TNVT is the system which controls the personal, reservation and account information of our guests.
Prior to each sailing, all bookings are downloaded to the pier and the ship giving a list of all guests booked for that cruise.
NAVIGATING TNVT:
There are three primary function (PF) keys, located across the right-side keypad above the numbers.
Query PF1
(Num Lock)
/ Save PF3
* Cancel PF4
- PF1 – SEARCH - (numlock key) – Used to “search” for information. First type in the information that you are searching for, then press the PF1 or ‘search’ key. For example if you enter a cabin number into the system and press PF1, the screen will show you all guests listed in that cabin.
7 8 9 It is possible to search by cabin number, first and last name, booking number. Using a wildcard (% sign) helps to widen your search, for example if you type ste%, the computer will bring up all names that start with these three letters.
4 5 6 This is particularly useful for names that have multiple spellings (e.g. Stephen & Steven).
1 2 3 E n t e r PF3 – SAVE - (* key) – Used to save any changes made in the system
0 . PF4 – CANCEL - (- key) – Used when you wish to cancel any changes made in the system or to go back. It is not possible to cancel or undo any changes already saved.
WHAT IS THE PASSENGER SYSTEM?
The Passenger System provides us with the personal and reservations details of our current guests.
WHAT IS THE SALES SYSTEM?
The Sales System allows us to make charges and refunds to a person’s account for items and services purchased or used on board for example shore tours, airport transfers, rental of sporting equipment.
WHAT IS THE SAIL & SIGN SYSTEM?
Provides us with in-depth account information for on-board purchases, including charges made and preferred method of payment.
THE PASSENGER SYSTEM
When accessing the Passenger System a menu is opened that presents a number of options. Each option provides specific information, but not all are used by Pursers.
1. FUNPASS CHECK-IN – Used to check in our guests
2. PAX EMBARKATION – Occasionally used by Pursers when checking in late arrivals to the ship.
3. PASSENGER UPDATE – Enables Pursers to gain information about our guests as well as update information if necessary.
The following important information can be found in the Passenger Update Screen
Embarked – The port the guest boarded the ship
Debarked – The port the guest disembarked the ship
Status – If the guest is checked in or not
VIP – Very Important Guest
Nationality
Date of Birth
ID – Type of identification they are traveling on with Passport or ARC card for non-US guests
ID Number – Number of passport or ARC card
Comments – Provides additional information about the guest
Booking Type – Individual (I) or Group (G)
Fare – Amount paid specifically for the cruise
Port Charges – Paid by each guest to cover taxes imposed by ports of call
Int. Dep – International Departure Tax
Add- On – Indicates if airfares were also booked with Carnival Cruise Lines
Prepaid – If an amount is in this column it indicates gratuities were prepaid
Insurance – S = Yes; N = No; If a guest has purchased Carnival Insurance
4. APIS UPDATE – Contains information typically found on the boarding pass such as home address, phone number, mode of transportation to the pier. Importantly also provides Past Guest number to allow tracking of previous cruises.
5. CABIN/PAX SUMMARY – Contains number of guests on board, as well as expected arrivals and the breakdown of US and Non-US citizens.
6. CABIN CHANGES – Used to move guests in the system when they change cabins.
7. INCIDENT REPORT/ VISITOR STATUS/ C.O.P – Not used.
INTRODUCTION TO SAIL & SIGN
Carnival’s Sail and Sign program is an on-board cashless charge system created for the guest’s convenience.
Very few services on board can be paid for directly with cash, credit or traveler’s checks. Instead, guests will sign for most purchase, using shipboard charge cards called “Sail & Sign” cards.
This card is also used as an identification card when embarking or debarking the ship in ports of calls. For security purposes all guests must present their Sail and Sign Card and photo identification when embarking the ship. Consequently, every guest has their own Sail and Sign Card with their own 4 digit identification number or “folio” number.
The Sail and Sign Card is also used to identify a guest’s status as a past guest. Red and Blue card indicate a person as a first time cruiser, gold is for someone who has cruised with Carnival previously (between 2-9 times) and Platinum is for a person who has cruised 10 times or more.
The guest will receive their Sail and Sign card in the terminal building on embarkation day, along with their stateroom keys immediately after checking in. On some classes of ships, this card will actually be used as the key.
This card also provides the guest with their dining information, dining room, and time and table number.
SERVICES THAT REQUIRE SAIL & SIGN PAYMENT
- Beverage Purchases (including 15% Gratuity) includes Fountain Fun Cards
- Tuxedo Rentals
- Infirmary Charges
- Laundry Service
- Ship-To-Shore Phone Calls
- Shore Excursions
- Camp Carnival Babysitting
- Photographs, Travelog Video
- Art Auction
- Spa Services
- Golf Lessons
- Internet Café
SERVICES THAT REQUIRE CASH PAYMENT
- Horseracing
- Scratch Lottery Tickets
- Stamps
- Coin Operated Laundry
SERVICES THAT MAY BE PAID CASH OR SAIL & SIGN
- Bingo
- Casino (3% surcharge if using Sail & Sign)
- Tipping (gratuities for Cabin Steward, Waiters etc)
In order to activate a Sail and Sign Card it must be set up using either :
A credit card
Cash
Traveler’s Checks
Combination of any of the above
Acceptable credit cards include Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover & Diner’s Card.
Credit card accounts can be set up in the terminal building upon check-in or at the Purser’s desk.
Cash accounts and traveler’s check accounts can only be activated on board the ship at the Purser’s Desk.
