Getting Cash from Casino Cashier

If you get cash from the casino cage, I assume that it is charged to your Sail and Sign Card and if so how is it labeled? Is it called a Cash Advance? Is your credit card (associated with your Sail and Sign Card) charged percentage points? Or does Carnival charge percentage points?

I understand that Carnival charges 3% juice for cash advance, but I also heard that it is waived for Premier Cruisers. Is that correct?

Thanks

I can't answer the question regarding Premiere Guests, but I can tell you my experience in reference to getting cash from the casino. All the charges on the sign and sail showed up on the credit card bill after the cruise as a single charge as carnival cruise onboard spending and so the credit card company was blind to whether it was cash or drinks or other purchases.

In order to avoid any cash advance charges from Carnival, I simply established a player bank by inserting my sign and sail card into a machine and adding money to my player bank charged against the sign and sail. I then would go to the tables and request a certain amount of chips to play with from the player bank. I would then play a bit and pocket the rest. I also added to the bank via slot machines and cashed that out at the cage on the last night. You could charge up to $3,000 a day. I was able to charge enough and cash out to earn a significant number of reward points (3x bonus on travel categories) on my credit card at no actual cost to me since I brought the cash home (most of it anyway :cool:).

I kept seeing people hand over the card at the table and charge the sign and sail and they were told of the 3% fee. I never understood why they would not simply charge up their own player bank and draw off that to play and avoid the fee? Maybe I am missing something.

If you get cash from the casino cage, I assume that it is charged to your Sail and Sign Card and if so how is it labeled? Is it called a Cash Advance? Is your credit card (associated with your Sail and Sign Card) charged percentage points? Or does Carnival charge percentage points?

 

I understand that Carnival charges 3% juice for cash advance, but I also heard that it is waived for Premier Cruisers. Is that correct?

 

Thanks

Cash taken against your credit card is

listed at entertainment on your carnival invoice.

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I never understood why they would not simply charge up their own player bank and draw off that to play and avoid the fee? Maybe I am missing something.

Very creative! I hope I am not the only one who never even thought about that. On another note.....I wont forget it either :cool:

I kept seeing people hand over the card at the table and charge the sign and sail and they were told of the 3% fee. I never understood why they would not simply charge up their own player bank and draw off that to play and avoid the fee? Maybe I am missing something.

I charge cash to my players bank at the slots as well to avoid the fee. I also use what I charge to my players bank to get cash from the casino cashiers for spending money in ports so I get my credit card rewards.

On the last cruise I was on I sat next to a gentleman who charged $500 and paid the fee. I asked him why he didn't advance at the slots to avoid the fee and he said he hadn't thought about it. He still paid the fee 3 other times throughout the cruise while I was with him, saying it wasn't worth the trouble to get up to avoid the fee.

[emoji136]

I charge cash to my players bank at the slots as well to avoid the fee. I also use what I charge to my players bank to get cash from the casino cashiers for spending money in ports so I get my credit card rewards.

 

On the last cruise I was on I sat next to a gentleman who charged $500 and paid the fee. I asked him why he didn't advance at the slots to avoid the fee and he said he hadn't thought about it. He still paid the fee 3 other times throughout the cruise while I was with him, saying it wasn't worth the trouble to get up to avoid the fee.

 

[emoji136]

Great advice thanks for sharing! :cool:

I never quite understood how that worked. Thanks for posting.

I'm going to tell my hubby to do it that way in May!! :D

I'm one that gets cash from my card at the table, and knowingly incur the 3% charge. I do it especially on the first night to get 'noticed' by the pit boss, since they are the ones that have to be involved in processing it. It provides an easy way to get some chit-chat going, and gets my platinum card in their hand.

I usually get $300 out each time, so I pay $9. Mentally, I put that $ in the same category as dealer tips, which I do pretty regularly (I request $1 chips expressly for that) . That also gets noticed by the pit boss. As soon as I get my chips, I start clandestinely moving the large ones in my purse when I get the chance. Once my chips are 'gone' then I leave the table. Boss thinks I lost my $300 and thanks me for playing. I cash the chips out at the casino cage and stash it in the purse, and DON'T bring it back to the table. Usually I find that I end up either up on the night or just down a bit.

