How much do you spend

[laumicmah]

In thinking more about it and trying to hammer out for our cruise in August so we know how much we'll spend I came up with a S&S of about $150/day (or $1050 total) and the $50 per day in cash (or $350 total) for a 7 day cruise for 5 people in 2 cabins. So $1400 more. The ship excursion I booked is prepaid (I think) and the non-ship excursion is pre-paid as well as FTTF and the case of water. I don't think I pre-paid tips.

[RecoveryDude]

So subjective, as everyone has said. But the main things I personally use CASH (not S&S or credit card):

 

Casino

Tips

Shopping in port at places that don't take plastic

 

I bring a few hundred more that I budget "Just in case" and leave it in the safe. Sometimes It's left over at the end of the cruise, sometimes not.

 

I know you said you are not doing the steakhouse, but if you have never been, I HIGHLY recommend it ... even if just for the adults. The quality of the meal is comparable to a Ruth's Chris ... and would easily cost $150+ on land depending where you were. All the food just melts in your mouth. Plus, David's Steakhouse on the pride is just beautiful.

 

Cheers!

 

Jeff aka Recovery Dude

[bptex]

I usually take $500 cash. Around $300 in $20s, $100 in $10s and the rest in fives and ones. I do however use credit cards in port and will usually have a couple of hundred on my sail and sign.

 

I have $100 obc on my next cruise though and $575 in gift cards to use, plus prepaid tips and cheers. I don't know what we'll do!

[coevan]

We use CC's for everything. It's all about the mileage. We even pay our utilities, insurance, cells, did I say everything. Capitol One Venture, 2 miles per dollar spent plus no foreign transaction fees. This way we fly free to every cruise.

[pjinaz]

I usually tip on excursions. It depends on the excursion, the length and how good the service was. On a couple hour tour with a lot of other people I might tip 10 to 20 for the 4 of us for good service. On a longer excursion with fewer people and great service I might tip 50 to 60 dollars. It really is an individual decision and how well staff took care of you.

[caddykid12]

I hate credit cards.. always will. I settle my bill in cash before I disembark so I bring around 7000$ to 8000$ cash on board to cover gamblin..drinks..ports of call.. and purchases that need to be squared away before leaving.

[Warm Breezes]

I normally pay my S&S, pre-paid excursions, and any USA travel charges (hotel, gas , restaurants, etc.) with my Double points CC to collect the rewards. Since I pay off my bills in full every month and put as much as I can on my credit card during the month, I usually have enough in rewards cash for about 75% (or more) of my spending vacation cash that I take and cash them out right before we travel. I normally use cash for anything we purchase in ports (excursions & souvenirs) and for tipping. I just feel more comfortable using cash than credit card in a foreign country. For cash I normally bring $100 per day we are gone. Most of the time we only spend less than half of that so I deposit the rest when we get home to pay off the CC bill. Even though we usually take too much I feel more comfortable having it with me in case we need it.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Warm Breezes

[Warm Breezes]

I hate credit cards.. always will. I settle my bill in cash before I disembark so I bring around 7000$ to 8000$ cash on board to cover gamblin..drinks..ports of call.. and purchases that need to be squared away before leaving.

 

Wow. To each his own but I would not feel comfortable carrying around that much cash. I have no problem using a credit card since we pay it off in full each month so no interest and we end up making money from it to use for our spending on our vacations. To me they are a win-win. My DS(22) just got his first CC account as we sent him off to North Dakota to start his first job post college. I emphasized with him through his college years how to use a CC responsibly and paying it off in full each month as he was on our CC account since he started driving. But we must all do what works for us individually and if carrying around that much cash works for you then more power to you :D.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Warm Breezes

[Drose716]

I hate carrying cash at home & hate it even more when travelling. I usually bring just a little more than is necessary. For example, on our last cruise I had pre-paid online for both excursions (booked privately) & both included lunch. I researched what the shuttles & taxis would cost in advance, accounted for tips, budgeted a few dollars for souvenirs & added that up. Then I took about $100- $150 more than that for incidentals (such as when my son broke his flip flops right after walking off the ship onto Freeport :rolleyes: and $20 for whenmy daughter suddenly felt adventurous & wanted snorkel gear in Nassau). Most of my "incidentals" money came home with me.

 

On board I don't worry much because I use my credit card on my S&S & there's noooo way I'm ever going near the limit on that thing. For my upcoming trip I will be pre-paying Cheers so I'm expecting a fairly low S&S. It'll be gratuities, some fees for Night Owls for the kids, probably a few bucks in the arcade & some souvenirs. I havr entered the casino once in 6 cruises so I don't really budget for gambling. I rarely buy photos & if I do its one or two. I don't eat steak & have never sailed a ship eith other specialty restaurants so there's no charges there.

 

How much money you'll need is very individual. I suggest my method. Break out the Excel spreadsheets & make a list of on board & on shore items you expect to need. Add that up & then expect/take $100- $200 more just in case.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Drose716

[suzycruiser2]

Someone mentioned parking at the port. That can be any where from $16-$20/day, so you will definitely need to figure that in.

[Sugaree5335]

Someone mentioned parking at the port. That can be any where from $16-$20/day, so you will definitely need to figure that in.

 

If you're driving in the day before you can also look for a stay and cruise package at your hotel. I've found these to be much cheaper than parking at the port.

