A few random questions!

[MickeyG]

Our family will be taking a cruise in late December. Our last cruise was about 4 or 5 years a go. I have a few questions I hope you might be able to answer.

 

1. During the embarkation process, do I need to put cash on our Sail and Sign card or can I use my credit card as a means for paying all expenses on our S&S card? If this is the case, I probably will not have to bring along a lot of cash on board the ship.

 

2. Are all tips (waiter, room steward, maitre d) placed on the S&S card automatically? If memory serves me correctly, I believe I put cash in envelopes for the various people who served us on board.

 

3. We are a family of four and I assume all S&S cards can be put on one credit card?

 

4. Our son just turned 18 and will probably spend some time in the casino. He will be using his own money for this. Can he use cash or does he have to use the S&S card for any gambling?

 

We are paid in full for our cruise, as well as for the shore excursions. I was wondering if there is a certain cash dollar figure that a family of four should bring on board the ship? As I previously mentioned, it has been awhile since we cruised and our kids have gotten older (ages 16 & 18). Any ideas or suggestions would really be appreciated. Many thanks! :)

[cuyahoga11]

Our family will be taking a cruise in late December. Our last cruise was about 4 or 5 years a go. I have a few questions I hope you might be able to answer.

 

1. During the embarkation process, do I need to put cash on our Sail and Sign card or can I use my credit card as a means for paying all expenses on our S&S card? If this is the case, I probably will not have to bring along a lot of cash on board the ship. Credit Card is OK

 

2. Are all tips (waiter, room steward, maitre d) placed on the S&S card automatically? If memory serves me correctly, I believe I put cash in envelopes for the various people who served us on board.Added to onboard account except for maitre d

 

3. We are a family of four and I assume all S&S cards can be put on one credit card?Yes

 

4. Our son just turned 18 and will probably spend some time in the casino. He will be using his own money for this. Can he use cash or does he have to use the S&S card for any gambling?He can use cash

 

We are paid in full for our cruise, as well as for the shore excursions. I was wondering if there is a certain cash dollar figure that a family of four should bring on board the ship? As I previously mentioned, it has been awhile since we cruised and our kids have gotten older (ages 16 & 18). Any ideas or suggestions would really be appreciated. Many thanks! :)

The ship itself is cashless except for the casino and arcade, just figure cash for ports

 

Have a great cruise

[MickeyG]

Thanks, Diana....very much appreciated! :)

[redpelican]

Yes, you can use a credit card for your S&S card. I do believe this will work for all in your room. The tips are put on your account the last day of the cruise. You will get an envelope on the last night for the mate'r de.(i don't think that is spelled right). We still gave cash tips to our room steward, but that is up to you. My sister also tipped our waiter on the last night of the cruise, again up to you.

As for the casino, when were on the Glory this winter you could use cash, but the ships are all going to the S&S card system. It's fairly simple to do, but you may want to let you son know his limit as it will be taken off your credit card also. You can always go and add cash to your S&S card.

As for the amount of cash you take, it depends on your spending in the ports. We found that the vendors would dicker the price a lot more if you had cash. We took 1000.00 for a 7 day cruise, but that was also casino money because we were going to Atlantis in the Bahamas.

Have fun and Happy Cruising!

[salty dingo]

1. During the embarkation process, do I need to put cash on our Sail and Sign card or can I use my credit card as a means for paying all expenses on our S&S card? If this is the case, I probably will not have to bring along a lot of cash on board the ship.

 

Credit cards are generally used. You can use cash if you prefer but most people seem to use CCs.

 

2. Are all tips (waiter, room steward, maitre d) placed on the S&S card automatically? If memory serves me correctly, I believe I put cash in envelopes for the various people who served us on board.

 

You no longer need to stuff envelopes. Tips are automatically added your onboard account.

 

3. We are a family of four and I assume all S&S cards can be put on one credit card?

 

You assume correctly.

 

4. Our son just turned 18 and will probably spend some time in the casino. He will be using his own money for this. Can he use cash or does he have to use the S&S card for any gambling?

 

The casino is one of the few places where cash is needed. So he can just go and give the dealer a bill and get playing chips.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Yes, you can use a credit card for your S&S card. I do believe this will work for all in your room. The tips are put on your account the last day of the cruise. You will get an envelope on the last night for the mate'r de.(i don't think that is spelled right). We still gave cash tips to our room steward, but that is up to you. My sister also tipped our waiter on the last night of the cruise, again up to you.

As for the casino, when were on the Glory this winter you could use cash, but the ships are all going to the S&S card system. It's fairly simple to do, but you may want to let you son know his limit as it will be taken off your credit card also. You can always go and add cash to your S&S card.

As for the amount of cash you take, it depends on your spending in the ports. We found that the vendors would dicker the price a lot more if you had cash. We took 1000.00 for a 7 day cruise, but that was also casino money because we were going to Atlantis in the Bahamas.

Have fun and Happy Cruising!

 

Just a little correction. The tips are charged the first day of the cruise.:)

 

Bill

[MickeyG]

Thanks again for everyone's responses. You have been very helpful.:)

[WinnieinWA]

I bring $25.00 in ones and $50.00 in fives for tips such as taxi, excursions, room service etc.

