Sign & Sail Card...Will My Method Work?

[lizardhowson]

It is my opinion of her plan which is what this topic is about. I think it is overly complicated. It is the same amount of money either way as long as some self control is exercised. I would not stand in line 7 different times to add money to my account while I am on vacation.

 

 

Agree 100%

 

We have a credit card but choose to use cash on our account instead because, honestly, I suck at budgeting my money on vacation. If I put $500 cash on the account, that's all I'm going to spend. If I use my credit card, I'm more likely to spend more than I budgeted for. We do bring a credit card with us while traveling, but we don't use it unless we have to like when checking into a hotel, renting a car, etc. I know my own spending habits and cash works better for me. We use cash as often as possible in our daily lives, too, because it helps us stick to our envelope system of budgeting. Not everyone wants to live in a cashless society.

 

I pay my cruise expenses with cash also, but I have better things to do than run down to guest services or the kiosk every day to drop a partial payment. Unless being OCD is the driving force here, just pay your balance off the next to last day of the cruise to negate a credit card charge. Save yourself 6 trips which are unnecessary.

[Alaskan Joe]

I'll say the same thing I said to the last person...what does it matter to you how someone else chooses to handle their money and spending on board? I use a cash S&S account because I'm just a cash person, that's all. It's my preferred method of payment regardless of where I am. You choose to use a credit card, great. No one's knocking you for it. You can budget yourself with a credit card without problems. Others might be a little more easily tempted to spend more than they planned, so they use cash to help keep themselves in check. Just because you don't do it doesn't make it the wrong way.

 

First off I was not knocking anybody for what they do! I was simply giving my opinion on what we do. I just think its easier to register a CC and be done with it and when you get home pay it off. If you read below you can see some of the benefits for putting it on your CC (thanks TruckerDave, I was not even thinking of the perks), and yes we have gotten cash back for just simply using the card. Now they bank on people NOT paying it off by the end of the month. In fact they bank on people not paying it off after a few months, and all that interest is added on. So in the end they may have giving you lets say $50 cash back but expect to make more then that $50 back in interest. So with all that said yes you must be disciplined with your cash that you have to pay the CC off with.

 

I get the whole budget thing, but, by not putting on a CC and then just paying it off when you get home you are losing out on the potential for airline miles, hotel points, cash back or whatever your card offers. With online payments, I make sometimes 3-4 payments a week on my cc. Charge something, let it hit the card then pay it off and that way I get the rewards. (In my case recently I have been using my cash back card and I just bank that 1.5% on everything).

[Organized Chaos]

It is my opinion of her plan which is what this topic is about. I think it is overly complicated. It is the same amount of money either way as long as some self control is exercised. I would not stand in line 7 different times to add money to my account while I am on vacation.

This thread isn't about what you, or anyone, thinks of her plan. She asked if what she wanted to do was possible. YOU would not stand in line to add money to YOUR account while YOU are on vacation. See what I'm getting at here?

[youagain]

I personally like to come home to as few bills as possible when I get home. We use cash. Everything is paid for before we go or payment made on card to pay it off for reservations on hotel.We are retired and get paid once a month so budgeting is a must! Just peace of mind for us.

[maryred]

The OP may set up her account as she sees fit, but personally I feel it is an over-complicated way to keep on budget. Since this is only her second cruise may-be she did not know that she can deposit most or all of it on the first day and have a daily spending limit set to the S&S card. This works even for credit card based accounts.

 

Other ways to control on board spending are:

1) Prepay as many known on board expenses before boarding, such as the daily service gratuities (a quick call to Carnival CS or your travel professional) if not already done so at booking. Beverage packages, shore excursion, and/or spa treatments are another big chunk of change that can be prepaid under My Booking Manager. Best of all with prepaying is, if the price on the service or package increases you locked in the lower price, if it decreases you get refundable on board credit.

2) Pack carefully, small things like band-aides, aspirin, pepto, seasickness meds, after-sun aloe, & forgotten toiletries like conditioner, pack a whoppingly inflated price on board.

3) Don't forget to bring your allotted wine, but open it in your cabin. If you bring it to the MDR, Specialty restaurant, or a lounge there will be a $15 corkage fee (even if the bottle is a screw top). Take with you a generous glass (if none in your cabin bartenders or stewards will gladly supply empty ones) to dinner or the theater.

4) If it holds any appeal, order liquor to be delivered to your cabin, then carry on your own mixers. ANY 12 oz or less can, juice pouch, or tetra boxes of non-alcoholic beverages may be brought aboard, 12 per passenger at the embarkation port and each port of call. Mix the drinks in cabin but feel free to travel anywhere on board with a glass of it.

5) Avoid the drink of the day in the souvenir cup, most can be had for $2-8 less if asked for in a normal drink cup. Or order sharing drinks, like mix and match buckets of 4 beers, bottles of wine, or fishbowls, if you and a companion can agree on the same drink.

I'm sure others can chime in with budget saving tips.