[coevan]

I hate credit cards.. always will. I settle my bill in cash before I disembark so I bring around 7000$ to 8000$ cash on board to cover gamblin..drinks..ports of call.. and purchases that need to be squared away before leaving.

 

 

 

Because? 8K is $160 cash from Capitol One, what are you missing. In 40+ years I have been hacked once and it cost me nothing, but a little pain setting up new auto payments. The only people I know who do not like credit cards are people who got themselves in credit problems not being responsible.

[elcuchio24]

Ok so for how much cash to bring with you, what I always do is first figure out how much the shore excursions cost.(I never use a credit/debit card in the ports. Just my personal preference.) With some excursions you put down a deposit and then pay the remaining balance when you get there. Then, allow a little extra money for tipping the tour operator/guide or taxi driver.(This is why I always bring some smaller bills like 1's and 5's.) Also have to take into consideration food and beverage expenses while in port if it's not part of the excursion you are doing. Finally spending money for souvenirs which you seem to already have budgeted for. Hope this helps a little. Have a great cruise!

 

Thats a great tip too: I am a person who rarely carries cash, but on shore days, its all cash for us. Just not worth the risk using cc/debit.

[elcuchio24]

Because? 8K is $160 cash from Capitol One, what are you missing. In 40+ years I have been hacked once and it cost me nothing, but a little pain setting up new auto payments. The only people I know who do not like credit cards are people who got themselves in credit problems not being responsible.

 

Consider yourself lucky. We have had 5 fraudulent claims in the past 10 years. They didnt end up costing us anything, of course, but it was still a pain. One of those from from a Cayman Islands stop years ago. Card ended up being used to buy airfare to Panama City (panama) a week later. Cash just has zero risk once you spend it, which is why its our preference while in port, or abroad in general for that matter.

[caddykid12]

Because? 8K is $160 cash from Capitol One, what are you missing. In 40+ years I have been hacked once and it cost me nothing, but a little pain setting up new auto payments. The only people I know who do not like credit cards are people who got themselves in credit problems not being responsible.

 

 

I'm 25. Never had credit problems. Just much easier to handle things in cash on the spot. Don't get me wrong I have credit cards for gas and life's daily needs but for a vacation I only bring what I plan to lose/spend. With my job I also travel 9 months of the year so I agree I have had many fraud activities with in a few years time. And times before I've used a credit card on islands and was shut off due to bank error for fraud protection. So with cash I have no cares in the world for the 7 to 15 days I cruise

[Jackie81]

WOW!! Lots of great advice. It really doesn't look like I'm overlooking anything..except the pictures, I did overlook that. I figured in parking, already have the cash set aside for excursions and will be making sure to break down a 100.00 into 5's and 1's for additional tipping. My husband and I did do the steakhouse on our first cruise. The ONLY reason we have no plans to do so this time is because we're cruising with my brother and his family. My brother is to cheap to do it, and I'm to cheap to pay for him to do it. lol. Have no issues paying for my family of 4, but adding in his family of 4 as well.. no thanks. haha.

 

I think where I got concerned is whenever we vacation as a family, its always been on land, always been in the states. So, there's only been so much you can prepay thus always have about 1500-2000 spending cash for food, and activities and the like for the 4 of us. I'm not having to do that here because its already taken care of. I guess its just throwing me off is all. We PIF back at the beginning of February so since its been so long now, I just periodically forget exactly how much money we've really put into this vacation. Does that make sense? I hope so, it made sense in my head, looks kinda weird in print. lol

 

On a side note, no. We don't use credit cards. I'm 34 and I've NEVER had one. Not because of any kind of issues, its just my mom always said if you don't have the money for it, you don't need it, so I've always just lived with that mind set. My husband had a couple when we first got married. I made sure they got paid off and cut up. lol.

Edited July 11, 2016 by Jackie81
Forgot a side note

[Warm Breezes]

WOW!! Lots of great advice. It really doesn't look like I'm overlooking anything..except the pictures, I did overlook that. I figured in parking, already have the cash set aside for excursions and will be making sure to break down a 100.00 into 5's and 1's for additional tipping. My husband and I did do the steakhouse on our first cruise. The ONLY reason we have no plans to do so this time is because we're cruising with my brother and his family. My brother is to cheap to do it, and I'm to cheap to pay for him to do it. lol. Have no issues paying for my family of 4, but adding in his family of 4 as well.. no thanks. haha.

 

I think where I got concerned is whenever we vacation as a family, its always been on land, always been in the states. So, there's only been so much you can prepay thus always have about 1500-2000 spending cash for food, and activities and the like for the 4 of us. I'm not having to do that here because its already taken care of. I guess its just throwing me off is all. We PIF back at the beginning of February so since its been so long now, I just periodically forget exactly how much money we've really put into this vacation. Does that make sense? I hope so, it made sense in my head, looks kinda weird in print. lol

 

On a side note, no. We don't use credit cards. I'm 34 and I've NEVER had one. Not because of any kind of issues, its just my mom always said if you don't have the money for it, you don't need it, so I've always just lived with that mind set. My husband had a couple when we first got married. I made sure they got paid off and cut up. lol.

 

You can use credit cards and still live by this rule....I do. If I can't pay my credit card in full when payment is due then I don't need to purchase it. The advantage comes where I get 2% cash back on everything I purchase with my credit card. You get 0% back on everything you pay cash for. That 2% adds up and becomes my spending money on vacations...I have a hard time passing up free money just for using a piece of plastic vs handing over cash.