 

Happy sails:)

[AK Wife]

Tips are put on your S&S card automatically, but you can remove them if you choose to pay your tips in cash. You can get envelopes at guest services. When we plan on giving more than the standard tip, we prefer to give the cash straight to the receiver, along with a HUGE thank you!

 

And yes, all S&S cards can be put on one credit card, but you can decide who has S&S privileges. When we cruised with our teens, we did not give them S&S privileges. If they saw something they wanted in one of the shops, they needed to clear it with a parent. We bought the soda cards the first day and there was no other reason for them to have S&S charging privileges. Worked out great!

 

Have fun cruising!

 

Twila

[S.S.Oceanlover]

Tips are put on your S&S card automatically, but you can remove them if you choose to pay your tips in cash. You can get envelopes at guest services. When we plan on giving more than the standard tip, we prefer to give the cash straight to the receiver, along with a HUGE thank you!

And yes, all S&S cards can be put on one credit card, but you can decide who has S&S privileges. When we cruised with our teens, we did not give them S&S privileges. If they saw something they wanted in one of the shops, they needed to clear it with a parent. We bought the soda cards the first day and there was no other reason for them to have S&S charging privileges. Worked out great!

 

Have fun cruising!

 

Twila

 

This works fine unless you have anytime dining. Then you need to take cash every night since you may have different waitstaff every night.

 

Bill

[WinnieinWA]

This works fine unless you have anytime dining. Then you need to take cash every night since you may have different waitstaff every night.

 

Bill

 

So true and I like the fact that with my daily service charge, tip, takes care of everyone including the buffet people. I'd never remove the service charge, tip, but have tipped a couple bucks extra to an exceptional waiter.:)

[Quampapetet]

I'd recommend bringing cash to use in the ports. There are a lot of little booths and shops that don't take credit cards, plus there are places you don't want to use a credit card because some ppl there will steal your card's info. (they swipe it on a machine to get the info. as well as swipe it on the credit card machine - or they take the card out of your sight and steal the number - this happens in the States, too).

[jetskier]

Also keep in mind that your son can also pull money from the S&S account while using the slot machines. The S&S card is also used to track slot play. It is also the Player's Bank for transferring winnings between machines or cashing out of a machine. The slot machines onboard do not pay out in cash.

Dave

[pjhootch]

You can also designate limits on each sign and sail card. We did this for our three kids. Even if you use the same credit card for the whole thing, you can designate a spending limit. You just have to figure out the tip amount for each person and then tell them what the overall spending limit is for each S&S card. For our 17 year old kids we allowed them $15 a day for specialty coffee or virgin drinks or soda (they don't really drink much soda). The limit you designate to the S&S card is not daily, it is for the entire trip- so the kids were allowed $15 a day, or they could choose not to buy any specialty drinks and blow the money in the gift shop, but when the limit was hit- it was done. Since our tips were $70 per person, the kids had a limit of $175.00 for their S&S card.

[MickeyG]

Am I right in assuming that when you assign your credit card to your S&S card when you check-in during embarkation, you have to take a certain dollar amount from that credit card and put it onto the S&S card. Then, when the balance on the S&S card goes below a certain dollar amount you deduct more money from your credit card and put that new amount onto your S&S card? Or, can you choose to not put any money on your S&S card and just have the total amount incurred on the S&S card at the end of the cruise transferred to your credit card?

 

I hope I am soemwhat clear in what I am asking. Thanks again for any help!:)

[redpelican]

Am I right in assuming that when you assign your credit card to your S&S card when you check-in during embarkation, you have to take a certain dollar amount from that credit card and put it onto the S&S card. Then, when the balance on the S&S card goes below a certain dollar amount you deduct more money from your credit card and put that new amount onto your S&S card? Or, can you choose to not put any money on your S&S card and just have the total amount incurred on the S&S card at the end of the cruise transferred to your credit card?

 

I hope I am soemwhat clear in what I am asking. Thanks again for any help!:)

You will be charged daily for every amount on your S&S card. You do not have to give them a certain amount daily, unless you want to limit the kid's purchases. This just limits the amount they can spend(kind of like a parental control) and has nothing to do with your credit card, other than it will be charged. You can keep up with all your charges on the TV in your room.. At the end of the cruise, they will deliver a folio to your room that will be charged to your card.

[MickeyG]

:) Thanks Redpelican....I did not know if I had to pull money from my credit and place it on my S&S card at the beginning of the cruise in order to establish a reserve for daily expenses.

[jenng1976]

:) Thanks Redpelican....I did not know if I had to pull money from my credit and place it on my S&S card at the beginning of the cruise in order to establish a reserve for daily expenses.

 

Hi there - that's not quite right. You will give them your card # at the beginning of the cruise. Then during the cruise anything you buy will go on your Sail & Sign account - but your credit card will not be charged until the end of the trip for the entire amount for the week.

 

You do not need to transfer any money over for daily expenses.

 

If you want to gamble in the casino, you may (if you want), transfer money from your S&S account to your players bank at the casino to gamble with. Or you can use cash.

 

Hope that helps clear it up!

[MickeyG]

Thank you very much Jenng...Our family cruised about 4-5 years ago and I couldn't remember how the money situation worked...and thanks for the info about the casino. :)

 

Thanks to everyone for your thoughts regarding my questions! :):)