[Scrappycruiser76]

Holy monkey! Like Organized Chaos said... she asked if it was possible. Period. She didn't ask oir opinions of her chosen method. So the response would either be "No" or "Yes" and maybe a "Here are the ways you can do it."

[ray98]

This thread isn't about what you, or anyone, thinks of her plan. She asked if what she wanted to do was possible. YOU would not stand in line to add money to YOUR account while YOU are on vacation. See what I'm getting at here?

 

When you put things out for discussion you get discussion. See what I'm getting at here?

[BlondieB]

Some of you are insufferable with your opinions of what others should do with THEIR $ on THEIR vacation. If she wanted to use a cc, she would use a dang card! She asked if her scenario was possible because that's the way SHE has chosen to budget herself and the simple answer to that is, yes, it is. Use the kiosk. And as far as "standing in line 7 different times" goes, I can count on 1 hand how many times I've had to stand in line at a kiosk, and that's usually on the last night as people are trying to settle up their account. Later in the evening, you can typically walk right up with not a soul in sight. It takes about 3 minutes or less to do what you need to do at the kiosk. If for some reason that's so unreasonable and takes away from your relaxing time, then newsflash, don't do it! Geesh! :mad:

 

I choose to use cash because it keeps me on budget and I don't put luxuries on credit. If I can't afford to pay cash, I don't need it.

[Scrappycruiser76]

Some of you are insufferable with your opinions of what others should do with THEIR $ on THEIR vacation. If she wanted to use a cc, she would use a dang card! She asked if her scenario was possible because that's the way SHE has chosen to budget herself and the simple answer to that is, yes, it is. Use the kiosk. And as far as "standing in line 7 different times" goes, I can count on 1 hand how many times I've had to stand in line at a kiosk, and that's usually on the last night as people are trying to settle up their account. Later in the evening, you can typically walk right up with not a soul in sight. It takes about 3 minutes or less to do what you need to do at the kiosk. If for some reason that's so unreasonable and takes away from your relaxing time, then newsflash, don't do it! Geesh! :mad:

 

I choose to use cash because it keeps me on budget and I don't put luxuries on credit. If I can't afford to pay cash, I don't need it.

 

Exactly!! She didn't put it out for discussion. She simply asked "Will My Method Work?" The answer is just "Yes", not "Yes, but this is what I think of your method". If she asked for our opinion of her method, by all means preach away, but she didn't ask our opinions.

[Computer Nerd]

Hello fellow cruisers!

 

I am leaving this Saturday for a 6 night Eastern Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Magic. Excited is an understatement! I have been on one other cruise before, a 3 day bachelorette party to Nassau on the Carnival Victory, so I am familiar with the Sign & Sail Card. This time, though, I have a different plan than the credit card connection.

 

I plan to bring an envelope with all of our trip cash separated into sections and labeled. I budgeted $100/day for this trip for onboard expenses (mostly alcohol). My plan is to keep the envelope in the safe in the room and each morning put $100 onto my Sign & Sail card to use that day. That way, I don't put the whole $600 on there and end up not using it all and having to deal with a check they give you at the end.

 

My question is, is it possible to just put money on your card each morning as needed?

 

Thanks!! :halo:

 

Sure, but why waste the time each morning standing at GS?

[Organized Chaos]

When you put things out for discussion you get discussion. See what I'm getting at here?

She didn't put it out for discussion. She has already chosen her preferred method of managing her expense account and simply asked if it was possible. The answer was, and still is, yes. The end. No discussion necessary, but because she isn't doing it the way you, and others, do it, you think it requires discussion to convince her otherwise. You were in the thread about propping open balcony doors complaining about people who are all about "me....me....me....me," yet here you are turning a simple question (that has been answered multiple times over) into what ray98 does and what ray98 thinks everyone else should do and what ray98 thinks of anyone who doesn't do it his way.

[mjnelson]

I thought the FFTF was/is for boarding only. The separate line at GS is for Platinum and Diamond cruisers only.

 

 

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[indygirl76]

I thought the FFTF was/is for boarding only. The separate line at GS is for Platinum and Diamond cruisers only.

 

 

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Nope. Happily (for me, because I buy FTTF), that line is also available to FTTF.

[mjnelson]

That's great!!

 

 

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[afreetdragon]

We have a credit card but choose to use cash on our account instead because, honestly, I suck at budgeting my money on vacation. If I put $500 cash on the account, that's all I'm going to spend. If I use my credit card, I'm more likely to spend more than I budgeted for. We do bring a credit card with us while traveling, but we don't use it unless we have to like when checking into a hotel, renting a car, etc. I know my own spending habits and cash works better for me. We use cash as often as possible in our daily lives, too, because it helps us stick to our envelope system of budgeting. Not everyone wants to live in a cashless society.

 

 

Have you taken the Dave Ramsey class? Just curious.

[Froufie]

From Carnival website:

Sail & Sign Account Opened with Cash or Traveler's Checks

• Guests may activate their Sail & Sign account on Carnival.com, My Cruise Manager - Online Check-In or on the first day of the cruise at embarkation.
  
