don't have to think about it.

Edited by Organized Chaos
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coevan

coevan

Posted
Posted
10 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

All you minimalists have raised a question in my mind...

Does Carnival place a hold on your credit card or debit card for gratuities at the beginning of the cruise if you have not pre-paid ? 

How about those only placing cash on their account ?

 

 

 

Gratuities are not a hold, but a charge to your account. 

 

can you sail without a credit card or debit card on file ?

 

 

yes

 
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VentureMan_2000

VentureMan_2000

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, coevan said:

 

Gratuities are not a hold, but a charge to your account. 

 

 

OK... bare with me here... I'm a bit slow...

So I board the ship.  Put zero cash, credit card, or debit card on my cabin or folio.  Carnival charges $196 to my account for gratuities on a 7-day cruise.  

How are they going to collect ?

I don't think I've ever been able to check into any hotel or other accommodations without placing a debit card or credit card on file.  

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Joe817

Joe817

Posted
Posted
28 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

 

OK... bare with me here... I'm a bit slow...

So I board the ship.  Put zero cash, credit card, or debit card on my cabin or folio.  Carnival charges $196 to my account for gratuities on a 7-day cruise.  

How are they going to collect ?

I don't think I've ever been able to check into any hotel or other accommodations without placing a debit card or credit card on file.  

If you paid for your Carnival cruise with a debit/credit card, they have it on file. I know because when I went to Guest Services after I boarded, I asked them to open my S&S account with my debit card, and was immediately told they already had my card on file. I paid for the cruise through our TA, but I prepaid gratuities and a shore excursion made through Carnival. That's how they got my card number on file....I guess. That's the only thing I can think of.

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wolft927 Great Review Rare

wolft927

Posted
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Posted

Well, this has turned into a lot of discusions and interesting questions. Well I cruise on the 26th of this month and will update everyone on how it goes. So I will either set up a $200 cash onboard account or do $200 in cruise cash. 

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VentureMan_2000

VentureMan_2000

Posted
Posted (edited)
19 minutes ago, Joe817 said:

If you paid for your Carnival cruise with a debit/credit card, they have it on file. I know because when I went to Guest Services after I boarded, I asked them to open my S&S account with my debit card, and was immediately told they already had my card on file. 

 

Thanks.  So, my assumption then is that a person really does not pay your TA directly with your CC or DC... but she uses your card to book through Carnival's TA booking site.  Hence, they have this information.  Given my assumption, then Carnival has the same requirement of all other hotel accommodation -- a card must be on file.

So... then this leads back to my question regarding holds if you only use cash (and I'm assuming that a cash person is most likely to also only use a debit card).  If my given assumption is correct, I'm sure Carnival places a hold on your debit card prior to or at boarding.  While this may not show on your folio, I bet the hold is there and that you have less available cash than you think, since the hold would use up some of the available debit card balance. 

Edited by VentureMan_2000
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Joe817

Joe817

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

 

Thanks.  So, my assumption then is that a person really does not pay your TA directly with your CC or DC... but she uses your card to book through Carnival's TA booking site.  Hence, they have this information.  Given my assumption, then Carnival has the same requirement of all other hotel accommodation -- a card must be on file.

So... then this leads back to my question regarding holds if you only use cash (and I'm assuming that a cash person is most likely to also only use a debit card).  If my given assumption is correct, I'm sure Carnival places a hold on your debit card prior to or at boarding.  While this may not show on your folio, I bet the hold is there and that you have less available cash than you think, since the hold would use up some of the available debit card balance. 

If they did, I wasn't aware of it. And looking back at my bank statements, no withdrawals were made on the account from Carnival , either before, during or after the cruise.  So...I dunno what to tell you. 

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Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

OK... bare with me here... I'm a bit slow...

So I board the ship.  Put zero cash, credit card, or debit card on my cabin or folio.  Carnival charges $196 to my account for gratuities on a 7-day cruise.  

How are they going to collect ?

 

I don't do credit cards anymore, haven't for years. I'm a cash guy. I do have a debit card, but it's never been linked to my S&S account. I only do cash, gift cards, & Cruise Cash. If you owe them money, they won't let you off the ship. If you're account is in the red, it'll alert them when they scan your S&S card that last time at debarkation. If you owe, you have to go to Guest Services and settle up.

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Organized Chaos

Organized Chaos

Posted
Posted (edited)
1 hour ago, VentureMan_2000 said:

So... then this leads back to my question regarding holds if you only use cash (and I'm assuming that a cash person is most likely to also only use a debit card).  If my given assumption is correct, I'm sure Carnival places a hold on your debit card prior to or at boarding.  While this may not show on your folio, I bet the hold is there and that you have less available cash than you think, since the hold would use up some of the available debit card balance. 

 

If you use a credit/debit card to buy something from the online FunShops, internet for example, but set up a cash S&S account instead of linking that credit/debit card to your S&S, no holds will be placed on that card just because they "have it on file." Holds aren't placed unless you link it directly to your S&S account. Because, as I said above, if your account is in the red at the end of the cruise, you can't leave until you pay up.

Edited by Organized Chaos
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Kudos2Fly

Kudos2Fly

Posted
Posted
On 1/9/2020 at 10:10 PM, Organized Chaos said:

 

I did ask the wife if she'd like to try the steakhouse sometime, but I don't know if we can pull the trigger on a $38/person meal. Yikes! OK, I admit it, we're cheapskates. 

 

If you have ever been to a 5 star restaurant it's worth once in a while. We have done it on a few cruises and loved every one we did. Although we only do it for current things. 

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