How much spending money for a 5 day cruise?

So, we are going on a cruise for the first time (myself, husband, and 3 Kids that will be 4,10,and 6). I have no idea how much to set aside! We don’t really drink, and we aren’t purchasing excursions for this first time cruising. Really looking to sightsee a bit at ports or beach it (Nassau and princess cays), buy some cheesy souvenirs for the kids, maybe some bingo, and some photos for memories. Hoping the seasoned cruisers can give me some idea. I want to keep it simple this first time and see what it’s all about!! Thank you so much for your help!! And if you want to add in some tips for each port we would appreciate that as well. Thank you!

It will really depend on your spending habits and buying preferences. On some ports, you may need to spend for transport like taxi to get to where you want if walking is not possible. You can also avoid places that have entrance fees. So you can choose how to spend your time in port.

Suggest you post on the specific Bahamas Port Of Call Forum to get an idea on which places to visit and the corresponding costs, if any.

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Kinda tough to estimate those costs. I can tell you if you're referring to on-ship photography those can get very pricey. You can buy a single photo to a package of photos and the cost will be on your final bill and charged to your credit card on the last day.

While in port you've got the cash vs. credit card option to consider. Cash can be lost/stolen and credit card will have to pay the currency exchange rate. Be sure to notify your credit card company of what ports you will be in so they won't flag the card as stolen. At the very least do take cash for small purchases while in port. Me and the DW will each carry some to lessen the chances of loss and leave the balance in our room's safe.

Enjoy your first cruise and welcome to cruise critic!

My estimate;

Sightseeing for 5 at 2 ports - $150

Cheesy souvenirs for the kids (3) - $30

Bingo for two (1x) - $90

Some (4) photos - $80

You can do the ports for no cost other then buying souvenirs at Nassau.

Photos cost more then one thinks but some might be good for memories.

I would say $100 to $150.00 for photos (you can reduce that by buying less), and maybe $200.00 to $300.00 for other on board expenses and all of that can be charged to your ship board account and paid for by Credit Card.

Maybe 100.00 for tourist items.

If you have checked luggage say $2.00 for each piece checked in cash to the porters at the cruise ship terminal and if you need assistance from them when you disembark figure the same amount.

Keith

My weaknesses....

• excursions.... check the cruise website for the latest prices
  
• photos.... can't decide which one
  
• specialty dining... so yummy
  
• drink packages...
  
• 
  

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=2031

https://www.cruisecritic.com/articles.cfm?ID=1493

You can do the ports for no cost other then buying souvenirs at Nassau.

 

Photos cost more then one thinks but some might be good for memories.

 

I would say $100 to $150.00 for photos (you can reduce that by buying less), and maybe $200.00 to $300.00 for other on board expenses and all of that can be charged to your ship board account and paid for by Credit Card.

 

Maybe 100.00 for tourist items.

 

If you have checked luggage say $2.00 for each piece checked in cash to the porters at the cruise ship terminal and if you need assistance from them when you disembark figure the same amount.

 

Keith

Bingo photos and drinks can be charged to your room as can souvenirs and other purchases on ship can be charged to your room account. Your room key will act like a credit card on board ship. It will also be your seapass allowing you to disembark and re board the ship, for Caribbean ports no need to bring passport, put them in the safe in your room (we always bring a photo copy however just in case). May need a few bucks for transportation in ports, chair and or umbrella rentals at the beach. Consider you may get thirsty or hungry and need money for drinks food. We usually carry a few hundred dollars US and one or two credit cards in Caribbean ports. With regard to on board photos I feel they are way overpriced, and the quality is not hat good, overexposed poor saturation etc. and u don't get the data for reprints. Better off taking lots of photos with phone and or camera some will surely be great!

Photos range from $20 to $40 (and more) a sheet. Don’t forget daily grants as NLH posted. Bingo will also run $20-$50 a pack of cards. Souvenirs depend on what/where you get it but I would set aside ~$50 minimum.

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It will really depend on your spending habits and buying preferences. On some ports, you may need to spend for transport like taxi to get to where you want if walking is not possible. You can also avoid places that have entrance fees. So you can choose how to spend your time in port.

Suggest you post on the specific Bahamas Port Of Call Forum to get an idea on which places to visit and the corresponding costs, if any.

 

 

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Easyboy, thank you for your suggestions I will definitely look into the threads for my specific ports of travel :)

Kinda tough to estimate those costs. I can tell you if you're referring to on-ship photography those can get very pricey. You can buy a single photo to a package of photos and the cost will be on your final bill and charged to your credit card on the last day.

 

While in port you've got the cash vs. credit card option to consider. Cash can be lost/stolen and credit card will have to pay the currency exchange rate. Be sure to notify your credit card company of what ports you will be in so they won't flag the card as stolen. At the very least do take cash for small purchases while in port. Me and the DW will each carry some to lessen the chances of loss and leave the balance in our room's safe.

 

Enjoy your first cruise and welcome to cruise critic!

Good points, thank you! Each of us carrying some cash sounds like a good option, well, at least the adults carrying the cash ;p

My estimate;

Sightseeing for 5 at 2 ports - $150

Cheesy souvenirs for the kids (3) - $30

Bingo for two (1x) - $90

Some (4) photos - $80

Hey Tina, thanks for the estimates? It at least gives me an idea to build from since I have no clue for the cost of things on the ship. Random: How did you like MSC, family friendly? quality?

Thank you everyone for the tips! It sounds like the photos are definitely overpriced, although I am a sucker for photo memories so we will see if I end up caving lol. We went ahead and paid for FTTF and also paid gratuities in advance. I am a fan for paying for anything we can in advance! We are cruising on the Elation for this first time in January!

My rule of thumb is $100 per day. Have never, ever even come close to using it. Usually go home with more than half of what I bring.

Hey Tina, thanks for the estimates? It at least gives me an idea to build from since I have no clue for the cost of things on the ship. Random: How did you like MSC, family friendly? quality?

You're welcome? I haven't gone on MSC yet, and I don't have a family so I unfortunately I won't be the best source to report on that.

Princess Cays is the private beach day...there is no reason to spend a penny there, unless you want alcohol or a watersport rental. It's a beach day...pure and simple!

Nassau.....there is a straw market, if you're interested in some cheap souvenir shopping....or you could just browse.

Everything you purchase on the ship will be charged to your cabin, so no cash is needed while cruising. You settle up at the end. Booze is the biggest cost. If you don't drink a lot, then a few hundred should be good. We always bring more cash than we need....cash is king and you never know when you might need it! It goes back to the bank when we get home!

Not sure how it works on every cruise line but on RC last year it was cheaper to get digital prints and they give you a USB drive than having pictures printed on the ship. Then we just took the USB drive to Walmart

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Mermaidhair,

I would mention this regarding photos: "Formal night/Elegant night" is the best time to get a great family photo. You may want to coordinate a color for Everyone to wear that night. You can go to every available setting/backdrop. No charge to take the pics, just the one(s) you purchase. These are our most treasured "souvenirs", especially from the cruise we when took our mom.

You can read about "shopping" in Nassau in the port section. Be prepared for the hard sell every step. My husband thinks it is amusing. He enjoys dickering for a super low price. I, personally, do not. But to each their own.

Have a great time!

We don't take much in cash--just a couple of hundred dollars for most cruises unless we plan to do something that will require more. All the onboard expenses are on a charge card that I pay off after getting home.

You may also want to look at drink packages for the kids for bottled water, juice or soda. I don't know if you have girls or boys -- but there is an arcade on the ship & hair braiding (don't get hair braided where there is no running water) my kids always managed to spend some $ there.

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I struggle with how much cash to bring too. Don't worry about costs on the ship. You can charge those (I mean if you need to have a budget or whatever that's fine-but you can use your credit card if needed). Its the ports that I stress over. Most Caribbean places take dollars but you want to have lots of small bills. Souvenirs cost more than you think. Granted I'm not a very experienced cruiser but I only recall one shop in Mexico that had really cheap souvenirs for kids. My daughter and husband always want T-shirts and surprisingly they were almost always around $20 each. You can of course give your kids a souvenir budget-but know to plan for things to cost a bit more money than you expect. Also budget for a few drinks (sodas, water) and snacks at the ports if not a meal. Nassau is walk-able so you can manage without a cab. Are you going anywhere else.

Last cruise (9 nights), we spent maybe $20 or so in cash off the ship. Other purchases were credit card. There are cards without foreign transaction fees.

Maybe $80 - $100 in cash tips, room attendant, pool bar (SUPERB service) and the suite concierge. Oh, and the porters when dropping off the bags.

And I put down $100 cash for blackjack (cashed out $220 on the last day :) ).

Save your money & forget Bingo. Bring new one dollar bills for souvineers in port (negotiate for best prices). Family picture is a must !!!

Not sure how it works on every cruise line but on RC last year it was cheaper to get digital prints and they give you a USB drive than having pictures printed on the ship. Then we just took the USB drive to Walmart

 

 

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It looks like the OP is going on Carnival. Unfortunately, they don't have that option :(:mad:

Are you asking how much additional you will need beyond your cruise fare or how much actual CASH you will need for a 5-day cruise? If you are asking about money beyond the cruise fare then consider

• Daily service charges $13 x 5 persons x 5 days = $325
  
• Luggage handling at the port = $10
  
• Are you going to buy any additional beverages (soft drinks, specialty coffee, bottled water, etc) - I would estimate $2-$3 for each non-alcoholic and $8 per alcoholic for a drink. Let's say Mom & Dad each have 2 alcoholic drinks each over the course of the trip and each family member has one soft drink/specialty coffee per day. It is easy now to say, oh we won't drink that much, but you have very few ports are you going to be able to resist and just drink the included beverages of tea, drip coffee, fountain water and milk? If you go with the conservative that is $100 right there.
  
• Bingo sounds like a fun distraction, but it is meant to be a money maker. The cards are expensive and the games are over fast, so don't expect that this will be a cheap easy way to fill your afternoon. Packages start in the $25 range and only go up from there. How many are going to play. Let's just assume mom and dad each play one package - $50
  
• Will you be gambling at all? Let's assume Mom & Dad aren't big gamblers. Lot's of people just say, "Oh I will just play $20 in the slots" Again Mom & Dad only - $40
  
• Will you need a definite shady spot while at Half Moon Cay or are you okay with potentially not finding a shady spot and having to rent a clam shell. The shady spots go quick! - $25
  
• What are you going to do in Nassau. You can walk off the ship and hit several touristy shops and let each person spend $10 a piece on a souvenir. Are you going to eat off the ship or are you going to head back for before lunch? Nassau is one of my least favorite ports, but if it was one of only two stops then I would at least get off and find some conch fritters. Souvenirs and lunch - $100
  
• Are you driving or flying to the port? I am going to assume you have already factored in airfare, but if driving you will need to add parking at the port. I am not sure what the port parking fee is in your area, but let's say $10 a day or if you are flying you will need transport from/to the port so either way- $50
  
• There always seems to be other money maker things out there - hair wraps for girls, paint a piece of pottery, etc - 20
  
• Will you family do the Dr. Suess character breakfast? - $25
  
• Pictures Here is a money suck. Let's be conservative and say you get just a few - $50
  

Cruises can be deceptively expensive. Nothing I mentioned above is an excursion and all are optional, accept the daily service charge. For a family of 5 who was pretty conservative onboard would still be spending nearly $800. Take out the pre-paid gratuities and it is still almost $500. You need to ask how much willpower you will have (and have to tell your kids no) to avoid the above items