S&S questions... (new cruiser)

[Melody80]

Can someone explain the whole s&s thing? I understand its a card you use to buy things on ship but thats about it. Ive searched the Carnival web site but cant find anything. Ive read hear that they put a hold on your credit card linked to the S&S for a certain amount before you even sail. How much is it for a 5 night cruise? And what if you dont have a credit card. We will be cruising with someother couples and they dont all have a credit card. Do you have to have a S&S card?

 

And as a side question, how is tipping handled? When I cruised 5 yrs ago they told us the recomended amount to tip eveyone. I thought I read somewhere that that is not how they do it anymore.

[SouthernCaribbean]

Can someone explain the whole s&s thing? I understand its a card you use to buy things on ship but thats about it. Ive searched the Carnival web site but cant find anything. Ive read hear that they put a hold on your credit card linked to the S&S for a certain amount before you even sail. How much is it for a 5 night cruise? And what if you dont have a credit card. We will be cruising with someother couples and they dont all have a credit card. Do you have to have a S&S card?

 

And as a side question, how is tipping handled? When I cruised 5 yrs ago they told us the recomended amount to tip eveyone. I thought I read somewhere that that is not how they do it anymore.

 

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/Static_Templates/EMB_sail_and_sign_boardingcard.aspx

For your convenience, charges for most of your onboard purchases are made to your Sail & Sign® account. A required application form will be included with your documents. Registration for this program will occur at the time of embarkation. Carnival accepts American Express, Visa, MasterCard, Discover Card and cash for deposit on your account. A deposit (ranging from $100 to $350 depending on cruise duration) will be required for cash accounts.

 

If you are using a credit card or debit/check cashing card please be advised that there will be a hold placed on your account as a deposit for your onboard purchases. During your cruise additional holds will be added if your Sail & Sign® account exceeds the amount of deposit Carnival has on file. If you presented a credit card, this will reduce the amount available on your credit card for other purchases. If you presented a debit/check cashing card, the hold will restrict the available cash in your checking account. All charges will be billed to the credit card or debit/check cashing card at the end of the cruise.

 

BOARDING CARD

 

Your Sail & Sign Card will serve as your Boarding Card. This card identifies you as a Carnival guest and must be carried with you along with picture identification when you go ashore. Because the ship is closed to the public while docked at the various ports-of-call, you’ll have to show your Sail & Sign Card and picture I.D. to the officer on duty in order to return on board.

 

 

 

What is the tipping policy onboard?

 

Guests can pay their shipboard gratuities in one of two ways:

 

1. Reverse Gratuity Policy - For our guests' convenience, we automatically add the recommended gratuities to the onboard Sail & Sign account on embarkation day.

 

Guests will have the discretion to adjust these gratuities based upon the level of service received during the cruise. This includes the option to adjust gratuities (up or down) for any individual on the Dining or Housekeeping staff. In order to do so, the guest will need to visit the Information Desk on board.

 

2. Pre-Paid Gratuity Policy - Gratuities are pre-arranged and paid at the time of booking or any time up to two weeks prior to the sail date.

 

All guests on each booking must prepay the gratuities, with the exception of children under two. The pre-paid gratuities can not be removed once the booking has been ticketed. The guest will not have the option to adjust the gratuities (up or down) based on the level of service received during the cruise.

 

The dollar amount of the gratuities will appear in the Miscellaneous Charge field on the booking. The guest copy on the cruise ticket will indicate if gratuities have been paid.

 

The total amount will be $10 per guest, per day, which breaks down as follows:

 

• $5.50 pp/pd for Dining Team Service (Headwaiter and Waiter)
  
• $1 pp/pd for Bistro Service (Waiter/Cooks)
  
• $3.50 pp/pd for Cabin Services (Cabin Steward)
  

Tipping the Maitre D' is strictly at guest's discretion, based upon services rendered. For guests who wish to extend this gratuity in cash, an envelope will be available on the last evening of the cruise.

 

Tipping still applies regardless of the dining options selected, such as eating at the casual dining restaurant or utilizing room service.

 

Bar Waiters, Deck Stewards and Bell Boys - Certain personnel, as noted above, may be tipped as service is rendered. A 15% gratuity is automatically added to beverage purchases which the guest may adjust appropriate to the service received.

 

Note: Guests under two years of age are not required to extend gratuities.

[Melody80]

:o Thank you! I guess Im not to good at 'surfing' Ive looked all over ther site!

[jckvpa0]

:o Thank you! I guess Im not to good at 'surfing' Ive looked all over ther site!

