Hello Jnojr, Welcome to CruiseAddict's. This is a great board, and I'm sure you 'll find lots of answers here.
Now I'm no drinker so can't offer much of info re: alcohol, but I'll do my best with the other questions.
At embarkation they will electronically scan your credit card, and issue you a ASign and Sail card@. The Sign and Sail card looks like a credit card and is used for any purchases onboard the ship (ie: spa services, beauty salon, ship sponsored shore excursions, gift shop purchases, photo purchases, non-included beverages, charges for alternative dining, etc.) Those charges are then charged to your credit card at the end of the cruise.
If you wish, you can open a sign and sail card with cash and you will have that amount as a pre-set spending limit. You can add more cash to that, during the cruise if you find yourself nearing the limit.
If you do set up a sign and sail card with your credit card, you can pay all or part of it off in cash or traveler’s check before the end of the cruise, if you wish. (Like the time hubby had some luck in the casino.)
The sign and sail card is only good onboard the ship - you must use cash or credit card in ports.
On most ships, your sign and sail card also serves as your room key and your boarding pass, and is required for you to get on and off the ship.
The final total on the S&S card, at the end of the cruise doesn’t need to be such a shocker. They do give you a list of drink prices in the cabin. Look for it. Most people don’t bother. Still, whenever you purchase a drink (or anything else), you have to sign for it, and you are give an receipt. You can keep track of it, if you like. I always put all those receipts in one spot in the cabin, for reference later. Just in case.
If you like you can always check your bill, anytime you like, at the pursers desk, just to see how high it’s gotten. On most of the newer ships you can do this on the interactive TV right in your cabin.
To give you an idea of what the drinks cost I’ve looked at some of those receipts, that are still mixed in with all the papers from February cruise on the Triumph. These are some of the receipts I found.
Corona $4.75 + .71 Tax and Gratuity =$5.46
1 Margarita $4.50 and 1 White Russian $4.95 + 1.42 T&G = $10.87
Ulta Prem. Martini $8.95 + 1.34 T&G = 10.29
1 Pina Colada $5.25 and 1 Bud Light $475. + 1.50 T&G = $ 11.50
Also found one receipt that looks like a bottle of Woodbridge Chardonay from the dining room: $21.00 + T&G 3.15 = $ 24.15
Somewhere on the board, I’ve seen someone past a link to a list of the prices. Maybe do a search for “drink price list†to find it.
About binging alcohol on board. It really is against the rules, but like with all rules some people break them and bring it anyway. Until recently most seem to do so with no problem. They put it in the luggage, and sometime put it in soda pop bottles. But recently I've been reading that the ships are getting more strict, and aren't even allowing soda anymore.
They do say a "reasonable" amount of wine is permitted. Something like a bottle or two. I'm sure others here will be able to give more specific advice. I have no idea what the corkage fee it. Much easier to bring your own opener, wouldn't you think.