• Guests must deposit cash (U.S currency only) or Traveler's Checks at Guest Services on the first day of the cruise. Please note that on the Carnival Vista sailing from Europe, Traveler's Checks are not acceptable as a form of deposit and cash deposit must be in U.S currency. The following minimum cash deposits are recommended:
  
• 
  
  • 2 - 4 day cruise: $100 USD per person
    
  • 5 - 8 day cruise: $200 USD per person
    
  • 9 days or longer: $350 USD per person
    

[Dilligaff]

From Carnival website:

Sail & Sign Account Opened with Cash or Traveler's Checks

• Guests may activate their Sail & Sign account on Carnival.com, My Cruise Manager - Online Check-In or on the first day of the cruise at embarkation.
  
• Guests must deposit cash (U.S currency only) or Traveler's Checks at Guest Services on the first day of the cruise. Please note that on the Carnival Vista sailing from Europe, Traveler's Checks are not acceptable as a form of deposit and cash deposit must be in U.S currency. The following minimum cash deposits are recommended:
  
• 
  
  • 2 - 4 day cruise: $100 USD per person
    
  • 5 - 8 day cruise: $200 USD per person
    
  • 9 days or longer: $350 USD per person
    

Keep it mind it says "recommend" so that does not mean you have to.

[stevefrisco]

I did this method a few times in college before the days of a fee for using S&S account to buy chips at casino. Every time I'd win, I'd go deposit the money on my account and would withdraw it later in the day, night or the next day when I wanted to play some more. I thought I was being smart by cashing it out every time and getting it off my person to keep from spending/gambling.

 

Well at the end of the cruise, my statement was 15 pages long and it looked like I had spent like $15,000 or something crazy. Ain't no way a 21 year old Steve Frisco had that kind of coin on him - hell I won't be bringing anywhere near that in two weeks either. I had to explain to my folks I didn't really spend 15,000 and what was going on. It was a great lesson in accounting hahaha.

[ommax2]

OP....Dave Ramsey would be proud! You go girl!!!

[Computer Nerd]

I thought the FFTF was/is for boarding only. The separate line at GS is for Platinum and Diamond cruisers only.

 

 

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You need to read all of the perks FTTF provides.

[Computer Nerd]

She didn't put it out for discussion. She has already chosen her preferred method of managing her expense account and simply asked if it was possible. The answer was, and still is, yes. The end. No discussion necessary, but because she isn't doing it the way you, and others, do it, you think it requires discussion to convince her otherwise. You were in the thread about propping open balcony doors complaining about people who are all about "me....me....me....me," yet here you are turning a simple question (that has been answered multiple times over) into what ray98 does and what ray98 thinks everyone else should do and what ray98 thinks of anyone who doesn't do it his way.

 

Whether she put it out for discussion or not, once posted on a public site, it's up for discussion by anyone who wants to discuss it. I, along, with many other, as you stated have answered the question by stating Yes, it will work. But I, along with many others question "why" someone would want to waste the time to do this which is perfectly acceptable to do on this site. The OP can answer or ignore the question as they see fit but you have no right to tell others what is open to discussion.

[mjnelson]

No I don't, because I am already platinum. I was just asking about the FTTF.

 

 

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[Organized Chaos]

The OP can answer or ignore the question as they see fit but you have no right to tell others what is open to discussion.

I didn't tell anyone what is or what isn't open to discussion. I said she didn't put it out there for discussion and said discussion wasn't necessary because she asked a simple question that had already been answered. Besides, we're not talking about a simple discussion here. Others used it as an opportunity to basically attack her for doing it differently than they do. I realize that's unfortunately classic CC, but still completely unnecessary. There are tactful ways to go about discussing these topics and a few here failed at it (not necessarily referring to you). If others want to talk about the way they do it, fine, but no one has the right to tell a person how to spend their own money just because they choose to do it differently.

[ray98]

Whether she put it out for discussion or not, once posted on a public site, it's up for discussion by anyone who wants to discuss it. I, along, with many other, as you stated have answered the question by stating Yes, it will work. But I, along with many others question "why" someone would want to waste the time to do this which is perfectly acceptable to do on this site. The OP can answer or ignore the question as they see fit but you have no right to tell others what is open to discussion.

 

Absolutely. Some people are so sensitive to contrary opinions they go to great lengths to try to suppress them. Some here appear to be running straight for their safe space.

[Organized Chaos]

Absolutely. Some people are so sensitive to contrary opinions they go to great lengths to try to suppress them. Some here appear to be running straight for their safe space.

Do you even realize what you're saying? Of course you don't. Someone says they want to use cash on their S&S account and you make a big deal out of it just because you do it differently. Who needs the safe space? Why are you so sensitive to others handling their vacations differently? In the last few days alone, I've seen you go after people for handling their on board expenses differently and for asking a question about balcony doors. Talk about trying to suppress others. People like you are a dime a dozen on internet forums. You bully others for having different opinions or doing things differently, but when anyone stands up to it, you try to make them out to be the bad guy. It's nothing new, I've dealt with it for 20 years. Maybe you're used to chasing others off. Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not the pushover you're hoping for.