Carnival Cash, where do I see it & how to use.

[LucyB.]

Yesterday my Mom asked if she could help us out w our cruise.She purchased us a Carnival Cash card. (& paid off our small balance, I sobbed). How do I check to make sure its there? I know its not refundable but that's it. Is it just automatic on my SS card on board? Does that get used first? I plan to use my credit card to add additional funds between now & our sailing,bc i know that way is refundable. Its been almost ten years since my only other cruise.Thanks in advance.

What about bar cash? Does the system know I've purchased the bar cards? We don't drink enough to justify the Cheers program, but not worrying about a few DOD,s would help me plan & budget.

[Shaded Lady]

God bless your mom!

 

If you buy Cruise Bar Cash, you have to spend it on drinks. You can’t substitute anything else. If you buy Cruise Photo Cash, same thing… you must use it on pictures. Whenever possible, buy just plain Cruise Cash- it can be used for anything onboard.

 

If you don’t spend your cruise cash, you lose it. But there’s a workaround I was counting on.

 

DH & I waited til we knew we had nothing more to spend, and yet we still had $120 in cruise cash left. We went to the casino and were able to get it all back, so if you have cruise cash left here’s what you do:

 

• Go to a slot machine in the casino, insert your S&S card and set up a casino account if you haven’t already (just need your name, DOB and your S&S card). Deposit the amount left in cruise cash into your casino account (it always uses cruise cash first before any other money on your account).

 

• Once the money is in your casino account, you can play some if you want. We didn’t bother after 1 turn each- but we still won $5! Then we just opted to cash out on the slot machine.

 

• We took our S&S card to the casino cashier and told her we wanted to cash out our account. They gave us the $120 cash (plus $5 we had won!)

 

So I can say that we came out ahead in the casino… plus I’ll never hesitate to buy cruise cash in advance again.

[AndyT3]

God bless your mom!

 

If you buy Cruise Bar Cash, you have to spend it on drinks. You can’t substitute anything else. If you buy Cruise Photo Cash, same thing… you must use it on pictures. Whenever possible, buy just plain Cruise Cash- it can be used for anything onboard.

 

If you don’t spend your cruise cash, you lose it. But there’s a workaround I was counting on.

 

DH & I waited til we knew we had nothing more to spend, and yet we still had $120 in cruise cash left. We went to the casino and were able to get it all back, so if you have cruise cash left here’s what you do:

 

• Go to a slot machine in the casino, insert your S&S card and set up a casino account if you haven’t already (just need your name, DOB and your S&S card). Deposit the amount left in cruise cash into your casino account (it always uses cruise cash first before any other money on your account).

 

• Once the money is in your casino account, you can play some if you want. We didn’t bother after 1 turn each- but we still won $5! Then we just opted to cash out on the slot machine.

 

• We took our S&S card to the casino cashier and told her we wanted to cash out our account. They gave us the $120 cash (plus $5 we had won!)

 

So I can say that we came out ahead in the casino… plus I’ll never hesitate to buy cruise cash in advance again.

 

Good to know, thank you!

[Cruzlover7]

You should be able to see your available credit on your TV or check it at the kiosk. Typically when gifted with cruise cash you'll receive a printed notice in your cabin. The sender may or may not include a message.

 

 

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[LucyB.]

Thank you all! Great to know about the casino. I do plan to play.

And yes, thank God for Moms! I was truly touched, surprised, & very grateful.

[louanne93]

We purchased $500 in cruise cash and $200 in bar cash on our cruise last August. YES the cashing out in the casino works for the cruise cash! We purchased the extra bar cash because we wanted to have the whole cruise paid off ahead of time. We couldn't even drink $200 in bar cash. We ended up buying a few pitchers of beer for some Veterans in the Red Frog Pub. I liked having everything paid off!

[LucyB.]

