credit card alternatives

[ytrap2007]

Hello,

 

I would love to sail and not have a credit card, aka, sail and sign bill. Many people buy drink cards to avoid the sobering bill after, and I was wondering if you could just prepay your sail and sign account so that you don't have to use a credit card. I couldn't find this on the Carnival website.

 

Thanks for your help...

 

Rebecca

[Wylie Coyote]

Yup... you can pre-pay during embarkation proceedings. Carnival is willing to take your money in whatever form you choose to give it.

 

I seem to remember, If you look on Carnival Web Site FAQ, there is a Sail and Sign section covering pre-paying in cash. :D

[FunDayAtSea]

You can buy Carnival gift certificates and apply them towards your S&S card. I have done that in the past - just go to purser's desk and have them applied. If you order online, they will be mailed to you. If you call the phone number for guest services, they will have it applied directly to your S&S account and it will show up the 1st night of the cruise.

[Travel Angel]

Hello,

 

I would love to sail and not have a credit card, aka, sail and sign bill. Many people buy drink cards to avoid the sobering bill after, and I was wondering if you could just prepay your sail and sign account so that you don't have to use a credit card. I couldn't find this on the Carnival website.

 

Thanks for your help...

 

Rebecca

 

The following dollar amounts, per guest, are used as a deposit when the Sail & Sign Account is opened:

2-4 day cruises: $100 deposit pp

5-8 day cruises: $200 deposit pp

9 + day cruises: $350 deposit pp

 

Deposit with U.S. Currency or Traveler's Checks

U.S. Currency and traveler's checks are accepted as a form of deposit to open a Sail & Sign Account at the start of the cruise. As the guest approaches the deposit limit, the Information Desk will notify the guest that additional money must be deposited.

[purduealum]

Is the unused portion refunded when you leave? Or do they mail you a check?

[Travel Angel]

a check will be provided to you the last night or early morning when you debark the ship.... nice surprise awaiting you under the door rather than a bill sometimes !

[airwick]

I called Carnival and asked the same questions. They told me that cash is fine, you may not use someone elses credit card with permission. ect. gift from parent or inlaws. Carnival told me that we can put down as much cash that we feel is appropriate. (enough to cover tips for example) I even asked if we could drop just $300 to cover it (for 2 people) and they said it was fine.

 

Using a debit card they automatically hold $200 a person, but cash they are more flexable. However if you do a cash deposit and than have to leave more money because you've reached your limit using a debit card, they still will hold $200 a person on your debit card until final check out.

 

I plan to bring $400 cash deposit and I expect to get a check at the end. Besides tips, we don't drink, we'll live on free tea and coffee, we booked excursions privately, and we don't really gamble. We plan on coming home with extra $. They did say that you can cash the check on board at the information desk.

 

hope this helps!

[GoinCruisin]

a check will be provided to you the last night or early morning when you debark the ship.... nice surprise awaiting you under the door rather than a bill sometimes !

 

And you can even cash it at the pursers desk :D

 

OP, I suggest paying ahead of time... then you don't have to worry about it. You can put credit on your account by calling the gifts department... makes it easy, no muss, no fuss!! :)

[airwick]

OP, I suggest paying ahead of time... then you don't have to worry about it. You can put credit on your account by calling the gifts department... makes it easy, no muss, no fuss!! :)

 

 

Are you saying that my in laws could call the gift department for me and leave my deposit? I too do not have credit cards and this would be easier than lugging cash around. I can just pay him back after the cruise!

[LegalCat]

Are you saying that my in laws could call the gift department for me and leave my deposit? I too do not have credit cards and this would be easier than lugging cash around. I can just pay him back after the cruise!

 

Yes you can :) I did a honeymoon cruise registry instead of a traditional registry and several people pre-paid deposits onto our sail and sign account :). I think we have like $450 pre paid from gifts from friends and family yay :) Spa here we come!!!

[LornaT]

A word of advice ........... If you prebuy OBC be prepared to still take a credit card or a small amount of cash to the Pursers Desk to "activate" the account, then and only then will the OBC populate to the S&S Account. Found this out the hard way, bought OBG, figured it would be there, after 2 days aboard went to the Pursers Desk with receipts in hand and then was told about needing a little as $5.00 cash to activate the account, and because I did not do it before we sailed, it took 3 more days for the full amount to populate and credit in the account ............. so now Travelers Checks work just fine for me instead.

[deborahjo]

When you board the ship you can go to the predetermined place to put cash or travelers cheques to open your account. On the Liberty it is not the Pursers Desk, They have a desk for embarkation day where we handed them our $750.00 for 2 of us and our account was opened.

 

When the cash was gone we put a credit card down and we were fine.

[LegalCat]

Yeah. I was just coming back to post that you might still need to "open" the account with some cash or a credit card or some thing because they may not have the information about your credit already available until after that point... also I dont know if theres ever a problem, but I have printed out all my confirmations from my travel agent showing each purchase of sail and sign credit and will be bringing it in case there is any discrepancy