 

It's not you, their sight does not make it easy to find this info. When you do a search for Sail & Sign card that info does not come up

[Melody80]

A couple question -

 

How much deposit is requiered for a 5 day cruise? Is the deposit the same for cash and credit?

 

What do you need cash for on the ship, or can you buy everything with S&S.

 

How do most people handdle tiping

[tankersbabe]

I'm curious....do Travel Agents not go over this stuff with folks when they book?

 

When I booked with Carnival for my first cruise, they went into this very detailed.

 

When I booked this time with another agent, she went into it with me.

 

it's scary to think that people are going to show up totally unawares...

 

 

OK...here goes...

 

You really should have a credit card to secure your S&S. You can pay it off with cash or travellers checks (what we do) before the end of the cruise to keep it from going to your credit card bill, or you can let your charges ride and greet you at home in a few weeks. This gives the ship insurance that you are indeed going to pay for that drink, or that excursion.

 

The ship puts a hold on your credit card to start the trip to make sure you have enough room on it to purchase said items...depends on how long your trip is, as to how much they put a hold. A four day was $100 per person I believe, so a 5 day should be $150 or so per person to start off with.

 

If you apply cash to the S&S to start out with (you can do that, you don't have to have a credit card), you will be required to give them a set minimum amount, and they will contact you when you start getting close to your limit on your spending.

 

Tips are applied to your S&S the first day. $10 per day PER PERSON is automatically billed to you. You can chose to remove these or decrease them if you feel service was not up to standard. I prepay my tips when I make my final cruise payment. Makes my S&S a lot less, and I tip extra if I feel the service warrants it at the end of the cruise. I just let my travel agent know that I am prepaying my tips, and it is done and over with.

 

You need small bills to handle tipping the porters at the pier and tipping room service personnel.

 

Have fun!

[Melody80]

Im sorry I wasn't clear. We havn't booked this cruise yet. Being the first cruise Ive planned I was trying to do as much research as possible. My SIL and BIL want to go with us as well but are on a very limited budget. I want to be able to tell them about ALL possible expences. Im sure when we book Carnival will go over every detail with us, I just wanted to let them know what to expect.:)

 

Will we each have our own s&s card and acount or will my husband and I share one?

[tankersbabe]

Im sorry I wasn't clear. We havn't booked this cruise yet. Being the first cruise Ive planned I was trying to do as much research as possible. My SIL and BIL want to go with us as well but are on a very limited budget. I want to be able to tell them about ALL possible expences. Im sure when we book Carnival will go over every detail with us, I just wanted to let them know what to expect.:)

 

Gotcha!

 

Stick to these boards to get the full story.

 

On top of your cruise price...here are other things to consider.

 

Trip insurance...highly recommended. If you have to be medievaced off of the ship, it can run upwards of $25,000. Your private insurance may not pay for you outside of the country. Also pays for events that can impede you from cruising...death in the family, airline problems, illness, etc...can run $65-$200 per person depending on your cruise.

 

Parking $10 per day at the pier.

 

Shuttle/Cab service if you fly.

 

Tips $10 per day per person.

 

Excursions if you choose...$35-$150 per person depending on the excursion.

 

Hubby and I consider parking, insurance, and tips as part of our total cruise price....

 

Book early, check often for deals, and have fun! That's the way to save money!

 

Stef

 

PS...you will both have your own S&S card...with your picture on it. You can attach a different credit card to each one though and not share the 'account'.

[Cotton]

Melody, I think you're being wise by coming here and gathering all the info you can PRIOR to booking your cruise. There are so many little helpful hints, and you'll know pretty much what you want before booking.:) I always book with a Carnival PVP, but it's nice to be able to ask specific questions, and to know what to expect.

 

I understand tight budgets. I like to travel, and do other trips besides cruising, so I'm very careful where my money goes...or doesn't go, so I can travel more.

 

Yes, you will each have your own S&S card. It will also serve as your ID when re-boarding the ship after ports.

[Melody80]

Thank you so much! You guys have been so helpful. This board is really making the planning easy and enjoyable rather than the stress I was expecting;) .

 

So we will each have our own card but will it be linked to the same account or will we also have our own accounts?

 

(What does PVP stand for?:o)

[tankersbabe]

Thank you so much! You guys have been so helpful. This board is really making the planning easy and enjoyable rather than the stress I was expecting;) .

 

So we will each have our own card but will it be linked to the same account or will we also have our own accounts?

 

(What does PVP stand for?:o)

 

You can link it to the same account, or keep it separate. You make that choice when you check in to board.

 

PVP is peronal vacation planner...it's who you deal with when you call Carnival directly to book.