Sail and Sign cards

[tilocke88]

Hi Everybody!

 

My husband and I are taking our first cruise in September aboard the Carnival Breeze. Ive done lotsss of research on this trip so far (lol) and now I have a question for yall.

 

Ive looked into all the ways to fund a sail and sign account, and we've decided to go with funding it with cash. I do know what Carnival recommends for how much to put on the account, but I want to hear what you guys think.

 

So for those who go with cash, how much do you go with? Our cruise is a 7 day.

 

And we will have an emergency credit card with us as well :) And travel insurance. Always better safe than sorry :)

[Purvis1231]

You need to make a budget and put down how much you think you will spend and a little more. I would put down at least $500.00 for the each of you.

 

Have a great time.

Edited June 7, 2016 by Purvis1231
typo

[isaiahsnana]

Only you know how much you plan to drink, spend in the gift shops, gamble + the $90+ for each of you for tips. I usually have 1 -2 drinks a day ($22/day) and spend about $30 in the gift shops - gamble only with the cash I bring for that purpose, so for me alone my bill is usually about $250 for the cruise.

[ScottsSweetie]

It's really hard to say without other info.

 

Will your tips be pre-paid? If not, these will be posted to your sign and sail account while on board.

 

Do you play bingo? Gamble in the casino?

 

Will you be buying lots of drinks? Purchasing excursions on board? Visiting the spa?

 

You can see why this question is extremely difficult to answer without knowing what you might be participating in while on the ship.

[tilocke88]

Thats all true, I didnt think of it that way when posing the question. I guess I just wanted to see on average what other people spent I guess.

 

Frankly, I dont know how much I will spend because Ive never been on a cruise. I dont know what the buy ins on Bingo are, so Im not sure I would play that, but otherwise we plan on trying to do a little of everything that we can. I drink but the husband doesnt. The husband gambles but I do very little. Im sure I will want to buy some things from the gift shops, but as Ive never seen one, I cant be sure how much lol

 

I do appreciate the follow up from everyone though! :)

 

I did pre pay gratuities, but plan on having some cash on hand for extra tips for our room steward and bartenders and so on

[jayscore]

First cruise? Congratulations on your new addiction!;)

 

Anyhoo, I'm going to assume you have done some homework about what drinks, pop, bingo, etc. can cost. If you haven't, STOP, and start searching these boards to get an idea.

Back when dinosaurs ruled the Earth, I used to carry traveler's checks in lieu of cash. Then I used cash. Now, I use a credit card, and not a debit card.

When you use cash or TC's you will be reimbursed for what you don't use. If you have an outstanding balance, you will be asked to "make good" for it.

When you use cash or TC's your first stop after boarding the ship will have to be to the Passenger Service desk to set up your account.

I used to deposit $500 for a 7 day, for two of us, and it was close. Prices have increased since then, so maybe double that.

That's a scratch at the surface, and I wish you a GREAT trip!;)

[jingels]

We usually spend around $1000 on stuff (pics, gaming, excursions, tips, drinks, etc) for a 7 day cruise. That being said, it really depends on your activities. There is no wrong answer, just what you are comfortable with.

[les37b]

We've prepaid gratuities and all taxes, cheers for me and the wife and bottomless bubbles for the kids. We wont be buying any excursions from Carnival (they are a rip off and DIY is the best deal for sure). I don't gamble (mugs game) and the thought of someone suggesting Bingo makes me fear this is a cruise for geriatrics! lol

 

I guess we might take a trip to the imax (kids will for sure) and with no intention on buying photos (we will be fully gadget loaded) and with $200 between us OBC I doubt ill be handing over too much at all. Hopefully!

 

Have lots of excursions planned for the four of us, so wont be cheap.... Just not Carnival benefitting from further spends after all my prepayments.

