Pros/Cons of Cash Sign & Sail

[My1Day.com]

I am asking because I don't own a credit card. I do have one debit card to my checking and that is it. And yes, I use it for $3.00 purchases to get milk because I don't normally carry around cash. My debit card has always been my "go to" card. But has anyone not hooked up a CC to their sign & sail? Just paid cash? With all the craziness going on I have been checking my acct every other day since I DO use it almost daily. (Never shopped at Target, but who is to say the little food store down the street or walmart can't do the same thing). So, I have began checking it and I know there prolly won't be internet on the ship to check my balance if I used it on the ship while away. So...just wondered how it worked out.

[neon706]

My wife and I used cash on our first cruise last year and we will probably the same in the future.. Just for the simple fact you know how much you have and there are no surprises later on.

 

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[SunshineCruiser24]

I have ALWAYS set it up as cash. They can't take your cash at check in, at least not in Miami, but we went to guest services as soon as we boarded and put the cash down, it was available instantly. If you board a little later in the day, their kiosks should be up and running and you can put cash on your account there.

 

If cash is getting low, I figure out if I'm going to be buying anything else, if I plan on it, I add more. If I decide not to add more, but then find something I want to buy, I just stop at a kiosk, put the cash in, and then go buy whatever I need.

 

You can check your balance through the TV.

 

At the end of the cruise, you can either go to guest services before you go to bed and cash out your account, where they'll give you the remaining balance back, or they'll slip a check under your door the next morning.

[Aplmac]

The hardest thing about a cash account is the line-up to make that first deposit

but sometimes they'll accept the cash at Check-In before you even board the ship. :)

If that doesn't happen -and if you use your head-

there are times when the line at Guest Services on board is minimal.

I usually plunk down between $100-200 and go from there.

 

I've never paid my S&S any other way, and never shall!

 

.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Aplmac

[MsMot]

We have always used a credit card. Last year we used cash simply to see what the difference would be like. I will say that it was easier using a credit card versus cash. Using the card eliminates the need to go to guest services to add more cash.

 

With regard to using a debit card, I would be reluctant unless you have a big balance on your account. Carnival will put a hold on your card and will update the hold as you use your sign and sail card. Those holds sometimes are not released when you disembark. I have read stories about accounts being overdrawn because of the holds. If I were in your situation, I would take as much cash as I plan on using and add it to your account. Just make sure to clear your account on the last night of your cruise or you will find a check for the balance attached to your folio.

[My1Day.com]

About the Kiosks....has anyone ever had problems with them? You feed in 50.00 but it didn't show...can they view you put a 50 into it? Just wondering.

 

I don't think I would want to add cash on land at check-in. What if they don't add it and here I am sailing away and I don't even know who checked me it.

 

I know there are a lot of honest ppl in the world but it's the dishonest ones that always seem to find me :rolleyes:

[cruisin_baker]

We used cash on our dec 28 cruise and put it on my account at check in miami. Maybe the reason I was able to do this as others haven't seemed to is that when I did my online check-in, I stated I would set up my sail and sign with cash. When we checked in, the woman verified i wanted to do this, and I made my deposit. Didn't have to go to guest services to deposit.

 

 

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[MsMot]

About the Kiosks....has anyone ever had problems with them? You feed in 50.00 but it didn't show...can they view you put a 50 into it? Just wondering.

 

I don't think I would want to add cash on land at check-in. What if they don't add it and here I am sailing away and I don't even know who checked me it.

 

I know there are a lot of honest ppl in the world but it's the dishonest ones that always seem to find me :rolleyes:

 

Only used the kiosk one time during the cruise and had no problems, the cash showed up on the account instantly. Put the cash on your account with guest services as soon as you check in; you will receive a receipt noting the amount you added.

[SunshineCruiser24]

About the Kiosks....has anyone ever had problems with them? You feed in 50.00 but it didn't show...can they view you put a 50 into it? Just wondering.

 

I don't think I would want to add cash on land at check-in. What if they don't add it and here I am sailing away and I don't even know who checked me it.

 

I know there are a lot of honest ppl in the world but it's the dishonest ones that always seem to find me :rolleyes:

 

Never had a problem with the kiosk... And I've never had a problem with an atm either. I imagine if you had a problem they could probably pull the tapes, there is a camera on the kiosk.

[cruisin_baker]

About the Kiosks....has anyone ever had problems with them? You feed in 50.00 but it didn't show...can they view you put a 50 into it? Just wondering.

