How much $$ should we bring?

[babchia]

I know we need cash, and should have traveller's check, along with credit cards, but how much in total should we bring? We aren't planning on spending a fortune and know that we can basically charge things if we really HAVE to have it.

 

Also, how much in singles for tips and incentives? Just looking for a ballpark figure here.

[wwinfl91]

If you use a credit card to pay for your shipboard charges and the cruise line you are sailing on puts the tips for your waiters and room steward on that bill, you only need enough money to pay for the tips for the people at the airport and at the port when they load and unload your bags. You will also need money for spending during your time on shore depending on what you do there. We usually take around $400 or so in cash just in case for a week's cruise. That is if we are paying for most other things with a credit card.

 

Have a great cruise.

[kjkohler]

Another thing to think about that I always do is kind of 'premake' the tip envelopes for everyone. You can see the suggested tips on the website of the ship you're going on most likely or find a thread here I'm sure. It would suck to get to the last day of the cruise and have to wait in a forever line for change if you only have large bills left.

[trish1c]

Here are some budget considerations to think about:

 

Tips: figure $10 per day per person total as a minimum; as someone suggested, many people parcel this out before they sail. For 2 people on a 7 night voyage that's $140. In addition, you will also be expected to tip the stevedores (at least $1 per bag), taxi drivers, tour operators, etc.

 

Do you drink alcohol? Average price is probably $5 per drink plus 15-18% tip automatically added. If you are like me & prefer good wine & just have to have :rolleyes: the drink of the day, it gets expensive.

 

Will you go to the spa? That's probably another $100 per treatment/ event.

 

Do you gamble? How much can you afford to lose? Will you play bingo? $25-$30 per card

 

Will you want to eat at any of the surcharge restuarants? $15-$30 pp extra

 

Will you want copies of the photos? $12.50+ each

 

Will you go on excursions? The "big" ones can cost a lot. Figure at least $50-75 pp per event.

 

Do you need to buy souveniers for yourself or someone back home? How much are you willing to spend?

 

Do you have to have contact with the outside world? On board ship-to-shore is $7.95 per minute; there are fees for the internet.

 

I hope that helped you to figure out what you should bring. A general rule of thumb is bring 1/2 the clothes & 2x the money. :D

 

Enjoy!

[Ryanne]

Don't forget to bring a stack of $1 for tipping room service.

[mrsfuzzmo]

In general, we bring $100-$150.00 per day in cash. BUT, we are the couple who goes ashore and stays ashore, eating and drinking and socializing with the locals. It's one of our favorite things to do on a cruise. Find a local guide and have them take us to a little local "secret" hotspot, or old favorite and we have had some absolutely excellent meals for little money! A couple of times we've eaten in locals kitchens. So, anyway, many people go back onto the ship for all meals. For us, we go on cruises for the island experience rather than the ship experience (though we do enjoy being on the ship during sea days), so we probably spend a little more than the norm. We also take plenty, because you never know when you'll run into that once in a life time experience/food/gift etc. and you don't want to say, "I'd love to, but can't afford it". You'll really regret it. So, better safe than sorry! Take extra cash!

[JanetMarie]

DH and I are 47. We don't drink alcohol, and we sail at least twice a year to the Caribbean. That being said, we can "survive" a week on a ship on $200 to $300. I purchase a couple of ship photos, an item or two in the gift shop, DH like his daily ice cream, which some lines charge for, and then the misc. soda charges. :p

[marco]

We usually bring only a couple of hundred in cash. Everything on board goes on account other than a couple of bucks now and then for room service. On shore: a beveage, a cab, a snack, trinkets and postcards = cash. Any larger purchase, a credit card. We bring mostly small bills 1's & 5's. If you think you might be doing some local non-ship organized tours on your own, those would be paid for with cash, so a little more $$$$ may be appropriate. If need be, there are ATM's and on most ships you can get cash on your account in the casino that you don't "have to" use for gambling.

