Cruise Cash vs Cruise Cash Bar

[Carl Nival]

I didn't know this before tonight, but the maximum amount of Cruise Cash I'm allowed to purchase before my 6-day cruise on June 16th is $500.  So I've started buying Cruise Cash Bar.  I expect that 99.99% of my expenses on the cruise will be bar-related.

 

How do I have the Cruise Cash Bar spent first, and then start dipping into the general Cruise Cash?  Do I need to make a bee-line to Guest Services when I get on board the ship? Or do you do it at check-in?  

 

Thank you in advance.

[bury me at sea]

I am under the impression, though I don't know why, that the bar cash will automatically be used first for bar purchases.

 

I hope someone who has experienced this will chime in.

 

Have you considered simply adding gift cards or cash to your account after the cruise cash is depleted?

Edited May 14, 2019 by bury me at sea

[Purvis1231]

Bar cash was developed for someone not one the cruise to be able to buy you a drink as a gift. There is no real advantage in buying for yourself except as a savings tool. I would buy discounted gift cards from AARP Rewards for Good and save 10%.  Enjoy your cruise. 

[crewsweeper]

Cruise cash or discounted gift cards for OBC are better ways to go.  If you get Cruise Bar Cash, you must use it all during the cruise (not too difficult but... as it's not transferable. 

Some correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe unused cruise cash or OBC can be transferred or returned to you. Not that we've ever had any left, LOL.

[Schoifmom]

@crewsweeper All cruise cash (of all types) is non-refundable; however, with regular cruise cash, you can use the casino trick to cash out if you don't use it all.  Also, the OP stated that they have already maxed out the amount of regular cruise cash that they can purchase for their cabin.

 

@Carl Nival, Carnival will automatically use your Cruise Cash-Bar for all bar-related purchased until it is depleted, then use your regular cruise cash.  You don't need to do anything.  I would echo crewsweeper's recommendation to not purchase it, but to simply apply gift cards or cash at check in to cover the additional cost.  It is your choice, though.  We all have different ways to manage our cruise budget!

[maryred]

Here's how the funds deposited to your S&S account will be deducted from your balance:

1) Non-refundable department specific OBC, this includes both booking promos and departmental Cruise Cash

2) Non-refundable general OBC, includes both nonspecific booking promos and general Cruise Cash

3) Refundable OBC such as from Early Saver price adjustments and port fee adjustments

4) Carnival gift cards

5) Cash and cash equivalents like Traveler's Cheques

6) Linked debit and credit cards

 

Cruise Cash though a great gift or savings tool is one of the most restrictive in its use and is once on board completely non-refundable when compared to other methods of funding the S&S account. It is strictly for on board use and rarely holds any extra benefits or discounts. But it does allow for smaller increments than the Carnival gift card to be bought, $25 vs. $100. The Carnival gift cards can be found at a 10% or more of a discount or for points only purchase at several websites including AARP,  Allstate, various company (bonus redemption sites and discounted marketplace partners) and store loyalty &/or credit card reward programs. Gift cards widen your range of use by being able to use them to pay off the cruise and buy items and services (sometimes at a discount over on board) in the Cruise Manager, ex $51.95/person per day for Cheers! instead or $56.95/person/day on board.

[MT_Sea_Cruisers]

12 hours ago, bury me at sea said:

I am under the impression, though I don't know why, that the bar cash will automatically be used first for bar purchases.

 

I hope someone who has experienced this will chime in.

 

Have you considered simply adding gift cards or cash to your account after the cruise cash is depleted?

We just returned two weeks ago from a cruise and purchased $500 in Bar Cash and $500 in Cruise Cash (We do this for every cruise, rather than purchasing the drink package).  Bar purchases are always  deducted from Bar Cash.  FYI -  on this most recent cruise we ended up with enough points for a Drinks on Us card in the casino.  Because of this we did not use all of our Bar Cash and did end up forfeiting about $30 of it.   This was the first time we have ever had to forfeit a portion of the Bar Cash.

Edited May 14, 2019 by MT_Sea_Cruisers

[jasmine_cruise_yeah]

It's done automatically. We had $25 in cruise cash bar (it was a gift) and a few hundred in regular cruise cash. Plus we had the drink package. I was worried that the $25 would be wasted but you're charged sales tax on drinks while still at the home port. Sales tax and any additional tips we gave came out of the cruise cash bar. Our drinks at HMC also came out of the cruise cash bar. The app is great at showing credit you have and how it's been used so far. 

[Carl Nival]

Thank you, everyone, for your replies.  I have about $850 so far in OBC, Cruise Cash, Bar Cash, and Shareholder Benefit.   I try to pay for as much as possible in advanced because I hate being stuck with a huge bill at the end of the cruise.  I want to walk off the ship with nothing but memories.

 

Please tell me more about the Casino trick for cashing out unused Cruise Cash?

[Schoifmom]

5 minutes ago, Carl Nival said:

Please tell me more about the Casino trick for cashing out unused Cruise Cash?

 

Simply go to the casino and load your Player's Bank from your S&S card by following the directions on a slot machine.  Spin at least once.  Go to the cashier's desk and cash out your Player's Bank.

[n6uqqq]

1 hour ago, Schoifmom said:

 

Simply go to the casino and load your Player's Bank from your S&S card by following the directions on a slot machine.  Spin at least once.  Go to the cashier's desk and cash out your Player's Bank.

You don't actually have to spin to cash out. I didn't and it worked out just fine.

[grandmarnnurse]

21 hours ago, Carl Nival said:

I didn't know this before tonight, but the maximum amount of Cruise Cash I'm allowed to purchase before my 6-day cruise on June 16th is $500.  So I've started buying Cruise Cash Bar.  I expect that 99.99% of my expenses on the cruise will be bar-related.

 

How do I have the Cruise Cash Bar spent first, and then start dipping into the general Cruise Cash?  Do I need to make a bee-line to Guest Services when I get on board the ship? Or do you do it at check-in?  

 

Thank you in advance.

On my last cruise I had $300 bar credits and $50 OBC. They used my bar credits up first before the OBC. No worries.

[maryred]

4 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

You don't actually have to spin to cash out. I didn't and it worked out just fine.

Do that often and you will find your VIFP on the casino exclusion list.

[n6uqqq]

1 hour ago, maryred said:

Do that often and you will find your VIFP on the casino exclusion list.

 

I don't do it often, and in fact that was my first and only attempt. I was getting my 300 left over on a gift card, wasn't sure what I was doing. Ended up creating  a 600 dollar bank which put me at minus 300 dollars because the casino gave me 600 in cash. I had to go to guest services to give them back their 300 dollars to get out of a negative sail and sign balance. They didn't say anything about me not pulling a slot. I really don't think pulling a slot once would make a bit of difference. They are both very obvious 😉 .

[Schoifmom]

15 hours ago, n6uqqq said:

You don't actually have to spin to cash out. I didn't and it worked out just fine.

 

10 hours ago, maryred said:

Do that often and you will find your VIFP on the casino exclusion list.

^^^ This.  I would never recommend that anyone try it.  I've seen people get cut off at the casino after doing this only once.  A pull or two qualifies as actually playing.

[FTLCruiseGal]

So, here’s an odd question — can I use cruise bar cash for Cheers?  

[maryred]

You can use Cruise Cash or Bar Cruise Cash toward buying CHEERS! once on board but you will be paying $56.95/person/day instead of the pre-cruise price of $51.95/person.day