Edited June 7, 2016 by les37b

[riffatsea]

We don't pre pay tips. I have a couple of drinks each day and DH may have 1 also. He will do a little gambling but I don't shop on the ship at all. I may shop on shore a little. I may go to the spa once for a massage. We tip extra in cash in addition to the tips that Carnival adds each day. Our bill at the end of the cruise is usually only $300 or so.

DH is a cash only kind of guy but when we travel everything goes on a credit card that we pay off right away. It is hard to know how much cash one might need as everyone travels differently!

[doneinne]

I prepay as much as I can (tips,cheers,etc). I keep my cash for the casino separate in the safe. So I usually don't put very much in there. I don't really buy anything on the ship. Bingo is $20 a card, I believe. If you are just buying drinks a good estimate is $10 a drink x the number of drinks you think you will drink a day. Always figure a little high. At the end of the cruise you can withdrawal the left over cash from your account.

[Anyislandwilldo]

As other posters have stated, figure out your budget and go from there. We usually start with $100 on the account when we first check in. There are kiosks in the ship where you can add money to your account as you anticipate extra costs. We normally allow for one drink per day, one photo from the Pixels gallery and one bingo. Casino money is kept separate. If we purchase something from the fun ship store, visit the spa/salon, or jewelry store, then we can go and add extra money to our account. Happy sailing!

[seventhwardhustler]

You need to make a budget and put down how much you think you will spend and a little more. I would put down at least $500.00 for the each of you.

 

Have a great time.

 

this is a good number...and if you like alcohol, add a little bit more.

 

depends on what you like and BE HONEST WITH YOURSELF. better to go home with unspent money than run out. it's your first cruise so you will spend more than a seasoned cruiser.

[Galatz]

I will usually have 1-2 drinks per day if at port, 2-3 drinks if at sea, so I average $20 a day. I personally don't buy any pictures or gamble. I prepay my excursions. I do not pre-pay my gratuities. Normally my only other expenses are a couple of bottles of whisky from duty free. If you are like me $300 is plenty per person.

 

One couples massage could cost you $300+ easily, so you can see what I would spend in a week others might spend in an hour. Expenses add up quick, keep an eye on them!

[abbygail]

I start out with 300.00 for the 2 of us and then add as needed

[Doug910]

We wont be buying any excursions from Carnival (they are a rip off and DIY is the best deal for sure).

 

...Going a little off topic here, but only because I feel the OP is, as a first time cruiser, going to find this informative.

 

...IMHO, all first time cruisers, with any cruise line, should purchase their shore excursions through the cruise line. For them, it is DEFINITELY not a rip-off. Those of us with some cruising experience (I consider myself experienced by the amount of cruises in my signature) can easily walk off the ship in any given port, and without much trouble, negotiate a tour with a local driver. But, imagine for a second, the chances a first timer takes.

 

...With all the things that can go wrong (that an experienced cruiser takes for granted) such as drivers/tour operators leaving you at your destination across the island and not coming back to get you, drivers telling you that you didn't "understand the amount" of the tour in the middle and doubling the price, poor equipment and the worst chance that you can take... not making it back to the ship on time and watching it sail off into the sunset!

 

...The little extra money that any cruise line charges you, as a first or second time cruiser, is certainly worth the investment. Once you get a little more accustom to negotiating on your own, and with the help of websites such as this, I say go ahead and give the independent tour operator a try.

[originalgeek]

...Going a little off topic here, but only because I feel the OP is, as a first time cruiser, going to find this informative.

 

...IMHO, all first time cruisers, with any cruise line, should purchase their shore excursions through the cruise line. For them, it is DEFINITELY not a rip-off. Those of us with some cruising experience (I consider myself experienced by the amount of cruises in my signature) can easily walk off the ship in any given port, and without much trouble, negotiate a tour with a local driver. But, imagine for a second, the chances a first timer takes.

 

...With all the things that can go wrong (that an experienced cruiser takes for granted) such as drivers/tour operators leaving you at your destination across the island and not coming back to get you, drivers telling you that you didn't "understand the amount" of the tour in the middle and doubling the price, poor equipment and the worst chance that you can take... not making it back to the ship on time and watching it sail off into the sunset!

