Cruise Cash Question

I would like to slowly add Cruise Cash to my account so that my bill isn't as big as it is when I usually cruise. However, when I go to purchase it, instead of giving me the option of purchasing just for me, it only gives the option to add it to my room. I am traveling with a friend, and she is paying for her own charges. I don't want her to get my cruise cash, especially because I am paying for it. Does anyone know if my account will get the cruise cash, or will it be divided between the two of us?

Before anyone comments, yes, I know it is use it or lose it -- trust me when I say I will have no problem using it.

I did this last month & had no problems having the monies distributed to the appropriate persons in the cabin. If you purchase cruise cash or bar cash the online system asks for the booking # and the recipients name.

So, is the cruise cash automatically applied to the booking number you specify, or is it a voucher that is dropped off in the cabin, and you take that to GS and have it applied?

So, is the cruise cash automatically applied to the booking number you specify, or is it a voucher that is dropped off in the cabin, and you take that to GS and have it applied?

It's automatically applied. You do get a slip in your cabin indicating it has been added.

It's automatically applied. You do get a slip in your cabin indicating it has been added.

Ok, I have never used the cruise cash before. I remember calling and purchasing OBC over the phone, and then it would show up on the cruise documents, but I have yet to see anything on the cruise documents with the cruise cash, so I was just curious...

Ok, I have never used the cruise cash before. I remember calling and purchasing OBC over the phone, and then it would show up on the cruise documents, but I have yet to see anything on the cruise documents with the cruise cash, so I was just curious...

Yep. It won't show on your docs. You should get a confirmation number when you purchased it. I'll usually email Carnival and ask that they send me a email confirmation as well.

Can we use cruise cash to buy cheers program?

@cadamsom

Yes it can be used to pay for any services or purchases on the ship except for new bookings at the loyalty desk. But here's the catch with the Cruise Cash it is use all or lose the remaining balance during the one cruise and once assigned to a specific folio it can not be transferred to be used by another person you are traveling with. So don't over-purchase it, the way people used to do with the old FunShip, dollars you will not get a check for the unused amount at the end of the cruise.

Many prospective passengers are now finding the Carnival Gift cards available at grocery and big box retailers. A few grocers are even doubling to quadrupling their gas or coupon point rewards for purchasing the GCs. Other people are even purchasing them from credit card reward programs and customer loyalty arrangements like Verizon's Points program for points entirely or at the very least discounted by 10% or more using a combination of points and other payments. Though not as conveniently applied to your S&S account the GCs have more flexibility since they can be used pre-cruise to make or pay off the booking balance, pre-purchase shore excursions, and still have any remainder applied once on board. Adding multiple GCs is very easy at the S&S kiosk machines and takes very like time especially if you have the physical card to insert into the card reader. You could also split the balance from a card if you wish to gift it to another cabin-mate or member of the same booking. Best of all if not completely used the GCs are refundable (in kind you get a new GC) and there is no cap on the dollar amount like Cruise Cash is rumored to be starting this summer. (It's been said several places around various cruising related websites and forums that a $500 per passenger limit will be placed on the purchase of Cruise Cash.)

@cadamsom

Yes it can be used to pay for any services or purchases on the ship except for new bookings at the loyalty desk. But here's the catch with the Cruise Cash it is use all or lose the remaining balance during the one cruise and once assigned to a specific folio it can not be transferred to be used by another person you are traveling with. So don't over-purchase it, the way people used to do with the old FunShip, dollars you will not get a check for the unused amount at the end of the cruise.

 

Many prospective passengers are now finding the Carnival Gift cards available at grocery and big box retailers. A few grocers are even doubling to quadrupling their gas or coupon point rewards for purchasing the GCs. Other people are even purchasing them from credit card reward programs and customer loyalty arrangements like Verizon's Points program for points entirely or at the very least discounted by 10% or more using a combination of points and other payments. Though not as conveniently applied to your S&S account the GCs have more flexibility since they can be used pre-cruise to make or pay off the booking balance, pre-purchase shore excursions, and still have any remainder applied once on board. Adding multiple GCs is very easy at the S&S kiosk machines and takes very like time especially if you have the physical card to insert into the card reader. You could also split the balance from a card if you wish to gift it to another cabin-mate or member of the same booking. Best of all if not completely used the GCs are refundable (in kind you get a new GC) and there is no cap on the dollar amount like Cruise Cash is rumored to be starting this summer. (It's been said several places around various cruising related websites and forums that a $500 per passenger limit will be placed on the purchase of Cruise Cash.)

Thank you for your help. However, that leads to another question. My husband and I will be set up on the same account. So if we purchase the cheers package, will we be able to use it for both? I'm figuring it will be about $805 for both of us, so if I bought $500 worth of cruise cash my balance should be $305. Is this correct?

Thank you for your help. However, that leads to another question. My husband and I will be set up on the same account. So if we purchase the cheers package, will we be able to use it for both? I'm figuring it will be about $805 for both of us, so if I bought $500 worth of cruise cash my balance should be $305. Is this correct?

On the Dream last month my relatives gifted me about $150 in Cruise Cash since we were sailing to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Because they put under my name it went on my folio only which caused a little confusion since the credit card we used was only in my husband's name making him primary for the joint S&S account with me as the authorized user. The way we worked around it was to make sure any early in the voyage purchases were made on my folio # that it used up the Cruise Cash.

