Sign and Sail Card Strategies

[cruisingnewb]

3 for $5? Wow much cheaper than the 4 for $12 bon voyage gift. Thanks everyone!

[Cricket63]

Someone had mentioned you can get chocolate covered strawberries from the coffee/pastry cafe and they are cheaper than the bon voyage gift from carnivals website. Does anyone know if this is true for Ecstasy and how much cheaper?

 

We were on the Fantasy in Sept. Chocolate covered strawberries were 5 for $4...and boy were they good!!:D

 

If I'm not mistaken, the ones you get from BV only come with 4 strawberries and some other chocolate dipped items.

[robwhite61]

http://www.carnival.com/BonVoyage/AddToCart.aspx?cat=giftcertificates&pid=FSD

 

type in on board credit as address 1 and your booking number as address 2 if you want it applied to your onboard account. Otherwise they can mail it to you

 

I have seen this suggestion before, but was (and still am) a little leary of it. Have you ever had any problems with it?

[tak81288]

When can I give cash for the sail and sign? I have always had to give a credit card before I got on the ship to set up the sail and sign.

 

I really don't need things on a cruise...I like to buy my smokes on board, I don't drink soda, but I like a bottle of NA wine. I ordered two bottles to be delivered along with some flowers(to cheer up an interior) from the bon voyage department.

That makes it less then then I have to spend on board. I don't drink booze anymore, and I am a coffee hound, and that's free. I get enough food on board, so I don't have to go spend more money.....I prepay my shore excursions, so I keep enough cash for tips, parking, and for food on shore(I do try to eat on board if possible.)

 

 

 

When you set up your Funpass online, choose the option that you want to have your S&S account as a cash account. When you check in at embarkment, they will verify that information. You don't have to give them a credit card # unless you want to switch the account from cash to credit.

 

Once you board, you just go to guest services and put however much you want on your account. Unless things have changed, when I cruised in May, we were told we were able to make up to 3 purchases on our cards without having any cash on them the first day so it wasn't really necessary to do it right away, but we went to guest services first thing anyway because there weren't any lines.

[elcuchio24]

I try to get as much OBC as possible. Then we don't really worry about it. We drink in moderation, don't gamble, don't buy overpriced pictures, don't go to the spa, and don't play bingo.

[travel girl23]

I always back my Sail and Sign card with a credit card but I keep every receipt so I know how much I have spent. I check them periodically throughout the cruise so I have a pretty good idea how much I have spent. Very easy to do.

[blindrid]

 

What are your strategies in managing your sign and sail account ?

 

I don't. I know pretty much how much I put on there. Last time without looking, I was within $50 when I got the bill (I guessed it was going to be $1100 and it came in at $1150). It's not that hard. I view it as no different than using a credit card at home. You know when you give it to someone.

[kiraryker]

I thought the tips were already in the cost of your cruise? Except for the ones that are added on board for drinks and such. I just remember when I paid my last cruise 3yrs ago it was included in my invoice. Maybe they don't figure that in anymore?

[MamaParrotHead]

I just always intentionally overbudget. We also do cash/debit card, no credit cards, therefore are careful to stick to our budget and USUALLY (knock on wood) have a decent amount left over to roll into the NEXT "cruise fund".

 

We're not big gamblers, nor big drinkers, but my big downfall is pictures. I know this, plan for it, plan out everything from snacks in the airport to taxi fare to room service tips. "Plan for the worst, hope for the best", lol.

[MamaParrotHead]

I have seen this suggestion before, but was (and still am) a little leary of it. Have you ever had any problems with it?

 

I've done it twice and never had a problem.

[Wyattcruiser]

I use my cc and when I get the bill pay it off.......how hard is that? And I get double points using my card on Carnival.

[blindrid]

I thought the tips were already in the cost of your cruise? Except for the ones that are added on board for drinks and such. I just remember when I paid my last cruise 3yrs ago it was included in my invoice. Maybe they don't figure that in anymore?

 

You normally have the choice between pre-paid tip (like yours) or to be added to S&S. It's normally asked when you book.

[vacation_junkie]

I use my cc and when I get the bill pay it off.......how hard is that? And I get double points using my card on Carnival.

 

I would prefer to step off the ship not owing a dime! Why pay someone interest on my money?

 

For me because I'm Canadian if I use my credit card to pay for my sign and sail account we get hit with 2 different conversion charges.

 

Plus I pay my trip / Pre-pay my Grat's , and add OBC when the Canadian dollar is almost at par for the best possible exchange rate.

[Wyattcruiser]

I would prefer to step off the ship not owing a dime! Why pay someone interest on my money?

 

For me because I'm Canadian if I use my credit card to pay for my sign and sail account we get hit with 2 different conversion charges.

 

Plus I pay my trip / Pre-pay my Grat's , and add OBC when the Canadian dollar is almost at par for the best possible exchange rate.

 

I don't pay interest when I pay off my bill.......

I save for my cruises.......I use the cc for my sail and sign all the while getting double points and when I get the bill at the end of the month I pay it off with the money I saved.......

[firefly333]

We pre-pay our Grat's..and purchase funship dollars and have them posted as OBC on your account. Our last bill was 10 cents in the end! This way you know your limit and watch your pennies a bit closer!

 

My last bill was $1.67 .. never did that before. perfect :D

 

Of course I had quite a bit of OBC.

[firefly333]

I would prefer to step off the ship not owing a dime! Why pay someone interest on my money?

 

Why assume that people pay interest .. Im betting there are a lot like me who pay it off when its due, so they dont pay a dime of interest.

 

I use a RCL VISA card, so the points count toward paying off my next RCL cruise. No double points on a Carnival cruise.

[dbenlee]

I just do what my wife says. If she says "you can't buy that" then I don"t buy it! :o

 

In reality, we don't normally buy a lot while on board and we're not big drinkers. We set a budget, knowing what we are going to spend on excursions, budgeting a certain amount for souvenirs and a few drinks. We almost always spend less than we plan for.

[sb4ever]

We're cruising on Valor during Thanksgiving and I've been booking our excursions since we booked the cruise in March. If you purchase one every other paycheck, it won't seem like such a big bite all at once. I'm less than a month out from our cruise and everything is set.

[blindrid]

I would prefer to step off the ship not owing a dime! Why pay someone interest on my money?

 

 

Ignoring the Canadian issue, you don't necessarily pay any interest charges if you pay it off in full.

[oldrailfan]

type in on board credit as address 1 and your booking number as address 2 if you want it applied to your onboard account. Otherwise they can mail it to you

 

OK, just did this - how soon will it be applied, and how will I know?

[shirleygr]

OK, just did this - how soon will it be applied, and how will I know?

 

Go to "manage my cruise" on carnival's website and click on the tab labeled "my billing". It will show up as a "booking credit". I just did this and it showed up on my booking about 48 hours after I made the purchase. HTH