How much cash (small bills) do you bring for miscellaneous tipping on 7 night Allure

[poopin]

This is our first cruise and we are planning on prepaying gratuities but it has been highly recommended that we bring a bunch of small denomination bills for additional tips. What/how much do you usually bring?

[LuvWilliam]

This is our first cruise and we are planning on prepaying gratuities but it has been highly recommended that we bring a bunch of small denomination bills for additional tips. What/how much do you usually bring?

 

 

We brought $200 in cash... About $35 in ones, a few fives and tens and the rest in twenties to use for taxis. We didn't use RC for the shore excursions, we just went to the beaches ourselves so that's why we needed cash. We ended up coming home with like $20 lol Between the porters, the shuttle or taxi drivers and our stateroom attendant, there was a lot of people to tip lol

[LuvWilliam]

This is our first cruise and we are planning on prepaying gratuities but it has been highly recommended that we bring a bunch of small denomination bills for additional tips. What/how much do you usually bring?

 

 

And enjoy!!! You will have a BLAST. Your first cruise on Allure will spoil you!

[cincicruisers]

50 singles for drink Service

[Cruising Lions]

I try to figure out all my costs including tips, transportation , activity and food and bring the appropriate cash. Works well for me

[jbr5049]

We usually bring 100$ in singles for tips to the bartenders and the people running the drinks. We do the drink packages and find exceptional service when you hold up your cards and some cash.

 

Typically we tip an additional $10 at specialty dining and an additional $20 or so to the cabin attendant depending on service.

 

MDR tipping is all up to you, but we always feel compelled to give some extra to them on the last night.

[cruise_blog]

There really is no need to "bring" small bills--it just makes your wallet or purse that much more bulky and more difficult to keep track of. We are on the Allure right now and have just gone to the front desk or to the casino to change larger bills into $1s when needed. Typically in the evenings there have been no or very short lines at the front desk when we've wanted to change bills. I only carried maybe ten dollars in $1 bills at a time.

 

I think overall we spent maybe $30 in tips for drinks in the diamond lounge and at bars and for the guys making specialty coffees, but we're not big drinkers. The question about "how much" really depends on what you end up doing--if you drink a lot or do more shore excursions, you'll tip more. BTW, as others have said, a few tips here and there really do get you better on-going service. The staff works hard and it is well-worth it to tip them.

[jonbgd]

I bring a few small bills for the first day to tip the porter and the D lounge waiter/bartender.

After that I visit the casino/guest services to change larger bills

[setsail]

Always bring small bills for taxis in the Caribbean , sooner or later when you offer a 20$ bill to pay the tab there will be no change

[gerif]

We, too, bring larger bills and get change in the casino as needed. No need to stress about running low on small bills.

[LizzieandLuke]

We usually bring 100$ in singles for tips to the bartenders and the people running the drinks. We do the drink packages and find exceptional service when you hold up your cards and some cash.

 

Typically we tip an additional $10 at specialty dining and an additional $20 or so to the cabin attendant depending on service.

 

MDR tipping is all up to you, but we always feel compelled to give some extra to them on the last night.

 

We do the almost the same but roughly $50 in singles. We tip the bar runner in the MDR on the last night with the waiter and asst. waiter.

[shanley]

I seem to tip very differently then the others who have responded.

 

We don't drink much and when we do, I find the gratuity already added to my bill is sufficient. If I thought they deserved more, I would add it to the bill. Extra tip in the speciality restaurant would be added to the bill, but again the cost is supposed to included gratuity. I don't carry any cash with me while on board.

 

I tip the porters when we drop off our bags. I usually tip the room service guy a couple of dollars, although we've had them leave so quickly, thyme' expectations missed out.

 

We are a family of 3, so our shore excursion tips are usually not done with ones.

 

If you do an excursion that includes a bar, like a lot of the boat rides, you may want small bills for that.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[griffy116]

We keep an envelope with small bills in the dresser in the cabin. This is for room service. Keeps it handy. We keep an envelope with more cash in the safe. We don't always tip over the 18% that is on the bar tab now. We tip in the Diamond lounge and we tip the porters, etc. We keep ones, 5's, 10's and 20's for taxi's and small purchases. We try to use our credit card for shore purchases and meals whenever possible.

[ZoeyVictoria]

I make a quick list of what I need small bills for in order of the days/events. For our upcoming 6 nights on the Navigator, it was: shuttle, porter, $1 each for Diamond drinks, taxis in Grand Cayman, lounge chairs in Labadee, room service, porter, shuttle). I tally the denominations I need for those items, then round up. I go through the drive-through window of the bank with a check for the total and a list of the denominations I want. In this case, it was 30 1s, 14 5s, 4 10s and 3 20s, total $200. Leftovers are saved for the next cruise. A fat envelope, yes, but tucked away in my carry on until I put it into the safe.

