travelling_txgal Posted January 13, 2018 #1 Share Posted January 13, 2018 I like to research extensively so I ask a lot of questions. My question for the experienced cruisers is: On average how much cash do you bring? Specifics: 5 day Carnival cruise for two to Cozumel/Progresso in May We are not big drinkers but partake occasionally We have researched our excursions so that is already budgeted for but I understand there may be extra expenses during the excursions Our spending cash will mainly be for extras (souvenirs, shopping, tips and food while in ports, etc.) So how much would you recommend taking in spending cash? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
biker@sea Posted January 13, 2018 #2 Share Posted January 13, 2018 i like to research extensively so i ask a lot of questions. My question for the experienced cruisers is: On average how much cash do you bring? Specifics: 5 day carnival cruise for two to cozumel/progresso in may we are not big drinkers but partake occasionally we have researched our excursions so that is already budgeted for but i understand there may be extra expenses during the excursions our spending cash will mainly be for extras (souvenirs, shopping, tips and food while in ports, etc.) so how much would you recommend taking in spending cash? :) 1k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelling_txgal Posted January 13, 2018 Author #3 Share Posted January 13, 2018 $1000? Thanks, that's kind of the ball park we were in but I just want to make sure I am not underestimating the extra costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt_BJ Posted January 13, 2018 #4 Share Posted January 13, 2018 I'm just off a 7 day on OASIS we had the drink pak and our tips were waived under the 'deal' we booked We took a few hundred cash with us but on leaving the ship, other than the 'extra cash tips' we gave, the out of pocket expense was ZIP ship wize .... our on board account was ZERO ..... NO charge to the CC. Extra tip to our servers (traditional dining) and bar tenders at the spot we frequented amounted to a couple of hun' but I consider this EXTRA ....... not required Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cb at sea Posted January 14, 2018 #5 Share Posted January 14, 2018 We bring about $1500 for a weeklong cruise...but all of our shipboard charges go to a credit card. I like to have more cash than I need...cash IS king, after all! I redeposit it when I get home. Cash is best for the casino. And for small purchases ashore and tips for cabs, etc..... On the ship, you don't need to carry cash around...you can sign for everything...and you can't buy anything with cash...except gambling. and tips to room service. If you're paying your bill in cash, figure out how much you'll owe (as best you can) and bring about $500 more, just to be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzycick Posted January 14, 2018 #6 Share Posted January 14, 2018 2 adults and a child. Our 3 excursions will come out to less than $350 total. Our gas around $150. Our hotel we already paid for. We don’t own credit cards and will bring cash to pay for those excursions and everything else. We budgeted $1500 total so $1000 for extra tips, souvenirs, alcohol, fun stuff for our kid, thrill theater, food on the way down and back, etc. I expect to use less than $500 of it. Maybe $300? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freedom750 Posted January 14, 2018 #7 Share Posted January 14, 2018 We've been on around 40 cruises and we take $600 cash ( or Euros or pounds depending on which country we are in). With ship costs on credit card and credit for hotels etc as needed the only cash we need is for taxis tips food and the odd excursion. For every thing else there's MC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kerryincork Posted January 14, 2018 #8 Share Posted January 14, 2018 I like to research extensively so I ask a lot of questions. My question for the experienced cruisers is: On average how much cash do you bring? Specifics: 5 day Carnival cruise for two to Cozumel/Progresso in May We are not big drinkers but partake occasionally We have researched our excursions so that is already budgeted for but I understand there may be extra expenses during the excursions Our spending cash will mainly be for extras (souvenirs, shopping, tips and food while in ports, etc.) So how much would you recommend taking in spending cash? I am doubling what I an spending on excursions. I check out the ports and found out the costs of taxi fares, which I included in the excursion budget. Though I register a credit card, I usually pay this off the last day of cruise. Sent from my SM-N910F using Forums mobile app Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Keith1010 Posted January 14, 2018 #9 Share Posted January 14, 2018 I would bring around $1,500.00 to $2,000.00 knowing that I would spend very little of it but just want cash in the even of an emergency. Keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare geoherb Posted January 14, 2018 #10 Share Posted January 14, 2018 We take $200-$300 in cash. Everything on the ship goes on our onboard account and then to my charge card except for tips to room service, extra tips to a few staff, and a little for the slot machines. We don't spend much ashore. I can't imagine having $1,000 in cash on me. I also can't imagine not having a credit card. If I did not, though, I would prepay the onboard gratuities and shore excursions and prepurchase on-board credit so that I did not need as much cash to pay on my account. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlp20 Posted January 15, 2018 #11 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Your question was cash, my answer very little. 99.9% use credit card when linking on board spending. On shore at larger tourist traps, plastic always accepted. Off the beaten path in foreign country cash is king, but don't expect them to be money changers. Take small denominations. By the way, rule of thumb for first timers, take twice the money and half the clothes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zqvol Posted January 15, 2018 #12 Share Posted January 15, 2018 I wouldn't take more than about $200 pp. The rest can go on a CC that you can pay off when you get home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SRF Posted January 15, 2018 #13 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Last 9 night cruise, I spent less than $200 in cash. Credit card for most everything, including loungers at the beach. BTW, there are ATMs on board and also in the ports. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
