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Questions about bringing cash


FLgal0214
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Haven't been on a cruise in about 12 years.  Going on a 5 day, Brilliance Of The Seas, stopping at Grand Cayman & Cozumel.  How much cash should we bring?  We are going to Nachi Cocom while in Cozumel.  In Grand Cayman we will be walking around hitting the shops and taking the Callypso Distillery tour.   Thanks for all your input.  

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It kind of depends on what you want to spend while you are walking about. We typically bring at least $100 in 5's to use for tips/general spending and then an additional amount for cash purchases ashore depending on the ports (probably in the neighborhood of $50 per port as a general rule). We try to bring small bills to make it easier to change.

Edited by sparks1093
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What you spend is entirely up to you!  Most places will accept credit cards, and for larger purchases, that's what I'd use.  Smaller purchases, like lunch or a bauble, cash is fine.

 

We always bring a good amount of cash on any trip, regardless of what we plan to do.

 

Most would recommend about $100 or so pp per day.  What you don't spend, you can put back in the bank when you get home!

 

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Have you paid Nachi in full or just the deposit?  Will you buy a massage or snorkel trip while there?  Can you use a no foreign fee credit card for these instead of cash?  Then there is the tip for your Nachi waiter.

 

For your distillery tour, are you planning to buy some spirits?  How much shopping are you planning to do?

 

For the cruise, did you prepay gratuities?  That's the best way for most to handle tipping on board the ship.

 

Only you can answer these questions.

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We always take lots of cash.  Mostly in small denominations for baggage handlers, tips, small souvenirs, etc.  What we don't spend we just put back in the wallet back home or in the bank.  Why set yourself up to worry?

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2 hours ago, cb at sea said:

What you spend is entirely up to you!  Most places will accept credit cards, and for larger purchases, that's what I'd use.  Smaller purchases, like lunch or a bauble, cash is fine.

 

We always bring a good amount of cash on any trip, regardless of what we plan to do.

 

Most would recommend about $100 or so pp per day.  What you don't spend, you can put back in the bank when you get home!

 

That is what we do.  I bring $100 per day and usually bring about half of it back to stick back in the bank.  I use my cc with no foreign transaction fees for larger purchases in port (if we make any) and to pay off any on board balance so I can get my reward points for them.

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54 minutes ago, Warm Breezes said:

That is what we do.  I bring $100 per day and usually bring about half of it back to stick back in the bank.  I use my cc with no foreign transaction fees for larger purchases in port (if we make any) and to pay off any on board balance so I can get my reward points for them.

 

That would be our rule of thumb as well.  The good thing about taking too much cash is that it can always come back home with you.  We, too, typically take about $100 per day.  We also mix the denominations to allow enough small bills for miscellaneous tips and on shore cash purchases and request US $ as change prior to any purchase. Smaller denominations help facilitate this with making change.

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We plan on $100 per port day for both of us and usually come back with most of it.  It's definitely a good idea to have small bills for tips.  If we had kids with us, we would take a little more cash.  I prefer to use my debit/credit cards as little as possible while out of the country.

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I am coming down to the final weeks till our cruise, our cruise is 4 nights and I am trying to get a budget together for our spending money.... we have budgeted 800.00  on our credit card for our family of four for the onboard ship purchases. We are only visiting Bahamas, and we want to use cash in the ports, we wont be making any major purchases in port or doing any excursions , I know it is up to me on how much to budget but im trying to get an idea for those that don't mind to give me advice, how much cash is ideal for this length of cruise and is there any expenses that I might need cash for that I may not have listed? 

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19 minutes ago, Tntt said:

I am coming down to the final weeks till our cruise, our cruise is 4 nights and I am trying to get a budget together for our spending money.... we have budgeted 800.00  on our credit card for our family of four for the onboard ship purchases. We are only visiting Bahamas, and we want to use cash in the ports, we wont be making any major purchases in port or doing any excursions , I know it is up to me on how much to budget but im trying to get an idea for those that don't mind to give me advice, how much cash is ideal for this length of cruise and is there any expenses that I might need cash for that I may not have listed? 

I'd bring 50 to 100 for drinks and snacks. 

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Last cruise, we spent about $300 in cash for 12 night/5 ports.

 

And $150 was for one 3rd party tour that was paid at the end of the tour.

 

Everything else was credit card.

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If you want to purchase items at port below $20.00 take cash. Questionable sellers. Cash only. Otherwise they almost take a credit card. many will sell an item without tax if you pay cash. Only shop at the recommended jewelry stores. Never by jewelry from a store that is not backed by the cruise line. You are protected. Any cash. Keep it well protected from pickpockets. Women, put your purse strap around your neck. NEVER go alone.

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Another tip is to be careful when getting change. Some times they'll give you change in local currency and if your not familiar with the local currency they may be short changing you. 

 

I think it's Roatan if I'm not mistaken that will not take any crumpled or torn bills.

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15 hours ago, SciFiGuy1960 said:

Another tip is to be careful when getting change. Some times they'll give you change in local currency and if your not familiar with the local currency they may be short changing you. 

 

I think it's Roatan if I'm not mistaken that will not take any crumpled or torn bills.

It's not so much that they are short changing you per se but the exchange rate that they use will heavily favor themselves.

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MANY countries will not take old, torn, wrinkled, dirty bills.

 

I had one case in a country, paid in dollars, got change back in dollars, went to buy something else, the vendor would not accept a bill they had given me in change. 😄

 

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