I'm hoping between now & October my bank account won't need to be touched. I'm going to purchase some bar cash. We also got OBC w our booking. Can't I add cash to my SS account prior to sailing? I tried looking where to do that earlier. I already set up my SS account. Any help there? Thanks so much!

[louanne93]

I'm hoping between now & October my bank account won't need to be touched. I'm going to purchase some bar cash. We also got OBC w our booking. Can't I add cash to my SS account prior to sailing? I tried looking where to do that earlier. I already set up my SS account. Any help there? Thanks so much!

 

Go to your online account and go to the Fun Shops. You can purchase cruise cash or bar cash. Super easy! It will be all set up when you get onboard.

[n6uqqq]

I'm hoping between now & October my bank account won't need to be touched. I'm going to purchase some bar cash. We also got OBC w our booking. Can't I add cash to my SS account prior to sailing? I tried looking where to do that earlier. I already set up my SS account. Any help there? Thanks so much!

 

Just add your cash when you check in to get on board. Easy peasy no hassles about having to go to Casino to get any unspent money back. Why buy something that is use it or lose it that offers zero benefits over good old cash? If you want to save some money and Have Verizon buy theirCarnival gift cards for 10% off. You don't have to worry about losing gift card money and you save ten dollars for every hundred you buy. Good deal!

[OklaGirl32]

First timer here-

What's the difference between Cruise Cash and Bar Cash?

 

I bought a $100 Carnival Gift Card through Verizon for $90 a few days ago (woohoo!) so I can just add this to my S&S account when I get on the ship, right?

[maryred]

First timer here-

What's the difference between Cruise Cash and Bar Cash?

 

I bought a $100 Carnival Gift Card through Verizon for $90 a few days ago (woohoo!) so I can just add this to my S&S account when I get on the ship, right?

 

Cruise Cash is a non-refundable use it or lose this cruise only form of On Board Credit. It can be used towards purchases from any department or service fees on the ship, except from the Future Cruise Desk and the Art Auction (both these need a form of refundable funds in case you wish to cancel). Because this is non-refundable purchases are capped at $500 per cabin.

Bar Cruise Cash is basically the same thing but can only be used for purchases and tips to the beverage department. It can be used for the different beverage programs, including Cheers (but if you wait till on board to purchase it is $5 more person per day), Bottomless Bubbles, and Cruise the Vineyards. Photo Cruise Cash is again the same idea but for use only on purchases from the Pixel Photo Gallery.

Any of the Cruise Cash is fine, especially if you receive it as a gift from someone else and know it will be completely spent will on board, but due to it's nature it is not the best way to save for on board spending on a cruise. The Carnival Gift Cards are much better as self budgeting tool, not only can they be used to fund the on board spending account, but they can be used prior to boarding. The GCs can be applied to finish paying off the cruise booking, prepaying the daily service gratuities, booking excursions, setting spa appointments, buying beverage packages (including the Cheers at a discount), and in room gift purchases. Most of these can be accessed through your Cruise Manager, but to prepay the service fees that requires a call to Carnival if not opted in for at booking. Best of all if not used completely the remaining balance is reissued that they can be used on a future cruise (even to initiate the booking) or passed on to someone else cruising Carnival.

Other benefits of purchasing the Carnival GCs is often you can find them at a discount or purchase them in stores that gather you bonus perks with that retailer. AARP and Verizon Wireless both offer the cards at 10% off by using loyalty points, several credit cards offer them completely paid for with their points, and multilpe grocery stores run specials where you get fuel coupons or other bonus buys with a GC purchase. Other retailers just offer the convenience of being able to purchase them in small denominations in person like Lowes sells $25 and $50 cards.

[Shaded Lady]

Never worry about 'use it or lose it' on a Carnival ship... whether it's Cruise Cash, On Board Credit (OBC) or gift cards, if you have a balance toward the end of your cruise you don't expect to use, you can simply add that amount to your casino account then cash it out. I've done it and it was very easy.