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.