[Lionesss]

We take about $100 dollars---- in mostly 5 dollar denomination

 

and then an additional $10-20 in single dollars.

 

Used mostly for tipping and on the island for small purchases.

 

 

I will never forget in Jamaica, on one of our earlier cruises DH bought 3 bottles of water that were one dollar each and got 7 Jamaican coins back:eek:,

The cashier told us that she did not have american change and the coins can be used else where on the island.

 

She made out, and we probably ended up paying $3 for each water.

 

That is why we use small currency on islands, after 7 cruises we bought what we needed, so only buy small tokens of like a Christmas tree ornament.

 

Safe travels.

[BND]

I take enough to tip the steward, waiter and assistant waiter, plus the D lounge staff and additional amount on top of the auto gratuity. I then figure out how many days and pick an amount for the casino that I'm willing to part with. After that I make sure we have additional cash for taxis, onshore meals, etc. So, for our upcoming 10 night Vision cruise we will probably take at least $400, probably a bit more. DH and I divide it so we're each carrying a smaller amount. But, carrying more than about 30 singles really takes up space. A few times I've just paid off our onboard account with what we have left even though it's on a credit card.

 

But, even though I bring some smaller bills, I still exchange some $20 bills in the casino to make sure I have what I need towards the end of the cruise. We always end up bringing home cash, but I'd rather do that than not have enough and need to pay the fee onboard to get more (ATM or casino).

[maryjaden]

I always take $150. 50 ones, 10 fives, 5 tens. I used to get change at casino, but the casino is not always open. The one time I went to guest services to get small bills, they only had 20's and directed me to the ATM in the casino which was out of service.

[reallyitsmema]

We have never seen the need to bring the large quantity of ones that some feel they need. We brought only $10 in ones on our last cruise and that was plenty. If we buy anything along the way to the port or in a US port, we will break a larger bill so we get some smaller bills. In any other port, we never use a large bill because you will get change in the local currency. If we find we need smaller bills, we go to the casino or guest relations.

[Cuizer2]

This is our first cruise and we are planning on prepaying gratuities but it has been highly recommended that we bring a bunch of small denomination bills for additional tips. What/how much do you usually bring?

 

None. The prepaid gratuities covers everyone.

[QuitMyDayJob]

I actually bring separate envelopes with the cash needed for room service tips, steward tips, taxi, etc. I put all the envelopes in a zippered pencil case type bag. We take $20-$30 one dollar bills and break larger bills as needed.

[westwingjazz]

I always go to the bank and get $100 in one dollar bills. It just simplifies everything.

[gerig]

We usually bring 100$ in singles for tips to the bartenders and the people running the drinks. We do the drink packages and find exceptional service when you hold up your cards and some cash.

 

Typically we tip an additional $10 at specialty dining and an additional $20 or so to the cabin attendant depending on service.

 

MDR tipping is all up to you, but we always feel compelled to give some extra to them on the last night.

 

Normally tip 2-3 for breakfast in dining room, 4-5 for dinner in dining room. Even when we eat in the windjammer for dinner we leave $2 on the table. We bring $100 in singles and small bills and if needed we get more from the casino.

[kerryincork]

If you pre pay the gratuities you do not need to tip ant one else extra. A tip is already added to every drink you buy, you don't need to tip in cash. There is a line on the receipt where you can add an additional tip if you want. Of course if you feel someone deserves an extra tip feel free to do so but it is not necessary.

Now porters are not included in pre paid gratuities so you give them $1-2, per bag. In land we make sure our money is in $1, $5, $10 bills so you can pay taxis, buses, sun loungers as close to exact money as possible as unlikely to get change.

[LuCruise]

I'm confused, but isn't that what gratuitites are for? I can see maybe tipping the porters, but overall I thought that was taken care of.

 

But I do wonder too about how much cash to bring along, thinking more for the ports for taxis, beach or attraction fees, food while on shore, beach chairs or rentals, etc.

Edited November 16, 2015 by LuCruise

[kerryincork]

You are correct LuCruise. That is what the gratuities are for. You do not need to tip extra in cash when you are on board. tips in the spa and bar are added to your receipt. The staff do work hard and deserve their prepaid gratuities, but I don't give them extra for doing their job.

I might give extra to Steward or nice bar person.

On shore is a different matter, I try to make sure I have plenty of smaller bills then.