Credit Card Accounts:
Upon a guest presenting a credit card to activate their account their credit card is swiped in the system. This creates what is know as a credit card hold, where a satellite system (Visanet) verifies that the guest has sufficient funds to support any purchases made with their Sail and Sign card.
When the credit card information is swiped in the system and saved, we receive notification in approximately 10 seconds whether the card has funds or the request has been denied by Visanet. When a request is made to Visanet, we are not actually charging the credit card, simply reserving the funds. The guests may change their final form of payment (for example pay their bill in cash), prior to 9am on debarkation morning, in which case the card will not be charged. After the guests have left the ship all credit cards are charged the amount the guest has spent on board. If there is any overage between the amount on hold and the amount charged, it will be released back to the guest’s card, after approximately 3 business days.
Sometimes when the Visanet system is used a message is received advising the ship that the credit card is a “pick- up” card. That is the bank would like us to collect this credit card as they believe the card has been used inappropriately, either by someone with a bad credit rating, or possibly fraudulently. When the guest presents to the desk the bank should be called to confirm the requested action. If necessary the Purser must cut the card lengthways in front of the guest, keeping the card, to be turned into the accountants for a reward. Extreme tact and sensitivity must be used in such situations.
If using a credit card on board it must be the guest’s personal credit card with their name actually on the card. If they wish to use another person’s card that is not on board, the card must be presented with the
contact details of the card holder so that written authorization can be requested.
When creating a credit card account a Sail & Sign application form must be completed in full. The signatures and credit card imprint collected provides Carnival with authorization to charge the card for any charges made by the endorsed names on the application form.
As all necessary signatures are collected when completing the Sail and Sign Application Form the guest does not need to return on debarkation morning to settle their credit card account. Instead a statement will be sent to their cabin to confirm final charges and if the guest is happy and leaves the ship, it will be charged automatically.
Cash Accounts:
Once cash is applied to the account the Sail and Sign card will act similarly to a prepaid or debit card. On debarkation morning if the guest still has a positive balance he or she will still not be required to return to the Purser’s desk. Instead a check will be generated for any excess funds and delivered to the cabin. The check can either be cashed at the Purser’s desk or cashed upon their return home at their own bank. For those guests who have a negative balance at the end of the cruise, they will be required to provide additional funds at the desk and will be notified of this by a letter to the cabin.
SIGN – UP SCREEN
To activate a card for the first time the Purser must use the sign up screen in the Sail and Sign system. The sign-up screen searches by cabin number and allows you to deposit the first payment only (cash or credit) onto the Sail & Sign card. When signing an account up, the system will allow joint accounts to be set up, as well as for people to separate and set up individual accounts.
The account number or authorization number tells us of who is listed to be on the account. When the guests are checked in upon arrival to the terminal the computer will assign them an account (authorization) number. This number is different from the folio number (personal identification number). If more than one person has the same authorization number it indicates that they have a joint account.
Here are some examples to clarify:
If a husband and wife are traveling together they may sign up together and have a joint account. In which case they will have the same account or authorization number, but different folio (ID numbers).
For friends traveling together they may prefer to separate their charges in which case they would have different folio numbers and different authorization numbers.
To sign up a guest, the following steps must be taken:
1. In the blank sign-up screen, type in the cabin number of the guests that you wish to sign up and press the search key. The computer will bring up all guests in that cabin. Select the guest and you will be presented with a screen that looks like the below:
2. The cursor will then jump to the F type field. If all the people who want to be on the account are in the same cabin, select the FA option. If they are in different cabins the TW option should be selected.
3. Enter the payment information. For a credit card, type cc and swipe the credit card to obtain a hold on funds. Sometimes the card may be unable to be swiped as the magnetic strip is damaged, in which case the information can be entered manually. When entering the expiry date in TNVT, it must be reversed in the system. For example and expiry date of May 2009, would be entered as 0905. The system will suggest an amount to be requested for credit card approval, however it may be adjusted if required.
For a cash account, enter csh and enter the amount of deposit provided by the guest. Consider the length of the cruise as gratuities will have already been applied to the account and must be covered first before any other charges can be made.
4. The cursor will then move to the S&S column requesting confirmation of who is to be responsible for the account. Each account must have only one responsible person. This person will be responsible for all the charges of all the other guests on the account, in case they do not or cannot pay their charges. The responsible person is marked by typing an R next to their name, then the message ‘responsible pax’ will appear next to their name. If a responsible person has already been selected for the account, this cannot be changed. Nor can a responsible person remove any person from his account, unless that person agrees to become responsible for their charges.
A minor under the age of 18 cannot be responsible for the account nor have their own account. They must be on an account with a responsible adult. The only exception to his rules is when there are large groups of children on board, traveling with chaperones.
If more than one person is to be on the account the other people should be linked by placing an X next to their name (provided they have the same authorization number).
5. After pressing the save key the information is saved in the system. For cash accounts a three part receipt is printed out for the guest and the Purser to sign. For a credit card account the approval is requested through Visanet. Approval can be checked in the Folio Maintenance screen.
OPEN AUTHORIZATION PERIOD
During the first day of the cruise, guests may use their Sail & Sign card to make charges, even if they have not activated their card.
This is known as the “open authorization” period and is for the guest’s convenience, so that they do not have to wait in line upon embarking to make a deposit before they make purchases.
Open authorization is only for embarkation day and any guest who has not signed up their card to a method of payment by the first evening of the cruise will have their cards automatically deactivated with a note sent to the cabin, reminding them to do so.