Those early purchases included Cheers, which is $803.20 for 2 adults on a 7 day voyage. Depending on whom you purchase it from they may put it all on 1 folio # or split the purchase between the 2 folio #s. We made the purchase with the bartender manning the Cheers table in the Atrium within an hour of boarding and he processed the package purchase for 2 people under just my S&S card, but witness others purchasing it at the Atrium bar where they asked to pay separately. So if worried if the Cruise Cash will be applied against the Cheers make sure the person you assign it when you order is also the person that pays for the package.

@cadamsom

Yes it can be used to pay for any services or purchases on the ship except for new bookings at the loyalty desk. But here's the catch with the Cruise Cash it is use all or lose the remaining balance during the one cruise and once assigned to a specific folio it can not be transferred to be used by another person you are traveling with. So don't over-purchase it, the way people used to do with the old FunShip, dollars you will not get a check for the unused amount at the end of the cruise.

 

Many prospective passengers are now finding the Carnival Gift cards available at grocery and big box retailers. A few grocers are even doubling to quadrupling their gas or coupon point rewards for purchasing the GCs. Other people are even purchasing them from credit card reward programs and customer loyalty arrangements like Verizon's Points program for points entirely or at the very least discounted by 10% or more using a combination of points and other payments. Though not as conveniently applied to your S&S account the GCs have more flexibility since they can be used pre-cruise to make or pay off the booking balance, pre-purchase shore excursions, and still have any remainder applied once on board. Adding multiple GCs is very easy at the S&S kiosk machines and takes very like time especially if you have the physical card to insert into the card reader. You could also split the balance from a card if you wish to gift it to another cabin-mate or member of the same booking. Best of all if not completely used the GCs are refundable (in kind you get a new GC) and there is no cap on the dollar amount like Cruise Cash is rumored to be starting this summer. (It's been said several places around various cruising related websites and forums that a $500 per passenger limit will be placed on the purchase of Cruise Cash.)

I wouldn't put too much into this rumor about a cap on cruise cash. Why would Carnival want to restrict what amounts to an interest free loan to them and which has to be used or lost on the cruise to which it is applied?

I wouldn't put too much into this rumor about a cap on cruise cash. Why would Carnival want to restrict what amounts to an interest free loan to them and which has to be used or lost on the cruise to which it is applied?

There is a $500 limit in Cruise Cash per cabin. It's on their website. http://www.carnival.com/FunShops/item/D28/cruise-cash-general

ETA: Maybe a way around this is to buy $500 Cruise Cash Bar & $500 General Cruise Cash. I have never tried this so I am not sure if it is possible.

I stand corrected! Why they would limit something like this is beyond me. Banks will hold as much of our money for nothing as we will send in :D. Carnival should too.

I second the idea of Carnival gift cards. You can buy them from the grocery store and use them toward your onboard spending account. To me, this alleviates having to figure out Cruise Cash distribution between passengers of the same cabin ... and no cap. :)

I stand corrected! Why they would limit something like this is beyond me. Banks will hold as much of our money for nothing as we will send in :D. Carnival should too.

It may have something to do with all the sob stories that people posted when they over purchased the cruise cash (when it first came out 2 yrs ago) and were unaware that that unlike FunShip dollars (the old gift certificates) that it was not refundable nor could be held over for a future cruise like the old drink & photo coupons.

One story I remember pretty well (from over at Funville) was one woman threatening a small claim suit because she personally purchased $800 in cruise cash for her family of 5 for a cruise of a life time and that other family members also bought more as gifts more than doubling the pre-funded amount. In addition to the cruise cash other friends or family members also pre-paid the auto-grats, which the she expected to come out of the cruise cash. So in their case they did not use all of the cruise cash having a rather large amount still left (like something in excess of $1000) and could not understand why Carnival would not refund the excess.

Ok. So if I buy cruise cash that I know I will spend because of us planning on buying something, will they use that first before charging our credit card?

Ok. So if I buy cruise cash that I know I will spend because of us planning on buying something, will they use that first before charging our credit card?

Yes

 

It may have something to do with all the sob stories that people posted when they over purchased the cruise cash (when it first came out 2 yrs ago) and were unaware that that unlike FunShip dollars (the old gift certificates) that it was not refundable nor could be held over for a future cruise like the old drink & photo coupons.

One story I remember pretty well (from over at Funville) was one woman threatening a small claim suit because she personally purchased $800 in cruise cash for her family of 5 for a cruise of a life time and that other family members also bought more as gifts more than doubling the pre-funded amount. In addition to the cruise cash other friends or family members also pre-paid the auto-grats, which the she expected to come out of the cruise cash. So in their case they did not use all of the cruise cash having a rather large amount still left (like something in excess of $1000) and could not understand why Carnival would not refund the excess.

This sounds like a good rational to me. After all, cruise cash ( other than given as a gift ) aids those who lack the willpower to save the money themselves. I would rather have my money in my mattress before letting a corporation hold it for nothing.

Thank you for all your help!!!

This sounds like a good rational to me. After all, cruise cash ( other than given as a gift ) aids those who lack the willpower to save the money themselves. I would rather have my money in my mattress before letting a corporation hold it for nothing.

I don't see it that way at all. I buy cruise cash for the simple peace of mind. I go into my cruise not having to worry about dealing with guest services or kiosks to fund my account with cash. I don't use credit cards and do put plenty aside in cash as well as in my personal checking account. The minuscule amount of interest it would accrue if I left it in my bank is negligible at current rates. So, why not pre-fund my cruise.

There are ways around the non refundable part of cruise cash.