Spending $$$ question

[AndiandMike]

This is a generic question. How do you all figure how much spending $$$ you bring on a 7 day trip? Do you do say $50 pp/per day? Going in 2 weeks and I always either bring too little or way too much.

 

Just looking for ideas

 

Thanks

Andi

[nancyrg]

Andi:

it is so hard to say.......do you drink? do you use the spa? do you gamble or play bingo? are you planning shore excursions?

 

nancy

[Titan(ic)5.6]

I would say that is a good ballpark figure being as most anything you buy on the ship can be signed for and billed to your credit card.

 

You will need more $$$ if you eat large meals while in port, use a lot of taxi service in port, buy lots of souvenirs, and if you gamble in the casino a lot.

[AndiandMike]

We average 1-2 drinks a piece e/o day. Not big drinkers. Gambling, well $20 here, $20 there. I don't use the spa, but if I did, I'd get a massage and that's about it, if anything at all.

 

Souveniers, I hate them. Never buy them ever, and I've been all over the world.

 

I know it's hard to say, mostly what we need I can sign for on board, so I guess that makes sense to have the majority for sign and sail. Taxis on the islands, to be honest, we spend maybe $50 total for the week.

 

Guess I was more looking for patterns of other travellers, I can never get the right equation for me for some reason!

[PescadoAmarillo]

We are not real drinkers or gamblers, and virtually never do a spa treatment on the ship, but we are very active in ports, so we figure about $100 per person per port day, and $10 per person per sea day, in addition to tips, of course. This covers an all day activity in port and a fitness class or a latte during a day at sea.

[AndiandMike]

JMB-

 

That's a great breakdown! I wasn't including tips because those are just a given. Thanks for the insight!

[bearette]

I take around $800, but usually return with a hundred or so. Keep in mind the things you do in port. If you book your own excursions you have to pay in cash (most of the time), drinks on shore, food on shore and souvenirs on shore. Don't forget tranportation to and from the ship if you didn't prebook it with the cruiseline. Also, if you are staying a pre or post cruise night you will need extra money.

A plan I like to use is to add up the cost of the shore excursions I want to do (always round up a little to include tips), I give my husband and I each $50 per person to spend in each port for souvenirs, drinks and other items in port. Then I take one or two hundred dollars more just to be safe. That should give you a rough estimate of what you will be spending.

[johnql]

I usually take about $1000 for a week, but that includes my casino budget of $100 a day. The remainder covers miscellaneous expenses (cash tips, souvenirs, etc.).

[cruznliz]

I don't like having that much cash around so we usually get $600 or $800 in traveler's checks (free with AAA membership) and bring about $300 in cash. Then if we need more cash we can use the traveler's checks at the Pursers Desk. On the last sea day (which is usually the day before disembarkation) we apply any remaining traveler's checks to our shipboard account. Then the credit card bill isn't quite as bad. :eek:

 

DH also has a fixation on having lots of $1 bills. He uses them for tips and small items/postcards in ports. If we buy a bigger item in port we'll use the credit card.;)

[johnql]

I agree with you, cruznliz. I didn't mean to imply that my $1,000 would be all in cash. I would break it down as you do - cash + travelers checks.

[Toto2Kansas]

I normally take $1000 in TC's just for emergencies, then I take the rest in cash split between the two of us. Lots depends on IF you gamble and IF you plan to do a lot of shopping in port.