teknoge3k Posted January 15, 2018 #14 Share Posted January 15, 2018 I typically never carry cash. I don't use it in everyday life but on my upcoming cruise I have it figured up to take $1,000. That includes tips for my hotel to airport since we're taking the hotel shuttle then the airport to the hotel in Orlando since we're using hotel shuttle there also. Porters, room steward extra tip, then tipping our excursion operators, wait staff at the AIs we're going to, lunch in ports, and then a little extra cash for shopping in ports. That's for an 8 day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
salvagegirl Posted January 15, 2018 #15 Share Posted January 15, 2018 5 day cruise, 2 people very much like you. A little drinking , already paid for excursions. We do a cash account, we never use our credit card except for gas and before the cruise hotel. I always take 1k but bring home around 300 to 500 of it back with me. Its always nice to have a little extra just in case we find something we want but have never spent it all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cmdchiefthom Posted January 15, 2018 #16 Share Posted January 15, 2018 If I'm cruising in the Caribbean, I budget $1K per each week of cruising. In Europe, I bring a couple of hundred dollars cash, but use my debit card in the numerous ATM's available, withdrawing euros based on my needs. On our last trip, for two weeks, I spent around $2300 buying Euros.;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare ronrick1943 Posted January 15, 2018 #17 Share Posted January 15, 2018 Depends on what you buy---credit cards work just great, that said we still take around $2,000. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crzycick Posted January 15, 2018 #18 Share Posted January 15, 2018 I also can't imagine not having a credit card. If I did not, though, I would prepay the onboard gratuities and shore excursions and prepurchase on-board credit so that I did not need as much cash to pay on my account. We follow Dave Ramsey which is why we don’t do credit cards. We’ve been married 11 years and we’ve never had one. In fact the only one I ever had in my life was a small student $500 limit student one from my credit union when I was 18. We do prepay gratuities and our shore excursions will be paid in cash to the vendors when we arrive. We hardly spend any money on the ship so buying onboard credit would be silly. We put the money we plan to spend in each port in an envelope with that port name and an envelope for travel expenses, one for ship expenses, extra tips, and and then an extra funds to spend wherever we decide to splurge. This trip we’ll add an envelope for our almost 5 year old son to spend some money, half of it is money he saved from Christmas and half we will match. We only take the envelope that pertains to that day’s needs. This keeps us on track and in budget. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jazzydiver Posted January 16, 2018 #19 Share Posted January 16, 2018 I usually bring about $200 in bills of various denominations for a week-long cruise. If I'm going on a non-cruiseline excursion that needs to be paid in cash, I add that on top. I find that's plenty for miscellaneous small souvenirs, maybe a restaurant at a port, and any various small-bill tipping I'm inclined to do (room service or whatever). Anything that's an unexpected big expense would go on a credit card. I can see if someone is really into souvenir shopping or likes to drink a lot while at the ports may find that inadequate, so use your judgment accordingly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GUT2407 Posted January 16, 2018 #20 Share Posted January 16, 2018 None. That’s why they invented cards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookDragon Posted January 16, 2018 #21 Share Posted January 16, 2018 We are also going on a 5 day and have wondered how much to bring. Typically when we do land vacations, we prepay for as much as possible and rarely purchase souvenirs. Also, we are light drinkers. This is our first cruise, so we are treating this first one as a learning opportunity. We have prepaid for tips and excursions. We also know that we will eat in the stekhouse, play Bingo, maybe get a drink of the day in the afternoons, and the big splurge possibility: a spa treatment. Keeping all that in mind, $1000 is probably a good amount to budget for. I doubt we will spend it all, but it will be nice to know that it's there if we want something. ETA: Also we only do cash on vacation...no credit cards unless there is an emergency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelling_txgal Posted January 17, 2018 Author #22 Share Posted January 17, 2018 We are also going on a 5 day and have wondered how much to bring. Typically when we do land vacations, we prepay for as much as possible and rarely purchase souvenirs. Also, we are light drinkers. This is our first cruise, so we are treating this first one as a learning opportunity. We have prepaid for tips and excursions. We also know that we will eat in the stekhouse, play Bingo, maybe get a drink of the day in the afternoons, and the big splurge possibility: a spa treatment. Keeping all that in mind, $1000 is probably a good amount to budget for. I doubt we will spend it all, but it will be nice to know that it's there if we want something. ETA: Also we only do cash on vacation...no credit cards unless there is an emergency. Thanks for the reply. We have very similar travel practices (prepay for most, try to avoid credit cards, etc.) so I think $1000 is a good amount to stick with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cjohiocruiser214 Posted January 17, 2018 #23 Share Posted January 17, 2018 My wife and I don't drink except maybe 1 a day, we don't do excursions or gamble.the only thing we spend money on is in port shops , 7 days at 75 dollars a day is our usual and we come home with some Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlp20 Posted January 17, 2018 #24 Share Posted January 17, 2018 We follow Dave Ramsey which is why we don’t do credit cards. We’ve been married 11 years and we’ve never had one........ A little off topic, but using a CC's as far as cruising makes things a bit easier. No need to post cash at check-in. A word from someone who went through that nightmare. Get ONE (1) credit card, linked to your bank so that it's free. Use it twice a year and pay off in full. Comes in very handy in case of emergency and helps credit score Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare sprint180 Posted January 18, 2018 #25 Share Posted January 18, 2018 I take $200. For my nine day I took $300. Came home with some. For my 10 for my husband and I, I have $300. That includes my tip money for the trip Sent from my iPad using Forums Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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