[momofmeg]

It also depends on your spending habits. If you think to have a good time you must by gobs of souveniors you need to bring plenty. Also how much alcohol do you drink? The average drink is like $6 if you don't buy the stupid souvenior glass and they have specials every day for like $2.95-$3.95 plus the 15% tip. Beer is also less expensive then a mixed drink just like it is in a restaurant. I have read posts of people who had bar bills of $150 a day. That would be about 25 drinks at the average $6 price. You can get a cola card for like $30 and then you can have as much as you want for one price. Also they offer drink cards so you can get so many drinks at a reduced price. The hair and nail salon is a little pricy. You will spend more there then at home. I don't waste money there myself. I keep my hair in a simple hair cut and I also keep my nails simple. Massages can be expensive too.

 

We pretty much though are like the above post. We don't spend alot and we don't bring home a bunch of stupid tee-shirts for friends and family which they are going to simply donate to a trift store after wearing once or twice. We never drink wine at dinner because usually we have a couple of drinks in lounges later and we like to drink enough to relax not get tipsy. We don't want hangovers as we love getting up early and either sitting on the lido and looking out on the ocean or having coffee on our balcony.

 

We do bring several hundred dollars ($300 or $400) in cash and also about $500 in travelors checks. We usually come back home with around half of that though. Especially the last 2 cruises on Carnival as Carnival now charges tips on your sail and sign and we usually put that on our credit card anyway. But even with tips we had like $500 on our sail and sign for the 7 day and like $250 or a little less for the 3 day. Every now and then we may see something we really want and put it on a credit card. I never buy expensive jewelry though. You can get just as good of buys right in the US in you shop around. I have bought some great tanzanite at a local jeweler who was not any more pricy then those shops in the caribbean.

[JanetMarie]

I agree with the above post in that you can get jewelry stateside at a good price, provided you have a reputable jeweler. It's only if I really think I will not be able to find a piece or have our jeweler design a piece, that I purchase outside of our jeweler.

[day-day]

You will not need cash for many of the shipboard items and activities listed by several posters; you can (must?) use your Sail & Sign card (Carnival) for most or all shipboard purchases including any cruise ship arranged excursions.

 

If you will be using taxi's or shopping in the ports, you should have smaller denominations because stores and taxi drivers may not have change (or at least claim they don't) needed for larger bills. We purchased some post cards in Jamaica and needed a quarter so that we could pay the exact amount. The bus in Grand Cayman is $2.50 per person. A taxi ride from Puerto Maya pier to downtowm San Miguel in Cozumel is $6.....

[momofmeg]

I mentioned prices that are put on your sail and sign because I felt the original post was trying to get an idea of how much he or she will spend. I also mentioned the wrong amount for our sail and sign card for our 7 day cruise last year. It was more like $700 but we had also bought some excursions through the cruiseline. Still we had enough left from our cash and travelors checks to pay like $500 of it. It was no struggle at all for us to pay off our credit card the next month.

 

Also you mentioned REPUTABLE jewlers in US. Look at that tanzanite at Tanzanite Internationial. They have the cheap cr&^%$ap for cheap prices. The better quality is super expensive just like it is at home in jewelers in the US. You may as well face it if you want top quality tanzanite it will cost you NO MATTER WHERE you buy it.

 

I have also read posts of those who thought they were buying something really nice at these jewelers only to find they had been taken when they came home and had it appraised.

 

Barbados is known for it's fine porcelion at discount prices. I priced some Royal Albert that was similiarly priced at my local Marshalls. So why would I buy it there and still have to worry about getting it home without breaking it?

 

Then after you have been to a few of these islands you have all the beach towels, coverups, visors, sun glasses etc. that you want. Pretty much the same is offered at every island. You can get liquor at a discount at most places but often the price is even better on ship. You can also get good prices of perfumes in like St. Marteen and Bermuda but it is not like I am going to buy a lot of that either.