 

...The little extra money that any cruise line charges you, as a first or second time cruiser, is certainly worth the investment. Once you get a little more accustom to negotiating on your own, and with the help of websites such as this, I say go ahead and give the independent tour operator a try.

 

 

Sounds like good advice to me. Through the help of CC and a few other places we have a good feeling about Bodden tours in Roatan and Butts-up cave tubing in Belize booked outside of Carnival but for Cozumel I am definitely booking through Carnival to go see the ruins at Tulum. That's just way too far to be going off on our own lol.

 

As this is our first big cruise there's no way I'd feel comfortable walking off the ship and negotiating a tour but some day I plan to be in that category of cruiser. :)

[cb at sea]

Most 1st timers spend MUCH more than they think they will....bring PLENTY of cash, if that's the only means you'll have! If you don't spend it, your bank will take it back!

 

We usually bring $1500 for a week's trip....plus credit cards! We seldom spend it all, but better to have it, than not!

 

To save big $$$....research your ports, so you don't have to pay for excursions! Most things are quite easy to DIY...and it's MUCH cheaper that way! Get a guidebook from your library (no cost to check out a book!), and read it...make notes...and do your own thing ashore!

[Tminish]

This is my first time on Carnival...Usually I'm cruising NCL...But what I do on NCL is just make "payments". $25 here and there purchased for on board credit and it goes directly to my ship account so when I board the ship my money will be waiting for me.

HOWEVER....Being my first time cruising on Carnival I've done a little research. They do have something similar that you can purchase from your Carnival account online called "Cruise Cash"...So my first time purchasing it was yesterday. As I'm reading I notice...It says non refundable. Thank goodness I read the "fine" print before I paid too much ahead of time. NCL it is refundable.

I say this to ask...As a first time Carnival cruiser, what is the difference in the "Cruise Cash" that I purchased online and what you folks are talking about?

Also, where do you go to put money on your onboard account? Do you give it to the people who are taking your picture and giving you your "sail & sign" cards and checking you in? Or do you wait until you're actually onboard the ship and go to guest services? (I don't know what Carnival calls it..Sorry)...

Just curious as I believe I'll be changing the way I do things in October when I board the Glory.

[funnyfarm9988]

I just got back from Carnival Victory. My mom (a non drinker) put 300.00 and had 150 left. I am a seldom drinker (I had about 2 a day) and I put on 300 and came back with 75.00 (I purchased a few gifts on board). My daughter 18 is a spender and had 550.00 (she did not purchase the unlimited coke drinks like I told her to and spent some on that, bought a lot of pictures and frames. It depends on how you are going to spend money. You get back what you don't spend though. Remember they add gratuity in as its automatically added. My cruise was 4 days.

[ncshp955]

If you do plan on using cash (we would plan on $1000.00) for a 7 day cruise then I would also suggest if you use Verizon then look at their smart rewards and try and score some of the Carnival gift cards which can be used on your account. They are 10% off so that would save you a little right there. I have enough to pay off my cruise and get the cheers package and then put some on my account and it has saved me about $250.00. Doesn't sound like a lot but it helps. Hope you enjoy you cruise and welcome to the wonderful and additive life of cruising.

[RecoveryDude]

I agree with everyone else; it's a personal thing how much you spend. Me and my friends are in recovery, so we don't drink alcohol ... this saves a substantial amount of money! we gamble a little but bring cash for that which we keep separate in the safe so I can keep track of wins and losses. I try to keep a close eye on my account via the Kiosk. Everything "adds up" pretty quick, inc gratuities at $100 per person for a 7 night cruise.

 

All that being said ... my recommendation would be:

 

If you drink Alcohol: $500 per person for a 7 day cruise

 

I know you said you pre-paid grats, that's great. I would also pre-pay for my excursions too.

 

Have fun!!!

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude