How much cash should I take?

[ummgood]

My wife and I are taking an anniversary trip on the Navigator of the Seas in July. We will be stopping in Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. I currently have the following ideas for how much cash. Please let me know if there is anything I am not thinking of. I have previously cruised on Disney and am using that experience for what I should bring but maybe there is something I am not thinking of on RCCL? We would prefer to use cash for all purchases/tips off the ship.

 

Port:

o We have previously used porters but this time we are cruising out of Galveston without our kids so we are driving and parking across from the terminal and walking over. I might bring a few bucks if we have more than a couple bags or I want to dump all but one bag when we board just to make it easier on the first day before our room is available. If our room is available right away when we board then I'll just roll our bags directly to our room.

 

Ship:

o $50 in ones to tip waiters

o $10 in ones to tip room service (not sure how much we'll use this)

 

Roatan (We have the Tabyana beach break booked through the ship):

o $20 for rentals (guessing I have to pay for snorkle gear).

o $2 to tip bus driver.

o $40 for souvenirs.

 

Belize (We have the Lamanai ruins booked through the ship):

o $5 to tip bus driver.

o $5 to tip the tour guide.

o $40 for souvenirs.

 

Cozumel (We have booked ourselves Mr. Sanchez AI):

o $90 to finish payment for Mr. Sanchez

o $50 for taxi both directions

o $5 to $10 to tip people at AI.

o $40 for souvenirs.

 

Anything we might be missing?

Edited March 24, 2015 by ummgood

[mpoole3]

My wife and I are taking an anniversary trip on the Navigator of the Seas in July. We will be stopping in Roatan, Belize, and Cozumel. I currently have the following ideas for how much cash. Please let me know if there is anything I am not thinking of. I have previously cruised on Disney and am using that experience for what I should bring but maybe there is something I am not thinking of on RCCL? We would prefer to use cash for all purchases/tips off the ship.

 

Port:

o We have previously used porters but this time we are cruising out of Galveston without our kids so we are driving and parking across from the terminal and walking over. I might bring a few bucks if we have more than a couple bags or I want to dump all but one bag when we board just to make it easier on the first day before our room is available. If our room is available right away when we board then I'll just roll our bags directly to our room.

 

Ship:

o $50 in ones to tip waiters

o $10 in ones to tip room service (not sure how much we'll use this)

 

Roatan (We have the Tabyana beach break booked through the ship):

o $20 for rentals (guessing I have to pay for snorkle gear).

o $2 to tip bus driver.

o $40 for souvenirs.

 

Belize (We have the Lamanai ruins booked through the ship):

o $5 to tip bus driver.

o $5 to tip the tour guide.

o $40 for souvenirs.

 

Cozumel (We have booked ourselves Mr. Sanchez AI):

o $90 to finish payment for Mr. Sanchez

o $50 for tax both directions

o $5 to $10 to tip people at AI.

o $40 for souvenirs.

 

Anything we might be missing?

 

Casino Donations?

[cruzsnooze]

Waiters and room stewards & room service are included in the daily auto tips charged to account daily so I never need singles for that. You don't need to carry a wad of singles anyway since you can get them at the casino or guest services. I do not tip on shore excursions booked through the ship, they cost double private tours. I tip what you suggested if they are private tours.

Edited March 24, 2015 by cruzsnooze

[ummgood]

Casino Donations?

 

Oh Geeze! I didn't even think about the Casino. Honestly I am not much of the gambling type and I'll just tell my wife that is where the chain smokers go so we can avoid it :). The funny thing is right after we got married we went to Vegas for my wife's 21st birthday. We stayed up until midnight and had about $250 in quarters people had given her for her bday and christmas for our trip. At midnight we went down and started and within 20 minutes she won a $1000 dollar jackpot on a wheel of fortune slot. We basically agreed we beat the odds and stopped gambling at that point. We went home with more money than we left with. We never have gambled again except for maybe 5 lottery tickets and we are celebrating 15 years on this cruise.

 

Waiters and room stewards & room service are included in the daily auto tips charged to account daily so I never need singles for that. You don't need to carry a wad of singles anyway since you can get them at the casino or guest services. I do not tip on shore excursions booked through the ship, they cost double private tours. I tip what you suggested if they are private tours.

 

Oh wow ok I would tip room service on Disney because I thought they didn't get the tips that our waiters/room stewards/dining leads got. Interesting.

 

Also for the tours through the ship I booked Lamanai through the ship because it is so long and I didn't want to risk missing the boat. I booked the Roatan excursion because we wanted to go to West Bay and it would have been more to book a cab and pay for lunch than what we paid through RCCI. I am thinking I might still tip a little because I bet RCCI is getting the price difference not the tour guides.

[luvscruising2007]

I don't think room service is included in the gratuities. We always tip $2 to $3 depending on what we order. If they are included it is new.

[Pumbaamd]

Bring another $50 in five's. You will have occasion to tip a little more to someone who went way extra to help you. And you won't have to use up your one's as quick.

The crew work very hard and go out of their way to help you enjoy your cruise. We enjoy giving them a little extra.

Rick and Deirdra

[cb at sea]

I never bring wads of small bills...the ship can break down larger denominations. Much easier to carry, too!

 

Room service is the only thing (aside from porters) on the ship that is NOT covered by your suggested grats....those tips cover your cabin attendants, waiter, ass't waiter and head waiter. They are the only ones you're expected to tip. Any drink you buy will have the tip added to the cost.

 

You don't need to tip bus drivers...especially if they are public buses! Even tours that are only transportation do not need tipping. If there is a guide that is fun and informative, then sure...give them something.

Edited March 24, 2015 by cb at sea

[Pumbaamd]

Also for the tours through the ship I booked Lamanai through the ship because it is so long and I didn't want to risk missing the boat. I booked the Roatan excursion because we wanted to go to West Bay and it would have been more to book a cab and pay for lunch than what we paid through RCCI. I am thinking I might still tip a little because I bet RCCI is getting the price difference not the tour guides.

You are correct. Give them one of those five's!

R&D

[ummgood]

Bring another $50 in five's. You will have occasion to tip a little more to someone who went way extra to help you. And you won't have to use up your one's as quick.

The crew work very hard and go out of their way to help you enjoy your cruise. We enjoy giving them a little extra.

Rick and Deirdra

 

Thanks we'll have some extra. Actually on Disney we made up small bags of candy like Hershey's kisses and other chocolate. We would give them out to the people who would give us a smile or other special service above and beyond what we were expecting. We also left them with tips when we dined at Palo. The CM's in the kids clubs went crazy over it.

 

I never bring wads of small bills...the ship can break down larger denominations. Much easier to carry, too!

 

Room service is the only thing (aside from porters) on the ship that is NOT covered by your suggested grats....

 

Thanks I was thinking that it wasn't covered. I have that planned in my amounts above. Also thanks for the tip about only bringing large bills and have the ship break it up. I never thought about that because on Disney you always used your room key. I didn't know of any place that dealt with cash so I assumed they didn't have it. I guess the casino changes that???

[ummgood]

I don't think room service is included in the gratuities. We always tip $2 to $3 depending on what we order. If they are included it is new.

 

Thanks! That is what I was thinking.

[phoenix1181]

Thanks I was thinking that it wasn't covered. I have that planned in my amounts above. Also thanks for the tip about only bringing large bills and have the ship break it up. I never thought about that because on Disney you always used your room key. I didn't know of any place that dealt with cash so I assumed they didn't have it. I guess the casino changes that???

 

Go to Guest Services for change. The casino is not a bank...............

[ummgood]

Go to Guest Services for change. The casino is not a bank...............

 

Ok thanks I'll have another reason to avoid it. The funny thing is in Vegas and other places the Casino is the bank if you need cash or to break up larger bills. I figured it was the same on the ship.

[trev71]

Ok thanks I'll have another reason to avoid it. The funny thing is in Vegas and other places the Casino is the bank if you need cash or to break up larger bills. I figured it was the same on the ship.

 

 

All the ships i have been on so far have had bill breakers on board. Sometimes i will break a bill there if i need too. Dont listen to what others say do whatever you want :)

[ummgood]

this type of question is like asking how long is a piece of rope.

 

How long is it?

 

Just kidding. I know some people spend more or less than others. I am looking more for items I might have missed that I might need cash for. When I see those ideas I'll decide if that is something I would need cash for or not.

[sweetlove13]

Always take more cash than you think you'll need. It's better to bring some back home than to have to find an ATM & pay a fee like I did on my last cruise [emoji20]