Cash backing my Sign & Sail....What about tips?

[croozluv]

Hiya all you VERY SMART CruiseCritic-ers! (That *is* the technical term, right?):D

 

Going on the Legend and I'm basically a first-timer - only been on a weekend cruise years ago.

 

My Sis is going with us with her three children - two teens and one 4 year old. I understand that the 4 year old can go on her Sign and Sail without charging privileges. But what about the teens? She'd like them to be able to spend a bit - she's given them each $100 to spend in the stores/laser tag/etc on the ship. She's also agreed to buy each of them a soda card. Then, of course there are tips (and she has no problem paying tips for children - she realizes how hard the staff works for her kids - she works hard for them as a single mom!)

 

Ideally, they could have their own SS card backed with cash. So for instance:

 

Soda Card: $48.30

Tips: $92.00 (Is this correct? We are sailing the Legend itinerary...Not sure!)

Spending: $100

Total: $240.30

 

She DOES NOT want to put them on her Sign&Sail because hers will be linked to her credit card. I'm under the impression if she uses cash, once the cash is gone, the card will not work any longer, so it's a good way of "limiting" the teens.

 

HOWEVER, what about the tips? Don't they charge the tips the last day? Will they allow the kids to blow through the tip money on the days prior to charging it? She is against pre-paying tips as a friend had a bad experience with this.

 

HELP!:confused:

[purplekisses]

I have a 13 year old and the tips were charge for the cabin to my account, I put cash on his card for him. I used my card to buy his soda card on the Legend last March. So all that was on his card was his spending money. Legend was a great cruise. Have fun.

[helicopter]

I have always (except for once) prepaid the tips, but I did notice on that trip they were taken out daily. She can always call and prepay the tips (up to very close to sail time) and that would eliminate the need to be concerned about that. If the kids are in a separate room she can go to their room and check out their spending habits on the tv using their folio number.

[bzpilot]

You can have any dollar amount limit put on any card, whether it is backed by cash or credit card.

 

She just needs to go to Guest Services and let them know that all tips and the soda cards get charged to her account and at the same time she can put $100 limit on the 2 teens cards and have it charged to her credit card too. This way she doesn't even need to worry about cash.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

You can have any dollar amount limit put on any card, whether it is backed by cash or credit card.

 

She just needs to go to Guest Services and let them know that all tips and the soda cards get charged to her account and at the same time she can put $100 limit on the 2 teens cards and have it charged to her credit card too. This way she doesn't even need to worry about cash.

 

OP stated her sister does not want the charges associated with her account that is backed by her credit card.

 

Bill

[bzpilot]

OP stated her sister does not want the charges associated with her account that is backed by her credit card.

 

Bill

 

I understood this but it would seem she did not know she could put a limit on the kids Sail & Sign cards. It would not make much sense to care otherwise.

 

The point I was trying to get across was about the limit, not that she had to use her card to do it, just that she had the option of not worrying about carrying around cash beforehand. If she still wants to use cash fine, but she should still put the limit on the teens cards because without the limit applied it will allow them to charge over the cash amount (I believe by $50) before it will stop more charges - even with a cash deposit.

 

http://www.*****/Carnival/info.html

 

Sail & Sign Card

 

• You will receive your Sail & Sign Card when you first check-in at your port of departure.
  
• "Sail & Sign" is Carnival's onboard cashless credit program, which allows you to charge all your services, gratuities and purchases during your cruise to your cabin. Your Sail & Sign Card is also your cabin key.
  
• All locations on board will accept your Sail & Sign Card for payment; the casino will also accept cash.
  
• A credit card or cash deposit is needed to establish your Sail & Sign account. The initial credit card hold is: $100 for a 2-4 day cruise, $200 for a 5-8 day cruise, and $350 for a 9 day or longer cruise. These amounts are also recommended, but not required, for those doing a cash deposit. You have 24 hours to place cash on your account once you are checked in. You can still use your Sail & Sign card for purchases during those 24 hours (up to $50 total). The line at the Guest Services desk to place cash on your account can be quite long immediately after boarding, it may be worth waiting till later since you can still use your card for 24 hours - the Guest Services desk is open 24 hours a day too. You can set spending limits and check the status of your account at any time.
  
• Your Sail & Sign Card also serves as your Boarding Card. This card identifies you as a Carnival guest and must be carried with you along with your picture ID 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 ID to the officer on duty in order to reboard the ship.
  

[croozluv]

without the limit applied it will allow them to charge over the cash amount (I believe by $50) before it will stop more charges - even with a cash deposit.

 

Whoa! :eek: I had no idea they would let you charge OVER your cash deposit amount. That makes NO SENSE at all! How do they get you to pay if you go over? (Example: I reserve a cabin, pay in full, cancel that credit card, pay cash to secure my SS). Then what? Seems like bad business.

 

I didn't know she could put a limit on their card....thanks for the info!

[serene56]

the 4 year old will have their own sign and sail card- they need that to get on and off the ship.

 

You can place cash on the kids sign and sail cards BUT even though it is not tied to the main account holder--since they are minors you still will need to be responsible for charges.

 

it can happen they go over.

example-- they can go buy 3 choc strawberries then hurry to the arcade and spend 50 bucks before those strawberries had a chance to hit the account.

5 minutes later they are buying a round of frozen foo foo drinks for all their friends.. The card now just went over what was the limit.

 

 

For us-- when we sailed with kids-- they got a soda card and I turned of spending, They did not even see the arcade. Nothing they can really want or need to buy onboard.

[S.S.Oceanlover]

I understood this but it would seem she did not know she could put a limit on the kids Sail & Sign cards. It would not make much sense to care otherwise.

 

The point I was trying to get across was about the limit, not that she had to use her card to do it, just that she had the option of not worrying about carrying around cash beforehand. If she still wants to use cash fine, but she should still put the limit on the teens cards because without the limit applied it will allow them to charge over the cash amount (I believe by $50) before it will stop more charges - even with a cash deposit.

 

http://www.*****/Carnival/info.html

 

Sail & Sign Card

 

• You will receive your Sail & Sign Card when you first check-in at your port of departure.
  
• "Sail & Sign" is Carnival's onboard cashless credit program, which allows you to charge all your services, gratuities and purchases during your cruise to your cabin. Your Sail & Sign Card is also your cabin key.
  
• All locations on board will accept your Sail & Sign Card for payment; the casino will also accept cash.
  
• A credit card or cash deposit is needed to establish your Sail & Sign account. The initial credit card hold is: $100 for a 2-4 day cruise, $200 for a 5-8 day cruise, and $350 for a 9 day or longer cruise. These amounts are also recommended, but not required, for those doing a cash deposit. You have 24 hours to place cash on your account once you are checked in. You can still use your Sail & Sign card for purchases during those 24 hours (up to $50 total). The line at the Guest Services desk to place cash on your account can be quite long immediately after boarding, it may be worth waiting till later since you can still use your card for 24 hours - the Guest Services desk is open 24 hours a day too. You can set spending limits and check the status of your account at any time.
  
• Your Sail & Sign Card also serves as your Boarding Card. This card identifies you as a Carnival guest and must be carried with you along with your picture ID 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 ID to the officer on duty in order to reboard the ship.
  

 

you were quite right . cudos.:)

 

Bill