I let all the charges go on my Carnival credit card at the end anyway, and take the cash I stashed over the cruise and use that to pay off the card when I get home. I know people will quibble with me, telling me I'm throwing money away, etc. However, I would counter with this: we're taking our 4th 'free' cruise over christmas in 30-some days. Love getting that letter slipped under our door the last night of the cruise, giving us a bounce-back offer.

I'm one that gets cash from my card at the table, and knowingly incur the 3% charge. I do it especially on the first night to get 'noticed' by the pit boss, since they are the ones that have to be involved in processing it. It provides an easy way to get some chit-chat going, and gets my platinum card in their hand.

 

I usually get $300 out each time, so I pay $9. Mentally, I put that $ in the same category as dealer tips, which I do pretty regularly (I request $1 chips expressly for that) . That also gets noticed by the pit boss. As soon as I get my chips, I start clandestinely moving the large ones in my purse when I get the chance. Once my chips are 'gone' then I leave the table. Boss thinks I lost my $300 and thanks me for playing. I cash the chips out at the casino cage and stash it in the purse, and DON'T bring it back to the table. Usually I find that I end up either up on the night or just down a bit.

 

I let all the charges go on my Carnival credit card at the end anyway, and take the cash I stashed over the cruise and use that to pay off the card when I get home. I know people will quibble with me, telling me I'm throwing money away, etc. However, I would counter with this: we're taking our 4th 'free' cruise over christmas in 30-some days. Love getting that letter slipped under our door the last night of the cruise, giving us a bounce-back offer.

This is exactly what I do also.

First, I play craps only. And the comment earlier about "not worth going to a slot to save the commission" is exactly right. I usually buy-in at the craps table for $500 each session. So while, it's is $15 commission each time, I feel I get that much "service" from the pit boss each cruise in freebies. I also buy Carnival Gift cards at a 10% discount for my gambling money which I justify as getting ahead of the commission also.

The fee on Fascination last month was 5.5% to get cash from the cage with a $5.50 minimum. The slots did not look like they accepted S&S cards in order to start a player bank on the machine, although I was told by others on CC that they do in fact accept S&S cards (it's just not obvious, there is a slot for a player card and that is where the S&S card goes but it doesn't say that on the machine).

The fee on Fascination last month was 5.5% to get cash from the cage with a $5.50 minimum. The slots did not look like they accepted S&S cards in order to start a player bank on the machine, although I was told by others on CC that they do in fact accept S&S cards (it's just not obvious, there is a slot for a player card and that is where the S&S card goes but it doesn't say that on the machine).

Are you talking using your credit card or your Sail &Sign card? S&S has always been 3% unless they just recently changed it.

Are you talking using your credit card or your Sail &Sign card? S&S has always been 3% unless they just recently changed it.

Cash advance to the Sail and Sign account. It surprised me because I knew it was 3%. Maybe it's only on Fascination since I've never seen this mentioned on other ships.

Cash advance to the Sail and Sign account. It surprised me because I knew it was 3%. Maybe it's only on Fascination since I've never seen this mentioned on other ships.

WOW. I hope they haven't changed it. Might have to draw the line on my old way of getting cash. That's almost double from before.

WOW. I hope they haven't changed it. Might have to draw the line on my old way of getting cash. That's almost double from before.

But if one can still set up a player's bank in the slots it's still avoidable. But until I start seeing this ascribed to other ships I'll continue to believe that Fascination, for some reason, is an outlier.

Does this charge apply to chasing out casino winnings or just a cash advance?

Does this charge apply to chasing out casino winnings or just a cash advance?

AFAIK just the cash advance, that's why setting up a player's bank on the slots works to avoid the fee.

So here's a related question I need an answer to - if a person buys OBC prior to their cruise, which I understand is non-refundable, can they check their onboard account toward the end of the cruise and withdraw the unspend OBC in cash in the casino??

So here's a related question I need an answer to - if a person buys OBC prior to their cruise, which I understand is non-refundable, can they check their onboard account toward the end of the cruise and withdraw the unspend OBC in cash in the casino??

I have heard of people being able to withdraw the cash from the kiosk. I know when I checked the kiosk the amount available to be withdrawn matched what had not been used of our Cruise Bar Cash (but didn't try to actually withdraw it, but I have read on here it is doable).