 

I don't think I would want to add cash on land at check-in. What if they don't add it and here I am sailing away and I don't even know who checked me it.

 

I know there are a lot of honest ppl in the world but it's the dishonest ones that always seem to find me :rolleyes:

 

When we checked in, we got a receipt with the amount we had deposited on our sail and sign

 

 

Sent from my Ipad

[Aplmac]

We used cash on our dec 28 cruise and put it on my account at check in miami.

Maybe the reason I was able to do this as others haven't seemed to is that when I did my online check-in,

I stated I would set up my sail and sign with cash.

When we checked in, the woman verified i wanted to do this, and I made my deposit.

Didn't have to go to guest services to deposit.

And as long as you get a receipt from her at Check-In, all is cool when you get on board.

 

You can always show Guest Services the receipt you were just given.

 

.

[Aplmac]

About the Kiosks....has anyone ever had problems with them?

You feed in 50.00 but it didn't show...can they view you put a 50 into it? Just wondering.

I'm an early riser so part of my routine is to swing by Guest Services at 0610 hrs.

to check on my balance and add-to if necessary.

 

At that hour, they're glad to see you and I have them all to myself. :)

Nothing beats a person-to-person transaction

- complete with a signed paper receipt from Them!

 

.

Edited January 4, 2014 by Aplmac

[SweetPea0517]

You do not want to use your debit card because of them holding your money. It will cause problems by being overdrawn.

[Jen1000]

There is internet on the ship. You have to pay for it though.

 

I am asking because I don't own a credit card. I do have one debit card to my checking and that is it. And yes, I use it for $3.00 purchases to get milk because I don't normally carry around cash. My debit card has always been my "go to" card. But has anyone not hooked up a CC to their sign & sail? Just paid cash? With all the craziness going on I have been checking my acct every other day since I DO use it almost daily. (Never shopped at Target, but who is to say the little food store down the street or walmart can't do the same thing). So, I have began checking it and I know there prolly won't be internet on the ship to check my balance if I used it on the ship while away. So...just wondered how it worked out.

[agc291]

we always use a cash acct and had never had any issues. i find it great to make sure my bf doesnt have too many drinks :) but really it is easy. if you need to add more they will tell you are out of moolah

[srjones1]

We have used cash and debit card.

 

Last cruise we used our debit card and had no problems at all until the last night. I had to go to guest services and let them swipe my card every time I wanted to use my S&S card. I found out later it was because I gave my bank the wrong dates for my trip. My account was never overdrawn. A hold was placed daily for the amount I had charged for that day and two days after the cruise every hold went away and a total amount was withdrawn.

 

The cash cruise presented no problems at all. Just keep an eye on what is spent.

[Carnival_Brides]

We don't love using our card for foreign travel, so we load usually load cash. We do it at the kiosk since very few people seem to use them and it takes no time at all. You get a receipt when you are done loading and it should reflect what you put in the machine. You can also withdraw the balance of your cash from the machine at almost any point.

[Marsidote]

I plan on using cash on my upcoming Pride cruise on the 19th. Do I need to put any money down on my daughters card (8) if I have already prepaid gratuities and am not giving her charging privileges?

 

Also, does anyone know if you can check your balance on the tv on the Pride?

[deborahjo]

Carnival has Suggestions for Downs but you can put down as much or as little as you want. Have opened a Cash Account with $300 and 2 of us sailing. Carnival will not turn any cash down. Just keep an eye on your balance in case you need to add more.

[WLHyatt]

We have always put cash on the account at check in. We have always gotten a receipt from the check in agent that showed our folio number and the amount of the deposit.

 

Never had trouble with it being there when we checked our folio number once we got to our room.

[dwightnwynonia]

On our last cruise we did a cash account but to avoid the line we bought cruise cash for a days worth of spending and applied the rest of the cash when there were no lines

 

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[mompella]

On our last cruise we did a cash account but to avoid the line we bought cruise cash for a days worth of spending and applied the rest of the cash when there were no lines

 

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How exactly does cruise cash work? I bought some today for our upcoming cruise. Do they just apply it to your S & S account or you actually get a card that has your balance on it?

[purplemusik]

My husband and I wanted to be seperate accounts for our S&S - can I be on a credit card and he be cash?

[jlindemer]

DH and I had a cash account in August. We sailed out of Tampa. We put the cash down when we checked in. We had no issues and cashed out the night before departure. I will do it this way next time.

[notawordok]

My husband and I wanted to be seperate accounts for our S&S - can I be on a credit card and he be cash?

 

Yes when you do online check in just set up an account for each of you.