[Ellya]

I am going to assume that your tips are included with your cruise bill. Most of the things people mentioned in this thread can be charged to your ship account and paid for with your credit card. The things you need CASH for are:

 

Tips for ship's staff above and beyond the included amount (such as for room service)

Tips for luggage handlers at the dock

Taxi fare and tips

Tips for excursion personnel (if you so desire)

Cash for food or drink at ports (if you don't want to use your credit card)

Cash for small purchases at ports (or largers ones if you don't want to use credit)

 

We brought $400 for 2 people and did not spend all of it, but I was glad to have it just in case.

[momofmeg]

Carnival and Princess tipping is to your sail and sign. Royal Caribbean it is your choice. Don't know about the other lines. We personally like to give the envelopes if we have the choice. So check it out with your TA they should know.

 

We are always in the habit of tipping $1 to $2 per bag for the cabs or a shuttle or the guy at the airport or the guys at the cruiseport who take your bags. That is standard practice when traveling whether you are cruising or going to an hotel or whatever. Anyway as I mentioned the amount of cash we take-we always have plenty for all that-as I said we usually take some extra more then we think we need just in case something comes up like booking an excursion on our own etc.

[cme]

I will soon be going on my 4th-5th cruises. Since I now have a better idea of what things cost I make a list of expenses I will encounter starting from the airport when we leave to the airport on our return trip. I figure in food at the airport to the food and expenses of arriving a day prior to the cruise. This may seem kinda of extreme but I feel better knowing that hopefully there won't be any surprizes:eek: . I always figure high on everything, its much better having enough money so you don't have to worry about running out.

 

Carrie:p

[ASM]

If you know you want a shore excursion. you can book it in advance. Paying as much up front as you can cuts down on the cash you need. We probably had about $350 on our ship account to settle up- massage, photos (expensive), drinks, a few items from the shops ( like this summer's primary handbag). On shore, some meals, drinks, shopping ( I like local crafts, etc), tips for the prepaid shore excursions. I don't really know what I spent. DH probably has a good idea though! You know how much of a spender you are.

Again, prepay as much as you can, realize you can't use cash on the ship except for tips, and carry enough cash for the ports--much better to use than credit cards for obvious reasons. Good luck and have fun!

[Cruiseador]

you can't use cash on the ship except for tips!

Is that the case on Royal Caribbean ships as well?

[Sports Mama]

Cruiseador-

When cruising RCCL, like most other cruise lines, when you check in you will either use a credit card, traveler checks, debit card, or cash to secure your sea pass. Once on board you will use your sea pass to make purchases on the ship, except I believe the casino. Tips can be put on your sea pass or you can just give cash on the last night. RCCL will provide envelopes for the last night. If you put the tips on your sea pass they will give you a voucher to put in the envelope. Please note that your sea pass also is a room key and enables you to embark and disembark at ports too. I may have answered more than you actually needed, but I hope that I have helped.

 

Happy Sailing,

Sports Mama

[Cruiseador]

Sports Mama, I need all the info you've got! :) I definitely want to know as much as I can before going on the cruise, I'm sure it'll help in the overall cruise experience.

 

Thanks again for the info ;)

[Sports Mama]

Cruiseador--

 

I am so glad to help!!! :) I have been a virgin cruiser before. I am just like you I don't want any surprise either. In situations like this I want to be well informed about what is going to happen. If you need anything else don't hesitate to ask. As you can already see A LOT of the people have a TON of experience and are a wealth of information. I love these boards and the people who take time to share their infomation. Without them I would be truely lost.

 

Happy Sailing,

Sports Mama

[jofish]

I have cruised before so I have a handle on expenses that require cash money but this time I will be traveling with 5 grandkids, age 7 thru 19 and the kids program is new to me. Is there a charge? and what about the "video games" and the rock wall, are there additional charges for that.

? Thanks for replying. Joanne

[imosoreal]

$100 per day per adult and of course you won't spend the same amount each day and you probably will return home with some cash, but my extra is for the casino and shopping so I usually end up spending every penny.