Hi we are going on the Pacific Jewel (P&O) cruise ship next week and are not getting a lot of information around how cashing in your winnings works.

Do you put cash in the slot machines, and then any winnings go straight to your cruise card? Can you cash these into Aus dollars or can you only spend the winnings on your cruise card. What about if you go back a second night can you use the winnings in the machines the next night.

Very confused :rolleyes: as the P&O staff seem to have given us very different messages.

D

Hi we are going on the Pacific Jewel (P&O) cruise ship next week and are not getting a lot of information around how cashing in your winnings works.

 

Do you put cash in the slot machines, and then any winnings go straight to your cruise card? Can you cash these into Aus dollars or can you only spend the winnings on your cruise card. What about if you go back a second night can you use the winnings in the machines the next night.

 

Very confused :rolleyes: as the P&O staff seem to have given us very different messages.

 

D

You should probably post to the P&O board for better help with this one.

I'm one that gets cash from my card at the table, and knowingly incur the 3% charge. I do it especially on the first night to get 'noticed' by the pit boss, since they are the ones that have to be involved in processing it. It provides an easy way to get some chit-chat going, and gets my platinum card in their hand.

 

I usually get $300 out each time, so I pay $9. Mentally, I put that $ in the same category as dealer tips, which I do pretty regularly (I request $1 chips expressly for that) . That also gets noticed by the pit boss. As soon as I get my chips, I start clandestinely moving the large ones in my purse when I get the chance. Once my chips are 'gone' then I leave the table. Boss thinks I lost my $300 and thanks me for playing. I cash the chips out at the casino cage and stash it in the purse, and DON'T bring it back to the table. Usually I find that I end up either up on the night or just down a bit.

 

I let all the charges go on my Carnival credit card at the end anyway, and take the cash I stashed over the cruise and use that to pay off the card when I get home. I know people will quibble with me, telling me I'm throwing money away, etc. However, I would counter with this: we're taking our 4th 'free' cruise over christmas in 30-some days. Love getting that letter slipped under our door the last night of the cruise, giving us a bounce-back offer.

They don't think that you spent all of your $$. They know exactly how much you won or lost, what your average bet was and how long you played for. This is a business and they can't be fooled that easily. These are also the factors that they take into account for comps such as bounce back cruises. If you want to have your own fee-free bank on the ships, apply beforehand for a casino line of credit. That way you have $$ already set up that you can draw off of during your cruise. (minimum $5,000 line required)!

On Premier cruises if you were invited the 3% fee is waived.

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On my last two cruises (Aug. and Sept.) they asked for my S&S card when cashing in chips. I assume it is so they can see your win-loss.

On my last two cruises (Aug. and Sept.) they asked for my S&S card when cashing in chips. I assume it is so they can see your win-loss.

Yes this is something new they started recently and request everyone’s sign n sail card when cashing in chips. They keep track right and left 🙈🙈

One thing I getting from reading this thread is some people seemed to be confused about the difference between a "transfer" from the S&S account and an actual cash advance from their credit card.

When chips in the casino are being bought using a check, credit or debit card; or cash requested by those means at the Guest Services desk that is a cash advance. A cash advance has a minimum of $5.50 service fee or 5.5% of the transaction amount which ever is greater. This does not hit your S&S account in any way, it is a direct transaction from the card or account to the cash or chips in hand. So it is open to any fees the bank or financial institute may choose to impose on top of what the ship is charging.

When chips are bought at the table or cage and your S&S card is presented as the form of payment that is considered a "transfer of funds" from your on board account. This method carries a 3% flat rate convenience fee. The convenience being that you did not have to carry actual cash to the casino. On Premier and Ultra cruises invitees will find this convenience fee waived, but this is not always true when on a standard cruise. The purchase will show on your S&S bill as "Entertainment". Since this shows as part of the overall on board spending no bank or card issuer fees should be assessed.

One way o avoid the convenience fee is to play slots, where your can do a DIY transfer from the S&S account. The trick here is tat you do not want to tip the casino staff that you are doing this as an ad hoc ATM withdrawal. So that means you do need to play a few spins before leaving the machine to g to th cage to get your cash.